1969, how did Pentax manage to build such a successful MF camera and,
not for 1 month only, as these Fast-Fashion illusions, but for 40
years long:
pentaxforums.com/Pentax 67II, 67, 6x7 - Medium Format Film Cameras
Zero marketing gadgets shining on PENTAX commercial documentations.
Just Essential Features - achieved by Reliable Electro-Opto-Mechanisms:
For example, the practical Double Bayonet Mount: 100% adapted to small
45mm wide-lenses, also up to Huge 800/4 Tele-Lenses.
the Reduced Field of the TtL-Meter Prism that let you imagine some details
around your View (87%*85%), but that was very Usable in the Dark.
A pinch of Dexterity, Training and it was possible to get Sharp images down
to 1/30s (1/15 lucky) Playing w/ Inertial-Mass of 6x7 (MLU)
A very reliable Electro-Mechanical-Shutter that didn't let any Exposure-Alea
ruin your Precious Transparencies.
Exceptionnal Sharpness and Color Rendition from the 'Smc Pentax' lenses
that had the Widest Apertures of the MF world.
1969 didn't let other choice to Pentax than SLR, now EVIL's More Pertinent.
let's note size-weight of Nikon D780, Eos 5D-IV, DSLRs w/ all EVIL's features
-vs- size-weight of Sigma fpL, or Sony A7RII-IV which are pure EVIL cameras.
'EVIL' : Electronic-Viewfinder Interchangeable-Lens camera
MF 53*40mm DSLR - compared to - 67mm Diagonal EVIL camera | ||
---|---|---|
Type = Pros | MF 53*40, DSLR camera = 2 | MF 53*40, EVIL camera = 22+ |
151 Mpx CMos | BSI : 14208 * 10656 px | BSI : 14208 * 10656 px |
PassiveCooling | More Heat (Motors) to get rid of | More $, Freedom, Room to Optimize |
Body Style | Bulky, Heavy, Noisy, Shaking ! | Slim, Light, Quiet, Silent... |
Normal Use | HUGE DSLR, +Tripod, +IBIS | Jacket Hideable EVIL, +Handy, +IBIS |
SlowSS Expos. | Tripod +MLU= +3s~ +5s delay | HAND-HELD +EFCS +IBIS |
Lens-Mount ? | Longer BackFocus Distance | Short +Adapters =All Lenses~ |
RetrofocusLens | Longer, +1Group, Expensive+ | No, Simpler Shorter Lens BigSaving |
Flip-up Mirror | HUGE, $$, => RetrofocusLens | No, BigSaving |
Mirror-Motors | Fast-Cntrl, Balanced, Damped | No, BigSaving |
MechOpticalAF | Mirror-2, Aligned-5/5, Damped | No, BigSaving |
Auto-Focus... | 2 LightPaths +2 CMos to Adjust: | on CMos PD-CD-AF, BigSaving |
...Lens+WavLn | AF Distance, F/, Color Adjusted | No, BigSaving |
FocusingGlass | HotspotCntrl, Precise, Changea. | No, BigSaving |
PentaPrism *.9 | HUGE, Heavy+, Expensive++ | No, BigSaving |
.9 OVF - 1. EVF | Daylight Clear OVF Aligned-5/5 | Afforda. Amplifia. Simula. Tiltable... |
MLU Features | LCD-View => All EVIL Features | FilmScan, Macro, Micro, Repro, =5/5 |
VFaccessories | LCD-, OVF-Loupe, Both Tiltable | LCD-Loupe, EVF Tiltable from start |
FP to Dust Dist. | 0: Mirrors are Closest to Sensor | Much More Distance =Invisible-Dust |
W x H x D mm | ~185 x ~145 x ~150 | ~168 x ~120 x ~100 |
Weight kg, Vol.l | 2+, ~4, ( Pentax645+ FujiGx680-) | 1.2-, ~2, ( ~FujiGfx100II ) |
ReliabilityMTbF | FastMovingMirrors Detach.Prism | + Shutter for both : DSLR +EVIL |
Repairability | Special Tool to (Re)Align Mirrors | + Sensors Aligned: DSLRx2 +EVIL |
Parts Rarity | Rare ElectroMechanOptical =$$$ | Common Electronics =Affordable |
Price Trend | + 1,6-1,9x EVIL Manufactur' Cost | -- Launch Price of 645Z ~$10k€ ? |
Now that All the MF sensors are designed for Mirrorless cameras with Fast and
Efficient on Sensor Embedded PD-AF I think there is no more reason to design
