Pentax K100D

Pentax's budget 6-megapixel D-SLR is a lot of camera for the money, but can it compete in today's D-SLR market?

The K100D is a well-specified little D-SLR that looks like a mid-range model in specification terms but priced to fit the budget end of the market. It’s great to use, bar some minor quibbles with the viewfinder and the menu controls.

To start, the camera features a 6.1-megapixel CCD but mounted upon a proprietary Pentax CCD-shift Shake Reduction system. There’s Pentax’s latest SAFOX VIII, 11-point AF system in place with nine cross-type sensors offering the user full control over the AF points used.

The camera's sensitivity range runs through ISO 200, 400, 800, 1600 and up to ISO 3200, offering a broad range to play with. You can also pre-assign the range of ISO values available to the camera in Auto mode, allowing intuitive control of the system with increments of ISO 200 to 400, 200 to 800, 200 to 1600 and then ISO 200 to 3200.

This high ISO range works in tandem with Shake Reduction, because you can reduce camera shake with the latter and motion blur with the former, thanks to the higher shutter speeds on offer at higher sensitivities. However, despite a noise reduction system being in place, noise is quite intrusive, particularly in shadow areas at ISO 800 and over.

Another neat feature is the auto picture mode, which automatically selects one of the camera's five subject program modes depending on the scene being shot. The camera is well built too, with a tough, rigid-feel body boasting a stainless steel chassis.

The 'K' in the name refers to the use of the Pentax KAF lens mount, which rightly ensures that the many millions of K-mount lens owners out there have no doubt the new D-SLR will accept their lenses.

A unique dual depth-of-field preview system provides a digital preview on the large screen (via the extra control on the on/off switch surrounding the shutter release), or a standard stop down assessment via the viewfinder.

Batteries slot into a port on the camera’s base and you get USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connectivity, ensuring speedy download of those images.

External storage is via SD/MMC cards that slot into a flap on the right side of the body while power is supplied by either four AA cells (alkaline, Lithium or Ni-MH rechargeable) or two CR-V3 lithium batteries, which provides scope for power almost anywhere, although it has to be said Alkaline AAs don’t last very long.

Handling is great thanks to a good control layout that includes a large mode dial on the left of the pop-up flash, a single (thumb controlled) control dial for selecting apertures or shutter speeds for example (and zooming images in playback). The camera’s excellent 2.5-inch screen has a wide viewing angle and its high-res 210K-pixel count is also very good, as are the neat menus and colour coding it employs.

In terms of image quality, slight purple fringing is visible on high contrast parts of shots which is a tad disappointing but not overly serious. Noise is well controlled at lower ISOs but even in brighter conditions, noise is still visible is shadows at ISO 400 and very noticeable at ISO 800 and beyond.

The kit lens is a modest 18-55mm F3.5-F5.6 zoom but provides ample scope to begin with, catering for most eventualities (though I imagine most Pentax owners will have a other K-Mount optics that will work with the new body).