• KIT INCLUDES 9 PRODUCTS — All Brand New Items with all Manufacturer-supplied Accessories + Full USA Warranties:
• <#1> Nikon D60 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm VR Zoom Lens Outfit PLUS + <#2> Nikon AF-S 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens +
• <#3> Transcend 4GB HC SecureDigital Class 6 (SDHC) Card + <#4> Spare EN-EL9 Li-Ion Battery Pack + <#5> Nikon SLR System Case +
• <#6> USB 2.0 High Speed SecureDigital (SD) Card Reader + <#7> Digital Image Recovery Software +
• <#8> Memory Card Storage Wallet + <#9> Cameta Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

This camera is very good for the Price we pay for it. I suggest this camera to the people who are starter to the Photography. It has many feature which a professional camera has. It give the feel for the professional camera and I love the calarity of the Images.It is better then Cannon or another SLR cameras in this range.Camera produces nice quality images, have only used the Automatic settings so far. The battery holds a charge for long time. Works flawlessly so far…I purchased my Nikon D60 about a month ago and am loving it. It shipped very quickly and was packaged very well. The only think I was disappointed with is the extra lens in the package did not have VR, but that is minor and if I had looked closer I would have been able to tell. Overall I am very satisfied and Happy with the purchase.I couldn’t be happier with my purchase. I loved taking pictures before having the D60. Now I really love to take pictures! Great features on this camera.I just received my camera – ordered on Thursday night – delivered on Tuesday…better than expected delivery time.

I’m only giving 4 stars because I haven’t really used it yet but am very pleased with what I have seen so far. The kit is nice and with the extra lens – you can’t go wrong. The case is very roomy and can be re-arranged to fit your needs.

This is my first d-slr – having reluctantly retired a very reliable Pentax 35mm film camera. Very excited to see what I can with with this.

My husband says I’ll be taking even more pictures than I did before – if that’s possbile.

Update – I took the camera on a family trip to Disney the week after receiving it. I took over 400 pictures! Great color quality and a lot of fun to use. The 200mm zoom is awesome…I was able to get some great shots during Fantasmic even with being so far away.

A couple of downsides though – the strap is positioned on the top of the camera. I think it would hang better if the strap was positioned on the back. I had trouble with the camera bumping things while carrying it on my shoulder or around my neck as it was pointed out vs down. Not meant to be a “portable” camera at all (which I fully expected). I would recommend getting a small camera pouch so that there is some protection for the camera while carrying it.

As far as the settings – I leave mine on Auto most of the time. I am still experimenting with the sports setting and the continuous shutter setting…but it has definitely came in handy.

Very happy with my purchase and am still learning how to use it entirely.

I give this 5 stars (but I can’t change the rating)

Buy This Camera

• 6.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
• Kit includes 3x 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens
• 2.5-inch LCD with three display options; built-in flash and hot shoe
• Fast startup with instant shutter response; shoot at up to 2.5 frames per second
• Powered by one rechargeable Li-ion battery EN-EL9 (included); stores images on SD memory cards (memory card not included)

If your looking for an action camera with the ability to explore…this is it – We have owned alot of the smaller digital cameras and they just don’t stack up to these abilities. We purchased this used and it came with the auto focus not working. When we investigated it,though, it turns out that with this camera it is a common issue. If you buy it new though, shouldn’t have a problem if you have the warrenty…we didn’t.. … Enjoy~I bought this camera after a lot of long hours researching dslrs of several brands and decided on this one because of ease of use and many other more pro settings. This camera is fantastic. The pictures come out looking flawless and the colors are so bright. This is actually my third dslr I’ve purchased in the last month and this one is definitely a keeper. The first two I bought were Canons’. The first one was the XS model. I really liked all the features it had but the pictures were just too grainy and blotchy under low light co0nditions so I returned it and bought the next one up, the XSI. I wasn’t happy with it either as nearly every picture I took was not clear. The focusing was too soft. So I researched some more and was drawn to the Nikon D40 mainly because of all the positive reviews. Not only here on Amazon but on many other sites as well. The popularity of this jewel of a camera is very well established. It’s even a lot less expensive than the Canon cameras I had. I’ve read a lot about people being not too happy about the availability of lenses for this camera but actually there are a lot of lenses for this camera and the prices are in the same range as Canon and other dslrs and slrs. It’s true that there’s a lot of lenses that don’t auto focus but there’s plenty that do. I plan on buying a few very high magnification lenses soon so having to manual focus won’t be a problem for me since these lenses are very difficult to focus on a moving subject anyways. I’ll be shooting a lot of nature pics like birds, insects, flowers and the like for the most so it’ll all work out perfectly. To sum it up, I’m still in the learning process with this camera. All the adjustments and features will prove to be a very fun and creative experience for me. I very highly recommend this wonderful camera. Even if you’re not a pro, you’ll sure feel like one once you view your pictures.Its July 09 and my friends basically advised me against getting the D40, they said id rather buy D60 or the other higher end ones.

To begin with, let me tell, i am not an expert photographer, but wanted to get into the DSLR world with a basic camera.After reading significant good reviews, and mostly kenrockwell’s site, i thought of giving this camera a try.

Added bonus was that its so light, and almost like a P&S camera.After taking a few snaps, i will say i dont regret at all buying this.I will hopefully learn a lot on this before stepping on to the higher end Nikon’s.The photos are crisp and definitely look much better than my other 8 MP Canon Powershot camera.

For most purposes, you wouldnt NEED anything more than this, 6MP is pretty clear, and if you are on a budget like me, look no further.I did delay buying this a lot after debating which one to go for.

Like many say, spare the cash and buy more good quality lenses.Once you learn and become somewhat of an expert on metering,AF-E etc, then you could buy other cameras.

I dont understand how people can be fooled into buying 12MP DSLR camera, when they cant even do basic metering/exposure settings and mainy use it to do AUTO setting shots.

But dont think that this one doesnt do good AUTO mode photos, its really good.

Good luck in your search of The DSLR,

Syed.

I love this camera. It is pretty small, can do everything you’d expect from a quality SLR etc. I am sure it isn’t as durable as more expensive cameras, and its lack of an AF motor in the camera body might scare off people using older lenses and stuff, and obviously its sensor is much smaller than a top-of-the line model…but if you want a (big) step up from a compact digital camera, you won’t be disappointed in this one.

Also, do read reviews from people who know what they’re talking about regarding megapixels vs. sensor size. There are pretty good sounding arguments for buying this one as opposed to the D40x. Having not compared the two I cannot vouch for one over the other based on experience, but the reviews I read convinced me this one was the better choice for me and I really haven’t been at all disappointed.Purchased this 6 months ago and I LOVE IT! The pictures are amazing. I still haven’t used all of the features and it has plenty. Not a single problem with it.

Buy This Camera

• Extraordinary 10.2-megapixel DX-format Nikon picture quality
• Includes AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G Vibration Reduction lens
• 2.5-inch LCD screen; horizontal and vertical orientation are detected automatically
• Continuous shooting at 3 fps; Active Dust Reduction System with Airflow Control
• Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

In one word. “perfect”..the basic lens kit works perfect..

This camera lacks Live View feature for which many prefers to buy others like Canon rebel XSI..but trust me.thats of no use..it really is not required..automatic mode will give u a feel of point n shoot camera with superb quality.battery backup is also good.color reproduction is fantastic..and yes very less noise with ISO 800 and above with Noise reduction feature ON..I do not find any reason for not buying this camera.Review for the Nikon D60 with 18-55mm VR Nikkor lens

Cons:

-No live preview (fine if you were a film SLR user like I was, but not so fine for point and shoot step-ups)

-Lens must be AF-S to autofocus (Lens must have inner moter to autofocus)

-Autofocus is considerably slow

-Alot of grain present at 1600 ISO

-Only 3 Autofocus points

-Uses unique .NEF raw format (so not many programs can edit it)

-Included lens it not that high end, (it does not smoothly blend out the BG at times)

Pros:

-Very well priced on behalf of Amazon

-Excellent VR system

-Sensor Cleaning

-Ergonomic Design

-Ease of use ++

-Lightweight

-Sharp pictures

-In-camera Retouch

-Vibrant colors

-Simple GUI (Graphic User Interface)

-Its a NIKON!!!

