Pentax K100D

The Pentax K100D is a 6.1 megapixel Digital SLR camera that features anti shake technology.

It will retail for $699 (USD) and is expected to hit stores in July of 2006.

The 'K' in the model name reflects the 'classic' nature of this camera - styled in a way reminiscent of Pentax 'K' Series SLRs of days gone by and reverse compatible with K-mount lenses.

The Pentax K100D features an 11 point focussing system, shutter speeds of up to 1/4000 of a second, ISO of up to 3200 and the ability to shoot 2.8 frames per second in continuous shooting mode (in bursts of up to 5 frames at a time).

It comes with the normal range of controls ranging from full manual to a variety of standard automatic modes.

Compare prices on the Pentax K100D and get the latest price on the Pentax K100D at Amazon.

Pentax K100D News Release

PENTAX K100D Digital SLR

PENTAX-original Shake Reduction mechanism for sharp, blur-free images

The K100D features a PENTAX-developed Shake Reduction (SR) system, which effectively reduces camera shake for sharp, blur-free images even under difficult shooting conditions, such as using a telephoto lens, shooting in low light conditions without a supplementary flash illumination. The K100D 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 a built-in sensor. This system does not require special anti-shake lenses and may be used with almost all existing PENTAX interchangeable lenses.*

* Lenses compatible with this mechanism are: PENTAX K-, KA-, KAF- and KAF2-mount lenses; screw-mount lenses (with an adapter); and 645- and 67-system lenses (with an adapter). Certain camera and/or lens functions may be disabled.

11-point wide-frame AF to capture off-center subjects in crisp focus

The sophisticated K100D SAFOX VIII autofocus system features 11 sensor points (with nine cross-type sensors) 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. This high-precision AF system offers a choice of two AF modes: the conventional single AF, and the continuous AF,** which maintains focus on the moving subject as long as the shutter release button is pressed halfway down.

** The continuous AF mode is selectable by the user only when P, Tv, Av, M or B is selected as a shooting mode on the mode dial. This mode is automatically activated by the camera when the Auto Picture Program, or one of the Picture or Scene modes, is selected.

Pentax-K100D

Auto sensitivity control up to ISO equivalent 3200

The K100D features an auto sensitivity control function, which automatically sets the optimum standard output sensitivity — up to equivalent ISO of 3200, which is the highest automatic setting in its class — 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 photographers reduce camera shake and prevent blurred images.

Auto Picture Mode for effortless point-and-shoot SLR photography

The K100D offers the exclusive PENTAX Auto Picture Mode, which automatically and instantly selects one of the four Picture modes — including Portrait, Landscape and Macro — by calculating various photographic factors to assure optimum results. Since this advanced shooting mode takes away all the concerns about aperture, shutter-speed, white-balance, saturation, contrast and sharpness settings, the photographer can concentrate on image composition and shutter opportunity.

Large LCD monitor to facilitate image viewing and menu setting

The K100D incorporates a large 2.5 inch color LCD monitor on its back panel that offers a wide-view design that allows views from over 140 degrees vertically and horizontally, ensuring effortless image viewing even from a diagonal position. With a total of approximately 210,000 pixels, the monitor offers digital zooming of playback images up to 12 times for easy confirmation of the image's focusing status and details. The large monitor size allows for large letters, digits and icons on the menu screens to facilitate menu confirmation and camera operations. In addition, the color scheme between the menu listings and the background is optimized for each menu screen to assure at-a-glance confirmation, even under varying shooting conditions.

True-to-life, rich-gradation images assured by 6.1 effective megapixels

The K100D features a large, high-performance 23.5mm x 15.7mm CCD as its image sensor, assuring the faithful reproduction of the desired photographic intention in the resulting images — from images with beautiful out-of-focus backgrounds to those with edge-to-edge sharpness. Combining 6.1 effective megapixels with a high-performance imaging engine and advanced image-processing technologies, the K100D is designed to produce beautiful, true-to-life images that are rich in gradation. What's more, it offers a choice of two finishing touches of “Natural” or “Bright” to create a distinctive atmosphere.

