Pentax 645D medium format digital camera

And then David wants to do HD video which means a 3Gb dual core PC with 4Gb of memory and and a very good display card! Plus editing software!

Sorry, David but the expediture just doesn't end with the camera and lenses!


Regards

 

£1000!.... how many pc's are you buying for that?

Could you not upgrade what you've already got, ie. bigger hard drive and more ram with possibly a faster processor?

 

Yes I know, but for the time being I can connect the K7 straight to my HD tv via the HDMI ports and watch the footage that way. But yeah agreed at some point in the future a new pc will inevitably have to be bought.

 

Swiss Toni asks :

£1000!.... how many pc's are you buying for that?

None; given potential problems with PC security I have been advised to consider MAC kit and a desktop kit that should cover both immediate and future needs is priced around the £1000:00 mark. Since I am still considering the final specification - including sectionning a partition to retain MicroSoft capability - I have yet to make a final decision but I have been advised to pay at least a grand which I think is worth the peace of mind that MAC owners tell me I will have.

 

All I can say on the subject is that of my computer owning friends it's those who live in the Windows world who have had the problems with malware over the years. I've used Apple for years, never had anti virus software installed and never seen a single Mac virus. The situation may change one day but until it does I happily surf the net unprotected.

 

I would agree with you.

The premium on Apple computers is not worth paying solely on the grounds that they are less likely to be attacked by a virus.

 

The "Apple tax" is an outdated argument. Yes there are PCs that can be purchased for less than an Apple but equally there are PCs that cost as much as an Apple. Not so long ago a PC mag compared a Macbook to a top of the range Dell and there was virtually no difference in price, in fact the Dell was slightly dearer. To make a fair comparison you must compare like for like, equal specs and build quality. Comparing BMW v Skoda is not the same as comparing BMW v Mercedes. There is also the matter of the "total cost of ownership." Apple hardware generally lasts longer, keeps its price much better, has a better resale value and doesn't incur the cost of antivirus software and associated updates.

 

Then I think you should read THIS.

Nothing that connects to the internet is impervious to viruses/malware/adware etc.

 

Quite an amusing read thanks and I can also recommend reading http://www.doctorhappymac.co.uk/articles/why_you_dont_need_anti_virus_s.html or
http://www.myfirstmac.com/index.php/mac/articles/do-i-need-virus-protection-for-my-new-mac .
Nobody is saying that Macs are 100% immune but no Mac virus currently exists in the wild. OK some geeks have hacked a Mac in competitions but that is only after they were given physical access to the machine involved. There's also nothing to guard against "social engineering" threats, e.g. the site that offers lurid video clips of Britney Spears but when you download the video clip hey ho you get a message that says your media player needs an update so you click on another link to download the software, then you agree to the licence terms, then you install the software having first entered your admin password allowing the installation to go ahead, next you are asked if you want to run this new application for the first time so click on "yes" again and finally you get to see......... no lurid Britney Spears footage but you're the proud owner of a Trojan. No anti virus can guard against that level of stupidity.
Anyway this is supposed to be a discussion about the Pentax D645 so better return to topic after this.

 

But, and here's the rub, you don't necessarily need all the additional spec that a MAC gives you but you have no cheaper version to buy. So you either pay top wack and get something potentially overspeced for the job or you buy a pc for £3-400 which will more than adequately do the job.

Hardware life is really a red herring in the world of computers most computers are changed to increase the spec not because they don't work..

As to the camera, personally I think if you have that kind of money to spend you would be better of spending it on lenses.

At the end of the day its not really a question of how much you spend but how good you are at using it.

 

Whilst agreeing with Spamcam81 that the main discussion point is that of the considered opinions of the Pentax 645 kit, it's relevant to point out that upgrading digital cameras beyond the capacity of the current PC incurs a cost which needs to be considered before, rather than after, purchasing the camera.

That info then needs to join the facts relating to what the buyer expects his kit to produce and align both camera and computing kit to achieve it - hence the value of this discussion in highlighting this point. I'm sure that I'm not the only photographer who has upgraded cameras - particularly to the limit of available funds ( and beyond ! ) - only to find out that computer / software upgrades are required as a result of the camera purchase.

That point identified, it is now fair to follow Spamcam81's submission that further discussions should relate to the camera safe in the knowledge that the original poster is now aware that computer upgrades may be required depending on his purchase choices.

 

Fred makes a good point. Check your pm box Fred.

 

Yes, Fred has made a very good evaluation of this subject and given me some good advice. Whilst a medium format digital camera seems to be a very tasty piece of kit, all the additional costs that would come with it, i.e. upgrading PC spec's etc, it's just not worth the price and hassle. I'll part exchange my K10 for the K7 at Park Cameras in January as my current PC will be able to handle the upgrade. In terms of the video option the K7 has, if my current PC does struggle with it at least there is the option of connecting the camera straight to an HDTV via the HDMI cable port that the camera has so from that aspect there will be no problem viewing the footage.