| Author: | | Forum Member Registered: November, 2008 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 88
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 20, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $700.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build quality, price, IQ | | Cons: | Not the fastest AF or best ISO (nowadays...) | |
Well I thought it's probably about time to post my review 
This camera has been as solid as a rock and has never missed a beat in my 3 years of ownership. It has seen snow, rain, mud, weddings, messy hands, jungles and sweat! The body is reassuringly hefty (not cumbersome, but large) so that bigger lenses don't dwarf the body. I remember mounting a DA* 16-50mm to a k-x and it looked insane! All was back to normal on the gripped K20d though  Having said that, it's also a great travel camera when a 40mm is strapped on the front. Not pocketable, but not far off either.
I think at the time, this camera was a ravingly good deal - I got it with cashback from Pentax, knocking £100 off the price. It was such a great deal that I actually considered selling it 6 months later for a profit. Thankfully I didn't! The only thing that seems to be truly lagging now is the AF, but I'm not keen on being too dependent on it anyway. So much so that i use the DA lenses in Quick-shift manual all the time and only auto focus using the AF button. Works a treat
Even years after it's release you can still get stellar images from it, as you can from a lot of older cameras which are now on the scrap-heap. I think there's a chance people are going to start buying 'old' pro cameras (D2X, S5 pro) and get stunning results. My view is that people are going to start seeing drastically diminishing returns from high end cameras - when you think of what more you could want from something like the K-5 / D7000 / 5D mkII, you are essentially splitting hairs!
So if you want something that feels like it will last another decade and serve you like a loyal pet - go get one (cheap) !
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2010 Posts: 753 | | Review Date: August 19, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $535.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | body and ergonomics, features, AF correction, weatherproof | | Cons: | Autofocus, Loud shutter, Live View, 95%viewfinder | | Years Owned: 1 and few months
Ergonomics: 9
Build Quality: 8
User Interface: 8
Autofocus: 6
Features: 7
Value: 8
Image Quality: 8
Noise: 7
New or Used: New
| |
Trusty reliable camera with only few negatives.....definitely a nice upgrade from K10d. More subtle noise and better dynamic range then K10d, on the other hand K20d does not offer turning off Dark Frame Substraction during long exposures (so for astrophotography K10d has an edge). Biggest plus for me was Af correction for multiple lenses, since all of my lenses suffered FF/BF issue on K10d. Imagewise both cameras are probably moreless equal. K10d at iso 100 appears to have bit cleaner image though.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: July, 2009 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 180 | | Review Date: June 9, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ, ISO Noise | | Cons: | AF and WB | | Years Owned: 1
| |
I don't think I can add too much more than what's been already said but I "downgraded" to the K20D from a K-7 and I consider this a better camera.
Sure the K-7 has more functions, has a slightly better AF and better WB but the WB can be corrected in post processing.
I find the IQ of this camera a lot better than the K-7 especially at ISO 100-400.
This camera deserves a better score than 8.5/10 it currently has. It easily deserves a 9/10.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2009 Location: Ohio, USA/ India Posts: 478 | | Review Date: May 15, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $700.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | build, ergonomics, IQ | | Cons: | No AA battery compatibility | |
The IQ of the camera is stunning. ISO is useable (for all practical purposes) all the way up to 1600. You could even get away with ISO 3200 for a 4X6 print. The camera looks a bit chunky when compared to the recent models, however, I am happy with it because it balances nicely when you mount something heavy like the sigma 70-200. The battery grip when attached makes for an integrated seamless look. The layout of the buttons and the presence of two e dials that can be customized makes the camera a very user friendly device. A slot to store the pentax remote F in the battery grip is very handy (this feature is missing in the later flagship models). The only negative is that the K20D's battery grip cannot take any AA batteries like the later models.
| | | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: March, 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Posts: 23,920 | | Review Date: December 28, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $550.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Good resolution, Decent high ISO performance, Excellent ergonomics
| | Cons: | Difficult to manage chroma noise, poor long exposure performance
| |
| Pros | Good resolution, Decent high ISO performance, Excellent ergonomics | | Cons | Difficult to manage chroma noise, poor long exposure performance | | Rating | 9 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | 550 | | Years Owned | 3 |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
Value for money - has to be up there amongst the highest rated
Features - has all the important features in a well laid out interface; does not have an HDR function, but does OK with the expanded dynamic range feature.
