- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 4 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
-
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
4.0 stars
"good first DSLR"
Pros: simple to operate, good lenses, low cost, fast AF, AA batteries
Cons: important controls buried in menus, no grip available
Summary: I was attracted to this camera (my first DSLR) by several things: low cost, interesting selection of lenses, good ergonomics, and good reputation for picture quality. After some experimenting with the k100D and a 16-45 lens, I'm not 100% sold, and might spring for an Nikon D80 or wait to look at the Pentax k10D.
There are a number of things I like about the camera. For starters, it feels much better in the hand than the Rebel, and has an LCD on top. The shutter release placement on the Sony A100 was a dealbreaker for that camera. The picture quality seems to be very good, and is the sensor is said to be the same as the D70. I've been taking Provia slides on a Canon F-1 with prime lenses and having them scanned at 4000dpi. The Pentax images are at least as good with the 16-45 (I can't speak for the 18-55). For color, there's no reason to use 35mm any more. I like the AA battery system, and got a couple of 4-packs of Nimh batteries for $10 each. SD cards are cheap right now. The body seems well put-together, and is feels solid even though it's light. The anti-shake does work. Noise levels are low, and I could use 400 as the normal setting. Auto focus is excellent: even though it uses an archaic drive-shaft system a la older Nikon (the motor is in the body), it's fast and accurate, even in low light. The software seems good in the short time I've used it, and is necessary if you want to shoot raw and have Photoshop recognize the files.
What didn't I like? Yes, the controls are simple--that's the problem. Because of the small number of buttons, too many things have to be set via software menus. The one in particular that irked me was the spot meter--that should be immediately accessible (but at least the k100d has a spotmeter, unlike the Rebel Xti). Other things that should be immediately accessible: drive and AF modes, and bracketing for a start. The Nikon D80 is busy with buttons--now I'm starting to realize that may be a good thing. There should be a nice balance, though, and the more expensive Canon models seem to have struck it.
The lenses tend to be smaller and lighter than Canon or Nikon (Canon's kit lens seems junky to me, and you're forced to spend a lot more for quality).
The viewfinder is just ok, maybe slightly better than the D70 and Rebel. It's still shockingly small if you're like me and coming from an old F-1. The D80's viewfinder is far superior. It's too bad the k100d won't take a power grip. Pentax could easily have used the istD platform, but didn't. Probably an attempt to push more serious photographers upmarket. The buffer is small--this is not a camera for serious sports photography.
So at this moment I'm mulling over whether I really want to keep this camera and live with its limitations (which I probably could do for 99% of all my pictures) or trade up to the D80 or new K10d. This camera is perfect to learn on, and is great for those who want point-shoot simplicity and don't have a huge budget. If you're more experienced and like to set controls yourself, you may want something different.
Even with its limitations, the k100d is, I'm afraid to admit, far superior to my Canon F-1, and it's likely I'll never take another slide photo again (I might stick with B&W, though). The 16-45 is well worth considering, and at f8 is very sharp. In a 13x19 photo of tree limbs against the sky, I could see no color fringing, and edge sharpness is excellent.
Where to buy
Pentax K100D (body only):
$519.99
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Amazon.com Marketplace
|
$519.99 | Yes |
|
%20user%20review%20and%20rating%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/pentax-k100d-body-only/4864-6501_7-31961957-1.html){kind=small}