Buying a Pentax 645Z in 2021

**RICHARD L.** · 05-26-2021, 12:51 PM

Check the "Post your medium-format photos" heading on this site. There is even a guy who posts daily Fuji 100 Mpx pictures, taken with various lenses like the Fuji 23 mm f/4, the 32-64 zoom and the 100-200 mm zoom, so you can compare them with the 645D or Z.

Most people here have a long history of using medium-format cameras, be they Pentax 6X7, 67 or 67 II film cameras and 645, 645N and N II film cameras. All Pentax lenses (P67's and P645's) can be used in Av mode on a 645 digital. Personally, I own 30 Pentax MF lenses (13 P67's and 17 P645's) and they all perform splendidly on my 645Z. The important part is the lenses, a body can always be replaced.

Regards

Last edited by RICHARD L.; 05-26-2021 at 03:16 PM.

SFTphotography · 05-26-2021, 01:27 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Edmunds

Wow, well, the opinions here are all over the place!

I understand the 28-45mm is a quality lens. But its only 22-36mm FF equiv., that's not really very wide. I have an upcoming trip to Brittany in September and I'm looking to do seascape sunsets, the 22mm equiv. doesn't seem like wide enough. SO that's my main worry at this time, that the wide angle options are quite limiting. And also I'm a bit worried about how the whole system will depreciate over the next 2-3 years.

I guess the best course of action at this point would be to just go try it out and see if I like it, after all that's the best thing about a local sale

Honestly - 22mm 35mm is wide enough - and without sounding disparaging working on your composition skills eliminating from the frame what you do want - thinking about what do you want - often means 22mm is very wide.

Modern makers like Nikon, Canon have made extreme field of views common place - but they rarely result in a good picture - often with stretched foregrounds, clutter in the frame - distant looking mountains and features. With something like 16mm on a full frame body - at the coast you need to be careful you don't end up with pictures with too much sky and water.

I've barely touched the 28mm end of mine - and trust me - I teach landscape photography running workshops and guided tours - or I did until cv19 did for my business.

The time for extreme wide lengths are interior architecture - and potentially some exterior shots where you are very close to the building and it's reflections (think Chateaux Azay Le Rideau and Vaux le Vicomte)

kdfx · 05-26-2021, 01:52 PM - **7 Likes**

Hi all,
I’m a french wedding photographer, so excuse my «*english*» ;-)
I am a pentax user since fifteen years
Last year i sold all my 3 K1 with lenses and i bought this famous Z after testing it during a few months (thanks to my local reseller). I am a lucky man ;-)

kdfx · 05-26-2021, 01:57 PM - **2 Likes**

before buying the Z i was looking for the Fuji GFX50S. I suggest you to test them and make your choice after using both. You could be very surprised.

**RICHARD L.** · 05-26-2021, 02:23 PM

Originally posted by kdfx

since

Simply change "since" for "for" and the tense of your verb and your English becomes perfect (I HAVE BEEN a Pentax user FOR 15 years).

Salutations !

texandrews · 05-26-2021, 02:30 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by RICHARD L.

Check the "Post your medium-format photos" heading on this site. There is even a guy who posts daily Fuji 100 Mpx pictures, taken with various lenses like the Fuji 23 mm f/4, the 32-64 zoom and the 100-200 mm zoom, so you can compare them with the 645D or Z.

That would be itshimitis. I'd be careful with those comparisons right now. I'm not convinced he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji. IMO his older Z shots looked better.

**RICHARD L.** · 05-26-2021, 02:36 PM

Originally posted by texandrews

he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji.

Maybe he "oversharpens" a little but who am I to comment on the artistic endeavors of fellow photographers. The images I get with my 645Z are fully satisfying, if maybe a little too "colorful" (my color vision is far from perfect with the "van Gogh" syndrome, according to my ophtalmologist).

Regards

Last edited by RICHARD L.; 05-26-2021 at 02:45 PM.

