[WesternPacific]

Hi everyone, its my first post here and I have a question for you. I do mainly street portraiture and have been looking at the 645d as a potential used camera purchase. I haven’t shot a 645 since my uni days (film back then of course) and feel some nostalgia for that system. I love the drop off that you get with the shallow depth of field with medium format cameras. The question i have is about focussing accuracy with telephoto lenses wide open on the 645d. I understand that there is some form of focus confirmation but that it isn’t terrible accurate. Is anyone shooting outdoor portraits with the 645? Is the manual focussing system up to the job or is an auto focus lens the way to go? I need to work quite quickly and dont have the luxury of using a tripod. In your opinion is the 645d suitable for the job or would the K1 or something similar be a better bet? Thanks for your input everyone. Peace

[RICHARD L.]

Just my 2 cents, but I think the 645's (either D or Z) are better adapted to landscape or studio portraiture on a tripod. A K1 (I use one too) would be better adapted to your endeavours, lighter, less obtrusive, faster reacting with amazing picture quality.

Regards

[ProfessorBuzz]

The 645D is a bit slow if you like to check your work, so if you're perched somewhere out of the way to take your shot(s), you're fine. Otherwise go with a K1 or GRIII. I've used my 645Z "on the street" and people will look at you curiously (and sometimes not so nicely). The D and Z are fine if you have a decent wide strap otherwise they get a bit heavy. Some folks will treat you with a bit more respect - "oh, must be a photographer".

[Bleeblee]

I don't use my 645D hand held at all. I end up tossing most shots if I do. The thing takes tack-sharp pictures with all lenses if used on a tripod and a remote control shutter release, so anything less sharp is disappointing. Good luck with it!

[EssJayEff]

In 2014, I shot with the 645D in the streets of Madrid and Barcelona with and without a monopod. Probably not in a style that you would be shooting, but showing that it can be done handheld. The protest scene was very late in the day and it was too dark to shoot handheld unless I used intentional camera movement to mask that.

[acoulter]

I think it totally depends on your style. I use my 645D as my everyday carry and absolutely love it. Everything is sharp enough for my taste my my intent is less about critical correctness and more impressionistic. I love mine so much that I’m upgrading to a Z and about to sell my D if you’re interested. Happy to chat via DM if you like. Selling mine for a song and it’s very young actuation-wise. Photos here (many are SOOC jpegs): https://www.flickr.com/gp/alexisstember/88cQ77

[WesternPacific]

thanks for your replies everyone. I shoot portraits of strangers with permission, not candidly so although I need to work quickly, I don't need to be stealthy. I usually spend about 5 mins with each subject, somewhere a little out of the way. Reading your comments, I would probably be better off with a DSLR or mirrorless (as I am shooting now. I use a Fuji xt2 with a Voightlander 58mm) as focusing accuracy is vital, although I see acoulter manages pretty well with their set up. Definitely keen to hear the experiences of others with this machine

[WesternPacific]

I think it totally depends on your style. I use my 645D as my everyday carry and absolutely love it. Everything is sharp enough for my taste my my intent is less about critical correctness and more impressionistic. I love mine so much that I’m upgrading to a Z and about to sell my D if you’re interested. Happy to chat via DM if you like. Selling mine for a song and it’s very young actuation-wise. Photos here (many are SOOC jpegs): https://www.flickr.com/gp/alexisstember/88cQ77

nice pics. that 90mm looks to be a good lens, how do you find it?

[johnha]

I use my D almost exclusively handheld, often with manual focus lenses (P6x7 150/2.8, 165/2.8 & 200/4). I don't have any AF fast teles, so can't comment on those but would have thought the AF system be OK (the FA 80-160 zoom is accurate if a little slow/noisy).

The camera has AF confirmation with manual lenses and you can apparently fit a 645n microprism or split-image screen (there is no screen that combines them) if you want. I don't have problems focussing with the 150, 165 or 200 6x7 lenses using focus confirmation, but for action, the ground glass of the screen feels more intuitive.

The biggest issue is likely to be the time to review images, it's slow enough to be frustrating (especially if shooting a sequence into the buffer). Apparently there are things you can do to improve it - shooting raw on one card and JPEG on the other and using the JPEG card for review IIRC?

If you're awkwardly staring at the screen waiting for the image to appear it looks bad but if you press the button and then engage more with the sitter while the camera displays the image, it can go unnoticed.

The viewfinder is superb, the handling is superb, it's a big camera and stands out (which can be good or bad). It works seamlessly with 6x7 lenses with the Pentax adapter and the results can be stunning. I prefer using mine to my K-1 in all cases except when limited by size & weight when travelling.

[TDvN57]

I found the 645z works great for portraits handheld. I tried on a tripod but my subjects moved around too much and I didn't want to use a very wide angle lens.

