Pentax K10D 10.2 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Body Only - Camera Labs: Digital Camera and Lens Reviews, Workshops, News

Product Details

Description:

Pentax K10D - Perfect for advanced photo enthusiasts! The Pentax K10D digital SLR features an array of Pentax innovations including 10.2 effective megapixels and a Pentax-developed Shake Reduction system that effectively offers a 2.5 to 4 stop advantage for sharp, blur-free images even under difficult shooting conditions, such as macro and telephoto photography or low light settings without a flash. Also featured is a newly-developed Pentax Real IMage Engine designed exclusively for Pentax digital SLR cameras to produce well-balanced, true-to-life images. Pentax also incorporated a new high performance 22 bit A/D converter to quickly transfer images with accurate color tones and richer gradation from the CCD to the imaging engine. The new Dust Removal system incorporating Pentax-original Special Protect coating helps keep the CCD surface dust-free, and adds a shift mechanism to shake dust off the CCD. All this is housed in a dependable dust-proof, weather-resistant body construction featuring 72 seals throughout the camera to allow photographers to continue shooting even in dusty or rainy environments.

Quick Glance

Memory Type: Secure Digital (SD) Card

LCD Screen Size: 2.5 in

Camera Type: Digital SLR Camera

Megapixels: 10.2 Megapixel

Image Stabilization: Optical

Lens Mount: Pentax KAF2

Weight: 28

Summary

Product Title: Pentax K10D 10.2 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Body Only

Manufacturer: Pentax

Power Score: 4.4 | 23 Reviews

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Product Reviews (19)

Pentax K10D

Strengths: Value for the price, quality of construction, designed for photo enthusiasts, can use legacy Pentax lenses

Weakness: Shutter a bit touchy (difficult to hold for focus), not a lightweight camera

I've been shooting with 35mm Nikon cameras for about 30 years. I've played around with P/S digitals, and decided it was time to get a more serious DSLR. Naturally I first looked at the offerings from Nikon. My price point put me in the D40x range. While researching I saw many positive comments about the Pentax K10D (and the K100D as well). I had the opportunity to compare the K100D and D40x side...
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By BruceWG - Nov 30, 2007

Top of a Star-Studded field!

Strengths: So many features at an affordable price.

Weakness: needs to be a little bit lighter

It's a great time to be buying a 10 megapixel SLR, as all the top manufacturer's have new, 5-star models. So let's examine: What do we want most? Great photos, a well made camera, and features that will let us achieve our photographic goals. The K10D delivers.

All the top contenders will deliver excellent results that can be made into poster size prints with great color and detail. Although we can point so some shortcomings (like the poor performance of the Sony Alpha 100 at ISO 1600), image quality is something that is still in the eye of the beholder.

However, features are features, and the K10D has loads. The first thing you'll notice is the solid feel in your hands. It feels robust, and the shutter has been tested to 100,000 shots (same as Canon's bigger brother 30D). But to this, we add something else not found in any other camera in the class: weather-proofing. The body contains 72 seals to help keep dust, dirt and moisture on the outside (the optional grip has 38 seals).
When you put on the optional grip, it really does feel like a part of the camera, not a wiggly thing that might come off.

To get those great photos, the K10D has all the standard feature set, plus a few new ones (like "sensitivity" mode), which will come in hand for some people, but of more partical use to many will be the ability to define what "Auto ISO" range the camera can use. Want the camera to be able to use 1600? Done. Pentax's metering systems have always been well thought of, but you'll get center-weighted and spot metering as options, too. Their "digital preview" can be very handy in setting up the proper white balance.

The viewfinder is the largest in it's class (although the D80 is the smallest fraction behind). When viewing through it, you'll see the 11-point autofocus. What you don't see is that the nine central segments are "cross basis" points, meaning they focus on both vertical and horizontal lines. The other competitors simply have one, the center segment, that is cross-basis. This may not help it focus faster, but it should improve accuracy. Additionally, the focusing mode is easy to change. A switch up front allows you to select manual, single or continuous autofocusing, while a dial on back allows you to change from spot focus (only the center zone), wide (allows the camera to select) or free-floating (you select any of the eleven zones, and can change it quickly with the key-pad on the back of the camera).

The choice of the SD/SDHC cards is great. This small cards avoid the dreaded "bent pin" issue of the compact flash cards, and the SD are compatible with a hugh number of compact cameras as well. Another nice touch is the optional remote control. It can trigger the camera from the front AND from BEHIND the camera, and can store inside the optional grip. I also love the fact they included the .dng standard for RAW images, as this is an open standard developed by Adobe.

