Pentax K10D

Value (9.0)
Value in DSLR terms is relative; depending on a photographer’s previous investment (lenses, flashes, grips, etc.), they are often resigned to manufacturer-specific purchases. Expecting photographers to switch systems because they like a particular feature set or processing aesthetic is unrealistic. Value can be distilled into an equation of price versus feature set and image quality, but it’s really more of an academic discussion than anything practical.

In those terms, the K10D is as full-featured as any sub-$1,000 DSLR on the market, ascending the ranks to compete with cameras that cost two to three times its price. There are a number of useful features included absent from other manufacturers’ offerings – MTF-priority, Sensitivity Priority, RAW button, in-camera RAW processing – and help simplify usage. Image quality, however, is only marginal. Photos from the camera are competitive with other entry-level DSLRs, yet fall short of more expensive prosumer models on the market. JPEGs look soft using the camera’s default settings, and white balance struggles severely in a range of lighting conditions. Most of its performance flaws can be manually corrected in post-processing, but will take some work and time. To some photographers, that time may be worth more than the cost differential; however, we suspect the majority of consumers will find the K10D a sufficient all-around camera priced well below its means.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – The K10D is priced to appeal to the point-and-shoot constituency, however its feature set and basic design cater to experienced shooters with an understanding of the medium. The K100D Super would be a better fit for these shooters.

Budget Consumers – At its current price of $599 (after rebate), the Pentax K10D is priced about as inexpensively as DSLRs come these days. With a deep feature set and adequate performance, there isn’t a better value out there in this price range.

Gadget Freaks - Gadget freaks and photo geeks will bask in the K10D's features. With a dedicated RAW button, two remote sensors, MTF-priority, direct DNG capture, CCD-shift image stabilization, dust reduction, and in-camera RAW processing, there’s plenty here to attract this group.

Manual Control Freaks – A decreasingly-distant relative of the gadget freak (in the photo world, at least), manual shooters will appreciate the K10D for its collection of photographer-oriented settings and practical ingenuity. Even the auto features on this camera cater to manually-minded photographers.

Pros/Serious Hobbyists – Pros and serious photographers likely already have an investment in lenses. For those with Pentax glass, the K10D is the best DSLR for their demands. At its current price ($599 after rebate), however, there may be a handful or so of Canon and Nikon shooters open to adding a smaller, mechanically-stabilized body to their collection.

Comparisons
Canon EOS 40D - Released nearly a year after the K10D, the EOS 40D bears the fruits of industry advancement. The camera provides the same basic 10-megapixel resolution, though it does not shoot DNG files. With a newer processing engine, the 40D can capture subsequent images at up to 6.5 fps – more than two times the max speed of the K10D, and can continue in a RAW burst for nearly twice as long. The Canon also offers a 3-inch, 230,000-pixel LCD screen with full live preview. The 40D carries 9-point autofocus with 9 cross-type sensors, like the Pentax, but the system is much quieter. The 40D also offers a Silent mode for situations where shooters would like to be inconspicuous. That’s not be possible with the K10D, which features the loudest dust reduction and autofocus systems we’ve tested. The K10D does, however, supply mechanical image stabilization, a feature noticeably absent from the 40D and all Canon DSLRs. The 40D was released with an MSRP of $1,299.

Nikon D300 - Priced much higher than the K10D – at an MSRP of $1,799 – the D300 justifies its cost differential in a number of ways. With more resolution at 12.3 megapixels, the D300 can also shoot at 6 fps, extending to 8 fps when the optional battery grip is attached. The D300 carries a larger, 3-inch LCD screen with 920,000 pixels and live preview. With 51-point autofocus (with 15-cross type sensors), the D300 has superior autofocus that meets pro specs. However, like the Canon 40D, the D300 body lacks image stabilization.






Nikon D80 – With at an original MSRP of $1,199, the D80 is priced much closer to the K10D that the D300. The 10-megapixel D80 also shoots at 3 fps and supplies a 2.5-inch LCD screen, though it’s made of up of more resolution at 230,000 pixels. The D80 has 11-point autofocus with just 1 cross-type sensor. Both cameras have pentaprism viewfinders, but the 0.94x magnification and 95 percent accuracy of the D80 does not offer as bright or as contrasty a view as the K10D affords. Again, like all Nikon DSLRs, the D80 lacks image stabilization and cannot shoot DNG files, nor process RAW files in-camera.






Olympus E-510 - Introduced in early 2007, the 10-megapixel Olympus E-510 entered the market with the same $899 MSRP (kit) as the K10D. With a smaller four-thirds sensor, the processing applied to E-510 files was less pleasing to us than the K10D. The E-510 also offers less capable (though audibly more pleasing) 3-point autofocus. Both models feature 2.5-inch LCD screens, dust reduction, and mechanical image stabilization. The E-510’s viewfinder also covers 95 percent of the frame but the view is a lot smaller at .92x on a 4/3 sensor. The E-510 does however, offer a full live preview on its LCD and allows exposures to be compensated +/- 5 EV, rather than the +/- 3 or +/- 2-EV of the K10D. The E-510 does not shoot direct to DNG, nor will it convert RAW files to JPEGs in-camera.