Performance - excellent; slightly less capable with the continuous shooting than the K10D, and low-light AF is troublesome at times, but it does well in all aspects IMO.
Sise - perfect; ergonomically sound.
Camera Review
Unintentionally waiting 3 years before reviewing this great old flagship of Pentax's made me realise this camera's true worth. It still remains my #1 camera after over 3 years, and continues to perform remarkably well by today's standards (late 2010). Much has been said already about what makes it a decent camera, but its build and user interface are excellent works of design and engineering.
Apart from long exposures, there's nothing this camera cannot do well. It's definitely a highly recommended camera in my books.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: October, 2010 Location: Vancouver Posts: 4 | | Review Date: December 20, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Extensive manual control and customization features | | Cons: | Heavy. My copy had a manufacturing flaw that caused manual focus problems. | |
| Pros | Extensive manual control and customization features | | Cons | Heavy. My copy had a manufacturing flaw that caused manual focus problems. | | Rating | 7 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | $500 | | Years Owned | Three months |
I can recommend this camera: Yes, with qualifications
Value, Features, Performance & Size
* Ergonomics: Like other Pentax products I've owned, I find the K20D more comfortable to grip and secure to hold than competing products.
* Manual control and customization options are great.
* Impressive image quality.
* Useful shake reduction.
* Weather sealed construction.
I would have rated the camera higher had it not had several defects described below.
Camera Review
This is my first DSLR, previously owned, and I had no problem using it right from the start. With time I am learning to use more features, and see this is a camera that I will not outgrow for one or more years. For the most part I am pleased with its capabilities, but my copy of the camera suffers from some operational flaws I have had to work around or repair.
The ability to use my existing legacy Pentax and Tamron prime lenses played a big part in my choosing a Pentax DSLR.
Metering
On my copy the multi-segment metering significantly over exposes in most common lighting situations. (I had read about over-exposure before buytin this camera.) The center weighted metering on the other hand is quite satisfactory, and I use it most of the time.
Focus issues
The most annoying issues however have to do with focus. Of my three autofocus lenses, two required significant autofocus correction to obtain desired results.
More troubling were my struggles with manual focus. Even though I bought a split image/fresnel Katz-Eye focusing screen, I could never achieve satisfactory focus except for distant objects. Investigation revealed I had significant front focus that I could only correct by removing the factory installed focusing screen shim that massively overcorrected the camera's minor back focus, and experimenting with ways to optimize the screen position. One and a half thicknesses (yes) of scotch tape on the edges did the trick. I am disappointed that Pentax quality control would ship a camera in this condition.
That corrected, I am quite pleased that I can now use all my tools more successfully.
Recommendation
This camera has impressive features and potential that make it a great photographic instrument. However the multi segment metering and focus problems significantly reduce its potential value. The time spent to address the focus problems has been significant, but once corrected, this is a fine instrument indeed.
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2010 Posts: 3 | | Review Date: December 19, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $600.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | build quality, image quality, ergonomics, look & feel
| | Cons: | viewfinder
| |
| Pros | build quality, image quality, ergonomics, look & feel | | Cons | viewfinder | | Rating | 9 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | 600 | | Years Owned | 1 |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
great value, exceptional build quality, perfect ergonomics
every feature you need for professional photography
very good image quality, lots of details, good af
Camera Review
After two years of using K200D and occasionally Pentax ME Super I decided to switch to K20D. With K200D I was too limited in certain areas and I knew exactly what I want.
This camera is certainly not for everyone. I do not consider myself a professional photographer as I treat photography as my hobby but I’m sure It was designed for knowledgeable users that are perfectly aware of what an aperture is, how to use external flashes, what reflector to use when, and so on... More importantly it was designed for people who work with a photography (think before releasing a shutter) and not just take snaps.
