Hello Patrick I have use both AF ans MF for the last 12 years. I think all the cameras you mention are nice and very high quality. I only own 3 AF lenses. If AF was so much better, I guess I would have had a lot more AF lenses by now! What is important is to get a camera you like to use. A camera the feels right for your kind of work. If it does, you'll get nice photgraphs. If all the buttons are "in the wrong place", you might not.
I recently got the MZ-S. I can tell you it's a joy to use. Kind of retro - has a button for each of the most important things (meter-mode, drive, bracketing, exposure comp., AF-mode, AE-lock, AF-lock, shutterspeed, aperture, choise of focus-point). Not "MENU's". Easy - at a glance overview. Clean viewfinder with nothing att all inside the frame. Rarely hunting focus. It's is simply pleasing to hold and to fire. My favorite. I guess it's less expensive than the F4. Use the difference for AF lenses. All the best Jens Bladt mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: Patrick Pritchard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 23. marts 2004 03:15 Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Emne: Moving to AF: PZ1P or MZ-S? Pentax or Nikon? Hello all. I've decided that within the next year (specifically, before September 2005) I would like to move up to AF. This is mainly because I will be in Australia doing some shoots at the World Solar Challenge, where MF didn't quite cut it last time I was out. I'd also like to move into more sports, where AF would be a huge advantage. My dilemma is this: - should I stay with Pentax, or go with Nikon (I'm leaning towards a used F4) - If I stay with Pentax, should I go with PZ1P or MZ-S? I've read various reports here on the list of Pentax slowly pulling faster pro grade lenses. This has me concerned, as I will need those lenses later (e.g., 85/1.4 to replace my current MF 85/1.4, 24/2 to replace 24/2.8 I am using now, etc.). The PZ1P and F4 go for comparable prices (albeit not comparable condition) on KEH, which I have been using as a quasi-benchmark for my price checks. No matter where I go, I will end up buying new lenses in AF to replace my current MF lineup. From my research and contemplating the subject, here's what I've come up with: Pentax: Pro: I can use my old MF lenses for now Currently lenses are available, and used market is so-so for finding the fast lenses I'll need later I am very familiar with the system, and the quality of the lenses; I will not have to change much in terms of darkroom work to compensate for a new lens "type" If I find a good deal on an AF lens *NOW*, I can buy it and still use it on my Super Program Has 3 of the 4 lenses I desire: 35/2.0, 24/2.0, 85/1.4 Con: Pentax seems to be pulling out, and making pro grade stuff less available ZERO rental support; if I need a particular lens in AF, I can't get it anywhere else, to my knowledge in Toronto, Canada Pentax lacks a good mid-range telephoto (e.g., 135/2.0), although they do offer the 135/2.8 which is FA, not FA* Nikon: Pro: F4 is a proven workhorse Cost is comparable to PZ1P @ ~$500 for used body TONNES of rental support Has the key lenses I want: 35/2.0, 135/2.0, 24/2.0, 85/1.4 Con: I'll end up starting from scratch in terms of lens lineup Looking at side by side prints by myself and a friends F90X a few years ago, the Nikon had more contrast; this means more fiddling in the darkroom to get my procedure's down to the way I want them again. My renting is a minor issue at the moment. No matter who I go with, my first lens will undoubtedly be either the 35/2.0 from Pentax, or the 35/2.0 D from Nikon, and from there work up to a mid-telephoto, wider zoom, then telephoto. However for sports and the like, I'll need longer and faster lenses, and this is a problem area for Pentax, only in terms of availability. Build quality is a VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. I'll be dealing with harsh environments: lots of bumping around, lots of jostling; extreme temperatures (-20 when I shoot at home up to 45+ when I shoot in the summer); lots of moisture (think dance clubs with 1000+ people all crammed into a tiny room, and everyone is sweating). When I came back from the outback last time, I had sand in my socks, which were *in my bag*, so I don't want to risk sand or moisture getting into the bodies. Lens build is also important. While I've been extremely happy with my all metal K-mount MF lenses, the newer Pentax lenses look pretty plasticy to me; I'm not sure how they'll hold up. I'd like to here comments from anybody out there who has used PZ1P, MZ-S or F4. I love my Pentax system as it is, and have built up quite a collection of gear (a bunch of lenses, a bellows [ easily one of my favorite toys; I love Macro work ], motor drives, etc.) and it has treated me well. However for AF everything changes, mainly in terms of availability (Pentax has a small market share) and build quality (everything these days seems to be made of plastic). Cheers, Patrick
