C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Pentax MZ-7 Quartz is a variant of the MZ-7 (2000) differing from the base model solely in the addition of a quartz-crystal date/time imprinting system. The imprinter exposes date or time data directly onto the film's emulsion between frames or in the corner of the frame, using a quartz-controlled clock for accuracy. All other specifications are shared with the standard MZ-7: the 3-point KAF2 autofocus system, 6-zone evaluative metering, electronic vertical-travel metallic shutter running from 30s to 1/4000s, and the rear LCD panel introduced in the MZ-7. Hyper-Program and Hyper-Manual exposure modes remain the body's signature feature. The camera was sold in some markets as the ZX-7 Quartz or ZX-7 QD.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The date-imprint variant of Pentax's MZ-7, adding quartz-crystal date/time stamping to an already-capable mid-range KAF2 SLR.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Pentax KAF2 (K-mount, all generations) |
| Base model | MZ-7 (2000) |
| Quartz date system | Yes - date/time imprint on film |
| Shutter | 30s - 1/4,000s + Bulb, electronic vertical metallic |
| Flash sync | 1/100s |
| Meter | 6-zone evaluative + center spot, EV 1-21 |
| AF | 3-point (wide / central / spot) |
| Exposure modes | P, Av, Tv, M + Hyper-P, Hyper-M |
| Viewfinder | ~92% coverage, ~0.85x |
| Weight | ~440 g body only (estimated, same as MZ-7) |
| Battery | 2x CR2 |
Pentax offered Quartz-date variants across its SLR lineup from the 1980s onward, parallel to the practice common among Canon, Nikon, and Minolta. The MZ-7 Quartz followed the same pattern as earlier Quartz variants in the MZ family (the MZ-5n had no explicit QD variant listed, but the broader precedent is well established in the line). The quartz suffix distinguishes it clearly from the base MZ-7 in used-market listings.
The MZ-7 Quartz appeared around 2001, approximately one year after the base MZ-7 was introduced in 2000. By this point Pentax's film SLR development resources were being redirected toward the *ist D digital body project, meaning the MZ-7 Quartz was among the last significant film-body variants the company would release. Production wound down around 2004 alongside the base MZ-7.
The practical significance of the Quartz variant is small: date imprinting was useful for consumers in the pre-digital era who wanted photographic records with embedded timestamps. For the contemporary film photographer, the imprinted date is at best optional and at worst an intrusion on the frame. Most users of the MZ-7 Quartz today disable the date function and treat it as a standard MZ-7.
The camera otherwise inherits everything that makes the base MZ-7 worthwhile: a large, bright viewfinder (0.85x, ~92% coverage) well-suited to manual-focus work with legacy SMC Pentax M and A primes; the Hyper-Program exposure system that allows seamless transitions between automatic and manual control from a single dial; and full KAF2 compatibility covering decades of K-mount lenses. The 1/100s flash sync limit remains the weakest item on the spec sheet.
The Quartz variant commands a small premium over the standard MZ-7 in some used markets due to scarcity rather than desirability.
KAF2 mount accepts all K, KA, KAF, and KAF2 lenses across all Pentax K-mount generations. Screwdriver-driven AF with KAF lenses; power zoom with KAF2 power-zoom lenses; stop-down metering with K and KA manual lenses. Natural compact pairings include the SMC Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, FA 35mm f/2 AL, and FA 28mm f/2.8. The FGZ grip adds portrait-orientation controls. Compatible Pentax flashes: AF540FGZ, AF360FGZ, AF201FG (P-TTL metering).
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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