I did my homework comparing this camera to its predecessor, the Nikon D40.

I took about 2 weeks going to local photo shops, comparing various cameras side by side, as well as quality, and for the price, the D60 took the gold

I heard alot of reviews recommending the D40 over the D60, but I decided to go against the flow and purchase the D60. Purchased it from Amazon for a staggering $517 (~125 $$ cheaper than a local photography store), very prompt shipping on their part FEDEX /USPS .

I got this camera today, and I am pleased to say this is an awesome camera for its price. First of all, you are going to get a quality product from Nikon, (in my opinion, one of the best camera brands), along with an excellent 18-55mm VR Nikkor lens. You also get the nice camera neck strap (which was an extra back in the ’70s ).

This camera takes amazing pictures! I went outside to my garden and shot a couple of flower test shots, very satisfying! The quality is very sharp, even at a 100%. The colors are also very vibrant and lively. The camera is also relatively light, as compared to the Nikon FM-2 we already own. It is also nice to know that this camera comes with the VR lens, allowing you to take pictures with 3X slower shutter speed, as claimed by Nikon.

Another plus of this camera is the fact that it has the sensor cleaning, which if you own 4 lens like I do, comes in very handy, to keep your pictures “dust free”. It is also nice to know, it cleans the sensor everytime you turn it on and off. It also features an orientation sensative LCD screen, which if you rotate the camera, the screen rotates as well.

However, Nikon could have made more autofocus points (9 + would have been fine). They also could have added the shaft to the lens mount, to autofocus AF lenses.

I would definately recommend this camera to others for its simplicity of use. It has intuitive LCD menus, easy to navigate through, and perfect for the beginning DSLR user!

*Please do not base your purchase off of this sole review, as some of the above info may be slightly off. Using D40 for about a year, amazing camera! Bought the D60 ’cause thought the 10MP would produce noticeably better pics. Unless you need larger than 11×14 prints, you won’t see a difference. The sensor-cleaner sounds out-of-sight, but…it’s REALLY not needed. And, the 10 vs 6MP actually produces more NOISE (traslation, a less sharp looking image).

If you can live without autofocus and can handle using manual exposure setting, the D40 used with a SUPER-SHARP single length NIKKOR AI lens, for example, will give you amazingly bright, sharp, clean images that NO zoom lens (VR or otherwise)can compare with (regardless of price). Anyhow, the D40 is about $200 less than the D60, which is lighter but feels a LOT cheaper made.

Net, net…both the D40 (and D40X) and D60 will produce great images. But if you want something that is the best of the best, sharpness and impact-wise, do yourself a favor and try the D40 with a single length (such as a Nikkor AI f1.8 which can be bought used for about $50). Definitely still use the supplied kit D40 autofocus 18-55mm zoom for everyday snapshot type pics. But…when time permits, experience real quality and shoot with the single-length to capture the most outstanding images you’ll ever take!I purchased a Nikon D60, and ended up returning to to the store for a D5000. (Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens and 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD) I used to use film SLRs extensively, but have been away from photography for some time and have been wanting a dSLR forever. Now is the perfect time. I am taking a major vacation where I will be shooting some shots in the jungle, so I wanted an improvement over my point-and-shoot camera in low light and other scenarios. Although the D60 is definitely such an improvement, after playing around with this camera in low light, I just decided it would not do the trick.

Let me start by listing the things that I do like about this camera, because there were many (these also apply to the D5000):

-Takes good pictures in bright light

-I like Nikon’s menu systems. Although it takes some learning and some menu options require multiple “clicks,” I found it intuitive and straight-forward. You also can set-up “my menu” where you have fast access to your most-used features. I recommend utilizing this feature.

-The on-board help button that explains the features to you

-The vibration reduction lenses really are helpful in reducing camera shake. Out of the box, I didn’t realize VR was automatically set to off on the lens, and turning it on really did make a difference in low light.

-Definitely is an upgrade over a point-and-shoot. Also with the lens kits, appears to be a fairly good value.

Despite these positives, the D60 was not the camera for me. First, when taking photos indoors (even the lights on), I found that I typically had to manually focus the camera because it would not find the correct focus. Even then, the quality of the low-light photos is not great. (Although it is an improvement over my canon point-and-shoot.) I’m sure this is in part due to its processor and in part due to the fact that it only has 3 Auto-focus points. Whatever the cause, the mediocre quality of low-light photos is something you’ll want to seriously consider if you’ll be shooting indoors.

If you’d like to see the comparison yourself, you can view images I have posted for both cameras in the customer image galleries for the D60 (Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens) and D5000 (Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens and 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD)

The 3 autofocus points is also just a general concern overall. Even in the short time I had the camera, I found that the lack of auto-focus points affected my photo composition capabilities. I do not like to have to hold the button half-way down to focus and then move my desired subject to a different part of the frame. Plus, it makes it extremely difficult to shoot moving subjects. For a bit more money, the D5000 has 11 autofocus points which adds many more possibilities in terms of composing the photo in the viewfinder. It also has a 3-D auto-focus mode, which allows you to focus on a subject, and then keeps the focus on that subject when it moves by choosing a new focus point. The D5000 is more expensive, but the upgrade from 3 to 11 focus points is an extreme improvement that I think will make a difference for even amateur photographers. (Perhaps it doesn’t make much of a difference for simple point and click, but if you are shopping for a dSLR, I doubt that is all you are planning to do.)

In the few hours since I exchanged this for the D5000, I know that I have made the right choice. I have noticed a dramatic improvement in the quality of the photos I have taken over the D60. I have also discovered a number of additional features lacking in the D60 that are very useful. Specifically, bracketing. With bracketing, you can set the camera to automatically take multiple shots using different settings. For example, you can use exposure bracketing, and it will take one shot at the normal exposure, one under-exposed, and one over-exposed. This is extremely useful in difficult lighting settings where you may not have the time to fiddle with exposure compensation. (There are other bracketing options as well.) According to some things I’ve read, Nikon removed this feature from the D40 series and D60 to “dumb it down,” but I really don’t understand that at all. This isn’t a difficult feature to grasp, and it seems like it would be extraordinarily useful for novice photographers (like me) who haven’t completely mastered getting the perfect shot, but who might face situations where they don’t have time to fiddle through the menus.

Overall, the things that this camera (D60) is missing that I already love about about my D5000 are:

-11 auto-focus points(this has only 3. I think this will affect most users’ capabilities with the camera)

-An improved processor and better image quality, especially in low light

-Bracketing (missing from this camera)

-Numerous additional Scene modes (in addition to those this one provides)

-More choices for Active D-Lighting (Ultra-high, High, low, etc. as opposed to just on/off in D60)

-3-D Tracking Mode for auto-focus (which allows you to choose a focus point, and if the subject moves, the camera keeps focus on that subject… haven’t tried this yet, but I’m anxious to.)

-More on-camera retouching options

-Higher resolution (although I’m not sure this will make a difference unless you’re planning to blow up photos)

(Some of these things may sound technical, but I didn’t know what they were yesterday either! You’ll be amazed at how fast you’ll learn by reading the manual and doing a little playing around.)

It is up to you whether these improvements are worth the extra several hundred dollars. For me, they were. I simply don’t want to be disappointed and end up buying a new dSLR in a few years.

I also would like to briefly mention the fact that this camera is missing a live view, which is present on the D5000. Personally, I would not use this as a deciding factor in your camera choice. Although you are probably used to live view from your point-and-shoot, I think if you can manage to go back to a viewfinder for awhile, you’ll actually like it. It gives you a better eye for composition, and you don’t have to mess with covering up the eyepiece to avoid light leaking in. Plus, keep in mind that even in the D5000, the liveview is probably not what you’re accustomed to from point-and-shoots. Liveview systems in SLRs tend to be slow have have difficulty focusing, so if you switch solely for the liveview, you may be disappointed. So give the lack of live view a shot and practice composing your photos in the viewfinder. I think you’ll be pleased once you get used to it.

On that note, the D60 may lack video, which is present on more expensive models, but you should never, ever buy a dSLR because you want to take videos. It may be a perk, but if your hope is to shoot amazing video, you will surely be disappointed. Get an HD-camcorder instead.

