645z review feedback

gavincato · 06-28-2015, 08:04 PM - **2 Likes**

hey guys, here is my preliminary 645z review.

Any quick feedback before I unleash it onto the web?

The Pentax 645z – a wedding photographers medium format dream

I'm wondering if it's too long and if I should remove all the talk about the contax at the start of it.

cheers

mikeSF · 06-28-2015, 08:56 PM

very nice! love the numerous high quality examples used.

hcc · 06-28-2015, 10:04 PM

Great read IMHO. I agree with MikeSF about the superb shots.

Thank you for sharing your review.

Billk · 06-28-2015, 11:04 PM

Great read Gavin. Don't chop it!

Love the photos too.

I'm hoping the FF with my FA lenses will get me just a bit closer to that territory for IQ.

RAART · 06-28-2015, 11:26 PM

Excellent photos! Love the review... wish I had money for 645z

Kolor-Pikker · 06-29-2015, 01:42 AM

Thanks for the review, it was very well written.

Some quick editors notes:
Put a space after the second period in the review.
Paragraph after the lions is lacking in commas.
After the shots of the Sydney opera house, you mention cropping to give a look you prefer, which I found confusing until later in the review you revealed to mean cropping panos out of single shots.
In operation & handling you wrote TvAv mode, when it's TAv.
Autofocus section, two spaces separate "relatively snappy."

You also didn't mention the Green button, as I've eventually found it very convenient.
Some other things on my mind but I'm in the middle of a long car trip right now.

bossa · 06-29-2015, 01:59 AM

Originally posted by gavincato

hey guys, here is my preliminary 645z review.

Any quick feedback before I unleash it onto the web?

The Pentax 645z – a wedding photographers medium format dream

I'm wondering if it's too long and if I should remove all the talk about the contax at the start of it.

cheers

Mate! Why oh why did I read your article? I've been resisting the urge to buy and will have to knock myself out for a week to recover my resolve.

PS> That last shot is a gem.

gavincato · 06-29-2015, 02:01 AM

Originally posted by Kolor-Pikker

Thanks for the review, it was very well written.

Some quick editors notes:
Put a space after the second period in the review.
Paragraph after the lions is lacking in commas.
After the shots of the Sydney opera house, you mention cropping to give a look you prefer, which I found confusing until later in the review you revealed to mean cropping panos out of single shots.
In operation & handling you wrote TvAv mode, when it's TAv.
Autofocus section, two spaces separate "relatively snappy."

You also didn't mention the Green button, as I've eventually found it very convenient.
Some other things on my mind but I'm in the middle of a long car trip right now.

thank you!

**Rondec** · 06-29-2015, 03:37 AM

I think it is an excellent review and gives a good run down of both the pros and cons of the 645z/medium format system. I don't really see anything I would change. Beautiful photos, as well!

Makes me want one, but it isn't in my price range...

Dreamsong · 06-29-2015, 05:00 AM

Well done on the review and beautiful photos to go with it.

Cheers

Royce Howland · 06-29-2015, 07:43 AM

Great review, Gavin, and great photos to illustrate. No edits that I noticed...

Kolor-Pikker · 06-29-2015, 10:02 AM

Kay, I'm back and have some food for thought. You didn't really touch upon how dynamic range fits into your workflow, for a camera that pulls nearly a stop more than the D810 I think this would be of interest to many. Although there are a lot of examples out there already, I don't think that prospective buyers would know that you're not supposed to let the camera blow the highlights. At least one before/after of a scene where you made great use of recovery would be nice, but it's your choice to avoid focusing this review on the technical gritty.

gavincato · 06-29-2015, 11:38 AM

Originally posted by Kolor-Pikker

Kay, I'm back and have some food for thought. You didn't really touch upon how dynamic range fits into your workflow, for a camera that pulls nearly a stop more than the D810 I think this would be of interest to many. Although there are a lot of examples out there already, I don't think that prospective buyers would know that you're not supposed to let the camera blow the highlights. At least one before/after of a scene where you made great use of recovery would be nice, but it's your choice to avoid focusing this review on the technical gritty.

I agree with you unfortunately I haven't really used any of the extreme shadow recovery/DR in wedding photos - just in landscapes hence why I didn't have a good example to show.

For me the DoF characteristics of it were the winning point to me from a wedding/people viewpoint.

gavincato · 06-29-2015, 03:28 PM

petapixel posted it. unfortunately cutting off all the good images at the bottom of the article

I don't expect it to go too viral though as I didn't compare it to canon or nikon therefore the keyboard warriors don't have anything to get angry over.

**MrNPhoto** · 06-29-2015, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by gavincato

hey guys, here is my preliminary 645z review.

Any quick feedback before I unleash it onto the web?

The Pentax 645z – a wedding photographers medium format dream

I'm wondering if it's too long and if I should remove all the talk about the contax at the start of it.

cheers

Thanks for your excellent review. The images are fantastic, and I was very interested in seeing how the 110/f2 did on the 645Z.

