Looking for the next body

cooltouch · 06-10-2018, 09:06 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by UncleVanya

Nice to hear from someone who has done it already and get some practical input. This surprised me a little as I didn't think about wheel blur.

Yep, it's essential. Here are a couple of dupes of slides I took back in 1986 at the IMSA race at Riverside International Raceway, which, sadly, doesn't exist anymore.

A Goup 44 Jaguar prototype passing a GT-1 Camaro, Fujichrome 100, Canon F-1, Canon 200mm f/2.8 IF:

A Porsche 962, same data as above:

Lowenbrau Porsche 962, same camera and Fujichrome, but Tamron SP 60-300mm zoom:

And a borderline mistake. This Nissan prototype's photo's shutter speed was too high. You can almost make out spoke definition in the front wheel and the background shows almost no blur. The result is the car looks almost as if it's standing still.

Last edited by cooltouch; 06-11-2018 at 10:39 AM.

derelict · 06-21-2018, 07:33 AM

Will the MZ-S allow for Av? It does, correct? I am focusing more on the MZ-S for build reasons. What are the common faults/ failures of the MZ-S? The mirror motor gear is a weakness but is there anything else to look for? Is there a fix for the gear or will I have spent a good amount of money on a paperweight?

I have been flirting with a Nikon F5 but have not been able to pull the trigger as all of my lenses are obviously K mount. I am not too sure I want to carry around two systems again (Pentax K3 and two lenses) and a big F5 with two Nikon lenses. The option is to go all in on Nikon for film and then get a Nikon 7100 or something similar to the K3 in capability but I am not too sure I want to spend that money.

**ChrisPlatt** · 06-21-2018, 08:27 AM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

Nice to hear from someone who has done it already and get some practical input. This surprised me a little as I didn't think about wheel blur.

Totally freezing motion of all sorts of subjects can make for an uninteresting photo.

When introduced super-fast shutter speeds seemed to me to be a great innovation.
However in my experience more often than not they are of rather limited usefulness.

Chris

cooltouch · 06-21-2018, 11:25 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by ChrisPlatt

Totally freezing motion of all sorts of subjects can make for an uninteresting photo.

Boy howdy. Sometimes it makes things look downright strange.

I've got a whole bunch of photos with frozen props from that airshow. I had my camera set to Aperture priority and wasn't paying attention to shutter speeds. Even a little prop blur helps:

derelict · 06-24-2018, 01:17 PM

Who works on the MZ-S? I've emailed Eric (he worked on my MX) and he does not. I am seriously leaning towards one but they are a serious outlay of money with no one that I know of that works on it.

cooltouch · 06-24-2018, 03:49 PM

You might try contacting these folks, they fix all sorts of cameras and lenses, both film and digital:

Professional Camera Repair - Houston, Texas, Sensor Cleaning, Digital Camera Repair, Film Camera Repair, Medium and Large Format Camera Repairs

**ChrisPlatt** · 06-24-2018, 04:50 PM

Originally posted by derelict

Who works on the MZ-S? I've emailed Eric (he worked on my MX) and he does not.

The MXZ-S is one of the Pentax models I have never owned.
That Eric doesn't service them is yet another reason I probably never will.

Chris

leekil · 06-24-2018, 09:54 PM

Originally posted by derelict

Will the MZ-S allow for Av? It does, correct? I am focusing more on the MZ-S for build reasons. What are the common faults/ failures of the MZ-S? The mirror motor gear is a weakness but is there anything else to look for? Is there a fix for the gear or will I have spent a good amount of money on a paperweight?

I don't think there is a confirmation on if the mirror motor gear is a weakness in this camera or not. I believe there has only been one person reporting an issue with it, and there was not a consensus that the camera has a plastic gear instead of a metal gear. There haven't been a lot of reports of an issue of that type (as opposed to many issues reported with the other cameras in the MZ series.)

derelict · 06-25-2018, 04:04 AM

Originally posted by leekil

I don't think there is a confirmation on if the mirror motor gear is a weakness in this camera or not. I believe there has only been one person reporting an issue with it, and there was not a consensus that the camera has a plastic gear instead of a metal gear. There haven't been a lot of reports of an issue of that type (as opposed to many issues reported with the other cameras in the MZ series.)

