ist D or ist Ds

snkenai · 04-08-2009, 07:46 PM

I am looking at both and wonder which is prefered. Neither have been used very much.

Thanks

Steve N

RiceHigh · 04-08-2009, 08:33 PM

Originally posted by snkenai

I am looking at both and wonder which is prefered. Neither have been used very much.

Thanks

Steve N

If you have to choose one between the two. I have no hesitation to recommend the DS, which I had been using for long, which replaced my *ist D which I had also been used for taking many photos.

*ist DS has better image quality over the D afterall, in particular the colour rendition. For the jpegs, they both produce very soft ones.

jeffkrol · 04-08-2009, 08:46 PM

Originally posted by snkenai

I am looking at both and wonder which is prefered. Neither have been used very much.

Thanks

Steve N

There both pretty similar. The D has a few features that were left out of the DS..
D has a PC sync socket for studio type flashes and the double wheels for adjusting ap and speed.
I use a k200D and still miss the 2 wheels on the D.
Ds had some speed improvements in file processing (D is quite slow in modern standards).
The D has a strong AA filter making it relatively moire free but images appear soft till you sharpen them and then they truely shine... I still love the image quality of the D as compared to the k200d but it is new and used at work so I have less familiarity with it...
The D is a very simple camera to operate.....

jots · 04-08-2009, 08:50 PM

I picked the DS due to the use of SD cards. Further DS is the newer generation product compared to D. I have 2 DS bodies and have no regrets.

snkenai · 04-08-2009, 09:49 PM

Thanks for the come back. I know the decision is mine, but to hear others' experiences sometimes gives better foundation for thought.

Thank you all again,

Steve N

aweir · 04-08-2009, 10:04 PM

I have the ist DS and let me tell you it's a great little gem, very ergonomic and comfortable. Then I bought a K20D, which just seems slightly bulky in comparison--but that's besides the point.

If you like using AA lithium batteries then it is a good choice, no need to worry about having to charge them.

Have a look here: *ist DS vs. *ist D - Photo.net Pentax Forum

WerTicus · 04-09-2009, 12:53 AM

what about the DL?

quickiekuchen · 04-09-2009, 02:42 AM

DL is very good, too. But there are no AF-Points in the viewfinder and less AF-metering fields. The Penta-mirror-viewfinder is very good, too.

If you like DL, get an *ist DL2. But I don´t know, whether she was selled in the United States. It´s a japanese model, which Pentax later decided to sell it in Europe, too. So, I got one, for friendly 399,00EUR at Amazon.de.

If you like manual Focusing, *ist DS/DS2 is not needed.

Marc Sabatella · 04-09-2009, 01:08 PM

Originally posted by WerTicus

what about the DL?

At this point, probably the only model with *nothing* to recommend it. It's a K100D without SR, or a DS without the nice pentaprism viewfinder, and no advantages over either. Oh, K110D is similarly a camera without a reason, too.

**Lowell Goudge** · 04-09-2009, 01:38 PM

the only thing you need to consider, as far as I am concerned in going for a 6 MP body at this point in time is insuring you get one with TTL flash.

I know the D and Ds both support it, but I am not so sure about the DL.

None of the other bodies support it, that is clear.

My view is the D is the best body, i.e. same interface as K10D and K20D, dual wheels green button etc. but it is sllloooowwww

forensicscientist · 04-09-2009, 01:54 PM

Tough choice, but either the D or DS are really nice cameras. I have both. As already mentioned, they both support ttl flash....something I really like. I tried the DL2 for a while....(actually it was the samsung version gx-1L) and just didn't like the p-ttl flash. Seems the pre-flash always resulted in one of my kids eyes being closed in the image. Thus, it was short lived in my bag.

As mention, the D is a bit sloooowww

but unless you like to fire off several frames in rapid succession, you learn to adapt. With upgraded firmware, you can use 4GB cards. I even have a sd/cf adapter and can use my sdhc memory cards.

They do fit differently in your right hand too....the D is a bit more rounded where as the DS has a slightly sharper edge to it. (is that a good way to describe it?)

Anyways, both will give you nice images, and are lots of fun to use.

Best of luck.

-mark

snkenai · 04-09-2009, 04:30 PM

Thanks everyone for your input, it boils down to which one I can get the better deal. Though I think I'm leaning more to the "D". Speed is not very important to me. I do mostly landscape/wildlife.

Steve N

trd300gt · 04-10-2009, 03:59 PM

Hi, I had both the D and the DS.

Like others said, the DS is faster at writing...noticeably faster, especially when shooting continuous.

The D has a lot more buttons and dials, which is nice, especially metering mode and AF point. The DS requires going into the main menu to do so.

The DS does external flash compensation within the body, while the D cannot.

One final annoying thing about the D is setting ISO. On the DS, you just use the Fn button, but for the D, you have to turn the mode dial to ISO, change the ISO, then switch back to the right exposure mode.

The D and DS have different grip shapes, with the DS having a bigger grip; I know some reviewers complained about the grip on the D, but I thought it was fine and kind of felt more "retro".

I felt the image quality was pretty similar in both cameras.

