Pentax moves up-market with its new image stabilised ten megapixel, weather resistant, K10D DSLR
Read the Pentax Press Release and more Pentax K10D pictures:
PENTAX unveils their new flagship product, the K10D
Discuss the Pentax K10D on the new
DPNow discussion forum
Samsung's GX10 version of the K10D at Photokina - report and 12 pictures
Samsung's version of the K10D, the GX-10, announced along with 5 new lenses
Pentax announces details of three proposed supersonic AF lenses
The mystery ten megapixel Pentax DSLR shown in
prototype form at PMA back in the spring is now a reality. It's the Pentax K10D and is a significant step up-market for the Pentax DSLR family
Note the two new contacts inside the bayonet at 5 o'clock that will serve future supersonic AF lenses.
It's fair to say that Pentax has earned itself a reputation for producing no-frills, compact and inexpensive DSLR cameras. The
introduction of the K100D a few months ago put paid to the 'no frills' tag through the adoption of an in-house developed electro-mechanical moving sensor anti-shake or image stabilisation system. But the six megapixel K100D still rates a 'budget' camera. Next year, ten megapixels will be the entry level and already Sony, Nikon and Canon have launched ten megapixel models for the low to mid-end of the consumer market. Today it's the turn of Pentax, with the launch of their K10D, the new Pentax flagship DSLR. The Pentax K10D is expected to go on sale some time in October, though no price had been decided at the time of launch.
Pentax' in-house developed moving sensor Shake Reduction system, debuted in the K100D, is now featured in the new K10D.
Above, the sensor size is compared with that of a compact point and shoot camera sensor.
Pro or not?
But is the K10D a 'budget' camera? Its specification is a curious mix of pro-spec and modest spec. We regard the K10D as a feature-rich mid-range DSLR aimed at amateurs and enthusiasts, offering some pro features its immediate competitors don't, but holding back on some advanced features in order to keep the cost affordable.
Here are the K10D features that caught our eye:
Ten megapixel APS-C CCD sensor almost certainly related to the Sony sensors used by Nikon (D200, D80) and Sony (Alpha A100)
22-bit analogue to digital conversion promises smoother colour gradations technically interesting because, in theory the electronic limit for CCD sensors is more akin to 12 or 14 bits
3.3 frames per second continuous shooting not dramatic, but in JPEG mode this rate is claimed to be sustainable until the card is filled
Adobe DNG RAW format files supported in-camera very welcome move!
Pentax-developed electromagnetic moving sensor anti-shake image stabilisation works regardless of lens fitted - first seen in the K100D
Dust resistant coating on CCD low pass filter supplemented by filter shaking system no data on shake frequency, but not likely to be as high as Olympus or Canon (EOS-400D) systems
Professional standard moisture and dust-resistant sealed construction 72 seals, claimed to be a similar level of sealing as a Canon EOS-1Ds, which is very pro-spec
Hybrid plastic and steel frame construction feels solid
SD card compatibility only (SDHC high capacity cards supported) no compact flash support
11-point wide area AF
Top-plate mono segment LCD status display and dual wheel adjustment control
Flexible 'Hyper' programmed exposure options fast switching from even manual to program modes and various combinations of auto adjustment, including ISO
First Pentax DSLR to be compatible with planned introduction of supersonic motor-driven lenses but these new lenses won't be here until next year and we understand they won't work on older Pentax SLRs, including the K100D
First Pentax DSLR with rechargeable lithium ion batteries Pentax says AAs no longer up to the job
Battery grip with portrait mode controls and capacity for two batteries
Interesting touches
There are some interesting touches in the K10D there is a RAW button so you can select RAW capture instantly no matter which image type has been selected. Pentax says it is the first DSLR manufacturer to use DDR2 memory, enabling it to sustain full-speed continuous shooting rates. The Hyper exposure mode system lets you juggle the various settings that can be automatically adjusted by the camera and there is a nice option to set the shutter and aperture when in manual mode using the camera's meter at the touch of a button.
Supersonic lenses
Although you will have to wait for them, the news that Pentax is developing new lenses featuring fast adnd quiet supersonic autofocus motors, akin to Canon's superb USM system and others like Nikon's Silent Wave AF, etc., is most welcome. Two extra contacts have been added inside the lens mount throat to facilitate this. Unfortunately, it looks like the new lenses will not operate on cameras released prior to the K10D. Details concerning the specification of the first Pentax supersonic lenses are expected soon.
So how does the K10D compare?
