I have a friend with a Pentax K20D and he shoots professionally. The flash sync is a little disappointing (1/180th) compared to other manufacturers' cameras and high-ISO noise is likewise a bit disappointing above ISO 1600.
If you are already committed to the Pentax line then this cxamera makes a lot of sense, especially with the best pentax lenses and at reasonable light levels.
And I'd disagree with Ziggy on the noise -- there may be more noise, but there is also appears to be more usable detail at 1600+ than most competitors in that price range. The images I've seen don't have that smeared look. Again, check out Dpreview's sample pics.
Unless you have a Pentax already, I'd consider buying into a system more than a specific body. Bodies will come and go but ability to move up and down the model lineup, lens availability by OEM and third parties, and flash etc may make a bigger difference down the road.
As for the camera itself, I just read the dpreview's eval of it and I'm not sure how I feel about it. While the resolving power is certainly good, I'm not sure about the noise level or how robust the AF and the fps/buffer is. They are also finding some banding issues at high ISO (which may or may not be a factor for you). It offers a lot of features and weather seals but seals are a moot point if you don't shoot in harsh/rainy surroundings or don't have a sealed lens.
When looking at the camera system, I tend to favor the giants that can offer more products at a more consistent level like Nikon and Canon.
If it's features and price fits your needs, then I think it can be a very nice camera. I don't think it fits my need and for $1000 I'd probably get a Canon 40D.
Well, I've owned the K10D for less than a year and am considering a body upgrade to the K20D for an upcoming gig. Both cameras are quite similar, but the K20D has a superior processor and greater resolution. Jpegs are much better out of the camera too.
So I'll speak from my experience with the K10D which I enjoy using a lot. The ergonomics are excellent, the size is reasonable, the viewfinder outstanding for a DSLR (nothing like a film SLR). Most DSLRs in the K20D price range are pretty similar. Where Pentax excels is in the unique exposure modes that other makes simply don't have. You will have to research the details, but hypermode is awesome, TAV and SV are very useful.
Pentax glass is also remarkable. The system range is now quite comprehensive. Both for zooms and prime lenses. One wonderful Pentax difference is that you can use 40-year old lenses with pretty much full functionality, including image stabilization (which is built into the body). Those lenses can be a bargain if you are saavy. And there are millions of them.
A few differences from other brands: I find that my images are closer to film in rendition than some other brands that seem a bit too plasticky for my tastes. Be aware that Pentax has a much smaller retail distribution than the majors so most purchasing is done online. Many sales folks get better commissions recommending "safer" larger brands. In addition, third parties such as Tamron and Sigma make fewer lenses in the Pentax K-mount, though they do make some. Pentax and Tokina have jointly developed some excellent lenses, but you will only find those in the Pentax brand with some Pentax-specific improvements such as weather sealing, SDM (ultra-sonic), and the classic SMC coating.
Ultimately it depends on your requirements. What kind of shooting are you doing? If your budget allows, I'll gladly recommend specific lenses.
In general, I think the recent review at dpreview.com was relatively well done. There's a good list of pros and cons there.
I'm probably what you call an advanced amateur. This seems to be the true target market for the camera. If you only move the dial off of auto or program now and then, you'll be much happier with any of the entry level DSLRs. Look at the mode dial - you won't find the "portrait" and "landscape" type settings on this camera.
If you want to understand exposure and have several ways to take control of your camera, you'll enjoy using the K20d. It gives you an incredibly flexible set of shooting modes. The hyper-exposure modes add a significant level of control and flexibility.
If you think you'll eventually have several lenses, you'll appreciate the in-body shake reduction. It enables the lenses to be smaller and less expensive.
I think it looks like a fantastic camera for the price. You wont find another camera with more for the price. So, I say if you like it, go for it and don't look back. I am sure you will love it.
Thanks
Thanks for the thoughts about the camera. This will be a big investment, but I believe I am ready for it. I shoot a lot of landscape and am now trying my hand at wildlife. I've been shooting in the rains of New Zealand, to the blowing sand of the Utah desert. The weather-proof feature of the K20 was a selling point to me. I want a system that can give me fast, sharp shots and also allow me to print them at a large size. I also want to be able to use it for everyday use: to document my little boy's life as he grows up. There will undoubtably come a day when I will be using it to shoot some of his soccer or baseball games, etc. I'm willing to pay a good price for a lens (or two, or...) that can take me to all these places.
