Pentax 645
The Pentax 645 is a medium format SLR camera produced by Pentax beginning in 1984. It was succeeded by the 645N, which introduced autofocus, and then the 645NII. The original Pentax 645 is a full-featured camera that, among other things, sports a built-in motor drive capable of 1.5fps frame advancing. The camera also has a TTL center weighted light meter housed in the non-interchangeable prism and offers the full complement of PASM exposure modes (Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and metered Manual). The camera has a vertical-travelling cloth focal plane shutter with speeds ranging from 15s to 1/1000. This also includes a Bulb mode for long exposures (shutter button has the universal threaded socket for a cable release) and a flash sync speed of 1/60.
Unlike some other medium format SLR systems, the Pentax 645 is not terribly modular. While it does have interchangeable lenses - and an excellent lineup to choose from - the Pentax 645 cannot change out its prism, film backs or even remove the winder grip. While the lack of interchangeable film backs is noticeable, the 645 does feature that aforementioned light meter in its prism, a feature that does set it apart from a lot of other medium format SLR cameras that did not often include metered prisms in their starting kits. The prism on the 645 also includes a diopter control and a hot shoe - both welcome capabilities. On the not-as-great side of things, the finder is dim. This is a negative characteristic that is further exacerbated by the fact that the fastest lens in the lineup has an f2.8 maximum aperture. So the dim finder is not going to get any brighter, only dimmer as slower lenses are used.
Perhaps the greatest selling point of the Pentax 645 today is its affordable price. In an era where prices on many medium format cameras have climbed significantly, the Pentax 645 remains pretty affordable... relatively speaking. It also delivers a lot of capability for that price and gives the user access to an excellent array of lenses that have also remained relatively affordable. While some decry the 6x4.5 format for being the smallest of the medium format formats, it also allows the most shots per roll while still being many times the size of a standard 35mm negative. All of this is to say, that the Pentax 645 is a great camera to consider when getting into medium format. Or, it is a great camera to consider for medium format photographers on a budget. Or, it is even a great camera to consider as an excellent second camera to a working professional shooting medium format. It has its limitations and drawbacks, but it offers far more perks.
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