Pentax 645z - is this a good time to buy?

[MichaelEzra]

Used 645z is available from 5K+ these days. I am considering getting it as used 645 Pentax lenses are also such a bargain...
In the view of upcoming Fuji and Hasselblad MF mirrorless releases, is this a good time to invest in this system?

Prices seem to inevitably go down with time, but, considering one needs a high res MF system soon... is 645z the best value MF system these days?

[NancyP]

Will it meet your needs?
Do you need shift / tilt / swing for architectural work? Pentax doesn't go there.

[MichaelEzra]

For architecture work I was considering Sony A7r2 with adapters and manual lenses. Although I have D800e now. I am craving zesty MF sharpness and D800e does not have it.
645z for studio work - nudes, dancers, portraits.

Is there one system which would be suitable for both studio and architecture yet in the budget range of the 645z?

I never got a chance to compare pixel sharpness of A7R2 and 645z.. this is important for fine art prints 5ft long

[Joe Towner]

There is the 67 75mm shift lens, so it's still an option.  I'm of the thought that I will snag a 645z since I want the higher ISO, frame rate and weather seals, and the H6D-100c for everything else.  $5k is really not that bad, and what it can do is amazing.  At this point, until Sony comes out with another 33x44 chip, the Z is the best value.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi Michael,

Pixel sharpness depends on lens you put in front of the sensor and your technique.

With Sony you can use almost any lens while on the Pentax you are limited to Pentax lenses. Image magnification is lower on Pentax 645Z, and I have seen many great images from that camera.

The Hasselblad X1D probably has very good lenses. Are they as good as the Otus on the Canon 5DsR or the Sony A7rII? Main benefit of Otuses may be correction of axial chroma, that is magenta/green fringing in out of focus areas. Do you need that?

The Sony A7rII is the most flexible option today. Pentax 645Z has great image quality. Hasselblad X1D is like Pentax, but with just a few but very good lenses.

Best regards
Erik

For architecture work I was considering Sony A7r2 with adapters and manual lenses. Although I have D800e now. I am craving zesty MF sharpness and D800e does not have it.
645z for studio work - nudes, dancers, portraits.

Is there one system which would be suitable for both studio and architecture yet in the budget range of the 645z?

I never got a chance to compare pixel sharpness of A7R2 and 645z.. this is important for fine art prints 5ft long

[MichaelEzra]

Thanks all for chiming in.

I've rented 645z with 75mm and new 90. With both lenses 645z outperforms D800e with Nikon G 60mm in center pixel sharpness. Also I am just tired of the annoying AF accuracy issue with this lens on D800e, it is just random. D810 gives sharper result and more reliable focusing.. but I am pissed they did not resolve issue with firmware on D800/e and don't want a second Nikon:)

I've also rented 645 80-160 lens and it worked excellent on 645z, still sharper than D800e.
I agree that A7R2 is the most flexible system these days. However, I don't see a reliable way to autofocus Nikon lenses on A7R2, so I would need new lenses...
Pentax FA lenses for 645z are superb, a bargain and easy to get. I also expect 645z to give an edge in studio work for portraits and nudes. So, I ordered 645z and should have it next week!:)

I expect that A7R2 may be my next purchase, likely with Cambo Actus Mini and Sigma 12-24. I suppose D800e would work fine with Actus as well, may be with less movement though.

[BobDavid]

Thanks all for chiming in.

I've rented 645z with 75mm and new 90. With both lenses 645z outperforms D800e with Nikon G 60mm in center pixel sharpness. Also I am just tired of the annoying AF accuracy issue with this lens on D800e, it is just random. D810 gives sharper result and more reliable focusing.. but I am pissed they did not resolve issue with firmware on D800/e and don't want a second Nikon:)

I've also rented 645 80-160 lens and it worked excellent on 645z, still sharper than D800e.
I agree that A7R2 is the most flexible system these days. However, I don't see a reliable way to autofocus Nikon lenses on A7R2, so I would need new lenses...
Pentax FA lenses for 645z are superb, a bargain and easy to get. I also expect 645z to give an edge in studio work for portraits and nudes. So, I ordered 645z and should have it next week!:)

I expect that A7R2 may be my next purchase, likely with Cambo Actus Mini and Sigma 12-24. I suppose D800e would work fine with Actus as well, may be with less movement though.

The Actus mini and the Sony A7r is a phenomenal setup. If you want to go wider than 50mm, I suggest getting the Cambo Actar 24mm. It is an excellent lens. The only drawback is that it doesn't handle flare well. I've got one that I'm on the fence about selling. I tend to use the Actus for focal lengths between 60 to 135. It works great with high-end enlarger lenses.

[leeonmaui]

Aloha,
The Pentax will provide and excellent bang for your buck!
I've had a couple of copies of the 80-160 and found it to be my least favourite lens; and I really wanted to have it be good as it offers a nice range of focal length. one of my new favourite lenses is the 45-85mm
very sharp and crisp all around which is nice, also nice contrast which to me is equally important. compact, auto focus is brisk and accurate and its very affordable.