This is enough to keep me from purchasing one. I would love to get one but there are so many unknowns. Not many people seem to have one and can offer real info on them. A lot of people have three Z1P but I have handled one of those and do not like it.

Alas, I think I'll be picking up a known quantity Nikon F4 and building up a few lens kit. It's slightly bigger and heavier but I know parts and over knowledge is out there.

timw4mail · 06-25-2018, 07:10 AM

Originally posted by derelict

This is enough to keep me from purchasing one. I would love to get one but there are so many unknowns. Not many people seem to have one and can offer real info on them. A lot of people have three Z1P but I have handled one of those and do not like it.

Alas, I think I'll be picking up a known quantity Nikon F4 and building up a few lens kit. It's slightly bigger and heavier but I know parts and over knowledge is out there.

The only hardware issue I've had with my MZ-S is sticky rubber covers. Between the body (with the grip) having nice rubber, a more natural shape than the SF/PZ series, and the aperture/shutter speed imprinting, its my favorite of the autofocus film cameras.

derelict · 06-25-2018, 02:45 PM

Originally posted by timw4mail

The only hardware issue I've had with my MZ-S is sticky rubber covers. Between the body (with the grip) having nice rubber, a more natural shape than the SF/PZ series, and the aperture/shutter speed imprinting, its my favorite of the autofocus film cameras.

So, you have one? Many responses in this thread but no one with one actually. How many rolls have you put through it?

timw4mail · 06-25-2018, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by derelict

So, you have one? Many responses in this thread but no one with one actually. How many rolls have you put through it?

4 so far, but I have way too many film bodies...

derelict · 06-25-2018, 05:39 PM

Originally posted by timw4mail

4 so far, but I have way too many film bodies...

Can you tell me about them? Why do you like? Not like? Any issues, other than the plugs?

leekil · 06-25-2018, 09:27 PM - **1 Like**

I have 2 MZ-S's and as of March last year, the two bodies had 162 and 118 rolls of film through them, with no issues.

---------- Post added 06-25-18 at 09:40 PM ----------

I like the size & shape of them, and low weight; they seem pretty rugged, though the film door is not as tough as the camera body is (only by feel; I haven't had an issue with it). It may be some sort of psychological/perception bias, but the focus seems faster than digital Pentaxes until just a few years ago. They are pretty straightforward in terms of the functionality, but the combination of the professional body and the second-most-advanced autofocus in a film Pentax is an appealing combination. I also like the recording of the exposure information on the edge of the film. The AF/AE-L controls are pretty close to the current DSLR controls, so it's pretty easy to switch between the two (though the buttons seem to have moved around with successive DSLR models).

derelict · 06-26-2018, 10:45 AM

Originally posted by leekil

I have 2 MZ-S's and as of March last year, the two bodies had 162 and 118 rolls of film through them, with no issues.

---------- Post added 06-25-18 at 09:40 PM ----------

I like the size & shape of them, and low weight; they seem pretty rugged, though the film door is not as tough as the camera body is (only by feel; I haven't had an issue with it). It may be some sort of psychological/perception bias, but the focus seems faster than digital Pentaxes until just a few years ago. They are pretty straightforward in terms of the functionality, but the combination of the professional body and the second-most-advanced autofocus in a film Pentax is an appealing combination. I also like the recording of the exposure information on the edge of the film. The AF/AE-L controls are pretty close to the current DSLR controls, so it's pretty easy to switch between the two (though the buttons seem to have moved around with successive DSLR models).

How is it with A lenses? I have not really found any mention of focusing screen replacements that allow for split prism focus aides.

