Pentax/K100d Review

[ny156uk]

Further to my earlier post regarding the Pentax K100d/K110 I decided to treat myself to one as a present (I was recently promoted!).

Overview
I got the camera with the kit lens (18-55mm) and have not used the camera with any other lenses as yet. The feel of the camera is very sturdy and the rubberised-grip gives you a good comfortable hold and doesn't feel as sliippery as some other grips i've used. The camera faired well on an all day trip to Fountains Abbey (see flickr stream for shots), gobbling up several hundred shots and lots of reviewing/playing around getting used to the controls without running out of juice. The controls to changes things once you are in a shooting mode are ideally placed within 'thumb' distance of the grip so I can easily switch aperture/exposure and a few other features without taking my eye away from the viewfinder - which leads me nicely onto the viewfinder: I have not used many other dSlr cameras but I have found it to be very clear and bright, and the settings-data displayed beneath is easily readable. I also like the 'red laser'(?) that flashes in the appropriate focus-area when changing to one of the 11 focus zones.

Pros

• Solid build and comfortable weight for carrying around while walking
• I understand it is compatible with every Pentax lense available
• Intuitive controls - has taken no time at all to master the in-mode options
• Good value for money
• Allows you to set an ISO bracket (say 200-400) and warn when it is wanting to exit that range

Cons

• The free software (I use Apple OS X) is not particulary great
• A limited continuous-burst - personally not used the feature yet but reviews state is a downside
• the main-menu system (for setting language etc.) is pretty poorly laid out compared to the intuitive setup of the shooting-mode parameters
• Supplied neck strap is not as long as I would like
• Auto white-balance in artificial light is prone to getting it wrong (this is also noted in reviews and came out in my indoor shots more than I would expect)

As this is my first dSlr I wouldn't like to be too authoritative about how good this camera is in comparison to the competition but it has taken me to a new level and it just feels easier to compose a shot looking through the view-finder than with the panasonic's viewfinder (which is an lcd screen). Not sure if this is just my imagination, but it feel like I am paying more attention and working smarter by being able to alter the settings so quickly and easily.

Overall I believe this is an excellent camera for the money and the failings are more niggly problems (though the white balance is more annoying than anything else) than reasons to avoid the camera.

My Rating: 8.5/10

Sample shots:

[Darren Rowse]

thanks for the review!

[googlit]

Check out the usage stats on this camera at flickr.

[vgal]

Slightly less technical review here...

I treated myself to a Pentax K100D as a post-Christmas present, and I've been extremely pleased with it, especially for a relatively inexpensive intro DSLR. My only SLR before this was a Pentax K1000, which I absolutely loved, so I wanted the next-best thing in a digital format.

I originally was looking at the K110D (same camera, minus image stabilization), hoping to save a few bucks. Luckily, my boyfriend convinced me that I would be much happier with the IS, and I'm glad I listened. When we went to NYC, I didn't want to be bothered carrying a tripod around, and the image stabilization made one of my favorite pictures possible.



ISO400, 1/10th sec, f/3.5, completely handheld. I could never go back to a camera without image stabilization now.

I really like the feel of the camera. Solid, well-built, not quite as "built like a tank" as my K1000 (I wouldn't take it out in a rainstorm like I did with the K1000), but with a digital, I want to be a little careful anyway.

Being the owner of the K1000 50mm f/2 kit lens and a Pentax 28-80mm zoom, the ability to use the lenses I already owned was a huge plus for me. The 50mm lens doesn't have auto aperture, but the camera has a setting to allow for usage of an aperture ring, and I discovered that lens actually makes a great portrait lens for the K100D.

One slight pitfall to the claim that the K100D can use any K-mount lens: this is only 100% true if it is a Pentax brand K-mount lens. I purchased a Sears brand 70-210mm f/4 lens for cheap off eBay, and made the unfortunate discovery that non-Pentax K-mount lenses have an extra pin in the mount, which gets stuck in the autofocus screw on the camera. Luckily, this tutorial posted on dpreview shows how to get the lens off the camera if it gets stuck, and describes how to remove that pesky pin so you can actually use off-brand lenses on the newer cameras.

The previous reviewer mentioned the auto white balance issues in artificial light, which do tend to be a bit of a problem. However, it's fairly easy to set a custom white balance, which I do almost without thinking about it whenever I'm taking pictures around my apartment, in mixed lighting. If you shoot RAW, it's also dead easy to change the white balance in the RAW processing software.

The current list price for the body and the 18-55mm kit lens, according to the Pentax website, is "under $700". I managed to snag mine while holiday rebates were still in effect, so after rebate, I paid $506. So, amazing value for the features!

For an semi-serious amateur (like myself), I found the K100D to be perfect for everything I use it for thus far, like the K1000 before it. Another great learning tool that takes high-quality photos from Pentax!

Score: 9/10

[property#1]

I have had my K100D since early December and find it to be an excellent camera. Being that I am or had been a Contax and Leica user taking almost everything on slide. The K100D does everything I need and more.