Mike: This link works http://www.forbes.com/sites/marcbabej/2013/05/08/how-leica-camera-is-reinventing-the-medium-format-market-on-its-own-terms/

Hi Mike: Poking a hornet’s nest? Here’s a blog you might find of interest: http://www.addicted2light.com/2012/12/08/battle-of-the-50s-contax-60-vs-minolta-vs-olympus-vs-pentax-takumars/ I wonder how many of those who find your listing of Pentax inconceivable have used, or even held, one of their best lenses. Tom

Appears to have designed by the Borg.

Hi Mike: A very interesting read; I’m sure you will be happy with your speakers and I look forward to Part III of your story. You mentioned that Audio Ventures is famous for restoring old JBLs, that reminded me of a experience I had with JBL. In 1971, I purchased two JBL Lancer L77 speakers for the princely sum of $200 each (keep in mind that $200 was 1/10 the cost of a new Volkswagen in those days). Some 25 years later, the foam which suspends the speakers and passive radiators (had to have a booming bass in that era) had disintegrated. When I made the purchase in 1971, JBL speakers came with a lifetime warranty and sure enough, JBL arranged to have the speakers repaired for free. I still use those speakers today and have added a pair of SVA 1800s. Tom

Lovely picture; great color and lighting. It really captures a summer evening in the northern US, you should print it. NB: I can see mosquitoes on the screen :)

Mike, I'm not sure of the exact year but it's not a '62; likely '66 or newer, but not so new that the ugly shock absorbing bumpers were introduced. The yellow lenses on the turn signal lights did not appear until later than '65. Tom Here's a '62 http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=1962+mgb+photo&view=detail&id=BB1964E7FD2C3D2C3081BA09FFDD42797264E8A2&first=0

The new DA lens is simply a reduced coverage version of the initial D FA lens; perhaps by simple extension of the lens shade. There are a few troubling aspects of this change: The D FA version will continue to be available, but only in Japan, the rest of the world gets DA version. The reduced coverage DA lens cannot be used on film bodies or any future full frame 645DII. Pentax has reduced the coverage, but not the price. The only justification for the steep price tag is use on a full frame 645; for 5k, a Nikon D800 and 14-24mm seems like a good alternative.

" I couldn't, um, find the book. My house is like that. I'm not married." Hmmm. I often can't find things because I am married. Left to my own, I’m not especially neat, but I know which pile has the item I want. My wife, on the other hand, likes to reorganize. Most egregious example: My wife was out-of-town. I had just taken a shower and went to my underwear drawer and the drawer was filled with socks (no jokes please).

Bravo Ctein. I learned my lesson regarding ETTR the first time I had an image with the sun included. Instead of the graceful transition to complete saturation yielding a circular image of the sun that even slide film exhibits, I got an amorphous blob that looked like a fried egg without the yolk. Noisy information in the shadows is a heck of a lot better than no information in the highlights

Boy do I need that for my 30-year collection of blurry Kodachromes. Who is the guy in the red shoes and why was he there?

Ouch! Some of the comments seem a bit harsh, but honest; better that than vacuous platitudes. I’ve been to Lisbon only once, but my lasting memories include the beautiful mosaic walkways. I saw little of those in Peter Turnley’s portfolio; it would be like a portfolio of Paris without the Seine or Eiffel Tower.

From BJP: http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2110726/nikon-goes-drawing-board-releases-nikon-mirrorless-cameras Both cameras also have a Smart Photo Selector feature, which, when selected, will shoot 20 full-resolution images in less than a few seconds. "You just press the shutter once and, utilising the pre and post capture technology, the camera starts to take the pictures before you've even fully depressed the button." The camera then automatically selects the best five shots, which are saved based on facial expression, composition and focus My emphasis. It's come to this? Next self-propelled cameras that you can send out and wait for them to return with good pictures?

...But although his colour work earned him fame around the world, in recent decades it has often been derided by critics and curators as 'overly commercial,' and too easily accessible.. Too easily accessible? That's a fault? Both artists and teachers reveal something to us. Who ever accused a teacher of being too accessible? Along with Haas, Pete Turner and Art Wolfe are photographers I admire. Both have named Haas as an inspiration; but then, perhaps their work is too accesible as well.

"If I were a 645D owner I would be crapping my pants, probably unnecessarily, but nevertheless." I am a 645D owner and my reaction is quite the opposite. Hoya clearly had no interest in camera sales and the positive developments under their management were likely motivated by a desire to make the camera division more attractive to a buyer, not any long range plans. Ricoh has stated an interest in DSLRs. Why else would they buy the camera division of Pentax? I knew I was gambling when I bought a 645D given Hoya's attitude toward the camera division, I'm much more comfortable with Ricoh.

