OddCameras.com
Reflx Lab MZ 50 Half Frame
This
is a modified half frame version of the Pentax MZ-50. There were very
few SLR cameras which could do half frame and they are quite old now.
So the Reflx Lab had the good idea to modify a well available standard
full frame SLR to half frame. Their choice fell on used Pentax MZ
models. These are very light and have autofocus and auto-exposure
modes, most are also capable of manual modes. There is a wide range of
lenses.
The mod means a new film plane, a modified film advance, frame lines in
the viewer and they changed the sometimes frail plastic gearing of the
MZ to more solid and reliable metal gearing. The modified cameras come
with a one year warranty. You can choose between 6 models: MZ-10,
MZ-50, MZ-3, MZ-5, MZ-5n and MZ-7. You can also buy cameras that do
24x24mm square negatives.The website for the modified cameras is here (links open in a new window). You have to pre-order your choice and then
they are made. Sometimes they have cameras in stock like my MZ-50.
The model presented here is a half frame modification based on the
Pentax MZ-50 model. If you are interested in the full frame version and
its history, I have made a page here.
The main features are:
Shutter: electronic vertical
focal plane, speeds: 30s to 1/2000
and B
Automatic exposure with several modes, manual modes with light metering
assistance
Focus: automatic or manual
Film speeds: automatic 25-5000 ISO, manual 6-6400
Auto-wind and rewind,
mid roll rewind
Dimensions: 135x90x62mm, Weight 360g (body)
Some photos:
The camera comes in a simple plein brown box.
Box open.
Front with body cap.
Camera, cap taken
off. Its all in a very good state.
Camera back. They chose a date back model.
Film plane, modified to half frame.
Camera, 19-35 Soligor
zoom lens. This is good choice for half frame. The crop factor is 1.5,
so compared to full frame this is a 28-53mm equivalent.
Camera
and lens are
quite compact. The lens is prone to flare on its big flat front lens in
bright sunshine with backlight. So you better use it with
its massive shade and a filter then.
Camera with a 18-55 Pentax digital lens. This lens would not cover full
format. Pentax digital is APS, the same size as half format, so it's
perfect for this camera. These lenses are smaller and lighter than full
format. Most of them are quite expensive, but this one was an entry
level lens, only sold as a pack with a Pentax digital camera.
The grip is a HorusBennu grip
attached to a Manfrotto 200PL style quick release plate, a special
plate made by HorusBennu for their grips. It allows you to use the
camera, with the grip attached, on a Manfrotto RC2 Rapid Connect
Adapter.
Camera and lens are very compact. Seen the 1.5 crop factor, it's
27-83mm equiv.
Camera with an ultrawide zoom lens, a Sigma 10-20mm digital lens. This lens would also not cover full
format.
The lens is compact as well, but quite massive with its shade. It's 15-30mm equiv. which is ultawide to very wide.
Compared to the 18-55mm Pentax lens. The Sigma is
significantly more massive.
5
lenses in
comparison. From left, upper row: 80-210 Tamron, 28-80 Pentax, 19-35
Soligor, all full format. Lower row: 10-20 Sigma and 18-55 Pentax,
digital APS format.
Lens specifictions at
shortest position.
80-210 Tamron: 100x68mm from
flange. Weight 337 gr.
28-80 Pentax: 80x63mm from flange.
Weight 274 gr.
19-35 Soligor: 68x75mm from flange.
Weight 307 gr.
18-55 Pentax digital: 68x63mm from flange.
Weight 200 gr.
10-20 Sigma digital: 78x82mm drom flange, Weight 372 gr.
The 5 lenses again.
I would love the very compact,
pancake-like 21mm digital prime lens, but it's way too expensive for my
budget...
This is a very light SLR camera with a choice of good lenses that can
be bought for cheap. You can also use APS format lenses, they will
cover the format as well. There are only a few half frame SLRs, if it
comes to auto-focus there is the Yashica Samurai series and this one,
no others that I know of.
There are some issues with my camera. There were heavy light leaks, if
the camera was carried around in bright sunshine, which came from the
film type window.
I taped the window with black tape and the leaks were gone.
The film gate is not rectangular. It "leans" to the right. It's not
much, about half a mm on each side. But in the end you lose one mm of
the picture area as it's on both sides.
Shown on the camera...
... and shown on the negatives. As you can see, top and bottom differ on a rectangular film cutter.
Spacing is uneven. Two scans from a professional lab (resized here)
which scans 2 frames at a time (standard 24x36). They show quite a
difference in spacing.
Largest...
...and smallest
At the same time you can see the film gate issue. Open the picure in a
picture software and try a rectangular selection. You will see that the
frame is not really rectangular.
One more issue are the frame lines in the viewer, they are off the real
frame. I had the impression sooner already. So for the next photo
I framed the Cologne cathedral exactly between the lines in the viewer.
The real picture is off center. So I have to keep this in mind and I have to guess...
Reflx Lab promised to solve these issues on future cameras.
Nevertheless I'm quite pleased with this camera. Shipping was fast, cheap and easy. BTW: Reflx Lab makes other interesting products for analog photographers.
Some first pictures taken with the Tamron 19-35mm lens:
Cologne, St.
Pantaleon, portal.
Cologne, Breslauer Platz, entrance to main railway station.
Cologne, main railway station.
Cologne, cathedral, front.
Cologne, entrance to cathedral, detail.
Cologne, cathedral, tower.
Cologne, fountain next to cathedral, detail.
The
first film was mainly shot in dull weather. Some photos had faint light
streaks which I attributed to the enormous flat front lens of the
Tamron. So I bought another lens, a 18-55
Pentax digital lens. This lens would not cover full format. Pentax
digital is APS, the same size as half format, so it's perfect for this
camera. These lenses are smaller and lighter than full format. Most of
them are quite expensive, but this one was an entry level lens, only
sold as a pack with a Pentax digital camera.
Some pictures with this lens:
My Cologne veranda in disorder, 18mm...
...and zoomed to 55mm.
The
film was shot in extreme sunlight and the camera carried around a lot
through the sunshine. When I got the scans, most of the photos had
severe light leaks like this:
Cologne Mülheim, Carlswerk. On the film the picture sits vertical of course.
I mmediately suspected the film type window on the back of the camera. So I taped it and shot another film:
Cologne, Breslauer Platz.
All
fine on this film except some photos where I lifted the tape to be
sure. The window "pre-exposes" the film for the over-next photo. Reflx
Lab would of course repair the camera, but I
will not send it back as shipping it to China would be extremely
expensive and customs are compicated. I can live with a taped
window.
Cologne, St. Andreas.
Cologne, Cathedral workshop. Zoom.
I bought one more lens, a 10-20mm
Sigma DC digital lens, an extreme wide angle zoom. This lens would also
not cover full format. Pentax digital is APS, the same size as half
format, so it's perfect for this camera. Some photos with this
lens:
My disorderly Cologne veranda 10mm...
...and 20mm zoom.
Cologne, River Rhine at its lowest level ever.
Cologne, Breslauer Platz, 10mm.
Cologne Cathedral, south facade. The lens has a lot of contrast.
Cologne
Cathedral, south facade with a replica of the crane which sat on the
unfinished south tower for more than 500 years until 1868.
If the samples make you want to own the same camera, you can find it here.