Pentax *ist DL

Connectivity
Software (6.0)
The *ist DL ships with Pentax Photo Browser and Pentax Photo Laboratory software. Browser is for sorting and viewing images, and watching them as slide shows. Oddly, it doesn't download photos from the camera. You have to drag and drop them via your operating system. The Laboratory software converts RAW images to JPEGs or TIFFs. RAW offers adjustments for white balance, sensitivity, saturation, contrast, and sharpness, and the option to adjust curves.

Both the Browser and the Laboratory packages are limited. Though their controls are easy to use, the Browser offers a very thin feature set, and the Laboratory doesn't offer much advantage over the in-camera settings. Many RAW converters allow finer controls than the cameras does, so this package is relatively lacking.

Jacks, Ports, Plugs (8.0)
The *ist DL has a USB 2.0 port and video out in either PAL or NTSC format. The camera accepts an AC power adapter as well, and can be operated by either a corded remote control or an infrared remote.

Direct Print Options (6.5)
The *ist DL is PictBridge and DPOF compatible, so you don't need a computer to print your pictures. The *istDL allows the user to choose individual images to print, or to print all the images on the SD card. Printing options include the number of copies, paper size, whether to print with borders, whether to print the date on the image, and settings for paper and printing quality. The *ist DL does not offer the option of printing index pages or multiple copies of an image on a single sheet of paper. The same options are available for DPOF printing, which saves the printing options on the SD card. Photo shops and labs with compatible printers can download a print order directly from the card.

Battery (6.75)
The *ist DL takes four AA batteries. The camera is packaged with a set of alkaline cells, but the manual warns that they aren't adequate for shooting – they're just included to let you make sure the camera works. We tested the camera with rechargeable NiMH batteries, which are the recommended option. Most DSLRs ship with custom li-ion rechargeables, which typically last longer than NiMH cells, so battery life is not a strong point for the *ist DL.

Memory (3.0)
The *ist DL accepts SD cards, but Pentax does not include media with the camera. There is no built-in memory either, so be sure to factor in the cost of an SD card when considering the *ist DL. It's also important to note that the camera's RAW files are about 10MB, while its full-size, best-quality JPEGs are over 2.5MB. In short, it's worth thinking about 512MB or 1GB cards, not the little ones.

Other Features (6.0)
Sensor Cleaning Mode – Bowing to the inevitability of dust, Pentax engineers included a sensor cleaning mode on the *ist DL. When the sensor gets a bit of crud on it, clean it very carefully.

Remote Controls – Pentax makes a wireless infrared remote control that is compatible with the *ist DL. "Remote Control F" is spec'ed to function up to 5 meters away from the camera. The *ist DL's IR pickup is on the handgrip, facing forward, so it is situated best for self-portraits via remote control.

Self-Timer – The *istDL offers two self-timer settings: one with a three-second delay and one with a 10-second delay.