Pentax *ist Ds Review

Ok a little while back I told you all that I had got a new camera. A very nice new digital SLR from Pentax. Now for all you out there that don’t know what SLR means I found this great definition:

An SLR or single-lens reflex is really designed for the enthusiast photographer or the person who can put up with a larger camera in return for increased accuracy and greater versatility. This type of camera has through the lens viewing with a mirror behind the lens and a pentaprism to direct the light passing through the lens to the optical finder. The mirror lifts up out of the way as a photograph is taken. As you look through the lens that takes the picture the composition can be more accurate and the lens often removes giving you a wider scope of options. The metering and focusing systems are usually more accurate too. Despite all this creativity it’s still possible to stick most SLRs on a full auto point & shoot mode so anyone could use one with ease, but don’t expect to fit one in a pocket! They are much bigger. Ephotozine

So you got it, this is not a compact camera, it won’t fit in your pocket, but it will allow you to be much more creative then a compact point and shoot camera.

Ok so this is my new Camera Pentax *ist Ds Front small (for a SLR), light and solid. This thing feels much sturdier than the Canon 300D that it competes with, but is smaller and lighter. It has a steel frame with a plastic body.

The main reason I looked at this camera was twofold.
Firstly it was cheaper than the rest, being a good $200AU cheaper than the Canon and $400 cheaper than the Nikon D70.
Secondly my three existing lenses would just work with it. Unfortunatly my old flash however is another story.

Features include:

  • 6.1 Megapixel sensor
  • 2 inch display screen
  • 11 point autofocus
  • Multi mode metering
  • SD Memory card for storage (faster and smaller than a Compact flash)
  • Multiple auto-exposure modes, including Macro, Portrait and landscape
  • Apeture and speed priority settings
  • Full manual (good for my older manual lenses) and bulb settings
  • ISO settings from 200 – 3200 with very low noise up to 800
  • Shutter speeds from 30 seconds up to 1/4000 of second

Overall it has the features required by a beginner and the flexibility for more professional work.

If you want to read a comprehensive review that I agree with hop over too Steve’s Digicams.

Here are a few shots from the Camera to show you what it can do. Remember to look at the Exif data to see the settings.

Grevilla
Black Mountain Tower
Sun, Cloud and Lake
Hibiscus
Light, Water and Ducks
Commonwealth Bridge
Motor Bike Clothing?