Comments on: The MZ-S is going back…. http://bkpix.com/blog/2010/02/the-mz-s-is-going-back/ Photography, art and and life in the Northwest Mon, 23 May 2011 15:59:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Maxim Novikov http://bkpix.com/blog/2010/02/the-mz-s-is-going-back/comment-page-1/#comment-110 Maxim Novikov Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:36:15 +0000 http://bkpix.com/blog/?p=698#comment-110 I second Asim's comments. I always used MZ-S with the grip (just liked it better this way), and the usual rechargeables would last forever. Now pepole tell me by using the 1.2 volt Ni-MH I missed half of the fun with Lithiums it work much faster - may be, but the speed was never a problem, and it's the first time I hear the complaint about battery wasting like this. As to A-mode - I've tried it with 70/2.4 yesterday, and what's the difference? Put it in P, start rotating the wheel (which puts the camera in Tv mode), see the aperture and speed in the viewfinder. Not a bid deal. Yes, on my other bodies I usually go with Av, but I didn't feel the other way around was such a big loss. I second Asim’s comments. I always used MZ-S with the grip (just liked it better this way), and the usual rechargeables would last forever. Now pepole tell me by using the 1.2 volt Ni-MH I missed half of the fun with Lithiums it work much faster – may be, but the speed was never a problem, and it’s the first time I hear the complaint about battery wasting like this.

As to A-mode – I’ve tried it with 70/2.4 yesterday, and what’s the difference? Put it in P, start rotating the wheel (which puts the camera in Tv mode), see the aperture and speed in the viewfinder. Not a bid deal. Yes, on my other bodies I usually go with Av, but I didn’t feel the other way around was such a big loss.

]]> By: Asim http://bkpix.com/blog/2010/02/the-mz-s-is-going-back/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Asim Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:56:57 +0000 http://bkpix.com/blog/?p=698#comment-100 I read your reasons for needing to return your MZ-S. About the first two points I have to say that with my MZ-S that I've been using for the past six years, I have only gone through 2 sets of CR2 batteries in the first two years and then for the next four years I used a battery grip with AA batteries that also seem to last forever. Perhaps you have an electronic short-circuit in your MZ-S that is draining the batteries. I once bought a used LX and noticed that it sucked the life out of new batteries overnight. I replaced that LX and the other the one I have now lasts a couple of years on one set of batteries. The other thing about not being able to read the film details in the perforation of Tri-X is that since Tri-X is a 400 speed film, it is more sensitive to light. Therefore you should set Pentax Function #15 to 'Low' in order for it to not print so blotchy. Perhaps you have Pentax Function #15 set to 'High' and therefore it is trying to imprint this data with too much light on such a sensitive film. I have used 400 speed film (Ilford HP5 and Provia 400X) and I have no problems reading the writing in the perforations. About the lenses... yes you are correct to not be able to use non-FA or non-A lenses on an MZ-S. You should get an FA lens, which is full-frame, and use that on your Pentax digital cameras without limitations. FA lenses can be found for very reasonable prices new and used. They all work on pentax digital cameras. But yes, I understand your dream of getting the impossible system. Perhaps if you hit the jackpot then you could get a film Leica MP and a full frame digital Leica M9 with a 21mm, 35mm, 50mm and 90mm. I'm estimating all this would cost you about 30,000 dollars bought new. Till then, we'll all keep dreaming without harm! :) I read your reasons for needing to return your MZ-S. About the first two points I have to say that with my MZ-S that I’ve been using for the past six years, I have only gone through 2 sets of CR2 batteries in the first two years and then for the next four years I used a battery grip with AA batteries that also seem to last forever. Perhaps you have an electronic short-circuit in your MZ-S that is draining the batteries. I once bought a used LX and noticed that it sucked the life out of new batteries overnight. I replaced that LX and the other the one I have now lasts a couple of years on one set of batteries.

The other thing about not being able to read the film details in the perforation of Tri-X is that since Tri-X is a 400 speed film, it is more sensitive to light. Therefore you should set Pentax Function #15 to ‘Low’ in order for it to not print so blotchy. Perhaps you have Pentax Function #15 set to ‘High’ and therefore it is trying to imprint this data with too much light on such a sensitive film. I have used 400 speed film (Ilford HP5 and Provia 400X) and I have no problems reading the writing in the perforations.

About the lenses… yes you are correct to not be able to use non-FA or non-A lenses on an MZ-S. You should get an FA lens, which is full-frame, and use that on your Pentax digital cameras without limitations. FA lenses can be found for very reasonable prices new and used. They all work on pentax digital cameras.

But yes, I understand your dream of getting the impossible system. Perhaps if you hit the jackpot then you could get a film Leica MP and a full frame digital Leica M9 with a 21mm, 35mm, 50mm and 90mm. I’m estimating all this would cost you about 30,000 dollars bought new. Till then, we’ll all keep dreaming without harm! :)

]]> By: Bob Keefer Photography - The perfect film camera from Pentax http://bkpix.com/blog/2010/02/the-mz-s-is-going-back/comment-page-1/#comment-96 Bob Keefer Photography - The perfect film camera from Pentax Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:26:46 +0000 http://bkpix.com/blog/?p=698#comment-96 [...] Ideally, a blend of the best features of Pentax’ two best cameras of the past, the LX and the MZ-S. It would be a basic, small, tough, weatherproof autofocus camera that would also play well with [...] [...] Ideally, a blend of the best features of Pentax’ two best cameras of the past, the LX and the MZ-S. It would be a basic, small, tough, weatherproof autofocus camera that would also play well with [...]

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