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Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z

Portability
95
Imaging
35
Features
20
Overall
29
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 front
 
Pentax 645Z front
Portability
49
Imaging
80
Features
74
Overall
77

Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z Key Specs

Panasonic FP8
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-128mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 151g - 96 x 60 x 20mm
  • Released July 2009
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
  • Revealed April 2014
  • Succeeded the Pentax 645D
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Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z Overview

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z, former is a Ultracompact while the latter is a Pro DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the FP8 (12MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the FP8 (1/2.3") and 645Z (Medium format) posses different sensor dimensions.

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The FP8 was manufactured 5 years before the 645Z which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FP8 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before going straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summary of how the FP8 grades vs the 645Z in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic FP8 over the Pentax 645Z

 FP8 645Z 

Reasons to pick Pentax 645Z over the Panasonic FP8

 645Z FP8 
RevealedApril 2014July 2009Newer by 57 months
Manually focus More accurate focusing
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen dimensions3.2"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution1037k230kSharper screen (+807k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic FP8 and Pentax 645Z

 FP8 645Z 
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Neither comes with Touch friendly screen

Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z Physical Comparison

In case you're going to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FP8 comes with external dimensions of 96mm x 60mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 0.8") having a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645Z has dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") along with a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use during that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the FP8 and the 645Z.

Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z size comparison

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the FP8 and 645Z is 95 and 49 respectively.

Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z top view buttons comparison

Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z Sensor Comparison

Usually, it is tough to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions only by seeing a spec sheet. The pic below should provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the FP8 and 645Z.

Clearly, both of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The FP8 because of its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax 645Z will provide more detail due to its extra 39 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs more aggressively. The more aged FP8 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.

Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z sensor size comparison

Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic FP8 Portrait photography advice
Pentax 645Z Portrait photography advice
21
focusing manually not possible
manual exposure not possible
cannot use external flash
low resolution sensor (12MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
88
you can focus manually
amazing megapixels (51MP)
sensor size is big (Medium format)
features face detection focus
delivers RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Panasonic FP8 Street photography factors
Pentax 645Z Street photography factors
55
built in image stabilization (Optical)
screen is fixed
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
more heavy than competition in class (151 grams)
63
screen tilts
sensor size is big (Medium format)
delivers RAW formats
weather proof
great high ISO (204,800)
does not have image stabilization
more heavy than others (1,550g)
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic FP8 Sports photography information
Pentax 645Z Sports photography information
24
built in image stabilization (Optical)
low max shutter speed (1/1,300s)
painfully slow continuous shooting (2.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority mode
low resolution sensor (12 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
has no phase detect AF
71
amazing megapixels (51 megapixels)
sensor size is big (Medium format)
features tracking autofocus
weather proof
sensor has phase detect auto focus
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
low battery life (650 shots)
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic FP8 as a Travel photography camera
Pentax 645Z as a Travel photography camera
56
has built in flash
really wide (28mm)
lack of Timelapse recording
more heavy than competition in class (151 grams)
low resolution sensor (12MP)
does not offer selfie friendly screen
slow max aperture (f3.3)
51
weather proof
amazing megapixels (51MP)
low battery life (650 per charge)
more heavy than others (1,550g)
display is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic FP8 Landscape photography details
Pentax 645Z Landscape photography details
32
really wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
focusing manually not possible
can't change lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.3)
small screen (2.7")
manual exposure not possible
low resolution sensor (12 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
lack of Timelapse recording
78
you can focus manually
interchangeable lenses (Pentax 645AF2 mount)
good sized screen (3.2")
amazing megapixels (51MP)
sensor size is big (Medium format)
doesnt have low pass filter
great high ISO (204,800)
delivers RAW formats
weather proof
2 card slots
does not have image stabilization
low battery life (650 shots)
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic FP8 Vlogging information
Pentax 645Z Vlogging information
28
really wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
slow max aperture (f3.3)
does not offer selfie friendly screen
low video resolution (1280 x 720 resolution)
lack of microphone support
more heavy than competition in class (151 grams)
27
features face detection focus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
includes external microphone support
display is not selfie friendly
does not have image stabilization
more heavy than others (1,550g)
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Panasonic FP8 vs Pentax 645Z Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic FP8 and Pentax 645Z
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8Pentax 645Z
General Information
Make Panasonic Pentax
Model type Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 Pentax 645Z
Type Ultracompact Pro DSLR
Released 2009-07-27 2014-04-15
Physical type Ultracompact Large SLR
Sensor Information
Chip Venus Engine V PRIME III
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Medium format
Sensor measurements 6.08 x 4.56mm 44 x 33mm
Sensor area 27.7mm² 1,452.0mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 51 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3
Max resolution 4000 x 3000 8256 x 6192
Max native ISO 6400 204800
Min native ISO 80 100
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Total focus points 11 27
Lens
Lens support fixed lens Pentax 645AF2
Lens zoom range 28-128mm (4.6x) -
Highest aperture f/3.3-5.9 -
Macro focusing range 5cm -
Amount of lenses - 6
Crop factor 5.9 0.8
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Tilting
Display size 2.7 inch 3.2 inch
Resolution of display 230k dots 1,037k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 98 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.85x
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60 secs 30 secs
Fastest shutter speed 1/1300 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter rate 2.0fps 3.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 5.50 m no built-in flash
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync 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
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Fastest 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), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p,24p)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video file 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 proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 151 gr (0.33 lbs) 1550 gr (3.42 lbs)
Physical dimensions 96 x 60 x 20mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 0.8") 156 x 117 x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested 101
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 26.0
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 14.7
DXO Low light rating not tested 4505
Other
Battery life - 650 shots
Form of battery - Battery Pack
Battery ID - D-LI90
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/SDHC card, Internal Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots
Card slots Single Two
Pricing at release $300 $5,024