Product Description

The PENTAX K10D digital SLR features an array of PENTAX innovations including 10.2 effective megapixels and a PENTAX-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system that effectively offers a 2.5 to 4 stop advantage for sharp, blur-free images even under difficult shooting conditions, such as macro and telephoto photography or low light settings without a flash. Also featured is a newly developed Pentax Real IMage Engine (PRIME) designed exclusively for PENTAX digital SLR cameras to produce well-balanced, true-to-life images. PENTAX also incorporated a new high performance 22-bit A/D converter to quickly transfer images with accurate color tones and richer gradation from the CCD to the imaging engine. The new Dust Removal (DR) system incorporating PENTAX-original Special Protect (SP) coating helps keep the CCD surface dust-free, and adds a shift mechanism to shake dust off the CCD. All this is housed in a dependable dust-proof, weather-resistant body construction featuring 72 seals throughout the camera to allow photographers to continue shooting even in dusty or rainy environments.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29176 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Pentax
• Model: 19092
• Released on: 2006-11-18
• Dimensions: 2.70" h x 4.00" w x 5.60" l, 1.74 pounds
• Display size: 2.5

Features

• 10.2-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
• 2.5-inch LCD display; kit includes 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 lens
• In-camera Shake Reduction (SR) and Dust Reduction (DR) systems; dust-proof, weather-resistant body
• Continuous shooting at approximately three images per second
• Stores images on SD or SDHC memory cards; powered by lithium-ion battey D-LI50 (battery and charger included

From the Manufacturer
The Pentax K10D digital SLR camera features 10.2 effective megapixels and a host of advanced technologies including a Pentax-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system and a weather-resistant body. Designed to deliver high-quality digital images and responsive operation for advanced photo enthusiasts, the K10D features an array of Pentax innovations in image capture and camera functionality.

The most significant features in the K10D include:

• A Pentax-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system that effectively offers a 2.5 to 4 stop advantage for sharp, blur-free images even under difficult shooting conditions, such as macro and telephoto photography or low light settings without a flash.
• A newly-developed Pentax Real IMage Engine (PRIME) designed exclusively for Pentax digital SLR cameras to produce well-balanced, true-to-life images. In order to meet the performance requirement in handling 10-megapixel data, Pentax also incorporated a new high-performance 22 bit A/D converter to quickly transfer images with accurate color tones and richer gradation from the CCD to the imaging engine.
• A new Dust Removal (DR) system incorporating Pentax-original Special Protect (SP) coating to help keep the CCD surface dust-free, and a shift mechanism to shake dust off the CCD.
• A dependable dust-proof, weather-resistant body construction featuring 72 seals throughout the camera to allow photographers to continue shooting even in dusty or rainy environments.

High-quality image reproduction
The K10D features a large, high-performance 23.5mm x 15.7mm CCD with 10.2 effective megapixels as its image sensor, assuring the reproduction of true-to-life, rich-gradation images.

Pentax-original Shake Reduction mechanism for blur-free images
The K10D is equipped with the exclusive, Pentax-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system, which effectively reduces camera shake for sharp, blur-free images even under demanding shooting conditions, such as when using a telephoto lens, shooting in the dark or at night without supplementary flash illumination, or using extended exposures for sunset scenes. The SR mechanism is designed to minimize camera shake by oscillating the CCD image sensor vertically and horizontally at high speed using magnetic force, while adjusting the speed of oscillation in proportion to the amount of camera shake detected by built-in sensors. As a result, the system does not require special anti-shake lenses and can be used with more than 24 million Pentax lenses produced since 1964. (Lenses compatible with this mechanism are the Pentax K-, K_A-, K_AF-, and K_AF2-mount lenses; screw-mount lenses [with an adapter]; and 645- are 67-system lenses [with an adapter]. Some functions may not be applicable with certain lenses.)

Newly developed A/D converter for truthful image data conversion
The K10D incorporates a high-performance A/D converter, which faithfully converts the analog data collected by the CCD image sensor into digital data. With the highest resolving power (22 bits, or 4.2 million gradations) among all existing digital cameras, it offers a digital-conversion capacity 1,024 times greater than conventional 12-bit, 4,096-gradation A/D converters.

Newly designed PRIME imaging engine
The K10D incorporates the new PRIME (Pentax Real Image Engine) as its imaging engine. Designed exclusively for Pentax digital SLR cameras, this new imaging engine produces well-balanced, true-to-life images through efficient control of CCD signals, saturation, brightness, white balance, sharpness, and contrast. Its new memory (DDR2: Double Data Rate 2) also serves to enhance speedy image processing and high-speed data transfer.

