[Mtathos]

Dear Pentaxians, There is a Pentax 645z with SMC Pentax-FA 645 75mm 2.8 in A condition available for sale at my local camera store for $3200 Canadian. Would you consider buying it over the K-1 mark 2. The camera would be used primarily for landscape photography. I know it’s two different systems and the 645z is older but I’m wondering if it’s still viable to buy a 645z? Maybe full frame is good enough? It has 35000 actuations. Thanks in advance!

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Last edited by Mtathos; 12-02-2022 at 11:04 PM.

[HanSoloYakamoto]

Welcome to the forum!

Are you planning to print anything at very large sizes? If not, there may not be enough of a difference in quality to justify it. I think the K-1 is an excellent choice for landscape already.

[acoufap]

Depends on your use cases and a lot of other factors IMO, i.e. personal preferences ergonomics, weight etc.

One aspect: The cameras have different ratio 3:2 vs. 4:3. If you crop 4:3 to 3:2 because you like 3:2 more, then the 645Z may not make that much sense.

[EssJayEff]

The cameras have different ratio 3:2 vs. 4:3. If you crop 4:3 to 3:2 because you like 3:2 more, then the 645Z may not make that much sense.

Conversely, if you love square images, the Z makes more sense because 4:3 is closer to 1:1 and thus you crop out less.

[acoufap]

Conversely, if you love square images, the Z makes more sense because 4:3 is closer to 1:1 and thus you crop out less.

Right

[btnapa]

$3200 Canadian

For me the 645Z has too many clicks on it. The camera is a tank and can take many more clicks but those numbers are high and you may and up needing service which I have heard is not good with Pentax. For that money, you should be able to pick up a brand new K1 with a 28-105 lens. I have the combo and have had great success with it. I was thinking of the 645Z when I bought my K1. The overall cost of the system and the fact that K1 produced pretty hi-res images with great dynamic range sent me in the direction of K1. I never felt I was lacking anything with the k1.

[texandrews]

I have both cameras, and for what you state are your purposes I would go with the Z. It's the files, which are splendid. The K1/K1mkII can get very close to that quality/malleability with pixel shift, but movement artifacts can limit the quality of PS shots in outdoor/non architectural settings. I don't think the actuation # is a problem here.


For hiking over a couple of miles or significant altitude change, the K1mkII has the edge.

[cdd29]

When I had both, the 645z was my go to camera. IQ is close but the z is a little cleaner & a little better dynamic range. There are newer lenses for the K-1 and apparently nothing on the horizon for the Z. The nice thing is 645 lenses are pretty inexpensive. I like medium format, so I'm a little biased.

[C_Jones]

Though I have never shot with the 645Z, in reference to the K-1 II, which I have, it is amazing.

[Wasp]

If you do get the Z with the 75mm, remember that it is the standard lens. You will be shopping for a wide angle to do landscapes with soon afterwards. Be sure to budget for this when you make your decision.

[Alex645]

Dear Pentaxians, There is a Pentax 645z with SMC Pentax-FA 645 75mm 2.8 in A condition available for sale at my local camera store for $3200 Canadian. Would you consider buying it over the K-1 mark 2. The camera would be used primarily for landscape photography. I know it’s two different systems and the 645z is older but I’m wondering if it’s still viable to buy a 645z? Maybe full frame is good enough? It has 35000 actuations.

The 645Z shutter has a life expectancy of 100,000 actuations. For sports or wildlife photography, you could easily hit that 100k mark, but with primarily landscapes, it's unlikely. Nevertheless, I'd consider it at "mid-life".

KEH has two 645Z in excellent plus to excellent condition (with 180 day warranty) for $2600-$2800 USD. A brand new 75mm is about $700 USD. Total about $3400 USD. A K1ii with a kit zoom is under $2000 USD.

So is a used medium format worth double the price of a new full frame? Arguably no. But for me it comes down to the lenses. If you have full frame Pentax-K mount lenses, then staying with a K1ii is a no brainer. But if you don't, and you're willing to invest is medium format lenses beyond the 75mm, the 645Z is the ultimate IMO when it comes to landscapes. The Pentax FA 645 33-55mm ($700 new). But the good stuff comes at a price: FA645 35mm $1600 or FA28-45mm $4500.

[Mtathos]

Hello everyone! I just wanted to say thank you for all your comments and suggestions. I think that an investment in the 645z might be a little much at this time plus, as some of you mentioned, a camera with this many actuations might be in need of servicing sooner rather than later. I therefore have decided that the K-1 mark 2 is a better option. Having said that I wish I had a crystal ball that showed me that the K1 mark 3 would be released this summer. Now that would be a treat! Thanks again everyone! Cheers!

[zapp]

There were Black Friday deals for a new 645z with 75 for U$3800.
The K1iii will appear by next summer. The longer we wait, the sooner it will be released.

[Mtathos]

There were Black Friday deals for a new 645z with 75 for U$3800.
The K1iii will appear by next summer. The longer we wait, the sooner it will be released.

Thanks! I hope you’re right about the k1 mark 3 in the summer! Time will tell.