[GregK8]

I currently own a K100DS with a couple of Tamron lenses and I have an interesting upgrade opportunity that entails my wife not only knowing about it, but with no chance of her being mad about spending money on camera equipment.

My wife has a new job where she is going to need a DSLR camera for press photos. She was looking at getting a Nikon D60 kit with 2 lenses because it seems like a pretty good deal, but she will only need to long zoom about once a month and these are low-res local news photos we're talking here. I proposed that instead of buying a brand new kit that is incompatible with all of my existing lenses, that I use the money to upgrade my body with a new kit lens, then she can have the K100 and use my longer glass when she needs it.

So, K200 or K20?

[Wheatfield]

K20.
What a silly question.

[er1kksen]

Agreed. Nice low prices on Prodigital. If you need a new "normal" lens as well the 18-55 ii is great for its price but the 16-45 is just plain great.

[WMBP]

So, K200 or K20?

K20D.

Next question?

Will

[rfortson]

K20.
What a silly question.

Ditto. No question.

[rfortson]

Agreed. Nice low prices on Prodigital. If you need a new "normal" lens as well the 18-55 ii is great for its price but the 16-45 is just plain great.

D@mmit, man, think big! This is for his wife's job!

I'd say get the DA*16-50 with the K20D. Since it's for press opportunities, she'll need the weathersealing. Never know when/where you (er, I mean "she") will need to shoot.

[GregK8]

D@mmit, man, think big! This is for his wife's job!

I'd say get the DA*16-50 with the K20D. Since it's for press opportunities, she'll need the weathersealing. Never know when/where you (er, I mean "she") will need to shoot.

Isn't the K200D sealed too?

Oh, and don't forget, she knows she's getting the existing K100, no tricks necessary.

[GregK8]

K20.
What a silly question.

Well, I guess what I really meant to ask was is the K20D worth the extra scratch?

[GregK8]

Agreed. Nice low prices on Prodigital. If you need a new "normal" lens as well the 18-55 ii is great for its price but the 16-45 is just plain great.

I was also looking at this as an opportunity to upgrade my normal lens. I currently have a Tamron 28-70 that I'm not real happy with even though it is pretty light. I have a collection of older Pentax and Sigma K-mount lenses from my K1000 days but they aren't practical for most usage, even though they are pretty high quality.

I was considering getting a body only and mating it with the Pentax DA 18-250mm. That lens looks pretty versatile and is not unreasonably priced.

[GregK8]

Okay, I think these are the major differences between the two, and all I have to decide is whether the extra $250 is worth it.

Advantages to K20D

14.6 vs 10.1 MP sensor
100-3200 vs 100-1600 ISO range
Slightly faster in continuous shooting mode
pentaprism viewfinder instead of pentamirror
Digital preview on the LCD screen


Advantages to K200D

uses standard AA (I'd use NMH Rechargeables) vs Rechargeable Li-Ion
A touch smaller and lighter

Am I missing something?
Are the ergonomics of the K20D any better? I don't think there is a retailer close to me so it would be hard for me to compare. I just know that the K100DS is pretty nice.

[rfortson]

Okay, I think these are the major differences between the two, and all I have to decide is whether the extra $250 is worth it.

Advantages to K20D

14.6 vs 10.1 MP sensor
100-3200 vs 100-1600 ISO range
Slightly faster in continuous shooting mode
pentaprism viewfinder instead of pentamirror
Digital preview on the LCD screen


Advantages to K200D

uses standard AA (I'd use NMH Rechargeables) vs Rechargeable Li-Ion
A touch smaller and lighter

Am I missing something?
Are the ergonomics of the K20D any better? I don't think there is a retailer close to me so it would be hard for me to compare. I just know that the K100DS is pretty nice.

Plusses for the K20D:
- AF adjustment for up to 20 lenses
- 21 fps burst mode at 1.6 mp
- dust mapping
- hot pixel mapping
- live view
- better high ISO performance in addition to a higher ISO range

This is what I think of right off the bat. The K20D is very nice, as is the K200D. Both are sealed. However, the K20D is just much more capable if you need the extras. Not everyone wants them, though.

[benjikan]

I currently own a K100DS with a couple of Tamron lenses and I have an interesting upgrade opportunity that entails my wife not only knowing about it, but with no chance of her being mad about spending money on camera equipment.

My wife has a new job where she is going to need a DSLR camera for press photos. She was looking at getting a Nikon D60 kit with 2 lenses because it seems like a pretty good deal, but she will only need to long zoom about once a month and these are low-res local news photos we're talking here. I proposed that instead of buying a brand new kit that is incompatible with all of my existing lenses, that I use the money to upgrade my body with a new kit lens, then she can have the K100 and use my longer glass when she needs it.

So, K200 or K20?

K20D or hang in a couple of months..

[CalendarGuy]

The K200D has dust mapping/removal as well as pixel mapping.

Regardless of what type of forum you go to, the top of the line item will always be promoted...as it should be.

If your asking if the K200D is any good, the answer is yes. Since it's supposedly discontinued, you maybe able to find a great deal on it somewhere. I paid about $360 for mine, brand new at Prodigital2000. I believe the K20D will cost you about twice that.

So if you want to save a little scratch, then go K200D. If you want the best DSLR that Pentax makes "at the moment," then the K20D is the obvious choice.

Either way, I think you'll be happy.

[er1kksen]

Plusses for the K20D:
- AF adjustment for up to 20 lenses
- 21 fps burst mode at 1.6 mp
- dust mapping
- hot pixel mapping
- live view
- better high ISO performance in addition to a higher ISO range

This is what I think of right off the bat. The K20D is very nice, as is the K200D. Both are sealed. However, the K20D is just much more capable if you need the extras. Not everyone wants them, though.

The most overlooked advantage of the K20D is the control layout. I'd buy a K-m over a K200D, just because it has more direct buttons (the control pad buttons have dedicated functions on the k-m, not so on the K200D). In that vein, if you're looking at the possibility of the K200D, why not a K10D for about the same price? I've seen several go in the marketplace for $350 or less in the last week. In RAW there's basically no difference from the K200D, and feature-wise it has almost all the advantages of the K20D, all it lacks is a few of those "extras" mentioned above and that wonderful Samsung sensor.

[GregK8]

Thanks so much everyone for your 2 cents. I know guys like me are a PITA asking about stuff that is all over the Internet, but it helps to discuss stuff while one is processing and organizing all the information.

I spent the last two hours trying to decide between getting a k200 body with the 18-250 lens or the K20 with the 18-55 kit lens. Both get ups would cost about the same.

Although in the end, Prodigital has the K200 with the kit lens for a great price, cheaper than just the body at many other places, so I think I'll go ahead and go for the K200 and save the rest for now. In looking at the differences, the perfectionist in me would love the extras of the k20. After thinking about it all day, I just don't think I really need them. Maybe I'll just sleep on it and see what I think in the morning.