Pentax K200D Review
Review Date: July 3rd 2008
Author: Mark Goldstein
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Conclusion
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Ratings
(out of 5) |
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| Design | 4.5 |
| Features | 4.5 |
| Ease-of-Use | 5 |
| Image Quality | 4.5 |
| Value for Money | 4 |
At first glance the Pentax K200D simply looks like an incremental upgrade of the K100D Super, with relatively few additions on offer apart from the 10 megapixel resolution (up from 6 megapixels) and a couple of new buttons. Thankfully Pentax have also made a substantial number of improvements under the hood that help improve on what was already an excellent camera, borrowing both the sensor and other features from the K10D. The new Sv shooting mode, greatly-improved battery life, digital effects during playback including RAW development, and dust and water-resistant weatherproof sealing are all extremely welcome at this price-point, and there are more nice touches too numerous to mention. The only significant missing feature for some people will be the lack of a Live View mode.
Just like the Pentax K100D Super, the K200D ticks very nearly all of the boxes for those wanting an easy to use DSLR that delivers images you'll want to keep straight out of the camera, and with the minimum of user input and effort to boot. The Pentax K200D produces images of excellent quality, with noise-free images at ISO 100 all the way up to ISO 800, very little purple-fringing, accurate colours and a useful built-in flash and Bulb exposure mode. Only the noise levels at ISO 1600 and the lack of a faster 3200 setting mark the K200D out as an entry-level model. If you don't require fantastic image quality at high ISO speeds, then the K200D certainly holds its own against the competition in terms of image quality.
It also feels built to last, with a much more rugged design than its main competitors, so if you're looking to get into digital SLR photography and are not already allied to a particular system, the Pentax K200D is a great place to start. Only the rather drastic price-hike prevents us from awarding the K200D our highest rating. With a recommended retail price of �579.99 / $799.95, the K200D is a lot more expensive than its predecessor at launch. Thankfully street prices are more reasonable, currently around �450 / $600, so the Pentax K200D is still an excellent proposition if you can find one at the right price.
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