Home > Consumer Reviews > Pentax ZX-30 Quartz Date 35mm SLR Camera Kit with 35-80mm Lens

I bought the pentax ZX-30 about a year ago, and have used it mostly for camping trips to fuel my eager website viewers. The camera was supposed to be a beginner to mid range slr, and i'll tell you why it is exactly that. I've used all of the available options on the camera (mostly auto) but the ease of use that the pentax claims is 100% true. For the people who are in the market for a camera that will jump start an SLR' type voyage into photography, this camera makes its mark.

Pros:
The auto mode, combining auto flash, auto zoom, and a bunch of other things makes this thing usable right out of the box. Then when you get a bit comfy'er, you can spread your wings as far as you'd like. You can add the flash through the compromising Hot Shoe they provide, seems like a very rugged camera in that it can take a little more abuse than most SLR's. If you're looking at the LCD panel, or just peeking through the viewscreen, you'll never make a mistake because it's telling you whats wrong with the picture with many little icons on and in the camera. Truely user friendly. It works amazing with the telephoto lens i got in a deal with it. It's a 100mm-300mm. Which takes great animal life in the woods that you just can't seem to get close to. Overall ease of use is up there. Dials are ergonomically palced to perfection around the natural spots where your finger tips are. The Lens which comes with it is easy to manipulate to create different effects.

Cons:
The batteries are the "3V Lithium Batteries (CR2)" which are quite expensive. I think i got a pack of two for about 25 bucks. And though the batteries last quite long, the camera doesn't have an auto shut off (incase you forget to shut off the power) which kills your batteries if you leave it for say overnight somewhere?! (done it a many times). Using the flash up close and taking pictures up-right (not how the picture shows, but sideways): this gives a horrible effect of a shadow crossing the persons face, and/or the whole picture, this is only pictures up close; using the flash, sideways. So yes we are getting picky.

Overall:
This camera set out to be a perfect camera for beginers to intermediate photographers, with many nice extra's, in an easy to use, affordable camera. Buy it with the extra lens, and you'll be all set. This camera set out to be something it is. It succeeded.

If you're looking for a SRL camera "kit" with the body, lense and case; get this one! I did hours of research (for my first SLR purchase) and this is the best quality kit available for the money.

And it's a joy!

The automatic features are more than a new person can comprehend. If you ever want to do everything manually it will do that too. For me, the camera is much smarter than I am. So I trust it. Last night just for fun I put it in "night mode" and took a picture of a person in near total darkness (just dim light from another room and the TV) WITHOUT the flash. The camera knew what film I was using, knew the lighting in detail, and adjusted. It left the shutter open for nearly a full second!! The result? UNBELIEVABLE - Looks like a day picture. Even when you try you can't over/underexpose with this camera. That's how smart it is.

The person I photographed used to be a portrait photographer (40 years ago) and said, "It'll just be black."

My research revealed that the big complaint about this camera was, "The automatic flash pops up too often." Complaints about competing kits were "horrible lense" and "it broke in 6 months".

And you can disable to automatic flash with the push of a button if it bothers you.

This setup is joy and beauty in a bag. I love mine. Everything I see now is a picture waiting to happen.

Okay, it's now been about 6 months since I bought this camera. Last night I dug out some old shoot-and-point camera pictures and then compared the quality of the pictures with the ones that I just took with this camera and the difference is like night and day. I can proudly say I am a SLR-snob. The old pictures were grainy and fuzzy. The lens is what makes all the difference and bottom line is the smaller point-and-shoots don't have quality lens (unless you're willing to pay for it). I even took some black and white photos just last week and I can't express enough how wonderful each one of my pictures came out. Sharp, crisp and clear.

Trust me, I used to be one of those people that carried a camera only on special occasions (when I remembered to). I now get excited to take it with me whenever I get the chance. I also bought some photography books that has helped me use this camera and have a better understanding on picking up my new hobby. I still have a long way to go on learning all the features on this camera and also to appreciate the skill of taking pictures.

When researching to buy a camera, I was debating between the "small and carry in your pocket" point-and-shoot cameras vs. the SLR cameras. In the end decided that the quality of pictures that I want was more important to me than the size. I didn't have the money to invest in both types, so I had to choose one or the other.

I have to admit one of the things that concerned me with the SLR was the size, but this Pentax is not only lighter than I had orginally anticipated and weighs slightly less than other SLR cameras out in the market. Also, I feel more comfortable, stable and secure when I take shots with this camera due to its rounded handle design. Definitely worth the long term investment and I would recommend this camera to anyone who is serious about taking quality pictures.

I've owned lots of cameras in the last 25 years, including a pro-level Canon F-1. My last 2 cameras were Olympus point & shoot models. Just bought the ZX-30 for my wife and I'm extremely happy with it. It totally satisfies me as a knowledgeable user, and is easy enough for my non-camera-geek wife to pick up and use right away. Picture quality with the inexpensive zoom is high, exposure quality and flash are excellent. Focus is fast and accurate, and the camera feels more substantial than similarly-priced competitors from Canon/Minolta. In fact, I chose this camera mainly based on its superior feel.

I have always enjoyed taking pictures, be it for personal use (family pictures), recreation, or school, however I have never really enjoyed the actual pictures once developed. I received this camera one year for Christmas, I was astonished at the picture quality and ease of operation. You don't have to be a genius to take good pictures, this camera makes you feel like you are the best photographer in the world. It is perfect for normal use (vacation pictures...) and for high quality photography. I highly recommend this camera to anyone novice or not.