Pentax 645NII

Review Date
February 19, 2009

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
4.50 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by
Daniel Metts , Expert

Price Paid
$950.00 at e-bay

Photography Experience
21+ years , People

Summary
I have prevoiusly owned the Pentax 645N and it also is a fine camera. The thing a like most about the Pentax 645n II is the ease of operation of the mirrior lock-up. It is very user friendly. I love the light meter, the qucik auto focus and auto film advance and rewind. The camera has a soild feal to it. I also have the 45mm 2.8, 75mm 2.8, ad 150mm 2.8, all AF lens. they are very good as well.

Strengths
The build qulity, the lens quality, outstanding light meter, every easy to operate. The price is very good.

Weaknesses
The flash sinc apeed, and the top sutter speed is a little slow.

Similar Products Used
Pentax 645 original, Pentax 645N, Rollieflex 2.8F, mamiya c 330, Bronica GS-1.

Customer Service
I have not use it for this camera, but have used it in the past for other pentax cameras. I was not well pleased over all, but the did fix the camera. Pentax customer service is not what it use to be.

Review Date
April 21, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.33 of 5, 6 votes

Reviewed by
Frank , Expert , from Chicago, IL

Price Paid
$1900.00 at Sunset, NY

Photography Experience
11-20 years , Fine Art

Summary
Wonderful camera. Best medium format available for the "nature", "fine art", "field work", "available light portrait", photographer. I have some of the best 35mm glass available, but wanted a bit more detail for my larger prints. I've compared Pentax to Mamiya to Contax. Pentax is often the "poor stepchild" to other medium format cameras, which is NOT justified. Many professional photographers might disagree with me (please let me know if you do, I'm coming from the perspective of an intermediate, non-pro type)
This is a better camera and lens system for many.

The camera is very light for MF. It is VERY INTUITIVE. Having used Nikon systems in the past, I didn't even have to read the manual to begin using this camera.

Autofocus is NOT fast, so don't use this to take pictures of fast moving objects, but is very accurate.

Moving between autofocus and manual focus is very easy. A simple push on the lens does it. You do NOT have to go through a series of "special settings", just to go between the two modes. Very quick, easy and intuitive.

Strengths
Light for MF. Easier to hold than the F5
Very intuitive
Great lenses.
Very easy to change film with "insert" system.
One of the most intuitive systems I've ever used.
Amazingly sharp lenses.
Affordable.

Weaknesses
Slow compared to Nikon F100/F5 for fast action shots.
Fewer special application lenses than Contax or Hblad or Mamiya.

Similar Products Used
None in MF.
Leica M system
Contax G system
Nikon F100/F5 with numerous lenses.

Customer Service
None needed with the body and four lenses. Bought from Sunset, NY. Have had nothing but wonderful service from them.

Review Date
February 5, 2003

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by
jeffascough , Professional , from Derbyshire, England

Price Paid
$1600.00 at Robert White

Photography Experience
11-20 years , People

Summary
As a pro wedding photojournalist, I needed a camera that would give me higher image quality than 35mm, but with all the characteristics and handling of a pro SLR. I compared it to the Contax and Mamiya AF 645 cameras, and really there isn't a great deal between them. The Contax has the better build quality but at a ridiculous price. What sold me on the Pentax was the lenses. Most of the primes are f2.8 which is better than any of the competition. (Hasselblad should really have addressed lens speed when it launched the H1, only the standard lens is an f2.8)The lenses are really great value for money. Superbly sharp even wide open. The Auto/manual focus is easy to switch over and the Pentax viewfinder is a real peach. Lovely and clear and very easy to manually focus with. The autofocus is a little slow compared to my EOS 1V's but easily holds it own against something like a Fuji S2, or a Canon D60.
The real downside of the Pentax for me, are its switches and dials. It is too easy to move things like the multiple exposure, metering mode and AB swithches. Unfortunately the metering mode switch can be moved accidentally when adjusting the shutter speed dial which sits above it. This might not seem like much, but if you shoot in spot metering mode like I do, you could find that the camera is actually in centerweighted mode - this could really screw up your exposures!! A lot has been made of the Pentax's lack of interchangeable film mags. I actually prefer the inserts, they are a lot quicker to change - faster than 35mm in fact.
Overall this is a good camera - not a great one, but nonetheless it produces results which are fantastic. It exclipses 35mm and all of the digital SLR's with it's image quality.

Strengths
Fast lenses, wonderful metering, good build quality, good autofocus for MF, excellent viewfinder and MF capabilities

Weaknesses
Switches and dials too easy to move when working at speed. Lack of a really fast lens like the contax f2 standard.

Similar Products Used
Mamiya 645, Contax 645, Bronica ETRSi,

Customer Service
OK in the UK, a damaged body had to be sent to Europe twice before it was repaired properly

Review Date
July 8, 2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Reviewed by
Peter Weimann , Professional , from Munich, Germany

Price Paid
$0.00

Photography Experience
11-20 years , Outdoor

Summary
Great camera. This is the model I was waiting for since the P645 appeared. Thanks god now with MLU and some handy custom functions. The AF is the best in this class and multi pattern metering is the best I have ever used. Better than Nikon or Canon. It is dead on!!!

Strengths
Best in 645 you can buy. Fantastic lenses and reasonable prices.

Weaknesses
Flash system needs manual correction possibility for fill in flash and a higher sync. speed. A Metz flash is the better choice.

Similar Products Used
Nikon and Canon systems

Customer Service
fast and friendly

Review Date
July 3, 2002

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by
, Casual , from Hong Kong

Price Paid
$0.00

Photography Experience
2-5 years , Outdoor

Summary
It provide 2 sec time delay with mlu, so it is very convenient if I forget to bring along shutter cord. AF speed of N II is similar with old AF one. Of course, it also provide a normal mlu.
Similar with old model, it provide tripod holes on both bottom and left vertical side of body, so it is more stable to take vertical shoots without setting tripod head plateform 90 degree upright (hope you understand)

Strengths
Easy to use and reasonable size. This new one body surface is different from old AF body, looks and feel more durable and high class value. Of course, main improvement is mirrow lock up. Price is similar with the old AF one even more custom functions and mlu are added. Battery life is long.

Weaknesses
No polariod and digital back. Not 100% viewfinder. Only 1/60sec sync flash shutter speed. No auto DX film code provided.

Similar Products Used
Old AF 645N body, 67II, 6008i and contax AF645.

Customer Service
Nil