The new Pentax 645Z, the company's second-generation medium format successor to the 645D, uses the same giant CMOS sensor that's in cameras like the Phase One IQ250 ($34,990) and Hasselblad H5D-50c ($27,500), but its $8,500 price tag is nowhere near as staggering. And the 51-megapixel camera does things that its competition simply can't, like shooting video.
The 645Z's medium format image sensor is roughly 44 by 33 millimeters in size, about 1.7 times the size of a full-frame 35mm camera. It's the third CMOS-based medium format shooter to come to market, arriving just a few months after the IQ250 and H5D-50c. But unlike those systems, which are based on modular backs that can be moved from camera to camera, the 645Z incorporates the sensor into its large (4.6 by 6.1 by 4.7 inches, 3.4 pounds) body. From a design standpoint, it's very similar to the 645D, and retains dual tripod mounts, a large monochrome information LCD, and physical controls to adjust most shooting settings. The versatility that comes with a modular back is lost, but there are benefits to the streamlined design.
Cost is one; Jim Malcolm, executive vice president at Ricoh, the parent company of the Pentax brand, says that the 645Z can be offered at its price because a lot of its technology is borrowed from other Pentax SLRs, including the current flagship APS-C model, the K-3. The camera's autofocus system, metering sensor, and weather-sealing system are examples of this integration.
The 645Z's 51-megapixel sensor is the same one used by its 50-megapixel competition, but a little extra resolution is squeezed out due to the way it's integrated into the camera; the resolution increase is the result of some differences in masking and data transfer methods. As you would expect from a medium format camera, there's no optical low pass filter. Its ISO can be set from ISO 100 through ISO 204800, and the camera can capture JPG or Raw image; the latter can be saved in Pentax's proprietary PEF format, or the more widely recognized Adobe DNG format. Shooting in DNG gives instant compatibility with a number of Raw conversion programs, including Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Phase One Capture One Pro. Raw images capture 14 stops of dynamic range.
The metering sensor is the same 86k RGB sensor employed by the K-3, and the 27-point SAFOX autofocus system is also borrowed from the K-3. It employs 25 cross type points, grouped in the center and two linear sensors at the outer edges of its active focus area. The three-point column in the dead center of the frame is sensitive down to -3 EV, and there is an autofocus assist beam for working in very dim conditions. The meter can properly expose a scene as dim as -1 EV.
The 645Z employs a focal plane shutter, so you won't be able to sync with strobes at really short shutter speeds like you can with a system that employs in-lens leaf shutters. The maximum sync speed is 1/125-second, and the shutter itself can fire off shots at 1/4,000-second. It is rated to 100,000 cycles, which is double that of the 645D, and while Pentax hasn't locked down a final continuous shooting rate, it expects the camera to fire at 2 to 3 frames per second at its fastest. That's at least double the 1fps that the 645D managed. Despite the increase in resolution, the time that it takes to write a file to the memory card has also been shortened; an image can be reviewed 0.9 seconds after it is captured, down from 2.3 seconds.
The body is weather-sealed, as are the three newest lenses—a 25mm f/4, 55mm f/2.8, and an optically stabilized 90mm f/2.8 Macro. In addition to shooting in a rainstorm, the camera is rated for use in temperatures as low as 14°F. Although the Pentax 645 system has a history dating back to the 1980s, many older lenses have only been available in the used market in the U.S. to this point. The company is reintroducing an additional 14 lenses to the U.S. market. These had remained in production in Japan, but 645Z owners won't be forced to import glass or scour used camera marketplaces for additional lenses. Included are primes ranging from 35mm all the way through 400mm, and a handful of zoom lenses covering the ranges from 33mm through 300mm. They aren't sealed against the elements like the newest glass, but all support autofocus.
Because it uses a CMOS sensor, the 645Z supports Live View. Its rear display is hinged, which will be a boon for photographers who shoot low to the ground. It tilts from -35 to 125°. And there's video. The camera records footage in QuickTime format with an MPEG-4/H.264 compression scheme at 1080i60, 1080i50, 1080p30, 1080p25, or 1080p24 quality. The full image sensor is used to capture footage, although it will be cropped from 4:3 to 16:9. There's an integrated stereo microphone, as well as a standard 3.5mm mic input. The camera does have an HDMI output to connect to a field monitor, but it's not a clean output for a field recorder. There's also no headphone jack for monitoring, but there are on-screen audio level monitors. Clips can be up to 25 minutes in length, and there are some basic in-camera editing tools for trimming, and you can apply video filters (including black and white, sepia, and spot color) when recording.
And there's 4K. You won't be able to shoot traditional video at this resolution (which is, in reality, about 8 megapixels), but you can create time lapse videos in camera in 4K. These are saved in AVI format with a Motion JPG compression scheme and can be up to 1 minute in length. We'll have more information on the details of time lapse capture when we get a 645Z in for review.
Photos and videos are saved to SD, SHDC, or SDXC memory cards. The 645Z supports the UHS-I standard, and there are two physical card slots. There's no Wi-Fi as there is in the Phase One IQ250, but it can be added to the camera using the same 16GB FluCard Pro ($99.95) that was introduced for use with the K-3. It supports transfer of JPG images to any device with a Web browser—phones, tablets, and laptops alike—and the camera can also be controlled remotely via a browser.
If you're working in a traditional studio environment, Pentax includes the Image Transmitter 2 software application with the 645Z. It supports tethered shooting via the camera's USB 3.0 port. You'll have full control over settings and the focus point, a Live View feed on your screen, and, of course, the ability to fire photos and have them automatically transfer to your computer.
Other available accessories include a GPS unit and autoexposure extension tube for macro shooting. The 645Z is also compatible with the same P-TTL strobes that are available for Pentax APS-C D-SLRs.
The 645Z is set to go on sale in May. Its body-only price is $8,499.95. The older 645D will remain in production at a $6,999.95 price point.