Leica S2 vs Pentax 645D

The Leica S2 and the Pentax 645D are two professional cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2008 and March 2010. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a medium format sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 37.5 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 39.5 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Leica S2		Pentax 645D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Leica S mount lenses		Pentax 645 mount lenses
37.5 MP – Medium Format sensor		39.5 MP – Medium Format sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 80-1,250		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
1.5 shutter flaps per second		1.1 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
160 x 120 x 80 mm, 1410 g		156 x 117 x 119 mm, 1480 g

Check S2 offers at
ebay.com
Check 645D offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica S2 and the Pentax 645D? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Leica S2 and the Pentax 645D. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax 645D is notably smaller (5 percent) than the Leica S2. However, the 645D is markedly heavier (5 percent) than the S2. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the S2 gets .. shots out of its Leica BP-PRO1 battery, while the 645D can take 800 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI90 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Leica S2	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1410 g	..	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
2.		Pentax 645D	156 mm	117 mm	119 mm	1480 g	800	Y	Mar 2010	US$ 9 995	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1230 g	1500	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
6.		Leica S1	339 mm	214 mm	119 mm	2500 g	..	n	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
7.		Leica S3	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 18 999	ebay.com
8.		Leica S Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 21 949	ebay.com
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 16 599	ebay.com
10.		Leica S Typ 007	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 24 499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1300 g	4300	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3S	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1240 g	4200	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D3X	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1260 g	4400	Y	Dec 2008	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
14.		Pentax 645Z	156 mm	117 mm	123 mm	1550 g	650	Y	Apr 2014	US$ 8 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The 645D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 57 percent) than the S2, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a medium format sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 645D is 8 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 0.8 (S2) and 0.79. The sensor in the S2 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the 645D offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 39.5MP, the 645D offers a higher resolution than the S2 (37.5MP), but the 645D nevertheless has marginally larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.06μm versus 6.00μm for the S2) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the 645D is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the S2, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Leica S2 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 1250. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax 645D are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CCD (Charged Coupled Device) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
2.		Pentax 645D	Medium Format	39.5	7264	5440	none	24.6	12.6	1262	82
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	APS-H	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	22.8	12.0	1320	74
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
5.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
6.		Leica S1	Medium Format	26.4	5140	5140	none	..	..	..	..
7.		Leica S3	Medium Format	64.0	9800	6533	4K/24p	25.6	14.4	3143	98
8.		Leica S Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.2	824	76
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	25.1	13.7	2763	93
10.		Leica S Typ 007	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	4K/24p	25.1	13.7	2763	93
11.		Nikon D3	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2290	81
12.		Nikon D3S	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	720/24p	23.5	12.0	3253	82
13.		Nikon D3X	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	24.7	13.7	1992	88
14.		Pentax 645Z	Medium Format	51.1	8256	6192	1080/60i	26.0	14.7	4505	101
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The S2 and the 645D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the 645D offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the S2 (96%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the S2 has a higher magnification (0.86x vs 0.78x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Leica S2, the Pentax 645D, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Leica S2	optical	Y	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
2.		Pentax 645D	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.1/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica S1	optical	n	none / none	none	n	..	0.01/s	n	n
7.		Leica S3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica S Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
10.		Leica S Typ 007	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D3S	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
13.		Nikon D3X	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
14.		Pentax 645Z	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Pentax 645D has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The S2 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDHC cards, while the 645D uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Leica S2 and Pentax 645D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Leica S2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Pentax 645D	Y	stereo / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica S1	-	- / -	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
7.		Leica S3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
8.		Leica S Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica S Typ 007	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
11.		Nikon D3	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D3S	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D3X	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Pentax 645Z	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the S2 and the 645D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The S2 was replaced by the Leica S Typ 006, while the 645D was followed by the Pentax 645Z. Further information on the features and operation of the S2 and 645D can be found, respectively, in the Leica S2 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax 645D Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Leica S2 or the Pentax 645D – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Leica S2:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.86x vs 0.78x).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (1.5 vs 1.1 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2008).

Reasons to prefer the Pentax 645D:

• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 96%).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (57 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 5 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 645D comes out slightly ahead of the S2 (5 : 4 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Leica S2 and the Pentax 645D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the S2 or the 645D perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Leica S2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
2.		Pentax 645D	5/5	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2010	US$ 9 995	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	5/5	..	..	89/100	..	..	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
6.		Leica S1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
7.		Leica S3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2018	US$ 18 999	ebay.com
8.		Leica S Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	US$ 21 949	ebay.com
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	US$ 16 599	ebay.com
10.		Leica S Typ 007	4/5	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	US$ 24 499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3	..	..	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3S	5/5	..	..	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D3X	..	..	..	86/100	4/5	5/5	Dec 2008	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
14.		Pentax 645Z	5/5	..	3.5/5	..	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2014	US$ 8 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check S2 offers at
ebay.com
Check 645D offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check S2 offers at
ebay.com
Check 645D offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.