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Pentax Is In!

Pradeep

Member
After much deliberation I ordered the Pentax 645Z and took delivery of the kit with the 55mm 2.8 lens just over a week ago. Also bought the 75mm and 120mm FA lenses.

I took the camera and the 55mm to Austin this past weekend when I went to visit my son. Was not able to use it much here due to the weather we were having.

I must say I am thrilled with this camera. In so many ways it is way better than the Phase 645 DF+ and the CMOS sensor is superb. I am finally able to use just like I do my 1DX - hand hold and shoot, even out of a moving vehicle if I need to. The live view is a pleasure. I no longer worry about the ISO or the amount of light. If I just be careful of watching the highlights (expose to the left with this one), the shadows are so easy to open up it is unbelievable.

I walked all over Austin downtown, camera in hand, shooting anything I felt like, it is a big camera but nobody paid any attention.

I am still playing around with it and this weekend will try it out here in New York, hopefully the weather will be better.

The Phase system is going on sale this weekend :)

Thank you all on this forum. It was a difficult decision (http://www.getdpi.com/forum/medium-format-systems-digital-backs/53676-should-i-not.html)

I am so glad I did it.

Pradeep
 
D

Deleted member 7792

Guest
Good luck with your new system, Pradeep. Keep us posted and share some images when you can. :watch:

Joe
 

Paratom

Well-known member
thats how I use my S...just like a DSLR (except my limit is at ISO 800+1 and you have more flexibility in this regard)
With such kind of camera you get flexibility of an DSLR (almost) with the IQ of MF.
Enjoy and post some images.
 

Pradeep

Member
Here is one, hand held, 1/15 second, ISO 800, f8 at 55mm. Basic LR adjustments with a little sharpening. Taken in the waiting lounge of a local diner that serves the best French toast you can imagine.
 

Pradeep

Member
Here is another, taken from the moving car, I just pointed my camera out the window and shot. ISO800, f8, 1/800 sec, 55mm. Again, basic LR adjustments.

I did not even get a chance to frame the scene, just pointed and shot with one hand. For me this means that the camera and lens combo work exceedingly well in a 'casual' setting, focus was instantaneous. Image is cropped slightly on the right side and to remove some of the sky. The image is sharp at 100%

 

Pradeep

Member
Sunrise shot taken through the dirty window of our hotel room. ISO 800, f5.6 1/125 sec 55mm. Shadows opened up beautifully in LR. For some reason I am not able to post the full sized tif file, the detail is not obvious in this downsized jpg.
 

Pradeep

Member
What I've realized with the Pentax is that it is more like a DSLR than a typical MF camera, handles like one. You can be as casual or as deliberate in your approach to a subject. Hand-holding is great. The first shot of the rabbit on the wall is at 1/15 seconds, something that would be impossible with most MFDB without a tripod.

The focusing is also quick and accurate, as I saw in the shot from the moving car or from the dirty window of the hotel. There is incredible detail in the sunrise shot.

I love the aperture ring on the FA lenses since I prefer to shoot in completely manual mode. In fact that's a bit of a niggle as with the new DA lens, the aperture setting takes a little fiddling with the back wheel, sometimes it does not 'stick' and at other times it changes up or down on its own. It maybe something I am not doing right.

The tilting LCD is very useful, I took many waist level shots this way, LV even allows focusing though it is a bit tricky.

The only thing (and has been pointed out before) is that you have to be careful of the highlights, recovery from overexposure is difficult if not impossible. I am trying to learn to expose for the highlights in a given scene and check the blinkies in live view if possible since the histogram on playback is from the jpeg I believe.

The more I use it, the more I like it :grin:
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
What I've realized with the Pentax is that it is more like a DSLR than a typical MF camera, handles like one. You can be as casual or as deliberate in your approach to a subject. Hand-holding is great. The first shot of the rabbit on the wall is at 1/15 seconds, something that would be impossible with most MFDB without a tripod.

The focusing is also quick and accurate, as I saw in the shot from the moving car or from the dirty window of the hotel. There is incredible detail in the sunrise shot.

I love the aperture ring on the FA lenses since I prefer to shoot in completely manual mode. In fact that's a bit of a niggle as with the new DA lens, the aperture setting takes a little fiddling with the back wheel, sometimes it does not 'stick' and at other times it changes up or down on its own. It maybe something I am not doing right.

The tilting LCD is very useful, I took many waist level shots this way, LV even allows focusing though it is a bit tricky.

