Pentax K100D 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Shake Reduction and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens by Pentax
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Digital camera reviews of Pentax K100D 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Shake Reduction and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens
Digital camera Review: pentax K100D
Summary: 4 Stars
LIKES,,,Great camera, it takes great pictures even in low light without the flash, the auto focus takes a bit of getting us too,,if you move after viewing a subject a little bit it wants to refocus.DISLIKES,,The only thing that I found that I didn't like was the camera had a hard time focusing on things skyward,,I think because of clouds being in view along with the subject, the camera has a hard time trying to figure out what you are taking a picture of,,,maual focus took care of that.Digital camera Review: The Little Pentax that (almost) Could
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm fortunate enough to work in a college A-V department, which means that I have access to some top-notch toys. We've been partial to Canon dSLRs; for the past four years I've used a 10D and a 20D. Image quality, solid build and features from those two legendary cameras put them far ahead of most competitors.
Why, then, did I turn to the Pentax K100D when I decided to buy my own dSLR earlier this year? Despite the nearly second to none image quality from Canon, I truly detest the cheap, tacky plastic feel of the Rebel line, with the Rebels' painfully shallow grip making extended use uncomfortable for my long-fingered right mitt. Rebel pricing continues to be hundreds of dollars higher than other entry level dSLRs; I didn't have a spare grand to spend on a full Rebel system, despite already owning a few EOS compatible lenses from my retired 35mm EOS SLR. After doing a lot of online research - winnowing out Nikons, the Sony Alpha (am I the only one who found the build to be appallingly cheesy?), various Olympuses - only Pentax models remained. Nostalgically recalling my beloved Pentax ME Super 35mm SLR from 25 years ago, I figured I'd give the K100D a go. The reviews were solid; sample images looked quie good; the feature set - including RAW and built-in image stabilizing - quite impressive for such a remarkable price. (The K10D, while 4MP higher in resolution, didn't justify its $500 price difference based on the test images I viewed online.) I ordered the body only and paired the K100D with a Tokina 24-200 autofocus lens (which turned out to be heavier than the K100D itself but provides extra range at the wide angle end, due to the cameras 1.5 magnification factor)
The first extended test of my K100D came on vacation to southern CA in March this year. Over the course of nearly two weeks, the camera and lens performed very well. I enjoyed the rugged feel of the K100D - the deep grip allowed me to shoot without finger cramp - and the large LCD made reviewing my images a breeze. What wasn't to like?
Namely, no 100 ISO setting; slow focusing (perhaps the Tokina lens should take the blame, but I'm not so certain); a pinging then clacky shutter which sounds cheap; unimpressive RAW images; often jaggy JPEGs at 100% viewing; the low light performance which means very noisy photos at 800 and 1600 IS0s - an area where Canon dSLR products trample Pentax like Godzilla over Tokyo - and the K100D's irritating reliance on AA batteries for power. Actually, the battery issue is a classic "mixed bag"; rechargable AAs are available almost everywhere and cost much less than dedicated batteries. Their performance in actual use - based on my experience of shooting over a few thousand images to date and editing on the run via the LCD - comes up far short when compared to the BP-511A battery packs for the 20D. Carrying a pocketful of a dozen charged AAs is a burden, too. I hope that Pentax will ditch the AAs and move on to a more powerful single battery for the K100D's eventual successor.
The last question, then, is the age old one of "Would I buy this camera again?" The answer: a solid "Maybe". There certainly is a lot to love about the K100D - it feels good in the hand; it takes a wide range of Pentax and Pentax-friendly lenses; images at 200 & 400 ISOs when taken in good light can be wonderful in color and saturation, and it's not another tacky Canon Rebel or dumbed-down Nikon. For what it is and at its price point, this little Pentax offers an attactive camera for undemanding dSLR users. More experienced shooters who are unwilling to overlook the K100D's many limitations may want to keep looking or wait for Pentax to evolve its dSLR line even further before hopping on the Pentax bus.
Digital camera Review: Pentax k100d digital camera
Summary: 5 Stars
Easy to use. Very sharp pictures. Nice feel to the camera. Quality construction, nothing cheap in the way it is made. Excellent quality for a great price!Digital camera Review: Good but not perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this camera after much research. I looked at everyone's reviews including the "professional ones". I am happy with this camera. It takes great pictures. Now, having said that I will tell you about the little bugs, or things that I don't like about the camera.. things others didn't talk about...
First, there are a LOT of automatic settings on this camera. They cover just about any situation that you could want. The problem with this is that there is no control over some of the menu items in these. I would like to take a macro shot of a orange/pink tulip, but it comes out RED because I can't adjust the Saturation, Sharpness, Contrast, or even the Natural/ Vivid color.. So I have to do it manually which is a bit tiresome. So the menus that are NOT avaliable during scene & automatic modes affects the outcome of the photo.
Secondly.. If you shoot in any quality other than RAW, you might as well just throw the included software in the garbage. It only touches up & manipulates RAW images. There is nothing on the disc to help out with jPeg files. That is a waste.
Third... & this is just a minor thing. I usually take landscape photos, & the ISO only goes down to 200. My olympus point & shoot C-765 goes down to an ISO of 64. Who needs ISO of 3200 when the shutter speed gives a range of 30 seconds to 1/4000 of a second. Just seems as though they went too high with the ISO.
Overall I am really happy with my purchase. I just wish that Pentax would have written the software to manipulate the photo while I am taking it so I don't have to sit at my computer all day dinking with it.. & yes, I said DINKING!! It is called digital photography, not computer photography!!! The anti shake seems to work well, & the lens takes good pictures. Good camera, just with a few problems.. or rather bugs..
James
Digital camera Review: The underdog innovating the game! Still loving it 8 months in!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are looking for a DSLR for under 700 bucks this is the camera to get. This camera improves on the *ist DL in almost every way. The shake reduction is awesome, battery life is great, pictures clear, the 11-point AF is a godsend for these cameras, the kit lens is the best compared to Nikon and Canons kit lenses-it produces sharp and clear images, and the fact that it uses AA batteries and SD cards is also great. My only gripes are the slow buffer speed when it comes to continuous shooting (3fps then 1fps). Once again this camera is not ideal for the sport enthusiast who needs conitinous shots constantly but it still holds it's own. I also think they could of have improved the Auto-Focus a tad more (although the 11-Point AF helps greatly in lowlight and low contrast situations). This camera is easy to hold for long periods of time especially compared to the Canon Rebel XTI model (which caused my hand to cramp up within 5 minutes of holding it). Also, the lenses available for this camera and the prices/quality of them is unmatched. If you want to get into serious photography but don't want to sell a first born, start with this!