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| Pentax K100D Super 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Shake Reduction (Body Only) |
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| Manufacturer: Pentax |
| Customer Rating: |
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| List Price: $519.95 |
| Sale Price: $644.50 |
| Availibility: Usually ships in 4-5 business days |
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| Buy Now |
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Product Description |
| CL) PENT K100D SUPER DSLR BODY ONLY |
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Product Details |
- 6.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
- 2.5-inch LCD display; bright, clear penta-mirror viewfinder with 96% field of view
- Dust-removal system keeps CCD dust free
- 11-point wide-frame AF; auto sensitivity control up to ISO equivalent of 3200
- Powered by 2 CR-V3 lithium batteries or 4 AA-size batteries (4 alkaline batteries included); stores images on SD memory cards (not included)
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Video Reviews |
 No video reviews found for this product.
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Customer Reviews |
 Amazing Camera, very happy with purchase |
| Review Date: October 10, 2007 |
| Reviewer: kdkns, |
First off I'm an amateur photographer and just started getting back into photography. I started with a digital camera with manual controls, other lenes, etc... and then moved off to a simple point and shoot camera. This is the first SLR type camera that I have owned and the difference is huge between quality of photos and being able to take certain shots ( Arguable, but manual controls and different lenses on SLR do help )
Physical:
The body feels very solid and has a good weight. It doesn't feel like a plastic toy and feels like a very sold build quality. Even the flaps for batteries and SD Memory Card are very well made.
Button placement at first feels odd but once you've learned the menu system and how to use them it works well.
The kit lenses works very well in most situations. The only time you may want to use a different lens is in indoors with poor/dim lighting. It also feels as solid as the camera body and the manual focus/zoom wheels all turn smoothly and stay put when set.
Using the Camera:
At first like most things there is a learning curve but you can be up and taking photos as soon as the batteries are in and putting it on AUTO PICT mode. Before I purchased the camera I had read complaints on how the menu's wording of items was a bit strange, but honestly they are not hard to figure out and it is spelled out in the manual as to what they are. In fact it's easer just to go ahead and click it and see what it does. There are few of these in the menu but everything else is very clear.
Taking photos is easy and similar to any other digital camera. Depending on the mode you are in you can adjust Exposure/Shutter Speed/Aper/ISO/etc...
Another large complaint against the camera is the burst mode only allows you to take no more than 5 JPEGS ( Highest Quality ) or 3 RAW images before slowing down significantly. This is true, however, depending on your needs this may not matter. If you need to be able to take more than 5 shots at a time then you may want to look at another camera. I took a risk and found that it more than meets my needs.l I was able to take multiple shots of pets/bees/etc just fine with 5 high quality photos or 3 RAW images without any problems.
The viewfinder contains information that is listed on the top LCD and can also be viewed on the LCD on the back of the camera. All very easy to read and see once you understand where each item is placed.
Quality of Photos
Excellent. That's it. One exception though is in the AUTO PICT mode. It works well but I found that you get better photos in either the P ( Program Mode ) or by going to SCENE mode and picking out a scene type like pets, sunset, etc...
Other issues
Everything about the camera has far exceeded my expectations and all my photos have very crisp, sharp detail and color. To help shoot indoors I purchased the Pentax 50mm f1.4 lenses which is around $200 at the time of this writing. Excellent lens which makes indoor/low light photography/fast action shots a breeze. It will allow you to take more light in which will allow you to shoot at a faster shutter speed ( The faster the shutter speed -> less light into camera -> darker photo ). I highly recommend purchasing this lens if you plan on doing portraits or indoor photos with low lighting.
Summary:
Pros:
Excellent photos, build quality, easy to use controls, can be used by beginner to advanced. Remember, no matter how great the camera, the person still should know some photography basics like how to set exposure, this will help anyone get great shots from any camera.
Cons:
Burst mode only allows 5 Jpegs or 3 RAW, but may depend on person if this matters.
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Makes Photography Fun Again
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| Review Date: September 27, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Chuck M., |
I grew up using the Pentax K1000 film cameras, so it was natural for me to move up to the Pentax K100D SLR Digital cameras. I bought the K100D Super, and it is truly .... "Super"!!!
Not only does it accept all my old K series lenses from my old film camera (saving me thousands of dollars), but it's easy to use. No sooner do you pull this out of the box do you immediately begin to realize how it works. The settings are intutitive, and photos are professional-grade.
I was considering it's older brother, the K10, but I feel I've made the right choice. The learning curve on the K10 would have been too steep for me. I am halfway between a pro and an amatuer, and this camera suits my skill level perfectly.
This camera makes photography fun again!
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Pentax: Always the Best!
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| Review Date: January 16, 2008 |
| Reviewer: J Anthony, San Francisco, CA United States |
If you're an avid photographer (which means you love to take photos) or you're new to digital SLRs and you're ready to make the move to a digital SLR, then the Pentax K100D Super is a top choice.
For those use to operating a typical 35mm film SLR, the switch to digital is fairly easy. I've been a Pentax guy for over 20 years: the old K1000 being one of my favorite standard SLRs, along with the newer ZX50. If you're not use to using a typical SLR and have been using any of the simple point-and-shoot digital cameras out there, don't worry, trust yourself, you can adapt and it can be really exhilarating. Using an SLR, whether 35mm or digital, offers so much more when taking pictures.
You may be one of those who are debating with yourself: Pentax, Canon or Nikon? Then you find yourself reading too many publication reviews (and more, like posts here on Amazon) and you lean one way, then the next, and finally start getting crazy. Pure & simple, all three manufacturers make excellent cameras: including digital SLRs! I think anyone who is involved with photography will agree. However, I've used Canon's & Nikons, and Pentax has always ended up being my #1 choice.
When looking for a camera, I feel your #1 consideration should be: how much photography do you do? If you're like me; a traveler, a hobbyist, and find yourself shooting a lot of photos then you're more apt to invest in a good camera. The #2 consideration is cost. Without a doubt, the Pentax K100D Super results in one of the best Digital SLRs out there for the money; a fact all publication reviews, that I respect, agree on.
Many publication reviews often compare the K100D Super to the Nikon & Cannon, and one of the most consistent factors noted is while Canon & Nikon digitals are sporting 10 megapixels, the K100D Super only has 6.5 megapixel. I say, what ever. The reality is, that 10 megapixels can be a concern if you're trying to print pictures the size of posters, and quite simply most people aren't. The reality is most folks will print normal size photos, and even up to 8.5x11 or slightly larger. The Pentax shoots in RAW & JPEG, the RAW features allows for manipulation, using any descent photo software, to larger sizes photos including 15x17.5
I've used my K100D Super on a recent trip to Point Reyes State Park, here in the Bay Area. I was sure to shoot photos of sand on the beach: personal and really up close to see individual grains of sand. I took photos of the oysters we had, reflections of drift wood on still salt water ponds, a jelly fish (some 30 feet away), the crashing waves, any possible deviation of shots I could think of, and I was purely amazed at the K100D Super's performance & quality! I used both the Auto setting and then played with the other settings.
While there are many great features on the Pentax, and easy read up is available on-line, let me highlight those I would note to support my recommendation:
Cost: This camera is the best value & cost for a camera of this quality. Again, this is stated time and time again in publication & on-line reviews.
Body: The body of the K100D Super is solid! It's a great combination of polycarbonate & stainless steel housing. It's not the cheapo plastic like other cameras.
Anti-shake: This alone, is one serious note to consider. Pentax puts their anti-shake in the camera body, unlike Nikon & Canon who put it in their lenses, thus one reason why Canon & Nikon lens cost more in the long run. Now, seeing the error in their ways, I've read Nikon & Canon are racing like mad dogs to fall in line with Pentax's lead.
Pentax Lenses: Any Pentax lens ever made will work on the K100D Super. This is where Pentax has shined for years. Those of us with older lenses can just pop them right onto the K100D Super's body (in fact, most Pentax SLR cameras allow for this). If you go to a garage sale or flea market and find a great old Pentax lens, it's will fit the K100D Super. And since this is the case, all Pentax lenses benefit from the anti-shake in the camera. Better yet, digital lenses are different than film lenses. Film lenses are superior in many ways to digital lenses. Using an older Pentax film lens on the digital body enhances the quality of the photo, an added benefit to the Pentax crowd.
And, the K100D Super is already set to accept the newest generation of Pentax lenses (SDM lenses) coming out this year.
Dust Removal System: The Pentax has an internal anti-dust shake device that removes any dust that may be present.