If you compare the K10D with, for example, the Nikon D80 or the Canon EOS-400D, they are even on sensor resolution and shooting rate though the K10D can sustain continuous shooting faster for longer, but the K10D has a sealed body and a metal frame compared to the others' unsealed body and plastic construction. The K10D also has its anti-shake system that works with all lenses, while the Canon and Nikon require IS-equipped lenses to include that feature.
At the time of writing, we don't know the price the K10D, though I did bring a Nikon D200 to the launch event and Pentax personnel were very interested to know how I felt the K10D compared with the D200. Both have that solid feel and benefit from a top-plate LCD status display, something that is getting ever more rare. We only had pre-production K10Ds to try out, but nevertheless, the larger and heavier Nikon D200 has the edge on detail finish and design cues that would impress professionals. The five frames per second responsiveness of the D200 also tells it apart from the slower and more deliberate mechanical operation of the K10D.
Based on that simple comparison, I'd expect the K10D to fall between the prices of the Nikon D80 and the D200.
What's your view on the new Pentax K10D? Share your thoughts on the new Pentax flagship at the
new DPNow discussion forum.
The optional D-BG2 battery grip
K10D Specifications
| Type | TTL autofocus, auto-exposure digital SLR digital-still camera with built-in retractable P-TTL auto pop-up flash
|
| Effective Pixels | 10.2 megapixels
|
Sensor
Total pixels | 10.75 megapixels
Interline interlace CCD with a primary color filter
23.5mm x 15.7mm
|
| Color Depth | 8 bit (JPEG) or 12 bit (RAW)
|
| Recorded Pixels | JPEG: [10M]3872 x 2592 pixcels, [6M] 3008 x 2000 pixels, [2M] 1824 x 1216 pixels
RAW: [10M] 3872 x 2592 pixels
|
| Sensitivity | Auto, Manual (100 to 1600 (1/3EV steps or 1/2 EV steps):Standard Output Sensitivity)
|
| Recording Formats | JPEG (Exif 2.21), RAW, DCF (Design rule of Camera File system), DPOF (Digital Print Order Form), PRINT Image Matching III
|
| Image Formats | Compressed: JPEG - Baseline (???: Best , ??: Better, ?: Good)
Compressed: RAW (PEF, DNG)
|
| Storage Media | SD memory card, SDHC memory card
|
| Lens Mount | PENTAX KAF2 bayonet mount
|
| Usable Lens | PENTAX KAF2-, KAF-, and KA-mount lenses.
* Power zoom function available. K-mount lenses usable with restrictions. S-mount lenses, 67/645 lenses usable with adapter
and with restrictions.
|
| Focusing System |
|
| Type | TTL Phase-matching 11-point wide autofocus system (SAFOX VIII)
|
| Mode | AF-single (with focus lock); AF-continuous and Manual focus available
|
| Focus Point | Auto, Select, Center
|
| AF assist lamp | Avaiable (by Built-in Flash)
|
| Exposure Control |
|
| Metering System | TTL open-aperture 16-segment metering (coupled with lens and AF information)
|
| Metering Mode | (1) Multi-segment metering (2) Center-weighted metering (3) Spot metering
|
| Metering Range | EV 1 - 21.5 (at Standard Output Sensitivity 200 with 50mm F1.4 lens)
|
| Modes | (1) Green (2) Program AE (3) Sensitivity-Priority AE (4) Shutter-Priority AE (5) Aperture-Priority AE
(6) Shutter and Aperture- Priority AE (7) Metered Manual (8) X speed (9) Bulb
|
| Exposure Compensation | ±3 EV (1/2EV steps), ±2 EV (1/3EV steps)
|
| Auto-bracketing | 3 frames within range of ±0.5EV, ±1.0EV, ±1.5EV (0.5EV steps) or ±0.3EV, ±0.7EV, ±1.0EV (0.3EV steps)
|
| AE Lock | Availiable
|
| Playback | One Shot, Index (9 thumb nails), Enlargement (up to 20X, scroll available), Image Rotation, Folder view, Slideshow , Histogram, Bright Portion
|
| Digital Filter | B&W (4 type), Sepia (3 type), Color (18 type), Soft (three-level amount adjustable), Slim (+/- 8 level amount adjustable), Brightness (at playback mode)
|
| White Balance | Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy,Tungsten Light, Fluorescent Light (W, D, N), Flash, Manual setting
|
| Shutter |
|
| Type | Electronically controlled vertical-run focal plane shutter
|
| Speed | 1/4000 - 30 sec. and bulb
|
| Drive Modes | Single-frame advance, continuous advance, self-timer (12 sec., 2 sec.), auto bracket and remote control (0sec., 3sec.)
