News at PMA from the Amateur Photographer:-
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/PMA_Pentax_revives_medium_format_digital_camera_plan_news_278069.html
It is told that the 645D will go on sales in Japan (but not in the US). There is no time frame disclosed, though.
Anyway, I think Pentax should think twice whether they should really go the digital Medium Format path, which the market is very small but with huge investment which is not easy to be just paid back, not even for it to be profitable, which simply means Highly Risky for this *business*. And, with the weak financial position and closed factory at Japan (which produced the film 645 bodies and lenses) and now the current limited production facilities of Pentax/Hoya, I really doubt that if they could make it. And even they can, is it really worth it?
In fact, a 645D actually won't help Pentax/Hoya to do any better in the consumer/advanced amateur DSLR market (not even to mention anything high-end, as they have none so far), nor any of existing Pentax K-mount users would benefit from it. The reverse always holds true as the 645D project has consumed much of Pentax/Hoya's already limited resources: money, manpower and time!
Nonetheless, I hope Pentax/Hoya will show us something *real* at the Japanese PIE 2009 later this month instead of giving the world ever waiting vapourware, if they have really decided this time.
how on earth would you know?
ReplyDeleteknow what?
ReplyDelete645D Revived? I hope one Yes.
ReplyDeletebut Japanese media has said a bit of bad news.
Mr. Ootsuki Tomohiro is NikkeiBP’s one senior Japanese journalist of the technical side，Nikkeibp is Japan's one best important technology & business media.
Today, their main layout of the prominent position of the published article:
"[PMA] Excitement and disappointment: Samsung vs. Pentax"
Look here:
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/NEWS/20090305/166817/?ST=d-ce
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/d-ce/#
Ootsuki Tomohiro wrote:
"Excitement and disappointment: Samsung vs. Pentax"
"This year’s PMA, their vitality was obvious difference that between both companies (Samsung and Pentax)".
"In the point that it becomes a reference, it symbolizes the advance of the victory and inferior defeat in the camera industry."
【PMA】興奮と落胆，Samsungとペンタックス
2009/03/05 18:37/大槻 智洋＝日経エレクトロニクス
今年の「PMA」では，両社の活力に大きな差が見られた。ある部品メーカーの方に以下を話したところ，カメラ業界における優勝劣敗の進行を象徴するという点で参考になる，という反応を得たので，報告する。
Ootsuki Tomohiro wrote:
"10 special journalists of the camera side, them responses:
Everyone was disappointed (to Pentax).
Their someone said: is this credible on an enterprise of the future (Pentax)?"
■ペンタックス
[10人のカメラ専門記者の反応]
みな落胆した。「事業の先行きは大丈夫か」という人もいた。
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When everyone seen the above Japan media's news, if someone Pentax 3K Klansman want to again attacks, please you gunman aim at senior Japanese journalist. They are Japan's one best important technology & business media.
I use the Pentax camera, also I use the Samsung UMPC Q1 ultra, but I not interested on Samsung NX.
The Japanese generally do not accept the S-Korean electronic products. However, this Japan’s important media have publicly criticized to Pentax ----- one Japanese corporation, which is an extremely rare case. Maybe the westerner would difficult to understand on the background’s signification.
I would remember Pentax SuperME, SuperA, Z1P, 645N/NII, FA Lenses, but those have ended, them no longer get back. I had disassembled a SuperME as well as a Z1P, I have to say that: this yesterday's Z1P its craft is better than today's K10D.
Peter, Peter, Peter.
ReplyDeleteWhat are we to do with you?
Anyways, how about some full translations?
For all fairness, this year's PMA is full of disappointments, for many brands.
ReplyDeleteWithout doubts, Samsung is doing better here, than Pentax. And Pana has given us an expected "surprise" and Oly has given us the news of a new body.
As for the 645D, I actually won't hope that Pentax/Hoya should go down the route. As I have said above, the 645D is not anything beneficial to their business but it is just a big bomb! So, why take the risk? What's really worth here??
The never-arriving vapourware is surely an annoying thing, though, that hurts the image of a company, and it hurts the feeling of their fans, especially for those who want to (just) see there is such a product, for the sake of there is just something to say more loudly. But anyway, I bet most of those 645D "fans" will not buy the 645D! So, we can see the real problem of this "645D project"!
With such huge resources and investment put in the 645 project, I am pretty sure that Pentax should have already made a 135 Full Frame DSLR system and now gets more market shares for all their DSLR products, but not like now.
Rice said:
ReplyDelete"the 645D is not anything beneficial to their business but it is just a big bomb! So, why take the risk? What's really worth here??"
"With such huge resources and investment put in the 645 project, I am pretty sure that Pentax should have already made a 135 Full Frame DSLR system and now gets more market shares for all their DSLR products, but not like now."
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Rice, maybe your this view are a right idea.
Other some persons did not understand on the background's signification with tihs NikkeiBP's review.
this times, if we sing much chants " good to good " on Pentax, then it is really bad things.
today are now needs criticism, criticism to Pentax!
Japanese's own important media and their senior Japanese journalists have a rare to publicly criticized to Pentax, but some " democratic " country’s Pentax fans there has asking to more hymn of singing Pentax, this really is a sad thing and a bigger ironic!
ReplyDeleteThem had much criticized to Intel, to AMD, to Canon, to Nikon, why not criticize to Pentax?
this times, if we sing much chants " good to good " on Pentax, then it is really bad things.
today are now needs criticism, criticism to Pentax!
Also, I think that Pentax and Samsung should cooperate to develop a 1.2x or a 1.3x Frame system, the future 3 year's market would needs a 1.2x (1.3X) as a competition.
ReplyDeleteAt least before 2012 or 2015, a 135 Full Frame system will still keep a high price than a 1.3x Frame system. The nowadays Pentax lenses line more adapt to a 1.3x system and not a 135 Full Frame system.
Peter, I have a different view than yours here. I think 1.3X is a dead end and should not be made neither. It was just something of the past, which Canon did it only with their 1D ultra high frame rate pro series.
ReplyDeleteToday, APS-C is still the mainstream and most affordable DSLRs' standard. But for the best compatibility and with higher performance, Full Frame is the ultimate choice.
So, what Pentax must do is to go Full Frame. If they had the Full Frame now (instead of wasting so much time and resources in making the vapourware 645D, that has little market and probably not profitable), I am sure their APS-C system gear are yet selling far better than what they are "achieving" now (just because FF is just a symbol and new standard of high end DSLRs nowadays).
Rice, you said "Full Frame is the ultimate choice", I accepts.
ReplyDeleteBut before the Pentax has a 135 Full Frame system, then a 1.3x would maybe be one way as a competition?
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About X70:
"PENTAX X70", which is similar to other, but other companies has sale a same camera.
Hoya (Pentax) except their SLR cameras, that other cameras overall consigned with the ODM way from outside.
実際に登場したのは「PENTAX X70」だった。本機と同様な機種は，他社が発売済みである注2）。
注2）HOYAは，一眼レフ機を除くカメラにおける一部設計と製造を，ODM企業に全面委託している。
Rice, my own idea:
ReplyDeleteThe entry type's DSLR ----> 1.5x (1.6x),
The mid class DSLR ----> 1.2x (1.3X),
The end 135 DSLR ----> a 135 Full Frame.