Handling & Ergonomics - 10/10 - I use it always with a grip and it’s a perfect combination. The balance with small and big lenses is wonderful. I can shoot for hours and don’t feel any pain nor discomfort even though I mainly shoot with a 2kg setup in my hands and I’m not the strongest man on the planet. In fact 2kg is 3% of my weight, you do the math. There’s knob or button for everything I need and I love the layout. I can switch every settings while looking through a viewfinder. A little drawback - a viewfinder - it’s too narrow and dim for my taste but only a little. One more thing, it’s a tank, the build quality should set an example of how it should be done.
Image Quality & ISO Performance - 8/10 - Also significantly better than K200D but not equally good as the newest gear (no surprise here). Color rendition is really good but sometimes it’s better to adjust white balance manually. Just today I had some keepers, shooting at ISO 3200 f/2.8 but normally I don’t go higher than ISO 400. I’d say ISO 1600 is acceptable by a majority of people and that is plenty to work with.
Overall - 9/10 - For studio and on location work this camera is all you need. In right hands it will do wonders. If you’re here to make photographs the way you want them to be Pentax K20D will help you. It’s a workhorse, and a bargain after K-7 and K-5 took over. Highly recommended.
Why not to buy K20D?
1. If you’re overwhelmed by just looking at all those buttons and knobs,
2. If you want to travel light,
3. If you want the camera to take good photographs for you,
4. If you don’t know if you need one,
5. If you need to make movies with a DSLR,
6. If you can’t live without live-view
don’t even think of buying it. This camera is not for you.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: December, 2008 Location: Zagreb, Croatia Posts: 533
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 18, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $1,000.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | WR, customisable, K mount
| | Cons: | too large for me, poor high ISO performance, poor low light AF
| |
| Pros | WR, customisable, K mount | | Cons | too large for me, poor high ISO performance, poor low light AF | | Rating | 7 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | 1000 | | Years Owned | 2 |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
great value, packed with features, weather resistant, great built
Camera Review
Since this is a review of the K20d in 2010 (almost 2011), I'll try to put it in today perspective (but also depict my past experience).
First of all, I have to say that the camera was a sort of a let down for me. Why? I bought it for all the wrong reasons. This was my first DSLR and as all n00bs do, I spent most of my money on the body which, in the end, was too advanced for me. It would have been a lot better If I went with the k200 and a DA 40 Ltd.
What were "all the wrong reasons" ? Well, I thought every DSLR had great AF under low light and great high ISO performance. It doesn't. The K20d didn't. It was almost useless for me under low light with the kit lens. In those conditions, white balance was mostly off also. These are my main 2 gripes with it. My third gripe was that It was too big for me. Because of that It was mostly left at home. Notice how buying a k200 and a DA 40 Ltd would fix all my problems with it? Newbies learn from my experience!  Put your money in lenses, not body!
Also, by even by 2008. standards, it is slow (3fps) and lacks video implementation.
What was good about it? The colors. I love Pentax colors. LOVE em! It does a great color rendition of skies and rocks and has nice greens. Also, AF under good light was good. Under good conditions, the image quality was great. It has a great build (you can feel the quality). WR was a bonus, since I hike and shoot climbing. It has 2 dials. Can't imagine having a camera without 2 dials now.
So, now would be a good time for a conclusion. As I said, It was a "sort of" letdown for me. But not a complete one. We had good moments and it introduced me to Pentax.
Today, in 2010/11, would I recommend a K20d. Yes! To who? To anyone who want's to learn photography on the cheap. It's a great body, and coupled with a M42 converter and some M42 glass, it's a winner combo. Just don't except to shoot low light indoors with fast AF.
Also, by even by 2008. standards, it is slow (3fps) and lacks video implementation.
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2007 Location: Boca Raton Florida Posts: 2 | | Review Date: December 13, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Takes great pictures
| | Cons: | Live view is not too useful
| |
| Pros | Takes great pictures | | Cons | Live view is not too useful | | Rating | 9 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | 750 | | Years Owned | 2 |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
I can use a boatload of old accessories and lens from 25 years of using various Pentax film cameras.