Dust Removal system to help keep the CCD surface dust-free
The K10D features the new Dust Removal (DR) system to prevent dust from sticking to the surface of the CCD image sensor (or low-pass filter). Applied to the CCD surface through a vapor deposition process of a fluorine compound, the Pentax-original Special Protect (SP) coating effectively prevents dust and stains from adhering to the surface. In the next step, dust that still remains on the surface will be shaken off when the SR system shifts the CCD at high speed. The dust that is shaken off the CCD will fall onto an adhesive sheet positioned at the bottom of the SR unit, eliminating any possibility of its returning to the CCD surface.

Dust-proof, weather-resistant construction
The K10D boasts a reliable dust-proof, weather-resistant construction, with special seals applied to 72 different parts of the camera body, including the shutter release button and switches/levers/dials. This dependable body makes it possible to use the K10D in the rain or at dusty locations without worries. Pentax 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 lens
With newly developed, high-performance optics, this new lens measures only one inch (25 millimeters) in length and weighs a mere 4.9 ounces (140 grams). Mounted on a Pentax digital SLR camera body, the lens protrudes very little from the camera's front panel, making it an ideal choice for carry-everywhere, instantaneous snapshot photography.

Original exposure system for faithful reproduction of creative intentions

Hyper Program function:
The K10D's Hyper Program function allows the user to instantly switch to the Shutter-Priority AE (Tv) mode or Aperture-Priority AE (Av) mode from the Program AE mode, with a simple turn of the electronic dials on the grip (one on the front for index-finger control, and the other on the back for thumb control). To return to the Program AE mode, simply press the green button positioned next to the shutter-release button.

Hyper Manual function:
When shooting in the Metered Manual mode, a single push of the green button allows the user to instantly set the proper exposure for the subject.

Sensitivity-Priority mode:
The K10D features a new Sensitivity-Priority AE (Sv) mode, which is designed to automatically select the optimum combination of aperture and shutter speed for user-selected sensitivity. The sensitivity can be shifted instantly (in 1/2 or 1/3 steps) by turning the electronic dial. Since this mode eliminates the need to recall a menu screen for sensitivity changes, the photographer can react more quickly to changing photographic conditions.

Shutter and Aperture-Priority mode:
Another exposure mode offered by the K10D is Shutter and Aperture-Priority AE (TAv) mode, which is designed to automatically select the most appropriate sensitivity for a user-selected shutter-speed and aperture combination.

Bright, clear viewfinder
Featuring a glass pentaprism, the K10D's viewfinder offers a 96-percent field of view and a 0.95x magnification for easy viewing of the subject and effortless confirmation of focus and composition. Coupled with the acclaimed Natural-Bright-Matte II focusing screen, it delivers a large, bright subject image.

Auto sensitivity control up to ISO 1600
The K10D's auto sensitivity control function automatically sets the optimum sensitivity up to ISO 1600, based on such data as the subject's brightness level and the lens' focal length. Since this function allows the use of higher shutter speeds in poor lighting situations (such as indoor sports events and night scenes), it helps the photographer to effectively reduce camera shake and prevent blurred images. For specialized applications, the sensitivity can be set manually from ISO 100 to ISO 1600.

Continuous shooting at approximately three images per second
To trace the movement of an active subject or capture a sequence of the subject's expressions, the K10D offers a continuous shooting mode that allows the photographer to capture a series of images at a maximum speed of approximately three images per second. In the JPEG recording format, the user is allowed to take as many images in succession as wished, until the capacity of an SD memory card runs out, or in RAW mode up to 12 images at 3.0 frames per second (fps).

Reliable shutter unit
The K10D's shutter unit is designed to withstand nearly 100,000 releases, while assuring high-precision operation over the entire shutter-speed range--up to a top speed of 1/4000 second. It also features a flash synchronization speed of 1/180 second for more versatile flash photography.

11-point wide-frame AF
The K10D's sophisticated SAFOX VIII autofocus system features 11 sensor points (with nine cross-type sensors positioned in the middle) to automatically focus on the subject with utmost precision, even when it is positioned off center. The in-focus sensor point is automatically superimposed in red in the viewfinder for at-a-glance confirmation.

