unca mikey

Yes, the non-Pentax version I bought on ebay has a lock. Do a search on 'cs-205' and you'll find several versions.

I don't know about the screw-in remote, but the ZX-L uses the same CS205 as my *ist 35mm. Rather than pay Pentax's enormous price for one of those, I got a no-name version on ebay for about $10. Works fine.

My standard walkaround lens is the FA 28-105 f3.2/4.5 -- small and light, a great match for the ZX-5n, IMO. (I use it on a *ist 35mm, similar size.) I don't know your definition of expensive, but it's about $200 brand new, and well worth it.

I have no earthly idea, but am intrigued by your description. Could you post a picture somewhere so we can see it?

Any chance you accidentally changed a setting? The camera can't focus and thus doesn't fire? Maybe switching the batteries with a fresh set?

 

I don't have that particular model and so don't know what the possibilities are, but whenever my *ist 35mm has done something flaky, it's been because of user error.

 

Good luck.

To be honest, I preferred getting a FA 50mm f1.7. I was able to get a minty used one on ebay for under $100US. I don't mind the slight loss of speed, and the lens is two ounces lighter, which is important to me. I suppose the f1.7 doesn't have the sex appeal of the faster f1.4, so it's usually significantly cheaper. And the optics are stunning, IMO.

I think it's FPO and APO -- those are addresses for US military personnel stationed outside the country. Most companies consider such addresses "in" the US.

 

In years past, I got Pentax rebates for binoculars, and right now I am waiting for the $50 rebate on my DA 40mm -- Pentax rebates are dependable, I think, but not particularly fast.

That's fine -- maybe we have different definitions of "cheap"? LOL. The DA 40mm is the most expensive lens I've bought for my Pentax *ist 35mm, and I only fell for it because of the $50 rebate (net $215 from Adorama).

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In comparison, I got the FA J 18-35 brand new in box w/warranty for about $95 on ebay. It's "cheap" in both price and build (plastic mount, very light plastic construction, etc) but goodness! I have a lot of fun with that lens! And the images are surprisingly good.

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We all have different perspectives, which is good, makes life interesting.

I have the DA 40mm (use it on my Pentax *ist 35mm) and as Alan says, it is not cheaply built. All metal, etc -- perhaps if you considered the price per pound, it would not seem so cheap? <G> The DA 40mm is only about 3 oz. And the image quality is excellent, which is what really matters, IMO.

If your camera body can handle lenses without an aperture ring, you may want to consider the FA J 18-35. It's not quite as wide, but close. I was able to pick up a new one, from an authorized dealer, on that auction site for about $90, and have been very pleased with the results. Some vignetting and barrel distortion, some softness in the corners, but it's small and light, and being able to go to 35mm makes it a decent carry around lens. And the price is hard to beat.

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Here's a shot inside St Peter's, and two other snaps with that lens.

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<DT><A HREF=http://www.flickr.com/photos/uncamikey/63931943/>St Peter's</A>

<DT><A HREF=http://www.flickr.com/photos/uncamikey/63950581/>Perugia</A>

<DT><A HREF=http://www.flickr.com/photos/uncamikey/67169644/>Florence</A>

Yes, I checked wide open and several other f stops, nothing. I am shooting more tests, just to make assure myself. Here's one shot I made of the side of my house, at f8.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uncamikey/101750742/

 

If you search the archives of this group, Mark Lindamood did much more thorough tests, using slide film, and could find no fall off. I relied on those tests when I bought the lens, which ain't cheap! LOL. I admit, I was a little anxious at first, because there is some slight vignetting in the viewfinder, but the film images appear 100% fine.

I know that vignetting, light fall off, is supposed to be the issue, but every practical test I've seen, and the ones I've done, show no vignetting at all. None, zero, zip, nada. I did some close comparisons to my FA 28-105 f3.2/4.5 and FA 50mm f1.7, and there is no discernible difference -- the DA 40mm covers the full frame.

Yes, my *ist is the 35mm version, quite a bit smaller and lighter than the digitals.

 

The big question, which has been asked before, is why does Pentax say this lens cannot be used on 35mm? The small size and nice focal length make it a great carry around for street shooting.

I have the Pentax *ist, and love it. After I saw the posts from Mark

Lindamood and others that the DA 40mm will work on 35mm (despite what

Pentax says), I knew I had to get one. My Flickr photostream shows

how this body/lens can fit into my pocket, and a couple of test shots

that clearly show no vignetting.

