Haven't gotten into hdr yet but plan to use the nik hdr when I do. With the 645z, blown out HLs are not a concern any longer so I haven't been drawn to getting into hdr. I do occasionally use my brackets to brush in added shadow detail on a layer.

I picked up a 150-300 on ebay for $800. They're going for even less now. New it's a 2k lens but not worth it. I plan on trading it for a 400 prime and other primes on the short range.

My understanding of the CA issues on the 25 is they are easily corrected by the fix CA checkbox in your raw editor. For a 4-5k lens one would hope this problem didn't exist but it is common to most UWA lenses.

Might be worth considering the new Fuji gfx mirrorless med format but the lens selection is thin at this point.

Yeah, I have considered acquiring the 25mm prime, but I usually decide against as it just isn't enough of a difference from the 28-45 zoom that I already have. The 25mm would be equivalent to 19mm on a full frame where the 28-45 gives a 22mm equivalent. Also the 25mm prime loses points for practicality in that it only takes a 40.5mm drop in filter which is a very uncommon size. I wouldn't mind trying one out but with lensrentals.com it would be a minimum of about $200. More than a cheapskate like me wants to pay for something I don't get to keep.

Do you have a 645z?

Hey bassman, I'm just down the way from you in Brighton.

Yes, the 645z is digital and like mt shooter said, it can utilize the older Pentax lenses. Older or new, I wish there was something equivalent to a full frame 17mm. I have the 28-45 lens which is equivalent to 22mm on the wide end. This lens is so big, people assume it's a telephoto.

So no film or scanner though and it was straight from the camera. I was using a Singh Ray gold n blue cpl though. If you are not familiar with this cpl, know that it has the ability to turn a drab day into a calender cover. This is one of the most expensive filters you can buy but it can do more for your photos than any new lens costing 3 or 4 times as much can.

If I was shooting film, I would want nothing less than the quality produced by the linotype-hell s3900 drum scanner I used to run back in the 90s at my job at a printing-prepress company. But what if any current equipment is equivalent to that machine, I do not know. Back then we mounted the film originals on the drum, in oil, under clear acetate. For mega enlargements this was the way to do it. The oil filled in all the tiny little surface irregularities that looked terrible when enlarged.

I want to clarify about the no blown out highlights. As a rule, I underexpose any high contrast shot, usually by 2 to 3 stops. The 645z has such huge shadow recovery ability, it allows one to employ the Ansel Adams philosophy of shoot for the highlights, print for the shadows.

Hi all, I'm new to the forum. I've been a Canon shooter since the late 90s but have recently stepped up to medium format with the Pentax 645z. I've enjoyed it quite a bit but it is a very different and a more difficult shooting experience than I had expected. The huge dynamic range makes it worth it though. Blown out highlights, even at high noon, are no longer something I have to deal with. The biggest downside is a much less diverse lens selection, no third party lenses, wides that aren't as wide, telephotos with less reach and overall slower lens speed across the board. Oh and the heft of the thing, good God, it's about 1.5 times larger and heavier than a typical Dslr! With all that you're probably thinking 'heck no!' But it all becomes worth it when I get the images in the computer and can see the edits only possible via the wider dynamic range. Attached is a unedited snap of the Gulf of Mexico. It's just what I happened to have on my phone.

But the reason for my post is to hear from any other 645z users to compare notes. Yes I do belong to the great Pentax forum but I see benefits to coming to a diverse little outpost like this as well.

I'm of the belief that your best course is saving for it. Any form of credit is going to have the purchase show up on a monthly bill. The gift card idea isn't bad but be very sure the cards do not depreciate over time. On this note, consider prepaid Visa or MC cards, again making sure there is no depreciation or fees. But I think the savings account is still better. Statements will come on that too and have her asking?s.

Another route (and possibly the best). The zero interest credit options are really great but just have to make sure they get paid in time or you will get hit with the accumulated differed interest. I would convince the wife the photography interest of yours is important to you and you would like her to trust that you will get it paid off in time. This will lay the ground work to making future zero interest purchases.