For your work the 150mm and 200mm might be  worth giving a try.
I've had great luck working with some of the camera shops in Japan.

The old Macro 120mm is sweet but as sharp at infinity  as you would think given the overall performance. pretty shallow DOF which can be a challenge. I have focus stacked some still life images with exceptional results (stacking 7 of the Z files on my mac gives me time for a nice long coffee break)

I've heard nothing but praise for the new 90mm Macro, from even people who are generally critical of the 645 lenses, but at the price, I guess I'll have to wait awhile.

At any rate, in regards, to your new Pentax 645Z; prepare to be amazed! 

[MichaelEzra]

I found excellent and comprehensive reviews of 645z system: http://thephotofundamentalist.com/?p=2176   very helpful!

So, I got the camera.. and now am waiting for the lenses:) This is painful!:)

I tried 80-160 before with great results at 80, so it is now being shipped. I hope I will have a better luck.
I wonder how 80-160 compares to 75mm FA at F8-F11...

I also picked 45-85!

In my testing 90mm does render a bit finer detail than 75mm, but 75 works excellent (on portraits).

Bob, thanks for advise on the enlarger lenses, I have great ones for 4x5 and 6x7 format, but Actus will have to wait for some time.

[ErikKaffehr]

Enjoy!

BR
Erik

I found excellent and comprehensive reviews of 645z system: http://thephotofundamentalist.com/?p=2176   very helpful!

So, I got the camera.. and now am waiting for the lenses:) This is painful!:)

I tried 80-160 before with great results at 80, so it is now being shipped. I hope I will have a better luck.
I wonder how 80-160 compares to 75mm FA at F8-F11...

I also picked 45-85!

In my testing 90mm does render a bit finer detail than 75mm, but 75 works excellent (on portraits).

Bob, thanks for advise on the enlarger lenses, I have great ones for 4x5 and 6x7 format, but Actus will have to wait for some time.

[MichaelEzra]

Thanks Erik:)!

[MichaelEzra]

Hi Raul, there is wireless real-time upload from SD card available. I haven't tried it yet:)
Now I need to sell my Mamiya ZD camera & lenses (I wish I could use them somehow...)

[Phil Indeblanc]

Well, this is good news....Now we can see your work in finer detail :-)
I was thinking of the 645Z for a long time, as I loved the feel, and the way its almost like a DSLR 35 with a MF sensor.
But I need to adapt to bellows and I didn't hunt enough for a solution,
So I got the Sony.The files are lovely. The electronics are a little better than a SonyZ3 cell phone I had for a few months before I chucked it as far as possible.
It makes great files in a non camera sort of way.
Enjoy the Pentax. Great camera, and under $5K for a mf WITH a great body AND glass thats not $2k is a win.

[ndevlin]

There's never a bad time to buy a 645z and the prices are really sweet right now. I love this camera every time i  use it.  Would I like it to be smaller, lighter, have more new lenses, etc? Of course.  But it just works, and it spoils you in ways you can't totally understand till you use it.

For instance, I recently shot some files with a top APS-C camera, and it was only when i looked at the (perfectly fine) files that i realized how used to the quality of MF i had become.  It simply is different.

Hope you enjoy the new machine!

Cheers,

- N.

[MichaelEzra]

Thank you all, I am very happy with the new system. It is such a pleasure to use and the files are exactly what I wanted - and yes they do in fact look different.
The focus is always dead on and all I use is a center spot - all I really need. In usage, the main thing is not to blow the highlights, here it is extremely different from D800e which has enormous highlight headroom. 645z has enormous shadow recovery range instead.
I got a few lenses 45-85 FA, 75 FA, 80-160 FA and 120 A and couldn't be happier with all of them!:)

[tcdeveau]

I also just took the 645z plunge as well and picked up (from the used market) a 645z body, 55mm DFA, 28-45mm DA, 45-85mm FA, and 80-160mm FA.  Need to play around with it more but so far I am very happy with the new system too

[jwlimages]

Glad to hear you're enjoying your 645z. I've been really pleased with mine over the last year - amazing image quality, some really positive surprises in their legacy lens line. The one thing I am very unhappy about is support from Ricoh-Pentax (it seems almost non-existent).

Had a bizarre experience with their warranty service - I wanted to take them up on their offer of free check & clean (up to 2-years after DOP). I was directed to send it to a 3rd party camera repair place, when I did they wanted to bill me about $160. This place was totally unfamiliar with the Pentax offer, as if they'd never done one, so a week was wasted straightening that out. When I got the camera back, I put a lens on it & shot a test for sensor spots. Open in LR, the "visualize spots" feature shows a dozen or so big ugly spots on the sensor. No change after engaging the "dust cleaning" a few times, so now as I start the cleaning process myself I'm just hoping some of these aren't big globs of lubricant or something. Tried to contact the repair place - "did you even clean the sensor? - but no response.

My net takeaway is that the camera is a total winner, but be aware that when you get one apparently you're on your own...

John