Cameron wrote:
> For someone wanting to upgrade from an autofocus SLR system into medium > format, what is their best bet? The 645NII >I like the negative size of the 67, but > manual everything and slow flash sync could be a problem for me. Then the 645NII will fit the bill better. >Is there a > huge difference in image quality between the two. No >How about the new lenses > in both formats? Opinions, anyone? Both system have good lenses. However, a major issue is size and weight. If you only plan to use couple of lenses both systems are manageable. However, if you are one of those who like to have a complete focal length range with as few holes as possible, the 645 is much more portable. In fact, it can favorably compared to a high-end 35mm system. On the other hand if you'r a roadside shooter bulk and weight is of little importance. Recently I wrote the following on Photo.net: Lets look at the Pentax 645NII as an example since that's the system I'm familiar with. A 645NII outfit consisting of the 33-55 zoom, 75/2,8, 120 Macro and 300mm weights almost 500g LESS than a Nikon F5 with a 17-35, 35-70, 80-200, all 2.8 zoom lenses. The Nikon combination is recommended by John Shaw in his latest book. Both these system covers similar focal length range. You can add a 1,4X converter to medium format system and still come out lighter than the Nikon system. Or how about this: a 645NII with the 33-55, 55-110, 200mm, 400mm. This weights only about 250g more than the Nikon system mentioned above. Sure there are no 300/2.8 AF lenses for MF, but do you need one? You can have a film magazine ready loaded with Provia 400F rated at 800ISO, for those chance wildlife encounters, and get sharper images than with Velvia in a 35mm camera. A 400mm for the Pentax 645 weights less than the 80-200/2.8 Nikon zoom. This is to illustrate that the transition from 35mm to MF doesn't have to be that difficult in terms of handling, weight and size. The 645 systems are ideal for the usage you suggest. Unfortunately, rangefinder cameras are not very useful neither for close-ups or landscapes. You won't see the effect of mandatory filters for landscapes like ND grads and polarizers, or the effects of DOF. P�l - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
