DESCRIPTION

The sleek, slim Vivitar PZ 3815DB has a long 4X zoom range plus a good range of shutter speeds and optional modes for creative uses. The body front is nearly flat as the lens almost fully retracts into the body. A raised, rubberized grip area assists in holding it securely. Control buttons are large and well marked. Most are located on a rounded surface on the back near the viewfinder. Fast quiet zooming is done by pressing on either end of a wobble switch. The viewfinder is large and bright with very clear focus frame and close-focus markings. The film counter shows the number of frames on the large LCD. Although the ISO 100 flash range is good at the wide lens position, it’s a bit limited at full telephoto, so use of a faster film is suggested for telephoto flash use. Test prints all had excellent, very sharp detail at all focal lengths and subject distances. The flash evenly covered the field at both wide and telephoto positions and balanced well outdoors when used as daylight fill.