Mike Johnston wrote:
> Since consumers are shopping by feature lists and spec charts,
> manufacturers load up their cameras with more and more features
> and compete for more extreme specs;
> I think Pentax has led the charge AWAY from this sort of excess
> in the "retro" ZX-5 and following models. I think there are lots
> of advantages--in user-friendliness and interface logic--to
> limiting the number of bells and whistles on cameras.
I can't see this. A Pentax MZ-7 is pure bells and whistles, but lacks
e.g. alternative metering modes, spot AF mode, program shift,
DOF-preview - all features the competition offers. Pentax has limited
the essentials here in favor of the gimmicks.
The Z-1P has not one single bell and whistle - maybe except the
powerzoom contacts. The user interface is of course typical early
90's - and even not bad for this period, when compared e.g. to
Minolta 7xi and others. You cannot mix this up with bells and
whistles and features just for paperweight. For today, it mainly
lacks up to date AF, and that was the origin of this thread.
The MZ-S offers a package pretty much comparable to an Elan 7, a
$/EUR 550-600 camera. The built of the MZ-S is said to be better, so
it could cost a bit more. But like others, I see no reason why this
camera should cost more than $750-800. Especially I see no reason why
other cameras, like Elan 7 or Minolta 7, being small too, can offer
3.5+ fps, EV comp in 0.3+0.5 steps, flash exposure comp on the body,
larger finder (o.k., not Canon...), cross AF, AF-indication on the
screen and so on and so on, and Pentax can't. If some say: they never
intended - I simply don't belive this, since we are far away from
bells and whistles here but talk about class typical features with a
clear benefit for the user. I totaly agree we don't need another F5,
and it probably wouldn't sell with the name Pentax on it anyway.
Ralf
-
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 .
