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

[brbo]

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

I have all the time. My hands are not steady enough and tripod is not a lot of fun or sometimes even allowed, though.

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.

Please, tell us how IBIS would help in sports. Sports is acutally an area where it's mostly useless. Maybe you are confusing IBIS with something else?

 

[4season]

Super-unlikely within the next couple of years: Next proposed film camera is an advanced compact 35 mm, but so far I've heard no rumors about it. Maybe it's too soon for Pentax to make a decision either way.

 

[reddesert]

Bring back the Lubitel!

The Lomo LC-A 120, which is a medium format camera with a real glass lens (not a Diana) that you can actually buy now, retails for US $449. To give an baseline on what a full bells and whistles Pentax medium format camera would actually cost. It would have to make a pony look affordable.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I would love to see new medium format cameras by any manufacturer, not just Hasselblad.

 

[lecarp]

Yes, its a folder similar to the makina with 3 interchangeable lenses, the standard lens is a all new 105mm 2.0 ultra Takumar. Will also handle 6x6 and 6x7. Under 3 grand for the body and 105mm.

 

[Pieter12]

Must be something in the water.

 

[MTGseattle]

I'd rather they unearthed a parts hoard or a new crop of service technicians, but I will still keep watching for further new camera developments.

 

[mshchem]

I'd rather they unearthed a parts hoard or a new crop of service technicians, but I will still keep watching for further new camera developments.

It's a reasonable option for Pentax to restore existing Pentax mf cameras. They would be extremely expensive, but could be beautiful.

 

[ant!]

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.

Yep, 645Z is discontinued, so no current 645 model, be it analogue or digital.

I think you are somehow mixing up the Pentax 645 lens lineup, as there are primes from 35 to 600mm (plus a 25mm which makes only sense on the digital 645D and 645Z, since the digital 645 doesn't cover the full film format and those lenses miss the aperture ring), and I count 5 zooms spanning from 33 to 300mm (plus one digital-only 28-45mm, and ignoring doubles from A (manual focus) and FA (AF) generation).
I guess in a new film 645 even the digital era D-FA lenses could be made usable, these have no aperture ring but do cover the full format, unlike the DA lenses. Here an overview: https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-645-Medium-Format-Lenses-i4.html

So, plenty lenses. B&H lists even a few of them still in stock.

 

[wiltw]

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.

There were multiple 135 format film SLRs with interchangeable backs, for which a digital back could have been developed, with the electronics and battery that supported the sensor in an extension that was below the body, much like the 250-exposure film magazines, but no one tried, before recently the I'mBack.
And then there were digital backs that could be fit on multiple brands of MF SLRs, but the sheer expense of these, along with rapid obsolesce as sensor design advanced, limited their appeal. It is curious that Phase One has not launched any new digital backs since 2018. And the market has seen digital back manufacturer counts shrink

The Pentax 645Z, even at its very reasponable (compared to alternatives) $8500 was still a rich man's toy, and now the line is largely ignored by Pentax and repairs are not easily found.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Pentax 6X7 lenses can also be used on their 645 cameras via a basic adapter.

 

[loccdor]

I'd be interested if they brought something new to the table, like combining autofocus & weather sealing with sealed stabilized lenses, multi-spot metering and mirror lock-up and exposure data imprinting.

Or maybe an ability to natively take bulk 70mm film? And it should still be able to take 220 or else it definitely needs interchangeable backs.

I don't think those things will happen.

 

[MFstooges]

I'd be interested if they brought something new to the table, like combining autofocus & weather sealing with sealed stabilized lenses, multi-spot metering and mirror lock-up and exposure data imprinting.

Or maybe an ability to natively take bulk 70mm film? And it should still be able to take 220 or else it definitely needs interchangeable backs.

I don't think those things will happen.

Not a chance. That will be building a system. The end product may cost more than $6K

 

[ant!]

I'd be interested if they brought something new to the table, like combining autofocus & weather sealing with sealed stabilized lenses, multi-spot metering and mirror lock-up and exposure data imprinting.

Or maybe an ability to natively take bulk 70mm film? And it should still be able to take 220 or else it definitely needs interchangeable backs.

I don't think those things will happen.

