Compared to...

When we started the K10D review we had to go through the process of picking its competitors, this is something we have to do for all our reviews however this time it wasn't quite so easy. As you can see from our quick comparison table below from a price point of view the K10D's primary competitors are the Sony DSLR-A100 and Nikon D80, but also from a target market and feature set point of view this camera is a clear competitor to the significantly more expensive Canon EOS 30D.

Pentax K10D advantages (over the nearest competition)

• Dust / weather seals
• CCD-shift type 'Shake Reduction'
• Dust reduction with anti-static coating and shake (also on DSLR-A100)
• Selectable RAW file type (PEF or DNG)
• Selectable program line (including MTF priority)
• Unique Sensitivity priority and Shutter+Aperture priority modes
• User definable Auto ISO (also on D80)
• Unique 'preview' feature for both shot check and white balance check
• High quality Pentaprism viewfinder with 0.95x magnification
• In-camera RAW development
• Unlimited continuous shooting in JPEG mode

Comparison table

As you can see from the table below the K10D does appear to offer pretty good value for money on paper with several important feature advantages such as dust / weather seals, Shake Reduction, Dust Reduction, extra exposure modes and the digital preview feature.

	Pentax K10D	Nikon D80	Sony DSLR-A100	Canon EOS 30D
Price (body only)	US: $899 [check]	US: $999 [check]	US: $899 [check]	US: $1399 [check]
Review	You are here	Click here	Click here	Click here
Body	Plastic	Plastic	Plastic	Metal
Weather proof	Dust / weather seals	No	No	No
Sensor	• 23.5 x 15.7 mm • CCD • 10 million pixels	• 23.6 x 15.8 mm • CCD • 10 million pixels	• 23.6 x 15.8 mm • CCD • 10 million pixels	• 22.5 x 15.0 mm • CMOS • 8 million pixels
Dust reduction	• Anti-static coating • CCD-shift 'shake'	• Dust ref. image	• Anti-static coating • CCD-shift 'shake'	None
Image size	3872 x 2592	3872 x 2592	3872 x 2592	3504 x 2336
Lens support	• Pentax KAF2 • Inc. KAF or KA	• Nikon F-mount • Inc. DX	• Sony Alpha lenses • Minolta A-type	• Canon EF mount • Inc. EF-S
FOV crop	1.5x	1.5x	1.5x	1.6x
Body shake reduction	Yes, CCD-shift	No	Yes, CCD-shift	No
RAW format	• PEF / DNG • Lossless comp.	• NEF • Compressed	• SR2 • Lossless comp.	• CR2 • Lossless comp.
JPEG format	3 levels	3 levels	3 levels	3 levels
Auto focus	• 11 area TTL • 0 to 19 EV	• 11 area TTL • -1.0 to 19 EV	• 9 area TTL • -1.0 to 18 EV	• 9 area TTL • -0.5 to 18 EV
AF illuminator	Flash strobe	Built-in lamp	Flash strobe	Flash strobe
Color spaces	• sRGB • Adobe RGB	• sRGB (2 modes) • Adobe RGB	• sRGB • Adobe RGB	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Metering sensor	• 16 segment • 0 - 21 EV	• 420 pixel RGB • 0 - 20 EV	• 40 segment • 1 - 20 EV	• 35 zone • 1 - 20 EV
Metering	• Multi-segment • CWA • Spot	• 3D Color Matrix II • CWA • Spot	• Multi-segment • CWA • Spot	• Evaluative • Partial • Spot • CWA
Exp. modes	• Auto • Program • Sensitivity prior. • Shutter prior. • Aperture prior. • Shutter/Aperture • Manual • Bulb • Flash sync	• Auto • Program • Shutter prior. • Aperture prior. • Manual • Six scene modes	• Auto • Program • Aperture prior. • Shutter prior. • Manual • Six scene modes	• Auto • Program • Shutter prior. • Aperture prior. • Manual • A-DEP • Six scene modes
