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Will we see a new medium format camera by Pentax in couple of years?

That would be interesting.
 
Let's see... Super 8mm cameras selling for $5K USD, $600 USD for a half-frame 35mm camera...

I'm guessing $20K for a body prism and lens.
 
I don't know if Hasseblad still make the H series cameras but they can shoot film.
 

I am not willing to pay what they ask for. I don't think they will make one. If they do it would not be a good camera and yet would cost $2000 and would not even be as good as say a Yashicamat. If they make something comparable to the Pentax 645 it would be $5000.
 
They have a nice enough looking digital medium format camera - the 645Z <https://us.ricoh-imaging.com/product/pentax-645-z/>.

The 645 lens lineup is small, one zoom and three primes. No idea if these lenses could also be used on a (new) 645 film camera, should one ever appear.

EDIT: Maybe I should have said Pentax had a digital medium format camera? After a brief search, I did not see any new cameras for sale, so the status of this camera is unclear to me.
 
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If Pentax still has the tooling for 645NII it would be rather easy to finally give it new life with digital insert and have best of both worlds.
 
If they can retrieve the DNA of a Dodo bird and somehow bring one back into existence, reviving a pro level MF camera system should be easy by comparison. But I doubt than anyone would be willing to invest their money in either venture.
 
A 6x6 or 6x7 rangefinder like the Fuji 6x9 cameras. Fixed lens, some sort of voodoo laser beam secret agent cheapo rangefinder linked to the lens. I wouldn't buy one because I have several already.

Pure mechanical (if possible??).

It would be a financial disaster.
 
My not watched the video yet (will do tomorrow) opinion:
It would be nice, although Medium format appears much more niche and there is the issue of costs with the (pressumably non) economies of scale.
Lomo and Kodak readjusted 120 film prices as it didn't sell as well as they might have expected (plus price increases).
Wished 220 were manufactured now and then.
Hassasin said:
If Pentax still has the tooling for 645NII it would be rather easy to finally give it new life with digital insert and have best of both worlds.
Click to expand...
Ditto for the 67 as well. Or how closely adaptable the 645Z is to the film version.
If they designed them well, considering how the Bessa III (W) and GF670 and Mamiya 6/7, a new camera with outstanding optics around the $3-4K might be able to capture quite a bit. MF is still niche, but there are outrageous prices for the Mamiyas.

The last reference is the Cosina Voigtländer Bessa/GF670, now already 15y old, but was it somewhat of a success and how many units were produced?

IMO modern medium format doesn't have that many options, if also limiting the budget. Nor really that much camera model variety depending on what one wants.

An alternate history scenario I have pondered, which would be now great for the sake of medium format ecosystem, would be a Medium Format Leica. Think 6x6 or 6x7.
 
IBIS for film, am I reading it right? What for? Contax already had a one dumb feature with vacuum film plate that made a difference under who knows what kind of microscope. But bragging rights are important to some, and certainly add to a sales pitch, so who knows.
 
Prest_400 said:
Or how closely adaptable the 645Z is to the film version.
Click to expand...

645Z was a fixed in body sensor, film bodies would just need a digital insert to swap with film. This is what I always felt Pentax missed out on. Easy digital back upgrade as tech moved on.
 
Hassasin said:
IBIS for film, am I reading it right? What for?
Click to expand...

Yes, what for?! We know that with film you just turn the iso dial, and bang, you can shoot handheld in the dark with Velvia 50...

IBIS would be at least 10x as useful with film as it is with digital. It's just that you would need to move the entire film cassette - pressure plate - takeup spool assembly to get the stabilisation. I'm afraid that stabilisation in film photography will stay limited to the lenses.
 

You can still shoot Velvia 50 in the dark, just take time.

Sorry I don't, nor will I ever, see a point for IBIS in film shooting. I think shooting sports on film is not something market is calling for, and that is probably the only area where it might help. But given complexity of designing, engineering, manufacturing, than charging appropriately for it, would likely make it cost prohibitive anyways.

But I don't see much point in new film cameras at this stage either, with exception of a pure hybrid that will do digital and film, and be priced to attract purchases without considering medical procedure to afford it.
 
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