I think this is an ideal camera for Macro work. It has everything you want for that purpose; DOF Preview, Manual Focus, Aperture and Shutter Priority, and its small and light (works well on a tripod).

Polycarbonate lense mounting ring. While I don;t change lenses on this camera very often, I have found black specks in the viewfinder (has not affected images) which I suspect are plastic shavings from the mount. While I shoot mostly on a tripod, the Camera feels too light and small without the outside battery pack for hand holding.

I love this little Camera. I use it alsmost exclusivly with a Tamron 90mm Macro lense to shot Macro flower images.

Customer Service

Haven''t needed

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Retired my K1000 when I got this.

This camera is very intuitive. The emphasis on manual dials and controls rather than complex digital readouts makes this camera a breeze to use. It has a solid comfortable feel (at least for someone with smaller hands). The light meter has been spot on for every picture I''ve taken - and I do occassionally take pictures in high contrast situations that tend to fool meters. The electronic depth of field preview is a nice touch. Batteries last FOREVER in this thing (one of many advantages of a manual focus camera).

No diopter adjustment. This doesn''t pose much of a problem for me, but it irritates my wife (who wears glasses) to no end. Further, the readout in the viewfinder is somewhat difficult to read. The lack of TTL flash metering didn''t pose a problem for me, as I''m using a non-dedicated Vivitar 285HV flash with this unit that has its own sensor anyway (highly recommended by the way).

This is a great little camera. It''s minimalist approach and avoidance of "kitchen sink" gadgetry make it an ideal student''s camera. All the tools you need to understand the art of photography are incorporated into this camera, along with some nice little extras (most notably DOF preview). It''s very light weight, has excellent metering and is very low maintenance. This nature photographer gives this camera an enthusiastic thumbs up. Casual users who want to take family snapshots might be better served by an inexpensive autofocus model. Many can be purchased in the same price range as this one (The reason I only gave the value rating 4 stars). Coupled with a nice 28-200 auto focus lens, you''d be in business. Yet there''s no substitute for the degree to which a manual camera forces you to slow down and take control of your photographs. If you''re more interested in MAKING pictures than letting your camera TAKE pictures for you, manual is a great way to go - and I''m personally very satisfied with the performance of the ZX-M.

Customer Service

Never had to use

Similar Products Used:

Pentax MG-10?

lightweight, comfortable grip, good viewfinder, LONG battery life (still using the ones that were in it in the shop!), good exposure display, fits all newer pentax lenses.

no TTL metering

A great camera for the price! Manual focus is great for what I do (landscape and casual portraiture/candids). Lack of TTL metering can be inconvenient if you do a lot of flash work and are uncomfortable with a manual flash. Some are concerned that the polycarbonate body isn''t rugged enough, but I haven''t had any problems yet, and I''m not very gentle with it.... Good for beginners or anyone who wants to do available light photography. The well lit exposure display makes night scenes much easier to shoot. Pentax has some excellent lenses which can be purchased for much less than a comparable Nikon/Canon lens.

Customer Service

haven''t needed.

quite reliable, metering is bang on 95% of the time, great ergonomics. Along with my K1000, I''ve got the best of both worlds.

feels plasticy and cheap, but hey it works. I had a problem with the film transport container not advancing properly, would be better if it were manual advance, like Nikon''s FM10. Also, no multiple exposure mode.

Great camera to learn on or for the pro/enthusiast who doesn''t need all the bells and whistles of expensive auto focus bodies.

Customer Service

very good.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax K1000, Pentax Spotomatic

Inexpensive. Many K-mount lens available. Wealth of features (motorized film transport, program mode, aperture priority, shutter priority, full manual mode, depth of field preview, count-down timer, light weight, batteries last for years, exposure compensation. Go to www.pentax.com and find out more.

None that I''ve observed other than the PERCEPTION that the ZX-M is built cheaply because of its light weight. I''ve had mine for two years and I''ve not had a problem.

