Pentax K-m/K2000

K-m/K2000
Year introduced 2009	Mount Crippled KAF2	Meter range 0 to 21 EV	Meter pattern m (16 segments) c s
ISO range (expanded) 100 - 3200	Expanded dynamic range Yes	Exposure modes AutoPict, SCN, P, Sv, Av, Tv, M, B	Exposure compensation +/-3 EV
Exposure lock Yes	Shutter speeds (auto) 30 - 1/4000s	Shutter speeds (manual) 30 - 1/4000s	Self timer Yes
Mirror lock-up Yes	Continuos shooting Hi: 3.5 fps up to 5 frames (JPG), 4 frames (RAW) Lo: 1.1 fps until card is full (JPG), up to 7 frames (RAW)		Auto bracketing Yes
HDR mode No	Multiple exposures No	Built-in flash Yes, GN 11	TTL flash No
P-TTL flash Yes	Sync speed 1/180s	Flash exposure comp -2 to 1 EV	Autofocus Yes (5 points)
Autofocus sensitivity -1 to 18 EV	Autofocus with SDM Yes	Front/Back focus corr No	Power zoom No
Viewfinder 0.85x, 96%	Viewfinder type Pentamirror	Diopter adjustment -2.5 to +1.5	Exchangeable screen No
Depth of field preview No	Digital preview Yes	Live view No	Movie No
Sound No	Camera controls 1 control wheel. Most functions accessed though menus	Custom Functions 21	Shake reduction Yes
Dust removal / alert Yes / Yes	Pixel mapping Yes	Image size 16 x 24 mm	Sensor 10.2 MP CCD
File format DNG, PEF, JPG	Memory card type SD, SDHC	Back LCD 2.7 in. 230,000 pix	Weather resistant No
Battery 4 x AA	Battery grip No	Size (W x H x D) 122.5 x 91.5 x 67.5 mm	Weight 525 g
Comment Program modes: Normal, Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Action, Night-scene portrait. 10 scene modes Extra flash functions: Wireless, High-speed, Contrast control. Exposure modes with M and K lenses restricted to Av (with aperture always wide open) and M

[stevbike]

I just bought my K-m about 4 weeks ago. I liked it's simple design set-up. It reminds of my old ME-Super, at least in terms of weight and feel. I had the auto winder on my old ME-Super.

The set-up of the controls work well for me. I like the lack of LCD panal on the top of the camera. I am finding the camera works well. I have some nice images that look good.

Lawn Statue on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Stratford City Hall on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Since I am a long time user of Pentax cameras, I have some older M and F series lenses from my film based Pentax cameras. After reading the manual, I went into cameras menu to set the camera up for using older aperture based lenses. I also have a Tokina F-8 500mm mirror lens. I just love this lens. It works great on the K-m. Here are some sample images using this lens on the K-m.

Angel on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Downtown Glencoe, Ontario. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Pentax did a great job on this camera. I always have liked the entry level cameras models. I just like how it gots you back the the basics of picture taking.

Steve Robson

[flippedgazelle]

I've had the Pentax K2000 for 4 days now, after 17 months with the K100D. I bought the K2000 kit from Beach Camera (via Amazon) for $539, free shipping. This kit contains the 18-55 & 50-200 lenses, but not the AF200 flash.

A few thoughts on the camera:

- despite a weight difference of only a couple ounces, the K2000 feels noticeably lighter in my hand than the K100D.

- I miss the top panel LCD.

- I miss the red focus point indicator in the VF.

- AF is noticeably faster than the K100D. Not only that, but all of the camera's operation feel more spry.

- focus in dim light is much quicker.

- the shutter is a bit quieter and "smoother" sounding.

- having ISO & WB buttons on the K2000 body is faster and more convenient than nested in menus, as is the case with the K100D.

- jpeg quality is too compressed. Things like hair detail get a bit smeared, moreso than the K100D.

A few thoughts on the DA L 18-55 and DA L 50-200 lenses:

- neither lens comes with a hood. I bought the appropriate hoods on fleabay for a total of ~ $20/shipped.

- the 18-55 has a little falloff of sharpness wide open at 18mm & 55mm. Edge sharpness is better than my old 18-55, and vignetting is less severe, also.

- the 18-55 has only slight corner softening @ f8.

- the 50-200 exposes about 1/3 stop brighter than the 18-55.

- the edge sharpness properties of the 50-200 are very similar to the 18-55, although the left edge is softer wide open.

[LeDave]

The Pentax K-M/K2000 is my very first DSLR camera that I have bought. It is called the K2000 in the US and the K-M in different places of the world.

At first I was worried about limitations and was afraid that the K-M/K2000 would limit my learning ability because it is the most basic DSLR model from Pentax. I soon found out that just because the K2000 is Pentax's most basic DSLR does not mean that the camera itself is basic. The sensor is very advanced and it is the same one used in the more expensive K200D. I was surprised by the amount of things I had to learn from jumping to a DSLR from point-and-shoot, even with the entry-level DSLR from Pentax. The K2000's easy to navigate and use interface is helpful for a newbie like me. I was considering about the K20D and K200D but ultimately decided on the K-M/K2000 to save money as well as it being my first DSLR. Sure the K20D might pack more power but the K-M/K2000 still works like any other DSLR and still requires the same knowledge and technique to work like the K20D.