big and heavy DSLR cameras with Huge Shaking Mirrors. Thus everything in the
Other Chapters and this one is advocating for a Mirrorless design w/
the Shorter Backfocus distance possible. Keep in mind the Thick
Filters Stack in front of the Fuji Gfx Sensor that strongly lowers the
visibility of the dust that stick on it. I never
see
1 only particle. Please pixelpeep these shots at 200% in the flat-color zones
( my Canon Eos 5D shows Many well visible Particles in its flat-color zones ) :
Fuji Gfx100s' New Year's day,
pixelpeep the page at 200% please
The whole Gallery shot
around Xmas, New Year's day :
Marseille by
Night, w/ Fujifilm GFX 100s
Same BSI, 50% less pixels.
All shots Hand-Held, f/5.6-6.4, ISO 800-1000, 1/10-1/15sec. Ct-OoC JPEGs.
A SLR style camera will be more on the Height, the Flash
Hot-Shoe* at a larger distance from the Lens, vs a Rangefinder like
camera more on the Width. More room on the top to place buttons,
I/Fs, selectors... I don't have much experience with-RF cameras.
I just think it could be Easier to hold a SLR EVIL Horizontally.
EVF ~in the center~ helps standing in Balanced Zen attitude when shooting ?
* the Flash Hot-Shoe is normally the Higher Place of the Camera Top.
EVIL PENTAX 67D in an " Historic " presentation suggestion
Pentax 67D with its 50 equivalent, 77mm std lens - Click to enlarge
- 67D: 67mm Diagonal CMos, to keep on with 40 years of Pentax 67 success
- No costly High Precision Mechanics that drive Pentax to save on Electronics :
Old Sensors' Raw-NR (K1, K3). USB-2, UHS-I (K1, KF). FHD Video (K1, KF).
Note the Huge size and weight of a Pro. DSLR w/ a 53*40mm sensor inside !
- Pentax 67D has to be of EVIL type with an Efficient passive Cooling system.
- Pentax 67D launch Price has to be from ~$10k to $13k. The lower the better
to get
the Sensor Cost down, as did Fuji with GFx100, GFx100s, 100II, 100sII.
Launch Price depends on which Lens Adapters are sold in bundle w/ the 67D.
- Pentax 67D size has to be a little bigger than, say the Fujifilm ~GFx100II.
- Pentax 67D max weight has to be around ~1.1 - 1.3 kg, battery included.
- 67D should only have few drawbacks from its Top Qualities.
- The Best Quality / Price ratio, as 6x7 had !
- More Marketing from Ricoh ?
Remember Pentax 6x7 MF back in years 1970-80s. The unique Medium format
SLR gave you 55*70mm slides 4.44x times larger than 135 ones.
And when you enlarged these 55*70 up to the same magnifying ratio than the best 24*36 slides,
then you got exactly the same colors quality, contrast, details, microcontrast ! The huge
120-220 Film SLR was as Easy to use as a tiny 24*36 - say a Pentax
MX - except the volume and weight to carry w/ you. MX that
I used to enjoy just before buying this Pentax 6x7,
a showcase model of Fnac shop at Lille :
pentaxforums.com/camerareviews/Pentax-6x7
2 Sharp Lenses, Standard prime, SMC 90mm f/2.8 :
pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-67-90mm-f/2.8
Telephoto prime, SMC 150mm f/2.8 :
https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-6x7-150mm-f/2.8
Sample images, shot Hand-Held with Pentax-6x7 +Smc 90mm f/2.8 :
Chateau de Rambouillet, 1983 *** Fujichrome-Blue Sky ***
- All scanned with Epson Gt-7000
Gorges du Verdon, 1983 *** Icarus View ***
Pentax has even managed to make it look way smaller than it was. Remember the photographer that held
this tiny 6x7 Slrtoy in his Huge Hands !