Hope this helps.

aesch · 04-18-2009, 05:44 PM

Steve,
This may be too late to help you. If so, let us know what you did and whether you're happy with your choice.
I chose the DS. Primary motivator was that is was a 'new' camera and came with the Pentax warranty. It was actually a demo, purchased from Ritz/Wolfe. Anyway, needed the warranty service as the manual focus was 'off' - Pentax honored the warranty and fixed it no charge. I was actually looking for a DS2 (better LCD screen) but the DS with the warranty became a deal.
I wanted the prism finder vs the mirror thing for manual focus. I'm still considering getting a split image/microprism screen - haven't done it yet.
Camera was not purchased with the intent to be a walk around camera - I have a Panasonic TZ-1 that fills that need quite well (for me). I needed something to digitize some old 35mm slides. Couple with an old M42 bellows and M42 Takumar 105/2.8 (from old Spotmatic days) and go to it. Worked pretty well once I worked through dust issues, focusing issues, lighting issues, opal glass issues. A story in itself. To date, I've done 2000+ slides with varying degrees of success.
I'm beginning to really enjoy the camera. Putting different lenses on it (old M42 stuff) is a lot of fun. So far I've tried a drawer full of old Pentax stuff, plus an old Meyer 180/3.5 and a Carl Zeiss 50/3.5. Most fun was an old Takumar 50/1.4 - which prompted me to buy a Pentax-A 50/1.4 - should arrive this week. My conclusion is that the old lenses are still good lenses, but clumsy to use. The DA kit lenses are fine, but lack in aperture. The DA 18-55 is 3.5-5.6, and the DA 50-200 I bought is only 4-5.6 - kinda small and light. The DA 50-200 is almost unusable at the 200 focal length due to camera shake. My Meyer 180/3.5 is much more massive and gives less camera jiggle - handheld at 1/60 works.
Regrets? I suspect I'm going start using the DS as my walk around camera, and am going to miss the SR feature on my TZ-1 and some of the newer Pentax DSLRs. I just may have to upgrade in the future.
Enough for now!

res3567 · 04-18-2009, 08:19 PM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

the only thing you need to consider, as far as I am concerned in going for a 6 MP body at this point in time is insuring you get one with TTL flash.

I know the D and Ds both support it, but I am not so sure about the DL.

None of the other bodies support it, that is clear.

My view is the D is the best body, i.e. same interface as K10D and K20D, dual wheels green button etc. but it is sllloooowwww

How slow and in what way?

04-08-2009, 07:46 PM	#1
snkenai Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 113	ist D or ist Ds I am looking at both and wonder which is prefered. Neither have been used very much. Thanks Steve N

04-08-2009, 08:33 PM	#2
RiceHigh Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,934	DS Originally posted by snkenai I am looking at both and wonder which is prefered. Neither have been used very much. Thanks Steve N If you have to choose one between the two. I have no hesitation to recommend the DS, which I had been using for long, which replaced my ist D which I had also been used for taking many photos. ist DS has better image quality over the D afterall, in particular the colour rendition. For the jpegs, they both produce very soft ones.

04-09-2009, 01:54 PM	#11
forensicscientist Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: DFW Texas and Michigan - I commute :) Posts: 1,012	either one...you can't go wrong. Tough choice, but either the D or DS are really nice cameras. I have both. As already mentioned, they both support ttl flash....something I really like. I tried the DL2 for a while....(actually it was the samsung version gx-1L) and just didn't like the p-ttl flash. Seems the pre-flash always resulted in one of my kids eyes being closed in the image. Thus, it was short lived in my bag. As mention, the D is a bit sloooowww but unless you like to fire off several frames in rapid succession, you learn to adapt. With upgraded firmware, you can use 4GB cards. I even have a sd/cf adapter and can use my sdhc memory cards. They do fit differently in your right hand too....the D is a bit more rounded where as the DS has a slightly sharper edge to it. (is that a good way to describe it?) Anyways, both will give you nice images, and are lots of fun to use. Best of luck. -mark

04-18-2009, 05:44 PM	#14
aesch Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: SE Connecticut Posts: 38	D or DS Steve, This may be too late to help you. If so, let us know what you did and whether you're happy with your choice. I chose the DS. Primary motivator was that is was a 'new' camera and came with the Pentax warranty. It was actually a demo, purchased from Ritz/Wolfe. Anyway, needed the warranty service as the manual focus was 'off' - Pentax honored the warranty and fixed it no charge. I was actually looking for a DS2 (better LCD screen) but the DS with the warranty became a deal. I wanted the prism finder vs the mirror thing for manual focus. I'm still considering getting a split image/microprism screen - haven't done it yet. Camera was not purchased with the intent to be a walk around camera - I have a Panasonic TZ-1 that fills that need quite well (for me). I needed something to digitize some old 35mm slides. Couple with an old M42 bellows and M42 Takumar 105/2.8 (from old Spotmatic days) and go to it. Worked pretty well once I worked through dust issues, focusing issues, lighting issues, opal glass issues. A story in itself. To date, I've done 2000+ slides with varying degrees of success. I'm beginning to really enjoy the camera. Putting different lenses on it (old M42 stuff) is a lot of fun. So far I've tried a drawer full of old Pentax stuff, plus an old Meyer 180/3.5 and a Carl Zeiss 50/3.5. Most fun was an old Takumar 50/1.4 - which prompted me to buy a Pentax-A 50/1.4 - should arrive this week. My conclusion is that the old lenses are still good lenses, but clumsy to use. The DA kit lenses are fine, but lack in aperture. The DA 18-55 is 3.5-5.6, and the DA 50-200 I bought is only 4-5.6 - kinda small and light. The DA 50-200 is almost unusable at the 200 focal length due to camera shake. My Meyer 180/3.5 is much more massive and gives less camera jiggle - handheld at 1/60 works. Regrets? I suspect I'm going start using the DS as my walk around camera, and am going to miss the SR feature on my TZ-1 and some of the newer Pentax DSLRs. I just may have to upgrade in the future. Enough for now!