In sum, this is a decent camera, but only having 3 autofocus points makes it not worth its price, even though that price is quite reasonable. The D5000 is a few hundred dollars more, but its capabilities and quality are vastly improved. (Note that you could go even further upscale for just a bit more to the D90, although that is a bigger, bulkier camera, which may not be as good for travel.) If you’re going to spend the money to spring for a dSLR, you might as well get something that you’ll be happy with for a long time.

If, on the other hand, you’ll be photographing primarily outdoors, and you really don’t think you need the D5000, the D60 is a perfectly acceptable camera. Although, if that’s the case, you may also consider the cheaper D40. I have never tested one and cannot speak to the differences between the D40 and D60, but with only 3 Auto-focus points, I wonder what the D60 really adds. (I know it has a cleaning system and D-Lighting, but I’m not sure those features are worth the price difference.)

Good luck!My wife and I wanted a digital SLR camera that was reasonably priced and could deliver quality that was superior to our point and shoot cameras. It was hard to spend this much money on a camera for me, but we were going on a two week vacation to Italy and I couldn’t get myself to go without one considering we knew how beautiful and colorful our adventures would be. After hours and hours of research I discovered this camera was the best value for a beginner. Over and over I read reviews from pundits and beginners like myself express their happiness. I can’t give a critical review as others considering I am still learning about this camera, but I have to say it is a huge step up from a point and shoot (duh). The quality is awesome and the options are endless. It was not too heavy considering I was walking hours a day with it on my neck and it hardly bothered me. When we got home and were ready to transfer all of our pics to the comp. it was as easy as hooking it up and waiting. The battery life was very good. I’m very satisfied and look forward to becoming more knowledgeable about it’s manual settings so that I can get the full potential out of this baby. A few notes for readers who might be buying an SLR for the first time like myself: 1)The learning curve on how to use the custom settings would probably require many hours, but you can get some great shots on the Programmed setting and default settings in the mean time. 2)I found out while we were on our trip that that this lens doesn’t zoom in much and lens can cost $200+, but overall this lens gets the job done. 3)Nikon seemed to be a lot better value than Canon’s cameras, which to me was their biggest competitor. Canon’s entry level cameras were much more expensive.

Buy This Camera

• 10.2-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints
• Includes 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DA L lens and AF200FG flash
• 2.7-inch wide-view LCD panel; Shake Reduction Technology
• Dedicated, reprogrammable Help button displays information on LCD
• Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

This camera takes excellent pictures both outdoors and indoors. The menu is easy to access. Buttons are similiar to other Pentax cameras. The largest print I make is a 5 x 7. Noise is minimal, even at ISO 3200 indoors. I went to a museum and took some shots using the museum setting (no flash), again great pictures.

I use an 18 – 200 zoom lense. When using the flash I do have to be careful not to zoom. I have had a few pictures come out to dark because I was beyond the range of the flash. However, using a higher ISO takes care of this problem, or just moving in closer.

I use AA Lithium Ultimate batteries. I haven’t used up a set yet, I’ve used them before and am sure they will last for over a thousand pictures. Camera is always ready, I don’t need to worry about charging batteries.

Sure there are additional features available on more expensive cameras, but I’m not willing to pay the money. I don’t strive to be any type of professional photographer. I just wanted a camera that would take better quality pictures at higher ISOs than compact point and shoot cameras. This one is it.

I’ve used some of the maual settings with success, a fun camera!

The camera was shipped as requested to my son’s place very promptly. however, the ad did not tell you that the built in flash on the camera did not function. I feel it was a rather misleading. But when I received it the 30 day return had gone by.I bought this as a birthday gift to my wife. She likes it very much. This camera is very light and using 4 AA batteries, which is good for traveling. The white balance is accurate and the focusing speed is faster then previous DSLRs form Pentax, such as K100d.My K100D still works great, but it’s starting to feel a bit dated with its slower autofocus system and lack of SDM lens support. Since K2000s are getting so inexpensive, I decided to pick one up for a minor upgrade.

My initial impression was that the K2000 is heavy. It actually weighs slightly less than the K100D, but the smaller hand grip makes it feel heavier to me. The hand grip is less bulbous so it doesn’t fill into my hand nearly as well, but I suppose that the hand grip was the only part that could be drastically reduced in size without making the camera feel unbalanced.

I also immediately noticed the missing LED screen at the top. Fortunately, all of the information is clearly and brightly displayed on the back LCD screen now. The new interface is actually very, very well designed. It’s familiar enough that I could jump right in, and intuitive enough that I quickly figured out the new shortcuts and features. I’m finding the autofocus to be pretty quick and camera operation a bit quieter. Overall, I find the K2000 to be extremely usable.

The switch to the 10MP sensor finally gives me ISO 100 and smaller ISO increments for more control, but I’m also noticing much more noise than with the wonderful 6MP sensor in my K100D. With my K100D, I found ISO 800 to be very usable, but I’m afraid of pushing beyond ISO 400 with the K2000. I think this is something that I’ll just have to get used to when I’m framing and exposing scenes.

The DA L kit lens seems to be about the same as my old DA 18-55mm, except for the plastic mount and sticker badge. You also don’t get a lens hood. I haven’t really tried the AF200FG flash because I have the AF360FGZ, but it seems appropriate for an entry level kit flash.

Pros (relative to the K100D):

+ Smaller and slightly lighter than the K100D.

+ 10MP sensor that gives more control over ISO.

+ Incredibly intuitive interface.

+ Sv (sensitivity) mode! I didn’t have this before on the K100D.

+ Excellent mix of pro and non-pro features like the Help button, which can also be changed to be the RAW button.

+ Despite the cheaper construction, the kit lens still feels solid and comparable to my old 18-55mm that has a metal mount.

Cons (Relative to the K100D):

- The 10MP sensor is noisier than what I’m used to. I’ve seen some amazing pictures taken with this sensor though so I’ll have to learn the limits of this camera.

- The ergonomics of the body aren’t quite as good as the K100D. It’s probably perfect for people with smaller hands though.

- The DA L kit lens has a plastic mount, a sticker badge, and no lens hood.

UPDATE 7/28/09: I took my K2000 to San Diego Comic-Con and I must say that it performed admirably at ISO 800. I found that as long as I expose properly (preposterous!), the noise levels are totally acceptable. It’s a bit more fussy than the K100D when underexposing at the same sensitivity, but I’m no longer afraid of using this sensor at ISO 800.This is one great camera for those jumping to DSLR from Point and Shoot. I like that it uses AA batteries and they seem to never run out. It also uses SD memory cards so getting good deals on memory should not be a problem.

The bundle has a nice external flash. Yes, no tilting but it does have a diffuser and it is way better than any of the build in flashes of any entry level DSLR.

The kit lens is of good quality and very light. My only issue is that it has a plastic mount. I upgraded to the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II as my regular walk around lens but the one you get is still a great lens for a kit lens.

My favorite feature is the picture preview option where a picture is taken, not saved to memory, only to buffer and will show shadow and highlight warnings.

I recommend changing to Picture color Natural for more accurate colors. I shoot Raw (DNG in this case) and use Adobe Photoshop to develop and I get amazing quality.

Do note that Noise Reduction is disabled by default and that there is a small firmware update over at the Pentax web site. I set the Noise Reduction to weakest with good results.

The camera feels solid, shoots fast, focuses fast and the price is right.

As I said before, I got the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II and then plan to get the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens and the Pentax SMCP-FA 50mm f/1.4 Lens to complete my other needs.

I would recommend this bundle to anyone moving to DSLR, you will not be disappointed. I have 7 other cameras, all of them Point and Shoot and I can’t match the quality pictures of this camera under any lighting condition with them.

Price: $599.95   Buy This Camera

• 14.6-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints
• 2.7-inch LCD display; Kit includes 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II Lens
• Dust-proof, water-resistant construction; comprehensive Dust Removal system
• New Live View function
• Capture images to SD/SDHC cards (not included)

I’ve owned the K20D for six months now and it’s a great camera. I’d like to offer some advice, learned the hard way, to people thinking of buying one.