Camera Review
Excellent viewfinder. Auto focus could be a little faster, but I am getting spoiled since I have never had auto-focus before. When given a chance it does a fine job.
I like the weather protection feature as general protection.
The standard neck strap just didn't work for me. Now I have a hand grip and it makes things much more convenient.
Built-in flash is too weak.
The standard lens is excellent.
Overall, I love it!
| | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 10 | | Review Date: December 13, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $499.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Feels sturdy, comfortable to hold, performs excellently for what they're asking for it these days.
| | Cons: | Somewhat sluggish continuous shooting rate, low light autofocus is frustrating, iso levels 3200 and 6400 are really noisy.
| |
| Pros | Feels sturdy, comfortable to hold, performs excellently for what they're asking for it these days. | | Cons | Somewhat sluggish continuous shooting rate, low light autofocus is frustrating, iso levels 3200 and 6400 are really noisy. | | Rating | 9 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | 499.99 | | Years Owned | About a month. |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
I've really only dealt with one other dslr, a Canon Rebel XTi that belongs to my girlfriend. The K20D is a bit larger than the Canon, and substantially heavier, and it's easy to see where that extra weight comes from when you hold it in your hand, for better or for worse. I'm a fairly large person, with reasonably large hands, and I find the camera very comfortable to hold.
No doubt adding to the quality feel of the buttons and dials is the weather sealing, which I've yet to put to the test, but I know I'm going to, and it's nice to know the camera will be up to it.
Also worth noting that the camera did include an 18-55mm AL II lens for the 499.99, which feels every bit as solid as the camera.
At 14.6 megapixels and reasonably respectable noise performance up to 1600 iso, and excellent performance at low iso, I've been really happy with the pictures that this thing has taken.
Camera Review
This is my first dslr. I'm not sure whether or not that qualifies me to be writing a review, but I'm going to write this for any other first time buyers that want to get impressions from someone who pulled the trigger on a K20D.
Based on my prior experience with the Rebel XTi mentioned above, and on handling some of the entry level dslrs hanging around on the shelves at Best Buy and Microcenter, the first thing that I noticed was the size and weight of this thing. It was quite a bit larger than I expected, but I came to appreciate it, as I find the camera really comfortable to handle in either orientation, even without a battery grip. It's worth repeating that the solid build quality on this thing inspires confidence, and I'm not afraid to simply neatly position it in my backpack when I go out as opposed to purchasing a camera case.
If you're a beginner photographer, this camera does not go too far out of its way to hold your hand. You can set the top dial to green, and that's basically your only option for letting the camera think for itself. So it really helps to know the basics of how aperture, shutter speed, and iso are going affect your pictures.
Another thing that the camera quickly educated me about was hot pixels. ("What's that green dot on my chin?")
Apparently when this camera was released in 2008, this was a thing. I apparently only had one positioned down and left of center, but running pixel mapping out of the menu seems to have fixed the issue, and I've seen nothing of the sort since.
Now to be honest, my experience is pretty limited, but with the 18-55mm lens this thing shipped with I've been extremely happy with some of the pictures I've taken in the glorious sunlight. Indoors, however, things are a bit different. I took a little walk with the camera at the air force museum, which happened to be pretty much my first time out with a dslr, and I'm not very disappointed with the results.
Picasa Web Albums - Nate Bendickson - USAFM
Obviously things could have been a lot better, but I'm sure a few issues could be solved by changing what's attached to the front of the camera, and all of the rest by improving what's behind it. 
Overall, I'm really glad I decided on this being my first camera, and I look forward to improving myself in order to see what this thing is really capable of.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: November, 2009 Location: The un-lovely High Desert, SoCal Posts: 12 | | Review Date: December 6, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | sturdy, liveview, and price
| | Cons: | high iso=noisy pic and
| |
| Pros | sturdy, liveview, and price | | Cons | high iso=noisy pic and | | Rating | 8 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | $750 | | Years Owned | 1 yr |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
14.6-megapixel CMOS sensor
ISO up to 6400
Shake reduction
Basic Live View
Camera Review
I purchased this camara 1 year ago. I am a beginner person who loves to take pictures (most photographers I know dont like it when an amatuer calls themselves a "photographer"...LOL) I think initially my favorite thing about this camara is the price, you get more 'bang for your buck". Second was how it felt in my hands, nice and sturdy (although thats a minus too because my wrists start to hurt after a while).
