Pentax MZ-50 / ZX-50
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| Pro | I prefer the MZ50 to the newer MZ60. The viewfinder tells you exactly what is going on when you are going to shoot.
Lighter than the new DSLR, so I prefer it for that. | ||
| Contra | probably the lack of being able to use other lenses with it, although you can use a non autofocus, unlike the MZ60 whihc you can't | ||
| Thoughts | love my MZ 50 | ||
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| Pro | My first Pentax was Z-20 than ZX-50 with a Tamron 28-80. It is a satisfaction work with it as a beginner but sooner or later you will need a pro body.
Great results for pictures in nature.Also is a best manual for understanding a SLR :exposure metering, simple autofocus,light and easy to handle. | ||
| Contra | -non acurate AF
-to much plastic(seems fragile) | ||
| Thoughts | A good start for a beginner ! | ||
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| Pro | The exposure metering of this camera is just outstanding - I have been using Velvia 100F with my 35-80 with great results !(I spoiled some pics doing corrections!) I have seen some photos from Canon EOS 300 and 28-90 - I dont know if this camera has any exposure metering and the lens shows heavy flare on each photo ! | ||
| Contra | AF is not accurate in very bright scenes | ||
| Thoughts | The best value for money! | ||
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| Pro | Good basic camera. AF speed is good although not good with tricky light. I now mostly use with manual focus. Very good for P&S, have been using it to shoot when it is concealed. Have used it for 5.5 years now and has yet to fail me. | ||
| Contra | As mentioned before ambitious amateurs will quickly outgrow this camera as I did, although only now have resources to replace it. Not much else | ||
| Thoughts | This camera works solidly and will be used as a backup to my new camera. Sorry to hear that it has been disconntinued as it is a good entry level camera. Manual override of Auto features is simple and lcd display is clear and easy to understand. This is a good camera. | ||
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| Pro | I sent in a letter the other day requesting to get another MZ50, I have one and love it, and now find that the current model is out of date. What is the difference between MZ50 &ZX50?. Can anyone help me? locate one , even to borrow for our trip to Africa end of July. | ||
| Contra | Can't get one in shops, delteted line? | ||
| Thoughts | You can emaiil me at [email protected] | ||
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| Pro | I have a MZ50 bought seconhand last year & have used it travelling around Aust. I love it and want another, one for slides and one for prints.But alas I find today they are now discontinued. Where oh wher can I get another before travellign to Africa at end of July. Can I buy or beg or borrow..Please help Me... | ||
| Contra | ......... | ||
| Thoughts | ............ | ||
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| Pro | It was my first SLR and I still love it. It's very handy and basic, but that's what makes it so easy to take good pictures. The body is very light weighted and thus practical for travel photography. Although I've been owning a Z1-P now I still love this little beauty. | ||
| Contra | As i said before, the features are really basic so ambitious amateurs will soon grow out of it. | ||
| Thoughts | The best choice for beginners. | ||
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| Pro | Simple, basic, 'vegetarian' autofocus SLR. Vegetarian? -it gives you all that you need when you start(learning) out in the SLR level of today. The 4 program and 1 green modes turns it into a point and shoot, the AV or TV mode gives you control over aperture or shutter priority control, and the M mode allows you to 'bracket' the exposure (that's how I've been using it anyways). Modes are changed on a dial on the left of the body (where you can also manually adjust the film ISO) and each mode are adjusted with the same finger that you use to fire the shutter away on a dial that is located around the er...shutter button. And you get to see all the information on the top LCD panel (I actually learnt from the program modes before venturing into the aperture priority method). I am getting verbose here, but the camera is anything but that. And it can shoot nearly 2 frames per second! | ||
| Contra | Plastic lens mount. Incompatiblity with non Pentax-FA lenses. Noisy autofocus motor. I dont think it's fair to complain about it's one way only light metering (it copes well enough if the lighting is not too tricky). Is the crappy flash a pro or a con? Depends on your need (go get a proper flash unit), I seldom use the flash. | ||
