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Pentax 645D

 
Pentax 645D front
 
Portability
50
Imaging
76
Features
52
Overall
66

Pentax 645D summary

Pentax 645D is Pentax's Pro DSLR camera originally launched on March of 2010. The camera features a 40MP, CCD Medium format size sensor with a full resolution of 7264 x 5440.

Pentax introduced the more recent Pentax 645Z (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to replace this camera.

The 645D is rated #10 out of 35 in Pro DSLR cameras and overall #219 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. Please check out our Advanced camera filter to see camera ratings based on your personal requirements.

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Here is a chart of specific factors used in the rating system.

Pentax 645D family

The Pentax 645D is part of a family of digital cameras. You can see the full list below.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Pentax-645Z front thumbnailPentax 645Z
645D vs 645Z
51MPMedium format3.0 fps2014
Pentax-645D front thumbnailPentax 645D40MPMedium format1.0 fps2010
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Pentax 645D Pros and Cons

Here is a checklist of advantages and drawbacks of the Pentax 645D based on factors that are usually regarded as necessary in a camera.

delivers RAW formats
does have Top LCD display
doesnt have low pass filter
good resolution screen (921 k dot)
has double storage slots
resolution is high (40 megapixels)
screen is a good size (3 inch)
sensor has phase detect auto focus
sensor size is big (Medium format)
switch lenses (Pentax 645AF2 mount)
weather proofing
you can focus manually
can't record video
does not have liveview
does not have selfie friendly display
lack of image stabilization
low battery life (800 shots)
missing external mic port
missing HDMI port
missing headphone port
no moving screen
very slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
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Pentax 645D Sensor features

The Pentax 645D is powered by the Prime II processor. The measurement of the sensor in the Pentax 645D is 44mm x 33mm (Medium format). The 1,452 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 7264 x 5440 pixels using aspect ratios of 4:3.

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The CCD sensor boasts 40 megapixels and includes a native ISO range of 200 - 1600. The ISO can also be increased electronically to a low of 100. RAW format is supported which means that the user has more margin for error.

Pentax made the decision to omit the low pass filter on the Pentax 645D. This will result in more detailed photographs but could introduce moire under some conditions.

The picture below displays the 645D's sensor size compared to other common sizes. The 645D sensor comes with a crop factor of 0.8 and is pointed out in green.

Pentax 645D sensor size Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

To get a sense of various aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Pentax 645D dimensions

Pentax 645D weighs about 3.26 lb (1,480g or 52.21 oz) and the physical size of the camera is 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7"). The weight of average Pro DSLR camera is 1,280g so the Pentax 645D is weightier as compared with other rivals.

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Listed below is a visual of the Pentax 645D besides a soda so you're able to have a sense of its size.

Pentax 645D dimensions scale

The top view here will highlight the button design on the 645D.

Pentax 645D topview buttons dials

Pentax 645D Lens features

The 645D fits the Pentax 645AF2 mount and has 6 lenses available. Here is a small number of the lenses we have in our collection that will work with the 645D.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Pentax-smc-DA-16-45mm-F4-ED-AL lensPentax smc DA 16-45mm F4 ED AL16-45mmf/4.0 356g
Pentax-smc-D-FA-645-25mm-F4-AL-IF-SDM-AW lensPentax smc D FA 645 25mm F4 AL IF SDM AW25mmf/4.0 1070g
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HD-Pentax-DA645-28-45mm-F4.5ED-AW-SR lensHD Pentax-DA645 28-45mm F4.5ED AW SR28-45mmf/4.5 1470g
Pentax-HD-DFA645-Macro-90mm-F2.8-ED-AW-SR-Pentax-KAF2 lensPentax HD DFA645 Macro 90mm F2.8 ED AW SR90mmf/2.8 1040g
HD-Pentax-D-FA645-35mm-F3.5-AL-IF lensHD Pentax-D FA645 35mm F3.5 AL IF35mmf/3.5-32.0 570g
Pentax-smc-D-FA-645-55mm-F2.8-AL-IF-SDM-AW lensPentax smc D FA 645 55mm F2.8 AL IF SDM AW55mmf/2.8 416g
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Pentax 645D Connectivity

The 645D has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Digital cameras which have NFC or Bluetooth support can easily be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You can send photos and usually adjust settings without connecting directly with the camera.

A few apps also stream a Liveview and release the shutter in case you are not near the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI out, it could be hooked up to an external monitor. Many cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack through the USB socket.

Photography Glossary

Pentax 645D Video features

Pentax 645D does not capture video. In case you are searching for a camera to shoot just photos, it is not an issue.

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Pentax 645D Weather Sealing

Pentax 645D comes with weather proofing making it a excellent choice to use for tough places. This is especially useful when you are not sure about the conditions you may encounter for outdoor photography.

Pentax 645D Display and Viewfinder

The Pentax 645D features a 3" fixed screen having a resolution of 921k dots.

Unfortunately the screen is not a touch screen. The 645D also has a Top LCD display so it’s possible to instantly look at the camera's settings.

