Metal body, exposure data imprinting between perforation (it doesn't get cut!), advanced flash technology (wirelless, HSS, P-TTL), fast AF (also in low light), light and small

AF point selection requires you to get used to...

This is really the one Pentax AF camera that I have been waiting for! It is the smallest and the lightest camera that has so many modern features and is packed in metal body. It is very durable, has very intuitive user interface, very fast AF (I have compared it with EOS-3, and it is on pair with it at least at shorter focal lengths and F2.8). It is not cheap, but still at least 200$ cheaper than other metal bodies like Nikon F-100 or Minolta Dynax 9. Yes it has not 4 frames/s like Z1P - but it is different animal - it is directed to active photographers, who don't care about such a things, but want as much as needed and as little as possible... I am very glad I have sold my old, faithful Z1P and replaced it with MZ-S.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax MZ-50, Pentax Z1P, Contax G1, Nikon N80

Build, size, ergonomocs and layout, features.

Focus point slection and drive speed. For me the fps speed is minor, the focus point could have been done better

I have just purchased the MZ-S and would like to make a few coments. I shoot with two other sysems, Minolta and Canon. I started with Pentax and a trusty K1000 which I still have. When I jumped to autofocus, I did'nt choose Pentax for several reason. The major being that it didn't have a pro-grade 35mm. The PZ1-P is nice but was not build like the LX or the MZ-S. All I can say is "I'M BACK." I love this camera. It is small and featured packed. I love the DOF push lever. I love the slant of the top. The MZ-S with vertical grip is only a little bigger than my Maxxum 9 or EOS 3 without the grips and lighter. It is well designed and easy to use. I didn't have to read the manual and was shooting in less than 15 minutes. This camera is a gem and fits nicely into the Pentax system. I think that it holds its own against the F100, EOS 3, or Maxxum 7 and can even play ball with the F5, EOS 1v, and Maxxum 9. It may not have all the features of the other top models, but each has its strengths and weakness. And the MZ-S has things that the other don't. Pentax if your listening, you did good. Only two complaints; 1) choosing focus point, a button on back would be better. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being major problem and 10 very minor, I would rate this about 5. 2) 2.5 fps, slow but in order to achieve size understandable. I would rate this a about 3. If you do action/fast sports, may not meet needs. Overall if I could give 4.9 stars, it would be more accurate. My favorite is still Maxxum 9, but this gem is a very close second. Actually, I would rate it as 9 is 1a, MZ-S is 1 b. Pentaxans have great reason to be proud

Customer Service

Never used personally. When I worked in a camera repair shop, Pentax was slow but above average for actually fixing the problem [US repair only].

Similar Products Used:

Own Maxxum 9,7,Htsi. Canon EOS 3, ElanIIe, Rebel 2000. Have owned Maxxum 800si, 600si, Nikon N70, Canon Rebel. Have used F5, 9xi

Great build quality. Ease of use. Very attractive camera. Fits every Pentax lens back to the 1970's.

I REALLY wish the camera came in silver to match my Pentax Limited Edition lenses. These silver lenses do not look good on the all black body.

In my opinion, this is the BEST 35mm camera ever manufacured by Pentax. I have owned many Pentax cameras (PZ-1, PZ-20, SF1, ZX-5N, etc.), but none come close to the quality, ease of use, "feel", and overall professional capabilities of the Pentax MZ-S. As soon as I held the camera, I knew it was for me. The camera fits and balances perfectly to my hands. The viewfinder is exceptionally bright and the autofocus is quick & accurate. The metering is correct 99% of the time. The balance of the camera has to be experienced to be believed. Combine this camera with the exceptional Pentax FA lenses and you have the best that 35mm can offer.

Customer Service

Have not used. Web site is good.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax PZ-1, PZ-20, SF1, ZX-5N, ZX-M.

Diecast magnesium alloy housing, AA battery adapter, and fast autofocus.

LESS features than the older PZ-1. The AF is fast, but it gets confused if there are a lot of subjects in your viewfinder.

I borrowed this camera from a friend and QUICKLY gave it back to him. I have been using an old Pentax PZ-1 for several years and was amazed to discover that the MZ-S has LESS features than a ten-year-old camera!!! The MZ-S has a slower shutter speed, flash sync and less user-friendly control layout than the PZ-1. I can't believe Pentax is billing this baby as a "professional" camera! If this is what they call professional, Pentax should just quit and hand the business over to Nikon. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Pentax PZ-1 more than any Nikon I've ever used, but Pentax needs to discontinue the MZ-S fast! The only things the MZ-S has that I wish the PZ-1 has are a diecast magnesium alloy housing, a AA battery adapter, and a faster autofocus system. However, the MZ-S autofocus system has a tendency to get confused with crowded images -- it tries to focus on too many things at once -- I never had that problem with my PZ-1. Still, I'll gladly pay for expensive batteries, a plastic body and a slower autofocus if it means I get all the features of the PZ-1.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N90, Pentax PZ-1, Olympus IS-3dlx

1. Excellent quality 2. Easy to use 3. All the features you could ever use 4. Built in flash

1. Only 2.5 fps in continuous 2. Not a wide variety of manufacturer lenses like Nikon and Canon

Excellent camera. Easy to use, can be customized with the Pentax functions to meet your needs. I find the program accurate, and well planned. A very thoughtful layout which is easy to use. Get the optional grip...makes handling much nicer.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Pentax LX - a great camera Voigtlander Bessa R - for street photography

*Strong & light body: very well made *Well laid out: exposure mode change is very fast *Mirror slap is very minimal & quiet *Fast 6 point autofocus *Excellent battery grip (BG-10) & that uses AA batteries: bonus *Advanced flash (with new FGZ 360) *Excellent metering

