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Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z

Portability
67
Imaging
45
Features
35
Overall
41
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40 front
 
Pentax 645Z front
Portability
49
Imaging
80
Features
74
Overall
77

Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z Key Specs

Panasonic LZ40
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600 (Bump to 6400)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 22-924mm (F3.0-6.5) lens
  • 524g - 126 x 87 x 94mm
  • Launched January 2014
  • Succeeded the Panasonic LZ30
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
  • Revealed April 2014
  • Replaced the Pentax 645D
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Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z Overview

Below, we are looking at the Panasonic LZ40 and Pentax 645Z, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Pro DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a significant difference among the sensor resolutions of the LZ40 (20MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the LZ40 (1/2.3") and 645Z (Medium format) possess different sensor sizes.

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The LZ40 was launched 3 months before the 645Z which means that they are of a similar generation. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic LZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before going straight into a thorough comparison, below is a quick summary of how the LZ40 grades versus the 645Z with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic LZ40 over the Pentax 645Z

 LZ40 645Z 

Reasons to pick Pentax 645Z over the Panasonic LZ40

 645Z LZ40 
Manually focus Very precise focusing
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display dimension3.2"3"Larger display (+0.2")
Display resolution1037k460kCrisper display (+577k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic LZ40 and Pentax 645Z

 LZ40 645Z 
RevealedJanuary 2014April 2014Same generation
Selfie screen Neither provides selfie screen
Touch friendly display Neither provides Touch friendly display

Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z Physical Comparison

If you are looking to travel with your camera often, you should factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic LZ40 provides external measurements of 126mm x 87mm x 94mm (5.0" x 3.4" x 3.7") having a weight of 524 grams (1.16 lbs) and the Pentax 645Z has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") along with a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic LZ40 and Pentax 645Z in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the LZ40 against the 645Z.

Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z size comparison

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the LZ40 and 645Z is 67 and 49 respectively.

Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z top view buttons comparison

Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z Sensor Comparison

Usually, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions just by going through a spec sheet. The pic underneath will offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the LZ40 and 645Z.

As you can see, each of these cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The LZ40 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh tougher and the Pentax 645Z will produce more detail utilizing its extra 31MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos much more aggressively.

Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z sensor size comparison

Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic LZ40 Portrait photography highlights
Pentax 645Z Portrait photography highlights
40
decent megapixels (20MP)
has face detect focusing
focusing manually not possible
no external flash support
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
88
has manual focus
excellent sensor resolution (51MP)
large sensor size (Medium format)
has face detection focusing
supports RAW files
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Panasonic LZ40
Street photography with Pentax 645Z
45
built in image stabilization (Optical)
no articulating screen
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
more heavy than competition (524g)
63
tilting screen
large sensor size (Medium format)
supports RAW files
weather sealing
very good high ISO (204,800)
lack of image stabilization
heavier than average in class (1,550 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Panasonic LZ40
Sports photography with Pentax 645Z
47
amazing zoom range (22-924mm 42.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (20 megapixels)
has tracking focus
painfully slow continuous shooting (1.0 fps)
lack of shutter priority mode
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
has no phase detect AF
71
excellent sensor resolution (51 megapixels)
large sensor size (Medium format)
has tracking autofocus
weather sealing
sensor has phase detect AF
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 fps)
lack of image stabilization
bad battery pack (650 shots)
Photography Glossary

Travel Comparison

Panasonic LZ40 as a Travel photography camera
Pentax 645Z as a Travel photography camera
55
decent megapixels (20 megapixels)
has built in flash
pretty wide (22mm)
long reach (924mm)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
more heavy than competition (524g)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
51
weather sealing
excellent sensor resolution (51 megapixels)
bad battery pack (650 per charge)
heavier than average in class (1,550g)
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic LZ40 as a Landscape photography camera
Pentax 645Z as a Landscape photography camera
44
pretty wide (22mm)
screen size is good (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (20 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
can't swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
doesn't have Timelapse recording
78
has manual focus
change lenses (Pentax 645AF2 mount)
screen size is good (3.2 inch)
excellent sensor resolution (51 megapixels)
large sensor size (Medium format)
doesnt have low pass filter
very good high ISO (204,800)
supports RAW files
weather sealing
has double storage slots
lack of image stabilization
bad battery pack (650 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Panasonic LZ40
Vlogging with Pentax 645Z
27
pretty wide (22mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
has face detect focusing
comes with microphone port
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
video resolution low (1280 x 720 pixels)
more heavy than competition (524g)
27
has face detection focusing
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
includes external mic port
screen isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
heavier than average in class (1,550 grams)
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Panasonic LZ40 vs Pentax 645Z Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic LZ40 and Pentax 645Z
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40Pentax 645Z
General Information
Brand Name Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40 Pentax 645Z
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Pro DSLR
Launched 2014-01-06 2014-04-15
Body design SLR-like (bridge) Large SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by - PRIME III
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Medium format
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 44 x 33mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 1,452.0mm²
Sensor resolution 20 megapixels 51 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3
Peak resolution 5152 x 3864 8256 x 6192
Highest native ISO 1600 204800
Highest enhanced ISO 6400 -
Min native ISO 100 100
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Number of focus points 9 27
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens Pentax 645AF2
Lens focal range 22-924mm (42.0x) -
Maximum aperture f/3.0-6.5 -
Macro focus range 1cm -
Number of lenses - 6
Crop factor 5.8 0.8
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Tilting
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3.2 inch
Screen resolution 460 thousand dot 1,037 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Screen technology TFT LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 98%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.85x
Features
Min shutter speed 15s 30s
Max shutter speed 1/1500s 1/4000s
Continuous shutter speed 1.0 frames per sec 3.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 10.80 m no built-in flash
Flash settings Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off 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 sync - 1/125s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p), 320 x 240 (30p) 1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p,24p)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Mic 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
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 524g (1.16 lbs) 1550g (3.42 lbs)
Dimensions 126 x 87 x 94mm (5.0" x 3.4" x 3.7") 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 320 pictures 650 pictures
Battery form Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model - D-LI90
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots
Storage slots One Dual
Cost at release $219 $5,024