Reading mode: Light Dark

Pentax K200D Editors Choice

Go to last post
usapatriot said:
The Pentax K200D deserves more attention than it currently receives!
Click to expand...
Agreed! Which is not to take anything away from the K20D, which is of course an excellent camera.

A couple of quotes from the article (taken out of context to make it seem even more impressive ;)

"Beautiful color, consistent metering, lots of custom functions, and crisp AF all make the K200D perform like a much more expensive camera than its sub-$800 kit price would suggest."

"This is a shooter's camera that in spite of (and, in some cases, because of) its somewhat utilitarian approach could be an extremely good fit for a broad range of photographers."

--
Mike

If you believe there is no absolute right nor absolute wrong, then you can justify any action, be it right or wrong.
 
" The Pentax K200D deserves more attention than it currently receives! "

Here, Here ! or is it ; Hear, Hear ! :)
 
I assume by now your questions about whether you'll really like it or be annoyed by the smaller buffer or other limitations in specs are reasonably well answered, and you're just waiting for the money?

Far be it from me to suggest plunging the country into more consumer debt, but I know Ritz offers a 6-month same-as-cash and a 10-month no interest with minimum payment financing scheme. I assume you could find similar deals from online stores that might offer better prices. Either way, for $80/month over less than a year, you could start shooting today...

--
Marc Sabatella
http://www.marcsabatella.com/photo/
 
What kind of patriot are you?!!

Don't you know the US economy depends on impulsive overspending and credit use by its citizens??

Be a true patriot, get finance and buy the K200D now! and a matching Hummer;)
usapatriot said:
I'll have all the money I need to buy the K200D kit in about a month!
I can hardly wait, I'd rather buy it when I have the money rather
than finance the purchase!
Click to expand...
Though if you hold out and wait the price will have dropped.. you could then afford to develop LBA..

--

 
LOL! I'm alright, I've never financed any of my purchases!

LBA, yup, I think I might catch that pretty quickly once I get my K200D (Soon)...
UnderwaterLX said:
Don't you know the US economy depends on impulsive overspending and
credit use by its citizens??

Be a true patriot, get finance and buy the K200D now! and a matching
Hummer;)
usapatriot said:
I'll have all the money I need to buy the K200D kit in about a month!
I can hardly wait, I'd rather buy it when I have the money rather
than finance the purchase!
Click to expand...
Though if you hold out and wait the price will have dropped.. you
could then afford to develop LBA..

--

Click to expand...
--
Fuji Film S9100
My Photos: http://flickr.com/photos/kris91/
s9100/s9600 Flickr Group:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/37994085@N00/
 
as opposed to look here...
roro444 said:
" The Pentax K200D deserves more attention than it currently
receives! "

Here, Here ! or is it ; Hear, Hear ! :)
Click to expand...
I don't want to ruffle too many feathers, but I was rather under the impression that the K10/K200 sensor is not ideal from a low noise / high ISO point of view. This is something of a priority for me. I'm not exactly planning on buying a new camera body, but I've been wanting something with SR since before I got my GX-1S, basically to maximise low light capability; I'm not sure if K200D would be good for me or not.

--
Peter

 
ptodd said:
I don't want to ruffle too many feathers, but I was rather under the
impression that the K10/K200 sensor is not ideal from a low noise /
high ISO point of view.
Click to expand...
That's the conventional wisdom, but I'm unconvinced. I think most of the complaints about high ISO noise on the K10D came from looking at 100% crops, which is not a fair comparison. Try comparing pictures resized similarly - either for full screen viewing, or printed at the same dimensions - and the differences diminish rapidly. Toss in the fact that the K200D has improved image processing, and if you shoot JPEG, settings for in-camera high ISO noise reduction.

Bottom line: in my own comparisons, I find the noise levels virtually indistinguishable between K100D and K200D at high ISO viewed at the same sizes, and yet the K200D clearly holds more detail.

If your allergy to noise is you just don't want to see it looking at 100% crops, then high resolution sensors (which have correspondingly higher resolution crops) will show more. But if your concern is the amount of it you actually see in the real world - and in particular in the amount of detail it steals from an image - I think the K200D is a small step up from the K100D in this respect (and a larger step other in other respects).

--
Marc Sabatella
http://www.marcsabatella.com/photo/
 
Patriotic one ! Maybe you can help me answer this one ?

I too have been waiting for a good review on the K200D. As an old Pentax hack - SV (1965), SP500 (1975), K1000 (1984), P3 - a dud (1985), K1000 (again - 2004) I am itching to get into DSLR kit and Pentax is still my first choice.

I have a cupboard full of M & A series primes waiting to be used. Currently use a Nikon CP8400 (24 to 85mm) prosumer which is a superb little camera, BUT it's not a DSLR !

Now for the question: The review you kindly linked us to whinges a tiny bit about the penta-mirror on the K200D (I know a lot of us were hoping for a prism - but not to be). Have you squinted through one of these penta-mirrors ?

