Originally posted by Stevopedia So I've decided to start with a "two-body" system for my film bodies: one manual mechanical camera and one late '80s or '90s electronic, computerized Wunderkamera. I'm dead set on the KX as the manual, but the automatic is still up in the air.
Which leads to my question. Should I buy the SF-1n, PZ-1, or PZ-1P? Or is there another automatic electronic Pentax body that you think I should consider?
The PZ-1p failed a Pop Photo "test" some years ago because it consistently underexposed 1/2 stop. They tested the metering of a whole range of cameras and (no surprise here) picked the Canon as the best exposure because it was more often within 1/4 stop. This is quite the stupidest result that I have ever seen, as, except for one lighting situation that all the cameras had trouble with, the PZ-1p exposure was identical for all the frames. The Canon would overexpose one frame and underexpose the next situation. If the alleged "tester" had dialed in +1/2 the metering would have been within 1/8 stop all across the board with the PZ-1p.
Hence, I would grab the PZ-1p. My SF-1 meters quite well, but does not match that result. As you may notice below, I also own an MZ-S. It is a very fine camera, and I love it as well, but the metering does not hold up to the PZ-1p. I do have to add/subtract a bit depending on the scene.