Pentax Zoom 90 compact film camera

I was given a Pentax Zoom 90 compact Film Camera by a Camera Club member and at last had ordered some 123 Lithiums for my 6x7, same as fit the Zoom 90 so 'gave it a go' -- it has all 'Program' exposure mode with NO readout what is happening. It does have modes for 'Flash on Flash Off' , 'B' and 'B' + Flash and exposure compensation but again NO readout by 'How Much' , and it is only '+' compensation. It had 'DX Coded' contacts so as my film was reloaded in an old FP4 cassette from the 1970's it 'defaulted' to 100ASA, which is what I wanted. You can also have Delayed action and fast drive. The RESULTS were a bit disappointing -- many 'simple non-moving' subjects were just Out Of Focus ! Definition was not very good on most but I did get ONE sharp one of our Town Ruins -- It is going on e-bay for an 'Unsuspecting Buyer' -- !!

I saw your video review! I've had a few Pentax compacts but on the whole cannot be bothered with them. Often, something dies within a few frames of starting to use one. Not surprising really, take a relatively cheap camera, leave it for 20 years for the all the lube to dry out and the contacts to oxidize, then hope it all works!

There is a bit of a fad for film compacts at the moment, but not one I subscribe to. The only compact I keep thinking I would like to get, and that purely for nostalgia, is an Olympus Trip. Am I allowed to say that here?

I do have my late mother's compact which I run a film through now and again.

The Zoom 90 probably defies the description "compact", being a bit of a chunk of a camera. Not too keen on most of them, but the Rollei 35 cameras are nice if used with care. The Olympus Trip is simple but actually very capable.

On the other hand, there are lots of nice Pentax compact digital cameras and they deliver the goods.

Some years ago I wanted to research the film compact niche. I purchased a Pentax Espio 24EW, an Olympus XA and an Olympus XA 3. The Pentax Espio 24EW is a very nice little camera with a usable zoom range and great build quality. The Olympus XA has a wonderfully sharp lens and is "really" compact. But in the end my iPhone is capable of imagery that contests these old film compacts, and is superior in at least one aspect: The iPhone (or an Android equivalent) is the camera you always have at hand. I have sold all my film compacts…

BTW: When taking into the account the price of film and developing these days, it does not make much sense to shoot film with anything but the best equipment. Very few compact film cameras can compete with a Pentax LX + FA 31/1.8 outfit in example.