The camara stabilization is inside the camara AND the lenses! Not just the lens...It's sophisticated, too - the sensor is moved with magnets rather than motors, and in three dimensions rather than two. The camera even uses focal length data from the lens to fine-tune its reactions.
I live in a desert area and DUST IS A PROBLEM...well this camara has a nifty dust removal function: Other noteworthy features include a basic Live View mode, pixel mapping (to identify and blot out any dead pixels), a dynamic range enlargement feature to cut down on blown highlights and a Dust Alert function to check for sensor dust. This works very well for me. To activate the function, just point the camera at a white surface and press the shutter release. The camera then displays a white field with any dust spots clearly delineated.
I also purchased the optional battery grip which made the camara even heavier...BUT easier to handle (if that makes sense). and gives me the ability to swap focusing screens to better suit particular styles and types of photography.
THere are some annoying qualities also, one of these is the 'Fn' button on the back, which is used to access the drive mode, ISO, white balance and flash mode. On a camera of this type, these really ought to have their own buttons on the body.The other is the light and tacky-feeling navipad, which also manages to have a rather vague and indecisive action.
The menus stick to the old Pentax style, too - they do look basic and dated compared to the interfaces on rival cameras. This is a serious, powerful photographic tool, but the menus look as if they belong to a simple 3 year olds toy! And then there's the 18-55mm kit lens. It has its good points - a focusing ring with a distance scale, a metal mount - but its performance is pretty weak, particularly at the edges of the frame, where the sharpness falls away and quite high levels of chromatic aberration begin to appear.
These details are disappointing because, basically, this is a really good camera. The viewfinder is big, there are two control wheels not one (ideal when you're adjusting shutter speed and aperture independently) and the larger-than-average body means that you can really get a proper grip on it.
Not only that, and notwithstanding the indifferent kit lens, the image quality is really good.
Live View mode: It's worth taking a closer look at the Live View mode, too, even though it's not as sophisticated as others. No, you can't change or even view the exposure settings, but it's easy to activate and it can help you frame shots in awkward positions.
Keep detail in your photos
It has another trick up its sleeve, too - its expanded dynamic range option.
This can be applied when changing the ISO. It restricts the ISO range to 200-3200, but it doubles the dynamic range of the images captured. This means that you can shoot on an overcast day and still keep sky detail without having to deliberately underexpose. Or shoot a reflective white subject like a vase without having to switch to RAW and fiddle about on the computer to recover those brilliant, subtle highlights.
Get it I LOVE IT | | | | | Senior Member Registered: August, 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 159 | | Review Date: December 3, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $600.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Inexpensive for its class, pro-level features, built-in SR, solid and weather sealed | | Cons: | exposure and white balance are so so, low light is a bit off | |
| Pros | Inexpensive for its class, pro-level features, built-in SR, solid and weather sealed | | Cons | exposure and white balance are so so, low light is a bit off | | Rating | 7 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | 600 | | Years Owned | 2 |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
Value is not even a question. Competes with much higher priced cameras. While some don't like it's weight and size, I personally like a hefty solid feel. Performance falls a little short of some of its contemporaries, but not so much that the value is affected. IN some areas (SR, etc) the value is unmatched.
Camera Review
I upgraded to this camera from a K100d, and it was a great move. While it certainly is less relevant after the release of the k5 and k7, it was a solid workhorse for its time.
White balance wasn't as successful as I'd wanted it to be, on auto. It certainly outperformed the K100d, but to be honest, that's not the most ringing endorsement. It was exactly what it was designed to be...a solid upgrade to the venerable k10, with substantial additional features. While some (Live View) didn't pan out all that well, it still represented an appreciable improvement while retaining the good aspects of the k10d. The shake reduction is nice, though not quite as effective as advertised. The dust reduction is certainly a nice complementary feature to the weather sealing.
