Well design for good grip, button is easily access without moving the eye away from the eye viewer are another 2 strengths on top of the other review.

None

Will use it for life, constantly upgrade lenses.

Customer Service

-

Similar Products Used:

No

Everything I would want on an SLR- features, price and compared to any other top camera I can afford, perfect

vague on exposures with nonFA lenses (older). The manual is VERY difficult.

The strengths have already said it all

Similar Products Used:

NikonFG etc. Pentax ME

Fully-featured . I wanted a fast motor drive on an auto-focus camera, with good flash performance, spot metering, and DOF preview.

The bottom trim round the battery door is fragile, and the camera is not sealed enough for extreme conditions.

The auto-focus is showing its age by now; it's only a single-sensor system, and it sometimes hunts (although it's fast enough to keep a heavy lens focussed on a fast-moving vehicle). But apart from that I've been very pleased with the camera since I bought it in 1995; the fill-flash compensation calculations, in particular, have been a constant source of satisfaction. It still compares well to bodies costing two and three times as much as the $500 street price (down from $650 when I purchased it).

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Canon Elan IIe; Nikon N90;
Pentax MX

Everything! It feels like a real camera in your hands, the weight is perfect, and the grip for the right hand fits like a glove. Love the 9 frames feature, what fun that is for creating way cool pics.

It does not have an external battery pack like a Canon or Nikon. Built in flash, wish they had left it of like the Nikon N90.

I love this camera! I have had it for about 8 months. Prior to this camera I owned a Canon AE-1 and it was a dream. Now that I have used the PZ-1P, well I am glad that I went with it rather than a new Canon or Nikon.

Customer Service

Have not need to use them, but they have been very quick and informative when it comes to answering tech. question.

Similar Products Used:

Canon & Nikon.

the HYPER mode for instant exposure, and creative control

Noise, noise, noise, and Autofocus

I've owned the Pentax PZ1-p for the last 2-3 years now, and I must say I'm very happy with it. It has many useful and unique features, without which I'd be lost as an advanced amateur photographer. The street price of the camera has dropped from $510 to just under $490 in the last few months amidst rumors that Pentax will be bringing out a new top of the line replacement, but those rumors always boil hotter and hotter every year as can be witnessed on the Pentax discussion list. Nevertheless, I do think that some time in the near future we will see the PZ1-p replaced as top dog in the Pentax line. Until then, though, like most Pentax gear, this camera will go on being useful until your hands fall off.

I've always been a Pentax person, since my introduction to cameras and photography started with my father's K1000. But now, I think I would consider other brands, especially since the features are pretty remarkable as the technology behind the scenes becomes more and more advanced. Bear in mind, though, that technology enhances your mind's eye, and should never replace it. Still, the prices of non-Pentax equipment are still somewhat out of reach for the average weekend shooter.

In fact, one of the most annoying things about this camera, if I were to compare it to the Nikons and Canons, would be the fact that it is a noisy bugger. The AF hunting isn't just slow in and out, it's very jolting and harsh, going from one end fo the focal scale to the other, and back, racking the lens in and out as fast as it can. Which is good for speed, bad for noise. The shutter is also a mojor noisemaker, but it doesn't bother me as much as it does some other people. The only time I hear it is when I'm trying to photograph wildlife, or sneak in a shot of that shy friend, but even then, I tolerate it. One last noisemaker on this camera is the power-rewind/frame advance. Forget trying to get in "the last shot" at an event where the surroundings are relatively quiet, like at a wedding ceremony. Just forget it. Even with the faults, though, I find this camera a joy to use. If you're a new photographer, or even if yo're just looking for a new extra body, consider this fine offering from Pentax.

A more in-depth version of this review can be found on my website at www.focalwidth.com, complete with appropriate pictures. Come on by and drop me a line especially if you like Pentax.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax P-30T

-Sturdy
-Full-featured
-Ergonomically designed
-Accurate and fast
-Price

-Autofocus and shutter are a bit loud
-A few too many plastic pieces, though they are very durable
-Isn't fully compatible with the old K-mount lenses

I'm not quite sure where to begin. Most cameras I've used over the years have had almost as many weaknesses as strengths, but this one has so few weaknesses, and such minor ones, that they're almost not worth mentioning.

The PZ-1p is about the best pro-body one could hope to own/use, especially for the price. It's a wonder more people don't have them! I guess people are so busy trying to buy the Canons and Nikons for the name that they're overlooking the quality they can get for far less money with a name that has held strong for decades.

The metering system is more than sufficient to always produce perfectly exposed pictures, especially when combined with the auto bracketing feature. And the mirror lockup (when the 2 second timer is used) makes for great long exposures with no camera shake.