For me setting exposure to manual, the FA 45-80mm lens set on f8, iso 1600, shutter on 1/125 seems to be the most efficient in studio. I don't use live view but prefer the viewfinder, and set my autofocus on auto 9 points, however I found 'expanded M' to also work very well. Focus set on back button focus.

For outdoor I would set exposure to TAv and limit the max iso to 3200 and perhaps switch to the FA 80-160 lens, the rest the settings the same.

I find this setup enables me to minimize fiddling with the camera during a session, and I can communicate as well as direct them where to look, smile, etc., while f8 gives enough dof to get noses, teeth, eyes and ears in focus for three to four people standing close to each other, plus you should get a decent bokeh.

The tripod will come in handy if your subject is a trained model that can stay within a small 'box' of space.

I can't comment on the 645D versus the 645z, although I would suggest that the z will give you more latitude with higher iso. My static studio light setup requires an iso of 1600.

Hope this helps with your decision.

.

[acoulter]

nice pics. that 90mm looks to be a good lens, how do you find it?

I absolutely adore the 90mm. Wouldn't sell it for the world. It will be with me as long as I have the camera itself and while I also have the 120mm and have seen nice work with the 67 105mm, the stabilization makes the 90mm truly one of a kind.

[TDvN57]

I absolutely adore the 90mm. Wouldn't sell it for the world. It will be with me as long as I have the camera itself and while I also have the 120mm and have seen nice work with the 67 105mm, the stabilization makes the 90mm truly one of a kind.

I agree there are other lenses available that are perhaps more perfect for portraits than the two zooms I am using. I don't have the 90mm but have read only good feedback about it.

My most loved portrait lens is the 645 FA150 f2.8 but I eventually sold it, because using it with an aperture wider than 5.6 makes the dof too shallow. At 2.8 it is almost impossible to take a close framed headshot with the nose teeth and eyes in focus, forget about the ears. People with ear jewelry can get rather adamant if their costly adornments are out of focus. :-)

I also like the two famous P67 105mm 2.4 and the P67 55-100. The reason I migrated to the two zooms 45-80 and 80-160 is autofocus. For me it is just more flexible and I can keep the subjects the main topic. Fiddling with manual focus in a dynamic setting became very distracting for me and took my attention away from the people.
.

.

[Edmunds]

Hi everyone, its my first post here and I have a question for you. I do mainly street portraiture and have been looking at the 645d as a potential used camera purchase. I haven’t shot a 645 since my uni days (film back then of course) and feel some nostalgia for that system. I love the drop off that you get with the shallow depth of field with medium format cameras. The question i have is about focussing accuracy with telephoto lenses wide open on the 645d. I understand that there is some form of focus confirmation but that it isn’t terrible accurate. Is anyone shooting outdoor portraits with the 645? Is the manual focussing system up to the job or is an auto focus lens the way to go? I need to work quite quickly and dont have the luxury of using a tripod. In your opinion is the 645d suitable for the job or would the K1 or something similar be a better bet? Thanks for your input everyone. Peace

First thing you have to realize is that the 645d is a crop from 645 film. It will not deliver you the same shallow depth of field with the same lens.


You can shoot portraits with a 645d - however, the availability of fast aperture lenses on FF, such as a K1, is much greater. You can get a 50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.4, or the 31mm f/1.8, all of which are much faster than medium format options, even when adjusted for equivalence. There isn't really any advantage to using a 645d for portraits. Rather, if you'd like a nice landscape camera, and would take an occasional portraits here and there, then that would make sense.

[Pablo Villegas]

With flash, there’s no problem, great colors and dynamic range.














Without Flash






I would use it mainly with flash, or if you can use a very high shutter speed. All of those are handheld.
I have a faster camera for paid work, a Sony A7RIII, but if I want to shoot for something personal, I always use the 645D or a film camera. I want to buy the Z, but I don’t have the money. Right now I have the following lenses: FA 45mm, 75mm, 120mm and 200mm. The only A is the 150mm. I only need to get the DFA 55mm, and I’ll be set.

[barondla]

With flash, there’s no problem, great colors and dynamic range.














Without Flash






I would use it mainly with flash, or if you can use a very high shutter speed. All of those are handheld.
I have a faster camera for paid work, a Sony A7RIII, but if I want to shoot for something personal, I always use the 645D or a film camera. I want to buy the Z, but I don’t have the money. Right now I have the following lenses: FA 45mm, 75mm, 120mm and 200mm. The only A is the 150mm. I only need to get the DFA 55mm, and I’ll be set.

Terrific portraits. Your studio lighting looks very natural. Like many other ff 35 digital users, you prefer the 645 for personal projects. I agree and find it fascinating.

Thanks for sharing,

barondla