Pentax ZX-5N 35mm SLR Camera (Body Only)

Pentax ZX-5N 35mm SLR Camera (Body Only)
by Pentax

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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details

Manufacturer: Pentax
Model: 1354
Product features:

Autobracketing takes normal, under-, and over-exposed images
Viewfinder and easy-to-read LCD panel help keep track of the settings
6-segment metering, center-weighted metering, and spot metering
Preview your image in any exposure mode with the electronic control mechanism
Lens not included

Accessories:

Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Pentax ZX-5N 35mm SLR Camera (Body Only)

Customer Review: PENTAX ZX5n 35MM SLR CAMERA
Summary: 5 Stars

Pentax ZX-5N 35mm SLR Camera (Body Only)
AS A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF ABOUT 40 YEARS, I HAVE COME TO USE
LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF CAMERA MODELS, AND COULD SAY LOTS OF FAVORABLE THINGS ABOUT MANY MANY OF THEM. HAVING SEEN SO MUCH TECHNOLOGICAL
CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT IN THE CAMERA INDUSTRY OVER SUCH A LONG TIME,
I THINK HOW REMARKABLE IT IS THAT THE PICTURE-TAKING - OR RATHER, THE
PICTURE-MAKING PROCESS HAS BECOME SO SIMPLE, COMPARED WITH THE EARLIER DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY - NOT TO MENTION, SO AFFORDABLE.

FROM PLATES, GLASS, TIN, AND FILM, TO THE DIGITAL IMAGING THAT IS NOW,
PHOTOGRAPHY HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE LIVE. THERE ISN'T A PRINTING PROCESS TODAY THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE THE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS. MY CAMERA COLECTION
REPRESENTS THE METHODS BY WHICH MAN HAS TAKEN PICTURES SINCE ABOUT 1850, CONSISTING OF NEALY 1600 MODELS. IN OUR STUDIO, DIGITAL IMAGING IS DONE
AS WELL AS FILM; HOWEVER, I PRIZE FILM AS BEING LONGER-LASTING AND VERY
MUCH PREFER IT WHEN SPEED IS NOT OF THE ESSENCE.

THE ZX-5n IS, AT FIRST GLANCE, AN AUTO-FOCUS, AUTOMATIC-EXPOSURE BODY,
WHICH EVEN HAS AUTOMATIC FILM SPEED SETTING, AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE-BRACKET-
ING, AUTO-FILM ADVANCE, AND AUTO-FILM REWINDING. ONE MIGHT THINK THAT
THE CAMERA IS ONLY MEANT TO TAKE CONTROL OF CREATING THE ENTIRE PHOTO.

FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO CREATE ON THEIR OWN, COMPLETE EXPOSURE CONTROL
IS PLAINLY VISIBLE, JUST ABOUT ALL OVER ITS WELL-DESIGNED BODY. THE SHUTTER SPEED CONTROL APPEARS AS AN "ANALOG' KNOB SHOWING SPEEDS FROM 2 SECONDS TO 1/2000TH OF ONE SECOND PLUS "B" AND OF COURSE THE OLD RELIABLE "A" FOR AUTOMATIC. APERATURE SELECTION IS RIGHT THERE ON ALL OF THE LENSES MADE FOR PENTAX, AS WELL AS THE "A" FOR AUTOMATIC APERATURE USERS, OF COURSE. THE MANUAL FOCUS SHARES THE SAME SWITCH AS THE AUTO-FOCUS. THE METERING ALLOWS FOR THREE CHOICES: SPOT, AVERAGE, AND MULTI-SEGMENTED MATRIX (AN UNCANNILY ACCURATE MEASUREMENT OF LIGHT THAT HAS WORKED WELL FOR ME FOR OVER 90% MY LIGHTING SITUATIONS.) THE ADVANCE HAS SINGLE AND CONTINUOUS DRIVE, SELF-TIMER, AND TWO CHOICES FOR AUTOBRACKET-
ING THREE EXPOSURES WITH ONE PRESS OF THE SHUTTER RELEASE.

IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, THERE IS A BUILT-IN FLASH THAT DOES A DECENT JOB FOR THOSE ROUTINE PICTURES, AND A UNIVERSAL (STANDARD) FLASH SHOE FOR
SHOE-MOUNT STROBE UNITS. I HAVE ALSO USED THE LARGER, MORE POWERFUL HANDLE-MOUNT OFF CAMERA STROBE UNITS WITH THE ZX-5n IN PROFESSIONAL
SITUATIONS WITH PERFECT RESULTS.

ONE COMMENT HERE REGARDING THE AUTO-FOCUS DESIGN USED BY PENTAX, IT IS
UNDOUBTEDLY THE FASTEST AND MOST ACCURATE TARGETING I HAVE USED. ALSO,
IT SEEMS TO DO BETTER IN SOMEWHAT LOWER LIGHT LEVELS THAN MOST OTHER
AUTO-FOCUS CAMERAS. IN MY EXPERIENCE AS A CAMERA STORE OWNER, I HAVE HAD IN MY HANDS JUST ABOUT EVERY AUTO-FOCUS CAMERA MODEL THAT HAS COME DOWN THE PIKE SINCE THE EARLY 80'S, AND CAN REALLY STATE THAT A FEW NIKON
MODELS -- NOT MOST OR ALL, SOME CANON MODELS, NO MINOLTA BODIES, NOR ANY
OTHER BRANDS HAVE COMPARED TO THE SPEED AND ACCURACY OF FOCUS ACQUISITION
OF MY TWO PENTAX ZX-5n (AND MY PENTAX MZ-S MODEL.) I NOTICED THAT PENTAX
BODIES WERE THE BEST SINCE AUTO-FOCUS FIRST APPEARED ON THE MARKET.

ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION A COUPLE OF POINTS. THE SIZE OF THE FOCUS AREA IN THE FINDER CAN BE CHAGED WITH EASE, USING THE SWITCH I ON THE FRONT OF
THE BODY (NOT BY HAVING TO GO ON A BLIND SEARCH THROUGH SOME COMPLICATED
MENU OR OTHER.) NEXT THERE IS A DIAL IN PLAIN SIGHT ON THE TOP FOR FRONT-
LIGHT OR BACKLIGHT EXPOSING (EXPOSURE FACTOR CONTROL.) OH, ANOTHER THING,
THERE IS A DEPTH OF FIELD PREVIEW CONTROL RIGHT EXACTLY WHERE IT SHOULD
BE, IN FRONT, ON THE RIGHT.

SOMETHING SHOULD BE SAID ABOUT ERGONOMIC DESIGN. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL
MODELS THAT SEEM TO HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY WELL THOUGHT OUT WITH REGARD TO
PROPER PLACEMENT OF OF CONTROLS. THE PENTAX ZX-5N IS ONE SUCH CAMERA. IT
BECOMES APPARENT TO JUST ABOUT ANYONE WHO HANDLES ONE.

I'M NOT DONE YET. THE EYEPIECE FEATURES A DIOPTRIC CORRECTION ADJUSTMENT
FOR USERS WHO WEAR GLASSES, ENABLING ONE TO REMOVE THE GLASSES AND TO
CLARIFY THE IMAGE IN THE FINDER WITH A SLIGHT PUSH OF A SLIDING CONTROL.
ONE CAN ALSO SEE 100% OF THE FINDER'S IMAGE BY HAVING THE EYE UP CLOSE
AND PERSONAL WITH THE EYEPIECE.

THE ISO OVERIDE ALLOWS THE PHOTOGRAPHER TO "RATE" THE FILM SPEED HIGHER
OR LOWER THAT IT IS ACTUALLY DESIGNATED FOR "PUSHING" AND "PULLING" FILM.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL WHEN SHOOTING BLACK & WHITE OR TRANSPARENCY
(SLIDE) FILMS.

