[gnugent]

Hi Need bit of help here

i bought a Pentax K1 the moment it came out and converted over to Pentax as my main shooting platform from Nikon

However about 30 years ago one of my first cameras was a Pentax LX it was amazing , I was given it just before joined the navy ...long story.... it ended up going over of the side of a ship somewhere in the north Atlantic ( I think its pretty close to the wreck of titanic actually if James Cameron fancies going back for look it , it has my initials on the shoulder strap)

any way I loved that camera and I will pick up another ( I have a lovely super me, I have been playing with in the interim)

But I fancy getting a more modern Pentax film camera with auto focus I have to tell you the truth its a bit of a mine field of information with lens infomation

I have lots of Pentax glass , but I strangely end up using the plastic fanatic 35 DA 2.4 AL quite lot ( it was super cheap and great little lens even if it shouldn't be on my K1 as its designed for crop sensors )

so here is the question which Pentax Film SLRs will work correctly with that lens or infact any with out the aperture ring but it must have auto focus

any help would be great

many thanks

[Adam]

Hi Need bit of help here

i bought a Pentax K1 the moment it came out and converted over to Pentax as my main shooting platform from Nikon

However about 30 years ago one of my first cameras was a Pentax LX it was amazing , I was given it just before joined the navy ...long story.... it ended up going over of the side of a ship somewhere in the north Atlantic ( I think its pretty close to the wreck of titanic actually if James Cameron fancies going back for look it , it has my initials on the shoulder strap)

any way I loved that camera and I will pick up another ( I have a lovely super me, I have been playing with in the interim)

But I fancy getting a more modern Pentax film camera with auto focus I have to tell you the truth its a bit of a mine field of information with lens infomation

I have lots of Pentax glass , but I strangely end up using the plastic fanatic 35 DA 2.4 AL quite lot ( it was super cheap and great little lens even if it shouldn't be on my K1 as its designed for crop sensors )

so here is the question which Pentax Film SLRs will work correctly with that lens or infact any with out the aperture ring but it must have auto focus

any help would be great

many thanks

If you want to be able to control the aperture manually, you don't have very many options because most film SLRs rely on the aperture ring. So, if you want to be able to shoot in Av or M mode, then you'd want to get something like a PZ-1, which lets you set the aperture using e-dials, just like a DSLR. This chart will help you identify which modes are supported by which SLRs:

The Pentax Camera Lens Compatibility Chart

Any A-series or newer film body should be able to shoot in P or Tv mode with DA/DFA lenses, though. Note however that many DA lenses don't fully cover the image circle.

[twilhelm]

I use the MZ-7 and *ist film camera as they will control aperture from the body (I think most of the MZ series will with the possible exception of the MZ-S)

[gnugent]

If you want to be able to control the aperture manually, you don't have very many options because most film SLRs rely on the aperture ring. So, if you want to be able to shoot in Av or M mode, then you'd want to get something like a PZ-1, which lets you set the aperture using e-dials, just like a DSLR. This chart will help you identify which modes are supported by which SLRs:

The Pentax Camera Lens Compatibility Chart

Any A-series or newer film body should be able to shoot in P or Tv mode with DA/DFA lenses, though. Note however that many DA lenses don't fully cover the image circle.

Huge thanks Adam that chart was exactly what I was looking, I think I may go for the PZ-1p ,I,m pretty sure the 35mm DA 2.4 L will be ok on full frame ..unless someone else has tried it

anyway thank you

[Moe49]

30 years ago one of my first cameras was a Pentax LX it was amazing
...
But I fancy getting a more modern Pentax film camera with auto focus

I think the MZ-S is the Pentax AF SLR you need to look at. It is the top-of-the-line Auto-Focus film camera Pentax made at the time.

Pentax MZ-S - Pentax Autofocus Film SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

I really like mine, and wish I had bought one sooner
It is now my most used film camera.

I take my MZ-S on all trips, along with my K-1.
It is great to be able to use the same set of Pentax lenses on both cameras.
Caveat: All my lenses have aperture rings.

[gnugent]

I think the MZ-S is the Pentax AF SLR you need to look at. It is the top-of-the-line Auto-Focus film camera Pentax made.

Pentax MZ-S - Pentax Autofocus Film SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

I really like mine, and wish I had bought one sooner
It is now my most used film camera.

I take my MZ-S on all trips, along with my K-1.
It is great to be able to use the same set of Pentax lenses on both cameras.
Caveat: All my lenses have aperture rings.

Moe thanks thats the sort of thing I was going for two camera bodies same lenses ....However....in the mean time .... I have just bought a Mz-7 online for $30 something to play with

just got to watch the money this year I have just bought a couple of film range finders after Christmas and I want to upgrade the K1 to K2 in may when they roll it out

plus I did promise I would get an really good quality LX first.....big split prism fan..I just want to have bit of play really with auto focus .....so may have to get to the MZ-S bit later , but yes looks like a great camera ..so many choices.... thanks any way

[08amczb]

+1 for the PZ-1p

[ronniemac]

+2 for the PZ-1p, or just the near identical PZ-1. They are fantastic cameras and offer some useful innovative features when combined with the FA power zoom lenses.

The only difference of consequence is how the PZ-1p crops the aspect ratio to panorama, not of any significant value but fashionable at the time.

[Swift1]

My choice... Z-1p

[UncleVanya]

I think the MZ-S is the Pentax AF SLR you need to look at. It is the top-of-the-line Auto-Focus film camera Pentax made.

First I have never shot with the MZ-S so I don't know what the shooting experience is like first hand.
Second - from other conversations about this camera I feel like it is more like the KP vs. K3ii when compared to the PZ-1/PZ-1p - in that the specs are better in some areas and worse in others. Your own shooting style may matter in picking one vs. the other.