 

 

40mm is a lovely focal length -- I can understand why it was so

popular on some rangefinders.

I really like the kit I've put together for traveling: Pentax *ist (film), FA J 18-35, FA 28-105 f3.2, and a FA 50mm f1.7. I *hate* lugging stuff around, so I got the lightest smallest stuff I could find; every ounce counts. All this and a few bits (cable release, remote control, etc) fit into a Lowepro Nova Mini AW pack, very small and compact. I strap an Ultrapod II onto the side of the pack.

 

Works great! I learned the hard way that the greatest camera/lens in the world takes crummy travel pictures if it's too heavy to take with you! LOL

I have the *ist 35mm, and it has all that. Three metering modes (matrix, center-weighted, spot), DOF preview, MLU by using timer delay, and selectable 11 point AF.

That's not a problem, really, just the design of almost all cameras. If you want to restrict

the shutter speed to a certain value, shoot in Tv mode and set the speed you want. On

the *ist, you can also set it to the "Action" mode, which will try to select the fastest

shutter speed possible. If it is set to Action with your 300mm, and the fastest shutter

speed is 1/90, then you just don't have enough light and/or your film is not fast enough.

 

Remember, though, that with a 300mm, you will almost certainly be better off with a

tripod. A shot at 1/90 would be very clear if you use a tripod and the *ist's mirror

lockup. To shoot that length handheld, you'd need lots of light and fast film.

Oops, you're right, F lenses should be fine. I got confused, quite easy for me! LOL Just

in case the OP doesn't know, a great online resource is Bojidar's Pentax K mount site,

which goes into detail on mounts, lenses, bodies, which works with what, etc.

 

http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/

 

Now, about zooms: I started piddling with photography in the 60s, and the conventional

wisdom was that primes are far superior to zooms, and that stuck with me for decades.

But for most amateur photography, I think that today's modern zooms are great

performers, and are terrific for those of us who like to travel very light.

Oh, one other thing. I looked at the FA 24-90, but decided against it for two reasons:

quite a bit more expensive, and much heavier, 12.5 oz. The ZX-30, like my *ist, is a

small, light camera, and I think the 24-90 is so heavy that the camera/lens combo would

not be very well balanced, and cumbersome to use.

 

That 35-80 is very light. Unless you are willing to spend several hundred dollars, I don't

think you'll see a dramatic improvement in optical quality. My biggest complaint against

the 35-80 is that it doesn't go wide enough. Maybe an equally inexpensive 28-80, just

for more coverage?

Your ZX-30 has the "crippled" Kaf mount (like my *ist), so stay away from F lenses, or

any Pentax lens without an "A" aperture setting.

 

I replaced the original FA J 28-80 kit lens with a FA 28-105 3.2-4.5 for about $200,

new, and have been very pleased with it. I have not seen this zoom on the used market.

 

I second the recommendation for a 50mm, if you can find one at a good price. Since

Pentax doesn't seem to be making 50mm primes any more (other than the f2 A lens),

prices on the used market have skyrocketed. I lucked out and got my FA 50mm f1.7 for

$90 last year, before the recent insanity.

I've had the *ist 35mm and love it. I wanted something very small and light -- with a

FA 50mm f1.7, the *ist is about the size of a rangefinder and can fit into a larger coat

pocket. Most of my photography is done while traveling, and I wanted a very small,

light kit -- the *ist and 3 lenses, along with other assorted bits and pieces of gear,

will fit easily into a Lowepro Nova Mini AW.

 

I sold the original FAJ 28-80 kit lens and replaced it with the FA 28-105 f3.2-4.5. I

also use the FA 50mm f1.7 and the FA J 18-35. I think the FA J lenses are better than

most people give them credit for.

 

The *ist has an incredible set of features, and will be more durable than we suspect. I

bought this kit, incidentally, to replace a Spotmatic and large set of M42 primes,

which I wasn't using very much because I got tired of lugging it around.

How many times did your film pass through x-ray machines? I had a similar problem

in a trip to Italy. I used faster film (Fuji 800) but it had gone through airport x-ray

machines too many times, and the results were like yours -- fuzzy, lack of definition,

graininess, poor colors, etc. I now carry my film in a small lead-lined bag when

traveling.