I have been using Pentax for the last 20 years now.
I love my K20 to death.....and i also have a K10.
But now the evaluation
Pros
*cost compare to the same kind of camera from other manifacturer...a lot less
*Quality CMOS sensor
*High amounts of lenses on the market for it....basically all the lens Pentax made can be put on the K20
*The *DA lens are awesome!!!!
*People dont notice your camera...but they will surely notice your pictures
*Shake reducer built in th camera body....not in the lens
Cons
*Slow autofocus...i should say picky autofocus
*Only 3fps....and the buffer gets full quickly
*Underexposes ....sometimes badly but only in low light (cloudy skies)
*Only 11 focus segments so not a lot of choice there
*A bit heavy compare to other pro models.
*No "white lens" so if you want to get noticed as a pro.....forget it.
As for the noise at higher ISO. I shot the same subject at 6400ISO in RAW with a K20 and a Canon markIII....well...there was no difference beetween the two. But you have to shoot in RAW at higher ISO
Other than that, i can work around the problems by tweeking the camera settings, but that, anybody with a semipro camera should be able to do that after reading the instruction manual.
You can always check my work done with the K20 on www.babelphotos.ca to give you an idea.
I shoot a lot of landscape and am now trying my hand at wildlife.
...
There will undoubtably come a day when I will be using it to shoot some of his soccer or baseball games, etc. I'm willing to pay a good price for a lens (or two, or...) that can take me to all these places.
I haven't tried the K20D, but I've had the K10 for over a year now. I understand they're relatively similar, and I believe the AF system is the same. That said, I probably would not recommend the K10 for serious sports/wildlife shooting for three reasons.
First, the autofocus just isn't that great compared to the major brands. I've had a lot of problems with it misfocusing or hunting.
Second, for non-SDM lenses (anything sub-$500 or older than 2007) the screw drive focus system just cannot keep up with the USM focusing from Canikon. This makes the occasional focus hunting especially painful, as a long tele lens might take almost a full second to rack through the focus range and back. Also, when the SDM lenses were first released there were a lot of reports of them consistently misfocusing. I haven't kept up on that though, so it might've been fixed.
Third, the continuous shooting mode is relatively slow. The K10 is 3FPS, I think the K20 is comparable (5 maybe?). That's not that fast, really. I found that I was better off not using it for sports. When I did use it I'd have one frame too early and one too late, so I was better off just trying to time a single shot right. Maybe that's also true with more FPS, I haven't tried.
That said, I love my K10. Great for portraits and landscapes. The built-in shake reduction is nice for walkaround shooting. And the weatherproofing works great -- I've actually run mine through a sprinkler with no ill effects (I don't recommend it though ) I'd recommend the system to most people, but not sports/wildlife shooters.
Fine for kids sports
I've been using the K10D (and the DS two years prior) to shoot kids soccer and baseball games for the past year that I've owned it. For non-professional use it is just fine. I've shot several thousand pictures and posted them on my personal website for all the parents. And they gush.
Get a monopod and practice shooting. Getting effective shots is way more about good photographic technique and anticipation than AF speeds. I believe people captured great action shots for many moons using manual focus and film.
I suggest the OP purchase a cheap, fun long reach zoom lens like the Tamrom 70-300. The optical quality is good enough, the reach is long enough to cover those huge soccer fields, and the price is right so if rain or splattered mud gets on it you don't freak out.
A few tips: lower the customized focus point to knee level; separate the AF function from the shutter button (just press the AF button prior to shooting) to minimize focusing delay; 800 ISO is fine for gloomy fall mornings; shoot jpeg for sports; watch the game through the viewfinder; learn the game well.
I haven't tried the K20D, but I've had the K10 for over a year now. I understand they're relatively similar, and I believe the AF system is the same. That said, I probably would not recommend the K10 for serious sports/wildlife shooting for three reasons.
First, the autofocus just isn't that great compared to the major brands. I've had a lot of problems with it misfocusing or hunting.
