How are the Pentax Z645 owners feeling?

[eronald]

In the end we will only know about the Z as a people photographing tool when somebody goes out and photographs the faces of a dozen people at the mall.

Edmund

[Telecaster]

Thanks.  Bernard, I could open a Pentax museum.

I could make a healthy contribution if you ever do it.   

-Dave-

[synn]

Hmmm... exif shows Nikon file was processed in LR5. No?

I might have exported the JPEG out of LR5 as I use it as a DAM. That's the only thing it does well for me

[bcooter]

Edmund,

Why don't you rent one and go shoot?

Then you'll know.

IMO

BC

[rcdurston]

So after 20k plus images on the 645Z, I'll reiterate, I'm very happy. If you want to read my pros/cons, they are over on page 5 of this thread.
Someone was asking for portraits taken with the Z, so here are a bunch; mixed lighting, strobe, daylight, open shade you name it.
Indoor images are with mixed lighting (available and strobe) except for the headshot styled image which is just window light. The image of the two sitting and standing was warmed up with CTO on the Octabox.
The guy in the kitchen is with HMI's.

Rob

[rcdurston]

Someone was asking for portraits taken with the Z, so here are a bunch; mixed lighting, strobe, daylight, open shade you name it.
Outdoor images are all available light except for the couple of the guy with the blue jacket standing. That one is Profoto 600B through an Octabox, 3 stop ND etc etc.

Thanks

[rcdurston]

And here are a few randoms. The first portrait is well crunched in PS and still has lots of room to be played with. The long orange sky was 30 seconds @f11 iso 320 and the lighthouse was 15 seconds @f11 iso 2500.

[rcdurston]

Here are some more shot outside using available light only.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

I hate people with reversed lenshoods

[rcdurston]

I hate people with reversed lenshoods

Thats my sister

R

[eronald]

Edmund,

Why don't you rent one and go shoot?

Then you'll know.

IMO

BC

J,

It's  the Socratic method
 ... and please don't darkly mutter "Phaedo" under your breath.

Edmund

[tsjanik]

I could make a healthy contribution if you ever do it.   

-Dave-

LOL.  You too?  Buy, but rarely sell.

Tom

[tsjanik]

Thats my sister

R

Cute sister; I didn't notice the lens hood. 

[ndevlin]

Cute sister; I didn't notice the lens hood. 

I was thinking exactly the same thing! But just imagine how much hotter she'd be on a CCD!

[synn]

I was thinking exactly the same thing! But just imagine how much hotter she'd be on a CCD!

Hot pixels are no problem at all in capture one pro. You should upgrade from Lightroom!

[jduncan]

Here is a copy and paste of my notes from Sept 19th.
I have just past the 10,000 frame mark on my 645z, its at 10823 and sleeping for the weekend.
I got it a couple of months ago and have been using it almost exclusively for my advertising work. I'm very happy with it so far, for the most part.
Here are my top TEN lists for it

Some thing that do bother me though are,
1. AF zone is too small (center 25% of the frame only)
2. inconsistent AF accuracy
3. wait time to use the aperture and ss wheels after firing off a frame
4. the grip, too small
5. SD slots too close to strap point, relocate the strap mounts please
6. missing cap for PC connection
7. wait time to turn on LV after firing off a few frames
8. cable release option besides FluCard
9. FA collar AF/MF switch, PITA
10. tunnel like viewfinder, your eye needs to be lined up perfectly to see 100% of the frame

things I love, beyond the resolution, decent lenses (for the money), ISO sensitivity
1. rear monitor, huge
2. dual SD slots, my Mobi wifi card works wonderfully at speed with the camera
3. weight, nice balance
4. solid lens mount
5. side tripod mount
6. comprehensive menu
7. Live View magnification, the only true way I have found to get accurate focus
8. Matrix metering is usually spot on
9. Long battery life, one battery lasts almost all day, around 1000-1300 frames even with the wifi card transmitting
10. Three WB preset favourites, great to swing back and forth through while testing a scenario

I don't use the camera everyday. I now have three systems from 3 separate brands that I use on shoots; Pentax 645z, Nikon D800 (lightweight back up to the 645z) and the Canon 5D mk3 for lighter file size work.
Saying that, I'm working on a 25 day project, shooting 50 locations with 50 hero shots and over 450 extra scenarios. I'm half way right now and the Pentax is shining. Most of the time I don't bother using the other cameras for the smaller or lighter work because I'm enjoying the the Pentax especially with the 45-85 and the 35 prime. The Nikon has been consistently jamming when needed the most and the Canon now feels like a Fisher Price toy.
When I'm done this project I willing be thinking about sending the camera in to have all the lenses calibrated with the body, specifically checking the focus.
Overall I give it an 8.5/10

Rob

We should have a like button.
Thanks for the realistic mini-review.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I guess that Nick would look into that if C1 supported Pentax 645D/645Z, but unfortunately they don't.

Best regards
Erik

Hot pixels are no problem at all in capture one pro. You should upgrade from Lightroom!

[synn]

Lol. You may have missed a joke there, Erik

[eronald]

Hi,

I guess that Nick would look into that if C1 supported Pentax 645D/645Z, but unfortunately they don't.

Best regards
Erik

I think Synn meant hot pixies and mistyped.

Edmund

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I have not missed the joke, just I felt it was a bad one, specially as there was a heated discussion on that issue an another channel on C1 not supporting Pentax MFD.

But anyway, I would suggest that the lady is pretty cool, inverted lens shade and all.

Best regards
Erik

Lol. You may have missed a joke there, Erik