Super-compact, ultra-lightweight body, with outstanding rigidity

While the K100D is designed to be compact and lightweight to enhance operability and portability, it also incorporates a newly developed stainless-steel chassis and a fiber-reinforced engineering plastic housing to reinforce its overall rigidity and durability.

Bright, clear viewfinder

The K100D features a lightweight penta-mirror viewfinder, which combines PENTAX finder optics and a Natural-Bright-Matte II focusing screen to deliver bright, clear subject image with a 0.85X magnification and a 96 percent field of view.

Top shutter speed of 1/4000 second

The K100D offers a top shutter speed of 1/4000 second to freeze fast-moving subjects and capture decisive moments and features a flash synchronization speed of 1/180 second and a bulb setting (B) for extended exposures.

Continuous shooting at approximately 2.8 images per second

To trace the movement of an active subject or capture a sequence of the subject's expressions, the K100D offers a continuous shooting mode that allows the photographer to capture multiple images (up to five images at “Best” image quality in JPEG format) at a maximum speed of approximately 2.8 images per second.

Upgraded standard software package

The K100D's standard software package consists of the PENTAX PHOTO Laboratory 3 that features the reliable SILKYPIX image-processing engine (developed by ICHIKAWA SOFT LABORATORY) for RAW data processing, and the PENTAX PHOTO Browser 3 that offers faster data processing speed and better operability than the previous version, and can convert RAW images to the DNG format. DNG is a public, archival format for digital camera raw data.

Save-by-day Storage Capability on an SD memory card

Images may be stored in a standard format where all files are located in one folder, or the images can be stored in folders for each day of shooting automatically on an SD memory card.

Additional features

• 19 custom functions to personalize camera operations
• SD memory card compatibility
• Eight distinctive Scene modes to accommodate specific subjects/applications
• Choice of two depth-of-field preview functions (digital/optical)
• Choice of 16-segment multi-pattern metering, center-weighted metering and spot metering to accommodate various photographic applications
• Noise reduction mechanism to reduce digital noise during extended exposures
• Dual power source (two CR-V3 lithium batteries, or four AA-size batteries)
• USB 2.0 (HI-SPEED) compatibility for speedy data transfer to PC
• Choice of image format between JPEG (Best, Better or Good) and RAW
• Five digital filters (Black-and-white, Sepia, Slim, Soft and Brightness) for easy editing of recorded images
• PictBridge compatibility

Pentax K100D Reviews

ephotozine reviews the Pentax K100D and writes - 'If you're looking for your first digital SLR, the Pentax K100D is well worth a look. The Shake Reduction, easy controls SD card compatibility and lightweight design make this camera ideal for those looking for a step up from a compact digicam. Photographers who travel will also appreciate these features, as well as the ability to use AA batteries. Existing Pentax SLR owners may also wish to upgrade, whether it is from a film or earlier digital SLR.'

efotografiia reviews the Pentax K100D and writes - 'Once again, the Pentax K100D shows that Pentax, as a brand, is severely underestimated. However, with the K100D, they really appeal to the photographer that values high quality at an affordable price, rather than a better known brand. With the K100D, the photographer gets features that are absent in the pricier competition. The camera is still compact, with a plethora of useful function, spot metering, ISO 3200, has a viewfinder that is chock-full of useful information and makes manual focus possible, it can use various legacy lenses with adapters, the rear display is large and sharp, and last but not least, the camera handles really well. These are all features that the competition didn't have until very recently. The Pentax K100D has all of this, but, oddly enough, few want to see it. Marketing tricks point us in another direction.'

CNET reviews the Pentax K100D where they write - 'Pentax's K100D does a wonderful job of balancing the needs of amateur and experienced photographers. It doesn't have some of the more fancy features, such as white-balance bracketing or dynamic range optimization, that you'll find on more expensive cameras, such as the Canon Rebel XT or the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100, but for its price, the K-100D is a steal. If you already own Pentax lenses, this camera is a no-brainer. On the other hand, if you're really looking to save money, and shake reduction doesn't float your boat (though it probably should), then you can always step down to Pentax's K110D, which is the same camera without the shake-reduction feature.'

