Sony A58 vs Pentax 645Z

Pentax 645Z advantages over Sony A58

• Larger sensor
  Medium format vs APS-C
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• Bigger pixels
  ~ 5.31 vs 4.31 microns
  Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
• Better color depth

  Better color depth

  Color depth refers to the number of unique colors that a sensor can faithfully capture. Cameras with better color depth will demonstrate smoother transitions from one color to the next, and avoid "banding" in areas with subtle shading. (Blue skies are an example of where you might see color banding.)

  More color depth is generally better, but you'll struggle to notice a difference between two cameras with less than 1 bit of difference. Color depth above 22 bits is considered excellent.

  Want to learn more? Head over to our full glossary entry on color depth

  Color depth test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  645Z test data on DxO Mark A58 test data on DxO Mark
  26.0 vs 23.3 bits
  Capture richer, more accurate colors
• 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 A58 test data on DxO Mark
  4,505 vs 753 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 A58 test data on DxO Mark
  14.7 vs 12.5 evs
  Retain detail in highlight and shadows
• Top deck display
  Yes vs No
  Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
• More cross-type AF points
  25 vs 3
  Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
• Higher-res screen
  346k vs 154k pixels
  More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
• More viewfinder magnification
  0.78x vs 0.57x
  Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
• More pixels
  51.4 vs 20.1 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Shoots 60p video
  Yes vs No
  A faster framerate can give you more editing options
• Dual card slots
  Yes vs No
  Gives you more storage flexibility
• More AF points
  27 vs 15
  More AF points improve autofocus
• Lacks anti-aliasing filter
  No Filter vs Filter
  Enjoy sharper photos
• Bigger JPEG buffer
  12 vs 8 shots
  Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
• Bigger RAW buffer
  10 vs 6 shots
  Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
• Higher extended ISO
  204800 vs 16000 ISO
  Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility