Hi, Just got back from a two week trip to Russia - plenty of Pentax experiences. Like dropping a Z-70, Z1-p and LX into the river Serga, with numerous lenses, flashes and other bits and bobs. Results: Z-70 dead (even when you've dried a camera off and left it airing for two days, DON'T lift the RTF when it's turned on, as the resultant lightning will hurt your foot when you drop the camera on it) Tamron 500mm catadioptric lens like an aquarium - fixed by a judicious bit of disassembly, draining, rinsing and drying. All else OK, just damp on the outside. Praise be to Lowepro! Put a bit of a dampener (groan) on my walk in the Taiga, matched only by the hordes of mosquitos which threatened to carry me off..... Then off to St Petersburg with Dennis K. for a few days and a visit to Pentar, the Pentax importer. First to the service centre in a garret in the "State Institue for Nautical Technological Design" (I think) where we had to be led through the building in case we saw some state secrets. Three gents doing brilliant work in not the best circumstances. Checked the ex-Bob W. MX (all fine apart from some slight second curtain discrepancies) and then my LX (left there to have some serious shutterbox work, although the timings were spot-on) and while all this was going on they gave us an MZ-S and 31mm LTD to go and play with. Took some "test" shots in comparison with an LX and 24-35mm set to 30mm. Once the film is processed, Dennis will post the results on the Penta web site - hopefully early next week. We can put up quite big (1Mb+) files if anyone wants them. Then to the main offices where I was congratulated on my excellent English..... 8-} Altogether an excellent example of what Pentax should be like around the world, but seems to not be in so many places. Very interested in the photographic sector and pleased to meet end users. Anyone here met the CEO of Pentax USA or UK? Michael from Pentar went out of his way to talk to us... My impressions of the MZ-S? It's not a competitor for the Z1-p except in a few areas. AF is improved, but a number of functions I find useful on the 1-p are not. Such as flash compensation and winder speed. More important, I found it not very comfortable. The top deck is nice, although I didn't handle it long enough to become really acquainted. The problem is in its size and style. I have large hands and can handle the Z1-p well by curling my little finger under the base and holding the body with the middle two. The MZ-S seems to be slightly taller and I can't quite do this. In addition, Pentax seems to have gone for a "sharp-edged" style of body (think Ford Focus, for those who are familiar with this car [or Triumph Mayflower for a better idea]) and this includes the moulded handgrip. Again, I can't get comfortable with this. It is certainly light and quiet. Not _all_ the outside seems to be metal. The RTF is better placed (further from the lens axis when in use) than the Z1-p. Would I buy one? No. All in all a splendid time, although Aeroflot's logisitics need a little honing - about 27hours total delays. mike - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
