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-7 Quartz Date (approximately 2000) is a variant of the ZX-7 / MZ-7 autofocus SLR, adding an integrated quartz date-imprinting function to the standard body. All mechanical and optical specifications are shared with the base ZX-7: the KAF2 mount, electronic vertical metallic shutter (30s-1/4000s), multi-segment TTL metering, phase-detection autofocus with AF-assist lamp, full PASM exposure modes, and 1/180s flash sync. The date back adds the ability to imprint date, time, or frame number information onto the film during exposure. The variant is sold as the MZ-7 QD (Quartz Date) outside North America, following the same ZX/MZ regional naming split applied to the base 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 MZ-7/ZX-7 mid-tier K-mount autofocus SLR with an integrated quartz date back — the standard body plus imprinted timestamps.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Pentax KAF2 |
| Years | ~2000-2004 |
| Shutter | 30s - 1/4,000s + Bulb, electronic vertical metallic |
| Flash sync | 1/180s |
| Meter | TTL multi-segment SPC, ~EV 1-21 |
| Exposure modes | Manual, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, program |
| Viewfinder | ~85% coverage, ~0.75x |
| Weight | ~270 g (body only) |
| Battery | 2x CR2 |
| Date back | Quartz date imprint (integrated) |
Pentax's practice of releasing quartz-date variants alongside standard models was consistent throughout the MZ/ZX generation. The ZX-7 appeared in 1999; the Quartz Date variant followed at approximately the 2000 introduction cycle. Date-imprinting had been a mainstream consumer camera feature since the mid-1980s - Olympus, Canon, and Nikon all offered date-back variants across their consumer SLR lines - and Pentax maintained the option through the end of the film-SLR era.
The ZX-7 Quartz Date entered the market near the absolute peak of consumer film-SLR sales volume. Within two years, digital capture was beginning to erode the consumer SLR segment materially. The ZX-7 family, base and QD variants alike, was discontinued in the early-to-mid 2000s as Pentax redirected development to the *ist DS and *ist DL digital bodies. The date-imprint function, a valued differentiator in 1990s consumer cameras, had become a liability by the time digital made it redundant.
The ZX-7 Quartz Date shares the significance of the base ZX-7: a practical, light, fully capable PASM autofocus SLR in the K-mount ecosystem, at a price point that made it accessible to enthusiasts stepping up from point-and-shoots. The 1/180s flash sync speed is notably better than many contemporaries, making it useful for fill-flash work in daylight. The ~260-270g body weight is genuinely light for a full-specification AF SLR.
The Quartz Date variant adds one practical dimension for users of documentary or archival film: timestamps imprinted directly onto the negative are unambiguous and cannot be separated from the image file the way metadata can. For travel photography or time-sensitive documentation shot on film, this remains a genuine advantage over a non-date body. For buyers who want clean frames, the date function can typically be set to not imprint, though the risk of accidental activation persists.
KAF2 mount supports K, KA, KAF, and KAF2 lenses with varying automation levels; autofocus is available with KAF and KAF2 glass. K and KA lenses mount and meter in aperture-priority and manual modes. Natural companions from the FA lineup include the FA 50/1.4, FA 35/2 AL, FA 28-80mm kit zoom, and the FA Limited primes for those seeking optical quality above the kit level. P-TTL compatible flash via the ISO hot shoe; built-in flash provides fill and AF-assist. No accessory motor drive is available; integrated advance handles standard rates.
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.
View profile →Pentax ZX-7 Quartz Date
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