Pentax K20D 14.6MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction (Body Only)

Very nice upgrade 2 K10d. Better detail in shadow areas. Great sharpness & texture 2 objects.

First, a quick disclaimer - I'm not a pro but probably fall into the serious amateur category after falling in love with my old Minolta Maxxum 7000 over 20 years ago. I'm the person behind the camera at all the parties & occassionally get the exceptional shot worthy of a few "oooh & ahhhs". I've also been holding out on buying anything more than a simple toss around digital until the cost & quality of dslr's were 2 my liking. As the price & quality of 10+ mp dslr's are now in the comfort range I decided 2 chuck the point & shoot junk I've been making do with & began shopping in earnest. After testing the Canon the speed seemed nice but I wasn't impressed so I narrowed it down 2 the Nikon 300 - it seemed 2 have everything I was searching 4 in a versatile camera. After adding decent quality lenses, storage, a few extras etc the price was going 2 come in at roughly $3,500 on sale...not bad but enough 2 make me take one last look around. On spur of the moment my better half said take a look at Pentax - they have been around forever & are known 4 making above average lens.

So, the K20D pops up with a 14+ mp on sale 4 $800 or 1/2 the Nikon...so far so good but I was a bit nervous about ordering it despite the good reviews. I spent the better part of the day researching the camera & decided 2 give it a shot [sorry - bad pun].

Ordered the K20D ($800), 8 gb card ($35), battery grip ($120), extra battery pack ($20), remote ($20) tripod ($18 on special), camera strap (free promo) & the 18-250 mm lense ($350). For $1350 I now have a very versatile camera 4 almost a 1/3 of the price of the Nikon....suffice 2 say based on price alone I'm one happy shopper.

Now, 4 the performance, look feel etc. The 14+ mp really make a difference - resolution is excellent & compares favorable 2 film. For the first time I don't feel like I'm missing anything major. This camera takes some beautiful shots even with my own limited testing.

The weight & feel are very nice - everything is ergonomically correct at least 4 my hands, intuitive access on all controls, solid & best of all - sealed! Screen size is adequte & I really appreciate the ability 2 set colors, font size & other adaptations 2 fit my needs. Diopter is also adjustable. The lens is reviewed apart but was a great all around choice - responsive & adequate although I intend 2 purchase additional dedicated/primary lens options soon. One thing I REALLY like about this Pentax is the backward compatibility - Pentax DSLR's allow the use of older Pentax lens so eBay & other options become a great way 2 find a quality lens at an affordable price. Since my old pricey Minolta lens' are no longer of any use that is a big bonus at least until Sony puts something decent on the market. In the meantime, this was a good starter lense [18-250 mm] that works well with the camera.

The menu & pre-sets are easy 2 use & versatile although I quickly found myself preferring manual - that is just a personal bias however. Preview was easy 2 use. There are a lot of negative mention regarding the Live screen option...having been playing with slr's 4 20+ years I've never used the screen 2 take photos with but tested it 4 a few minutes & found it easy enough 2 use - just not sensitive 2 take a quality photo. It is possible 2 zoom in the live preview mode (contrary 2 what a few have mentioned) but all in all - it's not a feature I use enough 2 make a valid statement about.

The only other "flaw" that makes the camera less than perfect is the 3fps - it is substantially slower than other DSLR's on the market. Since I rarely shoot sports or have need 4 speed - it isn't a major consideration 4 me however, I would have gone with the Nikon if it were. This camera is able 2 shoot rapid series of shots in low quality settings of up 2 21 fps - a fun little addition 4 playing around with but with a quality so low it isn't going 2 give more than email quality.

A few things I REALLY liked about the camera - other than price, resolutoin & intuitive design were several of the upgraded features. In addition 2 sealing both the camera & battery pack, the ability 2 take shots in raw & jpeg format at the same time is a great option. Likewise, this is fully compatible with adobe format so saves need 4 changing formats or fooling around with various options - just set on dual use & go. The battery pack with an extended memory card expand this 2 a considerable level. I was able 2 get about 750 pictures off just one battery using a flash part of the time & high resolution settings. The battery pack is very ergonomic, adds a battery back-up that is easy 2 switch & also allows storage 4 an additional card & remote control. When fully charged I expect 2 put at least 1500 photos on the card & battery before changing out - easily.

The camera comes with battery & charger, inexpensive camera strap - neigther were mentioned when I was buying so I ordered a battery charger that had 2 return.

