News from Ricoh - K-1 III is Still Under Development and etc.

From a latest post in the Xitek Pentax forum, an interview with the Ricoh senior officials (from the product development and planning divisions) in a recent marketing event in Taipei was cited.

The key messages delivered are summarised as follows: 

 

1. The K-1 III is still under development. More time is required with a higher precision aimed on the design as well as owing to the difficulty in sourcing certain components and parts for the new camera.

2. The film camera project is in good progress but further details will not be disclosed. Nonetheless, collaboration with other film product manufacturers will be made for determining a right selling price and marketing strategy.

3. Feasibility for the revival of the Q system is being carried out, subject to the requests made by the Pentax fans in Japan. But considering the limitation of the Q system, it would be unlikely.

4. The 645 system is in its end of development, production of the remaining products will last for a certain period of time.

5. Mirrorless is not a viable option for Pentax.

6. New DFA* wide angle lens(es) and replacement of the DA*50-135 are being considered according to market needs.

The Pentax 645 Digital Lineup is Really Done

See the official discontinued lens list here, even the DFA 55/2.8 SDM and DFA 90/2.8 Macro SR lenses are now included:

So, the Pentax 645 digital lineup is really done, as it is shown and can be confirmed, regardless of any official statement made about this fact. :-(  And, those 645 gear of Pentax has become collectors' items now, just like the Q gear. 

New 645D Firmware V1.33

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/digital/645d_s.html

My this old camera is yet supported, good! :-D

Promotional Information Leaked of the Pentax FF

http://photorumors.com/2015/10/15/new-slide-leaked-with-pentax-full-frame-dslr-camera-details/

Shootout Again! 645D Vs A7R

I think I have been for long not posting shootout test and here it is, for my old cameras! ;-)

Measurbate and discover by yourself, for all the differences! Original photos are available for viewing by clicking the "Download" option per photo under album! :-D

https://www.flickr.com/photos/48733800@N06/sets/72157651768054944

EXIF data is available for all photos. Pairs of test shoots were taken at almost the same time for the same scene.

Lens used for A7R is a Canon EF35mm F2 (AE and AF adapted) and a FA645 45mm F2.8 for the 645D, for almost identical FoV.

D-FA 645 25mm Lens Discontinued! :-o

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/lens/index645_list_others.html

What a short life lens! Just wonder what Ricoh is planning to do and why discontinued this lens, which is actually the only ultra-wide lens in the 645 digital line!

New HD PENTAX-D FA645 28-45mm F4.5 ED AW SR

http://digicame-info.com/2014/07/pentax-64528-45mm-f45-1.html
(in Japanese)

Size Comparison Re-visited: 5D3 Vs D800/E Vs 645D Vs A7/R

1. 5D3 Vs D800E:

http://camerasize.com/compare/#312,291

2. 645D Vs D800E:

http://camerasize.com/compare/#211,291

3. 645D Vs A7R:

http://camerasize.com/compare/#211,488

4. 5D3 Vs A7R:

http://camerasize.com/compare/#312,488

Almost Official: 645D Replacement Model is Coming!

In a recent interview by the Japanese Impress photo magazine (Issue No. 1 of 2014) with the Chief Sales and Marketing Manager of the Japanese Ricoh Imaging, it is hinted that the 3.5 years old 645D will possibly be replaced in 2014 in due course:

http://www.impressjapan.jp/pdf/271401/1113110212free.pdf
(in Japanese, Warning: Very Large File in 30MB!)

It is asked by the editor that if something more concrete would be disclosed as early as CP+, the Ricoh official refused to respond and didn't tell anything (but just laughed). Btw, it is guessed by the magazine editorial that the 645D replacement should have a change in sensor format and they even predict that it could use a Full Size 645 sensor! Oh really?! :-o

A7R IQ Shootout with Other FF Bodies and 645D

http://www.imaging-resource.com/camera-reviews/sony/a7r/#IQC

Well, I blog, you decide. You could read the comments and remarks by IR but I think the posted picture samples and crops are self-explanatory by themselves.

