[scottax1]

I've seen a number of *ist dSLRs listed for sale recently. All seem to be priced in the same range as new (after rebate) K100/110D.

Is there something about the *ist models that makes them worth that much? Am I missing something?

TIA!/Scottax1

[LeoTaylor]

We have both cameras so I can say the following:

The istD may have cost the owner a LOT and they hate to sell it for a huge loss. When I bought my wife an istD body when they cost over $1100 from B&H. Still I paid more to buy it over the counter at Ritz Camera. I wanted to see for myself that it would work with the manual K1000 lens I bought with me. My wife loves her istD and would never part with it, but we realize the selling price should be under the cost of a K100D. I just ordered her a K100D from B&H for $349 after rebate, they don't offer the K110D any more.

One advantage to the istD is it has much greater sensitive to long wavelengths. It is a good Infrared camera (I've posted samples in an IR thread) and may be a good astro camera (she would not let me put hers on a telescope).

Leo Taylor

[scottax1]

Leo, as a Pentax "noob" I wasn't aware of the initial >$1k price of the *istD. Of course, as a Canon user I watched the D30 start at >$2k, drop to <$1k after the D60 arrived and now sell for $200-300. Since dSLRs are kind of like computers with lenses attached to them, it's no surprise that price structures for used gear are similar to those of the computer biz.

The enhanced infrared sensitivity of the *istD is news to me as well and very good to know about as I enjoy shooting IR.

Many thanks!/Scottax1

[Darren M]

The *istD was quite a lot better built than any of the other Pentax DSLRs up to the K10D. It still has (by far) the best shutter/mirror assembly of any of them, its AF is better than all but the K10D (by quite a margin again), it offers a better VF than the K100D, dual control wheels, wireless flash control, an available grip and some other niceties that had been missing until the K10D brought them back. The K100D does offer SR, which is great, but I would say that in many ways the *istD still remains the second best DSLR you can own from Pentax. NOt that this necessarily justifies a high price, as this is an old camera, but it is still a step up in many ways. I know that I would be hesitant to trade my *istD for a K100D and I would not trade for a DS/2, DL/2 or K110D. Every time I go back to it from my K10D, I am reminded how much Pentax got right on their first release.

[nathancombs]

i do not think of older camera Vs newer one i think of things in turmes of which camera i need for the job of fits me and how i shoot if a *istD fits you like a glove well that is the one for you if the K100D dus it for you well that is what you need.

it is that if the *istD is for you you pay less LOL

[Cam Traviss]

I got my *ist D used a few months ago for 275 Bucks. That camera was almost 2 Grand just a couple of years ago. But as Darren M says, Pentax really nailed it with their first effort.
Sure, it's kinda slow to write and the LCD is ridiculously small for 2007 standards, but it's still got a ton of features and Hyper Program is something you learn to dig big-time really,really fast.

But I really miss the 2.5" LCD when I use it though! LOL

[LeoTaylor]

Unfortunately I (and others) have left messages saying the istD is a better IR camera than a K100D. I did some testing today and posted a report on the thread "Infrared With The *ist D" where I found the two to be similar. I was influenced by reports on the web that say the istD is great for IR, but I think they may be comparing to non Pentax DSLRs. I'm sorry if I mislead anyone.

Using my wife's istD today I did appreciate the two dials vs only one on my cameras. She loves her camera, and I expect to hear some minor complaints when her K100D arrives tomorrow!

[Lowell Goudge]

There are a couple of additional points of great interest with an *istD vs any other camera that make it very worth while especially as a backup to a K10D

first, controls are virtually identical to K10D, hence user friendly
second, it uses TTL flash, and as a result, has backwards compatibility with not only AF500FTZ flash, but can do flash metering with non automatic (K series) lenses, where as newer cameras don't.
Third, I think it has excellent 3200 ISO capabiliies, and I have shot several thousand very low light photos.


I got mine at full price, and even at that, still appreciate it as my back up to K10D. I never noticed the slow write speed and small LCD until I bought the K10D.