Auto/Manual: Auto Picture Mode, Scene Modes & Manual. You can easily go between using the Auto mode of the camera or fall back on your own experience of doing things manually using the AV, TV, Manual and so on.
Memory Card: the K100D Super uses SD Cards, but typical Pentax (thinking ahead), the camera will also accept the newer SDHC cards.
Batteries: There are several batteries the camera can utilize: rechargeable, Lithium & standard AA+. This is a benefit as you're not limited to one manufacturer's battery.
I took this camera out of the box, DID NOT READ ANYTHING - LITERALLY, put in the batteries, put in an SD Card, turned it on, set the date, turned it off and walked out the door to Point Reyes. Then, I turned it on and starting shooting pictures. It was that easy (and yes, I plan to read the manual). I wish Amazon let you post photos on a review.
This is a solid pick for me and others. Hope this helps. |
Perfect for the Beginner
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| Review Date: October 26, 2007 |
| Reviewer: V. Moore, Hawaii |
I have never had a camera where you had the ability to change lenses, I can hardly stand the wait for my telephoto to get here. My Brother who is a super photographer recommended this camera to me, and on the very first hour I was shooting pictures with it. So beginner, or advanced you will love this Digital SLR Camera.
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best for its class considering the price
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| Review Date: January 7, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Adri Febrianto, Jakarta, Indonesia |
I just recently made my jump to the DSLR camera after around five years being a pocket digicam user. My first digital camera was a very compact one megapixel, and then I changed it to the more megapixel count digicam which was Fuji 3.2 megs. Getting interested in using manual exposure made me ditch that and bought the Pentax Optio 550. It's my last pocket digicam before I bought this K100D Super.
What I can share about this great DSLR is this K100D Super is loaded with lots of features, such as Shake Reduction (a very useful features that allows me to take pictures indoor without having to fire the flash so I could take advantage of those sun rays sneaking thru' the branches of tree outside my room's window), 11 autofocus point, AA battery (ever run out of juice when you're in the middle of your fun day ?), a display on top of the cam, digital filter and dust removal capability. You can have all of these features at a price that won't break your piggy bank.
In Indonesia where I live, a shop offered me a very good deal where this DSLR can be had for as low as around USD 540.
The picture quality is top-notch, very crisp and clear. I cranked the sharpness setting one step higher, and the sharpness of pictures I've taken never let me down, even in high ISO and low speed.
Combination of those three factors (features, price and pic-quality) made this cam the most suitable DSLR for amateur like me.
If you're looking for a DSLR that could bolster your career as a fine photographer, this cam might not be right choice, as more advanced DSLR like K10D (also from Pentax), Nikon D200, or Canon 40D carry more features, perform better and provide better picture quality, but come with higher price tags.
This K100D is not without its downside. For action and/or sport photographer, this cam perform too slow when you use the continous mode. Very large print is somewhat not recommended as this cam only provides 6 megs.
Ask yourself what is your need in using the DSLR for you. After you already have the clear answer to the question, then you can match your need to the feature of the cameras.
Sorry if my English is bad, as it's not my native lang. |
Stop searching and just buy this one - you won't regret it!
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| Review Date: January 28, 2008 |
| Reviewer: EagleCroft, Exeter, NH USA |
I searched for 3 months reading review after review, I found myself up too late in the evenings scouring the web looking for the perfect combination of features and cost (overall value). I have owned point and shoot digicams for years, in fact own a nice Canon SD800 now and am thrilled with it - the last SLR I owned was a fully manual Minolta 35mm made in 1962!
For me it came down first deciding upon one of the new SuperZoom (15x or higher) digicams (Panasonic FZ18, or Canon S5 IS), or going for a full DSLR (Nikon D40 or Pentax K100D Super). I eliminated the SuperZooms eventually because I didn't feel they were different enough from my Canon P&S to justify the purchase. This was a tough call because the SuperZooms were at least $200 less than the cheapest SLR. My gripes with the SuperZoom's I played with were that they felt like toys, very lightweight, and were small in my hands to hold. The other concern I had with the SuperZooms was that at their maximum zoom they weren't very 'fast' - meaning that unless you were taking pictures outdoors with a lot of light the pictures would come out dark or not at all. I needed a camera that had a great zoom but could be used indoors during sporting events. The Panasonic FZ18 does seem to be the king of the hill in the SuperZoom segment, but I decided to just bite the bullet spend the extra dough and go for a DSLR.
