Pentax PZ-1P

This camera is no longer in production, or so I am told. But it is still available in lots of stores. I have had one for 4 years now and I am very satisfied with it. At that it was their top of the line 35mm camera though now they have the MZ-S. It has more features than the comparable priced Nikon and Canon. The pentax lenses are famed and it can take all of them. Infact, Pentax has maintained backward compatability between lenses and thats why they are the most favored lenses. Almost all manual focus cameras used (specially in India) use the Pentax-K mount lenses which this camera can take. It is very robust too and has taken a lot of beating from me.

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INTRODUCTION

To start, I just want you all to know I am never a Pentax fan and I have never considered using a Pentax. This is nothing to do with the brand, just my personal preference. I have such thinking in the past might be due to the fact that I am seldom expose to this brand, while I am so used to the more popular Nikon and Canon.

BUILD

When I get to hold the Pentax PZ-1P, I know I am holding a serious stuff. A look at it might be deceiving as it does not look as good and solid as the Nikon F100 or maybe even the Nikon F80. But if you are to base on look alone, you are really very wrong.

The build of the Pentax PZ-1P is very solid and strong. I believe unless you really attempt to drop it from a few meters, I don’t think any rough handling on the camera is going to break it apart. I just have the feeling that it will last very long.

The Pentax PZ-1P provides a very good design handgrip, which make shooting in both horizontal and vertical position easy and steady.

FOCUSING

The Pentax PZ-1P offers both Auto focus and Manual focus to the user.

In the Manual Focus mode, focusing is done by turning the focusing ring on the lens till the image on the viewfinder look sharp. This operation is normally the same for a lot of camera.

In the Auto focus mode, it offers Single Shot AF and Continuous Predictive Servo AF. The core of the PZ-1P's auto focus system is the upgraded SAFOX II (Sensor Ability Fortifying Optical Compensation System) sensor unit. It guarantees accurate focus of the subject even under extremely poor illumination. The high-speed Predictive AF mode can calculate the position of a fast moving subject at shutter release. As a result, a subject on the move is always captured in sharp focus.

In addition, the Pentax PZ-1P also provides snap-in focus (available only when manual focus KA or K mount lenses are used).

EXPOSURE

The Pentax PZ-1P offers 3 types of metering systems, namely,

1) 8 Segments

2) Center Weighted

3) Spot

It offers 7 Advance modes, as in

1) Program

2) Shutter Priority

3) Aperture Priority

4) Hyper Program

5) Hyper Manual

6) Manual Bulb

7) TTL Program Auto Flash, Automatic exposure compensation provided with multi-pattern metering

The Pentax PZ-1P does not provide Vari Programs mode as in the cheaper options.

FEATURES

The Pentax PZ-1P also provides the following features

01) Build in TTL Flash

02) Flash Sync of 1/250s

03) Panorama Mode

04) Timer

05) Exposure Compensation

06) Auto Exposure Lock

07) Auto Exposure Bracketing

08) Multiple Exposure

09) Depth of Field Preview

10) Shutter Speed of 1/8000s to 30s plus Bulb

11) 4 fps at Continuous Shooting

LENS

The Pentax PZ-1P employ the Pentax KAF2 Bayonet Lens Mount.

The PZ-1P will accept the entire range of Pentax K-Mount lens line, and also includes manual-focus SMC Pentax models.

Pentax lenses tends to be more expensive, there are cheaper third party lenses available from the likes of Sigma, Tamron etc for selection to meet your needs at a very reasonable price.

QUALITY TEST

I can’t really remember when did we actually try out this camera, it should be somewhere in July or August 2001, just a week after he got it in New York when he was there on business.

I remember loading the Pentax PZ-1P with a roll of Fuji Superia Reala 100 color film and a roll of Ilford FP4 Plus 125 black and white film. Sad to say, he is never a Kodak fan, so he rejected my request to load my favorite Kodak color and B&W films.

The test session was done in Chinatown in an early weekend morning (I remember that because that is the only day I can shoot in the morning).

The Pentax PZ-1P is very easy to use. In fact, I think if you are really familiar with SLR camera, you might not even need the manual. For myself, I went through the manual while having breakfast in a local café at Chinatown. I spend only quarter of an hour to go through by flipping through to get to know the operation of the camera. Just 15 minutes is enough for me to get myself started with this new baby. As usual, I passed him my Nikon F80 while I use his new Pentax PZ-1P.

The arrangement and symbols on the body is easy to apprehend, so I believe it is no obstacles for anyone to understand them.

The Pentax PZ-1P offers a shutter speed range of 1/8000s to 30s, plus Bulb. This range of speed even exceeds my Nikon F80, which offer only 1/4000s as the fastest. Such a range of speed can only be found in the higher end of Nikon series, starting from the Nikon N90S. You will be able to have a lots of photography opportunity with such a high-speed capability. It will be extremely useful for sports actions.

For fast action photography, the Pentax PZ-1P provides a excellent 4 fps for continuous action photography. I tried this function with a kid running around the park with his friends, a total of 5 shots were done, and the reasons were commendable. All 5 shots remain in good focus and sharp, with no sign of bad auto focusing due to the fast advancing speed.

The Pentax PZ-1P offers both manual focusing and auto focusing. Using the Single Shot AF, focusing is smooth and accurate, I have no problem trying to maintain a focus with any object. Focusing is very fast, but seems like a bit noisy. Using it for normal and macro photography proved to be easy with this mode. Pictures came out to be very accurately focused. For moving objects, the Continuous Predictive Servo AF needs to be employed. Focusing is smooth as well, focusing fast moving objects is easy too. As compared to my Nikon F80, the Continuous Predictive Servo AF proved to be slightly better, though I am trying to avoid commending that in front of him.

The Metering system of 8 segments provided by Pentax PZ-1P is very accurate. With both my color and B&W films test, all the shots are very well exposed, with no sign of wrong exposure readings. I did not manage to try the Center Weighted and Spot metering systems, so I can’t commend much about them. I did most of the shots with the Program mode and Aperture Priority AE mode. With the 2 modes, the exposure is always accurate.

The build in flash, with an ISO guide number of 46 (at ISO 100ft), which is very much higher that most other brands. But for better flash effects, dedicated Pentax AF/FTZ series flash units will provide better results.

The Pentax PZ-1P also provides the capability of Multiple Exposure and Panorama option. I managed to try both out and both function reasonably well.

SUMMARY

The Pentax PZ-1P is a very capable and solid camera. If you are sick of following the crowd to own popular brand, and want to try something unique, the Pentax PZ-1P is going to be the best choice, and also at a very reasonable price.

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