Pentax *ist DL

Front (6.5)
The Pentax *ist DL shares fundamental design features with most current digital SLRs – a large grip bulges forward on the left side of the camera, and a viewfinder hump juts up above the lens. The handgrip is covered in a leather-patterned rubber so it's not slippery, but it features a sharp ridge on its face. The ridge would only be comfortable if your last finger joints wrap around it – mine don't, so I would prefer a smooth curve. On the front of the grip, just about where the user's middle finger wraps around, there's a small, dark window for the self-timer and the cordless remote control. Capping the grip, the large chrome shutter release sits surrounded by the main switch, a ring that turns to start the camera and activate the depth-of-field preview.

At the bottom of the narrow area between the grip and the lens mount is the lens release button. The K-AF lens mount dominates the front of the camera, sitting like Cyclops's eye under the heavy jutting brow of the pentamirror hump, which also houses a flip-up flash and bears the Pentax logo. Low and on the right side of the lens mount, there's a good-sized switch to activate the autofocus connection between the camera and compatible lenses. The "AF" setting is printed in a rich green. High on the right side, almost on the camera's shoulder, Pentax printed "*istD" with a red asterisk. Below that, there's a squishy silicone badge that bears a white "L" on a red background, completing the camera's problematic name. ("*ist DL" is pronounced "isst Dee Ell." The asterisk is silent.) The right edge of the front is adorned with a ridge that seems aesthetically motivated – it doesn't facilitate an easier hold on the camera, but it does recall the ridge on the grip and a ridge on the back.

Back (7.5)
Several major controls are lined up along the left side of the camera. From the top, they are: the control for the flip-up flash, the Menu button, the Trash button, the Info button, and the Playback button. Labels for the flash, Menu, and Info are printed in silver paint, while Trash and Playback are in a very pretty royal blue. The blue looks good, but it doesn't pop the way the silver does, so the color choice seems like a triumph of style over functionality. There was a functional intent to the color-coding, however: the blue printed labels all refer to Playback functions.

The 2.5-inch, 210,000 pixel LCD fills a big patch of real estate under the viewfinder, and it sits on a raised panel that gives the impression that all the controls on the back are a bit recessed. Just below it, there's a Pentax logo. Above and to the right of the LCD is a control dial which adjusts magnification in playback mode and exposure in shooting modes. Below that, there's a four-way controller with an OK button in the middle, and below that is the Function button, which calls up shooting controls on the LCD. Further below and to the right is a status light indicating when images are being written to Secure Digital cards. An "SD" logo, in blue, accents the light. At the far right on the back, near the bottom, is a latch that opens a door covering the SD card slot. Toward the top right, there's an exposure lock button that doubles as the image protect button in Playback mode.

A narrow ridge pokes up along the far right edge of the back, as if to form an indentation for the user's thumb. I found the ridge uncomfortable.

Left Side (7.0)
The *ist DL has a nearly pristine left side. Near the shoulder, it features a heavy lug for a neck strap. Below that, an inconspicuous door covers jacks for a cabled remote control, USB and A/V connections, and an AC adapter. The door is a thin slip of plastic on a spring-loaded hinge. It has no latch, and could be snagged on clothing or other things, and accidentally pop open or even be broken off.

Right Side (7.0)
Like the left side, the right side of the *ist DL is a model of design restraint, featuring another fine neck strap lug and a door. This door covers the SD card slot, and unlike the door on the right, it's protected by a latch. The door swings well out of the way of the card, making it easy to pinch the tiny SD media as you insert or remove them.

Top (7.5)
From the left, there is a large, well-labeled mode dial, with icons indicating scene modes and letters for manual and partially automated modes. The viewfinder hump accommodates a flip-up flash and a hot shoe that's compatible with generic flashes and Pentax's dedicated units. More towards the right, there is a monochrome LCD display which features exposure data, battery status, and shooting options. Between the LCD and the shutter release is the exposure compensation button, which also activates the aperture control in manual mode. The camera’s power button is accompanied by a Depth of Field preview function – a nice touch, helping provide easy access and engagement when shooting.

Bottom (6.5)
The battery compartment door makes up a big chunk of the bottom of the *ist DL, under the grip. There is a metal tripod bushing centered on the optical axis, and possibly with the imaging plane. That's just where it belongs, and just what it should be made of.