Chris, Thanks for the nice explanation. I've been following this thread and I must admit there was a point where I was getting a bit confused. Your post really cleared things up. I own a zx-m and am considering an auto-focus camera. I'm in no hurry so I think I'll wait until the release of the MZ-s, and see what shakes out. If the MZ-s really comes out with a street price of US$900 I won't buy one. I'd be interested in a less expensive MZ-s(minus) even if they elimated some of the features like build quality, data imprinting, and high speed flash sync. As a hobbiest, my equipment does not get rough treatment. Features most important to me are user interface, compact size, spot meter. Mirror lock-up and multi-exposure would be nice. PZ-1P comes really close but I like the smaller size of the MZ-S and ZX/MZ series and I am quite interested in (what appears to be)the simple user interface of the MZ-S. Ok ... I'm rambling ... and dreaming a bit I think. Eric >From: Chris Brogden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >On Sat, 17 Mar 2001, dosk wrote: > > > Goddamnit, I AM reading the posts! What the hell does the following say > > (from a Mr. Alexander Krohe,) if not, "PZ1 AF is continuous AND >predictive, > > and ZX5n AF is ONLY predictive!" Just because you had a tough day at the > > camera counter doesn't give you the right to be so obtuse and smug.... > >You're right, of course, though I don't agree with obtuse and smug... >"rude" would be a better term. It wasn't just work; I was having a pretty >bad day in general yesterday and reacted poorly. Sorry. > > > And if I remember correctly, you yourself also said that the ZX5n does > > NOT have a continuous AF mode like the PZ1's do... Skip > >This is correct. The error comes in thinking of predictive AF as a >useable focus mode. I'll describe it in a different way, and if it's >still not clear, or if you seem to be getting conflicting opinions from >list members, it would probably be best to go to a store if there's one >handy and play with the cameras. That should show you the differences >pretty quickly, especially if the salesperson knows what they're talking >about. > >The MZ-5n and the Z1-p both have single-shot AF. This is the standard >focus mode where it focuses on your subject and then locks focus as long >as you hold the shutter button down. You can then move the camera (while >still maintaining pressure on the shutter button) and it will not try to >refocus. Single-shot AF is effectively the *only* AF mode of the MZ-5n. > >Predictive AF works after you press the shutter button, and you'll never >see it working; it's not a mode you can select or see. The only thing >that predictive AF does is to say to the camera, "Hey, the subject's >moving towards the camera, so even though the lens is set to focus at 5.6 >feet, you better set it to focus half a foot closer, because that's how >far it will have moved between the time that guy presses the button and >the time the curtains actually move to record the image." Predictive AF >is available all the time while you're shooting in AF, but the camera >decides whether or not to use it. It's not a different way of focusing, >just a way of making sure that single-shot AF works a bit better with >moving subjects. > >In addition to the standard single-shot AF, the Z1-p offers continuous, or >servo, AF. Two words for the same thing. Now when you hold the shutter >button down it doesn't lock focus, it focuses continually. This mode >tends to be better for following moving subjects, since you don't have to >keep pressing the shutter button to get it to focus. I assume that >predictive AF is still present on continuous AF, but I'm not sure. > >So you could say that the MZ-5n offers only single-shot AF, while the Z1-p >offers single-shot and continuous AF. Predictive AF is just a way of >making single-shot AF more accurate, so that's why it's never mentioned as >an AF mode except by product literature. :) > >The AF bodies do have another fun feature that has to do with focusing. >Because the cameras won't take a picture unless they've found something to >focus on (I think you can override this with the Z1-p), you can put a MF >lens on an AF camera and it won't release the shutter until it thinks that >the picture is in focus (at least it works that way with Pentax bayonet MF >lenses). This only works when you have the camera set to AF; if it's set >to MF then it will take a photo when you press the button, regardess of >whether it's in focus or not. So, the practical side: if you put a MF >lens on an AF camera and set the camera to AF (not MF), then focus on an >empty space (say, a few inches above a bird's nest) and lock the shutter >with a cable release, it will take a photo as soon as something lands in >that empty space that you're focused on. This is called "trap focus," and >it's a lot of fun to do on continuous shooting mode, since the camera will >keep taking pictures as long as there's something in the frame for it to >focus on. When the bird leaves the frame, the camera will stop, since it >now has nothing to focus on. Fun! > >Hope that explains it a bit better. Sorry again for snapping at >you. Let me know if you have specific questions about any of this, >okay? Thanks! > >chris > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. 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