[paris]That's Hot[/paris] dMedium Format at "affordable" prices.

dragon300zx

Thats right, I'm one of the biggest anti-paris hilton people you will ever meet, but when I saw this paris hiltons catch phrase was the first thing that came to mind.

I for one have been craving a digital medium format camera for awhile now but with the prices being $20-30k it was never more than a pipe dream. Then I found this in my inbox this morning.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/newsLetter/Digital-Cameras-Newsletter-ZD.jsp

Thats right folks a Digital Medium Format back for the cost of a 1ds MKII. The whole camera, less than $10k.
22mp
14-bits per channel, or 16,384 shades of gray
1.27x crop factor
RAW (about 34Mb)
JPEG (9 compression levels, 0.8 to 10Mb)
1.8" Polysilicon TFT Color LCD
If you currently own a Mamiya 645AF, Mamiya will upgrade your camera to accept the ZD back at no additional cost when you purchase a ZD digital back.

:barb:barb:barb:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap

Now to come up with a spare $10K. crycrycrycry:cry

Still out of reach for most of us (including me) but its getting closer, and closer.

claudermilk

Yep, that thing looks very cool. There's been a "discussion" about it over on the FM Alternative board.

Step one, get a used 645AFD (somewhere between 20D and 30D prices, not bad) or RZ67 Pro IID (wonder if the older Pro II's cna take this back or be retrofitteed--they're 1/3 the price), then get some glass--again pricing isn't bad (KEH's stock runs in the $600-1100 range for 645AF and cheap consumer glass range for the RZ67). Step three, find the money for the back.

Still out of reach, but getting tantalizingly close. I'm really looking forward to the prices dropping a bit more. I am really enjoying using my older, bargain 645Pro and have seen what a 645AFD can do with on older Kodak back; think 6' tall 1:1 sized print of an equipment rack--and you can read the 1/8" tall calibration labels on the gear! :wow

largelylivin

I heard a rumor that Pentax has one coming out but didn't hear if it was for the 67 or 645.

My plans to buy a Hasselblad (film) are definitely on hold.

claudermilk

I've been reading rumours of a new Pentax ever since I started looking at MF. All I've seen happen so far is them cancelling the 645 project that was ongoing (I think almost as long as the ZD was). It would be nice if they could add a bit more competition--from what I hear Pentax had a real nice system.

Right now it appears MF is Hassy, Mamiya, and Rollei with a few oddball specialty rigs from Horseman & Sinar. Then the Phase One, Leaf, and Sinar backs (possible some even more fringe ones I'm not aware of). Digital really gutted the MF market.

largelylivin

Its probably common knowledge but my local dealer told me that the original owners of Pentax have bought it back and are intent on turning ithe business around. Maybe someone knows something more specific?

When Pentax unveits they're new Pro model (K1D?) can we get our own forum???