Pentax K20D 14.6MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction (Body Only)
by Pentax
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Our Price: $899.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $759.00 (click here) Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Pentax K20D 14.6MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction (Body Only)
Customer Review: Best bang for the buck
Summary: 5 Stars
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.Customer Review: Shake Reduction / Image Stabilization / Vibration Reduction doesn't work
Summary: 1 Stars
I will be returning this. 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 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. This is very disappointing. This is the reason I bought this camera and not the D90 or the XSi. I wanted to use a 18-200mm with Shake Reduction (Nikon charges $800 for the lense alone in this scenario). I spent a long time on this expensive decision and I am very disappointed. I hope for other Pentax owners that this is an isolated example.Customer Review: I've owned my K20D for two months...
Summary: 5 Stars
I came from Nikon, which does offer great products. I am now however, a full-fledged Pentax evangelist. I can't say enough about their products. I now own a K20D and two lenses: the DA* 16-50 f/2.8 and the DA* 50-135 f/2.8. 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. Hands down, it is in my opinion, the most value for your money.
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. This is a must-have feature for anyone serious about photography.
4) Front AND Rear dials. 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. 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). However, the DA* lenses are phenomenal.
Regarding comfort - the camera is very comfortable to hold. I have trouble putting it down. It literally goes everywhere with me.
Buy it. Don't hesitate. You won't regret it.
Customer Review: Excellent camera
Summary: 5 Stars
The Pentax K20D takes excellent pictures and is very easy to use. I bought this model over less expensive Pentax DSLRs because it had LiveView. It would be nice to be able to focus while using LiveView, but this apparently is not technically possible. 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.
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 grip makes it a bit heavy - very much like an film SLR.
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). For some reason Amazon doesn't list what is in the box as Pentax does. 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. 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. If you want to power the directly from AC you must buy the AC adapter. Neither Pentax or Amazon are clear about this detail. The AC adapter is about $100 extra. Most people will not need it. Battery power is excellent, though a spare is nice to have. The battery charges fully in less than 3 hours and full charge is indicated by a light on the charger.
Customer Review: Great camera, great value
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a really solid camera. It feels solid yet comfortable in my hands--I do have fairly large hands so take that into account.
I love the fact you can access all the main functions with external buttons and dials without having to go into a software menu.
I'm not going to go into all the details because there are so many but count on reading the manual several times, because even though the main buttons and dials can access the main functions, you won't know how without the manual. For example, after owing the camera for a couple of months I just learned the other day how to change iso without using the Fn button.
I was debating getting the K-7 but I decided to save the money and get some quality glass instead. Most people are going to go through several bodies (at least) in their life but a great piece of glass will last you forever.
Of course, I won't lie, the 14.6mp doesn't hurt;)