New Pentax Rumours: FF and 645DII Coming

The Pentax "rumourizer" OGL has made a post about an alleged interview with Pentax Ricoh Russia as cited from another Russia forum post:

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/240639-pentax-ricoh-russia-answers-ff-ricoh-future.html

So, the following are rumoured:

1. FF will be next year. Not later than Photokina 2014. Maybe, on spring or summer, 2014.
2. New DFA lenses will be offered. New 2.8 zooms will be made.
3. New Limited Zoom will be real.
4. New WR lenses will be launched.
5. K-01 is failed because of design. Mirrorless cameras - Ricoh will offer something new.
6. New 645D will be later. It will be different from 645D. It was plans to launch 645DII this year, but the situation is changed.
7. SMC DA LIMITED are discontinued.

If the first rumour is true, then there is just no reason to buy a K-3 now, which is really a true stop-gap product. So, I believe in that rumour and will keep using my K-5 and wait just for a few months longer! ;-p

K-5II/s New "Urgent" Firmware V1.06

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/digital/k-5_2_s.html

It seems that there was a major bug in the last firmware, so an urgent update is needed. The bug is not told, though. I have also seen quite some users of other Pentax models reported about strange phenomenon since the last recent updates for their bodies. So, it would be wise not to do the update if you have other newer model(s) but not yet, until the actual problem is told clearer, my humble advice!

My Samples: FA645 120mm F4 Macro on 5D3

For what last time I mentioned about and intended to do, the following samples were taken and are now posted. Just browse the album below, full-size original samples are available per picture page:

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RiceHigh/library/5Ds/FA645_120F4Macro?sort=9&page=1

(Or, you can view a quick Slideshow Here.)

All pictures were taken with direct JPEG out of the camera in best quality, hand-held, manual focused, aperture values were set in between f/5.6 to f/8, most at ISO 100.

Actually, I am satisfied with the Image Quality produced by the combo including the Colour Rendition. If you want to compare those pictures of mine against what you can get with the same model of lens on a 1.3X 645D (Mine is in 1.6X, when compared to the 6 x 4.5cm format), you can see the following earlier reviews by the others:

1. A User Review with Full Samples at the Japanese DC Watch. Some of the shooting subjects are quite similar to those of mine:

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/labo/20110606_450161.html
(in Japanese, but viewing the pictures with foot notes are all self-explanatory.)

2. A Brick Wall Measurbation Test with the lens on 645D, at f/4 wide-opened, f/8, f/11 and f/32. The centre crops are posted:

http://dbphoto.net/blog/?p=124

Enjoy! :-)

40mm FF Shootout 2: EF40/2.8 Vs FA43/1.9LE Vs FA645 45/2.8 on 5D3

Above Left to Right: Pentax FA 43/1.9 Limited, Pentax FA645 45/2.8, Canon EF 40/2.8 STM; Tested on a Canon 5D3 135 Full Frame Body. (Remark: Both my Pentax lenses were Japanese made.)

Further to my last shootout test of the same, I've done the test again on a bright day, but on a different scene. Apertures from f/2.8 to f/11 have been tested per lens, at nearly the same time and at the same place. Camera was mounted on tripod and cable shutter release was used. Of course, the image settings of the camera are the same. In addition, all the protective filters were removed during the test.

The test pictures are uploaded and posted in the following album:-

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RiceHigh/library/5Ds/40mm_Shootout_2

Original full-size pictures are available for download per picture page. So, go measurebate yourself for what are different! Still, I want your own findings, do share if you find some!

Copy 120 Films Using an ILDC/DSLR with a Macro Lens

First inspired by Petapixel, this is what I have tried and done myself:-

1. These are the tools that I've used: A white fluorescent desklamp at 6000K, two 77mm UV multi-coated filters, a lens hood with outer diameter in 77mm, some "white" milky transparent paper:-



2. Turn on the lamp, mine is a Panasonic with invertor circuitry which enables the lamp operated at a high frequency:-



3. Put on the "diffuser", I have made three folds of the same plastic sheet:-



* Do the custom white balance at this point with your camera. Mine was measured to be at 4600K exactly, after adding the diffuser, which is yet somehow yellowish.

