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Pentax K100D - Reviewed
The Pentax K100D has been released upon the Digital Photography market, but has this new model brought with it a step forward for Pentax and their Digital SLR range, or is it simply a re-branding of already familiar technologies?
The K100D remains at the same resolution as its predecessors, with the same 6.1 MP sensor, and is compatible with all Pentax lenses. The sensor remains the same but the K100D offers a new ‘Shake Reduction’ feature over the previous digital range. Image stabilizer technology is definitely the hottest feature around at the moment, so its no surprise that Pentax joined the band-wagon with this d-SLR model.
Although the Shake Reduction technology sounds a great feature to have, Pentax are claiming that it will only give you up to two stops, whereas other manufacturers claim theirs will give you between three & four. There's an 11-point auto-focus system, for a higher precision which works great. Like the 1st D range it uses four AA batteries, allowing the user a little more flexibility than having to invest in expensive bespoke camera batteries, and it's a handy option for those who tend to travel. Although the ISO goes up to 3200 it only goes down to 200, which can be a little frustrating! The biggest question is, what has changed from the last batch of Pentax Digital-SLR Cameras?
The new shake reduction feature is activated by a similar switch as found on the Sony Alpha 100, and the K100D retains the familiar function (Fn) button, which gives you a shortcut to the four main shooting options that you'll want to change on the move. Overall, Pentax has changed very little on the K100D, it's pretty much a '1st DL' model with the addition of a shake reduction feature. The image quality is great, and consistently produces good results. It’s likely Pentax will do quite well with this model, but it does face competition from new models of other leading brands. That said, the Pentax K100D is a great digital SLR camera, and will stand out in this highly competitive market currently dominated by the newer models from Canon, Nikon and now Sony. Remember, if you have already invested in a lot of Pentax lenses or are familiar with Pentax cameras, then this may be a great option for you.
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The Pentax K100D has had a couple of buttons altered and changed, which now they feel better to the touch, and the eyepiece now has no protrusions. The SD slot has is now slid open rather than having a quick-release catch, and the multi-selector has been changed to a five-way model. However, these are all minor changes that don't really add or detract anything from the camera itself. The design is still comfortable to hold and offers simple navigation of the controls.
