[lesmore49]

In a previous post I indicated I'm very close to getting a Pentax KM as they are known in Canada. Sorry about this flurry of posts re; the KM/2000...but as mentioned before...I'm very close to making a decision.

I use a K10D with an assortment of lenses. I take pictures of wildlife, landscapes, people and vintage cars. Generally I prefer to use natural light and take most of my pictures outdoors.

I use my equipment regularly...about every other day...winter ..summer. I take my K10D out in 25 below weather ...after all I do live in Canada..hard to avoid in my part. The K10D works well as do the lenses.

Given this type of service would the KM make a good second body and also regular duty as a carry around body ?

What in your view are the pros and cons of the KM/2000 ?

[RiceHigh]

What in your view are the pros and cons of the KM/2000 ?

Pros:

- AF with less hunting indoor (although still not as fast as Canon's entry models)

- more accurate stop-down metering with manual lenses

- favourable color reproduction

- handy and creative digital art filter with good results

- compact, acceptable weight

- good ergonomics/thoughful design on grip shape and handling

- user friendly

- low price (if you can get it at)

Cons:

- Inaccurate flash metering, P-TTL results erratic as usual

- inferior in-camera jpeg quality (always shoot RAW is the way to go)

- no remote cable switch socket (not suitable for fireworks and inconvenience in using Bulb mode or night shootings)

- using rechargeable AA batteries add weight to the body,

- Battery incompatibility issues, Sanyo Eneloop is almost compatible but camera is faster when using Energiser disposable AA lithiums.

- QC issues (I found some K-m expose brighter and some dimmer, at least for 1/2 to 2/3 EV difference as I can see)

- kit lens image quality is just so-so, no lens hood for the kit lens bundled - hood difficult to find / expensive to buy.

- No LiveView and other newer functions which others are offering.

[soccerjoe5]

- inferior in-camera jpeg quality (always shoot RAW is the way to go)

The JPEGs are customizeable. Fix em to your liking and you should be fine.

- kit lens image quality is just so-so, no lens hood for the kit lens bundled - hood difficult to find / expensive to buy.

I can find a great lens hood for less than $10.

[RiceHigh]

The JPEGs are customizeable. Fix em to your liking and you should be fine.

Not really. I am not talking about the level of sharpening, but the amount of loss of the best setting jpeg by the in-camera jpeg engine and compression.

I can find a great lens hood for less than $10.

I also have those 52mm clip on type hood which I got with one from my 52mm thread 28mm Sigma lens. However, the problem is it is not bayonet hood as the original one and it has conflict with the lens cap and cannot be used independently.

[quickiekuchen]

Con:

-no DOF-preview, like her predecessor K1000

Pro:

-better AF-Technic than K200D

Pros:


Cons:


- kit lens image quality is just so-so, no lens hood for the kit lens bundled - hood difficult to find / expensive to buy.

That can be said of most brands kit lenses RH so I question your inclusion there.
Let's face it, the kit lens is only there so that the buyer can shoot 'right out of the box'.
Only a small percentage of people do the research and skip the kit lens.
The advantage of the kit lens is a) price point and b) it's an attractive 'throw in' that adds value should the owner sell the camera in the future.

[RiceHigh]

That can be said of most brands kit lenses RH so I question your inclusion there.
Let's face it, the kit lens is only there so that the buyer can shoot 'right out of the box'.
Only a small percentage of people do the research and skip the kit lens.
The advantage of the kit lens is a) price point and b) it's an attractive 'throw in' that adds value should the owner sell the camera in the future.

I do expect Pentax's kit lens is better than others', you know? ;-)

Seriously speaking, the SMC coating, flare resistance ability and color rendition of the Pentax kit lens does excel ! (The problem is only the sharpness and resolution - if you have the luck to get a good copy, the kit lens is indeed a very good lens!)

I do expect Pentax's kit lens is better than others', you know? ;-)

Seriously speaking, the SMC coating, flare resistance ability and color rendition of the Pentax kit lens does excel ! (The problem is only the sharpness and resolution - if you have the luck to get a good copy, the kit lens is indeed a very good lens!)

