Pentax PZ-1p The flagship model in the Pentax AF 35mm SLR lineup until the recent introduction of the MZ-S, the PZ-1p offers a full array of features to suit everyone from point-and-shooter to serious photographer. Novices need only move the main switch to the User position, and they're ready to point-and-shoot. For more-serious users, there are a host of advanced features. The top model in Pentax's AF SLR line at the time of its introduction, the PZ-1p is an even better deal at today's lower price. Performance and capabilities are well-suited to serious photography, and the camera offers some features not available in our other choices, including zoom effect and snap-in focus. The aerial photo below was made using aperture-priority AE mode and single-shot AF. Focusing—The PZ-1p provides single-shot and servo (continuous) predictive autofocusing as well as manual focusing via the focusing ring on the lens—and the autofocusing system operates in light levels as dim as EV -1, as sensitive as any current AF system. There's also snap-in focus (available only when manual-focus Ka- or K-mount lenses are used), in which you manually focus at a desired distance, then lock the shutter button down (using the accessory Cable Switch F), and the camera will fire automatically when a subject arrives at the prefocused point. What "PZ" Means—When Pentax FA power-zoom lenses are attached, you get three-speed power zooming, Zoom Clip (which lets you store a desired focal length and return to it at the touch of a button), Image Size Tracking (the lens will automatically zoom to maintain a preset subject size as the subject moves toward or away from the camera), and Zoom Effect (the lens zooms from wide to tele or vice versa after half the exposure time has elapsed, to produce an "explosion" effect). The PZ-1p accepts the entire Pentax K-mount lens line, including manual-focus SMC Pentax models from 16mm full-frame fisheye and 15mm superwide-angle to 2000mm mirror, and AF models from 17-28mm full-frame fisheye zoom to 600mm supertele. Exposure—The PZ-1p offers three metering modes (eight-segment, center-weighted, and spot) and a host of exposure modes. Hyper Program is essentially a shiftable program AE mode with a safety shift. All AF SLRs offer program AE, in which the camera sets both the shutter speed and the aperture for proper exposure. Some provide program shift, which allows you to set a desired shutter speed or aperture while in program mode, with the camera automatically adjusting the other control accordingly to maintain proper exposure. But with the PZ-1p, there's also a safety shift: if the shutter speed or aperture you set will result in an incorrect exposure because it will cause the other control to go out of range, the camera will choose a setting that will retain proper exposure—and warn you via a viewfinder indication. (You can use Pentax Function 5 to cancel this safety shift.) Hyper Manual works like a conventional metered-manual mode, but also offers two handy features. First, you can instantly set the correct exposure by pressing the IF button. Second, if you press the memory-lock button, the exposure will be memorized, and the camera will automatically adjust the shutter speed or aperture to maintain correct exposure as you adjust the other control. The PZ-1p also incorporates conventional program and shutter- and aperture-priority AE modes. Exposure compensation (±4 stops) and three-frame automatic exposure bracketing are also provided. Photo by Mike Stensvold Flash—The PZ-1p's built-in RTF (Retractable TTL autoflash) has an ISO 100 guide number of 46 (in feet) and offers daylight sync (automatic flash-fill), slow-shutter sync, and flash bracketing, along with 28mm angle of coverage, red-eye-reducing mode, trailing-curtain sync and flash-exposure compensation. For added flash power and more features, a dedicated Pentax AF/FTZ-series flash unit can be attached to the camera's hot-shoe. For example, with the AF500FTZ, you get automatic zooming to match the angle of coverage to the lens focal length, multi-burst flash, slave sync, bounce flash, off-camera TTL flash and, in conjunction with the built-in RTF, contrast-control flash, in which the off-camera unit provides two units of light and the built-in unit one. An accessory cable and hot-shoe adapter allow you to move the accessory flash off-camera while retaining TTL exposure control. Maximum flash sync speed is a high 1/250. More Features—Shutter speeds range from 30 seconds to 1/8000 plus bulb mode for long exposures. Other features include multiple-exposure capability (you can make up to nine exposures on a single frame); automatic film transport (up to 4 fps); multi-mode self-timer (12-second countdown, 2-second countdown and triple frame, which shoots 3 frames at 2-second intervals after a 12-second delay); four selectable program lines (normal, high-speed for action subjects, depth for great depth of field and MTF, which chooses the aperture at which the lens is sharpest—usable with FA lenses only); six interchangeable Natural-Bright-Matte focusing screens (including a Golden Section Matte, which marks off "rule-of-thirds" compositional intersections); and more. Set the mode dial to PF, and you can access the Pentax Functions, which allow you to reprogram a variety of camera functions. For example, Pentax Function 1 allows you to turn the audible warning signal on or off, PF 4 lets you set shutter-speed steps in full or half-EV increments, and via PF 11, you can choose to leave the film leader out of the cassette after rewinding or wind it back into the cassette.