Second, for non-SDM lenses (anything sub-$500 or older than 2007) the screw drive focus system just cannot keep up with the USM focusing from Canikon. This makes the occasional focus hunting especially painful, as a long tele lens might take almost a full second to rack through the focus range and back. Also, when the SDM lenses were first released there were a lot of reports of them consistently misfocusing. I haven't kept up on that though, so it might've been fixed.
Third, the continuous shooting mode is relatively slow. The K10 is 3FPS, I think the K20 is comparable (5 maybe?). That's not that fast, really. I found that I was better off not using it for sports. When I did use it I'd have one frame too early and one too late, so I was better off just trying to time a single shot right. Maybe that's also true with more FPS, I haven't tried.
That said, I love my K10. Great for portraits and landscapes. The built-in shake reduction is nice for walkaround shooting. And the weatherproofing works great -- I've actually run mine through a sprinkler with no ill effects (I don't recommend it though ) I'd recommend the system to most people, but not sports/wildlife shooters.
I've been using the K10D (and the DS two years prior) to shoot kids soccer and baseball games for the past year that I've owned it. For non-professional use it is just fine. I've shot several thousand pictures and posted them on my personal website for all the parents. And they gush.
Get a monopod and practice shooting. Getting effective shots is way more about good photographic technique and anticipation than AF speeds. I believe people captured great action shots for many moons using manual focus and film.
Of course it's possible. I think we've all been through the "almost any type of shooting is possible with almost any camera" debate. I'm just saying that as far as sports/wildlife shooting go, this is not the best possible body. Sheesh.
Comments
If you are already committed to the Pentax line then this cxamera makes a lot of sense, especially with the best pentax lenses and at reasonable light levels.
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And http://www.dpreview.com just posted a glowing review, with their usual thoroughness.
And I'd disagree with Ziggy on the noise -- there may be more noise, but there is also appears to be more usable detail at 1600+ than most competitors in that price range. The images I've seen don't have that smeared look. Again, check out Dpreview's sample pics.
As for the camera itself, I just read the dpreview's eval of it and I'm not sure how I feel about it. While the resolving power is certainly good, I'm not sure about the noise level or how robust the AF and the fps/buffer is. They are also finding some banding issues at high ISO (which may or may not be a factor for you). It offers a lot of features and weather seals but seals are a moot point if you don't shoot in harsh/rainy surroundings or don't have a sealed lens.
When looking at the camera system, I tend to favor the giants that can offer more products at a more consistent level like Nikon and Canon.
If it's features and price fits your needs, then I think it can be a very nice camera. I don't think it fits my need and for $1000 I'd probably get a Canon 40D.
So I'll speak from my experience with the K10D which I enjoy using a lot. The ergonomics are excellent, the size is reasonable, the viewfinder outstanding for a DSLR (nothing like a film SLR). Most DSLRs in the K20D price range are pretty similar. Where Pentax excels is in the unique exposure modes that other makes simply don't have. You will have to research the details, but hypermode is awesome, TAV and SV are very useful.
Pentax glass is also remarkable. The system range is now quite comprehensive. Both for zooms and prime lenses. One wonderful Pentax difference is that you can use 40-year old lenses with pretty much full functionality, including image stabilization (which is built into the body). Those lenses can be a bargain if you are saavy. And there are millions of them.
A few differences from other brands: I find that my images are closer to film in rendition than some other brands that seem a bit too plasticky for my tastes. Be aware that Pentax has a much smaller retail distribution than the majors so most purchasing is done online. Many sales folks get better commissions recommending "safer" larger brands. In addition, third parties such as Tamron and Sigma make fewer lenses in the Pentax K-mount, though they do make some. Pentax and Tokina have jointly developed some excellent lenses, but you will only find those in the Pentax brand with some Pentax-specific improvements such as weather sealing, SDM (ultra-sonic), and the classic SMC coating.
Ultimately it depends on your requirements. What kind of shooting are you doing? If your budget allows, I'll gladly recommend specific lenses.
M
I'm probably what you call an advanced amateur. This seems to be the true target market for the camera. If you only move the dial off of auto or program now and then, you'll be much happier with any of the entry level DSLRs. Look at the mode dial - you won't find the "portrait" and "landscape" type settings on this camera.