Firstly, buy it! At this price….

Secondly, I wouldn’t buy the kit lens. I did, and I hardly ever use it. It’s OK, well built and not expensive. But it won’t give you those WOW factor photos you’d expect from your investment in a top quality DSLR. If you want that WOW factor, I personally recommend you move fast to find a good deal on the Pentax FA 50mm f1.4 prime lens. If you can get one for under $260 (at time of writing), you’ll have a wonderful, low cost prime. But do it right now, before it goes the same way as the top rated 35mm f2, which is now hard to find and expensive. It’ll help you take wonderful photos, particularly portraits in-doors without flash. Its very, very sharp outdoors. I’ll guarantee friends and relations will say: great photos, what camera are you using? And camera experts will say: great photos, what lens are you using? You may have to jump around a bit to get a good composition with its focal point – but why not look like a serious photographer? It you can’t or don’t want to invest in a top quality lens, then I’d stick with a point and shoot or consider the next two options.

Thirdly, for maximum entertainment, I’d buy a value-for-money zoom lens like the Tamron 70-300mm macro. This lens isn’t the best of breed. You can go that route when you’ve mastered all the “photographer’s at fault” issues – or if you have money to burn. It’s a lot of fun outdoors and it’ll produce very fine photos (up to around 250mm). I’ve used it for numerous photos of my 6 and 7 year old girls playing with pets, friends, creepy crawlies, as well as other “Daddy objects” far away, like planes and the moon. Plus it has a macro feature that is a bit of a hassle to set but works well. In other words – it’s a lot of fun!

Fourthly, try an old Pentax/Takumar lens on the body. Go shopping on eBay you’ll find some of the greatest ever lenses/glass for sale at ridiculous prices (compared to new lenses). Buy a proper Pentax adaptor, change the aperture ring setting so that the shake reduction will work on a totally manual lens, and you’ll be able to take some fantastically evocative photos. I’ve got three 35 year old Takumars, and its amazing the range of photo styles I can produce – from razor sharp to creamy “1960s” looking colors. You’ll really get to know how to use the camera to its full potential. My Takumar 55mm is the my pick. The only real problem is that with manual focus its hard to catch fast moving children. But then its back to the FA 50mm.

Finally, the expert reviewers are right, you DO need to (and shouldn’t have to) + EV compensate most times to get a perfect exposure, but that’s just a little quirk…also…if you have Canon software from your point and shoot digital camera, use this for managing and sending out your photos, its easier than learning the Pentax software…

This review will be brief, so take it for what it’s worth. So much has been said about the K20D, that I would only be repeating what you probably already know: This camera is a winner! I’ll leave the technical reviews to more qualified people out there.

I got it mainly for its weather-resistance and because it has received such positive feedback here on Amazon and on other sites. Now that Pentax has finally released 2 weather-resisitant lenses,

PENTAX DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Weather Resistant Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Camera

PENTAX DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED Weather Resistant Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras

I feel like I have the perfect setup for my needs.

This is my first DSLR, and when I started looking for a DSLR I only considered Canon and Nikon. But this Pentax does everything I want it to. And usually it does it very well.

No camera is perfect. But for the price, the K20D is certainly one that you might want to seriously consider. Canon and Nikon make good stuff, but don’t feel inferior with the K20D. It is one sweet piece of equipment!I continued my travels through the Pentax family since I learned to shoot with the old K1000 and all my lenses were bought for this camera, I just hated the idea of starting over from scratch. I upgraded to the MZS several years ago but finally made the leap to digital with the K20d this spring after missing graduation pictures of a niece due to rewinding film. I have absolutely loved the in camera shake reduction. My general use lense is a Sigma 28-300. I was shooting a pickup basketball game at our church this weekend at around 200 handheld in shutter speed priority and getting excellent shots. I’ve used all the modes at some point in the past six weeks or so and they all work wonderfully well though I can’t imagine when ISO priority will actually be my main consideration in a shoot. I have only had one complaint and that came shooting lightning shots at night. The camera takes about 80% as long to write the information to the card as the aperature was left open. I have done some research and have learned that card speed might be a factor so I have some 30m cards coming,… I’ll update if these improve this weakness. The data capture with each shot will be helpful in learning becuase this camera tracks everything but moon phase and wind speed involved with taking the shot. It can only greatly improve the leaning curve. I owned it less than a year, but the camera has been handled less than perfect. It has been dropped at least three times, but the true test was a complete soak. My daughter had around her neck, while trying to get closer to the ocean, at cliff walk’s 40-steps, Newport. She slipped and went completely down to the water. The camera went completely under water with her. I took battery as a precaution and noticed inside compartment was dry. I let it dried for few days just to be sure before tried to use it again. Well, it worked perfectly, like nothing ever happened to it. I had 18-250 lens at that time, and unfortunately, it did not survived. I wish I had one of those weather-sealed lens.

On the side note, it does capture good images and I agreed with other reviewers. I have owned Pentax cameras for 25 years. They are simple easy to use cameras with the controls in just the right place to give the operator complete freedom to take any shot. You won’t find yourself winding into a pretzel in order to make a simple adjustment.

The K20D is a fantastic camera that performs like one 3 or 4 times its price. I have shot images of all types and brightnesses and have found it to be excellent. The brightness curve is a little low and will need to be brought up a little but this is far better then being too high and blowing out detail.

The battery life is excellent allowing me to get 750-1000 shots before needing to make a change. I use little flash so I can enjoy the full colors of my setting without blown out spots and bad reflections.

I have great night vision and the auto focus will start to loose it a little before I do. I can quickly switch to manual focus and keep on shooting. I avoid pushing the ISO over 800 to minimize noise. You will find the detail is still excellent at high ISOs where other cameras will sacrifice detail to keep the noise to a minimum. I personally would rather have a full detail shot with a little noise of that important moment then a low noise low detail shot.

My lens choice is the DA 18-250mm. This is a fantastic lens that surprisingly does the whole range well. When I shot film I was constantly in need of lenses and would often carry 3-5 on me. This lens will almost do it all. I am still planning on getting a wide of 10-12mm and a longer zoom of 400m or more.

The in body shake reduction system allows me to shoot down to 1/2 second while holding the camera. I have been doing this for a long time and have trained myself to hold very still but with it off, the best I can do is 1/15th. I would still recommend a tripod but knowing I can still take the shot in almost any condition is very comforting.

The bottom line is that this camera is well worth the money. It is the best value for anything even remotely close in capability. Don’t let the fact that Cannon and Nikon hog all the press keep you from giving this a serious look.

Price: $779.95   Buy This Camera

• 12.0-megapixel resolution for photo-quality prints up to 11 x 14 inches
• 24x wide-angle optical zoom; equivalent to 26-624mm
• Triple Shake Reduction technology; HD-quality video capture at up to 15fps
• 2.7-inch LCD screen; Face Detection AF/AE
• Capture images to SD/SDHC cards (not included)

I have spent hours playing with this camera and love everything about it. I am not a professional by any means, but it takes such great pictures, people seems to think I am. It’s simple to use. Bought it as a newer better camera to my 2 year old Sony H5B, and was surpried it took bad pictures. Received the camera at 6 pm by UPS, opened box at 7pm,charged battery, and at 10 pm started to play with camera. At 1030 pm I boxed it back up and got return paper work to ship it back. My old, old Digital Casio takes beter low light pictures.

Nice face recognition, nice zoom length.

Even the movies taken were as grainy/staticy, and blurry as the stills.

I have read other reviews, and am baffled. I would not recommend this camera. It may be a fluke/defective camera. I don’t care. I am leaving for Alaska on the 29th, and now do not have a better camera than my Old Sony H5B.This is a great camera. Its zoom really reaches waaaay out and was perfect for my trip down the Oregon coast. I took over a thousand photos and was extremely pleased with the Pentax. I purchased this camera after reading reviews and looking at several other cameras. I have taken a little over 300 pictures along with a few minutes of video just to see what it would do in the video setting. You can’t use the optical zoom while shooting video, but you can use the digital zoom. If you want a good video camera, then you should invest in one that is for that even though this one is pretty good as a backup.

