Time to chime in, face it, most of us who are not "professional photographers" and don't have a huge wallet, The 645D is an excellent value, I jumped into the MF game over a year ago after going on one of Guy and Jacks workshop, I new MF was for me, but I still didn't have the money to go "all in" so I tried a D3x, and all 3 of Nikons PC-E lens, so at least I can have some of the functionality that MF Tech View could bring me.
Well after shooting the D3x, because of it's 24mp sensor unfortunately on the PC-E lenses, only the 85mm was up to the task, the 24mm and 45mm just didn't cut it, not sharp enough for the demanding 24mp FF chip.
At this time I joined DigiLloyd site and learned that if I wanted to stick with the D3x, and get the maximum performance out of it, I would have to give up on my 24 and 45mm PC-E lenses and go Zeiss glass, I actually rented some zeiss glass to confirm this and he was correct, at this exact time, when testing out the zeiss glass, I found a used Hasselblad H3D39 for 6500.00, sure it had a few bumps and bruises, it wasn't the newer H3DII model, but the price was right and for 165.00 I think it was I den the camera into Hasselblad for checkout, It came back with a clean bill of health, I then proceeded to buy some used HC glasss, 28mm, 50mm, 80mm, 150mm lenses all for almost 50% of new ones would have costed me. At the time I was living in Fountain Hills, AZ, I shot this camera down in the warm weather and got great results, and thought at the time I made the right choice, I was able to upgrade from my D3x to MF for very little money.
I was happy.
Well due to my wives new job in Park City, UT, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, to make a long story short, on the first cold weather day 17 degree out, I could not get my H3D to turn on, I had 3 fully charged batteries, no go. I called hasselblad and they told me over the phone, the camera was only rated to work at 32 degrees and above but my milage would very, well apparently I hit that point. At the same time Pentax had just released there 645D in Japan, I was not going to buy this camera until it was available in the USA, in the mean time, I sold my H3D system, actually made a little money on the sale and did my research. I looked at the Phase/Mamiya body with a P25+ back and the Aptus II 5 back, this was before the DF body existed, IMHO I did not like the system, Though I am sure today with the changes to the DF body, my opinion would be different, yet, still the entry cost was very high, so I just sat tight until this January when the 645D started shipping in the USA. For my needs of course no tilt or shift, something that I always wanted but just can't afford, I felt this was a good option, and yes the lens situation is a disgrace IMHO, release a very good body at an excellent price but only have 1 new lens to go with it and worse not a very good performer, What were they thinking? Yet I went through all the testings of different FA and A lenses and ended up with a very workable system that did not cost me an arm and a leg, and as much as I would love to be able to afford a RM3di, and a 39mp back, and 3 schnieder lenses, there is just no way, and I know at the end of the day it would not make me a better photographer. I always go by my "golden rule" 90% photographer 10% equipment.
So in summary, I agree with all the other posts in regards to this thread, all very valid points that Guy, Dave, and Marc make all true, but then they are all professional photographers and some of us are not but want it all at the same time.
Maybe I will win the Lottery one day, oh yeah what looter in Utah :ROTFL: