• 35mm 855.6mm2
  • 24.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600
  • Medium format 1,436.6mm2
  • 51.4 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 204,800

Buy From

Differences

Sony A7 advantages over Pentax 645Z

  • Lens selection
    Good vs Limited
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Less expensive
    $819 vs $4694*
    Save money for lenses or accessories
  • In-camera panoramas
    Yes vs No
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Yes vs No
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Thinner
    48 mm vs 123 mm
    Thinner
  • Higher max flash sync
    1/250 vs 1/125 sec
    Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
  • 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
    5.0 fps vs 3.1 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    50 vs 12 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Faster RAW shooting
    5.0 fps vs 3.1 fps
    Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
  • Bigger RAW buffer
    28 vs 10 shots
    Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light

Pentax 645Z advantages over Sony A7

  • Larger sensor
    Medium format vs 35mm
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • Fast startup
    ~1.50 vs 2.1 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Higher effective ISO
    4,505 vs 2,248 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 650 vs 340 shots
    Capture more photos
  • Top deck display
    Yes vs No
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • Less shutter lag
    0.16 vs 0.23 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • 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 24.3 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Dual card slots
    Yes vs No
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Lacks anti-aliasing filter
    No Filter vs Filter
    Enjoy sharper photos
  • Higher extended ISO
    204800 vs 51200 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Focus peaking
    Both provide
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Both provide
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Tiltable Screen
    Both provide
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • 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
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • Internal flash
    Neither provide
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Buy From

Review Excerpt

  • Incredibly small body for a fully-featured, full-frame camera; Very high resolution; Hybrid autofocus is reasonably fast and confident; Significantly better burst-shooting performance than A7R; Excellent image quality even at very high sensitivities; Faster x-sync than A7R; Accepts existing Alpha-mount and E-mount lenses, and can optionally crop to APS-C image circle.

  • Grass-is-greener syndrome when compared to its higher-res sibling; Moderate performance; Loud shutter (but electronic first-curtain helps); Mediocre battery life when using electronic viewfinder; Weak low-light autofocus considering its price; Limited selection of native Sony FE lenses.

  • 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

The Competition

Compared to Sony A7R

Sony A7
Sony A7R
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Bigger pixels
  • $1399
  • 35mm
  • Higher effective ISO
  • More pixels
Pentax 645Z
Sony A7R
  • $4845
  • Medium format
  • Larger sensor
  • Fast startup
  • $1399
  • 35mm
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive

Compared to Pentax 645D

Sony A7
Pentax 645D
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $3599
  • Medium format
  • Larger sensor
  • Fast startup
Pentax 645Z
Pentax 645D
  • $4845
  • Medium format
  • Focus peaking
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $3599
  • Medium format
  • Fast startup
  • Longer stills battery life

Compared to Leica S-E (Typ 006)

Sony A7
Leica S-E (Typ 006)
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $16900
  • Medium format
  • Larger sensor
  • Built-in GPS
Pentax 645Z
Leica S-E (Typ 006)
  • $4845
  • Medium format
  • Focus peaking
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $16900
  • Medium format
  • Built-in GPS
  • Thinner

Compared to Sony A7 II

Sony A7
Sony A7 II
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • $1170
  • 35mm
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
Pentax 645Z
Sony A7 II
  • $4845
  • Medium format
  • Larger sensor
  • Higher effective ISO
  • $1170
  • 35mm
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive

Compared to Leica SL (Typ 601)

Sony A7
Leica SL (Typ 601)
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • In-camera panoramas
  • $3802
  • 35mm
  • Shoot 4K video
  • Touchscreen
Pentax 645Z
Leica SL (Typ 601)
  • $4845
  • Medium format
  • Larger sensor
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $3802
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Shoot 4K video
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