Lets Go Digital reviews the Pentax K100D and writes - 'The new Pentax name refers to the illustrious K-series from the past. Pentax want to let us know that they have a rich history of sensational and ground-breaking products. Although the Pentax K100D doesn't quite make it to that list just yet, Pentax do clearly show that they are more than able to build excellent cameras. The Pentax K100D is a camera that should certainly be taken into consideration if you are looking for an attractively priced DSLR, and want to, for instance, take the step from a compact camera to a digital SLR.'

Imaging Resource reviews the Pentax K100D and writes - 'The Pentax K100D is a capable digital SLR, perfect for consumers interested in stepping up from a basic consumer digital camera and into a world of better image quality. It's also a smart choice for owners of Pentax film SLRs and lenses who want to go digital. With its full range of manual and preset automatic exposure modes, the Pentax K100D is suitable for the full range of experience levels, including anyone already owning a digital point-and-shoot, and it offers enough customization to keep more advanced users happy. The Pentax K100D has no trouble with exposure in low lighting, and produces only slightly high contrast under harsh lighting conditions (such as bright outdoor sunlight). Autofocus in low light is among the slowest we've seen, however. On the positive side, though the K100D more often makes a decision where other digital SLRs just give up. Color is quite good, though sometimes on the warm side, but both the built-in flash and accessory bounce flash eliminate this problem. The camera's ISO setting only goes as low as 200, but noise levels are still quite good, and prints from the Pentax K100D are very impressive even at the highest ISO levels.'

DP Review has posted their review of the Pentax K100D where they write - 'Not only has Pentax improved in-camera image processing but they appear to have overtaken some of the competition, the amount of detail delivered is about as much as we could expect to see from a six megapixel CCD. On top of this they've also taken the sensible compromise of using a minimal amount of noise reduction and not turning down sharpening at higher sensitivities which means you get almost as much detail at ISO 1600 as you would at ISO 200. This combination means that assuming the 'input image' is sharp (good lens and/or stopped down slightly) you're going to get a great detailed image.'

Trusted Reviews has posted their review of the Pentax K100D Digial SLR and writes - 'It may be the cheapest DSLR on the market, but the Pentax K100D isn’t short of advanced features, performance or image quality, and can comfortably hold its own against the Nikon D40. Build quality, design and handling are all superb, and the Shake Reduction system is as good as any on the market. If you’re looking for a good entry-level DSLR with the option to build up a kit, then look no further.'

Digicam Review also reviews the Pentax K100D and writes - 'Image quality is excellent, the images have very good colour, with good contrast and detail, with low noise except at the highest ISO settings (ISO1600 and ISO3200). Images were slightly smoothed but this is adjustable within the camera, and detail was very good. Purple fringing was very low with the kit lens, and red-eye was not a problem. The camera was very competent at focusing (except on very plain or dark surfaces). Vignetting in photos was very mild and I did not notice barrel or pincushion distortion. There is a good range of image sizes, and the compression options include a RAW mode. Auto white balance, metering, and exposure seemed to be good to very good, although auto-white balance did struggle in doors (as with most DSLRs). The camera gives very good control over image quality - pressing the menu button lets you change saturation, sharpness, contrast, gamma curve etc. Shake Reduction adds image stabilisation to every lens attached to the camera, and helps acheive blure free photos in low light meaning that the camera has a very good photo success rate.'

Macworld has a review of the Pentax K100D and offers this buying advice: "Because of its 6.1-megapixel sensor, you won’t be able to enlarge the K100D’s images as much as you could with a higher resolution camera, but for users who want a DSLR, and all of the flexibility that it provides, the K100D is a great entry-level camera at an unmatched price. Pentax’s extensive lens selection is made more attractive by the camera’s effective vibration reduction, while the camera’s interface and design make for a comfortable shoot. If you want a full-featured SLR with fairly advanced features, it’s hard to beat the price and performance of the K100D."

PCWorld has a review of the Pentax K100D and writes, "By default, the camera's JPEG output is a bit soft, so you might want to adjust the sharpening parameter within the camera. Though the K100D offers ISO levels up to 3200, images show substantial noise at ISO 800 and above. The K100D is a great entry-level SLR camera, with an unmatched price. Pentax offers an extensive array of lenses to buy separately, and the camera's interface and design make for a comfortable shoot. If you want a full-featured SLR with fairly advanced features, it's hard to beat the price and performance of the K100D."

