I am sorry that you feel insulted. I agree it is out of order to
suggest advertising buys good reviews, and I am sick of reading it, but
its seems to be universal and not just a trait of the PUG.
You may have a better undestanding of what Pentax was trying to achieve,
but you did not convey it with respect to the build quality which got no
space in you review and is really the design ethos from which everything
else derived. You seemed to give far more space to the criticism of the
ISO thing and the rewind speed - one can be reset permanently by a PF
and the other should be overcome by a second body if time is that
critical.
I thought the rest of the article was very fair even where it criticised
re frame rate etc, and the criticism of the focus points and aperture
control when the body was on its side was very interesting and very
valid.
I only really took exception to the fact that you call it overpriced due
to loss of features. The camera has compromised features in favour of
build quality and size. It is not overpriced, the price just buys a
different set of priorities.
It is wonderful that you read the list and thank-you for the in depth
review which was very extensive.
Rob
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: 23 July 2001 10:56
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Amateur Photographer Review of MZ-S
Re: Amateur Photographer review of MZ-S
I am glad so many of you have taken time to read my review of this
camera. I
really don't mind people not agreeing with what I wrote, as we are all
intelligent and all have opinions. However, I do wish some of you would
take the
time to read it more carefully and without prejudice. Some of the
comments,
mostly from people who have already bought the camera or who want to buy
the
camera, make it obvious the writers are not prepared to read with an
open mind,
and wish only to take what they want from the article. And those who
suggest
that a negative review has anything to do with advertising should be
ashamed.
The MZ-S is an exciting camera and from the moment I first saw it I was
looking
forward to getting one to use and test. I spoke extensively with the
Japanese
design team last September so I believe I probably have a better
understanding
of what Pentax is trying achieve with this model than most people. And I
wanted
it to be a spectacular camera. It is well built and the basic design
idea
appears to be very good.
As many of you have agreed this really isn't a 'professionally' equipped
AF SLR.
The build might be 'professional' but the specification does not match
the
standards we have come to expect from this type of camera - namely an
autofocus
35mm SLR. It does not actually match the expectations of a 'high end' AF
SLR if
we take models such as the EOS 3, F100 etc. as being representative of
this
level.
I use a lot of different cameras on a day to day basis and I am familiar
with a
number of different handling systems. My criticism of some of the
handling
aspects of this model are based on comparisons of the methods other
manufacturers employ. My experience allows me to see how other people do
things
in a more logical way, and to rate one system against another. When I
say
something is not as straight forward as it could be it means there are a
number
of alternative routes to achieving the same result that require less
time or
operating of buttons or dials. This applies, in this case, particularly
to my
remarks about the ISO controls. In what other camera is ISO setting
split into
two areas on the camera? Surely incorporating a DX setting into the menu
of the
main ISO button would allow auto reading and manual adjustments to be
dealt with
at the same time. This is how the majority of other cameras do it and it
is
easier and more logical. This is why I criticized the methods of the
MZ-S
system, and if you read the review carefully you will see that this is
exactly
what I said.
I never compare Pentax with Canon or Nikon or Minolta or whoever. Apart
from in
the introduction of a test I always deal with each individual model as
an item
separate from the brand or the range. It stands on its own merits and
falls by
its negative points.
The MZ-S is a very nice camera, the AF is excellent and the metering is
very
good. Something I didn't mention in the test, and which some people have
contacted me about, is over lapping frames - of which I had more than a
couple
of instances. But the MZ-S is not what it was billed as - namely a pro
SLR.
Please read tests more carefully before bashing me in front of the whole
world.
Please remember that there will be people reading your comments who will
not get
to read the test you are commenting on. In their eyes I look as though I
have
taken no trouble over the test and have not made any effort to
understand the
camera - or read the hand book as someone commented. This is inaccurate,
defamatory and actually personally offensive. There is no other magazine
in this
country, or in most of the world, that tests as much photographic
equipment as
AP does. There are few magazines that go into so much depth or go to as
much
trouble to find out about the product and to test as many aspects of the
cameras' features. Where else can you read a nine page test of this
camera? Asd
I said earlier you don't have to agree with what we say but please have
some
respect for our experience and extensive testing proceedures.
Anyway, enough of me. Damien Demolder. Technical Editor. Amateur
Photographer.
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