Well we all expect anything we get to be better but we are usually disappointed.

[simico]

Not really. I am not talking about the level of sharpening, but the amount of loss of the best setting jpeg by the in-camera jpeg engine and compression.

Nonsense. The "amount of loss" is not noticable.

[simico]

- Inaccurate flash metering, P-TTL results erratic as usual

I must have a bad copy then, because P-TTL results are fine. In fact, K-m + Metz 48 gives better results than Nikon D70 + SB800.

- using rechargeable AA batteries add weight to the body,

Is this serious?? Proprietary batteries also add weight to the body, I've yet to see any battery with 0g weight...

- Battery incompatibility issues, Sanyo Eneloop is almost compatible but camera is faster when using Energiser disposable AA lithiums.

Haven't noticed anything like that.

- kit lens image quality is just so-so, no lens hood for the kit lens bundled - hood difficult to find / expensive to buy.

Kit lens image quality is good.

[Quension]

I am not talking about the level of sharpening, but the amount of loss of the best setting jpeg by the in-camera jpeg engine and compression.

Nonsense. The "amount of loss" is not noticable.

I wouldn't use the term "loss" either, but I think what he's referring to is that the in-camera JPEG engine (particularly interpolation) does not seem to extract as much detail from the sensor data as some competitors. I don't think it matters for the OP, since he's comparing with a K10D.

- using rechargeable AA batteries add weight to the body,

Is this serious?? Proprietary batteries also add weight to the body, I've yet to see any battery with 0g weight...

Li-ion is significantly lighter than NiMH at the same volume, which is the most common type of proprietary battery and rechargeable AA respectively. If you get a chance, compare NiMH AAs with non-rechargeable lithium AAs to get a sense of the difference.

It's a pretty common argument in the AA vs proprietary debate surrounding cameras. I suspect in this case the K10D vs K-m body weight is more interesting, though.

[gnaztee]

I have the same setup your considering (K10D and K-m), so I'll list the differences that stand out to me between the two:

*I like the selectable AF points of the K10D when shooting on a tripod
*K-m is a good lightweight, throw in the bag with a couple of Ltds, walk around town camera
*K-m filter options are nice, but I don't use them much...however, I like the fact I can shoot in B+W and see the results right away, which I can't do with the K10D.
*K-m AF is a bit faster, but for the subjects you list, not sure there's a big difference
*I thought I'd really miss the 2-dial setup of the K10D, and dislike going into the menus of the K-m, but it's really not a problem...the WB and ISO buttons get me to the menus quickly.

Overall, I think they're a nice complement to each other

Todd

[lesmore49]

Thanks for the input...lot's of useful info. Got the KM and ther 18-55 kit lens this am. Boy is that KM body light compared to my K10D with battery grip...but perfect for a carry around.

To think I was going to get a Canon G10..till I checked the performance.

[GaryM]

Is this serious?? Proprietary batteries also add weight to the body, I've yet to see any battery with 0g weight...

I think what he's getting at is that the AA-powered Pentax bodies gain more weight from their power source (and therefore end up as heavier) than the competition - and that's fair to say, even though I'm one of those freaks who actually likes the AA option.

[Marc Sabatella]

I think what he's getting at is that the AA-powered Pentax bodies gain more weight from their power source (and therefore end up as heavier) than the competition - and that's fair to say, even though I'm one of those freaks who actually likes the AA option.

I hate proprietary batteries, and I have for literally decades. I've got a closet full of obsolete devices that would still work perfectly if they could be powered, but their batteries have long died and replacements are either not available at all or would cost more than the device is worth.

Anyhow, sure, if two cameras weigh the same empty, the one that takes AA's will usually be heavier in use than the one that takes a Li-Ion battery (unless it takes a huge, laptop-sized Li-Ion battery). But that's not the case comparing the K200D or K-m against the K10D or K20D - the bodies themselves weigh so much less that the heavier batteries can only close the gap a little. A fully loaded K200D or K-m still weighs less than a fully loaded K10D or K20D.