I am very pleased with the camera so far. Very good color and most of the pictures are sharp, although I did have a few that were softer for some reason. I have made some adjustments to the camera since then, but have not taken any pictures since the adjustments. Lots of great features and of course the 24x zoom is one reason I bought it. I am just a hobbyist but have an Olympus C765 that took great pictures but had a shorter zoom and fewer megapixels.

I found the menu to be easy to use and the owner’s manual is easy to understand. I have referred to it on several occasions due to the many features of the camera. I do highly recommend spare batteries since it goes through them pretty quickly. You have to take into consideration the large LCD screen, powerful zoom, flash, etc. that all eat up battery life. I also recommend a good LCD screen protector. I found a nice glass one for under $10 made for the Pentax screen. So, all in all, this camera has most everything I wanted in a digital camera without all those lenses to lug around. The video was pretty good for not being a regular video camera.

Pros- Great zoom, excellent color, good picture quality, lightweight and small size, good menu layout, good flash, focus assist light, loads of features.

Cons- Low battery life, no lens thread for filters, touchy zoom lever.

AT FIRST I DID NOT LIKE IT SO MUCH BUT ONCE I GOT FAMILIAR WITH ITS SETTINGS THIS LITTLE POINT OF SHOOTER GAVE ME THE BEST SHARPER PICS THAN ALL THE POINT OF SHOOTERS I OWN ..THIS IS NO BULL I SHOT WITH THIS CAMERA FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES FROM MY WINDOW NO LESS THE SHARPNESS WAS SUPERIOR THAN ANY CAMERA I OWN BY COMPARISON, I LIKED SO MUCH THAT I BOUGHT A SECOND ONE AS BACK UP. I SET THIS CAMERA AT HIGH BURST CONTINUOS SHOOTING THAN I SET IT TO SPORTS AND BELIEVE ME THIS COMBINATION OF SETTINGS WORKS MIRACLES AS FAR AS SHARPNESS IS CONCERNED..I ADMIT THE BATTERY COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BEAFIER AND THE AUTOZOOM COUD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE FASTER BUT IF YOU MASTER THE TOUCH IT COULD GO A LOT FASTER,OVERALL THIS LITTLE ZOOMER AT 24X ROCKS.

Price: $399.95   Buy This Camera

• 10.2-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints
• 2.7-inch LCD display; body only–no lens included
• Dust-proof, water-resistant construction; comprehensive Dust Removal system
• Pentax Original Shake Reduction Mechanism
• Capture images to SD/SDHC cards (not included)

In the last year, twice the auto focus has completely failed to work. I’m currently ready to send the camera off to Pentax for warranty repair, for the second time for the same problem. When I first purchased the camera, the auto focus sporadically stopped working for brief moments with the symptoms progressively worse over time and eventually (auto focus) stopped working all together. I sent the camera off for warranty repair. Upon receiving the camera back, the auto focus symptoms immediately started to happen again and then again (auto focus) died.

The colors are pleasantly inaccurate — that’s correct, the colors are off but with a nice interpretation that tend to skew on the saturated side. That’s the charm of the K200d I learned to like. Also, unless you are shooting in ideal lighting the pictures are on the underexposed side – not much of an issue since I shoot in RAW.

I’m thoroughly impressed with the customer service department; I’ve spoken to them over the phone and through the “live chat” many times. Each time, I’ve received a conclusion and each time the representatives are knowledgeable and friendly.

When the camera works, I love it. It takes great pictures and it’s a joy to use with a solid build and small footprint. I own the 10-17mm, 21mm and 40mm lenses (all DA) — the unusual lens lineup is the main reason for my purchase. My favorite setup: couple the K200d with the 40mm lens and you have a setup that doesn’t attract too much attention in public with decent image quality.

I started out with a K100D and when the K10D came out, I was immediately green with envy. A few years later, the K200D came out, it was competitively priced and had most of the great K10D features. I cut my losses and traded the K100D in for the K200D. I am very pleased with it. The reasons for the trade were for the following features:

+ Remote flash: I’ve always wanted this feature that Nikon users take for granted, it doesn’t work as great and sometimes doesn’t detect the controlling flash. But when within range and everything, it works and am very happy to finally have it.

+ Weather seals: sure, it’s not bullet proof and doesn’t help the lenses at all. But I used to not take my camera out when weather conditions were not fair. The same goes for my friends with canons and nikons. With the K200D, I have no fears of taking it out and actually USING it. I know, it’s totally a psychological thing, but the peace of mind is still a feature to me.

+ Sensor cleaner: The anti shake feature is also used to shake off the dust in the K200D, it doesn’t really work, I never notice it shaking anything off. But I also set it to shake upon power up. I also have a Giottos rocket blower, the combination seems to keep the K200D relatively dust free. Much more so than my K100D. I know it’s not just the weather seals because I know the dust is getting in when I change lenses.

+ Better WB & PRIME engine: the color control is much better in the K200D, an immense improvement and main reason for the upgrade.

+ Shoots in DNG format: I am no longer tied to Pentax’s photolab SW. I can now use photoshop without any plugins or upgrades. Very good feature.

The things I miss on the K100D:

- Battery power seems more finicky on the K200D, I had to switch to Eneloops, which allows me to get 1000+ images per charge. AMAZING, but sad that it only performs with Eneloops.

- The images look under exposed and overly contrasted. These features can be offset easily, but it does take some time to get used to and learn to work around. Once you learn its behavior, it is very predictable and linear.

- My external flash no longer gets perfect exposure every time in any condition. For some reason, the K200D works terribly with the FGZ540. It is very easy to under or over expose an image. I am not sure if this is because I shoot in ISO100 vs K100D’s ISO200. But the end result is I can no longer turn on the FGZ and just shoot. I have to manually set the flash zoom. The flash exposure setting doesn’t seem to do anything either. I’ve gone on forums to see if I have a defective K200D, but in the end, I’ve moved on and have accepted the issue.

I am very very happy with the K200D, as the DSLR market gets more and more competitive, I still find the K200D completely usable for all my needs. If you want a DSLR that just works out of the box, you should stick with canons and nikons. Pentax is really for the dedicated and people with a pentax lens collection. Feature for feature, pentax always loses to canons and nikons, but it is still more than enough for anyone who is serious about photography. Especially if you’ve done film photography, I feel that Pentax replicates the film camera experience better than all other brands. Its simplicity and attention to detail gives it that classic feeling. While other brands focus on speed, specs and little functions that make it completely and totally feel… digital. I do envy those features some times. When I see my friends shoot in 800 or 1600ISO with no noise at all, I am jealous. But then, you really can’t do that with film either. So I’ve come to terms with Pentax’s short comings. I hope Pentax will turn things around with their full frame DSLRs.Firstly, I wanted to give it 3.5 stars, not 4.

I have mentioned below the main camera features, it’s rating and a bgjustification. These are the most important points to be considered with respect to the other cameras in competition (Canon XSi and Nikon D60).

1.Weather proof body(4/5):Excellent feature for the price. But, it is of no use without a weather-ressistant lens. But Pentax has recently (May 2009) released 2 weather ressistant lenses (18-55 and 50-200mm) under $250 each. These lenses were not available when I purchased the camera.

2.Processing speed (1/5): Yes!! None of the reviews mentioned this when I bought it(I got screwed!). Try clicking a pic with the shutter open for 6 seconds. The Pentax K200D takes about 7 seconds to process the image and store it in the card (the time taken to store the image is negligible, also considering my high speed Sandisk Ultra card). I tried clicking more snaps with 10, 15 and 30 seconds. The time taken by the camera to process them is 11, 16 and 30 seconds. Until the camera processes the image, you have to wait and cannot click any more pictures.

I compared it with my friend’s Canon Rebel XSi and the difference was very evident. The Canon took less than half time to process the pictures.

This gets really annoying while capturing night scenes, ligtnings, etc.

3. Image stabilization (4/5): The Pentax shifts it’s sensor to compensate for the shake, unlike Canon and Nikon (they shift the lens elements). Since the shake reduction is in the body, any kind of lens (cheap ones, old ones, etc.) can be attached to the camera body and IS can be acheived. Hence, lenses are cheaper for the Pentax. Whereas in Canon and Nikon, the IS (or VR=Vibration Reduction as Nikon calls it)lenses are costly. But the quality of IS is a little better in Canon (no idea about Nikon).