Exp. comp.	+/- 2.0 EV	+/- 2.0 EV	+/- 2.0 EV	+/- 2.0 EV
EV steps	1/3 or 1/2 EV	1/3 or 1/2 EV	1/3 EV	1/3 or 1/2 EV
Sensitivity	ISO 100 - 1600	• ISO 100 - 1600 • ISO 3200 opt.	ISO 100 - 1600	• ISO 100 - 1600 • ISO 3200 opt.
Auto ISO	Custom min and max ISO	Custom max ISO and min shutter	Auto (100 - 800)	Auto (100 - 400)
Custom ISO NR	No	Yes, four settings	No	No
Shutter speed	• 30 - 1/4000 sec • Bulb	• 30 - 1/4000 sec • Bulb	• 30 - 1/4000 sec • Bulb	• 30 - 1/8000 sec • Bulb
Flash sync	1/180 sec	1/200 sec	1/160 sec	1/200 sec
Preview modes	• Viewfinder • LCD preview	Viewfinder	Viewfinder	Viewfinder
Continuous shooting	• 3 fps • Unlimited JPEG • 9 RAW frames	• 3 fps • 23 JPEG frames • 6 RAW frames	• 3 fps • Unlimited JPEG • 6 RAW frames	• 5 / 3 fps • 30 JPEG frames • 10 RAW frames
White balance	• Auto • Eight presets • Manual preset • Kelvin temp. • Fine tunable • With preview	• Auto • Six presets • Manual preset • Kelvin temp. • Fine tunable	• Auto • Six presets • Manual preset • Kelvin temp. • Fine tunable	• Auto • Six presets • Manual preset • Kelvin temp. • Fine tunable
Image params / levels	• Two image tones • Sharpening: 5 • Contrast: 5 • Saturation: 5	• Six presets • Sharpening: 6 • Tone: 5 • Color: 3 • Saturation: 3 • Hue: -9° to +9°	• Seven presets • Sharpening: 5 • Contrast: 5 • Saturation: 5	• Six presets • User sets: 3 • Sharpening: 8 • Contrast: 9 • Saturation: 9 • Color tone: 9 • B&W filter: 5 • B&W tone: 5
Embed comment	No	Set in-camera	No	Set via software
Pop-up flash	Manual release	Electronic release	Manual release	Electronic release
Viewfinder	• Pentaprism • Eyepoint 20 mm • Coverage 95% • Mag. 0.95x	• Pentaprism • Eyepoint 21 mm • Frame 95% • Mag. 0.94x • Optional grid lines	• Pentamirror • Eyepoint 20 mm • Frame 95% • Mag. 0.83x	• Pentaprism • Eyepoint 20 mm • Frame 95% • Mag. 0.9x
LCD monitor	• 2.5 " TFT LCD • 210,000 pixels	• 2.5 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels • Removable cover	• 2.5 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels	• 2.5 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels
Status LCD	Top of camera	Top of camera	No, utilizes LCD	Top of camera
Mirror-lockup	With self-timer	0.4 sec option	With self-timer	Custom function
Other features	• RAW develop. • Select prog line. • Multiple exp. • RAW button	• Multiple exp. • Wireless flash • Retouching	• Eye-start AF	n/a
Storage	SD / SDHC card	SD / SDHC card	Compact Flash card	Compact Flash card
Battery	• Lithium-Ion • 7.4 V, 1620 mAh	• Lithium-Ion • 7.4 V, 1500 mAh	• Lithium-Ion • 7.2 V, 1600 mAh	• Lithium-Ion • 7.4 V, 1390 mAh
Battery status	3 stages	• % Remain • Battery life	5 stages	3 stages
USB	• USB 2.0 Hi • 8.9 MB/sec	• USB 2.0 Hi • 8.8 MB/sec	• USB 2.0 Hi • 8.7 MB/sec	• USB 2.0 Hi • WIA only • 3.2 MB/sec
Vertical grip	D-BG2 (option)	MD-D80 (option)	No	BG-E3 (option)
Software	• Browser • Laboratory	• PictureProject • FotoShare • Capture NX (trial)	• Browser • Image Data SR	• Canon DPP • PhotoStitich • ZoomBrowser EX • EOS Utility
Dimensions	142 x 101 x 70 mm (5.6 x 4.0 x 2.8 in)	132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 in)	133 x 95 x 71 mm (5.2 x 3.7 x 2.8 in)	144 x 106 x 74 mm (5.6 x 4.2 x 2.9 in)
Weight (no batt)	717 g (1.6 lb)	585 g (1.3 lb)	545 g (1.2 lb)	706 g (1.6 lb)