fishbed77's Full Review: Pentax ZX-60 35mm Film Camera
Let's get this over with. The ZX-30 was a nice, solid, user-friendly camera. The ZX-60 is not.
Yes, the ZX-60 is a fairly full-featured amateur-level SLR that can be had for a reasonable price. But so are the Nikon N65, Minolta Maxxum 4, and Sigma SA-7 -- and they are all far-superior cameras.
Well, let's go ahead and get the positive aspects out of the way. This won't take too long. The autofocus is fast and seems relatively accurate, and the camera has an automatic pop-up flash -- always a nice feature for the beginning SLR user. And Pentax cameras and lens traditionally take quite good pictures. There is also a decent variety of auto modes and other features for the beginner.
But accessing those features is another story. Almost immediately, the user of the ZX-30 will notice the absence of an easy-to-use mode-selection command knob -- a feature that is all-but-standard on almost all amateur-level SLRs. Instead, a couple of buttons must be depressed and a dial toggled to change modes. Turn the camera off, and you have to start over. It doesn't help that the buttons are tiny and feel like they are made of the same stuff as cheap TV remote-control buttons.
The body is made of thin-feeling silver painted plastic. Pretty common on amateur SLRs these days -- but it seems pretty poorly executed on the ZX-60 (and the Canon Rebel 2000, for that matter -- but that's another story). The overall fit-and-finish is quite sloppy, with a little flash evident here and there. The film-loading door feels quite flimsy too. But no design feature is more disappointing than the plastic frame mount. In my opinion, the lack of a metal mount it what truly separates acceptable SLRs from mere junk pushed upon the consuming public. A simple bump to a mounted lens is all it takes to effectively destroy a camera with a plastic mount. And the ZX-60 follows this disturbing trend (along with the Minolta Maxxum 4, Nikon N55, and pretty much every Canon short of the Rebel Ti).
Overall, there is not much more to say. Pentax has made a number of great cameras over the years. The ZX-60 is not one of them. Your money would be best spent elsewhere.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 239.00 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
The attractive black-and-silver ZX-60 offers super-compact dimensions, user-friendly operations and a host of convenient and advanced features. Combin...More at eBay
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