Pentax K20D
This 2008 body upgrades the popular K10D with great success. Boasting terrific image quality at lower ISO settings and relatively good quality at ISO 800 and above, This 14.7 megapixel camera can be seen as a fine prosumer body, as a backup for a pro. Autofocus is only moderately fast but effective; the camera also enjoys terrific usability, optical viewfinder, and vibration reduction. The K20D adds a PC lead socket, which makes it much more useful in the studio.
The camera also provides Live View on the bright LCD screen. SD/SDHC cards are used for memory. Despite a price tag over $1000, this is a feature-packed SLR without significant flaws or omissions.
An improved dust-proof and water-resistant construction ensures that the camera stays clean and functional under even the toughest conditions.
The controls are easy to reach and master, and menus are even clearer on the 2.7-inch screen, with its wide viewing angle and 230,000-dot resolution
Would it have been too difficult to fit a 3-inch screen? Then they could have given it a better pixel count than 230,000, keeping it in line with the newer DSLRs from other manufacturers.
One of the more interesting features [of the K20D’s] live view LCD is the viewfinder’s 4x to 8x digital zoom - when framing a shot with an LCD viewfinder it can be extremely convenient. And because the zoom is strictly on the viewfinder, the image quality is not degraded.
The Pentax K20D is the first DSLR we’ve encountered that offers the ability to adjust the representation of color on its screen, allowing the user to calibrate the screen to more accurately reflect the output or the user’s tastes.
…a great camera for the photo-enthusiast - and the pro shooter alike.
…one look at the K20D’s images and you know you’re dealing with something special.
While we’re still awaiting news on the future of Pentax’s compact camera range, its digital SLR range continues to expand in interesting directions, with the launch of the latest semi-pro model.
The new K20D offers a number of subtle refinements that expand on this winning blueprint. In addition to more megapixels, the K20D features a larger 2.7 inch LCD monitor, Live View mode for composing pictures using the LCD screen, expanded ISO range of 100-6400, Dust Alert System and an X-sync socket for studio flash systems.
The K20D seems to be a twin to the K10D. Pentax kept what was outstanding in the K10D and improved it in all the right places, so the K20D is more of an upgrade than a new design.