If you are an amateur, but you need a DSLR, you’ve likely noticed the K20D has an attractive price for it’s set of features. Does the Pentax live up to it’s claims, however, or is it simply a prosumer with a DSLR tag? Read on to find out.
Body
The first thing you will notice when looking at the Pentax K20D, is that it is not as awkward looking as some other dSLR cameras. The lens is proportionate to the body, and doesn’t look dwarfed.
The camera itself is surprisingly small for a mid-range dSLR, and it is easy to hold in one hand. It has a right-side hand grip, as all cameras do, and has a centered screen in the back. The menu and navigation buttons are laid out as they are on any camera – mostly on the right side, with a few on the left.
The built-in flash is mounted above the lens, while the EVF viewfinder is mounted directly above the large LCD display. The shutter button is positioned towards the front of the camera, for easy access by the index finger when held with one hand. The zoom button sits on the opposite side of the camera, and is comfortably in reach of the thumb.
The front of the camera is mostly blank, with the lens taking up most of it. There is a small ‘K20′ located in the corner.
The finish of the body is textured, and it is colored black. Overall, the camera looks professional and comfortable, and is something no professional would be embarrassed to hold.
Features
This camera features the ability to shoot photos upto 14 megapixels (4672 x 3104), enough to make large, high quality prints. The megapixel shooting level can be lowered down to 10/6/2.2 megapixel levels for smaller shots.
The K20D can shoot in two photo formats – JPEG and RAW. The JPEG has four compression levels, while the RAW can be shot as RAW+JPEG or PEF/DNG RAW.
For clear shots, the Pentax K20D has 11-point auto focus using nine cross sensors, for fast speeds and high accuracy. The AF is dynamic, auto, or single, depending on your needs.
There are seven exposure modes, including the common aperture/priority/manual, as well as the less common green mode and flash sync speed mode. In addition to the seven exposure modes, there are 10 white balance modes, including auto, manual, and auto sub levels like daylight and tungsten.
The exposure bracketing goes in half and third increments up to +/-2 AE. The ISO cam go up to a high 6400, so shots in the dark are definitely do-able with this camera.
For those times when you need more creative shots in a short amount of time, you can use one of several different filters, including: HDR, BW Sepia, 3/18/6 color, Soft, Slim, etc.
Image Quality
As with the previous version of this camera, the K20D takes very nice photos. Daytime photos are superb, while night time shots are very nice. At high ISO, there is noise, but no more than you would reasonably expect to see from any mid-range dSLR.
Conclusion
If you need a professional camera for a less-than-professional choice, the Pentax K20D dSLR camera certainly holds its own as a viable option. The camera is small easy to hold, while at the same time feeling sturdy and robust. It sports a wide array of exposure, white balance, and filter settings, and can take clear, crisp photos in nearly any occasion.
By: Blair Mathis