Originally posted by Steve Beswick 
I have both a (an?) *istD
A *(star) istD. I put off buying a DSLR for quite a long time even after this Pentax model came out. I viewed digital cameras as a novelty, considering film to still be superior. Finally having reached 6mp, and seeing more examples of the best from this range of digital, and since the (very high) price of the *istD had come down by a lot, I went for it. I already had some very good lenses, including the Pentax FA 43mm Limited. This model, I believe, is still the most compact Pentax DSLR ever made having a full set of controls design. However, as it turned out, I still found film to be best, so I still used it for more critical results, as well as for prints where I could get a much better deal for multiple sets of prints if ordered at the time of processing vs the cost of prints from digital. But otherwise, I liked the convenience of digital for more general use, yet sometimes I would use it for scenics, closeups, etc.. After only a year or so, I switched to the K-100D to take advantage of SR- something film did not offer. A real and practical advantage. This caused me to use digital more often when I wanted hand-held shooting with slower shutter speeds. I usually traveled then with both a film SLR and a DSLR. Sometimes I still do. But since then digital has come into its own more fully, and I now shoot film only rarely.
Eventually, the next generation arrived in the K200D and K20D. After a time the price came down, so I bought a K200D, same sensor as the K10D, since I liked the upgrades in adjustment capabilities it offered over the K10D and the opportunity to find out what the upgraded sensor (from 6mp) could deliver. I was quite impressed. It even had somehow overcome much of the ISO limitation and noise problems of the K10D. It could deliver acceptable results at ISO 800 and even above that. Even better than film! I liked its using AA batteries- a convenience. Ergonomics- excellent. I really liked its imaging. Film now was more closely rivaled! But if I wanted a full set of controls for digital use, in bright lighting negating the need for SR, it was still the *istD, but then only occasionally.
When the K-7 arrived, I read user reports and test reviews with interest. It sported updates in features, live view, etc. that held little interest for me, but in imaging quality it actually ran slightly behind the previous K20D. So I bought a new K20D as a closeout at 1/2 its original price, or around 1/2 the price of the K-7! And with a free 5-year Pentax full warranty! Like the K200D, I found colors to be especially rich. I ascribed this, at least in part, to their tendency to underexpose. But with digital there is a lot of processing going on, whether in-camera and/or post-processing. With film there is also this with print film, much depending on the processing lab as to exposure, color, etc. But slide film is better standardized. One knows what to expect from the brand and category of slide film selected. The K20D proved to be a very impassive performer- noticeably superior resolution when using top-notch lenses. However, my K200D being still a fine performer while smaller and lighter, was still a handy alternative. Both well-built and having WR. At last with the large-bodied K20D, I again had a DSLR flagship model with a full set of on-body controls. I retired my *istD to a shelf where it has sat completely unused since. When I get around to selling it, someone will get a very low-use, pristine copy.
After another few years, I got into the remarkable K-5 series with more accurate metering and exposure, as well as breakthrough attributes in low-noise at higher ISO with low loss of detail, higher dynamic range, and a great set of on-body controls with fine ergonomics in a more compact form. Film at that point faded into the background.
Post #18 by dtrego
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