That said, it was useful to have long fingers to help you push on the
MLU button with this one, then, one second later, push on the
shutter release button with that 2nd one. Both without shaking the
camera in a Zen sequence that needs everyday training. No ISO zillion
film. No IBIS(in body stabilization). No OIS (Optical Image Stab.) in 1980s :
Hand-Held busy
street at Christmas time, 1986~87
my (used MX, used MEsuper), Pentax 6x7, Pentax LX, superA...
ISO 80, Pentax K-5 +tiny SMC-M 135/3.5 - Click to enlarge
Now that Billion ISO sensors, IBIS, plus all the afferant and more Goodies are just simple as that to implement, I'm confident Pentax will design a lovely EVIL 67D.
BFD for BackFocus Distance, the Shorter the higher number of lenses to
mount ! You'll need Adapters to mount foreign lenses, since Sony Nex
the choice is giant. Will the 67D buyers be
prisoner of the existing Pentax 645 tiny world or will they
be-able to choose their lenses among the whole MF +FF worlds ?
I think that was the main argument for Not buying a Pentax k-01.
Plus at launch time, its price was not so low as its Contrast Detect
Autofocus performance was. Then, as it didn't bring any Decisive Advantage over,
say a Pentax K-5, the mass was said :
2013, Diagram of k-01 Fiasco - Click to Enlarge
Pentax has designed and built a wide range of lenses. 32 cover the 56x42mm at-least, the 645 Film Format. From which, 15 Screw-Drive AF lenses and only 4-Fast-AF SDM lenses. To which you have to add 2 TeleConverters and a 645 -6x7 Adapter. Pentax has to build Adapers for these 32. From the 645 lenses in-Pentax bank, only a handful are still available for sale New, not everywhere.
To these 32 you may add 30 6x7 lenses, that cover 56x70mm Film Format. To which you may add 5 6x7 TeleConverters. Total is already 70 Optical items. Not-so bad to start with such a range ?
If you already own some of these 62 that often are very good lenses and
for Still Life, Macro, Proxyphotography, Objects, Portraiture,
the 67D will be the Perfect Tool right now w/ all Good existing lenses.
Of course, Pentax has to design New 645 Lenses for Architecture, Landscapes, Arts & Docs Reproduction, etc...
62 Pentax lenses already usable on that 67D 53*40 camera via Adapters :
www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews
62 645-Film Lenses +7 Converters +1 Adapter - Click to enlarge
-- only the HD-DA 645 28-45/4.5 ED AW SR, 55mm image circle is removed
CMos sizes from APSc up to Full-MF 53*40, 67mm Diagonal format:
-MF 53*40, 67mm Diagonal Sensor's built from 4 APSh CMos stitched together
-MFc 44*33, 55mm diagonal sensor's from 4 APSc CMos stitched together
Everything is in millimeters - Click diagram, Ctrl+ to Enlarge
The picture above shows you that the 645 film format, for which all - except one - Pentax 645 lenses are designed, is 2 to 3mm larger than the Digital Medium Full Format, 67mm Diagonal. This 67mm MF sensor being itself only 7 to 9mm larger than the 645Z's MF-crop sensor dimensions. Please don't go telling that, as they were designed for Film, the Pentax 645 lenses won't be sharp until their borders. Not to say that - of course - Pentax will have to design and launch New Lenses, especially SDM ones which are fairly rare in the actual 645 lens range...
-A simple Manual-Focusing Affordable-Adapter to use All Above Pentax Lenses
-C a Customized Adapter for every specific Mount which Lenses show interests.
