[DaveHolmes]

Hi...
I have a couple of ME's (one of which needs sorting out but that's another thread for the UK forum) an MG and an MX...

I'd really like an AF Film body...
I've been looking for the 35mm version of the pentax-ist but can't find one here in the UK...
What I'm finding are lots (masses infact) of mz-50's and mz-60's and a couple of mz-7's....

There's also an MZ-S going... But NO WAY I can afford that!

The winning body will most likely be paired with an F35-70 and/or FA50-1.4...

Which really comes out tops? The review section has them (and the ist) running fairly level...

[dgaies]

How about the PZ-1p? (and I'm not just saying that because I have 4 of them sitting on my shelf that need to be cleared out )

[DaveHolmes]

How about the PZ-1p?

Just checked... There're a couple on that auction site... £200 plus... Out of my price range... There's a *ist on AmazonUk for just over £100 but the other 3 I mentioned in OP are all found less than £60...

Having just read the review again the MZ-7 is currently winning due to the lack of KAF limitations (might want to bolt an M40-2.8 on sometimes)

[dgaies]

Just checked... There're a couple on that auction site... £200 plus... Out of my price range... There's a *ist on AmazonUk for just over £100

FWIW, the *ist for £100 seems about in line (they're typically around $150 here), but £200 seems pretty high for a PZ-1p. I was picked all of mine up for around $100/each, which is about £60-70.

[Bob from Aus]

I am probably different to most others about film cameras. It's about the film and the lens not about the camera body. If you use the film camera very deliberately with each photo rather than blaze away like people like me do digitally then any of the AF film cameras with a good lens and the film you like to use will do a great job. There are a few models that will feel great in the hand but when you think about it the body really means a lot less with film photography.

[DaveHolmes]

It's about the film and the lens not about the camera body

Yeah, I get that... I usually use Ilford xp2 400 speed on my ME and push it....

I was thinking *ist as it's AF and operation generally are closest to that of my Kx... Plus, I understand that it's a really tiny AF-body which is great for my bag/back and its intended use...

[patrick9]

I have a ZX-7 I use all my lenses with it M, A and DA..That was a definite selling point in not having the crippled mount .The *ist I believe does have a crippled mount . I looked at both cameras this last year as I wanted an AF SLR to go along with my P30t.I went with the ZX-7. It has been a real joy to use. I have not regretted the decision to buy it.

[stevebrot]

when you think about it the body really means a lot less with film photography

...unless, of course, the body sucks. Here is a short list of things that make for a sucky body:

• Falls apart during use
• Leaks light
• Inaccurate shutter
• Film transport that shreds film (ask Nesster (Jussi) about his recent experience with his Kiev 4)
• Film transport that doesn't (various plastic-geared Pentax AF models)
• Controls that shred your fingers (ask me about the film rewind on my Zorki-4K)
• Dim or inaccurate viewfinders and/or focus mechanism
• Tripod sockets too shallow for most tripod screws
• .
• .
• .

...and the list goes on and on. The camera body, for sure is nothing more that a light-tight box mounted to a lens, but proper execution of that box can be incredibly important in the field and can easily make the difference between success and failure.


Steve

[dlacouture]

IMO, best cheap pentax AF film body is the MZ-6...
It has:
* TTL and P-TTL (even wireless HSS, something no Pentax DSLR has!)
* a fully working KAF mount,
* 1/4000 shuter speed,
* and you can swap the focus screen for one from the MZ-m.

Get the FG grip with it...

[Nesster]

+1 , the mz-6 is aka zx-L and is a nifty little camera. Pentax hadn't figured out all the controls yet but at least it's got them

[violini]

I have two MZ-6; I 've run over 20 rolls of films through one of them since I got it secondhand two years ago. They both work flawlessly. Sometimes I would re-wind the film after half of the roll is exposed; cut that part of film to develop and put the rest of the film back to the camera. You can program the camera to leave one inch of film outside of the canister after rewind. Both of them have metal gears on the mirror motor installed in the factory.

[usn ret]

I have two ZX7's, 1 bought on purpose, the second came with a lens I wanted. A plus for the ZX7 is that it also shoots a decent pan shot. Basically two frames together and not too bad at that. Good luck in your decision.... Cliff

[Swift1]

I have two ZX7's, 1 bought on purpose, the second came with a lens I wanted. A plus for the ZX7 is that it also shoots a decent pan shot. Basically two frames together and not too bad at that. Good luck in your decision.... Cliff

I believe the panorama feature on the ZX-7 and nearly all 35mm cameras that have the feature (except true pano cameras ie. Hassy XPAN) are just cropped from the 24x36 frame, not 2 frames together.

I second the recommendations for the MZ-6, MZ-L, ZX-L. At around $50 it is one of the best features per dollar Pentax AF bodies there is.

1/4000 shutter speed
Full use of all K,M,A,F,FA,FAJ, and DA lenses.
Mid roll rewind with leader left out ( I use this all the time)
Depth of Field Preview
Wireless flash triggering with AF360FGZ
Small and light
Matrix Metering

Having own both the MZ-L and MZ-S, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the MZ-L.

[Unsinkable II]

Just checked... There're a couple on that auction site... £200 plus... Out of my price range...

I paid the equivalent of about £90 for mine about 6 months ago, and it's immaculate. It's a great camera.

[aurele]

why not a MZ-5n / ZX-5n ? it's likely the same as the other MZ-7 or 6, but it have KAF2 non crippled mount. Witch mean SDM can work theorically (i never tried myself but i intend to).

I paid mine around 50$ on ebay.