4. The 120 film is then put inside the two filters, which are in the same size of 77mm. The film fits just well with that filter size. The two filters are screwed tight and the film is sandwished inside (although it is not completely flat, though, but the final DoF should be enough to cover this unevenness):-





5. Align at the position and then put on the lens hood with proper length, so as to match the magnification of the whole film frame to fit in the digital image frame and size of the camera:-





6. Find a wide angle macro lens. I am using the Sony E30/3.5 Macro on a NEX. Experiment with the subject to camera distance. I found and added another lens hood so as to make it just right for the image magnification:-



7. Take the photo with steady hands. It is preferable that everything can be screwed together although my above setup doesn't. Adhesive tape may help but I did the following unfixed. Here is the raw result:-


(Above: Pentax 645N with FA645 45mm/2.8, Fuji Provia 100F. For original picture with full EXIF, click and download here. Warning: Large File!)

8. Crop the photo and here is a clean and "complete" scan of the film:-


(For original picture with full EXIF, click and download here. Warning: Large File!)

9. If you want to compare the result for a scan from a lab machine, here is what I got from the lab which scanned my film after the film development:-


(For original photo with full EXIF, click and download here. Warning: Very Large File!)

10. The above lab scan is in 17MPs originally and mine is less than 14MPs for what my NEX could deliver (as after cropping it is less). You may note some vignetting is introduced in my "scan" as my NEX is an old model which could not correct lens vignetting in-camera. But the advantage of scanning the film by oneself is that more things can be adjusted/controlled including the White Balance, Contrast and Colour Profile and etc., which is important IMO. Also, to get the best results, a higher pixel count camera with better image quality should be used and do shoot in RAW mode, which will give you the flexibility of further post-processing for higher image quality and better results.

40mm 135 FF Shootout: EF 40 Vs FA 43 Vs FA645 45

Above Left to Right: Canon EF 40/2.8 STM, Pentax FA645 45/2.8, Pentax FA 43/1.9 Limited; Tested on a Canon 5D3 135 Full Frame Body. (Remark: Both Pentax lenses of mine were made in Japan.)

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RiceHigh/library/5Ds/40mm_Shootout?sort=4&page=1

Apertures from f/2.8 to f/11 were tested per lens, at nearly the same time and for the same infinity scene. Of course the image settings in the camera were kept the same.

Original full-size pictures are available for download in each individual picture page. So, go measurebate yourself for all the differences! Feedbacks are welcome for your findings, if any! :-D

I've Cropped My Pentax 645 Lenses Myself, in 1.6X! :-o

Since an original 645 lens when put onto an 135 FF body is cropped only 1.6X, I have decided to do this! :-o :-)



I suppose the degrade in IQ (in particular, the resolving power of the 645 lenses) would not be too much as this is exactly what Pentax has been doing/forcing us to do exactly the same thing with more or less the same crop ratio for all those K-mount film lenses of us when they are put onto *any* Pentax K-mount DSLR that was ever produced up till now! >:-[

Btw, the 645D is cropped in 1.3X on the original 120 FF format. So, this 0.3X difference could actually cost a lot, which I am not going to pay for that difference for that much anyway!

Consider also that the pixel pitch sizes of my 5D3 and the 645D are close enough, I suppose my FA645 lenses should be good enough to out-resolve the sensor at pixel level. :-)

Of course, for the overall resolution of the whole picture frame, the 645D still wins, i.e., 40MP over 22/24MP of the current 135 FF digital bodies which have the similar pixel sizes. Actually, this is what the line pairs per picture height or width (LP/PH or LP/PW) figure is going to tell.

Sample photos would follow.. The IQ of those old FA645 lenses on 5D3 is really impressive!


Related:-

What is/are the Meaning(s) of a Cropped Digital System Now?

Comparison of Sensor Specs - 645D Against Others

This is What the Limited Lenses Should be Put Onto!

DIY: Adapting the Pentax FA*85/1.4 onto the Cantax K-5D Mark III

What is/are the Meaning(s) of a Cropped Digital System Now?

In a recent interview with the Pentax Ricoh China Japanese Head, it was told that the 645D was just a completely different product than the 135 FF Nikon D800E, which is far more differentiated.