-F an AF Motorized Adapter that Fastly Focuses ~All the Above Pentax Lenses
etc...
Thousands of Pentax MF Compatible P645 lenses are in use all around the world today with sample proofs on photography forums. Nobody seem to complain about their Color rendering, their Reliability, their Sharpness, etc... Some stitching HQ wide Panos with these P645 lenses vs some stacking Astrophotography subs with other P645 lenses... All that promises a flying start for this Pentax EVIL 67D.
The two lenses limited to 55mm diameter of coverage :
= Pentax SMC DFA 645 25mm f/4 ALIF SDM AW :
its
Hood has been shrunked, but the Optics alone are 67mm compatible :
smc-Pentax-da-645-25mm-f4-al-if-sdm-aw, Specs, Reviews
= HD Pentax DA 645 ED 28-45 F4.5 AW SR :
that one is only 55mm compatible by Optical Design. No solution :
hd-Pentax-da-645-28-45mm-f45-ed-aw-sr,
Specs, Reviews
Click to enlarge
Pentax has already solved this problem, even on a camera with
IBIS and at least since the K3 MkIII. Here is a vertical cut
of a Pentax K3III body, showing its Sensor Heat Sink system. It's
turning around the PCBs to conduct the Heat to the camera back panel.
Its work would be much More Efficient if a Fixed LCD didn't
obstruct the camera back panel from Heat
Radiation and Heat Exchange with the air flow.
from Pentax at K3-III launch, notes by myself - Click to enlarge
I think several Pentax cameras do already have such a Passive Sensor Cooling system.
Compare the Pentax K-5 with the Nikon D7000's Noise Levels from the link below. Both share the same Sony imx071 CMos sensor :
www.brendandaveyphotography.com/more/long-exposure-sensor-testing/
Then compare the Pentax K1 versus the Nikon D800. Both share the same Sony imx094 CMos sensor.
In both comparisons, Pentax's Noise Levels are down to about the half of Nikon's.
If the Passive Sensor Coolings are true, those are very interesting Adds-on from
Pentax. Please Pentax, Don't Give-up !
Another Huge Advantage of in-camara Passive Sensor Cooling is stopping the brands to implement Stupid Star Eaters or Strong Raw NRs in their Raw image Files. This instead of just adding Optional NRs in their Raw image Processing.
It's relatively easy to design the camera to allow a cooling air flow between
the body back and the rear LCD to help the camera getting rid of any heat excess,
take a look at diagram below. This allows adding a Fan on this Back Air-Flow,
accelerating it more. It could be very useful to Cool Down CMos's temperature
after a Long Time Finding, Framing, Focusing in AstroPhotography Live-View.
What's the point of Composition Adjustment Feature if you Can't Turn the LCD
towards yer eyes, Ricoh ? Waist level shooting is ideal for Street photography,
the-LCD tilted at 90° : Fixed-LCD's-Savings are unacceptable today, Ricoh !
-Improves the Cooling-Down of the camera when abusing LiveView, Video.
-Mounting the Optional-Fan at Camera-Back improves even more the Cooling.
-Improves the Visibility of the rear Screen for Every Camera Orientation.
-You can't even realize Discrete Street photography without a Tiltable LCD.
P67D's back panel w/ Fins + Optional-Fan improving Heat Exchanges :
Click diagram, Ctrl+ to Enlarge
Pentax world is in fact a Niche market of ~1% of the Global camera
market. What count on a Pro. market is the Geniusness / price, the
Quality / price, the Reliability /-price, the Performance / price, the
Usefulness / price Ratios of the product. My Pentax MX, ME super, 6x7,
Super A, LX, Never disappointed me. Except maybe the Slow
flash sync speed of some w/o TTL, MX - 6x7. I am still fond of my
Pentax K-5 and its excellent imx071 Exmor in very low light
:
One of the best Low-Light DSLR : the
Pentax K-5, ISO 80 DR King
A genius product never
disappoints. You need to invest some money to design and
launch a zero fault HQ Pentax 67D Pro camera. In return, w/ 67D
success, Pentax will Earn Lots of Money : Huge Margins from the Pro MF
market. The Stratospheric Price (~$50k) of the 150 MP 53*40mm CMos Big
Camera is the "Pass" to enter that market with a HQ Pentax
67D at a more affordable price ! A-pinch of perfectionism,
and the 67D will become the Cash Machine Pentax needs to keep on building
and selling some of its Costly DSLR models...