• exposure data imprinting: exist in the 645N and 645NII
• same for autofocus
• mirror lock-up: exists in the 645NII
• 70mm film back does exist (a bit rare though), needs an additional finder, and looks like the specific version of film isn't that common these days https://www.pentaxforums.com/accessoryreviews/pentax-645-film-magazine-70mm-film.html . In the other thread about 70mm film there was a modification for this back to use more common 65mm film, if I remember right. Of course both 120 and 220 backs still exist as well.
• autofocus exists of course already

I am personally fine without weather sealing, and for my purpose the metering is good enough, but of course, everyone has different needs. Regarding weather: there is a external battery pack for cold weather, so you can have the batteries under the coat.

 

[Pieter12]

Not a chance. That will be building a system. The end product may cost more than $6K

Maybe more like $20K.

 

[ant!]

If I would compile a wishlist for a Pentax 645NIII or however you want to call it: pretty close to the 645n/nII:

• Update the AF to modern standards while keeping the compability to the old lenses
• Updating the exposure measuring
• I guess enabling compability to the D-FA lenses without aperture ring
• If possible, make it lighter, smaller and less loud by using modern batteries and motors
• Maybe add a digital back option. This might be not backward compatible to the older bodies since the digital sensor likely needs to sync with the shutter, unless just using B mode and electronic shutter? Or using the flash contact to sync?

But actually, even though I use it only with film, I would already be happy if they continue the line with a new digital camera, preferable with full size 645 sensor, to which the old lenses fit. Even mirrorless with a good full compatible lens adapter like Sony A to E mount would be ok. Just so the system stays alive...

 

[MFstooges]

Maybe more like $20K.

Could be $22K with fixed lens, zone focus, comes in yellow and pink.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I am waiting as fast as I can!

 

[mshchem]

 

[Henning Serger]

Interestingly from article on digital camera publication : https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/...r-a-medium-format-film-camera-will-we-get-one

Watch the interview with Tanaka & Takaoka of Pentax Overseas Div @ 9:00 time stamp

If there is a new MF camera, what will be the price point you are willing to pay considering a Pentax 17 is around $500 ?

I've seen the interview just shortly after publication. And the reaction indicates that in the short and mid-term (4-5 years), it is unlikely that Pentax will introduce a new medium format camera.
And my assessment is that there are two main reasons for it:
1. At first Pentax must build a very solid basis / fundament with several 35mm cameras. They must re-establish themselves as a financially stable manufacturer of 35mm film cameras. And of course they must at the same time sucessfully continue their strategy of offering excellent DSLRs and digital compact cameras.
All that is not easy and a big challenge. Possible, but very hard work. Which takes time.

The market for 35mm cameras is essential, because it is by far the biggest market. Medium format is a tiny niche market in comparison to 35mm.
Already in the 60ies 35mm cameras had surpassed medium format cameras in sales. And from the 70ies on the sales volume of MF cameras had been less than 1% of the 35mm market, in many later years even less than 0.5%.
35mm has been, and by far still is also today the most popular and widespread film format.
Therefore:
First main step must be success in 35mm film camera production. And with that success the niche format 120 can follow later.

2. a) The used prices for the Pentax 645 models are still very reasonable and quite low compared to the excellent quality and possibilities these cameras offer. As long as that is the case, an new 4.5x6cm camera would suffer from a quite big price difference between the used models and a new model.
b) With the Pentax 67 the situation is different, the prices of used ones have increased significantly, and are meanwhile quite high. But 6x7 is overall a smaller market than 4.5x6 and 6x6. Production numbers for a new camera would therefore be lower, and production costs higher.

But nevertheless I would not be surprised at all to see new medium format cameras on the market in the short(er) term. Simply from a different company: Mint.
Because they are already producing several different 'medium format' cameras. Just not for 120 film, but for 4.5x6, 6x6 and 6.2x9.9cm instax instant film.
But cameras like the Mint Instantkon RF 70 ( https://mint-camera.com/rf70/ ) and SF 70 ( https://mint-camera.com/sf70/ ) could be relatively easy adapted to 120 film. A new film chamber and a new lens is needed. That's it, that could be the starting point. Depending on how refined it should be, such a modified camera could be offered in the 1,000 to 1,500€ price range. And would be cheaper than a used Voigtländer Bessa III / Fujifilm GF 670 or Plaubel Makina.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[ant!]