4. Picture quality (4/5): The picture quality is just like any other camera. The contrast is on the higher end and I like it that way. It makes the pictures ready for printing. I went out with my friend who had a Canon XSi. My pictures looked far better than his when we compared them. The Canon pictures looked dull because they are more natural and the contrast is well balanced. The Canon pictures are a bit (about 10%) sharper than the Pentax.

Overall, no regrets with the picture quality. It is almost “awesome”!

5. Lens compatibility (5/5): If you are planning to use a varitey of lenses, then you are in luck! The K200D is compatible with every single Pentax lens produced till date (some older lenses require an additional mount) Also, the lenses are cheaper compared to Canon and Nikon. There are also third party manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron.

6. Other features: There is no need to review the other features like RAW, LCD, Menu, Modes, etc. since they are pretty much the same in all the cameras.

Although, please note that this camera does not come with “live view”, i.e., the LCD does not show the image. You need to use the viewfinder to see what you are capturing.

It also feels like a pro camera, but with the feel comes the weight.It has a small LCD display on the top of the body which are usually present in pro and semi-pro cams. But this LCD cannot be used in situations with low lights since there is no light in the LCD.

CONCLUSION: I would recommend this camera if above features with 4 or more points are very important for the photographer (Weather resistant, lens compatibility, cheap lenses and ready to print pics). The worst part of the camera is the processing speed and the fact that it lacks “live view”. I can live without the live view, but I found it slow. Overall, I am extremely happy with the output (pictures), just wish that it would be faster. Great camera!I was a very active 35mm amateur many years ago and just sort of feel into the point and shoot mode. I decided to get back into trying some creative photography and a DSLR was the way to go but there are so many to choose from. Of course Canon and Nikon are the most popular so I read up on them but Pentax really kept rising to the top due to the fact all Pentax lenses work on all Pentax cameras with the exception of an adapter ring must be used on some, I really liked the idea of having that used market to shop from. Also as I read I found Pentax is tops in Europe and Asia and doesn’t even advertise in America so that explained why I hadn’t seen much on them. I really took my time and the K200D just seemed like the logical choice for me and I’m as pleased with it as I could possibly be. Oh yea, the shake reduction mechanism is in the camera body, not just the lens like the others so you get that great option with every lens you use. Do your research but, you can’t go wrong with this one.BUY this cam. I bought it, went to Europe, and inturn had tremendous pics! The camera is the best deal of any SLR because they don’t have to advertise like Nikon and Cannon.

Price: $599.95   Buy This Camera

• 10.2-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints
• Includes 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 lens
• Large, 2.7-inch wide-view LCD monitor
• Dust-proof, water-resistant construction; comprehensive Dust Removal system
• Capture images to SD/SDHC cards (not included)

In the last year, twice the auto focus has completely failed to work. I’m currently ready to send the camera off to Pentax for warranty repair, for the second time for the same problem. When I first purchased the camera, the auto focus sporadically stopped working for brief moments with the symptoms progressively worse over time and eventually (auto focus) stopped working all together. I sent the camera off for warranty repair. Upon receiving the camera back, the auto focus symptoms immediately started to happen again and then again (auto focus) died.

The colors are pleasantly inaccurate — that’s correct, the colors are off but with a nice interpretation that tend to skew on the saturated side. That’s the charm of the K200d I learned to like. Also, unless you are shooting in ideal lighting the pictures are on the underexposed side – not much of an issue since I shoot in RAW.

I’m thoroughly impressed with the customer service department; I’ve spoken to them over the phone and through the “live chat” many times. Each time, I’ve received a conclusion and each time the representatives are knowledgeable and friendly.

When the camera works, I love it. It takes great pictures and it’s a joy to use with a solid build and small footprint. I own the 10-17mm, 21mm and 40mm lenses (all DA) — the unusual lens lineup is the main reason for my purchase. My favorite setup: couple the K200d with the 40mm lens and you have a setup that doesn’t attract too much attention in public with decent image quality.

I started out with a K100D and when the K10D came out, I was immediately green with envy. A few years later, the K200D came out, it was competitively priced and had most of the great K10D features. I cut my losses and traded the K100D in for the K200D. I am very pleased with it. The reasons for the trade were for the following features:

+ Remote flash: I’ve always wanted this feature that Nikon users take for granted, it doesn’t work as great and sometimes doesn’t detect the controlling flash. But when within range and everything, it works and am very happy to finally have it.

+ Weather seals: sure, it’s not bullet proof and doesn’t help the lenses at all. But I used to not take my camera out when weather conditions were not fair. The same goes for my friends with canons and nikons. With the K200D, I have no fears of taking it out and actually USING it. I know, it’s totally a psychological thing, but the peace of mind is still a feature to me.

+ Sensor cleaner: The anti shake feature is also used to shake off the dust in the K200D, it doesn’t really work, I never notice it shaking anything off. But I also set it to shake upon power up. I also have a Giottos rocket blower, the combination seems to keep the K200D relatively dust free. Much more so than my K100D. I know it’s not just the weather seals because I know the dust is getting in when I change lenses.

+ Better WB & PRIME engine: the color control is much better in the K200D, an immense improvement and main reason for the upgrade.

+ Shoots in DNG format: I am no longer tied to Pentax’s photolab SW. I can now use photoshop without any plugins or upgrades. Very good feature.

The things I miss on the K100D:

- Battery power seems more finicky on the K200D, I had to switch to Eneloops, which allows me to get 1000+ images per charge. AMAZING, but sad that it only performs with Eneloops.

- The images look under exposed and overly contrasted. These features can be offset easily, but it does take some time to get used to and learn to work around. Once you learn its behavior, it is very predictable and linear.

- My external flash no longer gets perfect exposure every time in any condition. For some reason, the K200D works terribly with the FGZ540. It is very easy to under or over expose an image. I am not sure if this is because I shoot in ISO100 vs K100D’s ISO200. But the end result is I can no longer turn on the FGZ and just shoot. I have to manually set the flash zoom. The flash exposure setting doesn’t seem to do anything either. I’ve gone on forums to see if I have a defective K200D, but in the end, I’ve moved on and have accepted the issue.

I am very very happy with the K200D, as the DSLR market gets more and more competitive, I still find the K200D completely usable for all my needs. If you want a DSLR that just works out of the box, you should stick with canons and nikons. Pentax is really for the dedicated and people with a pentax lens collection. Feature for feature, pentax always loses to canons and nikons, but it is still more than enough for anyone who is serious about photography. Especially if you’ve done film photography, I feel that Pentax replicates the film camera experience better than all other brands. Its simplicity and attention to detail gives it that classic feeling. While other brands focus on speed, specs and little functions that make it completely and totally feel… digital. I do envy those features some times. When I see my friends shoot in 800 or 1600ISO with no noise at all, I am jealous. But then, you really can’t do that with film either. So I’ve come to terms with Pentax’s short comings. I hope Pentax will turn things around with their full frame DSLRs.Firstly, I wanted to give it 3.5 stars, not 4.

I have mentioned below the main camera features, it’s rating and a bgjustification. These are the most important points to be considered with respect to the other cameras in competition (Canon XSi and Nikon D60).

1.Weather proof body(4/5):Excellent feature for the price. But, it is of no use without a weather-ressistant lens. But Pentax has recently (May 2009) released 2 weather ressistant lenses (18-55 and 50-200mm) under $250 each. These lenses were not available when I purchased the camera.

2.Processing speed (1/5): Yes!! None of the reviews mentioned this when I bought it(I got screwed!). Try clicking a pic with the shutter open for 6 seconds. The Pentax K200D takes about 7 seconds to process the image and store it in the card (the time taken to store the image is negligible, also considering my high speed Sandisk Ultra card). I tried clicking more snaps with 10, 15 and 30 seconds. The time taken by the camera to process them is 11, 16 and 30 seconds. Until the camera processes the image, you have to wait and cannot click any more pictures.

I compared it with my friend’s Canon Rebel XSi and the difference was very evident. The Canon took less than half time to process the pictures.

