Reviews for Pentax K100D 6.1 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Body with Lens Kit - 0.71"-2.17"

Excellent Product

Strengths: Fit and Finish - build quality is pretty nice, the price, it fits comfortably in my hand, and the fact that it uses AA batteries.

Weakness: The menus system is a little tough on my middle aged noggin. Instruction booklet confusing.

I have been quite pleased with my purchase thus far. I did a lot of online research prior to making my decision and generally most comments about the Pentax K100D Super are favorable. I had previously owned a Pentax ME Super 35mm SLR camera so I had no aversion to trying a Pentax product. I had limited access to DSLR cameras when I was shopping but I did handle the Sony A100 and the new A200, the Nikon D40 and D200 (to far outside of my price range but really nice) and one of the Cannon Rebel models. So when I made the decision to buy the Pentax K100D Super sight unseen I can not begin to tell you how relieved and pleased I was when I first took it out of the box and set it up. It felt and looked much better than any of the cameras I had seen (alibi the Nikon D200). I would call myself a novice with some experience as far as being a photographer, in the distant past (before autofocus) I had used two different 35mm SLR cameras for general picture taking and more recently a very modest point and shoot digital camera. I was never that happy with any of my equipment setups, with film I hated to spend good money on development and prints only to discover that a large percentage of my pictures stunk and with the digital point and shoot it really was not that much fun taking pictures. I want to take pictures as a hobby not just collect images. I waited literally years to buy a camera (probably should not have waited so long) and I am very happy with my choice. Opening the box I smiled at what I saw, I read the directions a couple of times (they are not that clear), set the camera up easily enough though, and started taking pictures. I took 397 pictures before I stopped (my 1GB SD card was full). I had left everything set to factory defaults and auto program mode, all I played with was the focal length with the zoom ring. I know this is kind of cheap but it has been awhile, I am pretty rusty. Everything worked great and I am happy to say most of pictures looked great too (my composition needs some work). I have not seen anything that would lead me to believe that there is a better camera anywhere even remotely near this price point. In the end it all comes down to personal preference.

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Lowest priced DSLR with all the feature you need!

Strengths: Shake reduction / Good viewfinder / Good grip / Features / Good LCD

Weakness: No wireless flash function with Pentax flash / No vertical grip available

I purchased this little camera to back up my main (K10D). Soon I found out that this camera can do most of things that K10D does. Though it's outdated 6.1MP may disappoint you, but trust me, it's enough resolution for most weekend photograhper.
I previously owned Pentax ist DL. Focusing speed was improved over DL. It's not the best in class though. The body design is almost identical with ist line-up. K100D super re-designed grip and it's much more comfortable to hold. Compared with other small DSLR, it's very satisfactory in my opinion. There's no vertical battery grip available from manufacturer. You may purchase third-party grip from ebay, but I'd not recommend them. It would've been nice if they offer battery grip as K10D does.
Image quality in JPEG is excellent. Even compared to K10D, K100D super gives better JPEG result with good sharpness and saturation. K10D wins at RAW picture though. Settings are changed through menu due to the lack of buttons and dials. Once you get familiar with them, it wouldn't take much time to change settings. It has 11 focus sensors which is very useful. Not many entry-level DSLR has this many focus area. Super-impose is nice add-on too.
Shake reduction (Image stabilization) works very well. I'm very happy with it's performance. Now I can shoot at 1/15 shutter speed in low light condition. It minimizes blur from hand shake. It's also very useful when the camera is paired with telephoto lenses. I've got very good result with Tamron 70-300mm.

There are a few things to be improved. Dust reduction needs some improvement. It just mechanically shake image sensor at low frequency. It's not as effective as Olympus' ultrasonic dust removal system. Automatic white balance is not very good. It gives very inconsitent result. My recommendation is to carry gray card. I also noticed that once you use exposure compensation, ISO is set to 200 automatically regardless ISO setting you use. I hope Pentax fix this issue in the next firmware update.

Included 18-55mm lens is the best in class I think. It's well made and give reasonably good result, considering it's price. However I prefer 16-45mm, which performs a lot better.

Overall, this camera is very good entry-level DSLR. Though I use it as a back-up, it's packed with many features that other entry-level DSLRs don't offer.

