A Great Point-and-Shoot Camera for Families, Teens, and Amateurs...and it's Cheap!
Written: Jan 19 '05
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Pros: Inexpensive, easy to use, great focus, durable enough to handle toddlers
Cons: It doesn't have all the bells and whistles other cameras do...no big concerns
The Bottom Line: I've put this camera through the wringer--and it's been a fine camera for everyday use
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| JediKermit's Full Review: Pentax IQZoom EZY 35mm Film Camera |
This is the first review I've ever written on a camera, so please understand that I'm no expert on cameras, and have never pretended to be. In many ways, that makes me the best person to write a review for this camera, because point-and-shoot cameras are for the novices--the everyday people who want a nice way to remember their trips, their lives, their reunions...but can barely remember to push one button on a camera, let alone check a dozen different settings. And that's exactly the kind of person I am.
Don't worry, for the techies who are out there that actually know what a blah-blah-shutter-blah is, I'll include the technical information at the end of the review...so you can see what I think about the camera, and then delight yourself for hours poring over the bells and whistles that make this camera worth getting. If you understand all the technical stuff, this probably isn't enough camera for you, anyway.
For the rest of us, this is a nice little number.
I've had this camera for a few years now, and it's one of four cameras we currently own. My wife has had a similar point-and-shoot from Olympus for some time, and it cost about three times as much as the Pentax...but the Pentax takes much better pictures. The other two cameras are digital cameras, and I'll be writing reviews of them in the coming weeks.
I got this camera when another film camera broke--it was a similar model, no bells, no whistles, no protection if it gets kicked off of a two-story roof where you were picking worm-ridden cherries. So I had to buy a camera to replace it, but was pretty close to broke. Probably buying too many toys. I had also broken several cameras in succession due to either my lifestyle or negligence or sheer clumsiness, and I didn't want to invest $300 in something that I'd be smashing to bits within a year. So I took my eighty dollars and went to a store, and, without much research, picked up the Pentax IQZoom EZY-80 35mm Point and Shoot. (I paid 80.00...there are links at the bottom of this page where you can get it for around 65.00...)
I've had some experience with more expensive cameras, since my dad is a photographer hobbyist, so he's got a very nice camera with various lens attachments and different flashes for different settings, three different tripods, etc. And I knew that...I didn't want that. I wanted something easy, something that would take nice enough pictures, but wouldn't be winning any Pulitzers or anything. And I thought, "hey, the NAME of this camera is "EZY," it's gotta be a piece of cake!" And it is. The ease of use of this camera makes it a perfect choice for families, college students, teenagers, the elderly...it does pretty much everything it can to make taking clear pictures easy, and I've always been pleased with the results.
When I say this camera's easy...it's easy. There a limited number of options and settings, and it does most of the thinking for you.
The Flash settings include red-eye reduction (which I haven't used much, but haven't had much of a problem with red-eye from this camera anyway), forced-flash (which I also haven't used much, because the flash usually goes off when it's needed on the auto-exposure default setting), flash-off, which overrides the sensors and leaves the flash off...another one I rarely use, and nighttime flash, which still flashes, but is at a slower speed to pick up dimly lit backgrounds. The times I've used that (Las Vegas was the most memorable example) I've taken two or three pictures, because at least one of them is usually blurred because of the slower speed. For the most part, we use the default setting for the flash, and it knows what it's doing...our pictures are generally well-lit, especially portraits and other indoor shots. Can't say that for our Olympus camera.
We've used the self-timer several times, and ended up with great, clear pictures each time...and then ten second delay is perfect for getting the kids back your lap and the drool off their chins in time for the camera to snap the photo.
The zoom and focus features on the camera are easy to use, although you can only set the focus once, not on multiple objects (common for a camera in this price range). Once you learn how to use it, you can do it in seconds, and the resulting pictures are clearer than on other point and shoots in the same price range.
It has the standard date imprinting feature in various formats--I always keep it turned off, but it's there for those of you who enjoy desecrating your pictures by burning numbers into them.
We've used mostly ISO 200 color film with it, and have consistently bright, colorful, accurate pictures. We've also taken several rolls of black and white photos, and they're also consistently crisp clear shots.
The battery life is excellent--it uses a regular 3V Lithium battery, and ours has lasted through several hundred photos, and I can't remember the last time we changed it. And, as father of the two best-looking little boys ever made, we take a lot of pictures. Sometimes it makes you wish you had uglier kids.
No other accessories come with the camera, except for the instruction manual and the strap--the manual is as straightforward as the camera is, and although it won't win any awards for being interesting or having a sense of humor, it did answer any questions we had. Honestly, there weren't many. If you've owned other point-and-shoots, this is in the same family.
Hopefully I've answered your questions about this camera--again, I'm not a professional by any means...but this camera isn't either. If you want something for family use, something you won't have a heart attack over losing, breaking, or peanut-buttering, this could be what you're looking for. Our family memories are intact, and despite several blows and falls onto pavement, hardpacked earth, and tile floors, the camera is too. If you're looking for a cheap point-and-shoot, this is the one to get.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Camera Type: 35mm fully automatic lens-shutter camera with built-in zoom lens, autofocus, auto exposure and auto flash.
Film: 35mm DX-coded film with 24mm x 36mm format.
Lens: Pentax power step-zoom f/4.8-9.5 lens with 38mm, 55mm, 65mm, and 80mm settings; 5 elements in 5 groups.
Focusing System: Pentax infrared active autofocus system.
Autofocusing Range: 2.6 ft. (0.8m) to infinity.
Exposure Control: Programmed auto exposure control.
Metering Range: 1.) Shooting in auto mode: EV 10-17 (38mm at ISO 400), EV 13-19 (80mm at ISO 400); 2.) Slow shutter speed and backlight compensation: EV 8-17 (38mm at ISO 400), EV 8-19 (80mm at ISO 400).
Shutter: Programmed AE electronic lens shutter.
Shutter Speeds: Approx. 1/300 sec. to 1 sec.; 1/2 sec. to 1 min. in bulb mode.
Viewfinder: Actual-image zoom viewfinder.
Viewfinder Area: 83% (at 3m). Indication: focus and flash status, close distance compensation frame and AF frame.
External LCD Indication: Frame numbers, battery exhaustion warning mark, red-eye reduction, flash-on, flash-off, slow shutter, bulb, back light.
Film Winding: Automatic film winding (single-frame).
Film Rewinding: Automatic film rewinding at the end of roll. Automatic stop.
Flash: Built-in flash. Automatic discharge under low lighting.
Effective Range: 1) 0.8m - 7.0m (2.6 ft ~23 ft) (38mm at ISO 400)
Power Source: One 3V lithium battery (CR123A or DL123A type).
Dimensions and Weight: 4.7 (W) x 2.8 (H) x 2.0 (D)" (120.5mm x 70.5mm x 51.5mm). 8.1 oz. (230 g) without battery.
IQZOOM 80-S Date Data Imprinting: Five-mode switchable: "Year-Month-Day", "Month-Day-Year", "Day-Month-Year", "Day-Hour-Minute"
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 80.00
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Fool-Proof for Absolute Beginners
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JediKermit
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Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
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Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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