Pz-1p/z-1p Advantages:

• More shooting modes including HyperProgram and HyperManual (These are very useful)
• Longer Shutter speeds in manual mode (up to 30s vs. 1s) but Both offer this same range in auto modes.
• 4fps vs. 2.5fps (Useful if you shoot fast moving objects - but with film more frames costs $ and runs the roll out even more quickly.)
• Built in Flash is more powerful (GN 14 vs. 12) (Minor difference)
• Faster flash Sync speed (1/250 vs. 1/180) (Could be a big deal to some)
• Flash Exposure Compensation feature (supposedly this is missing on the MZ-S) (I would miss this feature)
• Extended Power Zoom features vs. Limited (Personally I found this more of a novelty feature)
• Panorama Format (Who cares - digitize and recrop to get the same effects)

MZ-S Advantages:

• Mirror Lock Up (this is a very nice thing to have that the PZ-1 series lacks.)
• P-TTL support (Really? Is this true? True TTL is so good I don't know that this matters much.)
• 6 Point Autofocus vs. 1 Point AF (Since I use center point recompose this is irrelevant to me but others may find it crucial)
• Battery Grip available that uses easily sourced AA batteries. (Excellent feature)
• 520g is lighter than the 650g that the PZ-1p weighs. (Lighter sometimes makes larger lens work harder - but most like lighter.)

[gnugent]

First I have never shot with the MZ-S so I don't know what the shooting experience is like first hand.
Second - from other conversations about this camera I feel like it is more like the KP vs. K3ii when compared to the PZ-1/PZ-1p - in that the specs are better in some areas and worse in others. Your own shooting style may matter in picking one vs. the other.



Pz-1p/z-1p Advantages:

• More shooting modes including HyperProgram and HyperManual (These are very useful)
• Longer Shutter speeds in manual mode (up to 30s vs. 1s) but Both offer this same range in auto modes.
• 4fps vs. 2.5fps (Useful if you shoot fast moving objects - but with film more frames costs $ and runs the roll out even more quickly.)
• Built in Flash is more powerful (GN 14 vs. 12) (Minor difference)
• Faster flash Sync speed (1/250 vs. 1/180) (Could be a big deal to some)
• Flash Exposure Compensation feature (supposedly this is missing on the MZ-S) (I would miss this feature)
• Extended Power Zoom features vs. Limited (Personally I found this more of a novelty feature)
• Panorama Format (Who cares - digitize and recrop to get the same effects)

MZ-S Advantages:

• Mirror Lock Up (this is a very nice thing to have that the PZ-1 series lacks.)
• P-TTL support (Really? Is this true? True TTL is so good I don't know that this matters much.)
• 6 Point Autofocus vs. 1 Point AF (Since I use center point recompose this is irrelevant to me but others may find it crucial)
• Battery Grip available that uses easily sourced AA batteries. (Excellent feature)
• 520g is lighter than the 650g that the PZ-1p weighs. (Lighter sometimes makes larger lens work harder - but most like lighter.)

Thanks every one I'm going have play with the Mz-7 when it turns up then I know its pretty basic then keep my eye out for a Pz-1p and move on to that and Maybe the MZ-S later on ..as that does look nice

but I must get a LX

With the resurgence of film at the moment which I cannot see going away eg Kodak releasing more stocks etc Its a good time to grab this kind of things as ...they really don't make them any more and there is a finite number of these things left working

Harrow camera repair ( a brilliant Pentax repair guy) is retiring in march so the skill set is falling a way as well to fix things

on the range finder market the numbers are get slimmer as the youngest jump onboard the film train the prices are really beginning to go up the Good point and shoots cost a fair bit to ...it won't be long before the SLR start to ramp up

its interesting when people say they made millions of XYZ thats not the issue ..its how many still work

[ryanM]

The Pz-1p is a pretty good camera...very user friendly.

[UncleVanya]

The Pz-1p is a pretty good camera...very user friendly.

Lol. Have to laugh. It was quite friendly for the timeframe but the PF functions aren't exactly friendly. I need to find my cheat sheet laminated card to carry with mine.

[ryanM]

Lol. Have to laugh. It was quite friendly for the timeframe but the PF functions aren't exactly friendly. I need to find my cheat sheet laminated card to carry with mine.

Really? I always thought the camera had the buttons layed out exactly how I want them and switching between aperture and shutter speed via the rotating knobs right under your fingers/thumb is great.


For a while in my shooting I switched over to Nikon using some of their lower end digital models like the D50 ect, hated it, and always felt that Pentax had it nailed with the Pz-1p.

[timw4mail]

Lol. Have to laugh. It was quite friendly for the timeframe but the PF functions aren't exactly friendly. I need to find my cheat sheet laminated card to carry with mine.

Really? I always thought the camera had the buttons layed out exactly how I want them and switching between aperture and shutter speed via the rotating knobs right under your fingers/thumb is great.


For a while in my shooting I switched over to Nikon using some of their lower end digital models like the D50 ect, hated it, and always felt that Pentax had it nailed with the Pz-1p.

To be fair, I think cameras became a lot less intuitive when they switched from the mechanical dial layout, to having to have buttons and screens to display and access additional functionality.

I have the MZ-S, and I have to find and read the manual when trying to figure out how to change settings, and this is especially true of the numeric settings to adjust things like the data imprint functionality.

I also have an SF-1 and SF-10. The SF-10 is simpler to use, but it also lacks basically any manual override.

When going back to my K-1 after using film cameras for a while, I frequently forget how to access things like exposure compensation.

All of that to say, that the most intuitive camera layout is the one you are most familiar with.