Pentax 645D 40MP DSLR camera front
Pentax? I almost forgot that they are exists, was never looking at their 35mm DSLR cameras, knowing that there was nothing for me as a professional shooter. On other hand, my older friends in photography were talking about medium format film Pentax cameras with every respect possible.
Now Pentax announced their first medium format DSLR with 40 MP sensor, sized 44x33mm, more like older Hasselblad or Phase One sensors.
Pentax 645D 40MP DSLR camera back
Nice? Looks very promising for me:-)
with 40Megapixels, 44x33mm sensor, and price “to be” not more that $15000 or even round $10K, this camera can be a good addition to a medium format digital world. However, there are few things which may stop potential buyers like me from buying this Pentax:
1. No digital back, meaning sensor is built-in, like on my Canon Mark III.
2. 14-bit A/D converter (v.s 16 bit on the rest medium format DSLRs) , like on my Canon. Again.
What does it means for me:
Same headache with the cleaning sensor from dust. Pentax has image sensor cleaning function by supersonic vibration, like mine Canon, and I know how it works, not as good as it sounds. when i use my Cambo master PC tilt-shift adapter, dust is a big issue. Especially in product and jewelry photography I am specializing. One of my reasons to go with medium format DSLR in nearest future is ability to clean sensor easily, not by dipping swabs in the camera.
While Pentax claims dynamic range of 11.5 f stops, 14 bit sensor is not what I am looking for in $10K+ medium DSLR camera. This sensor can be really good, but it never will have the same “true” dynamic range as 16bit sensors from Hasselblad, Leaf or PhaseOne has.
I still think that it will be a great, affordable camera, but for me it is like a half-step to a medium-formal world. And I always prefer big steps, or even jumps:-)
Below are the spec and futures, enjoy your reading!
645D Specifications
| Type | TTL autofocus, auto-exposure medium format digital SLR camera | |
|---|---|---|
| Effective Pixels | approx. 40 megapixels | |
| Image Sensor | Total pixels | approx. 40.01 megapixels |
| Type | CCD with a primary color filter | |
| Size | 44mm x 33mm | |
| Pixel size | 6.0 μm x 6.0 μm | |
| Dynamic Range | 11.5f – stops | |
| Recorded Pixels | Still | JPEG: L[40M]7264×5440 pixels, M[32M]6528×4896 pixels [21M]5376×4032 pixels, S[13M]4224×3168 pixels [7M]3072×2304 pixels RAW: [40M]7264×5440 pixels |
| Formats | Still | RAW(14 bit): (PEF/DNG), JPEG: (Best), (Better), (Good), RAW+JPEG: available |
| Recording file Format | Still | RAW (PEF/DNG), JPEG (Conforms to Exif 2.21), Conforms to DCF (Design rule of Camera File system) 2.0 |
| Sensitivity ( Standard output sensitivity ) | Auto:200-1000, Extension:100, 1600 (1EV steps or 1/2EV steps or 1/3EV steps) | |
| Storage Media | SD, SDHC memory card (Dual slot) | |
| White Balance | Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Fluorescent Light ( D, N, W, L), Tungsten Light, Flash, CTE, Manual setting 1, Manual setting 2, Manual setting 3, Color temperature setting (3 types) with WB fine adjustment | |
| Custom Image | Bright, Natural, Portrait, Landscape, Vibrant, Muted, Reversal Film, Monochrome | |
| Viewfinder | Type | Trapezoid prism finder |
| Focusing screen | Natural-Bright-Matte focusing screen | |
| Field of view | approx. 98% | |
| Diopter adjustment | approx. -3.5 – +2.0m-1 | |
| Magnification | approx. 0.62 x (with D FA645 55mmF2.8 at infinity), approx. 0.85 x (with FA645 75mmF2.8 at infinity) | |
| Monitor | Type | TFT color LCD monitor, Wide angle view, Brightness adjustable, Color adjustable, AR Coating, Reinforced glass |
| Size | 3.0 inch | |
| Dots | approx. 921,000 dots | |
| Preview Method | Optical preview, Digital preview | |
| Playback | 1 Image, 2 Image, 4 Image, 9 Image, 16 Image, 36 Image, 81 Image, Enlargement (up to 32X, scroll available), Image Rotation, Folder view, Slideshow, Histogram, Resize, Cropping, Bright/Dark area, Calendar view, Index view | |
| Digital Filter | Playback Mode | Monochrome, Extract Color, Color, Base Tweaking, Soft |
| Focusing System | Type | TTL phase difference detection, 11-point autofocus system (SAFOX IX+) |
| Focus Mode | AF-single, AF-continuous | |
| Focus Point | Auto, Select, Center | |
| Superimpose | available | |
| Exposure Control | Metering System | TTL open-aperture 77-segment metering |
| Metering Mode | (1) Multi-segment metering, (2) Center-weighted metering, (3) Spot metering | |
| Exposure Range | EV 2-21 (at Standard Output Sensitivity 200 with 55mmF2.8) | |
| Modes | (1) Program AE, (2) Sensitivity-Priority AE, (3) Shutter-Priority AE, (4) Aperture-Priority AE, (5) Shutter and Aperture Priority AE, (6) Metered Manual, (7) Bulb, (8) X speed | |
| Exposure Compensation | ±5EV | |
| AE Lock | availiable | |
