| Latest Review Posted | Pentax Z-1 / PZ-1
I own MOST of the best Pentax lenses for 35mm (which i use with digital bodies), and i still have some nice 35mm MF bodies (K2, MX, LX, Super-A), but not a single one was purchased NEW.
Of all the Pentax stuff i own/owned, just two items were purchased new: a SFX-n body, and a Z-1 body.
I gave away the former when i bought the latter.
What a difference!
The SFX-n is a slightly revised version of the first attempt done by Pentax in the emerging world of AF cameras.
Not very successful the first try, not much better the update. The cameras were ugly and the AF system left much to be desired.
The Z-1 was much better: rounded body with amazing ergonomics, very fast shutter speed, not too noisy, very usable for nature and macro photography (even without a dedicated cable release), very good TTL flash with the old flash sytem of the LX, and advanced electronics which drive a modern metering and shutter system.
The camera is a little bulky (but surprisingly light), and at the time the AF was not on par with the better implementations... but it's still one of the best (THE best?) solutions if you want to shoot 35mm film with a Pentax AF camera.
Currently i'm using my personal "hall of fame" of Pentax MF lenses with a couple of old digital bodies, and when i want to shoot analog i use my Pentax 6x7, or bigger formats (up to 8x10" and 24x30cm). So the Z-1 is in lethargy in a drawer, together with other 35mm bodies... but i'm sure that sooner or later i will take out som... |
