The Pentax 645Z was revolutionary upon its release. A digital medium format camera that at the time of its release, back in 2014, managed to bring a level of image quality that had previously only been available in the price range starting at 30 000+ USD, to the sub- 10 000 USD price range. At the time of its launch, the Pentax 645Z was 8500 USD. When I picked mine up, in 2017, it was less than half of that.
Today (in 2020) these machines can be had for even less. While 4000+ USD is still a lot of money, it meant that cameras of this calibre were suddenly within reach. So, why did I even get one myself? Well, as a camera geek, I have been attracted to digital medium format cameras for as long as I can remember. All systems I had previously eyed was always way outside of my budget, especially since none of my clients would be able to appreciate any image quality benefits the switch to a larger sensor system would be capable of.
But when I found a second-hand 645D and a couple of lenses for less than what the cost of a pro-level zoom lens, I simply couldn’t resist it. So I ended up with a 645D more or less on a whim back in 2016, the rationale was that I would probably be able to sell it for more than my purchase price in case it didn’t resonate with me.
But resonated with me it did, and instead, I decided to upgrade it to a 645Z just a few months later. The 40 megapixel CCD sensor in the 645D was able to produce gorgeous files when all the circumstances were right. Still, its limited dynamic range and poor high iso capabilities were simply a bit too limiting to my shooting style. After doing a bit of research and learning that the 645Z had a much more contemporary CMOS sensor, and a higher 50-megapixel resolution to boot, I felt that an upgrade would actually make sense, as it would turn the Pentax system from an expensive toy that I only used personally, to a device that I could actually use for some professional work. The fact that I had also just been hired to shoot photos of robots for a big exhibition at a museum in Sweden, where large-sized prints would be used, was also a contributing factor.
Today, the medium format landscape has matured considerably, and there are several options for medium format shooters on a budget. Both Fujis GFX50S and Hasselblads X1D has been on the market long enough for the price of second-hand bodies to drop to the sub 5000 USD levels, and used lenses, as well as the many options for those willing to adapt third-party and/or vintage lenses, means that the cost of investing in a digital medium-format system is lower today than it has ever been.
I mentioned the Fuji GFX50S as well as the Hasselblad X1D for good reasons, as both these cameras seem to share more or less the exact sensor with the Pentax 645Z, so lens selection and signal processing aside, all these three cameras should be able to produce results with essentially the same image quality. Out of the three, the Pentax 645Z is still generally the cheapest option, especially if the cost of native lenses is also included in the equation. Both the GFX and the Hasselblad uses new lens mounts, optimized for mirrorless medium format sensors.
But the Pentax 645Z, on the other hand, is not mirrorless but a traditional DSLR, and it uses the same lens mount as Pentax old analogue medium format cameras, a system that dates back to the first half of the 1980s. While there are plenty of cons to this approach, the significant benefit is the cost and selection of lenses available on the second-hand market. I ended up using primarily three lenses with this system. The most modern one was the 55/2.8 SDM, a relatively recent autofocus lens that is often sold in a kit with the 645Z. The other two lenses I ended up using consistently was two old manual focus lenses, a 35/3.5 wide-angle (28mm equiv) and a 150/3.5 tele lens (100mm equiv). The manual lenses turned cost me roughly 150 USD and turned out to be an excellent fit for the camera. And the “new” and modern 55mm was approximately 400 USD. Good luck putting together a similarly versatile package for that money based on the GFX or Hasselblad…
I also owned an autofocus wide-angle zoom (33-55/4.5) for the system, as well as a 200/4 autofocusing zoom. But unfortunately, both of these turned out to be quite poor-performing lenses, while being considerably bigger and heavier than the vintage primes, so they didn’t stay with me for long.
The 33-55/4.5, in particular, was a very frustrating lens. While it was certainly capable of producing sharp results across the frame, I have shots where the corners are in perfect focus, yet I always ended up struggling when using it for landscape shots. While I never had the time to test this extensively, I highly suspect that field curvature could be the culprit.
