Pentax 645D

The Pentax 645D is a medium format DSLR released in 2010. Its 40 megapixel CCD sensor and 645AF2 lens mount place it firmly in the world of deliberate, high resolution photography rather than everyday snapshots.

Carrying it is a commitment. At 1480g and 156 x 117 x 119mm, this is a camera for planned outings and tripod work rather than casual wandering.

Weather sealed construction means outdoor shoots in changeable conditions are within reach. It records stills only, with no video modes at all, so it suits a photographer whose output is prints and image files rather than footage.

At the heart of the 645D is a 40 megapixel medium format CCD sensor. That resolution provides plenty of scope for printing large or cropping heavily, which suits landscape, studio and product work.

The camera asks you to work slowly. It shoots at up to 1.1 frames per second, so rapid sequences are out of scope, and autofocus uses 11 points. A base ISO of 100 suits deliberate work in good light, while the ceiling of 1600 keeps dim conditions difficult. With no in body stabilisation, steady support matters when light drops.

Shutter speeds reach 1/4000, enough for most daylight situations, though the ceiling can restrict wide aperture shooting in very bright conditions.

Our Optics score of 66 places this camera around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics. That position reflects the trade on offer: resolution and sensor size lift the result, while the slow shooting pace and narrow sensitivity range hold it back.

The 645D does not record video in any form. There are no movie modes to configure and no frame rates or resolutions to weigh up, so any motion footage requires a separate device.

That absence fits the camera's stills first character. It is built around a medium format sensor and an optical pentaprism viewfinder, and its shooting pace of up to 1.1 frames per second favours a deliberate, frame by frame approach.

The built in timelapse mode is the one feature that leans toward motion. It fires the shutter at set intervals, so slow changes over time, such as a construction project or shifting light across a landscape, can be documented frame by frame without any video recording at all.

The body is weather sealed, so dust and moisture in changeable outdoor conditions are less of a concern than with an unprotected camera, which suits landscape and location work in unpredictable weather.

There is no built in flash, but an external flash can be mounted. That suits studio and location lighting setups where you would bring your own units anyway.

Framing and review run through a fixed 3 inch LCD with 921,000 dots and no touch control. Live view helps with precise composition on a tripod, though the fixed screen offers no angle adjustment for low or overhead shots.

WiFi is built in, while GPS and Bluetooth are absent. The modest Features score of 54 reflects that mix of durable basics and missing conveniences.

Recording goes to a single SD or SDHC card slot, and there is no second slot for backup copies. With high resolution still files, cards can fill quickly, so spare cards and frequent downloads make sense.

The D-LI90 battery carries an 800 shot rating. Treat that as a specification figure rather than a promise of endurance in every situation.

The camera does not support USB charging, so the battery cannot be topped up over a cable, and a spare charged battery in the bag is sensible preparation for long shoots.

The limited Storage & Battery score of 35 reflects those same gaps: a single card slot, no USB charging and a mid range battery rating.