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Pentax K100D Super DSLR

Strengths: Build quality, picture quality, shake reduction in the body, price

Weakness: Menu is a little awkward

The difference between k100d and k100d super is that the super one has a dust removal system and is compatible with SD high capacity cards. I believe that there is way to upgrade firmware for k100d to make it compatible with SDHC too. In terms of functions, features and performance two models are pretty much identical.

In short, this is a great camera. The build quality, from my view, is better than Nikon d40 and Canon XT. The kit lens is very good and does not have cheap feel. It is a little bit heavier than Nikon but you can barely notice it. The shake reduction mechanism and autofocus motor are built into the body so the lenses tend to be cheaper than those for digital Nikons and Canons (both build image stabilization and autofocus motor into lenses which makes them very expensive). Besides, you can mount any old Pentax lenses ever produced.

The picture quality is professional. Amazing sharpness, details, colors, and practically NO NOISE. Great low-light pictures. The auto mode handles well almost all shooting conditions. Some reviewers say that with default settings the photos are a little overexposed and oversaturated. But to my taste it is perfectly OK. You can easily adjust the settings to whatever you want before shooting as well as after, in image editing software (especially if you use RAW format).

The menu is a little awkward and something that Pentax could have done a better job with. But it takes half an hour to get used to it. AA batteries last long enough. It is cheap to have a backup.

The bottom line is that Pentax K100D Super is one of the best cameras in its class and probably the best in terms of price-features-quality.

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Beautiful Camera for the unbeatable price

Strengths: 1) Price 2) Shake reduction 3) Dust cleaning system 4) Feel and size

Weakness: 1) Uses AA batteries

I bought the K100D Super, and it is truly "Super"!!!

This is a great camera for the great price, The pictures are crisp, The construction is made of plastic but it looks rigid.

With $100.00 rebate going on right now, you can own a digital SLR for the price of compact digital camera.

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Excellent Camera

Strengths: -Shake Reduction! - Dust Removal - Compatible with every pentax lens ever made - Pentax lenses are awesome - AA Batteries -

Weakness: -6mp only (Thats fine with me) -I guess the Image buffer is slow for continuous shooting.

This camera has been a revelation to me. As a point-and-shoot user for the past couple years, with the price drop of DSLRs and the updated technology which Pentax has introduced, I pulled the trigger on a DSLR which is IMO the best in its class.

The amount of features on this camera is amazing. The anti-shake CCD and the Dust removal system are revolutionary and a step above other cameras.

The anti-shake allows me to take pictures that will be clearer and more precise. Also, the Pentax lens system will allow me to further my interest in photography by purchasing lenses that are affordable and will work seamlessly with my camera.

I'm excited for my next lens and delving further into one of my newest hobbies!

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It's fantastic to use it as a beginner of photography

Strengths: easy to master/shake reduction in the body/price

Weakness: There is no weekness at this price level

As a beginner to SLR camer, I am very glad to come across pentax K100D Super after many comparisions and consulations to other professional photographiers. pentax K100DS is very sutible for beginners who would like to learn photography as it is easy to master and affordable to purchase.What's more,it has a good compatability with many lens,which provides an express way to upgrade it in the future. Also, the K100D Super has a shake reduction in the body,you can use it without mastering on photography. Generally speaking, in my view, it's very suitable for a beginner at this price.

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Pentax K100D Super SLR Digital Camera W/18-55mm Lens...

Strengths: Inexpensive, high image quality, easy to use, powerful, Image Stabilization

Weakness: Small buffer, no focus screen, no wireless flash, no vertical grip

I love this camera! This is my first dSLR after years of using film ones, mostly a Praktica LTL3, a fully manual, no automatic anything camera. This camera was certainly a quantum leap forward. I love the ability to switch between automatic and manual modes, and the outstanding image quality available. I find the camera reasonably easy to use, now I need to get better at photography!

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Great Camera with Great Price!

Strengths: price, easy of use, dust removal system, shake reduction

Weakness: picture quality

I like this camera. It's easy to use, especially for newbies. This is my first SLR camera, and I would recommend it to everyone. I'm glad I made the right decision after thorough consideration and comparison. The dust removal system and shake reduction are really helpful. The function of this camera is kind of simple but easy to use---best fit for beginners who want to learn photography. The picture quality is great for this price. It will also give great low-light pictures. The weight of this camera is just OK. If you are new to photography, this camera is highly recommended. And you can easily upgrade to other Pentax cameras and lenses in the future.

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Great Camera for Great Price!