I played with both the Nikon D40 and the Pentax K100D in a local mall Photo Store (big chain), and they were both nice to use. The Nikon had an edge over the Pentax in terms of focusing time (just barely), and it could fire off continuous shots better than the Pentax. But everywhere else I thought the Pentax was better. What clinched the deal was the rebate offered through Pentax which will save me hundreds over the Nikon. I ended up ordering the Pentax online because the Mall Photo store wouldn't price match. Oh well, their loss - I would have bought it from them if they just would have matched.
Right out of the box I started taking pictures, I glanced at the instructions but mostly I just started taking photos. I popped in the 4 AA's that came with it, a recently purchased class 6 4gb SDHC flash card and away I went taking great pictures. I've since poured through the manual and absorbed much of it (but it'll need several more reviews for it all to sink in). I also purchased a 70-300mm Sigma Zoom lens which matched to it nicely.
I put the package to the test this weekend at a swim meet (indoors), previously with my P&S I could never zoom in close enough and it was always too dark to get a picture that wasn't blurry. Well with the Pentax I was able to boost the ISO all the way up to 3200 which resulted in a fast shutter speed and even at this high of an ISO the pictures didn't look grainy at all. In fact they looked fantastic! I was shocked at how well the camera performed, I had a blast taking picture after picture - without any shutter lag and with each picture looking great! My only disappointment is that I didn't buy this camera sooner.
If you are on the fence like I was, take my advice and just buy this camera. If you have kids like I do the pictures you'll take will be priceless and will far outweigh the investment you'll make in this camera.
Congratulations to Pentax for building such an amazing camera, one that is solidly constructed and enables amateur photographers like me to produce pictures that look great! |
The Best Value For Your Money in Photography
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| Review Date: March 2, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Cap'n Stoob, USA |
First of all, I would like to start with highly recommending this camera to ANYONE who wants premium image quality with expandability, power and flexibility.
Pentax is one of the only companies out there that is driven entirely by photography and NOT by a marketing department that makes outrageous claims. To this end, even this, their lowest-end camera, is PACKED with premium features. Let's take a look at them:
1. Dust Reduction: Dust WILL get into your camera! This keeps it off of the sensor and increases the time inbetween cleanings.
2. Shake Reduction: It's good for a couple of stops of shooting leeway and you get it with every lens you use. Other companies build their systems into the lenses, meaning ONE lens can cost as much or more than the camera, itself! Lens-based anti-shake systems are more effective at long zoom than body-based systems, but unless you're rich, you won't be able to afford a suite of good lenses! With this camera, you can use ANY Pentax lens and get anti-shake.
3. AA batteries: Proprietary battery packs are NO GOOD. Hmmm, if you're on a shoot and your pack dies, you're not taking ANY photos unless you get a spare, right? With this camera, pick up some 2500mAh Ni-MH AA's and you can afford to get three sets. However, the power drain is so small, you might not need more than one set.
4. 6 MP sensor: Don't EVER get trapped in the megapixel hype. Megapixels mean nothing in the DSLR game, except for noise issues. Let me explain. The sensor sizes on almost all DSLRs (except for $5000 full-frame pro cameras) are APS-sized, meaning the sensor size on this camera and the Nikon D300 are very nearly the same dimensions. This means that photosensors on the chip have to be made smaller to get more pixels...meaning that the closer together/smaller sites are LESS light sensitive and they will also interfere with each other. 6 MP is a perfect sweet spot for noise and image sharpness. You get a base ISO of 200, meaning your camera is TWICE as sensitive to light as one with a base ISO of 100! This camera records color accurately and makes prints up to 8.5"x11" with no problem.
This camera has huge features and, even with the release of the K20D and K200D cameras, still maintains a good feature/image quality set with a proven CCD sensor and a suite of easy-to-learn features and settings. I LOVE this camera and even though I have a K200D for the weather sealing and larger burst capacity, the K100D super is the camera I ALWAYS take with me in trips. You're better off getting this camera plus a really nice lens and a 360FZ flash than a more expensive camera with a base kit lens and no external flash.
Believe me, this camera's quality will not fail to impress you and it will grow with you. It can use ANY lens its bigger brothers can and it uses them effortlessly.
A superb camera and one for the record books!
