Reasons to choose SL (Typ 601)
Released in 2015, SL (Typ 601) has about 864 mm² of sensor area, 24 MP effective resolution, and a 847 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Leica SL (Typ 601)
vs Pentax 645Z
VS
Sensor area
864 mm²
SL (Typ 601)1,452 mm²
645Z- Area ratio
- 1.68:1
- Absolute difference
- 588 mm²
- Relative difference
- 68.1%
The 645Z has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 1 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
SL (Typ 601)Metric645Z
24 MPEffective pixels51.4 MP
36 × 24Sensor44 × 33
6 µmPixel pitch5.31 µm
36 µm²Pixel area28.25 µm²
2.78 MP/cm²Pixel density3.54 MP/cm²
1Crop factor0.79
4,096 × 2,160Maximum video1,920 × 1,080
847 gWeight1,550 g
SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II support)StorageSD/SDHC/SDXC
Proprietary lithium-ion battery Li-ion batteryBatteryRechargeable Lithium-ion Battery D-LI90 Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The 645Z has the larger sensor area. The SL (Typ 601) has the lighter body. The 645Z has the higher effective resolution. The SL (Typ 601) is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose 645Z
Released in 2014, 645Z has about 1,452 mm² of sensor area, 51.4 MP effective resolution, and a 1,550 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.