[stepvdh]

I would like the advise of experts like you. I’ve never had a DSLR. I used to play with the mamiya sekor 500 dtl of my dad. I took a lot of B&W pics with the lovely 50 mm (manuel) lens. Last holidays I had the ‘opportunity’ to use a canon ixus 430. It wasn’t a great experience slow and horribly p&s.

Ilford rolls are becoming rare, the sellers ask you twice ‘do you really want a film roll?’ so I looking to enter the digital world for real.

Searching on the internet I skipped quickly Canon with their like ‘throw away camera’s’ you could buy in the past’, or Nikon due to it’s price. At the other side these two brands are over-commercialized (that’s maybe the reason why my word spell check knows C & N but not Pentax!!!). So I looked to Pentax, a legend in the past. I saw two interesting bodies. They are seen as solid (like the old ones!) and having it’s own style. I’m referring to the K20 and K200.

Dpreview seemed not that positive for the K200d due to its bad default jpeg’s. Is that the way you rate cameras? Default is just a standard and not THE standard. At the other side I didn’t find a lot of good echo’s of that camera on this forum. There is even a rumor everybody who has one wants to sell it. So is it really not a good camera?

Then you’ve got the K20d. Quite everybody on this forum owns one. So I suppose must be good stuff. But can somebody who has the K20 and the K200, explain me what are the mayor differences between both of them except the life view function and a bigger sensor. Is there such a difference between both that it’s worth to put 300 euros (unfortunately I’m not living a year round rebate country as the usa). With 300 euros you can buy a prime lens (pentax 50mm 1.4 or something else in the usa).

Photography is a hobby not a passion to me so I need to be reasonable in my budget. I was thinking in MAX 1000 euro (for everything: bag, lenses, memory cards, exchange batteries, …). I was thinking to buy or the kitlens and a prime or a good standard zoomlens. I like the most taking portraits.

A third option is to wait as I’ve done in the past. There was a somebody on the forum who revealed there would be a great news coming begin next year.

I there somebody who’s able to play a ‘good’ cam-seller and explain me the question above.

In all cases I wish you all a pleasant X-mas,

Stephane

[Big Dave]

Stephane,
Both the K200D and the K20D are good cameras. The K20D is bigger, heavier,more expensive and has many more functions. The K200D's smaller size and AA battery's make it easier to carry around. The JPG output is adjustable in the menus, so defaults don't really matter, just set it up the way you like it. A FA50 F1.4 lens would be a great inexpensive portrait lens on your dslr, and the kit lens for general use. Good luck and Merry Xmas.

Dave

I there somebody who’s able to play a ‘good’ cam-seller and explain me the question above.

Stephane

[stepvdh]

Thanks Dave,

Do you know a webpage where they compare both camera's because you informed me the K20D has "many more functions". I suppose not all these functions are as usefull (like that lifeview...). Have you had the experience to play with both camera's.

Thanks for the reply

Stephane

I would like the advise of experts like you. I’ve never had a DSLR. I used to play with the mamiya sekor 500 dtl of my dad. I took a lot of B&W pics with the lovely 50 mm (manuel) lens. Last holidays I had the ‘opportunity’ to use a canon ixus 430. It wasn’t a great experience slow and horribly p&s.

Ilford rolls are becoming rare, the sellers ask you twice ‘do you really want a film roll?’ so I looking to enter the digital world for real.

Searching on the internet I skipped quickly Canon with their like ‘throw away camera’s’ you could buy in the past’, or Nikon due to it’s price. At the other side these two brands are over-commercialized (that’s maybe the reason why my word spell check knows C & N but not Pentax!!!). So I looked to Pentax, a legend in the past. I saw two interesting bodies. They are seen as solid (like the old ones!) and having it’s own style. I’m referring to the K20 and K200.

Dpreview seemed not that positive for the K200d due to its bad default jpeg’s. Is that the way you rate cameras? Default is just a standard and not THE standard. At the other side I didn’t find a lot of good echo’s of that camera on this forum. There is even a rumor everybody who has one wants to sell it. So is it really not a good camera?

Then you’ve got the K20d. Quite everybody on this forum owns one. So I suppose must be good stuff. But can somebody who has the K20 and the K200, explain me what are the mayor differences between both of them except the life view function and a bigger sensor. Is there such a difference between both that it’s worth to put 300 euros (unfortunately I’m not living a year round rebate country as the usa). With 300 euros you can buy a prime lens (pentax 50mm 1.4 or something else in the usa).

Photography is a hobby not a passion to me so I need to be reasonable in my budget. I was thinking in MAX 1000 euro (for everything: bag, lenses, memory cards, exchange batteries, …). I was thinking to buy or the kitlens and a prime or a good standard zoomlens. I like the most taking portraits.

A third option is to wait as I’ve done in the past. There was a somebody on the forum who revealed there would be a great news coming begin next year.

I there somebody who’s able to play a ‘good’ cam-seller and explain me the question above.

In all cases I wish you all a pleasant X-mas,

Stephane

First of all, welcome to the forum, Stephane!

Since some years ago I was torn by indecisions like you are today I'll try to make it easier for you with a simple variant. First of all I have experience with all 3 current Pentax cameras and I own a K20D. And as such I can tell you that the K20D really shines with very good glass and this combo will much surpass your self imposed 1000 Euro limit.