PopPhoto has a user review of the Pentax K100D by Phil Leese up: About image quality, Leese notes, "What pleases me the most about the images from this camera is it's very low noise. It seems as though the camera doesn't have to apply much noise reduction or sharpening. This leaves pictures which are detailed and natural. Compared to say a 10mp Olympus I'd take the Pentax every time. ... In my view if you have shot jpeg's you shouldn't have to do much processing on the PC. They should be right first time and that's pretty much how they are from the K100D. Beyond all the measurements you still have to make a subjective judgement and I like pictures taken on this camera, they look as good as you can get at this price."

Megapixel has a review of the Pentax K100D and writes, "The Pentax K100D is one of the most interesting entry-level dSLRs currently on the market. Not only is it priced reasonably, but it also offers most of the features that can be desired in a dSLR, topped off by a shake reduction system that is camera-based, making it capable of stabilizing the image, irrespective of the lens mounted on the body. Furthermore, the fact that the K100D is backwards compatible with virtually all Pentax mount lenses should prove to be valuable to users that had acquired lenses for their film camera."

BlogCritics has a review of the Pentax K100D and writes, "I was pleasantly surprised by the K100D. The camera is a perfect entry into the DSLR market, and one that can be easily built on. The use of the KA-Mount lenses is a good idea, these can be used then on more expensive and professional bodies at a later date, so long as you stick with the Pentax brand. ... I cannot recommend this camera highly enough for those looking to buy their first DSLR, it is a well built, reliable camera from a large and trusted manufacturer."

DigitalCameraInfo has a review of the Pentax K100D and writes, "The Pentax K100D is just what an entry-level DSLR should be – simple to use and functional enough to take good pictures. Pentax deserves praise for putting such a good autofocus system in an inexpensive camera. The combination of the autofocus system and Shake Reduction system will increase the percentage of sharp shots for many users. The 3-zone autofocus systems in the Nikon D40 and Olympus's DSLRs look pathetic in comparison, and their performance bears out that impression. The K100D does have its flaws – its resolution performance is poor, and its white balance system is limited – but aren't likely to be a problem for the typical user."

The Online Photographer has a review of the Pentax K100D and writes, "So the upshot of my brief experience with the camera, and my appraisal of its situation in the current market, is that it tags along behind the Canikon category leaders offering—quite fairly—less for less, but, when called upon to compete head-to-head, it slaps its only direct competitor, the D50, smartly upside the head with its bargain anti-shake. ... in terms of optics "native" to the DSLRs, Pentax makes a few lenses nobody else does. With the K100 I used, I was sent a new DA 21mm ƒ/3.4 pancake lens. This is a lens after my own heart: a high-performance prime in a highly portable package. It crossed my mind that it might be worth getting a K100 just to use this lovely little lens all the time. But maybe that's just me."

IT Reviews has a review of the Pentax K100D and writes, "Even though this is only a 6.1-megapixel camera, the sharpness, clarity and colour authenticity of the images are outstanding thanks to a new image processing engine, and this is further improved by the arrival of a built-in Shake Reduction mechanism that uses sensitive motion detectors to stabilise the CCD sensor so you can have crisp results even with low shutter speeds. The only noticeable irritation is the somewhat useless continuous shooting mode which can only manage a maximum of four JPEG frames, but otherwise this is an excellent entry-level DSLR for both relative beginners and more experienced enthusiasts."

Think Camera reviews the Pentax K100D and writes - "A good-all round, entry-level contender with enough advanced features to keep enthusiasts happy too - especially if they have brand loyalty to Pentax and can make use of their existing stock of lenses. The K100D Super represents value for money par excellence!"

Compare prices on the Pentax K100D and get the latest price on the Pentax K100D at Amazon.

Posted by Darren in our Pentax category on May 23, 2006

Comments

This camera should be awarded with a nobel prize because i bought one of these cameras and being a man with incredible shakes this camera works very well with me, in fact we are going steady now

Posted by: Mark at July 18, 2006 01:06 AM

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