----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: LX Questions
> > Oh. Sorry. By the way I sent my second post on this thread before reading the > above. > However, it *is* a bit more on-topic than some of the other issues that are > fought about here -- f*rea*rms and such) expect more if the real Axis of Evil decides to blow up the Middle East. and I am now becoming definitely > curious as to why the two people who have stated in this thread that the LX is > unreliable are the very same two people who declare that it's the only pro 35mm > camera Pentax produced. I'm just wondering what's the reason for their > statements. It can't be that these two gentlemen think the LX is the only pro > model because it's the most reliable model, since they both consider it > unreliable. It also can't be that Pentax claimed to have only made one pro 35mm > model -- they didn't. So, > why? The LX was a system based camera system. It will mount a variety of viewfinders, motor drives and bulk film backs, and a couple of different data backs. This is what differentiated it from anything Pentax has produced. At the time of it's introduction, it was the most complete and competent 35mm system camera on the market. Without wanting to open any tiresome debates, there are a few important things that separate the pros from the rest. One of the most overlooked things is the viewfinder. It needs to be bright and contrasty, should not be too junked up with dancing lights, and really should be 100% accurate. The camera interface should be easy to use, and understand. This means you shouldn't have to refer back to the owners manual when you want the camera to do something new. For me, the PZ series fell down in this key area. I looked at the user interface, watched the tutorial video, and didn't look at a new Pentax body until the MZ-5 came on the market. The PZ was just too gimmicky to be taken seriously. Obviously, build quality and long term reliability are important, and while my LX's have failed me repeatedly, I have come to the conclusion that I probably don't shoot enough with them, as all the problems I have are the ones I am told are related to lack of use. William Robb