The vintage 35/3.5, on the other hand, turned out to be a much better performer, something that was evident when shooting northern lights in the polar region of Norway. So let’s go back to the camera itself. The Pentax 645Z is a chunky piece of gear. From the front or back it’s not that much bigger than a pro-level DSLR, but look from it above, and it’s evident that this is a different kind of beast. The larger sensor means that it also needs to house a much bigger mirror, and in extension, it makes the depth of the camera considerably larger. Weight-wise, we’re talking 1550 grams of camera here, more than three times the weight of my current workhorse, the Nikon Z7. And that’s even before factoring in the lenses…
Despite the considerable heft, the 645Z feels excellent in hand. Anyone who appreciates big and robust cameras will undoubtedly be pleased with it. And the larger mirror and pentaprism also means that the optical viewfinder is on an entirely different level than the ones you will find in regular full-frame DSLRs. Composing images with the 645Z is pure joy, and the sound and feel of the massive mirror and shutter mechanism are also incredibly satisfying. Personally, I truly enjoyed the shooting experience of this beast and would consider it to be one of the most significant merits of the system.
But there are, of course, plenty of shortcomings with a system like this. First of all, the sheer size of the camera means that you’ll never be able to use it in an even remotely stealthy fashion. This is a camera that attracts attention from anyone around you. Those unfamiliar with cameras will be terrified; perhaps they are struggling to figure out if its a camera or a weapon? Also, expect fellow camera geeks to approach you and start a conversation, either out of curiosity or to compliment your choice of camera (or both).
It is also a slow camera. Albeit, operation speed, as well as autofocus, has been vastly improved over the 645D, the 645Z still is indeed several generations behind any modern-day DSLR or mirrorless camera. It’s certainly fast enough for most of its intended purposes though, for landscapes or slow-paced portrait sessions, speed won’t be an issue.
Personally, I ended up finding the slower shooting experience an unexpected benefit of this system. Its leisurely operating pace forced me to slow down and think more before pressing the shutter. This turned out to vastly improve the rate of quality photos. Instead of coming home with 500 pictures but throwing away 90% of those, I more often ended up keeping more than half of the 100 or so photos that one average night of shooting would result in.
The 645Z also made me appreciating carrying a tripod much more than what I’ve previously experienced with any other camera. The fact that it has two tripod mounts, one for each orientation, is one reason. Another being the fantastic low light capabilities of its sensor, equally useful while shooting nightscapes in Tokyo, to capturing the northern lights and arctic fjords in Norway.
Which brings me into the image quality of this camera, and what, at least on paper, should be the most significant benefit of switching to a larger image sensor. Compared to full-frame cameras, such as the Nikon D810 and Z7 I’m currently using, there’s undoubtedly something special about the results that the medium-format sensor in the Pentax 645Z is capable of. Granted, the sensor in the Pentax is a few generations old now, and the gap is less noticeable now compared to back in 2014. But the files from the Pentax still feels very solid, especially once you start pulling and pushing highlights and shadows in lightroom. There’s a lot of latitude in there, and even parts of the image that looked pitch black in the original file still contain a lot of details that can be recovered in post-processing.
I really enjoyed shooting northern lights with the Pentax 645Z, even though the somewhat limited lens options became a bit of a stumbling block under those situations -- I often wished for something wider than 28mm equivalent and/or a maximum aperture of 3.5 (that I often ended up stopping down a little in order to sustain cross-frame sharpness). Yes, there’s a 25mm (19,5mm equiv.) available, but that lens too has only a maximum aperture of F4.0, and it’s massive, heavy and expensive too.
But, despite the somewhat lacking lens selection, the results I got from the 645Z left me very impressed. And it is still performing well enough to remain relevant to this day, despite a similar pixel count as some contemporary full-frame cameras. And let’s not forget that it also gives you one of the most satisfying photographic experiences ever in terms of feel and tactility. While there are most likely better cameras out there for most common use cases, I still think that a used Pentax 645Z can be a good purchase in 2020, if you find one for the right price.
If you decide to go for one, however, I strongly suggest that you check the shutter count of the camera. If it has seen heavy use and is close to or even has surpassed its rated life of 100 000 actuations, I would strongly advise against it. After having a brief chat with a Pentax rep about the future need for a repair of my camera, it was clear that the 645Z is no longer a priority for Pentax. It sounded like the only option for repairs, would be to ship it to a facility in Thailand, most likely for a cost so high that it would make little or no financial sense, considering the current price of these cameras. Essentially, I do consider the entire 645 system dead by now, as there (sadly) hasn’t been any new lens announcements for years, and I highly doubt that we will ever see any future development of the system.
If you are considering a purchase of the Pentax 645Z, I highly recommend that you also pay a visit to other websites that have written even more extensively than myself about this camera. Ming Thein has written a comprehensive three-part review of the camera system, and Nassim over at Photography Life also has published an excellent review of the camera.
If you have any questions, make sure to write a comment below!
The photos used in this review was shot in Northern Norway and on Iceland in 2018. Prints are available on request here.
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