Pentax K20D

[aperture]

Anyone using or familiar with the Pentax K20D SLR? How does it measure up to Canon/Nikon?

[epayne]

I looked at the review of the K20D on dpreview.com and it looks like an excellent camera.

The main difference that choosing a Canon or NIKON offers is the system behind both of these brands. Canon and NIKON offer specialty lenses and accessories you may never have need of. How far you take photography in the future may be uncertain at this time. For example super telephoto and very fast long lenses, 600mm f4.0 or a 200mm f2.0, or 400mm f2.8. Also the tilt/shift perspective control lenses are available for control over distortion and depth of field. There are many other aspects as well that Canon and NIKON have better overall support of, Flash systems and close up solutions come to mind as well as wireless digital transfer of files for studio shooting. Go to either company's website to see whats available.

Pentax offers a good line of lenses and accessories, it is just not as extensive.
Pentax has been a respected camera supplier since 1952 and the lenses they offer are of excellent quality. Their history as an optical company goes back to 1919. Pentax introduced their first SLR in 1957 and many of the screw mount lenses manufactured by numerous companies that worked on the early models can be used to a degree on the latest digital body with an adapter.

Also when choosing a camera system, consider what others you may be shooting with are using. It is not uncommon for a fellow CNPA member to shoot a few shots with another members lens while on an outing. Also rental lenses for the once in a lifetime trip to a National Park are more likely to be available in a Canon or NIKON mount. The same is true for locating used lenses, there is just a larger selection to choose from.

Hope this helps, All of the current equipment out there is much better than my capacity to use it to the fullest. But it is fun to practice on the weekends. It is unlikely that the average viewer could tell which brand made a certain photo under similar conditions. I started with my first NIKON in 1969 and have no regrets.

Edgar Payne
Charlotte Region

[aperture]

Thanks for your input.
Stan

[jsessoms]

Anyone using or familiar with the Pentax K20D SLR? How does it measure up to Canon/Nikon?

Late response - It's kind of hard to say, not having a Nikanon to compare it to, but Pentax gives BIG bang for the buck.

I moved up to the K20D from the K10D from the *ist-D. I am quite satisfied with it.

One thing is it gives you access to some great Pentax lenses, since unlike some competitors it is backwards compatible all the way back to Pentax screw mount (with the appropriate screw mount to K adapter).

And ALL of those legacy lenses are stabilized.