Pentax MZ-50

Pentax MZ-50, also known as the Pentax ZX-50, is a K-mount autofocus SLR produced by Pentax in 1997. Ideal for those who are new to SLR photography.

The Pentax MZ-50 was my first real camera. I remember saving for ages to purchase an SLR and although this was not my first choice (I had my heart set on another, I can’t remember what now) it was my prized possession for a long time. I had many adventures with this camera, which had been neglected. That was until recently when I rediscovered the beauty of this camera.

The Pentax MZ-50 is compact and light weight autofocus SLR and back in the 90’s it was said to have had a “broad range of advanced technologies”. The MZ-50 has some issues with the autofocus, which seems to be a common fault with this camera. The main problem is when using the autofocus mode it has some trouble focusing properly, however this could simply be fixed by switching to the manual focus option.

Putting the issues with the autofocus aside.

When it comes to the photos that are produced with this camera, I have always been quite impressed with the results. The MZ-50 takes the standard 35mm film and through experimenting with different films I have found it be a versatile camera.

The MZ-50 is a great camera for those who are starting out with a film SLR. It is functional and uncomplicated making it easy to use for beginners. Another added bonus is these days you can pick one up online for around $20.

Review originally published on lomography.com and can be found here.


Suzie x


Camera / / Pentax MZ-50
Film / / Fujifilm 200