Can we talk about the k200d?

[goodgollycr]

What do you love / hate about it? Would you buy it again? Is it worth the extra money over the 2000? (I'm pretty sure it is, just thought I would ask.)

Thanks.

[Shelley S.]

I'm really just learning about my camera. So far I like it all...though I don't know if there is a timer on it to try and take self-portraits. If there is, I haven't come across it yet...

[phasechange]

I've had my K200D for about 10 months now. This is my first DSLR, though I am a longtime film SLR user. I have no comparison w/ the 2000, but when I was looking around for my first dslr I was going the Canon/Nikon route...then happened to read a review of the K2000. After some research I decided that the K200 was a better value.

Likes/dislikes:
* Feel - I know this is subjective, but I like the way it feels - more substantial. Keep in mind that I have fairly large hands.

* Features are good. I would like higher ISO, but who wouldn't?

* Read some reviews that weren't thrilled with the JPG processing. I have to say that I have to work hard to do better than the camera (but otoh, I'm not that experienced at it)

* I find controls/menus pretty intuitive

WRT the comment about self-timer, yep, it's got that. (Hit the FN button on the back, it's one of the menu choices). However, there also is a very inexpensive remote control which is even easier to use.

Hope this helps.

[outbackbon]

i LOVE mine. It's the first SLR i purchased, apart from a Nikon D80 i borrowed from school for a year or so. I have an 18-250mm lens, which i could not be more happy with.
The thing i love most about it would have to be either the ease of use (pretty much everything controlled by pressing a dedicated button, or using the dial), or the versatility and toughness of the camera. I took this camera through rain, snow and dust, trekking on a mountain in a Nepalese winter. I did it on two sets of batteries, (AA batteries, available from any shop, which in an area without electricity, was a real blessing), taking a few thousand photos, at all times of day, half the time in cloud or while on a moving bus. This camera has been dropped twice, and despite me nearly having a heart attack both times (and at one point retreating into my tent sobbing thinking it was broken, having not actually looked), it lived. It had no issues taking clear shots out a moving, shaking bus, i didn't miss any of the shots i wanted. When i'm at home, i'm surrounded by dust all the time, and it keeps nearly all the dust outside the camera - the body will be orange by the end of the day, yet there is nothing on the sensor. What's more, it was affordable, and the lens was so versatile.
I also love the fact that it works with all the old lenses - a friend's dad just randomly gave me a REALLY old lens the other day. i know nothing about it, i'm still figuring out what itcan do. But it works!

[robert lamont]

I have had a k200 for 18 months. Bought it as my first dslr. I decided not to go the cannon / nikon route to be a bit different. Having not owned a dslr previously i have nothing to compare with although i have borrowed a cannon dslr once, i gave it back pretty quickly!! The Pentax i think is really good in low or challenging light. I have big hands and a small camera would be harder for me to manage and a big plus is it takes AA batteries available anywhere!!!

[ejones]

I had a K100D Super which was lost in a house fire...Ended up upgrading to the K200D. So far, I've very happy with the Pentax brand. I'm actually surprised it doesn't get as much praise as Canon and Nikon, but I haven't used either of those so I don't really have a basis for comparison.

Love the feel of the camera (someone else suggested that is a subjective characteristic - I agree, but still love the feel of the Pentax). Also love the fact that it uses AA batteries. I use a couple of sets of Energizer rechargeables, and they have worked very well for me. I like the fact that if they happen to run out on me, I can run to any gift shop, drug store, grocery store and get what I need to keep shooting.

Have never had the camera take a bad picture (now I have taken bad images, but the camera has never failed me). I also like having something that everyone else doesn't have.

I think the value is excellent - quality is at/above what I would expect, and it just flat out works...

Would definitely buy again...

[RecurrentNerve]

I've only had a brief play with a Pentax and my main bugbear was the interface. Having said that it was a mid-level model with hardware controls so that was not much of an issue.

I didn't realise they took AA batteries though; that would put me off to be honest. Fair enough, if they run out you can pick up spares quickly, but why not just use a Lithium battery that takes 1600 shots a charge and avoid the issue altogether?

[i speak in math]

[QUOTE=RecurrentNerve;1096124I didn't realise they took AA batteries though; that would put me off to be honest. Fair enough, if they run out you can pick up spares quickly, but why not just use a Lithium battery that takes 1600 shots a charge and avoid the issue altogether?[/QUOTE]

And if you are out in the bush and you run out of battery with a LI-Ion battery, you can't recharge it. You can open a pack of AA batteries and stick them in, however. Also, you can buy AA batteries anywhere. You can't with a proprietary camera battery.

The new K-r takes care of this problem anyway. It takes a supplied Li-Ion or AA. Problem solved.