Strengths: Solid Built quality, Price, Dust Removal System

Weakness: Heavy, Only 6.0 Megapixels

I grew up using the Pentax K1000 film cameras, so it was natural for me to move up to the Pentax K100D SLR Digital cameras. I bought the K100D Super, and it is truly "Super"!!!

Not only does it accept all my old K series lenses from my old film camera (saving me thousands of dollars), but it's easy to use. No sooner do you pull this out of the box do you immediately begin to realize how it works. The settings are intutitive, and photos are professional-grade.

I was considering it's older brother, the K10, but I feel I've made the right choice. The learning curve on the K10 would have been too steep for me. I am halfway between a pro and an amatuer, and this camera suits my skill level perfectly.

This camera makes photography fun again!

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Great First Digital SLR

Strengths: Price, Anti dust, Image stablization, can use AA batteries, strong flash

Weakness: Only 6 megapixel, A tiny bit heavier then other digital slr, lack of charger and recharging batteries

I have owned digital cameras since 2000 and have been inching to get into the expensive world of digital SLRs. I finally decided into the market once this camera was around $400-500 range.
The learning curve has been quite steep, but fun. The camera has been for very easy to use and learn. The pictures are very crisp and clear. Under low light situations, the image stabilization is very useful! I know that I still have lots to learn about this camera... thus far its been great!

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Best entry level DSLR!

Strengths: Price, useful features (such as Shack Reduction, Dust remove), compatible with old manual lense.

Weakness: Auto focus in low light is not that good, lense selection is still limited, high ISO is not good.

I bought this just because that's the best bang for the money. For people who doesn't want to spend a lot of money, still want the feeling of SLR instead of P&S, that's a good choice. Overall, build quality is OK, the kit lens is a good one to start with. One thing, I hope Pentax will introduce a FA or DA 50/1.7 or 1.8, like canon 50/1.8 II, in the future.

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Great up until it stopped working...

Strengths: Crisp photos, many options on settings for a novice, on-body lcd meter, image stablization, built-in auto focus

Weakness: No video caputre (like all DSLRs), stopped working when I needed it the most!

The camera was great up until it stopped working, about 5 months after purchase. When it was working I've compared it to the Nikon D40 and I think it's far superior, more features for the same price. The added plus to a Pentax, so I've been told, is that this unit is backward compatible with ALL Pentax lenses ever made, even for old 35mm SLRs. Now on to the problem: the shutter gets stuck after a shot. To fix I need to remove the lens which "resets" the trigger on the shutter and then I can take another shot. I've sent it back to Pentax and giving what I thought was proper time for shipping and diagnostic (1 week) I called for the status only to find that the unit was already on its way back to me. Pentax says "the unit is within company standards and limits". However, the problem still exists which makes me question the due diligence process of Pentax's repair team. Now the unit is pretty much non-operational because who wants to have to take off the lens after every shot?!?!

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good camera but poor customer service

Strengths: does all I want at low price

Weakness: non-existant customer service, camera menus hard to understand at first

This comment is for beginners to DSLR photography. I bought this k100d super because of the good reviews and due to having used a Pentax K1000 35mm film camera for 30 years. The k100d super takes beautiful photos.I love using the pict-bridge feature with my Canon printer. Its a real luxury to simply delete the photos I dont want and then print the good ones.
My problem is with Pentax customer no service. Pentax advertised a $100 rebate on all the online sellers. I filled out the rebate info properly, sent the info thru US mail. After 10 weeks with no response I called Pentax customer service and was told they never recieved my rebate info. I could not find my copies of the rebate forms. I was then told Pentax would not supply me with a new rebate form so no rebate. My fault for misplacing the rebate copies. However, this is where any company customer should step in and help. I am more disappointed than angry. Buyer beware !

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Pentax K100D Super Review

The new Pentax K100D Super is a modest upgrade of the popular K100D camera, with a dust removal system borrowed from the pricier K10D model, SDM (Supersonic Drive Motor) lens support and new fastest ISO speed of 3200. The K100D Super also has an aggressive price tag of less than £400 / $600 (including kit lens). This new version of the K100D is otherwise identical to its predecessor, so do the...

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Pentax K100D Super

Pentax K100D Super receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS score of 2.57 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #34 Professional DSLR digital camera of all time. The overall rating represents an intelligent balance of features, value as a function of price to features, and a summary of reviews from a variety of sources. The TopTen REVIEWS' formula gives a picture of important consumer features, market value,...

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