Nikon D800E vs Pentax 645D Comparative Review

Does Nikon's new 36MP sensor rival the 645D's resolution?

By PF Staff in Review Announcements on Dec 4, 2012

Earlier this year, Nikon launched the D800 and D800E 36-megapixel DSLRs, bringing the resolution of full-frame cameras much closer to that of professional medium format bodies, such as the Pentax 645D- at least on paper!

Those of you who've been following our reviews for a while probably know that back in 2011, we compared the Pentax 645D to the Nikon D3x (24-megapixel) and found the Pentax to have a clear advantage in terms of image quality.  Sensor technology has been evolving rapidly, though, and we had a hunch that the new D800E might change things a bit.  And it did.

We recently decided to pick up a D800E and face it off against the 645D. We found the Nikon D800E to nearly match the resolution of the 645D, and it scored higher in terms of noise and dynamic range thanks to its newer CMOS sensor.  So does the D800E dethrone the 645D?  Well, there are lots of things to consider when buying a camera for professional studio or landscape use, and this is why we performed an in-depth comparative review of the two cameras rather than just look at their image quality.

Read the Nikon D800E vs. Pentax 645D comparative review to find out which camera is best for professionals in need of a high-resolution camera!