I live in South Africa where we pay twice as much as you fortunate fellows do for camera gear and, to make things worse (due to the complete lack of competition), we cannot even test a DSLR at the camera stores. "Take it, or leave it mate" ........

Although my Nikon has an excellent EVF, which is fine in good light, a penta-mirror has surely got to be a whole lot better.

Your comments, or anybody else's would be appreciated.

Dave
 
Maybe I am alone on this one, but as there are still K10d's and Gx10's about for the same price. Is there much point to the K200d?

You get a lot more camera with those..
--



I am not the 'Ghost Hunter', nor am I the Irish actor in the 'Quiet Man' ;-)
 
australopithecus said:
Now for the question: The review you kindly linked us to whinges a
tiny bit about the penta-mirror on the K200D (I know a lot of us were
hoping for a prism - but not to be). Have you squinted through one
of these penta-mirrors ?

I live in South Africa where we pay twice as much as you fortunate
fellows do for camera gear and, to make things worse (due to the
complete lack of competition), we cannot even test a DSLR at the
camera stores. "Take it, or leave it mate" ........
Click to expand...
Hi Dave,

The Penta-Mirror is actually quite good.. My friend's K100D is almost as bright as the *istD *istDS and K20D.

If you are used to the old SLR's any DSLR viewfinder will seem a little lacking.. Especially compared to an LX!

What are the laws like in SA for mail order? In Oz anything over $1000 attracts import duty.

I'd suggest contacting your customs office, then buying from B&H photovideo or Adorama if the prices are in your favour.

Otherwise get a secondhand Pentax 6mp DSLR from Ebay and play with your great collection of glass!! You'll soon work out what you need from a DSLR and your upgrade path(or not...) will be clear to you..

--

 
Hi Underwater LX

Thanks for your comment. Gives me some idea of what to expect.

Out here, if one brings a camera into the country (as a returning traveller) one pays a 20% tax on invoiced price, minus a R3000 (AUD 430) allowance. When purchasing offshore via the http://www . my guess it would be about the same. I'll check it out.

Ironically, quite a lot of my Pentax stuff came from B&H. Purchased by friends abroad and simply not declared (no one enjoys being burgled by the taxman). But that was decades ago. Last year I used B&H to order a spare battery for my Nikon, but what a schlepp convincing them (B&H) that I wasn't a credit card cheat. They are VERY VERY careful with first time customers (not that I blame them). My wife was in the U.S. at the time so she brought it home.

I shall price the K200D locally, then see what the B&H price is. Might well do business with them - they have an excellent reputation.

Dave
 
Could be a size thing Barry. The K10D is pretty big and heavy. Would you believe it, about the same as my old solid brass K1000. I lie not !

Dave
 
As to the size and weight, i thought that would bother me having coming from a point and shoot. I now don't give it a second thought and find it easy to hang on to K10. Also, when i can't find my hammer for remodeling work, i can just use the K10 :-)

I haven't done any detailed comparisons because i'm trying to buy more glass vice bodies, but i have read that the K200 does not have K10's second e-wheel.

But hey, they are both Pentax and golden for that reason. no bias here.
--
Phil
 
Philnw2 said:
As to the size and weight, i thought that would bother me having
coming from a point and shoot. I now don't give it a second thought
and find it easy to hang on to K10. Also, when i can't find my
hammer for remodeling work, i can just use the K10 :-)

I haven't done any detailed comparisons because i'm trying to buy
more glass vice bodies, but i have read that the K200 does not have
K10's second e-wheel.

But hey, they are both Pentax and golden for that reason. no bias here.
Click to expand...
Ultimately it's a matter of personal taste. Anyway, this comparison has already been discussed ad nauseum. It's great that we have choices for our different needs and priorities.

--
http://www.pixelstatic.com
 
Marc Sabatella said:
Bottom line: in my own comparisons, I find the noise levels virtually
indistinguishable between K100D and K200D at high ISO viewed at the
same sizes, and yet the K200D clearly holds more detail.
Click to expand...
Indeed, I can see what you're saying. I'll have to do some more proper comparisons for myself sometime to make up my mind. For some reason, I'm still under the vague impression that the new Samsung sensor is very good, and the K10 era Sony not for me...

--
Peter

 
Point taken.
 
The K10 isn't for everyone - read my thread "Strange things upgrades" and you'll see. Ma didn't like the K10 and didn't mention size, weight, JPG engine or battery type, it was other stuff which I'd never have guessed.......

BTW there are loadsa spiffing deals on GX10s Barry and it's a superb buy if you want the links, I almost E-Mailed you one I spotted but didn't think you were really interested..

BTW the live Exposure comp on the rear dial in A mode more than makes up for the 7D's dedicated dial and the Antishake is at least as good as KM/Sony - far removed from the K100's....

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist

 
usapatriot said:
The Pentax K200D deserves more attention than it currently receives!
Click to expand...
So did the K100D. It was completely overshadowed by the imminent (3 month later) arrival of the K10d. Go look at the review here. Only one of them got slapped with a (just).

Judging a photographer on the basis of equipment is like speculating one's physique from a gym pass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top