You can see for yourself in a head to head comparisson what are the main features of those 3 cameras (K20D, K200D, K-m) here: Digital Cameras Side-by-Side, 3 cameras: Digital Photography Review

For your given amount of money and foreseen utilisation I would recomand the following gear:

- K200D with the "II" kit lens and grip - TeKaDe - Deutschlands und Österreichs Pentax Shop Nr. 1 - Pentax K200D Kit DA 18-55 II + Batteriegriff D-BG 3 Pen_K200D Kit+BG - 465 Euro;
- tele lens - DA 55-300 - Pentax 55-300 mm SMC DA 4-5.8 ED - Foto Erhardt - 239 Euro;
- portrait lens - FA50/1.4 - Pentax 50 mm 1.4 SMC-FA 20817 - Foto Erhardt - 230 Euro;

Total = 934 Euro

For the rest up to 1000 or so you can buy 2 sets of Eneloops and a charger - maybe 40 Euro, a simple bag for 20 Euro and a 8GB SD Card for about 25 Euro.

Estimated total = 934 + 40 + 20 + 25 = 1019 Euro

IMO this is by far the best quality/performance you'll get for your money and it will help you grow as a new user in our system.

I hope this will help you!
Radu

[jeffkrol]

I would like the advise of experts like you. I’ve never had a DSLR. I used to play with the mamiya sekor 500 dtl of my dad. I took a lot of B&W pics with the lovely 50 mm (manuel) lens. Last holidays I had the ‘opportunity’ to use a canon ixus 430. It wasn’t a great experience slow and horribly p&s.

Ilford rolls are becoming rare, the sellers ask you twice ‘do you really want a film roll?’ so I looking to enter the digital world for real.

Searching on the internet I skipped quickly Canon with their like ‘throw away camera’s’ you could buy in the past’, or Nikon due to it’s price. At the other side these two brands are over-commercialized (that’s maybe the reason why my word spell check knows C & N but not Pentax!!!). So I looked to Pentax, a legend in the past. I saw two interesting bodies. They are seen as solid (like the old ones!) and having it’s own style. I’m referring to the K20 and K200.

Dpreview seemed not that positive for the K200d due to its bad default jpeg’s. Is that the way you rate cameras? Default is just a standard and not THE standard. At the other side I didn’t find a lot of good echo’s of that camera on this forum. There is even a rumor everybody who has one wants to sell it. So is it really not a good camera?

Then you’ve got the K20d. Quite everybody on this forum owns one. So I suppose must be good stuff. But can somebody who has the K20 and the K200, explain me what are the mayor differences between both of them except the life view function and a bigger sensor. Is there such a difference between both that it’s worth to put 300 euros (unfortunately I’m not living a year round rebate country as the usa). With 300 euros you can buy a prime lens (pentax 50mm 1.4 or something else in the usa).

Photography is a hobby not a passion to me so I need to be reasonable in my budget. I was thinking in MAX 1000 euro (for everything: bag, lenses, memory cards, exchange batteries, …). I was thinking to buy or the kitlens and a prime or a good standard zoomlens. I like the most taking portraits.

A third option is to wait as I’ve done in the past. There was a somebody on the forum who revealed there would be a great news coming begin next year.

I there somebody who’s able to play a ‘good’ cam-seller and explain me the question above.

In all cases I wish you all a pleasant X-mas,

Stephane

New cameras come at higher prices.... keep that in mind. I, for one, always like to go 1 generation behind. Better value in my mind for a hobbiest.
You have to start at "what do you need" .
Personally I'd get the k20 for value and the higher megapixel count.
Get the kit lens if it only adds no more than $100 to the body only.
And look for a 50 or the new 55 for portrait lens...
The AF50 will be your best bet and is only $199 at Amazon. They may be discontinued and are not SDM equipped. The 55 is better but tons more expensive. Actually maybe the 50 Macro would be more versitile as portrait and macro are combined... It's a great lens and fairly cheap now. Just a bit slower than the 50 ............Almost twice the price of a fa50 though. 55 is twice that... :0
Back to bodies K20 and k200 are getting closer in price making the 20 a better deal.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_p?url=search-alias%3Dphoto&field-keywords=...a+50mm&x=0&y=0

[tcdk]

Some good advice from RaduA. You could also look for a used K10D - same sensor as the K200D, more options.

I would go as cheap as possible to begin with. Having a system and using it a few months is the only way to know YOUR needs and wants in a dSLR.

[stepvdh]

Thanks you all for the reply and i wish you all a good x-mas!

For the body (normaly the K200d) i'll buy it in the EU. I suppose you can buy lenses uproad if you have that worldwide waranty of 1 y?

Stephane

[Peter Zack]

I have a few cameras. *istD, K110, K10 and K20. Recently a friend wanted a new DSLR and the described using it like you did. Hobbies with a love of photography but not to go crazy on the budget. So I suggested a K200D and bought the camera for her on Ebay through a dealer (prodigital) at a very good price. I had the camera for a few days to try it out before giving it to her.

I think it's a great camera. It shares much of what the K10d does in terms of picture quality. Has the D range of the K20D.

The main differences from the K10 or K20 is:
1) the Batteries are AA.
2) it's smaller and lighter.
3) it has one thumb wheel making it a slight bit slower to operate some controls and needing menus for some common functions.
4)the viewfinder is brighter on the K10 or K20 prism viewfinder vs the penta-mirror on the K200.
5) better weather sealson the k20 vs the k200d.
6) Higher resolution CMOS sensor vs the CCD but unless you make poster sized enlargements or crop heavily, not a big issue.

So My advice? The K200D is a fine camera and with the money you save, get some nicer lenses and have fun shooting. forget the grip for now. It's a nice add on but not needed for more casual use.
One other thought. If you can find a good used or new K10D at a good discount that is close to the K200D price, then get that camera. I only suggest that because the 2 thumb wheels are a great feature that makes adjustments faster and easier.

[stepvdh]

Thank you all for your replies. nice to see that pentax is not just a nice brand but creates also a nice mentality between the users!

nice x-mas to all