Nikon D4S vs Pentax 645Z

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Nikon D4S vs Pentax 645Z

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35mm 860.4mm²
16.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Nikon D4S Review.
How does it shoot? Nikon D4S in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the D4S.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Nikon D4S conclusion.

Medium format 1,436.6mm²
51.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 204,800

Go in depth with our full Pentax 645Z Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax 645Z in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 645Z.
Compare Pentax 645Z image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax 645Z conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D5
Compare D4S vs D5
Compare Nikon D5 vs Pentax 645Z

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Differences

Nikon D4S advantages over Pentax 645Z

Lens selection
Excellent vs Limited
Better lens selection gives you more options
Bigger pixels
~ 7.31 vs 5.31 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.20 vs 1.5 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

3020 vs 650 shots
Capture more photos
Thinner
90 mm vs 123 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/125 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
More AF points
51 vs 27
More AF points improve autofocus
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
10.6 fps vs 3.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
200 vs 12 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
10.8 fps vs 3.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
78 vs 10 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
409600 vs 204800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Pentax 645Z advantages over Nikon D4S

Less expensive
$4694 vs $5999
Save money for lenses or accessories
Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
Medium format vs 35mm
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
645Z test data on DxO Mark D4S test data on DxO Mark

4,505 vs 3,074 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
645Z test data on DxO Mark D4S test data on DxO Mark

14.7 vs 13.3 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
More cross-type AF points
25 vs 15
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.70x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
51.4 vs 16.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Wi-Fi
Neither provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D4S User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read 645Z User Reviews

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Buy the Nikon D4S

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Buy the Pentax 645Z

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All 645Z Deals

Review Excerpt

Excellent, tank-like build quality; First-rate ergonomics a pro would expect; Superb performance with confident autofocus; Great image quality; Big, bright viewfinder with 100% coverage; Excellent battery life; Doubles as a powerful video capture tool
Fairly minor upgrade over the D4; Image quality improvements apply only to JPEG; XQD card format isn't broadly accepted; Consumer-friendly default JPEG processing may turn off some pros; Body is large and hefty (but that's normal for pro gear)
Read our Nikon D4S Review

Phenomenal resolution and detail; Great high ISO performance; Rugged, weather-sealed body; Huge, bright viewfinder; Fast autofocus works well in low light; Swift performance for a medium-format camera; Good battery life; Shoots Full HD video
Quite bulky compared to an APS-C or full-frame DSLR; Autofocus points clustered near center of frame; Most lenses aren't weather-sealed or optimized for digital; Prone to aliasing artifacts (but so are most high-end cameras these days); Attracts a lot of attention from passers-by
Read our Pentax 645Z Review

The Competition

Compared to Pentax 645D

Nikon D4S

Pentax 645D

$5999
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

$3599
Medium format

Larger sensor
More viewfinder magnification

Compare Nikon D4S vs Pentax 645D

Pentax 645Z

Pentax 645D

$4845
Medium format

Focus peaking
Tiltable Screen

$3599
Medium format

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax 645Z vs Pentax 645D

Compared to Canon 1DX

Nikon D4S

Canon 1DX

$5999
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$5299
35mm

More cross-type AF points
Less shutter lag

Compare Nikon D4S vs Canon 1DX

Pentax 645Z

Canon 1DX

$4845
Medium format

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$5299
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax 645Z vs Canon 1DX

Compared to Nikon D4

Nikon D4S

Nikon D4

$5999
35mm

Fast startup
Higher extended ISO

$4500
35mm

Bigger JPEG buffer
Bigger RAW buffer

Compare Nikon D4S vs Nikon D4

Pentax 645Z

Nikon D4

$4845
Medium format

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$4500
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax 645Z vs Nikon D4

Compared to Canon EOS-1D C

Nikon D4S

Canon EOS-1D C

$5999
35mm

Higher extended ISO

$6989
35mm

Shoot 4K video
More cross-type AF points

Compare Nikon D4S vs Canon EOS-1D C

Pentax 645Z

Canon EOS-1D C

$4845
Medium format

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$6989
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax 645Z vs Canon EOS-1D C

Compared to Leica S-E (Typ 006)

Nikon D4S

Leica S-E (Typ 006)

$5999
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

$16900
Medium format

Larger sensor
Built-in GPS

Compare Nikon D4S vs Leica S-E (Typ 006)

Pentax 645Z

Leica S-E (Typ 006)

$4845
Medium format

Focus peaking
Tiltable Screen

$16900
Medium format

Built-in GPS
Thinner

Compare Pentax 645Z vs Leica S-E (Typ 006)

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