Pentax introduces medium format camera with 40-megapixel sensor

Pentax has announced the 645D medium format camera. The SLR has a 40-megapixel CCD designed by Kodak and can handle existing lenses from the 645 series. The camera can simultaneously store photos on two SDHC cards.

The 645D is the first digital camera in Pentax’s 645 series. The medium format camera contains a 40-megapixel CCD of 44x33mm that takes pictures with a resolution of 7264×5440 pixels. The sensor is 1.7 times larger than the 35mm sensor in full-frame cameras like Canon’s 5D Mark II. A 14-bit a/d converter and Pentax’s own Prime II processor handle the image processing.

The light sensitivity is standard from 200 to 1000 ISO and can be expanded to a range from 100 to 1600 ISO. Existing lenses from the 645AF2, 645AF and 645A series work flawlessly on the new body. The one and a half kilos device measures 156x117x119mm and can do its job at temperatures of up to ten degrees of frost.

Captured photos can be viewed on the 921,000-pixel 3″ LCD, or via the HDMI output on a larger screen. The device has two SDHC slots that can be used in different ways. For example, a RAW and a jpeg file.The user can also choose to use the second card for automatic backup.The light meter distinguishes 77 different points and the renewed autofocus system is built around 11 focus points, of which the 9 cross-sensors are placed in the middle. According to the manufacturer, the shutter is good for 50,000 shots and 800 photos can be taken on a single battery charge.The camera will only be released in Japan for the time being and should cost about 7,000 euros there.