Mike wrote "(Coincidentally, the Ricoh GXR just arrived on the porch of Chez TOP today, and I've been futzing happily with it all evening.)" Hmmm. Pentax is a sponser of this site, seems a remarkable conicidence. Mike did you know this was in the works?

This report really made my imagination go wild about the future of image making. Imagine an image where the viewer chooses the point of focus (as we do with our eyes); now imagine that image in 3D and panoramic. Dispose of the flat screen and replace with a spherical room or even a helmet. Still it’s only a static image; add video, the sounds, smells and air movement recorded along with the scene. Star Trek Holodeck anyone?

Mike: In the "for what it's worth" department: I placed two Pentax 67 bodies and a Pentax K20D body in the "for sale" thread at Pentax Forums. The two 67 bodies sold within two days, the 20D languishes still after two weeks.

Ctein, I feel your pain. I've kept a Minolta DSE 5400 (I) even after I bought a Nikon 9000. The Minolta does a better job on Kodachrome, in no small part becuse of its increased resolution (5400 vs 4000 ppi) Comparison here: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MuCFC81kV7o/TH8PrahinnI/AAAAAAAAXHI/OecugggeTmA/s1600/nikon+9000+DSE+5400+comparcopy.jpg

Hi Mike: As egregious as that remuddling example is, here’s a case at a whole different level. The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Larkin Building in Buffalo, NY was demolished to build a parking lot. 1st link, a picture of the building: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LarkinAdministrationBuilding1906.jpg 2nd link, some interiors: http://www.terrastories.com/bearings/frank-lloyd-wright-and-his-forgotten-larkin-building 3rd link, current appearance: http://www.peterbeers.net/interests/flw_rt/New_York/Larkin_Building/larkin_building.htm Regards, Tom

Robert: Good analogy, at least as it applies to me. I've had a least one Pentax in one form or another since 1973 and at least one Subaru in one form or another since 1980. The new Pentax is weather resistant and Subaru's are AWD; both products appeal to people in crummy climates (once again, applies to me).

Mathew: The bar code pictures are in order: 645D crop as it appeared from ACR, full image from the scan, 645N crop, with some PS. The specks are dust on the film. I did not use ICE in the scans and although I don't think its use impacts sharpness, I wanted to eliminate any contribution. There is more detail in the TIFF file of the scan crop, lost in the jpeg. I already printed the panorama at 360 ppi at 17x45 (no up rez). It's a very impressive camera, and my results so far indicate it's on par with a good 6x7 scan. Tom Thanks for the kind comments

Hi Mike: Good choice, it’s certainly my camera of the year. Until I received mine in December, I was still a film user. The 645D gives me results on par with 67 scanned film with the convenience of digital. Some examples if you’re interested: I was in Philadelphia for the Christmas weekend (I won first prize) and tried a stitch with three exposures taken at Valley Forge. The color transitions are beautiful in the original file. The crop is actual pixels, but don’t judge the sharpness based on the leaves, it was a 0.6s exposure and windy. http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/members/thomas-albums-645d.html Here are some comparisons to film scans: I a) 645 crop, unmodified b) 645N Astia crop, considerable PS c) full film scan http://tsjanik.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post_4541.html II a) 645D crop b) full image scan c) 645N crop with PS. http://tsjanik.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post_9035.html Regards, Tom

Too much mentioning of Pentax? What, you should have ignored the 645D? Perhaps you shouldn’t have mentioned the DXO rating of the K5 sensor? What is about Pentax that inspires such antipathy in some photographers? NB I believe this is the first time I’ve written a paragraph punctuated entirely with question marks, is that possible?

Hi Mike: I'm surprised you didn't opt for a Sony 850. Although I'm a big Pentax fan (and owner), I am reluctant to invest in APS-C limited (no pun intended) lenses. If I already had a Minolta 35mm, I would have been inclined to purchase a Sony 850 for a few hundred more.

Certainly great news for those of us who use Pentax. Although I am always uneasy buying a digital camera with full knowledge that it will be replaced in a year or two by an improved version. I suppose I could consdier the cost of a camera every few years replacing the cost of film and processing. It would be a wash if it weren't for the necessary computer costs which accompany digital. Speaking of obsolescence on the horizon, Kodak announced a 29 MP 35mm sized chip: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/business/ISS/News/pressReleases/archive/2010/pr2.jhtml I wonder how long before it's incorporated into a newer, higher resolution camera. Too bad Pentax painted themselves into an APS-C corner with the DA line of lenses, or it might appear inthe K4.