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04-08-2009, 08:46 PM	#3
jeffkrol Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,434	Originally posted by snkenai I am looking at both and wonder which is prefered. Neither have been used very much. Thanks Steve N There both pretty similar. The D has a few features that were left out of the DS.. D has a PC sync socket for studio type flashes and the double wheels for adjusting ap and speed. I use a k200D and still miss the 2 wheels on the D. Ds had some speed improvements in file processing (D is quite slow in modern standards). The D has a strong AA filter making it relatively moire free but images appear soft till you sharpen them and then they truely shine... I still love the image quality of the D as compared to the k200d but it is new and used at work so I have less familiarity with it... The D is a very simple camera to operate.....

04-08-2009, 08:50 PM	#4
jots Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Hayward, California Posts: 40	I picked the DS due to the use of SD cards. Further DS is the newer generation product compared to D. I have 2 DS bodies and have no regrets.

04-08-2009, 09:49 PM	#5
snkenai Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 113 Original Poster	Thanks for the come back. I know the decision is mine, but to hear others' experiences sometimes gives better foundation for thought. Thank you all again, Steve N

04-08-2009, 10:04 PM	#6
aweir Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 58	I have the ist DS and let me tell you it's a great little gem, very ergonomic and comfortable. Then I bought a K20D, which just seems slightly bulky in comparison--but that's besides the point. If you like using AA lithium batteries then it is a good choice, no need to worry about having to charge them. Have a look here: ist DS vs. ist D - Photo.net Pentax Forum

04-09-2009, 12:53 AM	#7
WerTicus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Perth Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,514	what about the DL?

04-09-2009, 02:42 AM	#8
quickiekuchen Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Bad Berka, Thuringia, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 48	DL is very good, too. But there are no AF-Points in the viewfinder and less AF-metering fields. The Penta-mirror-viewfinder is very good, too. If you like DL, get an ist DL2. But I don´t know, whether she was selled in the United States. It´s a japanese model, which Pentax later decided to sell it in Europe, too. So, I got one, for friendly 399,00EUR at Amazon.de. If you like manual Focusing, ist DS/DS2 is not needed.

04-09-2009, 01:08 PM	#9
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by WerTicus what about the DL? At this point, probably the only model with nothing to recommend it. It's a K100D without SR, or a DS without the nice pentaprism viewfinder, and no advantages over either. Oh, K110D is similarly a camera without a reason, too.

04-09-2009, 01:38 PM	#10
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	the only thing you need to consider, as far as I am concerned in going for a 6 MP body at this point in time is insuring you get one with TTL flash. I know the D and Ds both support it, but I am not so sure about the DL. None of the other bodies support it, that is clear. My view is the D is the best body, i.e. same interface as K10D and K20D, dual wheels green button etc. but it is sllloooowwww

04-09-2009, 04:30 PM	#12
snkenai Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 113 Original Poster	Thanks everyone for your input, it boils down to which one I can get the better deal. Though I think I'm leaning more to the "D". Speed is not very important to me. I do mostly landscape/wildlife. Steve N

04-10-2009, 03:59 PM	#13
trd300gt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Tustin, CA Posts: 206	Hi, I had both the D and the DS. Like others said, the DS is faster at writing...noticeably faster, especially when shooting continuous. The D has a lot more buttons and dials, which is nice, especially metering mode and AF point. The DS requires going into the main menu to do so. The DS does external flash compensation within the body, while the D cannot. One final annoying thing about the D is setting ISO. On the DS, you just use the Fn button, but for the D, you have to turn the mode dial to ISO, change the ISO, then switch back to the right exposure mode. The D and DS have different grip shapes, with the DS having a bigger grip; I know some reviewers complained about the grip on the D, but I thought it was fine and kind of felt more "retro". I felt the image quality was pretty similar in both cameras. Hope this helps.

04-18-2009, 08:19 PM	#15
res3567 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Houston Tx. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,876	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge the only thing you need to consider, as far as I am concerned in going for a 6 MP body at this point in time is insuring you get one with TTL flash. I know the D and Ds both support it, but I am not so sure about the DL. None of the other bodies support it, that is clear. My view is the D is the best body, i.e. same interface as K10D and K20D, dual wheels green button etc. but it is sllloooowwww How slow and in what way?