Extra-large, wide-view LCD monitor
The K10D incorporates an extra-large 2.5-inch color LCD monitor on its back panel. Its wide-view design allows the photographer to check the monitor image from 140 degrees both vertically and horizontally, ensuring effortless image viewing even from a diagonal position. With approximately 210,000 pixels, it also offers digital zooming of playback images up to 20 times for easy confirmation of the image's focusing status and details.

Powerful rechargeable batteries for extended shooting
The K10D features new, large-capacity lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, which can capture approximately 700 images (CIPA standard) when fully recharged.

Compatibility with supersonic motor-driven lenses
The K10D is designed to be compatible with supersonic motor-driven autofocus lenses (currently under development), which are expected to provide smoother, quieter autofocus operation than conventional lenses.

Additional features:

• Choice of 16-segment multi-pattern metering, center-weighted metering, and spot metering to accommodate various photographic applications
• High-rigidity stainless-steel chassis
• 32 custom functions to personalize camera operations
• Extended bracket function to capture three images of the same subject at different contrast, saturation, sharpness, or white-balance levels
• Compatibility with conventional SD memory cards and newly introduced SDHC memory cards
• Choice of two preview functions (digital/optical)
• Simultaneous recording of RAW and JPEG images
• Manual fine adjustment of white balance
• Day-by-day folders to simplify the arrangement and search of recorded images
• Six built-in digital filters (Black-and-white, Sepia, Slim, Soft, Brightness, and Color) for easy editing of recorded images

Customer Reviews

Top of a Star-Studded field!
It's a great time to be buying a 10 megapixel SLR, as all the top manufacturer's have new, 5-star models. So let's examine: What do we want most? Great photos, a well made camera, and features that will let us achieve our photographic goals. The K10D delivers.

All the top contenders will deliver excellent results that can be made into poster size prints with great color and detail. Although we can point so some shortcomings (like the poor performance of the Sony Alpha 100 at ISO 1600), image quality is something that is still in the eye of the beholder.

However, features are features, and the K10D has loads. The first thing you'll notice is the solid feel in your hands. It feels robust, and the shutter has been tested to 100,000 shots (same as Canon's bigger brother 30D). But to this, we add something else not found in any other camera in the class: weather-proofing. The body contains 72 seals to help keep dust, dirt and moisture on the outside (the optional grip has 38 seals).
When you put on the optional grip, it really does feel like a part of the camera, not a wiggly thing that might come off.

To get those great photos, the K10D has all the standard feature set, plus a few new ones (like "sensitivity" mode), which will come in hand for some people, but of more partical use to many will be the ability to define what "Auto ISO" range the camera can use. Want the camera to be able to use 1600? Done. Pentax's metering systems have always been well thought of, but you'll get center-weighted and spot metering as options, too. Their "digital preview" can be very handy in setting up the proper white balance.

The viewfinder is the largest in it's class (although the D80 is the smallest fraction behind). When viewing through it, you'll see the 11-point autofocus. What you don't see is that the nine central segments are "cross basis" points, meaning they focus on both vertical and horizontal lines. The other competitors simply have one, the center segment, that is cross-basis. This may not help it focus faster, but it should improve accuracy. Additionally, the focusing mode is easy to change. A switch up front allows you to select manual, single or continuous autofocusing, while a dial on back allows you to change from spot focus (only the center zone), wide (allows the camera to select) or free-floating (you select any of the eleven zones, and can change it quickly with the key-pad on the back of the camera).

The choice of the SD/SDHC cards is great. This small cards avoid the dreaded "bent pin" issue of the compact flash cards, and the SD are compatible with a hugh number of compact cameras as well. Another nice touch is the optional remote control. It can trigger the camera from the front AND from BEHIND the camera, and can store inside the optional grip. I also love the fact they included the .dng standard for RAW images, as this is an open standard developed by Adobe.

And there is one feature that Pentax now leads: Shake Reduction (or VR, or IS, or SteadyShot). First, like the Sony, the SR is built into the camera. So for a modest cost up front, ALL your lenses get some stabalization...even older manual focus lenses! And as a side benefit, you get a slight benefit in keeping the sensor clean. But what most people don't understand about Pentax SR system is that it is a THREE AXIS anti-shake system, something that no other maker offers. In-lens, or the Sony rail system, compensate for you shaking left/right & up/done. By combine these two, it compensates for diagonally, too. What they do not compentate is for "rotational" shake. Imagine a line running through the camera lens to the subject, rotating the camera around this axis. The Pentax SR system uses magnets and bearings to allow the sensor to free float compared to the body. Tremendous technology.

