Pentax K100D 6.1 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Body with Lens Kit - 18 mm - 55 mm

You get more than what you give

Strengths: Robust, Beautiful, Kit lens is great, Shake-reduction, user-friendly, AA batteries, 2.5inch LCD, lens compatibility

Weakness: battery life when shake-reduction on

I would like to start by saying that this camera is definitely worth buying. If photography is your main occupation, you may want to go with other camera. But if you need an SLR for hobby and general photo needs, than freely go with Pentax K100D.

By thelooti - Jan 15, 2008

Great DSLR . . . Excellent value

Strengths: o Ease of use o Shake Reduction for blurr-free images o Feature packed automated settings o Flexible manual control (when desired) o Sharp, crisp, true-color images o Multiple battery choices

Weakness: o NONE

This camera is a great way to transition from SLRs to DSLRs. It has wonderful pre-programmed modes to help the novice photographer get great shots, and also gives the experienced photographer the creativity of many manual settings/combinations (when desired). I've had my K100d for eight weeks and couldn't be happier. You also get a wide choice of lens options since it will allow the use of older...
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This camera is a great way to transition from SLRs to DSLRs. It has wonderful pre-programmed modes to help the novice photographer get great shots, and also gives the experienced photographer the creativity of many manual settings/combinations (when desired). I've had my K100d for eight weeks and couldn't be happier. You also get a wide choice of lens options since it will allow the use of older (non-digital) lenses, which means you are spared the expense of restocking with all new lenses (if you already own pentax equipment). The best feature is the "shake reduction". Other vendors charge big bucks to get this kind of technology, but PENTAX made it affordable to the "regular joes" of the world.

You will not be disappointed if you purchase this product !

By Cullman0001 - Aug 7, 2007

K100D camera

Strengths: price, shake reduction(SR), compatible with old lens, decent noise control, AA battery,

Weakness: focus under low light, less control buttons, white balence, small buffer

Overall a solid performer, easy to carry, kit lens is better than Canon's, 4 NiMH AA can last 500 shots which is enough for a normal day. If you are on trip, some CRV3s will be a wise choice. How useful is SR? Once you use it, you won't be able to live without it. SR of K100D works better at tele end, at 200mm I can get some decent handheld 1/10 shots which are at least 4 stops better, however at...
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Overall a solid performer, easy to carry, kit lens is better than Canon's, 4 NiMH AA can last 500 shots which is enough for a normal day. If you are on trip, some CRV3s will be a wise choice.

How useful is SR? Once you use it, you won't be able to live without it. SR of K100D works better at tele end, at 200mm I can get some decent handheld 1/10 shots which are at least 4 stops better, however at wide end 18mm, there is no way I can handhold a 1/2 shot. Anyway, tele end is where the SR is really needed.

Small buffer really makes K100D react slower than you might expect, especially when you are shooting RAW with ~10MB file size. On the other side, the charging of built-in flash is really fast.

I would recommend K100D to any one who wants a entry level DSLR.

By cucurbita - Nov 27, 2006

Pentax K100D, the best value in all of digital photography?

Strengths: Great Value Anti Shake Awesome Viewfinder Lens compatibility AA battery use

Weakness: Only 6MP

The K100D is my second digital SLR (first one was an Olympus E-500 which is also an excellent camera). The K100D has all the important features an entry level DSLR should have and can go head to head with the best from Canon and Nikon. There are 2 key advantages with the Pentax that smoke the Digital Rebel and the D50, AS and a gorgeous viewfinder. I switched to Pentax because of availability of...
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The K100D is my second digital SLR (first one was an Olympus E-500 which is also an excellent camera). The K100D has all the important features an entry level DSLR should have and can go head to head with the best from Canon and Nikon. There are 2 key advantages with the Pentax that smoke the Digital Rebel and the D50, AS and a gorgeous viewfinder.

