Sunday, April 7, 2013

Pentax ZX-7 and Kodak BW400CN



This post concerns a couple things I have wanted to do for a while. I got a Pentax ZX-30 SLR last year and although I was very impressed with the camera I discovered afterwards that it was one of two models that are unable to make use of any of my manual prime lenses. After a bit of research I found out that there are several similar cameras that can, including the ZX-7.

I recently ran across a couple ZX-7’s on www.shopgoodwill.com. This is an online auction site, kind of like Ebay but run by Goodwill Industries where you can find great deals on film cameras. Last month I bought and blogged about an Olympus XA2, I got from there for only $14. This month I was lucky enough to scoop up one of the ZX-7’s with a very nice 28 - 80 zoom lens for only $17. Of course the first thing to do when you get a new camera, especially if it isn’t new, is to load it up with film and see if everything works.

I have been wanting to try some Kodak BW400CN film. That’s Kodak’s C-41 process black & white film that can be developed in the same chemicals as color films. It was discontinued a while back but is still readily available and I have a few rolls in my film drawer so I loaded one of them into my new ZX-7 and proceeded to test both camera and film.

As you can see from the photos above and below the ZX-7 and the BW400CN are both keepers.



Not only is the Pentax ZX-7 an advanced multi-mode, autofocus 35mm film SLR but it can take any K-mount lens ever made without an adapter, even the excellent manual prime lenses used on my manual cameras.  There is a focus peaking function to assist with focusing manual lenses which provided a visual indication in the viewfinder as well as an audible beep to let you know when the subject is in focus. 

As for the BW400CN film, this ISO 400 black & white film acquitted itself well. Although most of the test roll I took with the ZX-7 was hastily shot during my lunch hour just to see if the camera worked properly with a variety of lenses, the results were promising and I can’t wait to see how it performs with more worthy subjects.

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