Pentax has been a bit light on their lens selection, but keep in mind that this uses every Pentax 35mm lens ever made, and 3 exciting new lenses that they recently announced (16-50 f2.8; 50-135 f2.8; and 60-250 f4.0, all weather sealed with ultrasonic motors) make them very competitive. For a first lens, the 18-55 is hard to beat. It's well made, featuring a metal lens mount, and the internal focusing allows for easier use of filters and a more efficient, included, lens hood.

Buy the Canon XTi, Nikon D80 or Sony Alpha 100, and you'll get a terrific camera. But for my money (yes, I did buy one), the Pentax K10D is the best.

very good camera !
A million words have been written about this thing, and this is not an attempt at a comprehensive review, so look above or on dpreview-com for complete info.

I looked at Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony DSLRs. The Sony makes sense if you already have a bag full of Minolta lenses, which I don't. Canon and Nikon put their image stabilization in the lens, which makes their 'good' lenses significantly more expensive. Canon EOS is not backward-compatible with their old FD lenses, of which I -do- have a bagful. Pentax is backward-compatible with all K-mount lenses made since the 1970s, and will even take 645 and 6x7 lenses, with adapters.

Sooo, I set out to ease into DSLR ownership with a K100D, then started reading the reviews, and it was a bunch of little things that made me want the K10D. The viewfinder has an actual prism, not a mirror cage like cheaper cameras, the displays are backlit, and the low-res mode (1800 x 1200px) is exactly what I want for certain applications. With 10 Mpx, I can point & shoot if I have to, and crop (somewhat) more later. And the controls are more 'classic' camera-like than the 'scene modes' on beginner cameras. Not to say this would be worth the price difference to everyone, but I bought the K10D, and the Pentax 12-24mm / 4.0 lens, and am very happy with both.

Digital cameras use less of the image projected by the lens, so your lenses are 'longer' than they would be on a film camera. Downside: for a 'journalist lens', had to buy the 12-24mm, which is equivalent of 18-36mm on a film camera. Upside: my old 50mm / 1.4 is now equivalent of that top-of-the-line portrait lens I never felt I could afford. Pentax plans to introduce in 2007 a 16-50mm / 2.8 and a 50-135mm / 2.8, which sound fantastic - but let's see what they cost before we get too excited. Meanwhile, Sigma, Tokina, and Tamron offer some very adequate alternatives.

Camera and lens together are pretty heavy, just like an older SLR, and the LED screen cannot be used as a live viewfinder - no image gets to the sensor while the mirror is down - so you have to hoist the camera to your eye to compose a shot. No problem, I'm used to it, and it's common to all DSLRs.

((My personal feeling is that the SLR platform is just about done. It's hard to see the need for the mirror box in a digital camera, which can use the actual sensor to compose the shot through the lens and display it on the back. Future top-end digital cams will probably be a lot flatter, like the old rangefinder cameras. Look at the Olympus E330 or Panasonic DMC-L1 to see what direction I think we should be headed.))

Having said, I am very happy with the Pentax K10D, it behaves as it's supposed to, and an affordable (barely) 12-24mm rectilinear lens was unthinkable just a few years ago. This camera has a ton and a half of features and capabilities, and I am still sorting them out. There is definitely a learning curve if you are to get the most out of the camera, but there are also two full program modes, including 'green zone', so you can start shooting right away with good results. Pictuers come out great. Colors, brightness, and contrast need almost no adjustment or photoshop-ing, which has not been true of any other digi-cam I have ever owned. Happy with this, until the next big thing comes along.

Innovative features rocket K10D to front ranks in prosumer DSLR race
The marriage of Pentax camera expertise, and Samsung's bottomless R&D war chest ("SamTax"), has spawned the great-leap-forward K10D DSLR that promises well-earned laudits for a camera maker inexorably squeezed by wealthier competitors. Pentax' first entry into the DSLR world (the oddly-named *istD), although a fine performer, failed to compete pricewise with comparable Canon or Nikon entries. The smaller and better market-positioned 6MP *istD-S (which I own) arrived too late to give the hugely successful Canon Rebel a serious run for its money; and Pentax eventually retrenched with cheaper penta-mirror products just to keep a foot in the US market (ironically, the digital Rebel series had cut costs from the start with a seldom-mentioned penta-mirror).