After playing with my new toy for quite awhile, I realized that there is much more to learn than just the camera itself and any DSLR limits itself based on how you limit your learning. Every DSLR works the same as stated, you'll have to learn F-stops, shutter speed, and ISO. The only true limitation is in the camera body from having less features, but those features have nothing to do with YOU and your knowledge on how to expose and compose the image you want. Every DSLR has the capability to produce a beautiful picture based on your knowledge and your technique. The picture quality also depends heavily on the lenses you use, so it's wise to spend less on a body and invest more on a lens if you're on a budget or if this is your first DSLR. After all, the Pentax K2000 will fit any K-mount lenses. It will fit the same lenses the K20D and K200D will.

The Pentax K-M/K2000 is the lightest Pentax DSLR camera and is non noticeably smaller than the Nikon D40. I was questioning it's size at first because I heard that this is a tiny camera and is smallest in the Pentax line-up. It is small but it's not "tiny", it will fit in my hands fine and I have long fingers. The camera is the lightest from Pentax and is one of the lightest DSLRs out there, but it is slightly heavier than the Rebel XS and the Nikon D60. The body of the K-M/K2000 feels very sturdy. The first time I held this camera I first noticed the quality of this DSLR, it is strong and well made.

The picture quality of the camera is good for a entry-level DSLR, the only problem is the noise levels at higher ISO settings, I never use 3200 because of the noise it produces at that ISO. I have my noise reduction set to weak and shoot only in RAW DNG. I try not to go over 800 ISO but sometimes I will have to go to 1600 ISO to keep the shutter speeds higher at night. 1600 ISO is still acceptable for this camera but I question if they should even add 3200 in the first place.

The kit lens that came with this camera is the Pentax SMC DA L 18-55mm AL. L after AD stands for light because it is light due to the plastic mount. The Pentax K-M/K2000 is the only Pentax DSLR at the moment to come with these "light" kit lenses. Yes it is plastic, but it is better than the original more expensive Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm AL that uses a metal mount. It's better because it uses the same optics as the SMC DA 18-55mm AL II, so it will produce the same image quality as the AL II but without the metal mount. The kit lens also does not come with the lens hood so you would need to buy it if you want some extra glare blocking.

The camera packs a lot of options and has a lot of built-in features so you can post process the image in it, but I never use this so I can't really review it. I use Adobe Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS3 to process my pictures. The auto white balance on this camera works flawlessly and there is no need to adjust them, I just shoot in auto white balance mode for all of my pictures. The auto focus of this camera works fast, faster than the K20D and K200D which is a improvement. The auto focusing in low-light is also improved on this Pentax. The K-M/K2000 has a faster continuous shooting than the K200D, it fires at 3.5 compared to 2.8 in the K200D. Although there is some trade-offs such as 5 auto focus points and non-weather sealed body. The DA WR (weather-sealed) lenses from Pentax are expensive so I would buy the regular DA lenses instead. There's no point of a weather-sealed body if your lenses aren't weather-sealed with it. There is no need for more auto focus points because I found out the best is set to single point center-weighted. Lastly the K2000 has a in-body built in anti-shake so there won't be any need to buy a lens with a image stabilization. Although lenses with image stabilization will work better than the body's anti-shake, it's still good for using older lenses that do not have image stabilization.

[magnolio]

I'm tempted by the tiny K2000.
Owning Pentax istDs since 4 years, looks like both cameras are quite similar in size, weight and unobstrusiveness. Only difference is in camera RAW development and 10 Mp sensor.
I only use fixed focus lenses (43 and 21 limited).
Is the Km's shutter quieter than istDs's?
Thanks for answering.
magnolio

[LeDave]

Magnolio, the shutter speed is pretty loud when in comparison with the K-7, I heard the K-7 today at the K-7 Road Tour and it sounded like a sniper with a suppressor! My K-m/K2000 would make these kuur---ch kuur-ch kuur-ch noise every-time i press the shutter, but the K-7 just sounded like shh-shh shh-shh shh-shh. I can't compare it with any other Pentax cameras since the K-7 and the K-m/K2000 is the only one I've heard the shutter sound from Pentax.

[Susan]

What about the batteries? I see you need 4 AAs. Do they last a good length of time? I had a point and shoot and I didn't get many shots with the AAs. Thanks for your input in advance!

[LeDave]

Originally Posted by Susan

What about the batteries? I see you need 4 AAs. Do they last a good length of time? I had a point and shoot and I didn't get many shots with the AAs. Thanks for your input in advance!

With Sanyo Eneloops, they last over 600 shots before dying. With Energizer Lithiums, they last over 1,200 before dying but it's not rechargeable like Eneloops are.

[dragonfly]

I'm happy with my K2000, but I wish that pressing the -/+ button (for stopping down manual lenses) would wake up the camera instead of just the shutter button. I get an amazing number of shots from 4 Eneloop batteries. I guess closer to 1000.

[o_bender]

hi! i think i will buy the new pentax kx, which have a body similar to the k2000. i have tried a k2000 in a store and i have notice it is pretty uncomfortable to use the wheel while seeing through the visor, do you have the same problem? any way to solve it? maybe i am doing something wrong...

thanks!

[o_bender]

sorry i posted here, i came from a search and couldnt read the warning