I like its heft, and its solid feel. It's size feels good in my medium sized hands, more like a professional camera, less like a point and shoot. The controls are well placed..there's nothing that really requires manual gymnastics to reach while shooting. The menu options are relatively well laid out, at least the ones that matter (on the Fn side, especially). The diopter is a bit tight...I have a hard time adjusting it finely. A rotating grip wheel adjustment instead of a small sliding bar that doesn't offer much elevated tab to grip would work better, though this is hardly the most pressing issue.
Even with my better lenses, I do feel that the camera has a tendency to underexpose a bit. I'm willing to chalk a good deal of this up to my abilities, but there is some portion that seems to stem from the camera itself. The custom settings make this less of an issue, but having to work around it make sit a tad less user friendly. High contrast scene, again even with better lenses, seem to cause more problems in the dark area with a lot of noise even at some of the lower ISO settings.
AF is hit or miss. Sometimes it's spot on, sometimes it goes into hunt mode, even in the same light conditions, but especially in low light.
My particular camera seems to have an ongoing issue with digital artifacts in about 1 out of every 50 shots, in which half the picture will be fine, but the other half will look like it was printed with only one of the primary colors, and a lot of digital artifacts and noise. I do not know if this is a wide-scale issue.
All in all, it was a great camera for the money back in its day. These days, it certainly would serve well as a backup, although the price differential between it and the K-7 isn't as great as it used to be, making the added value of the K-7 more appealing.
| | | | | Giveaway winner! Registered: December, 2007 Location: beantown Posts: 944 | | Review Date: September 15, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $1,100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | solid feel, weight, SR | | Cons: | default meter settings, AF low light | | Years Owned: 3
Ergonomics: 10
Build Quality: 10
User Interface: 9
Autofocus: 8
Features: 9
Value: 9
Image Quality: 9
Noise: 9
New or Used: New
| |
| Pros | solid feel, weight, SR | | Cons | default meter settings, AF low light | | Rating | 9 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | 1100 (body and 16-45 kit) | | Years Owned | 2 years now |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
Cheaper than similar featured cameras (from same era) and I'm a Pentax user all the way (lenses). Even after about two years (now 3) of ownership, the K20D continues to deliver superb performance. The SR, after firmware update, is a pleasure to have. It allowed some wiggle room when a lens change was not available. The weight of the body is well balanced for carrying in hand and moving around and the grip (D-BG2) lets me dance the camera around even more.
Camera Review
I've been a long time photography amateur, but circumstances put in the other realm... volume images, publishing, deadlines, fast turn-around and still the need for high quality, high megapix shots for the past two years. The K20D has met all my needs and has fooled many in believing a full pro Nikon or Canon was at work behind the scenes. First, day light or normal lighting conditions...no problems, it is always great. So then, low light conditions...well unlike most it seems, I've been very happy with the most of the High ISO performance and sure I'll have to post-process it, it just looks like I have much more to work from. Post firmware update has opened up the SR feature for me. Prior to the update was a crap shoot most times and often just plain crap. I don't know what they were thinking before, but I'm glad they fixed it. In most cases at 1/15th is the best balance for greatest number of shots from 16mm to 200mm. I've pull 50% success at 1/8th or 1/10th from 16mm to 80mm. A few gems at even 1 full second. The camera has left the work place also and has gone on a few vacation now. It was nice to have it around with just a 21mm limited all stuffed in a fanny-pack or backpack. Even with the new flagship camera(s) that are or to be installed as successors, the value, performance of the K20D is holding up well.
Oh, an often over looked feature that I've heard folks complaining about it the fumbling to change ISO via the FN button... not sure where in the manual, to quick set the ISO if you like to be in M/manual mode like me. Just hold the OK button and spin the wheel..."big hassle it is to set"... really is not, quite easy!
To date, the only knock is the AF seems to get fooled more with low light and the DA 16-45mm set to 45mm. However, when I back it off to 40 or 35mm it will find the lock. I've checked the AF window for dirt, but all was clean.
