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Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z

Portability
89
Imaging
48
Features
54
Overall
50
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 front
 
Pentax 645Z front
Portability
49
Imaging
80
Features
74
Overall
77

Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z Key Specs

Panasonic GF5
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 160 - 12800
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 267g - 108 x 67 x 37mm
  • Released April 2012
  • Succeeded the Panasonic GF3
  • Replacement is Panasonic GF6
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
  • Replaced the Pentax 645D
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Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z Overview

Following is a in-depth overview of the Panasonic GF5 versus Pentax 645Z, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Pro DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a large gap among the resolutions of the GF5 (12MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the GF5 (Four Thirds) and 645Z (Medium format) come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The GF5 was released 24 months before the 645Z which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before delving in to a in depth comparison, below is a simple view of how the GF5 matches up against the 645Z with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic GF5 over the Pentax 645Z

 GF5 645Z 
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Pentax 645Z over the Panasonic GF5

 645Z GF5 
AnnouncedApril 2014April 2012More modern by 24 months
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen dimension3.2"3"Bigger screen (+0.2")
Screen resolution1037k920kSharper screen (+117k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic GF5 and Pentax 645Z

 GF5 645Z 
Manual focus Dial precise focusing
Selfie screen Neither has selfie screen

Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z Physical Comparison

If you're going to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GF5 has outer measurements of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645Z has proportions 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 Panasonic GF5 versus Pentax 645Z in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are employing during that time. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the GF5 and the 645Z.

Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z size comparison

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the GF5 and 645Z is 89 and 49 respectively.

Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z top view buttons comparison

Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it is very tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizes only by researching specifications. The pic below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the GF5 and 645Z.

To sum up, the 2 cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The GF5 because of its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Pentax 645Z will provide you with greater detail as a result of its extra 39 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The more aged GF5 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.

Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z sensor size comparison

Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Panasonic GF5
Portrait photography with Pentax 645Z
55
you can focus manually
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers face detect autofocus
supports RAW formats
cannot use external flash
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
88
you can focus manually
excellent resolution (51 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
features face detection focus
exports RAW files
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Street Comparison

Panasonic GF5 Street photography advice
Pentax 645Z Street photography advice
70
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
includes touch to focus
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization
63
screen tilts
sensor size is great (Medium format)
exports RAW files
weather sealing
great high ISO (204,800)
lack of image stabilization
heavier than competition (1,550 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic GF5 Sports photography factors
Pentax 645Z Sports photography factors
40
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers tracking focus
slow continuous shooting (4.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (12MP)
has no phase detect autofocus
71
excellent resolution (51MP)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
features tracking autofocus
weather sealing
supports phase detect auto focus
max frames per second low (3.0 fps)
lack of image stabilization
low battery power (650 shots)
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic GF5 Travel photography factors
Pentax 645Z Travel photography factors
61
includes touch to focus
has built in flash
lack of Timelapse mode
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
does not have selfie friendly display
51
weather sealing
excellent resolution (51 megapixels)
low battery power (650 CIPA)
heavier than competition (1,550 grams)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic GF5 Landscape photography factors
Pentax 645Z Landscape photography factors
59
you can focus manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3")
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (12MP)
lack of Timelapse mode
78
you can focus manually
interchangeable lenses (Pentax 645AF2 mount)
screen size is good (3.2 inch)
excellent resolution (51 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
no anti aliasing filter
great high ISO (204,800)
exports RAW files
weather sealing
2 card slots
lack of image stabilization
low battery power (650 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic GF5 Vlogging factors
Pentax 645Z Vlogging factors
32
has touchscreen
offers face detect autofocus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
does not have selfie friendly display
does not have image stabilization
lack of microphone port
27
features face detection focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
comes with external mic support
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
lack of image stabilization
heavier than competition (1,550 grams)
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Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax 645Z Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic GF5 and Pentax 645Z
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5Pentax 645Z
General Information
Company Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 Pentax 645Z
Type Entry-Level Mirrorless Pro DSLR
Released 2012-04-05 2014-04-15
Physical type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Large SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by Venus Engine FHD PRIME III
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds Medium format
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 44 x 33mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 1,452.0mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 51 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3
Highest resolution 4000 x 3000 8256 x 6192
Highest native ISO 12800 204800
Min native ISO 160 100
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points 23 27
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds Pentax 645AF2
Number of lenses 107 6
Crop factor 2.1 0.8
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Tilting
Display sizing 3 inch 3.2 inch
Resolution of display 920 thousand dots 1,037 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display technology TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 98%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.85x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 secs 30 secs
Highest shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shooting rate 4.0fps 3.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 6.30 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
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize 1/160 secs 1/125 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60, 50 fps), 1280 x 720p (60, 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)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format MPEG-4, AVCHD MPEG-4, H.264
Mic 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 267g (0.59 lb) 1550g (3.42 lb)
Dimensions 108 x 67 x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") 156 x 117 x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 50 101
DXO Color Depth score 20.5 26.0
DXO Dynamic range score 10.0 14.7
DXO Low light score 573 4505
Other
Battery life 360 images 650 images
Battery style Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model - D-LI90
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec (3 images)) Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots
Card slots 1 Dual
Pricing at launch $600 $5,024