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This camera is not the top of the line model in Pentax, but is is cheaper, (Approximately $400.00), and does an excellent job, and it does perform many of the same functions as the K7D.
As a world traveler I wanted a weatherproof, dust resistant Primary DSLR for a reasonable price. This is a discontinued model which received rave reviews and cost 1/3 the price of cameras with similar features. The shake reduction works so well that I can take hand held pictures with a 300mm telephoto.
I spent a long time on this expensive decision and I am very disappointed. This is the reason I bought this camera and not the D90 or the XSi.
The Shake Reduction doesn't work, in fact, it appears to make some pictures worse and definitely makes the camera run a little slower. I will be returning this.
This is very disappointing. I tested extensively including a Tamron 18-200mm set at 200mm, f6.7, 1/15s.
In all my tests the pictures with the Shake Reduction on were either the same or worse than with the Shake Reduction set to off. I wanted to use a 18-200mm with Shake Reduction (Nikon charges $800 for the lense alone in this scenario).
I hope for other Pentax owners that this is an isolated example.
Hands down, it is in my opinion, the most value for your money. I am now however, a full-fledged Pentax evangelist. This allows for quick modifications of various camera settings and are customizable for each exposure mode.Regarding image quality - the camera is somewhat important as we're now dealing with sensors instead of film, but the glass (lenses) are without a doubt the most important element of the equation. I now own a K20D and two lenses: the DA* 16-50 f/2.8 and the DA* 50-135 f/2.8.
However, the DA* lenses are phenomenal.Regarding comfort - the camera is very comfortable to hold. The combination of these two lenses and the K20D offers some of the best semi-pro quality available for the money. There are 4 main features that made me buy this camera: 1) Price. I came from Nikon, which does offer great products. Buy it. This is a must-have feature for anyone serious about photography.4) Front AND Rear dials.
So - that said, you should seriously consider replacing the kit lens with a DA* or Limited series lens as soon as possible. The kit lens is very good (compared especially to competitor kit lenses).
Don't hesitate. I can't say enough about their products.
I have trouble putting it down. 2) Weather proofing.
72 weather proofing seals on the camera body and coatings on their DA series lenses make this camera ideal for travel.3) Top-side LCD panel. It literally goes everywhere with me.
You won't regret it.
The grip makes it a bit heavy - very much like an film SLR. I bought this model over less expensive Pentax DSLRs because it had LiveView. It took several phone calls and then a roll of the dice to finally confirm that everything listed on the Pentax site was the same as what came in the box on Amazon's site. I do a lot of macro photography and even though LiveView is a great feature to have, I get by with just the viewfinder most of the time.
If you want to power the directly from AC you must buy the AC adapter. I added an Eye-Fi wireless SD card which sends my pictures directly to my computer without the need to plug it in, so I haven't used the Pentax bundled software.I added a grip, extra battery, and remote control. It is great to have an extra battery, remote, and extra SD card stored in the grip. The Pentax K20D takes excellent pictures and is very easy to use. Most people will not need it. For some reason Amazon doesn't list what is in the box as Pentax does.
One thing to note though is that while it comes with an AC cord, it is not an AC adapter to power the camera. The AC cord it comes with is for the battery charger.
Battery power is excellent, though a spare is nice to have. It would be nice to be able to focus while using LiveView, but this apparently is not technically possible.
Neither Pentax or Amazon are clear about this detail. Overall it is an easy to use camera right out of the box.
Oh, if you buy this camera from Amazon, it comes with the same accessories as if you bought it from the Pentax store (not gray market or repackaged). The AC adapter is about $100 extra.
The battery charges fully in less than 3 hours and full charge is indicated by a light on the charger.
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