Pentax K200D

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http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/digitalcameras/0,39030233,49296787,00.htm

Reviewed 9 May 2008

Reviewed by Rich Trenholm

The Pentax K200D has a lot to live up to after we expressed so much love for the Pentax K100D Super. This new entry-level dSLR shares a lineage with the Samsung GX dSLR range due to a deal between the two companies. Will we feel the love for this dSLR or will it end in tears?

We reviewed the camera with its 18-55mm focal length and f/3.5-5.6 kit lens, which is available for around £475. The camera is also available in body only for around £400, or a £690 chunk of change will nab you the body, the kit lens and an extra 50-200mm, f/4-5.6 lens job.

Design
Although it's small, it loads up the weight at 680g. This may appeal to those who say entry-level dSLRs don't have enough heft, while the right-hand grip is nicely curved and just about chunky enough for one-handed shooting. Dust and water-resistant seals protect the sockets and connections.

The main screen does not boast live view, but does show a comprehensive display of the shooting parameters

The Fn button gives you quick access to common shooting options. It requires an extra button press to actually change these options, however; we would have preferred it if the four-way clickpad gave direct access to such options, as on a compact.

Like most entry-level models, the K200D only has one control wheel. Having two wheels is preferable, as it lessens the chances of accidentally adjusting the shutter instead of the aperture and vice versa. As a default, the wheel alters shutter speed unless you hold down the exposure compensation button so the wheel adjusts aperture.

Oddly, given the growing ubiquity of live view, especially in the consumer end of the market, the K200D does not allow composition of images on the screen, a 69mm (2.7-inch) TFT colour LCD offering with 230,000-dot resolution.

The consumer-friendly focus is apparent in the use of AA batteries and SD or SDHC cards, both of which are easily available and compatible with other devices. It takes Pentax KA, KAF and KAF2-mount lenses, plus K-mount lenses, which will fit, but won't work with the autofocus.

Features
The user-friendly design continues with 14 scene presets. As well as shutter and aperture-priority modes, the K200D utilises a sensitivity-priority mode. This allows you to set your desired ISO speed, so the camera adjusts the other settings for you. It's a useful way of stopping picture-ruining noise from creeping in in low light, but do keep an eye on the shutter speed and keep the camera steady.

There are some surprisingly clever features, such as optical image stabilisation, 11-point autofocus system and wireless flash control. Surprisingly, there isn't a face detection system.It's also possible to compare two images side-by-side.

Playback mode boasts a number of fun ways to adjust pictures, such as monochrome and sepia filters, a saturation booster that hikes the colour you specify, and illustration and 'stretchify' filters that turn the image into a drawing. These can all be adjusted by spinning the command wheel, although there are only three increments available for each. Dynamic range can be expanded this way, but again, the range of increments is disappointing. 

Performance
Startup is lightning fast at less than 0.5 seconds before capturing the first image. Shot-to-shot time is then 0.5 seconds too, and only slightly more with the flash enabled. In burst mode, we took 3 frames per second.

Exposure is good, although colours seem pale. With the kit lens, images were crisp with no trace of distortion or vignetting. White balance is slightly off under electric lighting, but the range of presets is always within easy range.

Noise performance impressed us. Unlike compact cameras, which may as well not bother going higher than ISO 800, dSLRs tend to be cleaner at higher ISO speeds. For the K200D at ISO 1,600, images are usuable, if soft.

Battery life was reasonable without the flash enabled, with 100 test shots failing to give the AAs any trouble. It's a different story when using the flash, which burned through the Alkaline batteries in one session.

Conclusion
The Pentax K200D is a straightforward entry-level dSLR. For each higher-spec flourish, it lacks a more obvious consumer-friendly function like live view and face detection. But SD cards and AA batteries keep things simple. We prefer the controls of the Olympus E-510 over the K200D's somewhat clunky operation, but compatibility with older Pentax lenses may give it the edge for some people over the Four Thirds lens range.

Edited by Shannon Doubleday