06-21-2018, 07:33 AM	#32
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525 Original Poster	Will the MZ-S allow for Av? It does, correct? I am focusing more on the MZ-S for build reasons. What are the common faults/ failures of the MZ-S? The mirror motor gear is a weakness but is there anything else to look for? Is there a fix for the gear or will I have spent a good amount of money on a paperweight? I have been flirting with a Nikon F5 but have not been able to pull the trigger as all of my lenses are obviously K mount. I am not too sure I want to carry around two systems again (Pentax K3 and two lenses) and a big F5 with two Nikon lenses. The option is to go all in on Nikon for film and then get a Nikon 7100 or something similar to the K3 in capability but I am not too sure I want to spend that money. Last edited by derelict; 06-21-2018 at 08:23 AM.

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06-10-2018, 09:06 PM - 2 Likes	#31
cooltouch Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 982	Originally posted by UncleVanya Nice to hear from someone who has done it already and get some practical input. This surprised me a little as I didn't think about wheel blur. Yep, it's essential. Here are a couple of dupes of slides I took back in 1986 at the IMSA race at Riverside International Raceway, which, sadly, doesn't exist anymore. A Goup 44 Jaguar prototype passing a GT-1 Camaro, Fujichrome 100, Canon F-1, Canon 200mm f/2.8 IF: A Porsche 962, same data as above: Lowenbrau Porsche 962, same camera and Fujichrome, but Tamron SP 60-300mm zoom: And a borderline mistake. This Nissan prototype's photo's shutter speed was too high. You can almost make out spoke definition in the front wheel and the background shows almost no blur. The result is the car looks almost as if it's standing still. Last edited by cooltouch; 06-11-2018 at 10:39 AM.

06-21-2018, 08:27 AM	#33
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,692	Originally posted by UncleVanya Nice to hear from someone who has done it already and get some practical input. This surprised me a little as I didn't think about wheel blur. Totally freezing motion of all sorts of subjects can make for an uninteresting photo. When introduced super-fast shutter speeds seemed to me to be a great innovation. However in my experience more often than not they are of rather limited usefulness. Chris

06-21-2018, 11:25 PM - 2 Likes	#34
cooltouch Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 982	Originally posted by ChrisPlatt Totally freezing motion of all sorts of subjects can make for an uninteresting photo. Boy howdy. Sometimes it makes things look downright strange. I've got a whole bunch of photos with frozen props from that airshow. I had my camera set to Aperture priority and wasn't paying attention to shutter speeds. Even a little prop blur helps:

06-24-2018, 01:17 PM	#35
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525 Original Poster	Who works on the MZ-S? I've emailed Eric (he worked on my MX) and he does not. I am seriously leaning towards one but they are a serious outlay of money with no one that I know of that works on it.

06-24-2018, 03:49 PM	#36
cooltouch Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 982	You might try contacting these folks, they fix all sorts of cameras and lenses, both film and digital: Professional Camera Repair - Houston, Texas, Sensor Cleaning, Digital Camera Repair, Film Camera Repair, Medium and Large Format Camera Repairs

06-24-2018, 04:50 PM	#37
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,692	Originally posted by derelict Who works on the MZ-S? I've emailed Eric (he worked on my MX) and he does not. The MXZ-S is one of the Pentax models I have never owned. That Eric doesn't service them is yet another reason I probably never will. Chris

06-24-2018, 09:54 PM	#38
leekil Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,003	Originally posted by derelict Will the MZ-S allow for Av? It does, correct? I am focusing more on the MZ-S for build reasons. What are the common faults/ failures of the MZ-S? The mirror motor gear is a weakness but is there anything else to look for? Is there a fix for the gear or will I have spent a good amount of money on a paperweight? I don't think there is a confirmation on if the mirror motor gear is a weakness in this camera or not. I believe there has only been one person reporting an issue with it, and there was not a consensus that the camera has a plastic gear instead of a metal gear. There haven't been a lot of reports of an issue of that type (as opposed to many issues reported with the other cameras in the MZ series.)

