Pentax MZ-30 (ZX-30)

aafuss · 05-17-2010, 08:30 AM

Yesterday I got myself a Pentax MZ-30 (ZX-30) at a thrift store for about $2 (came with a Sigma 28-80mm lens).

I found it to quite good and fun to use despite it being a "crippled" KAF mount SLR.

Has anyone owned this model before?

Last edited by aafuss; 05-17-2010 at 10:31 AM.

mike_lambert · 05-17-2010, 10:20 AM

Originally posted by aafuss

Yesterday I got myself a Pentax MZ-30 (ZX-30) at a thrift store for about $2 (came with a Sigma 28-80mm lens.

I found it to quite good and fun to use despite it being a "crippled" KAF mount SLR.

Has anyone owned this model before?

I still have my MZ-30, along with the Sigma 28-105 and 100-300 I bought at the time. The MZ-30 has a film loaded in it, and I keep telling myself I'm going to take it out one of these days for old times sake!

This is a great little camera, light, fast,responsive and fairly rugged. I also have its digital brother the EI-2000 which has exactly the same top controls. Now thats a museum piece I think.

donalson · 05-17-2010, 04:24 PM

I picked one up from CL not long back... got it primarly for the lenses it came with (28-90 and a 100-300)... also got an early AF minolta in the deal...

I tossed some film in it and have managed to snap 3 shots so far... the weight and feel are just wrong now that i've been spending so much time with the k10d... so small and light... also the pentamirror is hard to get used to after the prizm on the k10d... but the biggest problem i'm having is the thought of spending that much on film just to end up with some small prints that are a pain to post online if I do like em (welcome to the digital age)... . just shame you can't use M lenses with it :-/... also the button for switching between adjusting aperture vs shutter speed is a little finicky on mine and in an akward location... but would be a good starter in one of the priority modes.

I can see it as a good way moving into the SLR world... i'll keep the body in my bag when traveling just in case I have some sort of issue with the k10d.

i'll take her out soon to blow though the rest of the roll in her... but I don't see her getting much use...

05-17-2010, 08:30 AM	#1
aafuss Junior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gold Coast, QLD Posts: 32	Pentax MZ-30 (ZX-30) Yesterday I got myself a Pentax MZ-30 (ZX-30) at a thrift store for about $2 (came with a Sigma 28-80mm lens). I found it to quite good and fun to use despite it being a "crippled" KAF mount SLR. Has anyone owned this model before? Last edited by aafuss; 05-17-2010 at 10:31 AM.

05-17-2010, 10:20 AM	#2
mike_lambert New Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: London Posts: 18	Originally posted by aafuss Yesterday I got myself a Pentax MZ-30 (ZX-30) at a thrift store for about $2 (came with a Sigma 28-80mm lens. I found it to quite good and fun to use despite it being a "crippled" KAF mount SLR. Has anyone owned this model before? I still have my MZ-30, along with the Sigma 28-105 and 100-300 I bought at the time. The MZ-30 has a film loaded in it, and I keep telling myself I'm going to take it out one of these days for old times sake! This is a great little camera, light, fast,responsive and fairly rugged. I also have its digital brother the EI-2000 which has exactly the same top controls. Now thats a museum piece I think.

05-17-2010, 04:24 PM	#3
donalson Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Milton, FL Posts: 30	I picked one up from CL not long back... got it primarly for the lenses it came with (28-90 and a 100-300)... also got an early AF minolta in the deal... I tossed some film in it and have managed to snap 3 shots so far... the weight and feel are just wrong now that i've been spending so much time with the k10d... so small and light... also the pentamirror is hard to get used to after the prizm on the k10d... but the biggest problem i'm having is the thought of spending that much on film just to end up with some small prints that are a pain to post online if I do like em (welcome to the digital age)... . just shame you can't use M lenses with it :-/... also the button for switching between adjusting aperture vs shutter speed is a little finicky on mine and in an akward location... but would be a good starter in one of the priority modes. I can see it as a good way moving into the SLR world... i'll keep the body in my bag when traveling just in case I have some sort of issue with the k10d. i'll take her out soon to blow though the rest of the roll in her... but I don't see her getting much use...