[phatjoe]

Hello:

I've been going back and forth with DSLRs for a bit. Testing and trying them out. I had the K20D on my mind, but not comfortable spending that kind of money (regarding my 1st post a month back, I did go back to the camera store).

Anyway, this thread is not to bash pentax in anyway, but really understand why you may have choosen the K200D over the Canon XSI, or Olympus E520. If you shop around, you can find these cameras within a $100 of each other, so price isn't a factor for me.

Listing the stats is easy:
The canon has larger lcd, more pixels (not always an advantage), liveview, yadda yadda
The pentax has built in image stability, better build quality, and so forth

But curious, did the pentax feel better to you? Did you like the lens selection better with pentax? Was it just to be a little different?

I'm just trying to understand. I'm sure others were faced with the same dilemma...

Thx....

[DJey]

Build and being different for me.. As for lenses.. with old ones yes it's a joy but still prefer AF though..

[kkoether]

For me it was easy. I've owned and shot Pentax 35mm and really liked it versus the other cameras of it's time. I just got my K200D last week and am really liking it. I've figured out how to use my old manual lens' with it and they work great as far as I'm concerned. I know I'll want more lens' etc. later but this is a good place to start.

[Clicker]

1. AA batteries
2. Use of a variety of lenses old and current.
3. Built in stabilization vs expensive IS lenses
4. Weather sealed plus a good selection of similarly built lenses.


I too went in and tried both the Xsi and K200D both with vertical grips attached, the Xsi fit really well but i adapted to the K200D but as i noted above what my real criterias were choosing it over the other.

[phatjoe]

B&H Photo is located by penn station. Tomorrow, I'll stop by and check them out again. Just some other questions:

Would you say the iQ is better with the K200D or XSI? Is it to hard to judge?
Any issues shooting the K200D in low light situations?

I checked out cameralabs review. I was blown away by the level of detail with their test results. The K200d looked great! They used a DA 18-250mm lens for the test. Not sure if that was a major advantage over the other kit lenses.

Here is the link:
Pentax K200D review Cameralabs outdoor results

[Clicker]

I would say they're very close but i have to shoot more before i can say that with 100% surety

[JN99]

I did a lot of comparisons, research, etc. etc. before purchasing my K200D a couple weeks ago. While I have struggled to get it to produce accurate colors (finally there) and you can see examples in my thread elsewhere on this forum, I'm still pleased with my choice.

I also considered the Xsi and even used one for a few comparison shots but it really feels like a toy, especially next to the K200D. It also mis-focused on occasion and to me simply was not as sharp with kit lens.

Other factors (kind of in order):
Fit/finish and ergonomics
Price: K200D kit cost me $569 with rebate (ends Saturday 7/26)
In body IS
Ability to use older Pentax lenses
AA batteries
Top LCD panel

[sewebster]

I only considered Canon, Nikon and Pentax in order to reduce the amount of research I would have to do (chose Canon and Nikon because they were big, and Pentax because a good friend of mine has the K10D).

I only considered low-end cameras as at the time I wasn't even sure I should buy a DSLR (though now I can't believe I didn't get one sooner).

I was highly tempted by the Nikon D40 due to its low cost and low weight (I use my camera primarily while hiking/sking where weight is a huge deal). Somewhat turned off by it being old, kinda wanted something newer. D60 seemed like more money for not much more function. Both these cameras only autofocus with "special" lenses.

I didn't look into Canon as much, but their only current camera was the 450D (Xsi) and it was way more money than the K200D so I didn't look much further.

I liked that the K200D had weather sealing since I often have it in "harsh" conditions. Liked the shake reduction (though wasn't sure how big a deal it would be, now I really like it).

I'm happy with my choice, though I probably would have been happy with other brands too. In retrospect I think I should have bit the bullet and bought the K20D body and a 16-45 or 17-70, but hindsight is 20-20.

I also looked into buying a used body for a while, thinking I could get one for very little, but after some failed ebay attempts I realized that camera gear maintains its value pretty well so there wasn't as much difference between new and used as I was accustomed to.

Search the board for endless discussion of K200D vs K10D if you want.

[nakey]

every other brand would require new lenses and flashes (well, not really flashes, but i like my stuff auto-capable when i'm lazy )

Picked the K200D over the K20D cause it was almost half the price, and AA batteries (i like the idea of AA batteries in DSLRs). I could have bought a K20D in theory, but i like having my DA Fisheye zoom

Was actually contemplating a switch to canon or nikon, but the 400D AND 450D felt like a toy (honestly, i think the G9 feels more solid ) , the 450D Kit is priced, locally, around the same mark as a K20D body (remember, i got my lenses already). couldn't afford the K20D body means i couldn't afford the 40D body either (and i needed lenses if i moved to canon), If i moved to nikon, i'd be moving sideways by getting the D40 + some lenses rather than up like i did with the K200D

The reasons i didn't look at oly, were the reasons i was looking at Canon and Nikon. nothing to do with the cameras, just the attitude of the people around me.

