[chibae]

When I was shooting film my favorite camera had been the Pentaz PZ1. When I switched to digital I could not afford the K10D and bought an istDS. Well, I'm finally going to upgrade and am trying to reconcile what I want with what I can afford. What I can afford is a new K-r, or a used 20D or with a stretch, possibly a used K-7. What I want is a camera that feels and handles more like the old PZ1 rather than the istDS.
So my question is simple. Is the 20D even worth considering anymore?

[reddmutt1898]

I bought my K20D in Dec 2008. I would still buy it this year if I did not already have one. My opinion is yes it is worth it.

[RickyFromVegas]

K20D is the predecessor of K-7.
It used to be Pentax's flagship DSLR as K-7 used to be before K-5's arrival.
Over time, camera bodies will continue to make previous cameras "obsolete" on a term of technological points, but then again, it was only a few years ago.

I would say K20D is still worthy of purchase.

[RioRico]

If you want tethering, the K20D is the last that supports it.
If you want semi-pro controls, the K20D and K7 have them.
If you want high-ISO performance and video, the Kr rulez.
I love my K20D. But I would love to supplement it with a Kr.

[MysteryOnion]

Some qualities of the K20D are still very good like the weather resistance, but the K-r of course has the better low light abilities and the video. What kind of shooting you do and are hoping to do?

[RickyFromVegas]

I just bought a used K20D.
I plan to use it as the main body, and my K-x as secondary. High ISO might come in handy.
Also, it never hurts to have a back up body, right?

[blackcloudbrew]

I think you may find that the K20 handles is many respects like the PZ1. I came to that sorta backwards as I got my K10/K20 then bought a PZ-1p and was surprised at how similar the handling was. I can't speak for the Kx or Kr, but I love my K20 even though my new shiny K5 gets more attention. The K20 does a lot of things right. It's main weakness is low light but I've been able to get good performance from it even at 1600ISO. For one, it's a big step up from the istDS for sure.

[chibae]

Some qualities of the K20D are still very good like the weather resistance, but the K-r of course has the better low light abilities and the video. What kind of shooting you do and are hoping to do?

I do mostly outdoor shots, both macros and standard, of plants and the occasional insect. some landscapes, occasional action shots; but not sports per say, and some birding..but only slow, close moving ones. I'm not worried about high iso, too often, to me 800 is high (still back in the film mentality I guess).
Although my PZ1 wasn't weather proof, i used and abused it in rain, snow and dust without any problems. It never missed a beat in below freezing weather as long I as i kept a spare battery in a warm inside pocket.

[chibae]

I've been trying to reply to some of you, with quotes but the reply is being held for review by a moderator.
in a nutshell i will be doing mostly outdoor shooting, macro and standard, of landscapes, water and plants..more details in the reply being held hostage

[dms]

Unless you "want the latest" or there is a particular aspect that needs to be cutting edge (e.g., K5's DR) it makes the most sense to get the last really good version--which I think is the K20D. I use it for the same activities you describe--as well as available light live theatre/dance--and I get professional results for my college theatre department.

[RioRico]

I await your quotes response, but I'll agree with dms that for your applications, the K20D is great. Whether it's better than a K7, I can't say. The K7 uses essentially the same sensor but with an expanded set of features. Have you read the comparable reviews?

[deadwolfbones]

I loved my K20D... highly recommend it.

[Kerrowdown]

I'm still using mine on a daily basis and it allows me to pay my bills, guess that must be good enough.

[Class A]

If you want tethering, the K20D is the last that supports it.

Not true.
All Pentax DSLRs (starting from the K10D / K100D) support tethering. The K20D was the last to come with the external "Remote Assistant" software but you can now use the third-party but free PK_Tether instead.

The K7 uses essentially the same sensor but with an expanded set of features.

The K-7 sensor goes beyond the K20D sensor in that it supports a higher frame rate and video. It was said to be slightly noisier.

The most significant difference between K20D and K-7, AFAIC, is the size. For people with larger hands, the K20D can be more comfortable to hold.

Another "plus" for the K20D: The K-7 has a slight "shutter blur" issue that can affect sharpness of images in a certain shutter speed range. The K20D is better in this regard (even better than the K-5 which lies between K20D and K-7 regarding shutter blur). Lumolabs (falconeye) have published the corresponding tests.

[paulh]

I hope the K20D is still worth buying! I'm still shooting the 6 mp bodies (ancient), hoping to eventually work my way up to K20 (merely old).