This gets really annoying while capturing night scenes, ligtnings, etc.

3. Image stabilization (4/5): The Pentax shifts it’s sensor to compensate for the shake, unlike Canon and Nikon (they shift the lens elements). Since the shake reduction is in the body, any kind of lens (cheap ones, old ones, etc.) can be attached to the camera body and IS can be acheived. Hence, lenses are cheaper for the Pentax. Whereas in Canon and Nikon, the IS (or VR=Vibration Reduction as Nikon calls it)lenses are costly. But the quality of IS is a little better in Canon (no idea about Nikon).

4. Picture quality (4/5): The picture quality is just like any other camera. The contrast is on the higher end and I like it that way. It makes the pictures ready for printing. I went out with my friend who had a Canon XSi. My pictures looked far better than his when we compared them. The Canon pictures looked dull because they are more natural and the contrast is well balanced. The Canon pictures are a bit (about 10%) sharper than the Pentax.

Overall, no regrets with the picture quality. It is almost “awesome”!

5. Lens compatibility (5/5): If you are planning to use a varitey of lenses, then you are in luck! The K200D is compatible with every single Pentax lens produced till date (some older lenses require an additional mount) Also, the lenses are cheaper compared to Canon and Nikon. There are also third party manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron.

6. Other features: There is no need to review the other features like RAW, LCD, Menu, Modes, etc. since they are pretty much the same in all the cameras.

Although, please note that this camera does not come with “live view”, i.e., the LCD does not show the image. You need to use the viewfinder to see what you are capturing.

It also feels like a pro camera, but with the feel comes the weight.It has a small LCD display on the top of the body which are usually present in pro and semi-pro cams. But this LCD cannot be used in situations with low lights since there is no light in the LCD.

CONCLUSION: I would recommend this camera if above features with 4 or more points are very important for the photographer (Weather resistant, lens compatibility, cheap lenses and ready to print pics). The worst part of the camera is the processing speed and the fact that it lacks “live view”. I can live without the live view, but I found it slow. Overall, I am extremely happy with the output (pictures), just wish that it would be faster. Great camera!I was a very active 35mm amateur many years ago and just sort of feel into the point and shoot mode. I decided to get back into trying some creative photography and a DSLR was the way to go but there are so many to choose from. Of course Canon and Nikon are the most popular so I read up on them but Pentax really kept rising to the top due to the fact all Pentax lenses work on all Pentax cameras with the exception of an adapter ring must be used on some, I really liked the idea of having that used market to shop from. Also as I read I found Pentax is tops in Europe and Asia and doesn’t even advertise in America so that explained why I hadn’t seen much on them. I really took my time and the K200D just seemed like the logical choice for me and I’m as pleased with it as I could possibly be. Oh yea, the shake reduction mechanism is in the camera body, not just the lens like the others so you get that great option with every lens you use. Do your research but, you can’t go wrong with this one.BUY this cam. I bought it, went to Europe, and inturn had tremendous pics! The camera is the best deal of any SLR because they don’t have to advertise like Nikon and Cannon.

Price: $699.95   Buy This Camera

• 14.6-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints
• 2.7-inch LCD display; body only–no lens included
• Dust-proof, water-resistant construction; comprehensive Dust Removal system
• New Live View function
• Capture images to SD/SDHC cards (not included)

I’ve owned the K20D for six months now and it’s a great camera. I’d like to offer some advice, learned the hard way, to people thinking of buying one.

Firstly, buy it! At this price….

Secondly, I wouldn’t buy the kit lens. I did, and I hardly ever use it. It’s OK, well built and not expensive. But it won’t give you those WOW factor photos you’d expect from your investment in a top quality DSLR. If you want that WOW factor, I personally recommend you move fast to find a good deal on the Pentax FA 50mm f1.4 prime lens. If you can get one for under $260 (at time of writing), you’ll have a wonderful, low cost prime. But do it right now, before it goes the same way as the top rated 35mm f2, which is now hard to find and expensive. It’ll help you take wonderful photos, particularly portraits in-doors without flash. Its very, very sharp outdoors. I’ll guarantee friends and relations will say: great photos, what camera are you using? And camera experts will say: great photos, what lens are you using? You may have to jump around a bit to get a good composition with its focal point – but why not look like a serious photographer? It you can’t or don’t want to invest in a top quality lens, then I’d stick with a point and shoot or consider the next two options.

Thirdly, for maximum entertainment, I’d buy a value-for-money zoom lens like the Tamron 70-300mm macro. This lens isn’t the best of breed. You can go that route when you’ve mastered all the “photographer’s at fault” issues – or if you have money to burn. It’s a lot of fun outdoors and it’ll produce very fine photos (up to around 250mm). I’ve used it for numerous photos of my 6 and 7 year old girls playing with pets, friends, creepy crawlies, as well as other “Daddy objects” far away, like planes and the moon. Plus it has a macro feature that is a bit of a hassle to set but works well. In other words – it’s a lot of fun!

Fourthly, try an old Pentax/Takumar lens on the body. Go shopping on eBay you’ll find some of the greatest ever lenses/glass for sale at ridiculous prices (compared to new lenses). Buy a proper Pentax adaptor, change the aperture ring setting so that the shake reduction will work on a totally manual lens, and you’ll be able to take some fantastically evocative photos. I’ve got three 35 year old Takumars, and its amazing the range of photo styles I can produce – from razor sharp to creamy “1960s” looking colors. You’ll really get to know how to use the camera to its full potential. My Takumar 55mm is the my pick. The only real problem is that with manual focus its hard to catch fast moving children. But then its back to the FA 50mm.

Finally, the expert reviewers are right, you DO need to (and shouldn’t have to) + EV compensate most times to get a perfect exposure, but that’s just a little quirk…also…if you have Canon software from your point and shoot digital camera, use this for managing and sending out your photos, its easier than learning the Pentax software…

This review will be brief, so take it for what it’s worth. So much has been said about the K20D, that I would only be repeating what you probably already know: This camera is a winner! I’ll leave the technical reviews to more qualified people out there.

I got it mainly for its weather-resistance and because it has received such positive feedback here on Amazon and on other sites. Now that Pentax has finally released 2 weather-resisitant lenses,

PENTAX DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Weather Resistant Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Camera

PENTAX DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED Weather Resistant Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras

I feel like I have the perfect setup for my needs.

This is my first DSLR, and when I started looking for a DSLR I only considered Canon and Nikon. But this Pentax does everything I want it to. And usually it does it very well.

No camera is perfect. But for the price, the K20D is certainly one that you might want to seriously consider. Canon and Nikon make good stuff, but don’t feel inferior with the K20D. It is one sweet piece of equipment!I continued my travels through the Pentax family since I learned to shoot with the old K1000 and all my lenses were bought for this camera, I just hated the idea of starting over from scratch. I upgraded to the MZS several years ago but finally made the leap to digital with the K20d this spring after missing graduation pictures of a niece due to rewinding film. I have absolutely loved the in camera shake reduction. My general use lense is a Sigma 28-300. I was shooting a pickup basketball game at our church this weekend at around 200 handheld in shutter speed priority and getting excellent shots. I’ve used all the modes at some point in the past six weeks or so and they all work wonderfully well though I can’t imagine when ISO priority will actually be my main consideration in a shoot. I have only had one complaint and that came shooting lightning shots at night. The camera takes about 80% as long to write the information to the card as the aperature was left open. I have done some research and have learned that card speed might be a factor so I have some 30m cards coming,… I’ll update if these improve this weakness. The data capture with each shot will be helpful in learning becuase this camera tracks everything but moon phase and wind speed involved with taking the shot. It can only greatly improve the leaning curve. I owned it less than a year, but the camera has been handled less than perfect. It has been dropped at least three times, but the true test was a complete soak. My daughter had around her neck, while trying to get closer to the ocean, at cliff walk’s 40-steps, Newport. She slipped and went completely down to the water. The camera went completely under water with her. I took battery as a precaution and noticed inside compartment was dry. I let it dried for few days just to be sure before tried to use it again. Well, it worked perfectly, like nothing ever happened to it. I had 18-250 lens at that time, and unfortunately, it did not survived. I wish I had one of those weather-sealed lens.