One additional note - in addition 2 10% off the price of a decent/versatile lens - be sure 2 register before the end of the year. Pentax is offeringa FREE upgrade 2 3 year warranty on this purhcase!!! That beats all others hands-down. In addition 2 the pentax 18-250 mm lens, I also purchased the Tamron 90 mm macro which has a $90 rebate AND 6 year warranty right now. Good stuff! Good deals - even if Amazon has lowered the price $35 since I bought this a week ago [argh] & offers a free camera case that I missed [double argh]. Still very pleased.


Will try 2 review again after having owned/used but so far REALLY pleased with price, performance & resolution of the camera.

I'm a Wildlife Photographer. This is a great Camera. A little too good 4 the standard Pentax lenses. The resolution that the Camera supports is wasted on the optics of standard lenses. If you buy this camera, spend the extra 3 or 4 hundred dollars 4 the Pentax SMC DA* Series 16-50mm f/2.8 ED AL IF SDM, or the Pentax SMC DA* Series 50-135mm f/2.8 ED IF SDM lenses. The standard lenses are great 4 the K20d's predecessor, the K10D, but not the K20D. If you want 2 get the most from the K20D, a very Sharp lens will take full advantage of the resolution it supports. I have an older Pentax 100mm Macro lens that is allot clearer than the Package lenses that are normally sold with the K20D. Regardless of the lens you use on the K20D, make sure you take advantage of the Camera's AF (Auto Focus) adjustment 2 fine tune each lens with the camera. I have several lenses so I keep a note pad with the camera lenses with the correct AF adjustment setting 4 each lens. I was able 2 tweak a little more sharpness from the 2 standard lenses I bought, but they still aren't as sharp as the above 3 lenses.
I've shot over 3,000 pics from the Camera in just 1 month so far, & I'm ecstatic about the Camera's capabilities. Make sure you buy a SD card with enough space 2 meet your' requirements. I bought 2 Transcend 16GB SD cards, & I am so Glad I did. I love the large LCD on the camera, 2 review my pictures.
The only cons I can see on this camera are; The LCD Viewer works poorly in outdoor lighting situations, even with the brightness at max. You need 2 find a well shaded spot 2 review your pics. Not a huge inconvenience 4 me, considering the camera's other advantages. Buy an extra battery too. I have 3 batteries total, since I am away from recharging sources 4 days at a time.
If you're a Portrait Photographer, you'll like the camera's Bundled "Remote Assistant" Software that allows you 2 see your image on a Monitor as you shoot your pictures.

The Camera I have been waiting years for. I digital SLR that rivals 35mm quality. It works as it is suppose 2 & got here intact in a timely manner.

Old pentax 35mm slr workhorse user here. (with a ton of glass) When digital started I had the "state of the art" Nikon coolpix P&S that was... well... quick snapshots. Graduated 2 an Olympus c8080 & that was decent. Then *finally* Pentax came back on the scene. Finally get a chance 2 get the old lenses out of storage. And Pentax glass rocks!

One gripe tho... had 2 drill a hole the lens cap & attach some fishing line so I could just take it off & let it hang. Royal pain 2 have 2 figure out what 2 do with it when you want 2 take a quick shot. Shame on you Pentax! ;)

The PENTAX K20D digital SLR offers advanced photo enthusiasts an array of exciting PENTAX innovations. The newly developed CMOS image sensor brings out optimum performance of PENTAX interchangeable lenses. Featuring 14.6 effective megapixels (highest in its class) & the latest noise-reduction technology, the sensor assures superb image quality. This SLR will make you feel in control with its Live View function that allows the photographer 2 see the image on the camera's back panel LCD monitor while shooting. Customizable features ideal 4 shooters who demand complete control include the Expanded Dynamic Range function that allows users 2 gain more contrast/detail in bright settings & a new Custom Image function 2 select/adjust finishing touches 2 an image. Weather & dust resistant body allows you 2 keep shooting even in harsh conditions; Dust Reduction & Dust Alert features eliminate the need of time retouching Advanced 16-segment metering & 11-point AF, with 9 cross sensors, ensure perfectly exposed & focused images Unique exposure modes, such as hyper-program, Sv & TAv, offer shooting versatility Retractable P-TTL popup ElectronicFlash; Guide number - 13 (100/m); Coverage - 28mm wide angle (equivalent 2 35mm) Flash modes - on, redeye, slow sync, slow sync + redeye, trailing curtain sync, wireless; Flash exposure compensation - -2 2 +1 EV in 1/2 steps / Hot Shoe 4 adding optional external-flash USB 2.0 hi-speed, video out, DC input, cable switch, X-Sync socket; Video out - NTSC, PAL; Printer interfaces - PictBridge Body dimensions (W x H x D) - 5.6 x 4.0 x 2.76?; Body weight (without battery or removable memory) - 25.2 oz; Loaded & ready - 28.2 oz Uses & includes Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery D-LI50 (39581) with Charger