Quality construction, easy-to-use features, excellent performance, light-weight.

None so far, but I see often that what I consider a virtue in a camera is deemed a 'weakness' by others.

I found this excellent camera in a second-hand store and, after powering it up, discovered that it was a wonderful little instrument. A dozen rolls of film proved that I was right. Simple to use, terrific results, sturdy, lightweight...all in all, a great 'knockabout' camera. Many others seem to decry the use of manual focus and instead judge a camera by its addition of what I call 'idiot-proof' gimmicks...most of which aren't necessary or even wanted by those of us who just want to achieve quality results.

Customer Service

Never have used it.

Similar Products Used:

You name it...Nikon, Pentax, Canon, Minox, Hassy, Yashica, Contax, etc.

Taken this camera backpacking, climbing, hiking, fishing, you name it. Water, dust, snow, rain, dropped rolled around in car. Alaska-Florida and everywhere in between. Takes a lickin and keeps on clickin.

No auto focus
Mostly personal weaknesses

Great beginner camera if you really want to learn what it takes to become a good photographer.

Customer Service

Never needed it

Similar Products Used:

Shoot with a Tukamar 28-80mm w/ Micro Lens

*Well designed, well built.
*Very easy to use.
*Very good metering.
*Three exposure modes.
*Cheap, very cheap.
*K-lenses: there are a lot of good lenses everywhere (specially second-hand!)

*No TTL flash control.
*Does not accept any kind of motordrive.
*No aperture indicator in the viewfinder.
*No DX code overriding.

My P-30N was second-hand, I paid about $100.
This was my wife's first SLR.
After shooting some rolls, I was delighted with the results: the center-weighted meter was almost perfect, giving superb exposed slides!(much better than my Nikon F-301).
The main controls were perfectly placed and the design/built level was surprising high.
Unfortunately, our camera was stolen some time ago.
I think this is the best machine for a beginner (but not only for a beginner!) it contains all basic features you ever can need.
The only problem with this camera from Pentax was that there were very few chances for up-grading: no TTL flash control, no motordrives, no DX code overriding...but you can not forget the money you have paid for: this is not a Nikon F-5!
Anyway, a highly recommended camera for everyone who looks for a high quality SLR, specially if your budget is small and you are not a fan of high-tech madness (you know: 100 frames-per-second, 400 focusing points in the viewfinder, 100% titanium and stainless steel and so...).

Customer Service

Never needed!

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F-90X
Nikon F-70
Nikon F-601
Nikon F-301
Canon Eos 100
Canon Eos 1000FN
Fujica AX-3
Praktica MTL-5B

lightweight, durable, straight to the point

none

excellent camera, I own 4 and this one is my favorite.the other reviews said for beginners, I'm not a beginner and I believe this is a great camera. Complaints of a lack of auto focus? What type of photographer uses auto focus, a beginner.

Customer Service

never

Similar Products Used:

mamiya, nikon, minolta

- It's well built
- Acurate metering
- DOF-Preview
- Micro-raster and Split-view for focusing
- LED indication in viewfinder
- Memory lock
- Program mode
- Shutter priority mode
- Aperative mode
- Manual mode
- TTL Flash control (With pentax program flash)

None

This great camera has followed me for the last 15 years, and worked without a hitch. I still prefer this body for landscape photography, and in the situations where AF has a hard time.
My new AF body has taken over the situations where there is a lot of action, but i still use my good old MF 70-210mm Zoom and Flash with the new camera. The new camera body has a greater DX range and faster shutter speeds, this is the main reason that this isn't still my main body!

Equipment used with P30T:
- Pentax-A 28-80mm F3.5-4.5 Zoom
- Exacta 70-210mm F4.5-5.6 Zoom
- Pentax AF260sa TTL-Program Flash
- Slik U5000 Tripod

All in all it is a GREAT camera. Im sure mine will keep on going for the next 15 years!!!

