Pentax K20D

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K20D Prices

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The older Pentax K10D came with Pentax Photo Browser 3 and Photo Laboratory 3. It is expected that the K20D will come with a newer version of these basic editing and browsing programs.

 

There is a plastic door on the left side of the camera that offers access to three ports: remote at the top, PC/video in the center, and 8.3-volt DC-in at the bottom. There is also a PC sync port beneath a tiny cap on the left side. The video out function can be set to NTSC or PAL.

 

The Pentax K20D is PictBridge-compatible and has a DPOF print ordering system. It is also compatible with Print Image Matching III format.

 

Pentax revamped its lithium-ion battery in the new K20D. The older model has a lithium-ion battery that gets 500 shots per charge, but the newer D-LI50 battery for the K20D lasts 740 shots. An optional BG2 battery grip allows photographers to add a second battery for even more battery life. The grip retails for $129 and goes on sale in March.

 

Most high-end DSLRs still accept traditional CompactFlash media, but the Pentax K20D takes SD and SDHC cards. That media is more common in compact digital cameras, so Pentax is hoping point-and-shooters can come to the DSLR market without having to buy new memory cards. The memory card slot is located under a tightly-sealed door on the right side of the camera body. The only way to open it is to pull out the release lever on the back of the camera and rotate it until the door pops open.

 

Extended Dynamic Range – We can’t verify the effectiveness of this feature at PMA, but we know it’s on the camera. The K20D’s larger CMOS sensor allows for expanded dynamic range to 100 or 200 percent. This brings out more details in highly contrasted images. The expanded dynamic range is grouped with ISO options in the Function menu.

 

Dust Reduction – The K20D has an improved dust reduction system over the older K10D – a mechanism that vibrates the image sensor to shake dust off. The sensor shouldn’t get much on it though because it has an SP coating on it that repels dust. The new feature on the K20D’s dust reduction system is the dust alert function. Located in the Setup menu, it allows the camera to analyze its own image sensor and show you the location of the specs via the LCD screen. It doesn’t remove the specks; it just shows you whether there are any and where exactly on the sensor they are located. You can then opt to manually clean the shutter by locking the mirror up.

 

Multiple Exposures – The Pentax K20D can snap two to five images and merge them together into one image file. This can be done in the Recording menu. You can also choose whether the camera should adjust the exposure when combining them.