And there is one feature that Pentax now leads: Shake Reduction (or VR, or IS, or SteadyShot). First, like the Sony, the SR is built into the camera. So for a modest cost up front, ALL your lenses get some stabalization...even older manual focus lenses! And as a side benefit, you get a slight benefit in keeping the sensor clean. But what most people don't understand about Pentax SR system is that it is a THREE AXIS anti-shake system, something that no other maker offers. In-lens, or the Sony rail system, compensate for you shaking left/right & up/done. By combine these two, it compensates for diagonally, too. What they do not compentate is for "rotational" shake. Imagine a line running through the camera lens to the subject, rotating the camera around this axis. The Pentax SR system uses magnets and bearings to allow the sensor to free float compared to the body. Tremendous technology.

Pentax has been a bit light on their lens selection, but keep in mind that this uses every Pentax 35mm lens ever made, and 3 exciting new lenses that they recently announced (16-50 f2.8; 50-135 f2.8; and 60-250 f4.0, all weather sealed with ultrasonic motors) make them very competitive. For a first lens, the 18-55 is hard to beat. It's well made, featuring a metal lens mount, and the internal focusing allows for easier use of filters and a more efficient, included, lens hood.

Buy the Canon XTi, Nikon D80 or Sony Alpha 100, and you'll get a terrific camera. But for my money (yes, I did buy one), the Pentax K10D is the best.

By shind0u - Nov 20, 2007

Awesome camera

Strengths: Ergonomics, weather seal, in camera stabilization

Weakness: JPEG's slightly soft

This is an awesome camera and what's it even better is the price, especially now. The Canon XTI and Nikon D40x equivalents at this price range really pale in comparison. The features of this camera make it more comparable to the much more expensive D80 and Canon 30D/40D. This camera has won multiple awards and a favorite of photographers outside of the US where the Nikon/Canon advertising machine...
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By tdang71 - Nov 5, 2007

superb camera

Strengths: image quality, speed, price, weatherproof body, very solid, lenses compatibility.

Weakness: lacks 3200 iso and af assist lamp.

The K10d is a great camera. The camera's body is bigger and heavier than the k100d's one but it's weatherproof and magnesium made. It feels very solid and professional (a lot better than Nikon d80 or Canon XTI for example). On the body several commands can be easily found with dedicated buttons (RAW, autofocus: Manual, single, continuous, metering etc etc) and I think that's a great thing.

The K10d is compatible with a lot of lenses (virtually with every pentax lens ever built) eventhough, of course, you loose the autofocus mode with old lenses. It's also compatible with the new very promising Pentax DA lenses!

Image quality straight out of the box in jpeg is not very impressive, but once you set the camera in bright mode or if you set the contrast and sharpness to +1 the image quality is gonna be outstanding. The RAW quality is simply great.

Autofocus is quick eventhough Nikon or Canon do something better (specially in low light conditions), but it also depends on what lens you are using.... anyways it's more than acceptable.

Comparing to the K100D it gains the 100ISO but it looses the 3200ISO. Anyways the image noise is very low and I think that at 1600ISO the K10D and the K100D get comparable results (speaking of noise). The proprietary lithium battery charges in about 3 hours and I took more than 600 pics with one charge.

The speed is awesome, about 3.2 fps in jpeg (limited by SD card capacity) and 3.2 fps in RAW (limited to 10 pics) but after 10 RAW shots it keeps firing at almost 2fps!

It has a lot of great functions like the sensitivity priority mode or the shutter aperture priority mode and many others.

I paid 719$ and I got the 50 $ summertime rebate from Pentax. I really think you cannot get anything better for the price, considering that the K10D it's stabilized (and believe me the stabilizer works great! Of course it doesn't stabilize moving objects...), it has the dust removal dispositive (my advice is to set it to every time you turn the camera on), and the weatherproof body.

Really a great camera!

By stefanojoy - Sep 5, 2007

Great SLR Camera for beginners

Strengths: Various features, nice hand grip, shake reduction system on body, dust remover, excellent image quality, and 72 seals for resistance to water and dust.

Weakness: Extra weight compared to other entry SLR camera. I wish there were more choice of lenses.

The PENTAX K10D has various features for beginners. It is easy to control and provides excellent picture quality with 10 megapixels. You can take a picture anytime, anywhere, any weather condition because it has 72 seals for resistance to water and dust. K10D also has a new proprietary Shake Reduction system that doesn't require specialized anti-shake lenses and claims to offer a 2.5 to 4 stop...
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By sagangi9 - Aug 28, 2007

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