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Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z

Portability
96
Imaging
38
Features
23
Overall
32
Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5 front
 
Pentax 645Z front
Portability
49
Imaging
80
Features
74
Overall
77

Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z Key Specs

Panasonic F5
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-140mm (F3.2-6.5) lens
  • 121g - 97 x 58 x 22mm
  • Introduced January 2013
Pentax 645Z
(Full Review)
  • 51MP - Medium format Sensor
  • 3.2" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 204800
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax 645AF2 Mount
  • 1550g - 156 x 117 x 123mm
  • Released April 2014
  • Older Model is Pentax 645D
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Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z Overview

Here is a extended assessment of the Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Pro DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a significant difference between the sensor resolutions of the F5 (14MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the F5 (1/2.3") and 645Z (Medium format) offer totally different sensor dimensions.

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The F5 was introduced 15 months prior to the 645Z making them a generation apart from each other. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic F5 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before we go straight to a full comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the F5 matches up versus the 645Z for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic F5 over the Pentax 645Z

 F5 645Z 

Reasons to pick Pentax 645Z over the Panasonic F5

 645Z F5 
ReleasedApril 2014January 2013Fresher by 15 months
Manual focus More accurate focus
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display dimensions3.2"2.7"Larger display (+0.5")
Display resolution1037k230kCrisper display (+807k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic F5 and Pentax 645Z

 F5 645Z 
Selfie screen Neither includes selfie screen
Touch display Neither includes Touch display

Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z Physical Comparison

When you are going to carry your camera, you will need to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic F5 features exterior dimensions of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") and a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Pentax 645Z has specifications of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") having a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at the time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the F5 versus the 645Z.

Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z size comparison

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the F5 and 645Z is 96 and 49 respectively.

Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z top view buttons comparison

Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z Sensor Comparison

Often, it is very hard to visualise the difference between sensor sizing only by reading through technical specs. The visual underneath will help offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the F5 and 645Z.

As you can tell, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The F5 using its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF harder and the Pentax 645Z will give you more detail using its extra 37 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images more aggressively. The older F5 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.

Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z sensor size comparison

Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic F5 Portrait photography highlights
Pentax 645Z Portrait photography highlights
29
decent MP (14MP)
no manual focus
manual exposure not available
no external flash support
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
88
manual focus
MP count fantastic (51MP)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
comes with face detection focusing
supports RAW files
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Street Comparison

Panasonic F5 Street photography highlights
Pentax 645Z Street photography highlights
56
lighter than competitors in class (121g)
screen is fixed
no image stabilization
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
63
tilting screen
sensor size is great (Medium format)
supports RAW files
weather proofing
great ISO range (204,800)
lack of image stabilization
more heavy than competition in class (1,550 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Panasonic F5
Sports photography with Pentax 645Z
33
decent MP (14MP)
includes tracking focus
max frames per second low (1.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority
no image stabilization
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect AF
71
MP count fantastic (51MP)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
comes with tracking autofocus
weather proofing
supports phase detect AF
very slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames per second)
lack of image stabilization
not so great battery pack (650 CIPA)
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Panasonic F5
Travel photography with Pentax 645Z
68
lighter than competitors in class (121g)
decent MP (14 megapixels)
flash built-in
really wide (28mm)
doesn't have Timelapse function
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.2)
51
weather proofing
MP count fantastic (51 megapixels)
not so great battery pack (650 per charge)
more heavy than competition in class (1,550 grams)
does not offer selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic F5 Landscape photography factors
Pentax 645Z Landscape photography factors
33
really wide (28mm)
decent MP (14 megapixels)
no manual focus
cannot swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.2)
screen is somewhat small (2.7 inches)
manual exposure not available
no image stabilization
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
doesn't have Timelapse function
78
manual focus
switch lenses (Pentax 645AF2 mount)
nice screen size (3.2 inch)
MP count fantastic (51 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
no low pass filter
great ISO range (204,800)
supports RAW files
weather proofing
2 card slots
lack of image stabilization
not so great battery pack (650 shots)
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic F5 Vlogging details
Pentax 645Z Vlogging details
28
really wide (28mm)
lighter than competitors in class (121 grams)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.2)
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
no image stabilization
video res low (1280 x 720 resolution)
doesn't have microphone port
27
comes with face detection focusing
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
comes with external microphone support
does not offer selfie friendly display
lack of image stabilization
more heavy than competition in class (1,550 grams)
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Panasonic F5 vs Pentax 645Z Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic F5 and Pentax 645Z
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5Pentax 645Z
General Information
Make Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5 Pentax 645Z
Category Small Sensor Compact Pro DSLR
Introduced 2013-01-07 2014-04-15
Physical type Compact Large SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by - PRIME III
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Medium format
Sensor measurements 6.08 x 4.56mm 44 x 33mm
Sensor surface area 27.7mm² 1,452.0mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixels 51 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio - 4:3
Max resolution 4320 x 3240 8256 x 6192
Max native ISO 6400 204800
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points - 27
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens Pentax 645AF2
Lens focal range 28-140mm (5.0x) -
Highest aperture f/3.2-6.5 -
Macro focus distance 5cm -
Number of lenses - 6
Crop factor 5.9 0.8
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Tilting
Display size 2.7" 3.2"
Display resolution 230k dots 1,037k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display tech TFT LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 98 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.85x
Features
Min shutter speed 8 secs 30 secs
Max shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter rate 1.0 frames/s 3.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation - Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 5.70 m no built-in flash
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro 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
AEB
White balance bracketing
Max flash synchronize - 1/125 secs
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p,24p)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 121 grams (0.27 lb) 1550 grams (3.42 lb)
Physical dimensions 97 x 58 x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") 156 x 117 x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested 101
DXO Color Depth score not tested 26.0
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 14.7
DXO Low light score not tested 4505
Other
Battery life 250 photos 650 photos
Battery style Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model - D-LI90
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots
Card slots Single Two
Cost at release $100 $5,024