[AmsAmt]

Good day
to you all
Just purchased a z-1
It came with the 28-80 3.5 4.7
(Which is why i got it in the first place &#128521
Unfortunately it does not power zoom with my lovely kp
Is there any way to disable the power zoom
,and to use the zoom manually?
Thanks Yuval

[UMC]

Just grab the zoom ring and push it towards the camera body. The word "power zoom" on the barrel will then be covered by the zoom ring and you can operate manually.

However, a heads up, the 28-80 PZ is one of the worst standard zooms that Asahi has produced in their history.

[normhead]

Just grab the zoom ring and push it towards the camera body. The word "power zoom" on the barrel will then be covered by the zoom ring and you can operate manually.

However, a heads up, the 28-80 PZ is one of the worst standard zooms that Asahi has produced in their history.

Even worse than my Tamron rebadged 28-200 which sits in drawer and probably should go to the dump.?Although I have found if what you want is 1600x1200 image so you are reducing the image size 3x or more, it's not so bad.

[AmsAmt]

Just grab the zoom ring and push it towards the camera body. The word "power zoom" on the barrel will then be covered by the zoom ring and you can operate manually.

However, a heads up, the 28-80 PZ is one of the worst standard zooms that Asahi has produced in their history.

Thanks
So easy ,😀👍🏻

[TwoUptons]

Even worse than my Tamron rebadged 28-200 which sits in drawer and probably should go to the dump.?

In my experience, they are about the same in the areas they cover, though the 28-80 is a little better at 28.

Obviously, the 28-200 is way better at 200

I think the similar-vintage PZ 28-105 is much better...

-Eric

[RKKS08]

In 1991 I bought a Z-10 with this powerzoom at a sell-out (new with guarantee) for the eqivalent of $80.
It did not see much use, as the first 2 rolls showed it offered the worst IQ of all the lenses I owned at that time.

Years later (after I had started with digital) I got a Z-20 with the SMC Pentax-FA 28-80mm F3.5-5.6 on eBay for a very low price. After comparing pictures taken with the K200D, I sold the Z-10 with the powerzoom. The non-PZ FA was MUCH better.
Quite decent, despite being downvoted in our lens review area.
But not even near to the stellar (and not very common) SMC-A 3.5-4.5/28-80.

EDIT: There is also a non-SMC A 3.5-4.5/28-80, sold in big numbers bundled with Pentax cameras which were not the top models (A3/A3000, Program A, cheaper P series models). This is not only missing the SMC coatings, but the optical design is much simpler (less groups/elements).

[pschlute]

When I bought my Z-1 in 1992 it came bundled with the FA 28-80 3.5/4.7. The power zoom and other features were very exciting for it's era. But I soon realised the lens was a lemon. I later bought a FA 24-90 3.5/4.5. which is a far better lens of that era to use on your camera.

[noblepa]

Interestingly, the PZ lenses do power zoom with my K10d. Not all the features of the lens work, as the camera doesn't have the necessary programming.

However, the lens does zoom in and out and it does auto-collapse when I turn the camera off.

It really is just a novelty item on a digital camera.

I don't know why the lenses won't work with all Pentax cameras that have the power contacts (K100d Super and later). The power contacts for the SDM lenses are identical to those on the PZ cameras. Perhaps the firmware in the camera reads the lens information and only turns on power to the contacts if an SDM lens is mounted.

[RobA_Oz]

Interestingly, the PZ lenses do power zoom with my K10d. Not all the features of the lens work, as the camera doesn't have the necessary programming.

However, the lens does zoom in and out and it does auto-collapse when I turn the camera off.

It really is just a novelty item on a digital camera.

I don't know why the lenses won't work with all Pentax cameras that have the power contacts (K100d Super and later). The power contacts for the SDM lenses are identical to those on the PZ cameras. Perhaps the firmware in the camera reads the lens information and only turns on power to the contacts if an SDM lens is mounted.

If I recall correctly, there are preset zoom positions on the PZ lenses that are the only features that don’t work on Pentax DSLRs. Other than that, the power zoom and focus features on my only two PZ lenses (the FA*28-70 and the FA*80-200) have worked with every digital Pentax body I’ve owned, except the *istD (ie K20D, K-5, K-3 and K-1).

[johnha]

The Z-1 offered several zoom modes:
1) Auto portrait: Either full length or head & shoulders (using AF distance & focal length info)
2) Zoom tracking: Set a subject 'magnification' and the camera would zoom the lens as the subject distance changed (I tested this at walking pace and it did reasonably well).
3) Zoom snap (preset zoom positions): Set up to two focal lengths and switch between them by pressing one button.
4) Zoom burst: Zoom the lens (either direction) during long exposures.

The power zoom ring itself is 3-speed and as mentioned, it would zoom the lens to it's shortest physical length when you turned the camera off (all zoom settings were also stored). Very power hungry (especially when using 2CR5 batteries - they were expensive then), it also resulted in the zoom rings feeling 'gritty' when manual zooming (even when new). The PZ zoom switches on the lens have proved (20yrs later) to be a weak point - I tape mine up, but unless you have a Z-1 or Z-10 there's no issue if it's broken.

The FA28-80/3.5-4.7 was actually 'above average' for a 28-80 when tested at the time (the 28-105 was better) - these were not 'kit' lenses (i.e. they were separate from the body and priced seperately). The lens cost £130 on it's own and £130 extra if bought with a Z-1 body (1992 prices). The lens gets poor reviews in the review section, but I feel this is unfair (and said so in my review).

[UMC]

... The FA28-80/3.5-4.7 was actually 'above average' for a 28-80 when tested at the time (the 28-105 was better) ...
The lens gets poor reviews in the review section, but I feel this is unfair (and said so in my review)....

I have to disagree. Even in analogue times the lens was easily outperformed by its cheapo alternative/successor smc Pentax FA 28-70 4.0 AL (and potentially by its smc Pentax-A and Pentax-F predecessors). My copy of the 28-80 3.5-4.7 feels wobbly and it shows in direct comparison with the plastic fantastic 28-70 and any other lens I have tested it against. I do agree that the 28-105 PZ was significantly better.