While i do agree with some of the comments in the review I did upgrade to the
K20 and i do not regret it, for get the 18-55 lens and buy some nice glass, as for image stabilisation, I have a Sigma 50-500mm EX DG and I can use it "hand held" and most of the time with superb images, i am not saying i use it like that all the time but a good mono pod will do the trick.
Also with good glass on the front where the K20 scores is you get far more detail in the shadows, no more "black holes".
I also do a lot of macro work, i use the Sigma 105mm macro, and again the K20 beats the K10, i can crop right in and still print A3 quality prints.
One other good point with the K20 is the colour very true to life better again than the K10 also many other cameras, ie Nikon D80 reds, and the Canon greens, i owned a Nikon D80 and the reds were far to orange, Irish setter dogs did not have true colour they looked orange, till you do Photoshop on them.
If you do require rapid frames per min the K20 is not for you, or if you like the gimmick of "live view" may be another make, but if like me you want "Image Quality" this is the only camera in its price range.
Mind I do have a K200 back up and that is excellent as well!!
I agree it's a very good camera. The basis of this review, in part, was that it wasn't explicitly advanced from the previous K10D. Whilst not a standalone issue, there are just other cameras out there that, for the money, are a touch more advanced in my opinion. Kit lenses are often reasonable at best - though the K20D, with no kit lens, doesn't stumble into this category. But even the lens provided wasn't particularly exceptional when it had the chance to be. Lastly, the Samsung GX-20 (review forthcoming this month) is more or less the same camera, yet with an RRP that undercuts the K20D. Why? I have no idea, as they should really retail for the same.Thanks for taking the time to put your comments over, it's always good to hear from real users that fully adopt a given camera system. Cheers.
In reply to youy comments, if you look at the current "street" prices of Pentax & Samsung they are the same or near and what make the Pentax very good value is the "Cash back" scheme £100 on the K20! and £50 on the K200.
With regard to "more advanced" cameras, if you care to check other reviews you will see that "image quality" on the K20 is better than most, I am the sort that dose not care what "badge " is on the front, all i want is something that works well and does what i want it to, and another thing with both Canon or Nikon the IS or VR is in the lens (Stabilisation) is in the lens so if you want to pay for it every time you buy a new lens---.
Another small point if you find a lens that is not quite right, over or under focusing the camera can be set to adjust for it, for up to 20 lenses! (See page 106 in the hand book).
Also the customer service from Pentax is excelent, so far!( I had a Pentax ist* 35 mm some years ago it went faulty, this was at the time of the new digitals, they changed it for me for a new DS), unlike a friend of mine with a Nikon D200, (he is a wedding photographer) had duff pixel only 5 days out of the 12month period and was charged about £60 to have it "mapped out". This was just before they gave the 24months guarentee
The Pentax has a feature, if you are unfortunate enough to have a duff pixel the camera can remap it for you !
And the main one is a small but very sensible one, on most cameras the infra red sensor for the remote is on the front of the camera, not on the back, how many times do you get anoyed about it, well Pentax put one on the back as well!!!
This is just a few of the "little things" that made me want the K20.
Yes if you want "gimmicks", like live view. I rather liked the depth of field preview far better, in bright light I stuggle to see LCDs, I would rather use a view finder.
But lets face it if every body liked the same things, we would all be driving the same make and style of car, eating the same food.
In reply to youy comments, if you look at the current "street" prices of Pentax & Samsung they are the same or near and what make the Pentax very good value is the "Cash back" scheme £100 on the K20! and £50 on the K200.
Samsung have the same £100 cash back offer for the GX-20 (single or twin lens kits) - plus you can take advantage of this until September 30th 2008. The same Pentax offer expires tomorrow.
So Samsung GX-20, nigh-on same camera as the Pentax K20D, but with a better kit lens and a bit cheaper. I'd say that puts it a whisker in front.
I will still stand up for the K20, even if it is just for the customer services, I have nothing against the Samsung after all it is just about the same, some differences to the firmware, also RAW files.
When the K20 was reviewed by another online reviewer they noted "Hot pixels" and within a month Pentax had an update!
Unlike some manufactures in the recent past, with comments from them "What faults, it must be the user" we all know who that was don't we?
As for the "Kit" lens many are being put with the 16-45mm f4.
One other small point I can always talk to the Tech dept, at Pentax the same as Sigma.
I am not sure why all the focus is on the kit lens. Kit lenses are not known for being great, but at least Pentax upgraded theirs for this camera, to the MK II, making it likely the best kit in the business. Obviously any real photographer will want to move on... and then you benefit from one of the best lines of glass in the industry, especially for primes.
Buy the K20D for its image quality, which is streets ahead of anything remotely similar in price. Buy it for the weather-proofing, which no camera in its class has. Buy it for the image stabilisation, which is a godsend. Do not buy it if you want to machinegun shots, since the RAW speed is half that of the equivalent Canon. Do not buy it if your life revolves around live view.