I’m own a Pentax ZX-M and I absolutely love it. I bought it two years ago and I’ve shot about 40 rolls of film ON THE SAME BATTERIES. In fact, I just replaced them two days ago. Unless you are traveling to the moon (and plan on staying there for a couple of years) batteries are not an issue. If you are planning on going on vacation in some remote region simply replace your batteries before you leave with a new set. The CR2 batteries cost me $10.49 for two at Wal*Mart. I’ve read several comments in the “weaknesses” category regarding the ZX-M NOT having an built-in flash. I guess that a built-in flash may be a little more convenient than lugging around your flash unit but have you ever seen the rotten pictures that you get when using a built-in flash? BIG TIME RED EYE. Look at your Mother-in-law’s photos that she took with her point and shoot with the built-in flash. All of the kids have “devil eyes.” I bought a Sunpak 266D (dedicated flash) and it is great ($48.95 through B&H photo). It has tilt head so you can use bounce flash. I’ve had better luck when I did NOT use a bounce flash. My photos never have red eye and my bounce flash attempts always seem to be under exposed. Back to the camera. You can buy a brand new body for $159 at B&H photo. WHAT A DEAL! In addition, Pentax is offering a $40 rebate on their SLRs purchased from November 1,2001 through January 31, 2002. Go to the the Pentax web site and search for cameras. Click on the “rebate” icon to print out your own mail-in rebate coupon. I ordered a ZX-M from B&H last night so that I can have a second body. One for color film and the other for black and white. $159 through B&H minus the $40 mail-in rebate to Pentax and I’ve got a brand new camera for $119. Don’t delay. The rebate ends January 31, 2002. Last week I was looking for a K1000 just because I want one and they go for around $160 to $200. The K1000 weighs more than a ZX-M and the shutter sounds really cool. Go to www.pentax.com and check out the specs for the ZX-M. That little camera does a LOT. Aperture priority, shutter priority, full program mode, full manual mode, and much, much more. If you’ve got a limited budget get the ZX-M body then go to a good camera shop and buy a used Pentax 50mm lens. I bought an f 1.4 for 75 bucks last year and I love it. The lens is heavier than the new lenses and the focusing feels great. You c

Auto picture modes, motorized transport of film, consecutive frame shooting and mid roll rewind. The program mode of exposure works best in low light.

This camera has many weakness. In my hands it does not feel rugged though it is made of high impact plastic. The lens mount is polycarbonate (it is tough), so heavier telephoto lenses are not compatible with it. The viewfinder eyepiece is plasticy (I have already scratched it). The viewfinder is small and not a bit dark. Impossible to do multiple exposure. No TTL flash facility. The body is so small that I find it uncomfortable to grip. The plastic battery back up is too costly. No spot metering and center weighted metering with KA, F and FA lenses. The number segments in light meter is too small and therefore it get fooled quite easily in trickly light conditions like light and shade. The body is too light (For me heavier bodies gives me more stability in grip).

It is a great beginner camera for the price you pay. It has three auto exposure modes, consecutive frame shooting and electronic self timer (cancellable). The auto loading feature, automatic frame advance, mid roll rewind (I used it quite a few times) and automatic rewind feature is quite impressive.

Customer Service

Not yet.

Similar Products Used:

None

This camera has every feature I want and none I don't. I learned to love the autoexposure/ manual focus combo on my tiny Pentax 110 SLR and generally use that setting with the ZX-M. (The closest competitor set up likewise is Minolta's X-700 for $100 more.) The body is very light and comfortable, and I feel this is a plus; I don't want scoliosis from photography! The controls are super simple and great to learn with. I have shot about 50 rolls over five months and haven't needed to change the batteries once.

Manual camera fans will dislike:
-loud winder
-light body
-plastic lensmount
-battery reliant shutter
-generally noisy

Electronic camera fans will dislike:
-no spotmeter
-no TTL flash metering
-no multiple exposure

I dislike:
- dim viewfinder with zoom lens indoors
-quite noisy

This camera is a great little companion for a new photographer and anyone without strong ties to either electronic or totally manual cameras. I would recommend it over anything under $300 for general photography.It's low cost and abundant used lenses make it top choice for a skinflint as well! A wildlife, action, or advanced flash photographer should look elsewere, though.

Customer Service

This camera hasn't needed any work!

Similar Products Used:

Pentax Auto 110
Canon Rebel G
Canon EX-EE

Very low price, very easy manual and automatic exposure operation, very light, very resistent, very well made, large lens compatibility list and very intuitive use.

Not TTL flash, no dual exposure, no automatic focus (bad for sports photos)

Very good camera for beginners or for short money users, pherhpas you will miss most the TTL flash and the missing autofocus option for rapid or movement photos. These two weaknesses can be surpassed by the extremely easy camera functioning!

