For most people buying a camera of this nature, it is likely that you are not a camera afficionado and do not understand all the technical jargon that you read in most professional reviews. Of course, there are many who do understand it; that's clear when you read some of the user reviews on this product. So for a novice photographer, who may be just use to inexpensive point-and-shot cameras, and is moving up to an SLR, you might have trouble decoding a simple user review let alone a professional who wants to show off his or her tech savvy.
But, for those who do not have expertise in camera technology, I am going to write this review with you in mind and point out the technical details of this camera and try my best to explain what in the world it all means.
So let's get started. First off, this Pentax K200D has received an uncanny amount of 5 star ratings. (62 to date) vs 0, with a capital "Z", 1 and 2 star ratings, with only 2, 3 star ratings, an amazing feat for any one product. The only drawbacks this camera seems to have, is the speed in which it takes to reset and move on to the next photo you want to take.
What does that mean for you? If you are in the market for a camera to take sports action photos, and you want to click one right after another, this camera may not be for you. You will have to wait a couple of seconds while the camera resets and refocuses for the next shot.
Speaking of focusing, the auto focus setting is an above average setting for this camera, which for all intent and purposes is fairly quick. There are other brands out there on the level of this SLR camera that may be quicker in response, but are lacking in the more important categories, if your needs do not require fast action shots this camera is one of the best on the market.
There seems to be a variance on the auto focus setting in a few of the reviews I've read. One in particular mentioned that with the auto focus setting he was getting 2 out of three good pictures, with one out of the three a little out of focus, but not to the point where the picture is unacceptable.
Whenever you read a review, you must keep in mind everyone has different needs and tolerance points. You must consider your personality; are you a perfectionist? I know I am, and I must assume that the reviewer in this case is, as well. Also you must consider whether this particular individual may also be an impatient type of person and doesn't let the camera have the proper time to fully refocus before snapping the next picture.
In that case, this camera may not be for you, you may need to look for a further upgrade or another brand that is a little quicker in this regard.
Let's take a look at some of the features of this SLR digital camera. With 10.2 megapixel CCD sensor, the Pentax K200D offers superior image resolution with maximum control over noise. And with body-based Shake Reduction, the Pentax SLR system will stabilize your shots, providing maximum flexibility with no compromise in optical quality. It increases your handheld shooting shutter speed range by 2.5 to 4 stops for blur-free pictures, and is compatible with every Pentax lens ever produced.
Which brings me to this next point, Pentax has manufactured over 25 million lenses in the last six decades; all DSLR bodies offer backward compatibility with every one. With some of the older screwmount lens, you may need an additional screwmount adaptor, but for the most part, whichever lens is used, whether the most recent lenses or a classic screwmount, it will faithfully capture the image desired.
The body of the Pentax has 60 seals to protect the inner components against humidity, moisture and dust particles. Coupled with the durability of a fiber-reinforced polycarbonate body and a stainless-steel chassis, and you can keep shooting even in harsh conditions, with a very manageable weight, and a comfortable grip design, this camera is easy to handle.
You can also expect to get the right exposures with the settings you want. Auto Picture mode automatically calculates photographic factors to pick the best picture mode. The Scene modes offer a selection of eight modes specialized for alternate conditions. Plus, Sensitivity-Priority AE (Sv) mode is designed to automatically select the optimum combination of aperture and shutter speed for a user-selected sensitivity.
Aperture refers to the diaphragm opening inside the lens. This opening regulates the amount of light that is allowed in for optimum exposure. In SLR cameras, aperture size is usually calibrated in "f-numbers" or "f-stops". Those are the little numbers engraved on the casing of the lens. Each of these values represents one times the amount of light that is needed. For example, an f16 setting with allow 1X the amount of light than a setting of f22.
Getting back to our features, next we have a 2.7 inch high-resolution, wide-view LCD monitor with a 160 degree field of view of your subject in 230,000 dots, which allows for more precise playback. The Prime image processing engine maximizes image properties and allows custom adjustment of image parameters, such as truer color tones, a wider dynamic range, and natural-looking high ISO images.
The 230,000 dots is the amount of pixels that the LCD screen is made up of. The ISO is the number indicating a digital camera sensors sensitivity to light. The higher the sensitivity, the less light is needed to make an exposure. Digital cameras automatically select the ISO but most have a setting to change it manually. Auto ISO generally works best for bright scenes.
With Enhanced Dynamic Range mode, this camera gives you 200% more dynamic range, which brings out detail in the highlighted portions of your image while maintaining detail in darker areas. Dust Reduction and Dust Alert features eliminate the need for time-consuming retouching by sealing against dust and determining if and where any dust remains after the system is activated.
Advanced 16-segment metering and 11-point AF, with 9 cross sensors, ensure perfectly exposed and focused images, even in the most difficult lighting conditions. Custom Image modes, with six preset options, offer superior control of how the PRIME processor develops images, and can be further modified to meet your needs. Get beautifully processed images in any shooting condition.
In addition to a wide range of preset white balance options, take advantage of full manual control. Every preset and manual white balance setting offers fine adjustment control, giving you powerful options to tune the white balance exactly as you need it. The K200D offers 23 custom functions with 52 individual settings, ensuring that you can fully customize the camera to suit your individual needs.
And lastly, this Pentax K200D SLR camera runs on standard AA size lithium batteries. This is a real nice feature, and comes in handy when you are out taking photos and your batteries run down. The convenience of these standard batteries is that they are easy to find in most any store. This is much easier than trying to find a specialty store for a custom camera battery.
So there you have it. I know it's a lot of information to digest, but this camera is chock full of features and comes highly recommended by those who have already taken the plunge and purchased it. If you would like to see more information on this camera, like user reviews with the pros and cons that may be of interest to you, just click on this link to Electronics Review Central, and you will get all this, images of the camera, purchasing information, and more.
I hope this review was helpful to you. Until next time...
Russ Schmidt
C.E.O., Electronics Review Central
Russ is founder of Electronics Review Central. The most up to date reviews on the top rated Electronics. We give you all the information you need; manufacturer details, customer ratings, user reviews, and the best pricing available, to help you make the right electronics choice for you!
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