Pentax 645D screen and viewfinder Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The ViewFinder details regarding Pentax 645D are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Optical (pentaprism)
  • ViewFinder Coverage 98 percent
  • ViewFinder Magnification 0.85x

In those bright outdoor conditions that make the camera displays washed out and hard to view, viewfinders can be rather valuable.

Pentax 645D Shutter features

Pentax 645D has the capability to shoot continuously at 1.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000s.

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Pentax 645D Flash and Hot shoe features

Pentax 645D has got external flash support but does not have integrated flash. The highest flash sync speed is 1/125s.

Pentax 645D Autofocusing features

Pentax 645D has got both Phase Detect Autofocus and Contrast Based Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is more quicker and precise as compared with Contrast Based focusing.

The AF system features 11 focus points to pick from. Pentax 645D comes with manual focusing if required for low light situations or you want more accurate focusing control.

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Pentax 645D Battery life

The battery life (D-LI90) for the Pentax 645D is built to last for 800 photos based on the CIPA standards making it lesser when compared with its competition. The average Pro DSLR camera battery life is 2438. Nikon D3X offers the best (4400) battery life for this type of cameras.

Below is a list of Pro DSLR cameras that have the highest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Nikon-D3 front thumbnailNikon D3
645D vs D3
4300 yesnono
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Nikon-D5 front thumbnailNikon D5
645D vs D5
3780 yesnono
Nikon-D6 front thumbnailNikon D6
645D vs D6
3580 yesnoyes

Pentax 645D for varying types of photography

The following illustration provides a summary of the Pentax 645D for varying types of photography. To view more, visit the specific paragraph below.

Portrait photography with Pentax 645D

The Pentax 645D receives a points total of 77 which is very high, and means the camera is a outstanding choice for portraits. Taking portrait images favors greatly towards sensor resolution, RAW support and flexibility to use external lighting.

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has manual focus
high megapixels (40 megapixels)
big sensor size (Medium format)
delivers RAW files
does not have liveview

Pentax 645D Street photography features

Coming in at a moderate rating of 58, the Pentax 645D is reasonably adequate for street photography. A very good street photography camera features a fine balance of picture quality and portability.

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sensor size is big (Medium format)
saves RAW formats
environment proofing
screen does not articulate
does not have image stabilization

Pentax 645D Sports photography advice

A nice sports photography score of 63 indicates the Pentax 645D is a good pick for shooting sports. A camera needs fantastic autofocus and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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MP count high (40 megapixels)
sensor size is large (Medium format)
weather proof
sensor has phase detect AF
no liveview
painfully slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
lack of image stabilization
not so great battery (800 CIPA)

Pentax 645D Travel photography info

Size is very crucial when getting a travel camera. Overall, the Pentax 645D gets a decent 55 as a travel camera which is relatively acceptable to take with you on your vacations.

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environment sealing
great resolution (40MP)
not so great battery pack (800 per charge)
display is not selfie friendly

Pentax 645D Landscape photography information

For anyone planning to purchase a digital camera for landscape photography, the most significant factor will be image quality. The Pentax 645D at it's nice grade of 72 as a landscape camera is a respectable pick amongst it's rivals.

Photography Glossary
has manual focus
change lenses (Pentax 645AF2 mount)
screen size is decent (3 inches)
amazing megapixels (40MP)
great sensor size (Medium format)
does not have anti aliasing filter
saves RAW formats
environment proofing
two card slots
doesn't have liveview
does not have image stabilization
low battery (800 shots)

Pentax 645D Vlogging info

A camera for vlogging should really offer a articulating screen, mic input and ideally image stabilization. Taking all things in to account, the Pentax 645D is not acceptable as a vlog camera as it gets a really bad score of 9.

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can't record video

Pentax 645D Alternatives

If you are interested in replacements to the 645D, below is a selection of the top rated cameras which fall in to the class of Pro DSLR.

The line chart underneath shows you a summary of the 645D compared to it's highest scored competitors mentioned above.

These are various other cameras you might consider as alternatives. To look at a comprehensive comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand Name
Pentax
Model type
Pentax 645D
Category
Pro DSLR
Announced
2010-03-10
Body design
Large SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Powered by
Prime II
Sensor size
Medium format
Sensor dimensions
44 x 33mm
Sensor area
1,452.0mm²
Sensor resolution
40 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3
Max resolution
7264 x 5440
RAW data
Max native ISO
1600
Minimum native ISO
200
Minimum enhanced ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Total focus points
11
Lens
Lens mount type
Pentax 645AF2
Number of lenses
6
Crop factor
0.8
Screen
Range of display
Fixed Type
Display size
3 inch
Display resolution
921k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display technology
TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle and with AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage
98 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.85x
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
82
DXO Color Depth rating
24.6
DXO Dynamic range rating
12.6
DXO Low light rating
1262
Features
Minimum shutter speed
30s
Fastest shutter speed
1/4000s
Continuous shutter speed
1.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
no built-in flash
Flash options
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash sync
1/125s
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Max video resolution
None
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
1480g (3.26 lb)
Physical dimensions
156 x 117 x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7")
Other
Battery life
800 photos
Battery form
Battery Pack
Battery ID
D-LI90
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media
SD/SDHC
Storage slots
Two
Price at release
$4,000