Mike, I think you might be right in your implication that the difference in 'feel' of the switch is related to production date. My MZ-S was purchased in September of 2001, and the shutter release is very light initially - no more than just taking up the slack rather than pushing on it. There is then a very definite resistance, at which it is easy to hold it while the system focuses and measures the exposure. I wonder whether some of we users have given the impression in this discussion that there is a need for more pressure initially than is really the case: one needs really only rest the finger on the button for it to go to the first position. The on/off switch is very positive, but not excessively so, and is certainly firm enough to resist accidentally being switched on or off, as some earlier users reported. Maybe field tests/reports led to a revision of the settings for this component?
My software must have been revised, as I have not identified any problems with it - certainly it is all in accordance with the manual. I initially found (and still do for the less-used items) some of the dial operations to be firmer than I expected, but I find this welcome as it suggests they will not become sloppy with use. John Coyle Brisbane, Australia ----- Original Message ----- From: "mike wilson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 8:17 PM Subject: Re: Shutter button feel (Was: Re: MZ-S Focus Lock) > > No need for offence. Your MZ-S's have two step shutter > buttons. The two I know of don't. Your Z1-p did not have a > stepped shutter button. Mine does. All facts. > > Two options I can see, one of them subdivided. Either: we are > talking about different things or there is a quality control > issue with these buttons - (subdivision) possibly Pentax uses > nmore than one supplier. Another thought that occurs to me is > that maybe there are different buttons for different markets. I > don't think we are talking about different things. > > Apart from the release feel, I have found that the on/off part > of the MZ-S button seems to be "sticky". This is a subjective > opinion, obviously, but it feels to me that I am having to apply > too much force to it to make it work - to the point where I feel > it might break. This is on at least two examples. I seem to > remember that it was an also impression of the early version I > handled in March 2001. That example had a definite software > fault, too. I find this disappointing as one of the reasons I > like Pentax products is the mechanical feel of them. Pentax > uses finer knurling and serrations in many of the switches and > rings than other marques. The switches have a more substantial > positional feel, yet are not crude. For me, in the examples I > have seen, the MZ-S shutter switch does not reach the levels of > quality and feel of the rest of the product. > > mike > >