If you want to understand exposure and have several ways to take control of your camera, you'll enjoy using the K20d. It gives you an incredibly flexible set of shooting modes. The hyper-exposure modes add a significant level of control and flexibility.
If you think you'll eventually have several lenses, you'll appreciate the in-body shake reduction. It enables the lenses to be smaller and less expensive.
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Thanks for the thoughts about the camera. This will be a big investment, but I believe I am ready for it. I shoot a lot of landscape and am now trying my hand at wildlife. I've been shooting in the rains of New Zealand, to the blowing sand of the Utah desert. The weather-proof feature of the K20 was a selling point to me. I want a system that can give me fast, sharp shots and also allow me to print them at a large size. I also want to be able to use it for everyday use: to document my little boy's life as he grows up. There will undoubtably come a day when I will be using it to shoot some of his soccer or baseball games, etc. I'm willing to pay a good price for a lens (or two, or...) that can take me to all these places.
Thanks again for the reviews/thoughts.
I love my K20 to death.....and i also have a K10.
But now the evaluation
Pros
*cost compare to the same kind of camera from other manifacturer...a lot less
*Quality CMOS sensor
*High amounts of lenses on the market for it....basically all the lens Pentax made can be put on the K20
*The *DA lens are awesome!!!!
*People dont notice your camera...but they will surely notice your pictures
*Shake reducer built in th camera body....not in the lens
Cons
*Slow autofocus...i should say picky autofocus
*Only 3fps....and the buffer gets full quickly
*Underexposes ....sometimes badly but only in low light (cloudy skies)
*Only 11 focus segments so not a lot of choice there
*A bit heavy compare to other pro models.
*No "white lens" so if you want to get noticed as a pro.....forget it.
As for the noise at higher ISO. I shot the same subject at 6400ISO in RAW with a K20 and a Canon markIII....well...there was no difference beetween the two. But you have to shoot in RAW at higher ISO
Other than that, i can work around the problems by tweeking the camera settings, but that, anybody with a semipro camera should be able to do that after reading the instruction manual.
You can always check my work done with the K20 on www.babelphotos.ca to give you an idea.
First, the autofocus just isn't that great compared to the major brands. I've had a lot of problems with it misfocusing or hunting.
Second, for non-SDM lenses (anything sub-$500 or older than 2007) the screw drive focus system just cannot keep up with the USM focusing from Canikon. This makes the occasional focus hunting especially painful, as a long tele lens might take almost a full second to rack through the focus range and back. Also, when the SDM lenses were first released there were a lot of reports of them consistently misfocusing. I haven't kept up on that though, so it might've been fixed.
Third, the continuous shooting mode is relatively slow. The K10 is 3FPS, I think the K20 is comparable (5 maybe?). That's not that fast, really. I found that I was better off not using it for sports. When I did use it I'd have one frame too early and one too late, so I was better off just trying to time a single shot right. Maybe that's also true with more FPS, I haven't tried.
That said, I love my K10. Great for portraits and landscapes. The built-in shake reduction is nice for walkaround shooting. And the weatherproofing works great -- I've actually run mine through a sprinkler with no ill effects (I don't recommend it though
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I've been using the K10D (and the DS two years prior) to shoot kids soccer and baseball games for the past year that I've owned it. For non-professional use it is just fine. I've shot several thousand pictures and posted them on my personal website for all the parents. And they gush.
Get a monopod and practice shooting. Getting effective shots is way more about good photographic technique and anticipation than AF speeds. I believe people captured great action shots for many moons using manual focus and film.
I suggest the OP purchase a cheap, fun long reach zoom lens like the Tamrom 70-300. The optical quality is good enough, the reach is long enough to cover those huge soccer fields, and the price is right so if rain or splattered mud gets on it you don't freak out.
A few tips: lower the customized focus point to knee level; separate the AF function from the shutter button (just press the AF button prior to shooting) to minimize focusing delay; 800 ISO is fine for gloomy fall mornings; shoot jpeg for sports; watch the game through the viewfinder; learn the game well.
M
Of course it's possible. I think we've all been through the "almost any type of shooting is possible with almost any camera" debate. I'm just saying that as far as sports/wildlife shooting go, this is not the best possible body. Sheesh.
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