The tradeoff for any low cost DSLR, as against the costlier pro models, was the substitution of menu-driven operations for the latter's simpler and faster buttons and dials -- a maddeningly tedious and unintuitive cost-cutter, made all the more frustrating in bright light on small LCD displays. Even selecting the focus point (grid, spot or select) meant a trip through pages of menus, not aided at all by the infamous penchant for inscrutable abbreviations. In effect, the time lost in flipping the camera to scroll through on-screen menus all too often meant either photo opportunities lost, or just reverting to a digicam's one focus mode fits all. Moreover, adequate as 6MP might be for most, the megapixel race to 8 (then 10) MP sensors left Pentax bringing up the rear of the pack.

But no more! The K10D is an altogether different beast, a handsome sturdy 10MP workhorse, with enough racing blood to lead the current (Dec 2006) DSLR pack. I shan't repeat here the praise for its fine quality pictures, but instead focus on the more arcane issues that affect purchasing choice between 2 or 3 finalists such as sensor dust removal, image stabilization, solid glass pentaprism, and retrograde lens and accessory compatibility. The exposure mode dial now is all professional, with just a single intelligent automatic setting - gone are the smiley face and jogger icons - while adding a novel mode selection for ISO-sensitivity priority.

Pentax has tackled the bugaboo of dust attracted by the electrostatically charged CCD sensor -- a gotcha when changing DSLR lenses -- on 3 fronts: a new dust-repellant sensor coating; sensor vibration at startup (employing the sensor stabilization mechanism) to shake off dust; and -- a laudable first in the prosumer field -- a fully dust and splash sealed body that lets you take `clean' pictures in the desert as readily as in the rain forest [just don't change lenses in the open!].

Image Stabilization (IS) counteracts the problem of muscle tremors and pulsatile blood flow that destabilize the hand-held platform, by moving either a lens element or the camera sensor mount in the opposite direction -- allowing longer exposures (extra `stops') without incurring motion blur -- an impressive advantage when shooting fast action or in low light. There are two approaches to IS: In-the-lens IS (as used by Nikon and Canon) builds a gyroscopic element into the lens assembly, offering speed and specificity, but adding front-end weight, expense and complexity; the pro is that in-lens stabilization is fast and can be transferred to same-make camera bodies (with matching power contacts), the con is that you pay dearly for the IS mechanism each time you purchase a new lens. In-camera IS (as used in the K10D and Sony alpha), conversely, moves the sensor so as to counteract platform instability -- once you purchase the camera body, you'll always have IS, whatever lens is mounted. This makes for full backward compatibility so that you can attain IS with your older lenses. The con is that the sensor's counter-movement must be matched to the lens characteristics, thus is slightly slower than the in-lens system. The in-camera sensor-moving mechanism, moreover, performs double duty as a sensor-shaking dust removal feature. The K10D further refines IS by floating the sensor electromagnetically, adding rotational to linear stabilization. Oversimplifying: if you need to shoot sports, races, or wildlife for a living, go for the Canon/Nikon in-the-lens stabilization; if your requirements are less extreme, stick to in-camera stabilization for a wider choice of less-expensive lenses to expand your system.

On paper at least, the K10D's 22-bit A/D converter sounds attractive, but realize that even RAW images still remain at 12-bit depth; the claim of enhanced color rendition remains to be proven by benchmark testing. Contacts are in place to accommodate forthcoming lenses with hypersonic focusing motors, speeding autofocusing towards the Canon/Nikon range. Indeed, other than for slightly slower auto-focusing, PopPhoto benchmarking rates the K10D's resolution and image quality as Excellent, and noise from Very Low to Low at ISO 800-1600.

In sum: The Pentax K10D (and its GX-10 Samsung sibling) emerges as a company breakthrough, in that it offers outstanding image quality, very low digital noise, and image stabilization inside a dust & splash sealed body -- all that with some of the highest-rating metal-mount kit lenses around. The well illustrated manual too has benefited from the new regime. Unless you require ultra-fast auto-focus in low light, the slightly slower autofocusing should not deter you; better yet, new USM lenses are on the way. In-camera IS makes the K10D a windfall for Pentax lens owners; its innovative features are a challenge to the "big guys".

ADDENDUM: I stick by my original review of "Great Leap Forward", except (as I learned) for quality control over suppliers. About 2 1/2 years, and several thousand clicks later the K10D, in the midst of a shoot suddenly showed straight horizontal lines that - on 1:1 inspection - proved to be very dead pixels. Out of warranty, service diagnosed malfunctioning logic board; total cost for labor and parts etc came close to three C-notes. Offered to pay for labor, but felt defective electronics ought to be Pentax' responsibility. Rather than fooling around got a K20D instead.