[cputeq]

I shoot K20D now, but the first DSLR I owned was K200D. I considered Canon and Nikon.

Why I chose K200D:

1) AA batteries
2) In-body SR
3) Weathersealing
4) Lens compatibility
5) Lens prices

I bought the K200D without even holding it, but I did a lot of research before that. I also bought from a store that would allow a return if I didn't like it.

I'm glad I got it -- it felt MUCH better than the XSI or D60 cameras -- they feel like cheapo plastic toys.

Though I am envious of some Canon lenses (like the 100-400 zoom), I also realize it would be a while before I actually bought such a lens, so no big loss there.

Otherwise, I would save money on lenses by going Pentax, and I liked the in-body SR better than having to buy more expensive IS lenses from Canon.


XSi rates great optically, but the body just feels way too cheap and I don't like Canon ergonomics that much. I really wish I could play with one for a while and test the AF speed in low light.

[ftpaddict]

Because buying a K200D does not make you part of a herd.



You try changing aperture while following a subject and taking a picture at the exact critical moment. Guess what, you can't because the dial is next to the shutter.

[dopeytree]

After looking at the samples in that review why would you want anything else!? The quality is loads better than the xsi it seems to be clearer/more detailed.

Go for it you won't regret it!

[phatjoe]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Any issues with the K200D focusing in low light situations?

I tested an olympus e520, and it seemed to hunt around a bit. The Nikon d300 was spot on. Obviously not a fair comparison, but it was amazing to see the difference.

[x_goal]

I was looking for a right camera for quite a bit and went with Pentax K200D... And so far glad I did it!
Check these comparisons from CameraLabs:
Pentax K200D review Cameralabs sample images gallery
Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi review Cameralabs gallery
Olympus EVOLT E-520 review Cameralabs sample images gallery
Especially pay attention to high ISO (800/1600) performance...

There are other reasons to go with K200D, and many of the have been stated by other people.
One of them - that is important for many - it's definitely cheaper. I've got my K200D + DA 18-55 II for $575 (after rebate) + DA 55-300 for $300 from Amazon! Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe that $875 would be just few pennies above of an average market price of C***N XSi with a kit lens... Don't forget that C***N and N***N kit lenses are very cheaply made in contrary to Pentax.
So, decide for youself

[cheekygeek]

I am an old-school photographer who is just now (finally) getting the DSLR I have long dreamed about. Naturally, I did a lot of comparison. I was (like most people) fixated on Nikon vs Canon (particularly since I have a son-in-law that shoots Canon 20D). But a review of the K200D in MacLife magazine put it on my radar screen. I was similarly impressed with a MacLife 100D review in the past, but had mostly forgotten about the brand (when it comes to DSLRs).

As this post heading points out, I finally came down to the K200D vs the XSi. (Actually the forthcoming XS would be the more fair comparison). I don't care about Live View, so that was not part of my equation.

I just ordered my K200D and feel pretty good about the decision. Here's why:

HTML Code:

Pentax K200D	Canon XSi
____________|______________

x				Weatherproof sealing
x				True spot metering
x				Shake reduction built into body ($$$/slow IS lenses unnecessary)
x				Metal chassis (hate the cheap plastic-y feel of Rebels)
x				Stainless steel lens mount (others are plastic)
x				Kit lens you don't have to be embarrassed over
x				ISO-priority mode (sensitivity mode)
x				Takes AA (not proprietary) batteries
x				Top LCD display
x				Ability to use old glass (K-mount and even screw mount w/adapter)
x				Ergonomics - button/wheel placement
x				After rebate: $250+ left in my pocket (over the XSi)
5		4-1/2	No. of stars in Amazon.com Reader Reviews
		
	Also like: That K200D image quality is always mentioned. Pentax has excellent lens/coating 
	reputation. Also, high ISO noise is often specifically mentioned as being very good in 
	reviews.
		
	Biggest concerns: 
		
	viewfinder (hearing mixed reports)
		
	slow/improper autofocus (I'm really not a huge fan of autofocus, unless it is needed in
	a low-light situation). I'm planning on trying lots of old school manual-focus lenses with 
	my K200D.
		
	mirror lockup only available with the 2 sec. self-timer mode?
		
	buffer (I'm not a sports shooter so this will probably rarely affect me, but it is a big 
	area that Pentax should address in the specs comparison department).