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 ZX-50 Quartz Date (also known as MZ-50 QD in Japan and some European markets) is a variant of the Pentax ZX-50 entry-level autofocus SLR, adding a quartz-controlled date-back module to the standard body. Introduced around 1996, it shares all specifications with the base ZX-50 - the same polycarbonate body, KAF-mount screw-drive autofocus, 30s-1/2000s electronic shutter, and full PASM exposure mode set - with the addition of an imprinting system that burns date or time data directly onto the film frame in the lower-right corner. The date-back was a common upsell variant across the entire consumer SLR segment of the mid-1990s, appearing in nearly every manufacturer's lineup as a QD (Quartz Date) suffix model.
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-back variant of Pentax's entry-level KAF SLR, adding quartz-controlled date imprinting to the base ZX-50 body.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Pentax KAF (K-mount, autofocus) |
| Year introduced | ~1996 |
| Shutter | 30s - 1/2000s, electronic vertical metal |
| Flash sync | 1/100s |
| Meter | TTL multi-segment |
| Modes | Program, Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority, Manual |
| Autofocus | Single-point TTL phase-detection, screw-drive |
| Date back | Quartz-controlled, imprints date/time on film |
| Battery | 2x CR2 lithium |
| ISO range | 25-5000 (DX coding) |
| Viewfinder coverage | ~90% |
The ZX-50 (MZ-50 in Japan) was Pentax's budget-floor entry into the mid-1990s AF SLR market, positioned below the ZX-7 (MZ-3) and ZX-5n (MZ-5n) in the family hierarchy. Pentax offered the body in at least two configurations: the base ZX-50 and the Quartz Date variant. The QD configuration was standard practice in the industry - Canon offered it on EOS Rebel models, Nikon on N-series bodies, Minolta on Dynax/Maxxum models. It added marginal manufacturing cost while allowing a higher retail price point and a clearer product line differentiation.
The quartz date function imprints one of several data formats - typically date (year/month/day), time (hour/minute), or a blank - onto the film surface using small LEDs that expose through the film plane during winding. The imprint appears in the lower-right corner of the frame. This feature was popular with consumers documenting family events and travel; professional photographers generally disabled it or preferred non-QD bodies to avoid the overlay.
The Quartz Date variant is slightly less common than the base ZX-50 on the used market, though the difference is marginal. By the early 2000s, both variants were phased out as Pentax developed the *ist series for the transition toward digital K-mount bodies.
The ZX-50 Quartz Date inherits everything that makes the base ZX-50 worthwhile: access to the full Pentax K-mount lens ecosystem, including the FA Limited primes (43/1.9, 77/1.8, 31/1.8) and the FA 50/1.4, at a very low body cost. The KAF mount provides full autofocus and AE coupling with all F and FA series lenses produced through the film era.
The date back is, from a practical shooting standpoint, largely irrelevant to contemporary film users. Most will leave it in blank mode or disabled. It does not add meaningful bulk to the body, and the CR2 battery powers both the camera electronics and the date module.
For buyers choosing between the base ZX-50 and the Quartz Date, the choice typically comes down to whichever working example is available at a reasonable price. The optical and mechanical performance is identical. The QD model's only meaningful difference is the ability to imprint dates if desired - useful for archival documentation, occasionally desirable as a deliberate aesthetic choice.
Pentax KAF mount. Compatible with:
Recommended pairings identical to base ZX-50:
Built-in pop-up flash. Hot shoe accepts dedicated Pentax AF flashes.
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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