Pentax 645Z vs Sony S980

The following is a comprehensive review of the Pentax 645Z and Sony S980, one is a Pro DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the 645Z (51MP) and S980 (12MP) and the 645Z (Medium format) and S980 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizing.

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The 645Z was revealed 5 years after the S980 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a short summation of how the 645Z grades vs the S980 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax 645Z and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The full galleries are viewable at Pentax 645Z Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera often, you will need to take into account its weight and size. The Pentax 645Z offers outside dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") accompanied by a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs) whilst the Sony S980 has specifications of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Look at the Pentax 645Z and Sony S980 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at the time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the 645Z versus the S980.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the 645Z and S980 is 49 and 94 respectively.

Often, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by checking out specifications. The picture underneath might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the 645Z and S980.

To sum up, each of these cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The 645Z using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Pentax 645Z will produce more detail because of its extra 39 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more recent 645Z provides a benefit in sensor innovation.