In case my posts in the previous thread got lost, here they are again:
Go for it! The MZ-S is a great camera, and even better with the BG-10 grip. Not so sure about the 360 flash, since the head doesn't swivel. I've been using a Metz 40MZ-3 flash with my MZ-S, with good success.
The MZ-S focuses well in dim light, better than the D100 or S1 Pro. As for noise, it's louder than a practically silent EOS-1V when focusing, but also much less expensive. I don't find it too loud, and the focusing is accurate. It's easy to switch it from automatically choosing a focus point to using a preset focus point. The AF certainly seems accurate enough.
Lens-wise, I've been using almost all F or FA lenses, with the exception of an old 500f8 mirror lens, and the in-focus indicator is handy with that one. My everyday and short studio lens is the 28-70f4, and it's a handy combination with the MZ-S. The 28-70f2.8 is quite a bit bulkier, but should work well with it.
As for William's "film is dead" comment, I can't agree. Film and digital have two different looks, and I prefer the look of film. Digital appears sharp, but has soft detail. Film appears soft, but has clear detail. Neither is perfect, nor is anything else in this world. Hope this is helpful.
Part II:
Joe Tainter commented:
The default autofocus mode is multi-point, and it is a contortion to switch it to anything else (like central point, like any knowledgeable photographer would use). On the D and DS, central point can be set to be the default.
This is not exactly correct. The focus point mode switch, on the right side of the lens mount, has 3 positions: Select, Lock, and Auto. There is no default. Admittedly, selecting the focus point can be fiddly, but switching from Auto to Lock (to use your favorite focus point only (Joe's is the central one, mine is the second from the right, since it usually lines up nicely with the model's eye)) is simple, for those situations when you prefer a fixed focus point.
The AF point mode switch can be left in the Lock position all the time, if that's preferred. Hope this helps.
Part III:
As for the drive speed, the spec says 2.5fps, and it seems adequate for most kinds of shooting, other than burning through film at sports events.
Pat White