| Thoughts | I've had this little beauty since '98. By now, it's body is battered, scratched, tattooed, etc. I've used it from street photography to landscape in the country, and it's seen rain, abuse (from people who didnt want to be photographed), heat, humidity...etc...and it still works. This I had not expected from a body that's never been designed to do work of a higher end (or pro) SLR. Ultimately I've grown out of it, and in fact have acquired a couple of all metal and mechanical pentax SLR bodies to accompany it.Funny how I learned from an AF camera, only to move back down to older manual cameras which are even more basic! I see a few contributors here have commented about the lack of lens selection in the Pentax system- this is not a problem for me- they're actually affordable for the kind of picture quality they produce. I like the camera as a photographic tool, but like I've said, I've gotten bored of it- but only as a technological gadget. | ||
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| Pro | Excellent camera for the average user. The auto focus features and "green" setting make taking photos very simple. Auto film loading is a plus. | ||
| Contra | Batteries are expensive so I had to get the Pentax Battery Pack. Electronic remote trigger is a draw back, due to cost. | ||
| Thoughts | Overall a very good camera. I also have a Ricoh and the fact that I can interchange the lenses is great. I like the ability to use older manual lenses in the auto mode to get the auto focus features. | ||
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| Pro | Very light in weight and easy to handle. Good autofocus system. Superior to the cheap Nikons and Canons in handling ease and surprisingly the exposure accuracy of its relatively simple metering pattern is uncannily accurate. | ||
| Contra | Practically unusable with lenses not having the "A" setting on them. | ||
| Thoughts | Good Value, if one is a beginner and does not have a stock of Pentax lenses before the "A" setting was added to them. | ||
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| Pro | ONE OF THE BETTER CAMERAS FOR THE PRICE. A BETTER VALUE THAN THE COMPARABLE CANON REBELS AND MINOLTAS WITH SIMILAR FEATURES. VERY QUICK AND ACCURATE AUTOFOCUS IN COMPARISON TO PAST PENTAX BODIES. GREAT VIEWFINDER THAT DISPLAYS ALL THE INFORMAITON THAT ONE NEEDS FOR TAKING GREAT PICS. VERY LIGHTWEIGHT AND COMPACT, AN EASY ACCESSORY TO TAKE WITH YOU. THE CAMERA'S BUILT IN FLASH HAS A VERY QUICK RECHARGE. THE TWO FRAMES PER SEC COMES IN VERY HANDY. | ||
| Contra | THE BODY IS TOO LIGHT, AND SEEMS TO BE FRAGILE, ALTHOUGH I AM SURE IT IS VERY STURDY. THE LENS MOUNT IS ALSO MADE OF PLASTIC, A CONCERN FOR THOSE WITH EARLIER PENTAX BODIES WHO ARE USE TO THE METAL MOUNTS. THE AUTOFOCUS, ALTHOUGH FAST AND ACURATE, IS STILL A LITTLE LOUD AND JITTERY, A PROBLEM WITH OTHER PENTAX MODELS. THOSE WITH EARLIER PENTAX BODIES WITH FIND THAT THEIR LENSES ARE INCOMPATIBLE IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE "A" SETTING. | ||
| Thoughts | OVERALL THIS CAMERA IS A GREAT VALUE IN COMPARISON TO OTHER MODELS IN IT'S RANGE. IT HAS MORE THAN ENOUGH FEATURES FOR THE AVERAGE USER. BEGININERS WILL FIND IT EASY TO USE. THE VIEWFINDER IS ONE OF THE BEST, AND MOST INFORMATIVE THAT IVE SEEN IN THIS RANGE. THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS WITH THE CONSTRUCTIO, BECUASE I JUST DOESNT FEEL LIKE I'M HOLDING A CAMERA WITH POWER. IT FEELS LIKE A POINT AND SHOOT, BUT TRUST ME THIS CAMERA TAKES PICTURES AND FUNCTIONS LIKE A HIGH END SLR!! | ||
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| Thoughts | First SLR I bought. Wonderful camera for a beginner, taught me a lot about taking pictures. For the money spent rated A++++. | ||
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| Thoughts | I am new to Photography and choose the Pentax ZX-50 after considering all the other base models. I am very impressed with the features vs. price and how easy it is to learn. I am learning with all the automatic features turned off, but like the fact that they are there for when I might use them in the future. I am also pleased that both manual and auto-focus pentax lenses work with this camera. My roommate has a K1000 and we can use each other's lenses. | ||
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| Thoughts | I´ve got my camera for to days now, I am used to a Pentax K-1000. This is a great camera, no extras to confuse you, just the basic features of the K-1000 made so mutch eayseier to use, I almost have to sleep with this camera at night! It has never been easyer and faster to "Make the kill", and still you have four extra programes to finetune the picture, without beeing an expert photogarpher. And I like the Posibilyti too disabele everything - then I have my good old K-1000 back again! | ||