On the side note, it does capture good images and I agreed with other reviewers. I have owned Pentax cameras for 25 years. They are simple easy to use cameras with the controls in just the right place to give the operator complete freedom to take any shot. You won’t find yourself winding into a pretzel in order to make a simple adjustment.

The K20D is a fantastic camera that performs like one 3 or 4 times its price. I have shot images of all types and brightnesses and have found it to be excellent. The brightness curve is a little low and will need to be brought up a little but this is far better then being too high and blowing out detail.

The battery life is excellent allowing me to get 750-1000 shots before needing to make a change. I use little flash so I can enjoy the full colors of my setting without blown out spots and bad reflections.

I have great night vision and the auto focus will start to loose it a little before I do. I can quickly switch to manual focus and keep on shooting. I avoid pushing the ISO over 800 to minimize noise. You will find the detail is still excellent at high ISOs where other cameras will sacrifice detail to keep the noise to a minimum. I personally would rather have a full detail shot with a little noise of that important moment then a low noise low detail shot.

My lens choice is the DA 18-250mm. This is a fantastic lens that surprisingly does the whole range well. When I shot film I was constantly in need of lenses and would often carry 3-5 on me. This lens will almost do it all. I am still planning on getting a wide of 10-12mm and a longer zoom of 400m or more.

The in body shake reduction system allows me to shoot down to 1/2 second while holding the camera. I have been doing this for a long time and have trained myself to hold very still but with it off, the best I can do is 1/15th. I would still recommend a tripod but knowing I can still take the shot in almost any condition is very comforting.

The bottom line is that this camera is well worth the money. It is the best value for anything even remotely close in capability. Don’t let the fact that Cannon and Nikon hog all the press keep you from giving this a serious look.

Price: $699.95   Buy This Camera

• 6.17-effective-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 14-by-19-inch enlargements
• Recorded resolution increased to 12.3 megapixels (6.17 million S-pixels and 6.17 million R-pixels) using in-camera technology
• Fully compatible with Nikon’s Nikkor F-series lenses
• 2-inch LCD display with separate LCD data display; PictBridge support; dual shutter release buttons
• Powered by 4 AA-size rechargeable NiMH batteries; stores images on xD or Microdrive media

I bought this camera from Amazon.com couple of months ago (sometime in April of 2007). At the time, the newer model of Fuji DSLR, the S5, was just introduced. Although the S5 offers a lot of improvements, I decided to buy the S3. I had also looked at the Nikon SLR since I have been using Nikon for the past 35 years. I had seen many photographs taken with all of the models that I was interest in (except the Fuji-S5) and they were very close in terms of quality. Now it boiled down to other things and it was not the money issue, but in my case, the battery issue. The S3 uses 4-AA rechargable batteries. I did not buy a Nikon DSLR or the Fuji-S5 because of the use of proprietary batteries.

I have been using the Fuji-S3 along with my Nikon-F4 film camera for the past two months and I am VERY VERY please with the results. I had captured over 3000 images during my 3 week vacation with it. I had carefully examined a few hundred of the pictures I took (just in case that I didn’t like the camera) and I discovered that it can deliver an exceptional quality. It shares the same Nikon lenses and I am fortunate that I have not had any incompatibility issues (I was warned about this). As of this writing, my F4 is probably going to join the F1 in the collection shelf….soon. I also bought two newer lenses from Sigma (I had never bought anything else other than the Nikon lenes) to try with the camera. Those Sigma lenses appear to diliver similar quality or in one case better than my Nikon lenses with this camera.

One complain…the ISO and the timer buttons of the S3 are placed in the most awkward positions. I am lucky that I don’t change the ISO or using timer that offen otherwise this would have been one most inconvenient.

This camera has been very enjoyable to use. Very comfortable large grip when handheld, nice for tripod use too. I decided on this camera when comparing images of those taken by other digital SLR’s. The S3 images were the only ones that didn’t appear “obviously” digital to me. I seem to find film images more aesthetically pleasing, which the S3 provides. This is my first digital SLR and has more features than I could possibly hope for. I still have not explored all the film simulation and wide dynamic range combinations and options. I found the the F2 velvia setting a bit “too” saturated, and the built in sharpening also a bit “hard”. I get the best results in wide dynamic 2 mode, 12mp, and everything else set to “normal”. Usually requires some brief post processing in the contrast and sharpening departments to get the results I’m looking for. I love the results in black and white. Love the aperture and shutter priority modes. My only gripe is that the external USB port became loose after about a dozen uses and just fell into the camera body. I sent it back on warranty however, and it was fixed and sent back to me in about a 4 day window. I was really amazed with Fujifilm service. As for speed, I usually shoot landscapes, and in jpeg mode, so not really an issue. I have shot fast moving birds and wildlife with no problems. As for value, its worth about 3/4 of its original price on the used market after around 9 months of use, not bad for digital cameras I suppose. And the price of a new one has actually increased since I bought one, which is hard to believe, but great! The Fuji S3 continues to please. enjoy. great pictures but too slow for anything but still portraits and landscapesi’ve got the fuji s2 for 3 yrs now, been waiting and save for an s3 until now, i got my s3 on ebay used in great cond for 1245$, it came in very good cond like new. my 1st impression was the nicer grip, the body is in flat, dull black, not like s2 is more on shiny side.the rubber parts on s3 is very sticky, gives nicer gripping.the build is more solid than the s2.i’ve noticed the battery door is alot more sturdy than s2,the use of it is pretty much same as s2, so there is no problem with operation to me..i tested shot it about 100 shots, i noticed right away the wide dynamic range on s3, the colors seem brighter and more contrast, the af is faster.the sharpness come from your lenses..i use it with tamron 28-105 f2.8 sp model, it gives me awesome results.works better with my tokina af 80-200mm f2.8.s3 got the new vertical trigger, it uses only 4 aa batts, not like s2 with 2 sets of batts.the s3 body is fatter than s2,not too heavy or light, its just feels right..i shot jpeg only. i shoot mostly weddings and models, plus landscapes..the slow review on s3 is anoying,the refreshing time is slow. to review your shots is slow too, but with my work its not a problem.

in all s3 produces great results, far more better than any other dslrs ive own.thats including canon 300d and olympus e300.will use s3 and s2 for wedding.im a happy fotoman.This is the first digital camera which made me forget the film, after 27 years of photography experience. The image quality is beyond expectation. The performance is much slower compared to current Nikon dSLR models, including much more affordable Nikon D70. However, I owned D70 for about 1 year and could not treat it as a “real camera” because both the resolution of D70 is lower than that of good scams from 35mm film and the dynamic range is not as good. The S3 Pro IS The Real Camera. In terms of color rendition and dynamic range, it OUTPERFORMS the latest 35mm professional slide film. At the beginning, I was not happy with resolution (I could not see visible advantage over 6Mp Nikon D70), but this was actually an issue of lenses used. At 12 Mp mode, images looked too “interpolated” (they ARE partially interpolated but do not confuse this with upscaling of 6Mp files to 12 Mp – the sensor does have more resolution than 6 Mp – please read reviews about Super CCD design elsewhere). This “insufficient resolution” feeling was a result of using medium-quality Nikkor 24-85mm lens. This lens is good at 6 Mp but in 12 Mp mode its resolution is not enough to take advantage of the whole resolution of the camera sensor. When I put on a 55mm Micro-Nikkor, the resolution became shocking great! I could not see interpolation at 100% crop of 12 Mp images! The in-camera JPEGs are great, “robust” and do not usually need postprocessing. I usually stick to “normal” color and “original” tone settings, which helps to preserve more information in different lighting settings but sometimes this results in need of slight fine-tuning of the contrast. If you don’t like postprocessing at all, use “standard” color AND “standard” tone instead. In most cases, images taken in this mode are almost perfect for printing right out of the camera. Downside: the camera performs relatively slow: if you take several shots in a row in RAW mode, the camera may be locked for half a minute (!) to write the files, and speed of reviewing the images is also awfully low. But I can easily accept these because the joy of having images of such high quality makes the incoveniences of slow performance insignificant for me.

Price: $1,999.77   Buy This Camera