06-28-2015, 08:04 PM - 2 Likes	#1
gavincato Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 247	645z review feedback hey guys, here is my preliminary 645z review. Any quick feedback before I unleash it onto the web? The Pentax 645z – a wedding photographers medium format dream I'm wondering if it's too long and if I should remove all the talk about the contax at the start of it. cheers

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06-28-2015, 08:56 PM	#2
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	very nice! love the numerous high quality examples used.

06-28-2015, 10:04 PM	#3
hcc Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,002	Great read IMHO. I agree with MikeSF about the superb shots. Thank you for sharing your review.

06-28-2015, 11:04 PM	#4
Billk Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Posts: 349	Great read Gavin. Don't chop it! Love the photos too. I'm hoping the FF with my FA lenses will get me just a bit closer to that territory for IQ.

06-28-2015, 11:26 PM	#5
RAART Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oakville, ON Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,095	Excellent photos! Love the review... wish I had money for 645z

06-29-2015, 01:42 AM	#6
Kolor-Pikker Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 344	Thanks for the review, it was very well written. Some quick editors notes: Put a space after the second period in the review. Paragraph after the lions is lacking in commas. After the shots of the Sydney opera house, you mention cropping to give a look you prefer, which I found confusing until later in the review you revealed to mean cropping panos out of single shots. In operation & handling you wrote TvAv mode, when it's TAv. Autofocus section, two spaces separate "relatively snappy." You also didn't mention the Green button, as I've eventually found it very convenient. Some other things on my mind but I'm in the middle of a long car trip right now.

06-29-2015, 01:59 AM	#7
bossa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,546	Originally posted by gavincato hey guys, here is my preliminary 645z review. Any quick feedback before I unleash it onto the web? The Pentax 645z – a wedding photographers medium format dream I'm wondering if it's too long and if I should remove all the talk about the contax at the start of it. cheers Mate! Why oh why did I read your article? I've been resisting the urge to buy and will have to knock myself out for a week to recover my resolve. PS> That last shot is a gem.

06-29-2015, 02:01 AM	#8
gavincato Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 247 Original Poster	Originally posted by Kolor-Pikker Thanks for the review, it was very well written. Some quick editors notes: Put a space after the second period in the review. Paragraph after the lions is lacking in commas. After the shots of the Sydney opera house, you mention cropping to give a look you prefer, which I found confusing until later in the review you revealed to mean cropping panos out of single shots. In operation & handling you wrote TvAv mode, when it's TAv. Autofocus section, two spaces separate "relatively snappy." You also didn't mention the Green button, as I've eventually found it very convenient. Some other things on my mind but I'm in the middle of a long car trip right now. thank you!

06-29-2015, 03:37 AM	#9
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	I think it is an excellent review and gives a good run down of both the pros and cons of the 645z/medium format system. I don't really see anything I would change. Beautiful photos, as well! Makes me want one, but it isn't in my price range...

06-29-2015, 05:00 AM	#10
Dreamsong Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 39	Well done on the review and beautiful photos to go with it. Cheers

06-29-2015, 07:43 AM	#11
Royce Howland Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 275	Great review, Gavin, and great photos to illustrate. No edits that I noticed...

06-29-2015, 10:02 AM	#12
Kolor-Pikker Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 344	Kay, I'm back and have some food for thought. You didn't really touch upon how dynamic range fits into your workflow, for a camera that pulls nearly a stop more than the D810 I think this would be of interest to many. Although there are a lot of examples out there already, I don't think that prospective buyers would know that you're not supposed to let the camera blow the highlights. At least one before/after of a scene where you made great use of recovery would be nice, but it's your choice to avoid focusing this review on the technical gritty.

06-29-2015, 11:38 AM	#13
gavincato Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 247 Original Poster	Originally posted by Kolor-Pikker Kay, I'm back and have some food for thought. You didn't really touch upon how dynamic range fits into your workflow, for a camera that pulls nearly a stop more than the D810 I think this would be of interest to many. Although there are a lot of examples out there already, I don't think that prospective buyers would know that you're not supposed to let the camera blow the highlights. At least one before/after of a scene where you made great use of recovery would be nice, but it's your choice to avoid focusing this review on the technical gritty. I agree with you unfortunately I haven't really used any of the extreme shadow recovery/DR in wedding photos - just in landscapes hence why I didn't have a good example to show. For me the DoF characteristics of it were the winning point to me from a wedding/people viewpoint.

06-29-2015, 03:28 PM	#14
gavincato Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 247 Original Poster	petapixel posted it. unfortunately cutting off all the good images at the bottom of the article I don't expect it to go too viral though as I didn't compare it to canon or nikon therefore the keyboard warriors don't have anything to get angry over.

06-29-2015, 08:09 PM	#15
MrNPhoto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Boston Photos: Gallery Posts: 276	Originally posted by gavincato hey guys, here is my preliminary 645z review. Any quick feedback before I unleash it onto the web? The Pentax 645z – a wedding photographers medium format dream I'm wondering if it's too long and if I should remove all the talk about the contax at the start of it. cheers Thanks for your excellent review. The images are fantastic, and I was very interested in seeing how the 110/f2 did on the 645Z.