UPDATE 08/2010: I also get some extra focus errors with a 300mm/f4 while indoors at 100+ feet. Pity there is no split-image or something.
UPDATE 10/2012:I've been using the K20D for a few more publications and still does the job. I use it less now as I'm mainly a film shooter. The only issues since the last update was the random stuck on/off switch. It will not always turn on, I've cleaned flicked it a few times rapidly and the problem has not returned yet.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: July, 2010 Location: Pacific Northwest USA Posts: 261 | | Review Date: August 25, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great Sensor | | Cons: | Yes, a little slow AF | |
| Pros | Great Sensor | | Cons | Yes, a little slow AF | | Rating | 10 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | $500.00 | | Years Owned | 2 1/2 |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
Too many attributes to mention. Seriously.
Camera Review
C'mon let's get real. This is the last genuine Pentax digital body. Everything after is Hoya-Pentax. So this is an immortal classic that too few people recognize as such. How sad is that? This camera gives much, but also demands much of you. Your brain controls the camera. If your brain isn't up to the task then please buy more updated equipment that will do more of your thinking for you. This camera has it's flaws, but it's still superb. Ask any K20d owner. A totally indispensable tool. Get one cheap used.
Cons: Retro Safox autofocus
Pros: Great sensor. Optimized for still photography, not video!
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: September, 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Posts: 3,327 | | Review Date: August 16, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $900.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | weather-sealed, well-built, external AEB and SR switches | | Cons: | heavy, lower-res 2.7" LCD | |
| Pros | weather-sealed, well-built, external AEB and SR switches | | Cons | heavy, lower-res 2.7" LCD | | Rating | 8 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | 900 | | Years Owned | 2 |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
An excellent value at today's used prices ($475 for a low-click example?) for a weather-sealed, professional 14.5 MP Pentax. Great sensor from Samsung: accurate colors and decent high ISO performance (esp. with modern noise-reduction software), with lots of latitude in raw files for exposure adjustments later on!
Similar to the K-7, with one big difference: I use the clearly-marked external buttons/ switches for Auto-Exposure Bracketing and Shake Reduction all the time! Sure, a newer K-7 has improved metering and a metal body, but having to go into a menu to switch these during my landscape photos is a deal-breaker for me.
The K20D's lack of any "movie mode" could be both a pro or con...
Camera Review
"Take it outside!" That should've been the K20D's marketing slogan. This camera is so well-built and sealed that rain, dust, rough handling, and temperature extremes don't stop your creativity. Naturally, having a WR or DA* lens on the front helps as insurance...
I've put more than 20,000 frames on my K20D (and about as many miles) in 2 years and it is still solid and always ready for more. The external controls are without equal (I mean, really, who else but Pentax puts things like the Green Button, the RAW button, the AEB button, and Live View/DOF preview switch all within easy reach?). The sensor and PRIME engine combo is phenomenal (see above, and it lives on in the K-7), with great colors, noise, and easy ability to customize any WB and Custom Image profile (and use AdobeRGB and DNG!), along with the ability to calibrate the rear LCD really make this a color-critical photographer's camera choice.
For me, personally, the main reason for getting the K20D (after a string of mid-range Canons) was the 5-shot +-2ev Auto-Exposure Bracketing. I'm an HDR-geek, and this is what puts the K20D (and other current top-tier Pentaxes) in the same league for HDR as Canons and Nikons costing 4-8x as much. Having built-in Shake Reduction and the ability to use it with almost any lens you can fit on the front (with AF confirm even on old M42 glass!) is just a bonus. Honestly, for landscape photography, you cannot beat these weather-sealed Pentax bodies... if only the lens line-up would be updated with T/S and AF TCs it'd be a one-stop shop.
If there are any areas that have me sometimes wanting an upgrade, it would be the AF accuracy for moving targets (not a frequent problem for my photography, but a Pentax common complaint), the lower-res 2.7" LCD, and the slow 3fps burst rate with a smallish buffer.
| | |
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