I've seen the interview just shortly after publication. And the reaction indicates that in the short and mid-term (4-5 years), it is unlikely that Pentax will introduce a new medium format camera.
And my assessment is that there are two main reasons for it:
1. At first Pentax must build a very solid basis / fundament with several 35mm cameras. They must re-establish themselves as a financially stable manufacturer of 35mm film cameras. And of course they must at the same time sucessfully continue their strategy of offering excellent DSLRs and digital compact cameras.
All that is not easy and a big challenge. Possible, but very hard work. Which takes time.

The market for 35mm cameras is essential, because it is by far the biggest market. Medium format is a tiny niche market in comparison to 35mm.
Already in the 60ies 35mm cameras had surpassed medium format cameras in sales. And from the 70ies on the sales volume of MF cameras had been less than 1% of the 35mm market, in many later years even less than 0.5%.
35mm has been, and by far still is also today the most popular and widespread film format.
Therefore:
First main step must be success in 35mm film camera production. And with that success the niche format 120 can follow later.

2. a) The used prices for the Pentax 645 models are still very reasonable and quite low compared to the excellent quality and possibilities these cameras offer. As long as that is the case, an new 4.5x6cm camera would suffer from a quite big price difference between the used models and a new model.
b) With the Pentax 67 the situation is different, the prices of used ones have increased significantly, and are meanwhile quite high. But 6x7 is overall a smaller market than 4.5x6 and 6x6. Production numbers for a new camera would therefore be lower, and production costs higher.

But nevertheless I would not be surprised at all to see new medium format cameras on the market in the short(er) term. Simply from a different company: Mint.
Because they are already producing several different 'medium format' cameras. Just not for 120 film, but for 4.5x6, 6x6 and 6.2x9.9cm instax instant film.
But cameras like the Mint Instantkon RF 70 ( https://mint-camera.com/rf70/ ) and SF 70 ( https://mint-camera.com/sf70/ ) could be relatively easy adapted to 120 film. A new film chamber and a new lens is needed. That's it, that could be the starting point. Depending on how refined it should be, such a modified camera could be offered in the 1,000 to 1,500€ price range. And would be cheaper than a used Voigtländer Bessa III / Fujifilm GF 670 or Plaubel Makina.

Best regards,
Henning

I completely agree with your analysis, and you are right, Pentax 645, and even 645n are still very affordable. Even 67, though in average more expensive, can be still found for a bargain (I had seen locally sell here two for $300 CAD 1-2 years ago, but I prefered going the 645n route).

One point though: the Pentax 645Z is discontinued and "affordable" digital medium format went from Pentax to Fuji (and with this from DSLR to mirrorless). Wouldn't Pentax like to keep that niche it had alive? Wouldn't be a model which could do both, film and digital (if that's possible), have a good advantage over Fuji? But maybe the target groups for film vs. digital medium format are not enough overlapping? Just dreaming, to keep a nice system somehow alive... Of course, development cost money, and it might be that it wouldn't be possible without costing 3 times the price of Fuji GFX.

 

[Pieter12]

Wouldn't be a model which could do both, film and digital (if that's possible)...

Hasselblad had models that would take both film and digital backs but I believe film options no longer exist new. The now pretty much defunct Rolleiflex Hy6 was superb system with both digital and film backs and an optical reflex viewfinder to boot. Either system cost beaucoup bucks when new, and are no longer supported for parts and service. Today, it seems to me to be cheaper and more reliable to just have a digital and film system side by side.

 

[ant!]

Today, it seems to me to be cheaper and more reliable to just have a digital and film system side by side.

Yes, likely. But then sharing a lens mount, direct or via a fully compatible adapter, would be a great advantage...

 

[guangong]

There are still just too many mint and near mint medium format cameras on the market to justify introducing a new MF camera, and not enough high end Leica type customers in MF willing to pay what a newly designed camera would cost.

 

[abruzzi]

Hasselblad had models that would take both film and digital backs but I believe film options no longer exist new. The now pretty much defunct Rolleiflex Hy6 was superb system with both digital and film backs and an optical reflex viewfinder to boot. Either system cost beaucoup bucks when new, and are no longer supported for parts and service. Today, it seems to me to be cheaper and more reliable to just have a digital and film system side by side.

Don't forget Mamiya--the 645AFD, AFDII and AFDIII work with both film and digital backs.