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K100D Super - Great for getting into DSLR photography
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| Review Date: February 18, 2008 |
| Reviewer: J. Garcia, New York, NY |
I've never owned any SLRs, just little point and shoots. I was looking for a DSLR that would help me with that next step and would accommodate my needs as my skills improve. I considered the entry level DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, and Pentax. You'll find a lot of websites that give you great reviews of all of them.
I decided to go with the Pentax K100D Super. I didn't like how the Canon's felt and thought the Nikon D40x was just too expensive and didn't have the shake reduction feature in body. I also have a lot of rechargeable AA batteries that I am able to use with the K100D Super.
I've owned it for almost two months now. I am not disappointed. The shift from point and shoots to DSLRs is a big one. You'll have to learn the basics of exposure no matter what camera you decide to purchase. My biggest challenge with the K100D Super was setting the white balance. The Auto White Balance feature doesn't work as well as my point and shoot. I find that you have to set it manually and can't rely on the automatic setting. It's something I never had to fiddle with before, but I found a lot of help on pentaxforums.
PROS:
-Price
-Features
shake reduction
lots of automatic settings for amateurs
lens system (you can pretty much use any lens thats made for a pentax slr)
-build quality and ergonomics
-uses AA size batteries.
CONS:
- auto white balance doesn't work well
I'm amazed at the quality of the images from the camera. I've already ordered another lens (1.4 50mm pentax prime lens) and look forward to many years of use out of this camera.
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Excellent starter DSLR
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| Review Date: February 20, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Peter Barcia, |
| This is a fantastic starter camera. It really takes excellent photos. The built-in flash is a bit weak for dark environments, but that's a characteristic of all built-in flashes. It was a toss-up between this camera and the Nikon D40. Both are excellent. This one has a better user interface and a nicer feel. It's a bit heavier than others, but I find that the extra weight provides a bit more stability. The only advantage the Nikon may have is the availability of accesories, but Pentax makes some wonderful add-ons for this camera. Oh, and you can use any Pentax SLR lense ever made on this camera...big selling point if you have an older Pentax. |
Excellent camera at a bargain price
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| Review Date: January 18, 2008 |
| Reviewer: David Lesieur, Lutz, FL United States |
I am an serious amature photographer who has used Pentax 35mm, Canon 35mm, Zeiss medium format range finders, Panasonic Lumix and Sony digital cameras. In all I've been in love with the art of photography for over 35 years. I really enjoyed the durability and handling ease of the old Pentax SLR's (K1000, ME and P3...). The K100D Super is the digital evolution of those great Pentax film cameras which I'm sure many of us have been missing. While billed as an entry level DSLR, it posesses all the manual features any experienced film shooter would be familiar with and will instantly comprehend. In addition, it can be used in complete auto or scene modes for point and shoot users who are graduating to the SLR experience.
This is really a serious piece of gear at a great price. It is built very solidly with a metal frame and proper access doors instead of those cheap rubber flaps other manufacturers are using. It feels natural in my average size male hands and all the controls are where they should be. Menus are easy to navigate and it takes minimum time to orient around the displays to make a variety of custom settings. Kudos to the engineers who made things so ergonomic and user friendly for both novice and veteran photographers. The pentamirror viewfinder is bright, uncluttered and all 35mm users should be right at home with the quality of the display. Dust removal, anti-shake, 11 point focus, excellent metering... it has all the useful features desired of a high quality DSLR.
Some reviewers have panned this camera for its 6.1mp sensor. Unless you plan on making poster size prints, this is really a non-issue. Don't fall for all the pixel packing marketing hype. Pentax is to be congratulated for using a proven, excellent quality APS-C sensor which undoubtedly factors into keeping the price down (and the ISO noise down too!). The photo processor is also proven over a couple of previous models and is top notch. The utility of using commercial AA batteries is underrated. I often take my cameras traveling abroad and if I happen to need power in a pinch, any semi-civilized place will have batteries I can use. Likewise, SD media is the world's most widely used mass storage format and available just about everywhere - brilliant!
Oh yeah - the photos this camera are capable of taking are simply spectacular! And after all, isn't that what we are ultimately trying to achieve from this art form?
Go ahead and get off the fence. All the features you will need are in this little gem. K-10D shooters - buy one as a backup. |
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This entry was posted on Sunday, October 11th, 2009 at 4:07 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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