Canon 5D Mark II vs Pentax 645Z

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Canon 5D Mark II vs Pentax 645Z

35mm 864.0mm²
21.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Canon 5D Mark II Review.
See real-world photos taken with the 5D Mark II.

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 Canon 5D Mark III
Compare 5D Mark II vs 5D Mark III
Compare Canon 5D Mark III vs Pentax 645Z

Buy From

Differences

Canon 5D Mark II advantages over Pentax 645Z

Lens selection
Excellent vs Limited
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$2999 vs $4694*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Bigger pixels
~ 6.41 vs 5.31 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.40 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

850 vs 650 shots
Capture more photos
Thinner
75 mm vs 123 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/200 vs 1/125 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
3.9 fps vs 3.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
75 vs 12 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
3.9 fps vs 3.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Pentax 645Z advantages over Canon 5D Mark II

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 5D Mark II test data on DxO Mark

4,505 vs 1,815 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 5D Mark II test data on DxO Mark

14.7 vs 11.9 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
More cross-type AF points
25 vs 1
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Newer
10 years vs 15 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.71x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
51.4 vs 21.1 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
Higher extended ISO
204800 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

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
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
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read 645Z User Reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Canon 5D Mark II

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 24-105mm f/4 lens

All 5D Mark II Deals

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Pentax 645Z

Body Only

Review Excerpt

Read our Canon 5D Mark II Full 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 Nikon D3X

Canon 5D Mark II

Nikon D3X

$1085
35mm

Shoots 1080p video
Bigger JPEG buffer

$2500
35mm

Fast startup
More dynamic range

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D3X

Pentax 645Z

Nikon D3X

$4845
Medium format

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$2500
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Pentax 645Z vs Nikon D3X

Compared to Pentax 645D

Canon 5D Mark II

Pentax 645D

$1085
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

$3599
Medium format

Larger sensor
More cross-type AF points

Compare Canon 5D Mark II 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 Nikon D600

Canon 5D Mark II

Nikon D600

$1085
35mm

More telephoto lens reach
Bigger JPEG buffer

$1900
35mm

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D600

Pentax 645Z

Nikon D600

$4845
Medium format

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1900
35mm

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Pentax 645Z vs Nikon D600

Compared to Canon 6D

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 6D

$1085
35mm

Less shutter lag
More AF points

$1699
35mm

Less expensive
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Canon 6D

Pentax 645Z

Canon 6D

$4845
Medium format

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1699
35mm

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Pentax 645Z vs Canon 6D

Compared to Leica S-E (Typ 006)

Canon 5D Mark II

Leica S-E (Typ 006)

$1085
35mm

Lens selection
External Mic Jack

$16900
Medium format

Larger sensor
Built-in GPS

Compare Canon 5D Mark II 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)

Compare Other Cameras?