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Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z

Portability
56
Imaging
44
Features
56
Overall
48
Olympus E-3 front
 
Pentax 645Z front
Portability
49
Imaging
80
Features
74
Overall
77

Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z Key Specs

Olympus E-3
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.5" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 890g - 142 x 116 x 75mm
  • Revealed February 2008
  • Superseded the Olympus E-1
  • Updated by Olympus E-5
Pentax 645Z
(Full Review)
  • 51MP - Medium format Sensor
  • 3.2" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 204800
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax 645AF2 Mount
  • 1550g - 156 x 117 x 123mm
  • Announced April 2014
  • Older Model is Pentax 645D
Photography Glossary

Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z Overview

Its time to examine more closely at the Olympus E-3 versus Pentax 645Z, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Pro DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and 645Z (Medium format) possess totally different sensor size.

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The E-3 was unveiled 7 years earlier than the 645Z and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before we go in to a thorough comparison, below is a concise view of how the E-3 matches up against the 645Z for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-3 over the Pentax 645Z

 E-3 645Z 
Screen typeFully ArticulatedTiltingFully Articulating screen
Selfie screen Easy selfies

Reasons to pick Pentax 645Z over the Olympus E-3

 645Z E-3 
AnnouncedApril 2014February 2008Fresher by 74 months
Screen sizing3.2"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.7")
Screen resolution1037k230kClearer screen (+807k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-3 and Pentax 645Z

 E-3 645Z 
Manual focus Dial exact focus
Touch screen Missing Touch screen

Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z Physical Comparison

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-3 provides exterior dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") and a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645Z has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") accompanied by a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-3 versus Pentax 645Z in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-3 and the 645Z.

Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z size comparison

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-3 and 645Z is 56 and 49 respectively.

Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z Sensor Comparison

Typically, its difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizing just by reading through technical specs. The visual here might offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-3 and 645Z.

As you have seen, both cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-3 with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Pentax 645Z will give you extra detail having an extra 41 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older E-3 is going to be behind in sensor tech.

Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z sensor size comparison

Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-3 Portrait photography highlights
Pentax 645Z Portrait photography highlights
56
you can focus manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
resolution not great (10MP)
88
manual focus
excellent megapixels (51 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
provides face detection focusing
delivers RAW files
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-3
Street photography with Pentax 645Z
69
screen articulates fully
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
weather proofing
63
tilting screen
sensor size is great (Medium format)
delivers RAW files
environment sealing
very good ISO range (204,800)
does not have image stabilization
more heavy than competition (1,550 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-3 Sports photography features
Pentax 645Z Sports photography features
57
max shutter speed is good (1/8,000 seconds)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
weather proofing
sensor has phase detect AF
painfully slow continuous shooting (5.0 fps)
resolution not great (10 megapixels)
71
excellent megapixels (51MP)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
provides tracking autofocus
environment sealing
supports phase detect AF
very slow continuous shooting (3.0 fps)
does not have image stabilization
low battery life (650 shots)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-3 as a Travel photography camera
Pentax 645Z as a Travel photography camera
55
weather proofing
built-in flash
screen is selfie friendly
doesn't have Timelapse mode
resolution not great (10 megapixels)
51
environment sealing
excellent megapixels (51 megapixels)
low battery life (650 per charge)
more heavy than competition (1,550 grams)
does not contain selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-3 Landscape photography features
Pentax 645Z Landscape photography features
56
you can focus manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
weather proofing
screen is somewhat small (2.5 inches)
resolution not great (10MP)
doesn't have Timelapse mode
78
manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Pentax 645AF2 mount)
good sized screen (3.2 inch)
excellent megapixels (51MP)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
does not have anti aliasing filter
very good ISO range (204,800)
delivers RAW files
environment sealing
has double storage slots
does not have image stabilization
low battery life (650 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-3 Vlogging information
Pentax 645Z Vlogging information
18
lack of video recording
27
provides face detection focusing
good video quality (1920 x 1080 resolution)
comes with external microphone port
does not contain selfie friendly display
does not have image stabilization
more heavy than competition (1,550g)
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Olympus E-3 vs Pentax 645Z Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-3 and Pentax 645Z
 Olympus E-3Pentax 645Z
General Information
Brand Olympus Pentax
Model Olympus E-3 Pentax 645Z
Type Advanced DSLR Pro DSLR
Revealed 2008-02-20 2014-04-15
Body design Mid-size SLR Large SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic III PRIME III
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds Medium format
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 44 x 33mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 1,452.0mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixel 51 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3
Peak resolution 3648 x 2736 8256 x 6192
Highest native ISO 3200 204800
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points 11 27
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds Pentax 645AF2
Number of lenses 45 6
Focal length multiplier 2.1 0.8
Screen
Display type Fully Articulated Tilting
Display diagonal 2.5 inches 3.2 inches
Resolution of display 230 thousand dot 1,037 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage 100% 98%
Viewfinder magnification 0.58x 0.85x
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60s 30s
Fastest shutter speed 1/8000s 1/4000s
Continuous shutter speed 5.0 frames per sec 3.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 13.00 m no built-in flash
Flash settings Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Flash On, Flash On+Red-eye Reduction, Slow-speed Sync, Slow-speed Sync+Red-eye, P-TTL, Trailing Curtain Sync, contrast-control-sync, high-speed sync, wireless sync
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash sync 1/250s 1/125s
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p,24p)
Highest video resolution None 1920x1080
Video file format - MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 890g (1.96 lb) 1550g (3.42 lb)
Dimensions 142 x 116 x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") 156 x 117 x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score 56 101
DXO Color Depth score 21.6 26.0
DXO Dynamic range score 10.5 14.7
DXO Low light score 571 4505
Other
Battery life - 650 shots
Form of battery - Battery Pack
Battery model - D-LI90
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Storage media Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots
Storage slots One Dual
Retail pricing $670 $5,024