I switched to Pentax because of availability of great and inexpensive vintage prime lenses. In fact, lens compatibility is awesome for all Pentax DSLRs, all K mount and even screw mount lenses can be used with this body (screw mount with an adapter). The sensor shift anti shake works with ALL lenses. Given the premium Nikon and Canon charge for their IS/VR lenses, the K100D has to be the best value in class bar none. AS also means one can stop down any lens that's on the camera to the sweet spot (most lenses are rarely the best wide open) and shoot at slower shutter speeds without worrying about blur. This camera makes ALL lenses BETTER.

The other key advantage is the big/bright viewfinder. The viewfinder is the primary human interface to the camera and the Pentax has absolutely the best in class viewfinder.

One should definitely check out this Gem from Pentax when in the market for an entry level DSLR.

By chlee - Nov 28, 2006

Versatile tool for photographers on a budget

Strengths: Handling, shake-reduction, price, lens compatibility

Weakness: None so far

When I first decided to purchase a DSLR a few months back (after my trusty Minolta DiMAGE 7i gave up the ghost), I spent countless hours comparing the specifications of entry-level offerings from all major companies and speculating how they would affect my future photography experience. Seeing that the agony was not getting me anywhere, I decided to look at my old pictures and see how a new...
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When I first decided to purchase a DSLR a few months back (after my trusty Minolta DiMAGE 7i gave up the ghost), I spent countless hours comparing the specifications of entry-level offerings from all major companies and speculating how they would affect my future photography experience. Seeing that the agony was not getting me anywhere, I decided to look at my old pictures and see how a new camera could improve their quality.

While I studied the pictures, I noticed that quite a few of them are blurry not from bad focusing, but from camera shake. When taking photos at long focal lengths, or when taking photos in low light at any focal length, the relatively long exposure time makes it difficult to hold the camera steady, so the pictures turn out to be a mess. Canon and Nikon offers image-stabilized lenses, but they cost a lot and are most certainly out of my price range. In the end, I chose the Pentax K100D because of good reviews, low prices, and the shake-reduction function built into the camera body (the CCD sensor moves to compensate for the hand movement). I rarely take my tripod with me, and I feel that shake-reduction will be more beneficial to me than all the extra mega-pixels offered by competitors.

So, did I make the right choice?

After I received the camera, I took it to a local museum which was hosting a Star Wars exhibition. It was dark in the exhibition room, and the models are all behind glass windows (so flash is out of the question). I took a few hand-held shots at 28mm focal length (42mm after 1.5x crop), 1/10s (2 stops slower than typically necessary to avoid camera shake), ISO800, and went home to study the pictures. I was blown away: noise is very well controlled (and the little that is there cleans up well with software tools), and the pictures are all very clear with no signs of camera shake. There is no way I could have gotten those shots without a tripod if I had went with Canon or Nikon. The K100D is, from my perspective, the best of all entry-level DSLR cameras currently available.

Of course, my friends told me that I need to go with Canon or Nikon because buying a DSLR is committing to a system. While that may be true for professional photographers who spend thousands on high-quality zoom lenses, I don't see myself going down that road in any reasonable timeframe. What I need is a great tool like K100D so that I can take pictures now, and buying an inferior camera just to be "future proof" sounds quite illogical to me.

Finally, the Pentax lens system has it own perks. K100D is compatible with all K-mount lenses that Pentax had ever made (since the 70s?), and there are literally millions of them out there. I picked up a 50mm f1.7 and a 28mm f2.8 for a total of $55 (both are second-hand manual focus lenses in good shape), and they both produce beautiful pictures. Compatibility with old lenses makes it simple to pick up good glass on the cheap, and for photographers on a budget, it is a much better way to grow your photography system.

And the kicker is, both of these 70's manual lenses work with shake-reduction! Neither Canon or Nikon offers a 50mm prime lens with image-stabilization functionality.

In conclusion: if you need a good entry-level DSLR to take pictures today, you cannot go wrong with K100D.

By cklin - Nov 3, 2006