Customer Service

Never experienced but seems very slow in Portugal

Similar Products Used:

Canon 500, Nikon Fe10, Nikon F70,Nikon F60

There is no competition at this price.
KNOBS!
Good viewfinder display.
Exposures very accurate.
Reasonable used lens selection.
Depth Of Field Preview

Plastic lens mount.
No TTL Flash.

The ZX-M is a wonderful little camera. I bought mine mail order from Abe's of Maine through Popular Photography, the total was $250 shipped for the ZX-M body (US warranty), Battery Pack FG, and Cable Switch F - UPS Blue Label INCLUDED. Great fit and balance with the AA battery pack, and better yet it has KNOBS! Unlike the N-70, I do not have to look at the top of the camera on tiptoes (often high on a tripod or in dim light) to see the exposure settings. I can just twist the knobs and look through the viewfinder using the LED exposure indicator, a welcome relief. I typically shoot manual for landscapes and macro shots, and in my opinion there is no better new SLR camera at even twice the price for these types of photography. The ZX-M makes wonderful photos with a brand new Pentax 24mm f/2.0AL(IF) as well as a mid-80's Sigma 50-200mm f/3.5-4.5 APO zoom (with or without the matching 3-element macro diopter). The internal exposure meter is well matched to the 50-100 speed slide films I shoot. I had a machinist make a tripod mounting collar for the Sigma APO lens, it is quite heavy and I did not trust the plastic mount on the ZX-M with a large amount of weight. Camera, battery pack and 24mm f/2 fit well in hand for candids in crowds, though the winder is NOISY. You may sneak up on your subject but you won't sneak away. Winder speed is adequate for most any application short of sports (you would probably want AF for motion anyway). Flash capabilities ( lack of TTL) are a bummer, with TTL flash this camera would be a giant killer. As it stands, I will be purchasing a ZX-5n to gain automatic off-camera TTL flash capabilites. Depth of field preview is a welcome addition, though it, like the winder, is noisy. The viewfinder is bright but the eyecup on it works better with glasses than without. The tripod socket on the battery pack is very shallow -I had to grind down the mounting screw on the quick release plate for a Bogen 3030 head. For the money it costs, this camera could almost be considered disposable - better yet, buy two and always have Velvia AND black-and-white at the ready. In summary - if you shoot sports and motion or need lots of flash control at a moment's notice (Slow-speed sync, TTL, balanced fill flash, rear curtain sync), buy a Nikon AF SLR. If you shoot available light for macros, landscapes, still lifes or fine art, nothing can touch the ZX-M for your money. My N70 body was $400 and has NO depth-of-field preview. The ZX-M has DOF preview and cost about $140 by itself. As a final note, everyone likes to sing the praises about the availability of used K-Mount lenses. In my experience, there are far more used Nikon F than Pentax K lenses out there, some at better prices, particularly when you are searching for 20mm or 24mm lenses or big, bright telephotos (300mm f/2.8, 400mm f/4, etc.) While it is true that there are many K-Mount lenses in circulation, ask yourself how many manual Takumars with no coatings you would really WANT, regardless of price. If you are shooting K-Mart lenses then you will be impressed with the used Pentax lens selection, if you want prime or fast/big glass, I think you will be disappointed or markedly poorer. I ended up buying the 24mm f/2.0 lens NEW for $400 shipped as I could not find a quality 24mm that was as good a value, even in a slower aperture. Most 24mm f/2.8s PK-A's were selling for $250 and up in Shutterbug USED, and I could not even find a 24mm Pentax K lens on eBay for a solid month. Good Pentax glass fetches a handsome sum, so be sure to look at the total cost of ownership for the camera body and the lenses you plan to buy from several different manufacturers, whether new or used. This may be the only factor that slightly diminishes the value of the ZX-M when compared to other SLRs.

Customer Service

Have not needed it yet.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N-70
Nikon F2A
Nikon FG
Minolta X-700
Rollei Prego 145

PRICE!!! Controls nicely arranged and easy to read and use. Low battery consumption. Abundance of very affordable lenses available.

No TTL, plastic lens mount. Noisy.

I bought this camera to relearn photography after being away for nearly 15 years. I love it. Wonderful price and fun camera to use. I did have some problems using an old Vivitar 2000 flash with it--the mirror was delaying when returning to the down position. Had to get a dedicated flash. Everything works great now!
imollie@aol.com

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

Old manual Minolta-don't remember the model