However, this reminds me of the fact that the 645D, like all other K-mount Pentax DSLRs, is actually also cropped for its sensor. So, I just wonder, how is the 645D different from those 135 FF DSLRs and how "large" is the difference? And besides, what are the trade-offs?

Here we go, for the factual data:-

Camera	Sensor (Film) Type	Sensor (Film) Size (in mm x mm)	Diagonal Length (in mm)	Crop Factor A	Crop Factor B	Crop Factor C
645 Film	120	56 x 41.5	69.7	1X *	0.79X	0.62X
645D	Cropped 120	44 x 33	55	1.27X	1X *	0.79X
D800/E	135	36 x 24	43.3	1.61X	1.27X	1X *
K-5II/s	APS-C (Cropped 135)	23.7 x 15.7	28.4	2.45X	1.94X	1.52X

* Reference

Is everything much clearer now? The myth has been resolved!

In fact, the 645D is the "APS-H" of the original 120 film with a crop factor of nearly 1.3X. The same applies when the 135 FF is compared to the 645D, which has the exact crop factor in 1.27X. So, how much advantage does it give?

And, *suppose* that there is a Full Frame 645D which exists, the 135 FF will then become a 1.6X "Canon APS-C" cropped machine in comparison, then this difference would be more significant!

On the other hand, the truly APS-C sized K-5IIs for its sensor, when compared to the 645D, is really sympathetic! It is almost in 2X, just like when the micro-4/3 sensors are compared to the 135 FF. Actually, the APS-C sensor is much smaller than the 135 FF, its total area of the sensor is just only in 43%!

Well, what are also in return with that cropped sensor in the old 645 form factor for the 645D then? A big, heavy, slow but rather expensive camera, but which is actually NOT having a significantly larger sensor, and thus no big edge in IQ as a result!

Indeed, cropping an old sensor/mount format is always stupid in the digital era, unless new lenses with a smaller image circle which fits more tightly into that smaller image sensor are re-designed and made!

This is the end of case and the case is closed! The 645D now is a meaningless offer after all! If Pentax is listening, please give us Full Frame DSLR bodies soonest, no matter for the K or 645 mounts!! >:-(


Related:-

Search Articles about "Sensor Size" in this Blog

FF Officially Confirmed! Latest Interview with the Head of Pentax Ricoh China at the Chinese P&E 2013

(Left: Mr. Tomoyoshi Shibata, the Managing Director and General Manager of Pentax Ricoh China (Shanghai) Company; Right: Pentax Ricoh at P&E 2013, Beijing, China.)

Read this interview, in Chinese:-

http://www.pcpop.com/doc/0/900/900149.shtml

The key points of what are told by the MD are as follows:-

1. The sales of the MX-1 has been quite good.

2. The sales of the K-01 is actually very good. It is a case that the demand is more than supply. (Oh really? :-o)

3. A professional class APS-C *Pentax* camera is being planned.

4. Pentax will continue to develop new pancake lenses and will develop and evolve the K-mount so as to meet the market needs. (The Head was asked about the latest development of the Pentax *mirrorless* system and this is his answer.)

5. A Pentax FF camera is under development. It will be a type that is different from all the others'.

6. The Pentax 645D is not threated by the Nikon D800/E which is considered to be a camera not targeted clearly for a specific market segment than what the 645D has been. (Replacement of the ageing 645D is not mentioned.)


In contrast, in the last year's interview with the same guy in the P&E 2012 (in Chinese), the Head actually refused to confirm the development and existence of a Pentax 135 FF (what he told was only "studying", but this year it is completely different! :-D

Last but not least, below are some photos of the exhibition. It seems the PR booth is not as popular and crowded as the other brands':-

. 

Higher-end DSLRs Live Longer than the Cheaper Ones!

http://www.petapixel.com/2013/03/24/study-confirms-higher-end-dslrs-lose-value-more-slowly-than-cheap-ones/

Unfortunately, Pentax has no real high-end camera of any for the mass market. But on the other hand the 645D is just too "high-ended" to keep the company alive!