[Cava]

Richard, sounds like a great find, congrats. The 645z sounds like a versatile/amazing camera. I am leaning towards the 645d mainly because of the lower cost right now and the reputation of its sensor. Finding one with low shutter count is a good idea. It’s funny, the older I get, the less photos I take when out in the field, so I am not to concerned about shutter count.You’d think the more expensive a camera is the longer it should last, right? Wasn’t the 645d around 9000 bucks?

I would also use it when conditions are right. ISO 100, tripod and I suppose not to long exposure to keep noise minimal. For example, I’ve shot the Milky Way extensively with the D800 and before that D700. Needed high iso and at least 30 second exposure. Probably would not use it for that. I need to remind myself that the camera is a tool/medium used to create art, capture memories.....I think it’s okay to use it and abuse it if it means practicing are craft and nailing the shot.

Thanks for your thoughts, have fun with that camera.

[johnha]

When I bought my D it was advertised with an accurate number of shutter clicks. Subtracting that from 50k and dividing by its cost left me with a per shot cost of less than 10 cents - a small price to pay! There's a link on how to check the shutter count somewhere on this forum.

The clincher was that I had a bagful of 67 lenses and the adapter (despite never owning the 645). A used Z would have been another huge dollop of cash that I couldn't justify on a camera. I also wanted the CCD and it came with a full year's warranty from a pro Pentax dealer.

Z's are now cheaper as they age, one of the cheaper ones I've seen had a shutter count of 107k. Comparing it to a pro CaNikon FF SLR isn't sensible as it's a different kind of use (the D shoots at 1.1 fps) and you are getting much better images per click.

I've never held a D800, if it feels better built than the D, I'd be very surprised. When most other medium format DSLRs were using two batteries, two power buttons, had zero weather sealing and cost upwards of 3-6 times the price, I'm amazed Pentax achieved what they did with the D. The Z is a refinement, but as I don't care about video or high ISO, l'm more than happy with my D.

[grains de sel]

645D is still really good for landscape photography in 2020

[Wasp]

I don't have a 645D but from a distance, I would say yes. The CCD sensor isn't great at high ISO when compared to more modern gear, but for landscape photography that doesn't matter. Landscapes don't move around very fast. Slow shutter speeds are in order, as long as you can hold it steady. If not, a tripod is an order. Medium frame kit is heavy(ish) and benefits from support, anyway.

[RICHARD L.]

Whatever you buy, a 645D or a 645Z, these cameras are wonderful landscape instruments. Here are a few examples to encourage you acquiring one of those. BTW, I always use ISO 100 and shoot @ f/11, I use a tripod whenever I'm able to.

[carddassxx]

I came from a Nikon D800E before jumping to a 645D.
Ever since then my D800E has been collecting dust except for video projects or low-light events.
I was in Lugano Switerzerland last year with the 645D and everyday there had slightly different weather conditions. Some blue skies, partly cloudy with sun, overcast, foggy, rainy. Each day presented the surrounding landscape differently. Here's a few selects and more in this google photo link. These were shot with either the 35 / 55 / 90 DFAs or 150 FA.
645D Landscapes - Google Photos

The one tricky part, since I don't bracket my exposures, is when I had to point near the sun during those really bright days, I needed to underexpose quite a bit to save the highlights. Maybe 1-3 stops? Once you bring the levels back to normal the grain even at ISO100 will start becoming noticeable in the darker areas. When I pushed the recovery of highlights too much the blown out parts nearest the sun might start turning greyish. I try not to push the highlight recovery so much as I don't want it look like a poorly rendered HDR photo.
While the D800 could perhaps capture more dynamic range in one shot, the over tonality and color rendition from the 645D in all shooting situations is more important to me than a few shots where the sun or a hard specular highlight blow out easily in frame.

I wrote some longer impressions about my experience going from the D800E to 645D in the other thread EssJayEff linked to:

Here’s a recent thread on the subject: Is a 645D still worth buying? - PentaxForums.com.

[Cava]

Thanks everybody for sharing your continued thoughts on the 645d. You can’t get this kind of feedback from reviews due to the fact that most reviewers just don’t spend that much time with the camera. Thanks also for sharing your pics, amazing stuff!

[bull drinkwater]

if it was good in 2010, it will still be good in 2020.