Pentax MZ-S

The Pentax MZ-S is a 35mm single-lens reflex camera from Pentax of Japan. It was introduced in 2001 [cite web |url=http://www.pentaximaging.com/world_of_pentax/history_of_innovations/2000-present/ |title=History of Innovations 2000-Present |author=Pentax |accessdate=2006-09-18] and discontinued in February 2006. [cite web |url=http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2006/02/pentax-holds-product-massacre-too.html |title= Pentax Holds a Product Massacre Too |author=Grad, Orin |work=The Online Photographer |date=2006-02-12 |accessdate=2006-09-18 Cites Japanese-language sources.] It is closely related to the prototype MZ-D digital SLR, which never entered production. [cite web |url=http://www.aohc.it/photokina2000_1e.htm |title=Cameras |author= [http://www.aohc.it/indexe.htm Asahi Optical Historical Club] |work=Photokina 2002 report |date=2000-10-20 |accessdate=2006-09-18] It was the top-of-the-line model of Pentax's MZ/ZX series and replaced the PZ-1p as the high-end Pentax camera. [cite web |url=http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/bodies/Z-PZ/zpz1p.html |title=Z-1p / PZ-1p |author=Dimitrov, Bojidar |work=K-Mount Pages |accessdate=2006-09-18] No camera was produced to replace the MZ-S, making it Pentax's last high-end 35 mm camera.

Design

The MZ-S was a "clean sheet of paper" design that re-thought most aspects of Pentax's camera interface and appearance. [cite web |url=http://www.aohc.it/info05e.htm |title=MZ-S Story |author= [http://www.aohc.it/indexe.htm Asahi Optical Historical Club] |accessdate=2006-09-18] Design goals included simpler operation, small size and light weight without sacrificing the sophisticated features required to be competitive. The MZ-S design returned to a more conventional one compared to the PZ-1p; the shoe for external flash and accessories returned to the top of the pentaprism housing, instead of the unusual right-handgrip position used on the older camera. The status LCD moved from atop the pentaprism to the top of the camera's right side (viewed from the rear), like many competing designs. However, instead of a flat camera top, the Pentax designers angled the top plate towards the user at a 30° angle for easier viewing.

The camera featured an autofocus system based on six linear CCD sensors, on-film data recording and an MTF autoexposure mode which chooses the aperture for maximum sharpness.

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