| Shutter | Shutter Type | Electronically controlled vertical-run focal plane shutter |
| Shutter Speed | Auto:1/4000 – 30 sec, Manual:1/4000 – 30 sec (1/3 EV steps or 1/2 EV steps), bulb | |
| Drive Modes | Single-frame, Continuous (Hi, Lo), Self-timer (12s, 2s), Remote control (0s, 3s ), Remote Continuous Shooting, Interval, Multiple Exposure, Exposure Bracketing, Extended Bracketing | |
| Continuous shooting | <Both 1 slot and 2 slot> approx. 1.1 fps, RAW(PEF)+JPEG(40M at | |
| Mirror Lock-up shooting | available by dedicated dial | |
| Flash Synchronization | Hot shoe, X-sync socket, sync-speed: 1/125 sec., P-TTL, high-speed-sync, wireless-sync with PENTAX dedicated external flash | |
| Dust Removal | Image sensor cleaning function by supersonic vibration (DR II) with dust alert function | |
| Time | World Time | 75 cities (28 time zones) |
| Data Folder | Folder Name | Date (100_MMDD···), PENTX (100PENTX, 101PENTX···) , |
| File Name | Standard, User customize | |
| Power Sources | Rechargeable D-LI90 lithium-ion battery Optional AC adapter also available. | |
| Battery Life | Number of recordable images | approx. 800 (23°C) *, approx. 700 (0°C), approx. 650 (-10°C) |
| Playback time | approx. 440 minutes (23°C) *, approx. 400 minutes (0°C), approx. 380 minutes (-10°C) | |
| Interfaces | USB2.0 (Hi-Speed:mini B type), Video output (mini phone type), HDMI output (type C mini), DC input , Cable switch, X-sync sockets | |
| Video Output | Compatible with NTSC and PAL formats | |
| Lens Mount | PENTAX 645AF2 bayonet mount | |
| Usable Lens | PENTAX 645AF2, 645AF, and 645A mount lenses | |
| Dimensions | approx. 156(W) x 117(H) x 119(D)mm (6.1 x 4.6 x 4.7 inches) | |
| Weight | approx. 1480 g (52.2 oz.) loaded and ready with battery and two SD memory cards approx. 1400 g (49.4 oz.) without battery and SD memory card. | |
| Bundle software | PENTAX Digital Camera Utility 4 (Ver.4.20) | |
Other features
1. HDR (high dynamic range) function to create one composite image with an extra-wide gradation range from three images with different exposures
2. Dynamic-Range Expansion function to compensate for both whitewashed (excessively overexposed) and blacked-out (excessively underexposed) areas
3. Digital Level function for easy checking of the image’s levels
4. Automatic compensation of distortion and lateral chromatic aberration (available in combination with the D FA 645- and FA 645- series lenses)
5. Versatile white-balance control system, including the CTE mode designed to emphasize the dominant color components of the captured images, which works especially well with such scene like sunset.
6. Mirror shock/operation-noise reduction function to assure smooth, quiet operation of the mirror during shooting
7. Attachment of copyright credits on recorded images
8. Compatible with the SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) autofocus mechanism, designed to assure smooth, quiet operation using the supersonic motor installed inside SDM lenses
9. HDMI terminal (for type C mini connectors) for high-resolution image data output
10. User-friendly, color-classified control buttons/switches, based on the color universal design concept
11. PENTAX Digital Camera Utility 4 software package, including a RAW-data processing applicattion (based on the popular SILKYPIX RAW-data processing engine developed by Ichikawa Soft Laboratory) and browser application.
Read more on Pentax.jp
March 13th, 2010 | 
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This is a great article and very informative indeed.
I have a question. You mentioned at the beginning that one of the things that prevent you from buying this Pentax was the fact that it did not have a digital back. Would you mind expanding on why this is a disadvantage? I was under the impression that digital backs were the “link” to convert old film cameras to digital format. Thank you indeed.
[Reply]
Alex Koloskov Reply:
January 11th, 2011 at 10:47 pm
FJ,
The main disadvantage is that you can’t detach sensor to clean it. Dust on my Canon 1ds is so annoying and so much a trouble to clean it that this is a big deal for me. Ability to easily clean a sensor, without digging dip into a camera.
The second advantage of “open” systems that you can upgrade back only (or rent a larger back, if needed), leaving the camera alone.
So far Pentax 645D has the best price to sensor size (physical and megapixel) ratio, this is a big plus:-)
Alex
[Reply]
OMG,approx=40 megapixels!!
of course,no company has produced cameras with this feature. When I read the performance of the Pentax 645D and makes me want to know the efficiency of using the Pentax 645D and Nikon D3X, who is better?Have you ever try and compare them?
[Reply]
Wow ! I like the DSLR camera.May I know how much it is? Thankz
[Reply]
Alex Koloskov Reply:
June 13th, 2011 at 10:38 am
Google suggest… :-)
[Reply]