/Bjarne

Customer Service

Haven needet it yet

Similar Products Used:

Pentax MZ-7 (My new AF body)
Minolta Dynax 500si (This is a very bad body)

Robust
Reliable
Dependable Metering (centre weighted only)
DOF Preview
Simple interface
A Joy to Use
Takes all Pentax Lenses

No Spotmeter
No Shutter Priority (Aperture Only or Full Auto)

I used this Camera from 1990 until about a year ago. Took it everywhere and it never went wrong, never let me down. D*** fine and D*** reliable. Found it very easy to use and take great photos with. Only stopped because I wanted autofocus. Went with Pentax again because this one was soo good, and could then use this as a second body & swap lenses over.

Customer Service

Never Needed

Similar Products Used:

None

Versitile
easy to use
cheap
DOF

I have had two and both seem to have problems with winders

Great if you need a cheap pentax which can take none auto lenses. Its ability to also take auto lenses makes this a good cheap camera for beginners to the intermediate

Customer Service

see weakness

Similar Products Used:

MZ 50

This camera has been with me constantly since I bought it new in 1989. Always loaded with film and never in a case. No failures ever.

No weaknesses compaired to other equipment from this time period.

A very reliable camera for photographers of any level of experience. Can be purchased used for less than $100. A steal in my opinion.

Customer Service

Never needed customer service.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta X-370
Minolta SRT series

- quite cheap for its price and features
- accepts virtually ALL Pentax lenses, I use it with 1975 pre-M lenses and latest autofocus lenses at the same time
- compact and lightweight
- 3 exposure modes (programme, aperture priority, manual, plus programmed flash AE)
-memory lock for the Aperture priority and programmed mode
-depth of field button (just try to find this in the newest, expensive Canons...)
- easy to read display in viewfinder
-incredibly easy and fast film loading, you open the back, put the film inside, slide it up to the red point and youre done, its almost as easy as an auto-load camera!!
-film window
- a feature never mentioned in any literature: it can perform stopped down metering (!!!) with non pentax or pentax screw mount lenses. In fact I have got the most amazing results from this camera with a 35 mm f2.4 screw mount Carl Zeiss Jena lens.
- it allows slow shutter flash synch for backlit or ambient light flash exposures.

-dark focusing screen
-plastic body and feel (but this is personal, i prefer the metallic feel. But the mount is metal and very well made)
-no DX override

Ive had this Camera for almost 10 years and have used it as my first and later second body, so I know it quite well. It offers a gread deal of flexibility with its exposure modes. However, the programme mode is made for the ignorant. Although it allows point-and-shoot, it is made in such a way to always choose high shutter speeds. In a bright day it will only choose 1/500 or 1/1000 sec, thus forcing the aperture to open values and degrading the image quality. Mine always tends to overexpose, but perhaps it is a problem of my camera only. The programmed flash AE will give amazing results when using a pentax dedicated flash (this mode is not TTL metered like someone said in another review) and the viewfinder will give all the relevant information (flash ready, successful exposure). It doesnt have exposure compensation, but it offers exposure lock and although it doesnt have a multiple exposure mechanism, you can do multiple exposures manually (eg. press the rewind button, hold the rewind crank steady and advance the film). the Depth of field button is amazingly easy to use but not when the lens is set to A unfortunately. Mine has lately had problems with the A position ofthe lens, namely it fails to recognise that the lens is at A and it assumes that it is at the smallest aperture instaed, thus turning to aperture priority instead of programme.
It is a good camera for a starter, or someone that needs traditional manual with some automation, and it performs well in most cases. However, I hate its plastic look and feel and I am planning to change it for a more traditional , metal manual body. Unfortunately pentax has abandoned the good old manual focus line, so we eare forced to turn probably to Nikon which seem to be the only manufacturer keeping up with the manual tradition.

Customer Service

Never needed

Similar Products Used:

Pentax K1000, Spotmatic, Z1
Zenit TTL
Olympus OM2, OM101,
Nikon F90x
Canon A1

Complete control over the whole process plus programmed automatic exposure. Price was attractive. Accepts all Pentax lenses. Most important, it has depth of view (DOV) preview function.

No mirror lock up. The shutter/mirror mechanism can be a source of vibration.

This is a respectable body. I bought it about 12 years ago and was my primary body until yesterday. While I was buying a macro lens, I played with a newer Pentax body and found that the vibration/noise associated with the P30 was essentially absent. I picked up a ZX-5N. The P30 is now my backup body.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax MX (my first SLR)
Nikon EL
Minolta 101b
Minolta 370