**barondla** · 05-26-2021, 03:01 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by SFTphotography

I've bought 2 645z's in 2021...why. I wanted to upgrade for full frame (Nikon D810).

Why. I really didn't want a mirrorless set up although the Fuji GFX system is good. I would recommend the 645z system to any landscape photographer.

Trust me - the 28-45 lens is everything a landscape photographer could hope for and more. It is the best UWA zoom I've ever encountered by far. Optically superb. Heavy, yes, expensive, yes...but worth it. 100% yes.

You might be better served with a 45-85 and 80-160 of which eBay will offer up cheap alternatives in the euro400 or so range for each. The 28-45 is however expensive and it really is THE one to get and I suggest you just bite the bullet and get the best UWA zoom lens ever made for a DSLR camera.
Like you most of my hikes aren't that long so the weight isn't an issue.

Here are some with it

Beautiful images. Makes me wish I were there.

---------- Post added 05-26-21 at 05:09 PM ----------

Originally posted by Edmunds

Wow, well, the opinions here are all over the place!

I understand the 28-45mm is a quality lens. But its only 22-36mm FF equiv., that's not really very wide. I have an upcoming trip to Brittany in September and I'm looking to do seascape sunsets, the 22mm equiv. doesn't seem like wide enough. SO that's my main worry at this time, that the wide angle options are quite limiting. And also I'm a bit worried about how the whole system will depreciate over the next 2-3 years.

I guess the best course of action at this point would be to just go try it out and see if I like it, after all that's the best thing about a local sale

If 22mm isn't wide enough medium format might not work for you. 25 is the widest Pentax and works out to ~19mm equivalent. Fujifilm's lenses tops out a little wider at 22mm ~ 17.6mm.

Thanks,
barondla

KiloHotelphoto · 05-26-2021, 03:12 PM

Check out Ricohs refurbished sight, I picked up a 645Z last spring for $3400 and it came with a one year factory warranty.

I sold it in the fall to pay for my Canon R5 that I use all the time, the 645Z was just a secondary system but I want to get one again. The 55 2.8 is a nice little lens but I really enjoyed the 45-80 and 80-160 that I was able to get from a ebay seller in Tokyo. They were very affordable and in perfect condition with fast shipping.

**RICHARD L.** · 05-26-2021, 03:25 PM - **1 Like**

Pentax also offers a surprising array of accessories, like the 645 Auto Bellows.

**Joetitch** · 05-27-2021, 01:22 AM

I might be talking a load of #@&$ but maybe because of the longer distance from lense to sensor the angle of incidence for the light particle/wave is more optimal for the sensor to read. It could also be because the lenses are just that much better. I desire a MF but that probably is wasted on my current abilities, but I am working on it

SFTphotography · 05-27-2021, 02:22 AM

Originally posted by texandrews

That would be itshimitis. I'd be careful with those comparisons right now. I'm not convinced he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji. IMO his older Z shots looked better.

No - but processing doesn't reflect the abilities of the camera but rather the tastes and abilities of the photographer.

I am confident if I had that camera I would be getting results similar to what I get with the Z. My worry would be the potential for PDAF pixels to show in some cases and probable lots of dust bunnies to clone out (a feature of the mirrorless set up).

itshimitis · 05-27-2021, 04:43 AM

Originally posted by texandrews

That would be itshimitis. I'd be careful with those comparisons right now. I'm not convinced he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji. IMO his older Z shots looked better.

Originally posted by RICHARD L.

Maybe he "oversharpens" a little but who am I to comment on the artistic endeavors of fellow photographers. The images I get with my 645Z are fully satisfying, if maybe a little too "colorful" (my color vision is far from perfect with the "van Gogh" syndrome, according to my ophtalmologist).

Regards

Originally posted by SFTphotography

No - but processing doesn't reflect the abilities of the camera but rather the tastes and abilities of the photographer.

