Joe Tainter recently mentioned that some things he used regularly on the PZ-1p, like switching program modes, or switching between 2-second and 12-second delay, are on the MZ-S relegated to Pentax functions, where it is more difficult (and slower) to change them. I find this to be true as well, and I also find it more difficult than on the PZ-1p to check my ISO settings quickly. Joe also noted true that if you put an MZ-S in a backpack, the camera can turn itself on. Not only does that happen, but the rubber eyecup falls off easily in the same motions. Mine is already lost, in fact, the result of shooting in the rain on a dark night trying to get the shot fast and keep everything dry. Beware of that, and leave the eyecup at home under your more difficult circumstances. Joe's preference for aperture priority through the body, not the lens, is also echoed by me, having been spoiled by the perfectly elegant operation of the PZ-1p's Hyper Modes. That camera simply cannot be beat in this respect.
So what are the best arguments in favor of the MZ-S? Probably it's great integration with the very capable 360FGZ flash. I can't think of a single missing feature with that combination. My AF280T is now in fact for sale, including it's wide angle adapter, even though I have not yet tried the minus 10 degree tilt of the 360FGZ on the MZ-S for on-camera macro coverage with my 100mm f2.8. The 280T did macro TTL perfectly with its minus 15 degree tilt on the PZ-1p. I suspect 10 degrees minus might not be enough given that the 360 sits higher on the camera, but of course it can be used wireless, so hand-holding the flash for macro with no cord should be very easy. My 330FTZ flash is also for sale, but I'm keeping the 500 for the raw power. A second feature I think is very nice is use of the camera with the TS-110 interval timer switch. You can place the camera in advance in a location you might not want to try to reach when the action commences, and when the time comes the camera goes off, firing again and again at whatever interval you set, as many times as you wish. Now, on the Nikon F5 and other such total spec cameras, I imagine that interval shooting might be built-in. Pentax gives you the function in a separate cable release that does indeed cost about $140, but you would pay probably as much for the feature anyway in cameras in which this is internalized, and you add the bulk to the camera body. The option of having the feature outside the body is clever and saves bulk and weight for when you don't need the feature. I've already used the timer to interval shoot indoors, even with the wireless flash off-camera. The clock in the timer is very accurate. Synchronize it with your wrist watch and you will know exactly when the camera will fire. The possibilities, as I'm sure you can imagine, are endless. To me, the TS-110 is an indispensible feature of the MZ-S system. - 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 .
