Saint Viper
Well-known member
I posted this earlier, but it fits better in this forum. I went to local camera shop and checked out the DS.
The first thing that stands out is how small it is. They had the Digital Rebel and D70 there so I compared them and the DS makes the others look really huge. I've seen the specs and pictures and yes they all say the DS is smaller, but until you see them together, you don't realize how much smaller the DS actually is.
The second thing that jumped out is the quality of the screen on the back. There was no memory in the camera, so I couldn't take pictures, but the menus were extremely sharp and clear. There's enough resolution there that Pentax was able to add 3D bevels to the backgrounds around the menu options. Not a big deal, but it is one of the best screens I've seen.
The camera was easy to hold, but I have really long fingers and it felt just a bit small. The finish is nice and the camera feels very solid. The focusing seemed very fast to me in indoor lighting. The focus indicators are bigger and brighter in the DS than the Digital Rebel which I tried out at the same time. The adjustment knob on the back felt a bit small, but was easy to use. There was a bit less info in the viewfinder than I was used to compared to the PZ1P. Exposure and F-stop are visible on the bottom. Maybe 1-2 icons were also visible. They were large and easy to read though.
The adjustments like white balance, iso, and flash mode were very easy and quick to adjust. Just press the center button on the 4 way controller, click which one you want to adjust, and then adjust it. I believe the adjustment method on the D is similar to the PZ1P where you turn a dial on top, hold the button down, and then turn the front or rear dial. I'd say the adjustments available on the quick adjustment screen on the DS are just as easy and quick to use if not more so than the D. Other adjustments were buried in the menus which were easy to use because of the nice screen, but perhaps not as quick to adjust as some of the settings on the D.
You'll notice I'm not posting any pictures. I ended up not buying it. They would only sell for the full price of $999 plus 5.5% sales tax for the kit with 18-55 lense. At that price, I would still consider a D which has more features and doesn't cost that much more. The operation of the D is also more similar to the way my PZ1P works which I am used to and like very much. The DS is set up more like a digicam with its picture modes dial, and only the one adjustment knob on the back. Also, given the size of the camera, I think a grip would have been a great option. So, I'll wait a bit and see what the impressions of more experience photagraphers are, and make up my mind when the time is right.
The first thing that stands out is how small it is. They had the Digital Rebel and D70 there so I compared them and the DS makes the others look really huge. I've seen the specs and pictures and yes they all say the DS is smaller, but until you see them together, you don't realize how much smaller the DS actually is.
The second thing that jumped out is the quality of the screen on the back. There was no memory in the camera, so I couldn't take pictures, but the menus were extremely sharp and clear. There's enough resolution there that Pentax was able to add 3D bevels to the backgrounds around the menu options. Not a big deal, but it is one of the best screens I've seen.
The camera was easy to hold, but I have really long fingers and it felt just a bit small. The finish is nice and the camera feels very solid. The focusing seemed very fast to me in indoor lighting. The focus indicators are bigger and brighter in the DS than the Digital Rebel which I tried out at the same time. The adjustment knob on the back felt a bit small, but was easy to use. There was a bit less info in the viewfinder than I was used to compared to the PZ1P. Exposure and F-stop are visible on the bottom. Maybe 1-2 icons were also visible. They were large and easy to read though.
The adjustments like white balance, iso, and flash mode were very easy and quick to adjust. Just press the center button on the 4 way controller, click which one you want to adjust, and then adjust it. I believe the adjustment method on the D is similar to the PZ1P where you turn a dial on top, hold the button down, and then turn the front or rear dial. I'd say the adjustments available on the quick adjustment screen on the DS are just as easy and quick to use if not more so than the D. Other adjustments were buried in the menus which were easy to use because of the nice screen, but perhaps not as quick to adjust as some of the settings on the D.
You'll notice I'm not posting any pictures. I ended up not buying it. They would only sell for the full price of $999 plus 5.5% sales tax for the kit with 18-55 lense. At that price, I would still consider a D which has more features and doesn't cost that much more. The operation of the D is also more similar to the way my PZ1P works which I am used to and like very much. The DS is set up more like a digicam with its picture modes dial, and only the one adjustment knob on the back. Also, given the size of the camera, I think a grip would have been a great option. So, I'll wait a bit and see what the impressions of more experience photagraphers are, and make up my mind when the time is right.