I am confident if I had that camera I would be getting results similar to what I get with the Z. My worry would be the potential for PDAF pixels to show in some cases and probable lots of dust bunnies to clone out (a feature of the mirrorless set up).

I thought my ears were burning

The amount of sharpening for the Fuji files are way way way less than for the Pentax. i started processing in the same way as I did with the Z and now sharpening is way below what I did with the Z. So there must be an element of precooking on the Fuji raws. AWB is also more prone to magenta, and greens can be a bit on the extreme side.

SylvainB · 05-27-2021, 05:57 AM

Originally posted by texandrews

That would be itshimitis. I'd be careful with those comparisons right now. I'm not convinced he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji. IMO his older Z shots looked better.

I think the same, actually

Sharpening may be a flickr problem, though.
itshimitis, your pictures are still nice to see on the forum, don't worry !

SFTphotography · 05-27-2021, 06:47 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by itshimitis

I thought my ears were burning

The amount of sharpening for the Fuji files are way way way less than for the Pentax. i started processing in the same way as I did with the Z and now sharpening is way below what I did with the Z. So there must be an element of precooking on the Fuji raws. AWB is also more prone to magenta, and greens can be a bit on the extreme side.

Tip - don't use auto white balance.

For landscape/exterior architecture select the cloudy WB option - not the sunny one - it casts too blue. Pick cloudy and never move away from it. Cloudy usually sits around 5750 K which is about right for outdoor shooting.

Re the greens - you can manage that in curves - try increasing the red tone curve mid point slightly to offset it, or pull the green midpoint on the tone curve down. Or slide in the green black point a sliver to offset this.

I've found with the Z - using DXO the reds seem to dominate a little more so it's a case of slide in the red black point in a little more than the others to neutralise the colours.

05-26-2021, 01:52 PM - 7 Likes	#18
kdfx New Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 3	Hello World Hi all, I’m a french wedding photographer, so excuse my «english» ;-) I am a pentax user since fifteen years Last year i sold all my 3 K1 with lenses and i bought this famous Z after testing it during a few months (thanks to my local reseller). I am a lucky man ;-)

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05-26-2021, 12:51 PM	#16
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 6,575	Check the "Post your medium-format photos" heading on this site. There is even a guy who posts daily Fuji 100 Mpx pictures, taken with various lenses like the Fuji 23 mm f/4, the 32-64 zoom and the 100-200 mm zoom, so you can compare them with the 645D or Z. Most people here have a long history of using medium-format cameras, be they Pentax 6X7, 67 or 67 II film cameras and 645, 645N and N II film cameras. All Pentax lenses (P67's and P645's) can be used in Av mode on a 645 digital. Personally, I own 30 Pentax MF lenses (13 P67's and 17 P645's) and they all perform splendidly on my 645Z. The important part is the lenses, a body can always be replaced. Regards Last edited by RICHARD L.; 05-26-2021 at 03:16 PM.

05-26-2021, 01:27 PM - 2 Likes	#17
SFTphotography Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Scotland Posts: 291	Originally posted by Edmunds Wow, well, the opinions here are all over the place! I understand the 28-45mm is a quality lens. But its only 22-36mm FF equiv., that's not really very wide. I have an upcoming trip to Brittany in September and I'm looking to do seascape sunsets, the 22mm equiv. doesn't seem like wide enough. SO that's my main worry at this time, that the wide angle options are quite limiting. And also I'm a bit worried about how the whole system will depreciate over the next 2-3 years. I guess the best course of action at this point would be to just go try it out and see if I like it, after all that's the best thing about a local sale Honestly - 22mm 35mm is wide enough - and without sounding disparaging working on your composition skills eliminating from the frame what you do want - thinking about what do you want - often means 22mm is very wide. Modern makers like Nikon, Canon have made extreme field of views common place - but they rarely result in a good picture - often with stretched foregrounds, clutter in the frame - distant looking mountains and features. With something like 16mm on a full frame body - at the coast you need to be careful you don't end up with pictures with too much sky and water. I've barely touched the 28mm end of mine - and trust me - I teach landscape photography running workshops and guided tours - or I did until cv19 did for my business. The time for extreme wide lengths are interior architecture - and potentially some exterior shots where you are very close to the building and it's reflections (think Chateaux Azay Le Rideau and Vaux le Vicomte)