Click diagram, Ctrl+ to Enlarge
A Compact and Light 67D body could be derived further in a 55D body for sale at-attack price. Therefore, it's good to remenber that the market of HQ Compact MF cameras at attack prices ($4k-$6k) is fully in the hands of Fujifilm since 2018. With a very little room let to Hasselblad, which is higher priced.
"x2" Recalls that Blue and Red Pixel-Count are only Half the Green one.
Numbers = Equivalent Black% Density of Colors. Example :
Black100, Blue88, Red70, Magenta59, green41, cyan30, yellow12, white0%
-Left.Max.Area: green41+cyan30+yellow12+white0%: light-colors
-Right.Max.Area : Blue88+Red70% : Dark-Colors
Click to View, Ctrl+ to Enlarge More
Pentax 67D doesn't need ISO 800k at all. But if it's able to Reproduce REDs at-least as well as Fujifilm Gfx,
then it will be a Perfect Result for a MF camera intended above all to get the Best Image Quality - whatever the Ambient Light.
Advantages of a Fujifilm More Selective Bayer CFA in Low Light Conditions
Vice versa, what happens in Good Lighting with a Bad Color Separation MILC:
Noise in the Shadows at Base ISO in full Sunlight, Fuji Gfx100 v Sigma SDQH
CFA: acronym for Color Filter Array, 'GBRG' mosaic over the sensor.
-Astro-Tracer Mode : with the Help of GPS signal the Sensor is Moved inside
the camera in order to Match the Motion of the Stars. Superb Night Landscapes !
-Automatic Horizon Correction : 0-2° Rotation can be useful for Hand-Held photo.
-Composition Adjustment : shifts sensor 1.5mm in Each Direction in 24 steps.
Very useful for Documents Reproduction or Film Scanning w/ the Pentax 67D.
-Pixel Shift Resolution in 4 Exposures only : enough for Anti-Aliasing purpose.
Anti-Aliasing via Pixel-Shift*4 - Click image, Ctrl+ to Enlarge
I didn't find that one on the Fuji Gfx100s when Testing it, 16 Exposures instead,
that's 400% Useless to complicate at this level the Anti Aliasing Pixel Shift.
But, maybe this is another way of inserting Planned Obsolescence ?
-Deep Shadows DR Boost in 4 Exposures : DR as fine as in Good Lighting.
Shadows SNR Boost via Pixel-Shift*4 - Click image, Ctrl+ to Enlarge
Now let's point out some Inconsistencies in Pentax K3-III Features :
-What's the point of this Astro-Tracer Mode if you Can't Turn the LCD Screen
towards your eyes, Ricoh, seriously ?
-What's the point of Composition Adjustment Feature if you Can't Turn the LCD
Screen precisely towards yer eyes, Ricoh, seriously ?
-What's the point of a Passive Sensor Cooling if this Fixed LCD insulates the
Camera Back from ~75% of the Heat Exchanges, Ricoh, seriously ?
-What's the point of a Passive Sensor Cooling if the Fixed LCD prevents from
Mounting a FAN on Camera Back to boost Heat Exchanges, Ricoh, seriously ?
I bet all these Inconsistencies will disappear at the same time all the OverCosts
induced by the Outdated Choice of a Complicated Useless DSLR Architecture
that only Prevents Pentax from Earning Money.
DSLRs are lots of Money For absolutely Nothing - say my Brothers in Arms