06-25-2018, 04:04 AM	#39
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525 Original Poster	Originally posted by leekil I don't think there is a confirmation on if the mirror motor gear is a weakness in this camera or not. I believe there has only been one person reporting an issue with it, and there was not a consensus that the camera has a plastic gear instead of a metal gear. There haven't been a lot of reports of an issue of that type (as opposed to many issues reported with the other cameras in the MZ series.) This is enough to keep me from purchasing one. I would love to get one but there are so many unknowns. Not many people seem to have one and can offer real info on them. A lot of people have three Z1P but I have handled one of those and do not like it. Alas, I think I'll be picking up a known quantity Nikon F4 and building up a few lens kit. It's slightly bigger and heavier but I know parts and over knowledge is out there.

06-25-2018, 07:10 AM	#40
timw4mail Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Driving a Mirage Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,670	Originally posted by derelict This is enough to keep me from purchasing one. I would love to get one but there are so many unknowns. Not many people seem to have one and can offer real info on them. A lot of people have three Z1P but I have handled one of those and do not like it. Alas, I think I'll be picking up a known quantity Nikon F4 and building up a few lens kit. It's slightly bigger and heavier but I know parts and over knowledge is out there. The only hardware issue I've had with my MZ-S is sticky rubber covers. Between the body (with the grip) having nice rubber, a more natural shape than the SF/PZ series, and the aperture/shutter speed imprinting, its my favorite of the autofocus film cameras.

06-25-2018, 02:45 PM	#41
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525 Original Poster	Originally posted by timw4mail The only hardware issue I've had with my MZ-S is sticky rubber covers. Between the body (with the grip) having nice rubber, a more natural shape than the SF/PZ series, and the aperture/shutter speed imprinting, its my favorite of the autofocus film cameras. So, you have one? Many responses in this thread but no one with one actually. How many rolls have you put through it?

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06-25-2018, 03:40 PM	#42
timw4mail Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Driving a Mirage Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,670	Originally posted by derelict So, you have one? Many responses in this thread but no one with one actually. How many rolls have you put through it? 4 so far, but I have way too many film bodies...

06-25-2018, 05:39 PM	#43
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525 Original Poster	Originally posted by timw4mail 4 so far, but I have way too many film bodies... Can you tell me about them? Why do you like? Not like? Any issues, other than the plugs?

06-25-2018, 09:27 PM - 1 Like	#44
leekil Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,003	I have 2 MZ-S's and as of March last year, the two bodies had 162 and 118 rolls of film through them, with no issues. ---------- Post added 06-25-18 at 09:40 PM ---------- I like the size & shape of them, and low weight; they seem pretty rugged, though the film door is not as tough as the camera body is (only by feel; I haven't had an issue with it). It may be some sort of psychological/perception bias, but the focus seems faster than digital Pentaxes until just a few years ago. They are pretty straightforward in terms of the functionality, but the combination of the professional body and the second-most-advanced autofocus in a film Pentax is an appealing combination. I also like the recording of the exposure information on the edge of the film. The AF/AE-L controls are pretty close to the current DSLR controls, so it's pretty easy to switch between the two (though the buttons seem to have moved around with successive DSLR models).

06-26-2018, 10:45 AM	#45
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525 Original Poster	Originally posted by leekil I have 2 MZ-S's and as of March last year, the two bodies had 162 and 118 rolls of film through them, with no issues. ---------- Post added 06-25-18 at 09:40 PM ---------- I like the size & shape of them, and low weight; they seem pretty rugged, though the film door is not as tough as the camera body is (only by feel; I haven't had an issue with it). It may be some sort of psychological/perception bias, but the focus seems faster than digital Pentaxes until just a few years ago. They are pretty straightforward in terms of the functionality, but the combination of the professional body and the second-most-advanced autofocus in a film Pentax is an appealing combination. I also like the recording of the exposure information on the edge of the film. The AF/AE-L controls are pretty close to the current DSLR controls, so it's pretty easy to switch between the two (though the buttons seem to have moved around with successive DSLR models). How is it with A lenses? I have not really found any mention of focusing screen replacements that allow for split prism focus aides.