05-26-2021, 01:57 PM - 2 Likes	#19
kdfx New Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 3	before buying the Z i was looking for the Fuji GFX50S. I suggest you to test them and make your choice after using both. You could be very surprised.

05-26-2021, 02:23 PM	#20
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 6,575	Originally posted by kdfx since Simply change "since" for "for" and the tense of your verb and your English becomes perfect (I HAVE BEEN a Pentax user FOR 15 years). Salutations !

05-26-2021, 02:30 PM - 1 Like	#21
texandrews Moderator Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Baltimore Photos: Albums Posts: 3,390	Originally posted by RICHARD L. Check the "Post your medium-format photos" heading on this site. There is even a guy who posts daily Fuji 100 Mpx pictures, taken with various lenses like the Fuji 23 mm f/4, the 32-64 zoom and the 100-200 mm zoom, so you can compare them with the 645D or Z. That would be itshimitis. I'd be careful with those comparisons right now. I'm not convinced he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji. IMO his older Z shots looked better.

05-26-2021, 02:36 PM	#22
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 6,575	Originally posted by texandrews he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji. Maybe he "oversharpens" a little but who am I to comment on the artistic endeavors of fellow photographers. The images I get with my 645Z are fully satisfying, if maybe a little too "colorful" (my color vision is far from perfect with the "van Gogh" syndrome, according to my ophtalmologist). Regards Last edited by RICHARD L.; 05-26-2021 at 02:45 PM.

05-26-2021, 03:01 PM - 2 Likes	#23
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,714	Originally posted by SFTphotography I've bought 2 645z's in 2021...why. I wanted to upgrade for full frame (Nikon D810). Why. I really didn't want a mirrorless set up although the Fuji GFX system is good. I would recommend the 645z system to any landscape photographer. Trust me - the 28-45 lens is everything a landscape photographer could hope for and more. It is the best UWA zoom I've ever encountered by far. Optically superb. Heavy, yes, expensive, yes...but worth it. 100% yes. You might be better served with a 45-85 and 80-160 of which eBay will offer up cheap alternatives in the euro400 or so range for each. The 28-45 is however expensive and it really is THE one to get and I suggest you just bite the bullet and get the best UWA zoom lens ever made for a DSLR camera. Like you most of my hikes aren't that long so the weight isn't an issue. Here are some with it Beautiful images. Makes me wish I were there. ---------- Post added 05-26-21 at 05:09 PM ---------- Originally posted by Edmunds Wow, well, the opinions here are all over the place! I understand the 28-45mm is a quality lens. But its only 22-36mm FF equiv., that's not really very wide. I have an upcoming trip to Brittany in September and I'm looking to do seascape sunsets, the 22mm equiv. doesn't seem like wide enough. SO that's my main worry at this time, that the wide angle options are quite limiting. And also I'm a bit worried about how the whole system will depreciate over the next 2-3 years. I guess the best course of action at this point would be to just go try it out and see if I like it, after all that's the best thing about a local sale If 22mm isn't wide enough medium format might not work for you. 25 is the widest Pentax and works out to ~19mm equivalent. Fujifilm's lenses tops out a little wider at 22mm ~ 17.6mm. Thanks, barondla

05-26-2021, 03:12 PM	#24
KiloHotelphoto Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Glen Mills, PA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,030	Check out Ricohs refurbished sight, I picked up a 645Z last spring for $3400 and it came with a one year factory warranty. I sold it in the fall to pay for my Canon R5 that I use all the time, the 645Z was just a secondary system but I want to get one again. The 55 2.8 is a nice little lens but I really enjoyed the 45-80 and 80-160 that I was able to get from a ebay seller in Tokyo. They were very affordable and in perfect condition with fast shipping.