The only thing (and has been pointed out before) is that you have to be careful of the highlights, recovery from overexposure is difficult if not impossible. I am trying to learn to expose for the highlights in a given scene and check the blinkies in live view if possible since the histogram on playback is from the jpeg I believe.

The more I use it, the more I like it :grin:
Congrats!

Glad you found your camera and it's true that Pentax dampened the shutter A LOT on the 645Z even compared to the 645D. I had a chance to try a preproduction camera side by side with a 645D rental unit that looked pretty new still as it had less than 5000 actuations on it I believe. It was really astounding how much more refined the 645Z was while shooting them both in store. This isn't a knock on the 645D at all because it too is an amazing camera (and I keep eyeballing them as the prices fall to VERY affordable MF entry or 645Z backup levels.) This is more of a kudos to what Pentax did in refining the 645Z and adding more lens support for those more comfortable with buying new lenses that they can easily return.
 

Michiel Schierbeek

Well-known member
Congrats!

Glad you found your camera and it's true that Pentax dampened the shutter A LOT on the 645Z even compared to the 645D. I had a chance to try a preproduction camera side by side with a 645D rental unit that looked pretty new still as it had less than 5000 actuations on it I believe. It was really astounding how much more refined the 645Z was while shooting them both in store. This isn't a knock on the 645D at all because it too is an amazing camera (and I keep eyeballing them as the prices fall to VERY affordable MF entry or 645Z backup levels.) This is more of a kudos to what Pentax did in refining the 645Z and adding more lens support for those more comfortable with buying new lenses that they can easily return.

Pradeep, first of all congratulations with your new camera!

I even started collecting some lenses for the PentaxZ.
Made some pretty good deals.
A like new DFA 55/2.8 for €620,-- mailing included from Australia.
The lenses I bought till now:
35/3.5 A in good shape
45-80/4.5 FA
80-160/4.5 FA
80-160/4.5 A (probably sell this one because i got such a good deal on the FA version)
75/2.8 LS
200 A
Also bought a 67 to 645 adapter and a 67 105/2.4 for portraits.

So I am getting serious now only have to wait a while for the funds for the
camera. Got to sell some of my lenses.
 
Congratulations on the camera and nice lens choice too.

Even though I've had this camera for a few months now there are still many aspects that surprise me or that I have to get to grips with. For instance, due to both the deep blacks and the really fine grain of the noise, images have the impression of an almost "computer generated" quality to them.
There is none of that digital edge to the images that makes it look unique compared to other digital cameras; the shot below is at ISO1000, but looks cleaner than my 5D2 was at ISO100 if you equalize viewing size.



Being able to shoot perfectly noiseless images without exposure blending is kinda surreal.
 

Pradeep

Member
Pradeep, first of all congratulations with your new camera!

I even started collecting some lenses for the PentaxZ.
Made some pretty good deals.
A like new DFA 55/2.8 for €620,-- mailing included from Australia.
The lenses I bought till now:
35/3.5 A in good shape
45-80/4.5 FA
80-160/4.5 FA
80-160/4.5 A (probably sell this one because i got such a good deal on the FA version)
75/2.8 LS
200 A
Also bought a 67 to 645 adapter and a 67 105/2.4 for portraits.

So I am getting serious now only have to wait a while for the funds for the
camera. Got to sell some of my lenses.

Thanks Michiel.

I got the 55 DA along with the camera as a kit for free, so that was a great bargain.

Then I got the FA 120 f4 macro from KEH.com, it is a real beauty.

Got the 75 2.8 from Adorama, new, have heard so many good things about this one that I wanted it new.

The 45-80 is on order from eBay Japan, for less than $700 in Ex++ condition, should be here next week.

How do you find the 80-160? I've read mixed reviews, but seems like that is another good one to get. I am also looking for something in the 200 or 300 range for wildlife in habitat shots.

I'm selling off a lot of my Canon gear to make room in my wallet and my shelf!

Pradeep
 

Pradeep

Member
Congratulations on the camera and nice lens choice too.

Even though I've had this camera for a few months now there are still many aspects that surprise me or that I have to get to grips with. For instance, due to both the deep blacks and the really fine grain of the noise, images have the impression of an almost "computer generated" quality to them.
There is none of that digital edge to the images that makes it look unique compared to other digital cameras; the shot below is at ISO1000, but looks cleaner than my 5D2 was at ISO100 if you equalize viewing size.



Being able to shoot perfectly noiseless images without exposure blending is kinda surreal.
I agree, there is great DR and very low noise with this sensor. It is a real pleasure to shoot.

Here is another one from Austin, of the numerous walls with graffiti around downtown, this one is the biggest.

Pradeep
 
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