|
| Continuous shooting | Approx. 3 fps, sequence: untill the memory card becomes full (JPEG), 10 frame (RAW), 6 frames (RAW+JPEG)
|
| Viewfinder |
|
| Type | Pentaprism type
|
| Focusing screen | Natural-Bright-Matte II focusing screen
|
| Field of view | 95%
|
| Magnification | 0.95X (with 50mm F1.4 lens, infinity, -1m-1)
|
| Diopter adjustment | -2.5 - +1.5m-1
|
| Viewfinder Indication | (1) AF frame; (2) Spot metering frame; (3) AF point
|
| Viewfinder LCD Indication | (1) Shake Reduction; (2) Flash status; (3) Shutter speed; (4) Aperture; (5) Focus indicatoer; (6) Manual focus;
(7) EV bar; (8) EV compensation; (9) Flash exposure compensation; (13) AE lock indicator; (14) ISO warning;
(15) Number of recordable images/EV compensation/confirm sensitivity
|
| Mode Dial Indication | (1) Green (2) Program AE (3) Sensitivity-Priarity AE (4) Shutter-Priority AE (5) Aperture-Priority AE
(6) Shutter and Aperture- Priority AE (7) Metered Manual (8) X speed (9) Bulb (10) User
|
| External LCD Panel Indication | (1) Shutter speed; (2) Aperture; (3) Flash mode (Flash-On, Flash-Off, Red-eye reduction, Auto, Slow-speed sync);
(4) Drive mode (Shingle frame, Continuous, Self-timer, Remote control); (5) EV bar; (6) Auto bracket; (7) Flash exposure compensation
(8) EV compensation; (9) Battery level; (10) White balance; (11) ISO warning; (12)RAW / RAW+JPEG;
(13) Number of recordable images/EV compensation/PC(Pb); (14) Multi-exposure
|
| LCD Monitor | 2.5 inch, low-temperature polysilicon TFT color LCD monitor (Approx. 210,000 pixels), brightness adjustable, Wide angle view
|
| Built-in Flash |
|
| Type | Built-in retractable P-TTL auto pop-up flash
|
| Guide number | 11(Standard Output Sensitivity 100/m), 15.6 (Standard Output Sensitivity 200/m)
|
| Angle of view coverage | 28mm wide-angle (equivalent to 35mm)
|
| Flash Exposure Compensation | -2 EV to -1 EV(1/2EV steps)
|
| Flash Synchronization | With RTF and via hot shoe
Sync speed: 1/180 sec. set automatically with RTF or PENTAX dedicated flash unit at recharge completion
|
| Self-timer | Electonically controlled type with two-second or 12-second delay. Cancellation possible.
|
| Preview Method | Digital Preview / Optical Preview
|
| Custom Function | 32 custom-programmable functions available
|
| Main switch | (1) ON; (2) OFF; (3) Preview
|
Time
World Time | 71 cities (28 time zones)
|
| Language | English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Netherlandish, Italian, Russian, Korean, Chinese (Traditional/Simplified), Portuguese, Japanese
|
PictBridge
Print mode | Single image print, All images print, DPOF auto print
|
| Interfaces | USB 2.0 (HI-SPEED)
|
| Video Output | Compatible with NTSC and PAL formats
|
| Power Sources | Rechargeable D-LI50 lithium-ion battery
Optional AC adapter also available.
|
| Dimensions | 141.5(W) x 101(H) x 70(D)mm (5.6 x 4.0 x 2.76 inches)
|
| Weight | 790g (27.9 oz.) loaded and ready with battery and SD memory card
710g (25.0 oz.) without battery and SD memory card.
|
PENTAX PHOTO Browser 3 / PENTAX PHOTO Laboratory 3
| PC
|
| OS | Windows 2000, and XP HomeEdition/Professional
|
| CPU | Pentium 4 or later (Pentium 4 2.0GHz or later)
|
| Memory capacity | 512MB or more (Recommend to 1.0GB or more)
|
| Hard disk capacity | 250MB or more (Recommend to 500MB or more)
|
| Language | English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Korean, Chinese (Traditional / Simplified), Japanese
|
| Macintosh
|
| OS | Mac OS X 10.2 or later
|
| CPU | PowerPC G4 or later (Recommend to PowerPC G5, Intel CORE can ran at Rosetta)
|
| Memory capacity | 512MB or more (Recommend to 1.0GB or more)
|
| Hard disk capacity | Over 250MB (Over 500MB)
|
| Language | English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Korean, Chinese (Traditional / Simplified), Japanese
|
For smooth operation, suggested system requirments are shown in parentheses.
USB
| PC
|
| OS | Windows 2000/XP(Home Edition·Professional) was pre-installed
|
| Macintosh
|
| OS | Mac OS X 10.2 or later was pre-installed at Macintosh PC
|