05-26-2021, 03:25 PM - 1 Like	#25
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 6,575	Pentax also offers a surprising array of accessories, like the 645 Auto Bellows.

05-27-2021, 01:22 AM	#26
Joetitch Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Leura NSW Posts: 502	I might be talking a load of #@&$ but maybe because of the longer distance from lense to sensor the angle of incidence for the light particle/wave is more optimal for the sensor to read. It could also be because the lenses are just that much better. I desire a MF but that probably is wasted on my current abilities, but I am working on it

05-27-2021, 02:22 AM	#27
SFTphotography Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Scotland Posts: 291	Originally posted by texandrews That would be itshimitis. I'd be careful with those comparisons right now. I'm not convinced he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji. IMO his older Z shots looked better. No - but processing doesn't reflect the abilities of the camera but rather the tastes and abilities of the photographer. I am confident if I had that camera I would be getting results similar to what I get with the Z. My worry would be the potential for PDAF pixels to show in some cases and probable lots of dust bunnies to clone out (a feature of the mirrorless set up).

05-27-2021, 04:43 AM	#28
itshimitis Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: All over the place Posts: 3,535	Originally posted by texandrews That would be itshimitis. I'd be careful with those comparisons right now. I'm not convinced he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji. IMO his older Z shots looked better. Originally posted by RICHARD L. Maybe he "oversharpens" a little but who am I to comment on the artistic endeavors of fellow photographers. The images I get with my 645Z are fully satisfying, if maybe a little too "colorful" (my color vision is far from perfect with the "van Gogh" syndrome, according to my ophtalmologist). Regards Originally posted by SFTphotography No - but processing doesn't reflect the abilities of the camera but rather the tastes and abilities of the photographer. I am confident if I had that camera I would be getting results similar to what I get with the Z. My worry would be the potential for PDAF pixels to show in some cases and probable lots of dust bunnies to clone out (a feature of the mirrorless set up). I thought my ears were burning The amount of sharpening for the Fuji files are way way way less than for the Pentax. i started processing in the same way as I did with the Z and now sharpening is way below what I did with the Z. So there must be an element of precooking on the Fuji raws. AWB is also more prone to magenta, and greens can be a bit on the extreme side.

05-27-2021, 05:57 AM	#29
SylvainB Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Paris area Posts: 214	Originally posted by texandrews That would be itshimitis. I'd be careful with those comparisons right now. I'm not convinced he's got the processing sorted for his new Fuji. IMO his older Z shots looked better. I think the same, actually Sharpening may be a flickr problem, though. itshimitis, your pictures are still nice to see on the forum, don't worry !

05-27-2021, 06:47 AM - 1 Like	#30
SFTphotography Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Scotland Posts: 291	Originally posted by itshimitis I thought my ears were burning The amount of sharpening for the Fuji files are way way way less than for the Pentax. i started processing in the same way as I did with the Z and now sharpening is way below what I did with the Z. So there must be an element of precooking on the Fuji raws. AWB is also more prone to magenta, and greens can be a bit on the extreme side. Tip - don't use auto white balance. For landscape/exterior architecture select the cloudy WB option - not the sunny one - it casts too blue. Pick cloudy and never move away from it. Cloudy usually sits around 5750 K which is about right for outdoor shooting. Re the greens - you can manage that in curves - try increasing the red tone curve mid point slightly to offset it, or pull the green midpoint on the tone curve down. Or slide in the green black point a sliver to offset this. I've found with the Z - using DXO the reds seem to dominate a little more so it's a case of slide in the red black point in a little more than the others to neutralise the colours.