Today, Pentax posted a teaser page on its website, announcing the debut of a full frame camera, finally bringing to fruition a camera system many have long thought was in the making.Pentax, the company that peculiarly has a medium format camera and a line of APS-C cameras, but no full frame system, is finally filling that gap and frankly, we're excited. The 645z produces unbelievably gorgeous files, while their APS-C line has a small, but very devoted following. Information is scant at the moment, as Pentax has only posted a few silhouettes of the camera with the text "Full Frame by Pentax: Spring 2016 Debut."
Nonetheless, this is exciting news. The 645z uses the same 51 MP Sony sensor as many bodies costing five times as much and produces spectacular files with tremendous latitude; if the full frame model uses a similar sensor (perhaps something akin to that found in the a7R II), you can expect some serious competition on the market. Check out the images from Pentax below and let us know what you hope to see in this camera!
via Pentax
It looks reaaaally slim for a MF.... Mirrorless MF?
Pentax should enter the market (of full frame cameras) with a plan or else, they'll be simply eaten by the big boys.
It should posess unique (useful and innovative) features that Nikon and Canon doesn't have. And hopefully release a good line of lenses.
Ricoh is better off financially than Canon or Nikon and can live with a 2% market share in a declining marketplace. The 645Z was priced way under the competition and it worked well for the company. The K-3 and the K-3ii gives more for the $ than any of its competitors. It is likely the FF will be competitively priced. Glass has already been released, and it is good. More would be nice and likely Tamron will fill some of the need. Sigma already has glass in the K-Mount for a full frame, but not enough of it is recent. It makes no sense for Sigma to have image stabilization in a Pentax mount lens, since Pentax has IS built into the camera (and it works well).
The delay is for one of two reasons. Either there were technical issues that have to be worked out, or Ricoh decided to go all out with the new SONY sensor. SONY usually requires a lag of several months (usually 6) before allowing other companies to use their new sensors, allowing SONY to maintain better margins on its cameras.
Used to shoot Pentax 67II in film era :) and if they deliver the same way in FF like they did with 645z then this is the best thing they can do... now Nikon and Canon might watch for this guy :)
I think Pentax would get a lot more mileage out of a $5,000 MF camera (a completely stripped down 645Z) than a $3,000 35mm DSLR.
They'd get a ton of converts from Canon and Nikon.
What about a FF that costs $1,750? -- i.e., I don't know where you get your $3000 figure. In any case, Pentax isn't banking on Canikon converts, it's banking on upgrades from existing Pentaxians.
Eagerly waiting to hear specs. I've always been fond of Pentax camera's despite their compromises.
October 6th the press embargo ends. Hopefully they'll reveal the specs by then and their magic addition which will set them apart from the others except size/weight, pixel-shift and weather sealing. Apparently it's aimed at the pro market, but we will see...
Why can't we get a full-frame 645 camera?
Same reason you can't get a front-wheel-drive 4x4: 645s are medium format, not full frame.
The full frame would be 6cm by 4.5cm. "Full frame" is not exclusive to 135 cameras.
My first camera was pentax, this is kinda exciting news.
My first SLR too. A K1000, got in 1984 and still have it today.
Ready for more details on this release. Secrets and sometimes equal a lake of interest. ??