Putting the hotshoe to the right side of the camera is great for reducing redeye without a preflash burst, as well as for leaving room for its extra-large LCD display (it shows everything you need to know, and will even light up when you tell it to, so no mistakes are made in the dark).

The built-in AF spotbeam assist is great...even better than the one on the Pentax dedicated flashes. Some say that the autofocus is a bit slow, but, seriously, unless you're trying to get pictures of the Concorde flying at you at ground level, it is more than sufficient. It hasn't failed me yet, and I shoot a lot of moving things.

The controls are perhaps the most well-placed on any camera. Everything can be done without having to move your hands around the body, or taking your eye from the viewfinder.

The adjustable diopter has about the largest range I've seen of any camera...+1.50 to -2.00, so even a blind person like me can use it without glasses or contacts.

And, though it has nothing to do with the camera's ability to produce perfectly exposed and focused shots, the grip is phenomenal. It fits the hand perfectly.

Though I've seen some cameras that have a few more features, and there aren't many that do, for what you pay for these bodies alone, you can get the PZ-1p body, a good flash, and a couple of great lenses. And, though Pentax is said to be releasing a new camera body within the next few months, I believe the PZ-1p is still about the best you can get, especially for the money. It's been their flagship pro camera for over five years running. It's so nearly perfect, almost no improvements have been needed!

So, for the price, I would have to swear by the PZ-1p. It makes me cringe to see people running around with Nikon F100's and F5's, knowing they've spent what they have for their bodies, when I have produced equally good, if not better, shots with my Pentax. But it also brings a nice, broad grin to my face to know I'm outdoing them without outdoing my budget. Get one. You'll love it!

Customer Service

Haven't had to use it yet

Similar Products Used:

Pentax ZX-50, K1000; Vivitar V4000; Nikon F100, N90s; Canon AE1, Elan IIE, A2, EOS 1N

ease and speed of use,
compatability.

Noisy

I use this camera for weddings and portrature.
along with an MZ5n and find it exceptional value for money. The metering which is crutial in my line of work, is reliable and accurate (cant say the same for the EOS5 ). A real pleasure to use and own. Shame about the noisy shutter and auto focus especially with Tokina ATX pro 28 - 80 lens.

Customer Service

Good in Australia.

Similar Products Used:

EOS 5. MZ5n

- Easy to use;
- good metering

- dark viewfinder;
- hard to see LCD in a viewfinder because of glasses!
- hard to manage with heavy lens;
- non weather resistant;
- noisy!

Good camera but has a lot of minuses, I decided to go for Nikon

Customer Service

had no problems

Similar Products Used:

MZ-5N

- Easy to understand interface, large backlit LCD
- Ergonomics (extremely well-placed controls)
- Metering system (8 segment)
- Proprietary Hyper mode (switch from Program to everything-Priority without looking up from the viewfinder)

- Single point focus though I tend to focus and compose anyway
- Noise (which hasn't been too much of a problem)
- Eyepiece does not work well with glasses (I replaced mine with an eyepiece from the MZ-3)

Though it's an older model (introduced in 1994), the PZ-1p still has the easiest interface and ergonomically placed controls compared to other makers.

Great features include the single (point and lock)/servo (continuous tracking), and manual focus modes, Hyper mode (switch from Program to Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority mode AND back without looking up from the viewfinder (try that with other models!), and a multitude of other great functions.

The 8-segment metering works great and though people may knock the auto-focus speed and range of cover, it's surprisingly good and I haven't had a problem with it yet.

Though there is the imminent release of the new flagship model (MZ-S) which is sure to be fairly pricey, the PZ-1p offers a top of the line model at an extremely reasonable price.

Customer Service

None necessary yet

Similar Products Used:

MZ-3, MZ-10

I love this camera.
This camera seems to be pretty much the best deal going - and it's 10 year old technology! I know it's a fully automatic camera, but as a beginner, with a little reading, I was able to take some very nice pictures in no time at all. Easy to use manually or in a program mode. Fantastic camera.

User Manual is not often clear.

As a newcomer to photograpy, I read a lot, researched a lot, asked a lot of questions. Salespeople would always push me toward Nikon or Cannon - nice cameras as well, but the PZ-1p seemed to be the better all around choice from many review. Armed with my Kodak Guide to 35mm Photography (one of the BEST books out there) and my new PZ-1p, I was able to easily compose and shoot many fantastic pictures. Many, many more to come.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

None, other than point-and-shoot, bought based on a combination of reviews, here, at other sites and in magazines