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Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D Comparison

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Camera to replace
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Pentax 645Z

51 MP | Medium format (44 x 33 mm) CMOS Sensor

Pentax 645Z
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Pentax 645D

40 MP | Medium format (44 x 33 mm) CCD Sensor

Pentax 645D
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Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the Pentax 645Z with the camera that it replaced, the Pentax 645D, list out what is new, its advantages over its predecessor and finally try to conclude if the 645Z is a worthy upgrade to the 645D. Pentax 645Z was introduced to market in April 2014 and Pentax 645D was launched in March 2010 so it will be interesting to see how much difference this 49 months between the two cameras make.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Pentax 645Z Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-15
  • 51MP - Medium format CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 204800
  • Pentax 645AF2 Mount
  • 3.20" Tilting Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 3.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 1550g. 156 x 117 x 123 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Pentax 645D Compare

Pentax 645D Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-03-10
  • 40MP - Medium format CCD Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 200 - 1600 ( expands to 100)
  • Pentax 645AF2 Mount
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 1.0fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 1480g. 156 x 117 x 119 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Pentax 645Z over Pentax 645D
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
51 MP vs 40 MP 27% more pixels
Max ISO
204.800 vs 1.600 12700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
27 vs 11 16 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3.2 vs 3 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
1.037k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
3.0fps vs 1.0fps 2 fps faster
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Color Depth
26.0 vs 24.6 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
14.7 vs 12.6 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
4505 vs 1262 better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±2 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
USB Version
USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
CHECK 645Z PRICE


Reasons to choose Pentax 645D over Pentax 645Z
Battery Life
800 shots vs 650 shots 150 more frames with a single charge
Weight
1480 g vs 1550 g 70 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
36.74µm2 vs 28.40µm2 29% larger pixel area
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
CHECK 645D PRICE

Common Strengths of Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Max Resolution
51 MP vs 40 MP Bigger prints and more details
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
Top LCD Display
Yes vs Yes Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)
Yes vs Yes Adjust each lens for accurate focusing
Dual-axis Electronic Level
Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Storage Slot
2 vs 2 Extra Storage Slot
Common Weaknesses of Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Pentax 645Z has external dimensions of 156 x 117 x 123 mm (6.14 x 4.61 x 4.84″) and weighs 1550 g (3.42 lb / 54.67 oz) (including batteries). Pentax 645D has external dimensions of 156 x 117 x 119 mm (6.14 x 4.61 x 4.69″) and weighs 1480 g (3.26 lb / 52.21 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D. Pentax 645Z has the same height and width with Pentax 645D. On the other hand, with a thickness of 123mm, it is 4mm thicker.

Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D.
Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax 645D is 70g lighter than the Pentax 645Z but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D have the same Pentax 645AF2 lens mount and Medium format sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

645Z
645D
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

645Z
645D
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both 645Z and 645D have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Pentax 645Z's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Pentax 645D's 3 screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Pentax 645Z LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Pentax 645D has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to 645Z.
Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D: Sensor Comparison

Pentax 645Z has a 51.0MP Medium format (44 x 33 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features PRIME III processor. On the other hand, Pentax 645D has a 40.0MP Medium format (44 x 33 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Prime II processor.

Pentax 645Z's sensor provides 11MP more than Pentax 645D's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another similarity between these two cameras is that both Pentax 645D and Pentax 645Z sensors lack anti-alias (Low-Pass) filters. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the 645Z and 645D sensor size comparison.

Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D Cameras


Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Pentax 645D has 29% larger pixel area (36.74µm2 vs 28.40µm2) compared to Pentax 645Z, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, 645Z has scored 101, 19 points higher than 645D.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Pentax 645Z 101 26.0 bits 14.7 Evs 4505 ISO
Pentax 645D 82 24.6 bits 12.6 Evs 1262 ISO
Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D have the same Pentax 645AF2 lens mount and currently there are 6 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 2 lenses with Image stabilization for Pentax 645AF2 mount.

Lens Type # of Pentax 645Z Lenses # of Pentax 645D Lenses
Standard Zoom 1 1
Standard Prime 1 1
Wideangle Zoom 1 1
Wideangle Prime 2 2
Telephoto Zoom n/a n/a
Telephoto Prime n/a n/a
SuperZoom n/a n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime n/a n/a
Macro Prime 1 1
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 6 6

Here are some of the most popular Pentax 645AF2 Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Pentax 645AF2 Mount Lenses for 645Z and 645D
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Pentax smc D FA 645 25mm F4 AL IF SDM AW Lens Pentax smc D FA 645 25mm F4 AL IF SDM AW
645 1070gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax smc D FA 645 55mm F2.8 AL IF SDM AW Lens Pentax smc D FA 645 55mm F2.8 AL IF SDM AW
645 416gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax HD DFA645 Macro 90mm F2.8 ED AW SR Lens Pentax HD DFA645 Macro 90mm F2.8 ED AW SR
645 1040gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
HD Pentax-DA645 28-45mm F4.5ED AW SR Lens HD Pentax-DA645 28-45mm F4.5ED AW SR
645 1470gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax smc DA 16-45mm F4 ED AL Lens Pentax smc DA 16-45mm F4 ED AL
APS-C / DX 356gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
HD Pentax-D FA645 35mm F3.5 AL IF Lens HD Pentax-D FA645 35mm F3.5 AL IF
645 570gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Pentax 645Z for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Pentax 645D for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Medium format (44 x 33 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 51.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Medium format (44 x 33 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 40.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Pentax 645Z for Street Photography

GOOD

Pentax 645D for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large Medium format (44 x 33 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large Medium format (44 x 33 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Pentax 645Z for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Pentax 645D for Sports Photography

GOOD
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
27 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 650 shots
Good Low Light ISO
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
11 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 800 shots
Good Low Light ISO
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Read the details

Pentax 645Z for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Pentax 645D for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Medium format (44 x 33 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1550g
Body Thickness 123mm
Read the details
Large Medium format (44 x 33 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1480g
Body Thickness 119mm
Read the details

Pentax 645Z for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Pentax 645D for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Medium format (44 x 33 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 51.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large Medium format (44 x 33 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 40.0MP
Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Pentax 645Z and Pentax 645D scores compare:

Pentax 645Z
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #3 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #54 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Pentax 645D
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #14 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #364 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Pentax 645Z is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Pentax 645D in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Pentax 645Z.

Pentax 645Z
Pentax 645Z
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Pentax 645D
Pentax 645D
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Pentax 645D vs Pentax 645Z Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Pentax 645Z Pentax 645D
Brand Pentax Pentax
Announced 2014-04-15 2010-03-10
Body Type Large SLR Large SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size Medium format Medium format
Dimensions 44 x 33 mm 44 x 33 mm
Area 1452.00mm2 1452.00mm2
Megapixels 51 megapixels 40 megapixels
Max Resolution 8256 x 6192 7264 x 5440
Max Native Light sensitivity 204,800 ISO 1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 27 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Pentax 645AF2 Pentax 645AF2
Number of Available Lenses 6 6
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3.20" 3.00"
Resolution 1,037k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 98% 98%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.85x 0.85x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync 1/125s 1/125s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 1.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 1550g 1480g
Dimensions 156 x 117 x 123mm 156 x 117 x 119mm
Battery Life 650 shots 800 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 101 82
DxO Color Depth 26.0 24.6
DxO Dynamic Range 14.7 12.6
DxO Low Light ISO 4505 1262
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