Originally posted by Ratmagiclady Mz-M.... When I handled them, I was more interested in checking out the lenses on there, but I saw some laudable efforts at maintaining a conventional layout, pretty much spoiled by the fact, in the latter case, that it felt less solid than the cap to my Gatorade bottle.
Actually, precisely because it is so small AND has a split screen, I use my Mz-M a LOT in some pretty sketchy situations with my manual glass. I ski with it. I climb with it. I fish with it. And it's ALWAYS in my trunk in a holster. Mine has seen a lot of use and is still ticking. The plastic mount is not an issue, since I ONLY use screwmount lenses... a metal M42 adapter is on it ALL the time.
It's about the size of a Spotmatic, and generally speaking has something approaching match needle metering. When used in conjunction with M42 lenses, the camera uses center-weighted metering. So it behaves JUST like a Spotmatic.
The layout is familiar, quick and easy, and the camera is lighter than my Spottie. It is my latter day replacement for my Spotmatic for serious days out shooting. I'll always shoot the Spottie, but for a day at the local aggie fair or climbing around one of the gorges around here, the MZ-M is really a nice find.
I don't know how it would do in a drop, but given the $40.00 I paid for my mint copy, I'd like as not be more concerned about the lens. About the only thing that does stink is the lack of diopter adjustment, but the split screen seems to take care of that overall for me.
Overall, this is a nice little camera, and it was a stop on the way to picking up a ZX-7/MZ-7, for which I am currently looking. Here we have AF capability, a pop-up flash, metal lens mount, diopter. In short, I can use it as the MZ-M and add capability to use my other FF lenses as AF lenses. Indeed, it appears to be wholly possible to replace the stock focus screen in the MZ-7 with the MZ-M split screen, so it looks a winner...
I got over plastic with my PZ-1. I seem to have gotten over polycarbonate with my MZ-M... <g>
Seaain