*Battery consumption is high (even with battery grip) *Part of the rubber grip on body started to peel (fixed) *Drive motor is weak & slow: could use higer torque motor or a bigger power source *No sealing against the elements *Expensive

I see this camera as being an evolution of the MZ/ZX line rather than a full-on Z1p replacement. While it borrows some of the Z1p features, it''s layout & simple interface are clearly MZ/ZX. I think that Pentax did an excellent job in creating a pro level camera that is super light and small. No one has anything like it. It should have a strong following among nature & adventure photographers because of this. While it may lack some features of the upper level Nikons & Canons, on the whole is has what you need. What this camera does need however is sealing on the body against dust & moisture, and a stronger & faster motor drive. A non-obvious feature of this camera is the very soft, quiet mirror slap. On my Z1p, I can get mirror slap vibrations at 1/125 of a second with a 300 mm lens on a tripod. I frequently use the 2 second self-timer. On the MZ-S, I can shoot with my 300 mm (on a tripod) at speeds as low as 1/60 of a second & get sharp photos without using the self-timer. This is a great improvement. While there are some things that should be upgraded on the MZ-S, this is a nature & adventure photographers dream camera. Highly recommended.

Customer Service

Good but slow

Similar Products Used:

Z1p (own) Canon EOS Elan II

Value for money. Ruggedness. All those lenses at the secondhand counter still fits the body and gives you a ''in focus'' signal at a fraction of the price.

None for me. Sports photographers will want more fps, 2.5 is slow for that aplication(the z1-p was faster).But then if you''re pro into sport get a eos D30 or Nikon D1x at that price!! The high end shutter speed at 1/6000 might be a problem with fast lenses into strong light with aperture priority selected. As I said - some people with special needs....

I like to ''feel'' a camera before I buy it, and this one felt right !! Great product that will have a few shortcomings for a few specialised users, but overall you will have to spend at least 3 times as much on another brand to beat it.

Customer Service

None needed

Similar Products Used:

MZ5-n, Z1-p, Contax 167MT

Build quality:) Simple!:) Enjoyable to use!:)

Selection of AF points(really should light up and be easier to use) cannot use IR film.

This camera is wounderful in its'' simplicity! Very user friendly. Just not as bright a viewscreen as The Nikon F100 I tested, but a natural brightness which is fine. Eyerelief is pretty good but it could be a bit better since I wear glasses, so test that out. I can definetly see all of the screen but I had to shift my gaze just a tad bit to see the information below. I don''t use AF points because I''m more comfortable at really focusing at what I want and then recomposing. But for those that may need it may find it uncomfortable to use. I would use the left index finger. For those of you interested the MZ-S cannot use IR film. It will fog beacuse it uses an LED to count sproket holes. Good thing I have an MX!. Build quality is excellent. Very solid. It is truely a pleasure to hold especially with the battery grip which should of had a dial on it. Most of the controls on the camera are very well placed and I just loved playing around with it using a test roll to feel the camera out. The slanted top presentation is excellent. If you like simple straight foward controls of a manual camera, and in way it feels like it because of the placement of shutter speed dial and the fact that you must use the Apreture ring for apreture prioity, and want some automation then this camera is definetly very, very cool to use.

Customer Service

None yet Beach camera prices are good but customer service and sales is really shotty so good luck!

Similar Products Used:

MX W/M 50 1.4 Nikon 6006

User interface is exceptionally well designed, with all the frequently used features at my fingertips

none!

Long awaited replaicement for PZ-1P, simply put, a joy to use. This camera doesnt just have a professional feel it has professional performance to match

Customer Service

Supeb

Similar Products Used:

PZ-1P, SFXn, LX

Build Quality. Ease of use and handling. Ability to switch from Manual to Program mode with just a press of a button. Button layout - they are where they should be. Not laden with too many features you wonder if you''ll ever use. Finally the vertical grip!! 19 customizable functions. Efficient DOF switch design. Accurate metering. Fast auto-focus. Convenient DOF switch. Bright viewfinder. Light-weight. Rugged construction.

The BG-10 vertical grip lacks a dial (or wheel) that functions exactly like the main dial. Thus, in vertical position with hands on the vertical grip, you still need to reach out for the main dial to adjust shutter speed. But this is a minor quibble.

The first thing that came into my mind when I first put my hands on it, was that this camera is a dream to use! Handling is fantastic - just suits nicely with small-handed people like me. Buttons are well laid-out. If you have bigger hands, the optional BG-10 grip fits the bill. It not only improves handling but it also provides longer battery mileage; vertical grip with shutter release, AE-lock and DOF preview. I just wish the vertical grip had a dial or wheel that can be operated by the index finger or thumb that functions same as main dial. Because the buttons are placed where they should be, you''ll start using this camera instinctively, without much finger gymnastics. It''s a camera that puts you in control. Not as big and feature-laden as the other pro "big boys" out there, but has all the features I''ll ever need. I shoot just about anything of interest especially oudoors, people, places, landscapes to closeups and this camera has all that i needed. Small, handy yet heavy-duty & rugged in construction. Autofocus is fast and snappy (faster than my MZ-3). Metering is accurate. Viewfinder is bright especially when using primes like the Pentax 50mm f1.7 or the 100mm f2.8 macro. And oh, that DOF switch is very conveniently placed around the collar of the shutter release button! - a first.

Customer Service

Haven''t tried - didn''t need.

Similar Products Used:

MZ-3 (own), MZ-50 (own), Canon EOS 500n (used)