THOSE WHO LIKE TO MAKE AN OCCASIONAL - OR FREQUENT - PANORAMIC FORMAT
PHOTOGRAPH WON'T BE LET DOWN. ALSO IN ITS PROPER LOCATION (RIGHT THUMB)
IS THE PANORAMA OR NORMAL TWO-POSITION SWITCH.

MY TWO CR-2 LITHIUM BATTERIES LAST ME AT LEAST A YEAR OR 30 TO 40 ROLLS
OF FILM. I TOOK IT TO SWITZERLAND ON ASSIGNMENT WITH FRESH BATTERIES,
USED IT TO SHOOT 32 ROLLS WITHOUT USING MY SPARE SET. THE ZX-5N WAS VERY
FAST-HANDLING, EVEN USING MY TRIPOD 90% OF THE TIME. SOMETIMES I DEPLOYED
THE QUARTZ DATE FEATURE WHEN APPROPRIATE (NOT FOR SCENIC PICTURES.) MOST
IMPORTANTLY, THEY WERE RUGGED. AS MANY TIMES AS I STOPPED SHORT IN MY
RENTAL CAR, CAUSING THE PENTAX TO SLIDE ONTO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE,
NOT ONCE DID I NOTICE ANY PROBLEMS, AND I NEVER HAD TO REMOVE MY SECOND
BODY FROM ITS CASE.

FOR ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO FIND A 35mm FILM CAMERA WITH WHICH TO TAKE UP PHOTOGRAPHY, IT IS THIS WRITER'S CONSIDERED OPINION THAT THE ZX-5N CAN
ENABLE THE BEGINNER OR THE ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHER TO DO EXTREMELY WELL.

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Description of Pentax ZX-5N 35mm SLR Camera (Body Only)

Product Details and FeaturesProduct MPNMPNZX-5NKey FeaturesLens MountPentax KAF2Camera TypeSLR (Single Lens Reflex)Film Type 35mmFocusFocus TypeAutofocusFocus LockWith Focus LockShutterShutter Speed 30 - 1/2000 secDimensionsDepth2.4 in.Height3.5 in.Width5.9 in.Weight14.56 oz.MiscellaneousUPC027075042032Product ID43995

Though the Pentax ZX-5N autofocus camera body has all of the popular attributes of its predecessor, the ZX-5, several sophisticated features--such as six-segment metering, center-weighted metering, spot metering, as well as a TTL phase-matching autofocus system--have been added. A single turn of the metering mode switch lets you select one of the three metering mode options, giving you full control in any lighting situation. The automatic exposure compensation, which works with the multipattern metering system in the autoexposure mode, lets you try many creative options. Pentax's original electronic control mechanism also lets you preview your image in any exposure mode. Simply push the preview button and you can pinpoint the exact in-focus area (depth-of-field) of your image in relation to the selected aperture.

The TTL (through the lens) phase-matching autofocus system gives you high-quality, crisply focused images, no matter the lighting conditions. You get to choose between one of two autofocus frames--three-point or spot AF--whichever suits your individual preference or needs. The autobracketing is easy-to-use and automatically takes three different exposures: normal, under-, and overexposed of the same scene in 1EV or 1/2 EV steps; using a simple dial control, you can quickly shift exposure across a range of +/- 3EV in 1/2EV steps. This feature works when using flash photography, too.

When you want to frame the same scene a little differently, you can simply push the memory lock button and your current settings are memorized for 10 seconds. This lets you recompose your subject without changing all of your settings. If the standard setting just doesn't capture the scene, you can switch to panorama mode at any frame on a roll of film. This is perfect for large group shots or landscapes. In addition, you can also set your own pace with three drive modes: single-frame advance, consecutive-frame advance at two frames per second, and a self-timer with a 12-second delay.

With all of these options, it could be easy to forget what your camera's indications and settings are. However, the ZX-5N has a multidata, fixed pentaprism viewfinder and easy-to-read LCD panel so you can keep track of all your information, such as: the exposure frame number, exposure compensation factor, battery exhaustion warning, flash use recommendation, and recharge completion/incompletion. The LCD panel even has an automatic brightness level adjustment, so you can easily check your settings whether it's day or night.