Compared to...
Although the K200D is currently the junior member in the Pentax DSLR line-up from a feature and price point of view it is comparable with some of the other manufacturers 2nd level models - cameras such as the Canon EOS 450D, Nikon D60 or the Olympus E-520.
Competition is fierce in this element of the market and any camera which wants a slice of the pie has to convince consumers in both areas - features and quality. From a feature perspective the K200D is up there with the rest although it lacks one key functionality that most rivals offer: Live View. If you can live without Live View with the Pentax K200D you get a well-built and weather-sealed body with a top LCD, in-body image stabilization, 11-point AF and arguably the largest viewfinder in its class.
So, if featurewise the K200D satisfies all your requirements, one big questions remains: How does is shape up against the competition in the image quality department? Read on to find out.
Pentax K200D advantages
- Weather-sealing
- Top LCD
- User controllable ISO noise reduction
- DNG format
- 11 AF points
- Large viewfinder
![]() Pentax K200D |
![]() Canon EOS 450D |
![]() Nikon D60 |
![]() Olympus E-520 |
|
Price (Body only) |
$560/£400 $630/£450 [check] |
$640/£430 $700/£450 [check] |
$ - /£345 $600/£380)[check] |
$575/£450 $660/£490 [check] |
| Construction | • Plastic • Weather sealed |
• Plastic |
• Plastic | • Plastic |
| Dust removal | • Sensor-shift shake • Anti-static coating |
• Sensor-shift shake • Anti-static coating |
• Low pass filter vibration • Airflow Control System |
• Supersonic Wave Filter • Anti-static coating |
| Image stabilization | • Sensor shift | • Kit lens | • Kit lens | • Sensor shift • Horizontal and Vertical panning modes |
| Effective pixels | 10.0 million | 12.2 million | 10.0 million | 10.0 million |
| Aspect ratio | 3:2 | 3:2 | 3:2 | 4:3 |
| FOV crop | 1.5x | 1.6x | 1.5x | 2x |
| Live View | • No | • Yes • Up to 10x magnify • Contrast or Phase AF • Different modes |
• No | • Yes • Up to 10x magnify • Contrast or Phase AF • Different modes |
| File formats | • JPEG • RAW (PEF) • RAW (DNG) |
• JPEG • RAW (CR2) |
• RAW (compressed) • JPEG (3 levels) |
• JPEG • RAW (ORF) |
| Auto focus | • 11 point • 9 cross-type • -1 to 18 EV |
• 9 point • 1 cross-type • -0.5 to 18 EV |
• 3 area TTL • Range: -1 to +19 EV |
• 3 point • 1 cross-type • 0 to 19 EV |
| Metering sensor | 16 segment | 35 zone | • 420 pixel RGB sensor | 49 zone sensor |
| Metering modes | • Multi-segment • Spot • CWA |
• Evaluative |
• 3D Color Matrix Metering II • Center-weighted average • Spot |
• Digital ESP • Center-weighted average • Spot • Highlight based spot • Shadow based spot |
| Exp. comp. | +/- 2.0 EV | +/- 2.0 EV | +/- 5.0 EV | +/- 5.0 EV |
| Continuous rate (high) | • 2.8 fps • 4 frames JPEG/Fine • 4 RAW frames |
• 3.5 fps • 53 JPEG/Fine frames • 6 RAW frames |
• 3 fps • Unlimited JPEG/Fine frames • 7 RAW frames |
• 3.5 fps • Unlimited JPEG/HQ frames • 8 RAW frames |
| White balance | • 8 presets (with adj) • Manual preset • Kelvin temperature |
• 6 presets (with adj) • Color temp (K) • Manual |
• Auto • Six presets • Manual preset • Fine tunable |
• 8 presets (with adj) • Manual preset • Kelvin temperature |
| Image parameters | • 6 presets • Saturation +/- 4 • Hue +/- 4 • Contrast +/- 4 • Sharpness/Fine +/- 4 |
• 6 presets |
• Six preset looks • Sharpening: Auto, 6 levels • Tone: Auto, 5 levels, cust. • Color: 3 modes • Saturation: Auto, 3 levels • Hue: -9° to +9° |
• 5 presets • 1 User defined • Saturation +/- 2 • Contrast +/- 2 • Sharpness +/- 2 • Gradation 4 settings |
| Noise reduction control | 4 levels | 1 additional level | No | 4 levels |
| DR extension mode | DRng | Highlight Tone Priority | D-Lighting | Auto Gradation |
| External flash | • Hot-shoe • Wireless flash |
• Hot-shoe | • Hot-shoe | • Hot-shoe • Wireless flash |
| Flash sync speed | 1/180 sec | 1/200 sec | 1/200 sec | 1/180 sec |
| Viewfinder | • Pentamirror • 96% coverage • 0.85 x magnification |
• Pentamirror • 95% coverage • 0.87x magnification |
• Pentamirror • 95% coverage • 0.8x magnification |
• Pentamirror • 95% coverage • 0.92x magnification |
| LCD monitor | • 2.7 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels |
• 3.0" TFT LCD • 230,000 dots |
• 2.5 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels |
• 2.7 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels |
| Top panel LCD | Yes | No | No | No |
| Vertical grip | Yes, D-BG3 | Yes, BG-E5 | No | No |
| Dimensions | 134 x 95 x 74 mm (5.3 x 3.7 x 2.9 in) |
129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in) |
126 x 94 x 64 mm (5.0 x 3.7 x 2.5 in) |
136 x 92 x 68 mm (5.4 x 3.6 x 2.7 in) |
| Weight (inc batt) | 690 g (1.5 lb) | 522 g (1.2 lb) | 471 g (1.0 lb) | 490 g (1.1 lb) |



















































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