Pentax K200D review

Features
The user-friendly design continues with 14 scene presets. As well as shutter and aperture-priority modes, the K200D utilises a sensitivity-priority mode. This allows you to set your desired ISO speed, so the camera adjusts the other settings for you. It's a useful way of stopping picture-ruining noise from creeping in in low light, but do keep an eye on the shutter speed and keep the camera steady.

There are some surprisingly clever features, such as optical image stabilisation, 11-point autofocus system and wireless flash control. Surprisingly, there isn't a face detection system.It's also possible to compare two images side-by-side.

Playback mode boasts a number of fun ways to adjust pictures, such as monochrome and sepia filters, a saturation booster that hikes the colour you specify, and illustration and 'stretchify' filters that turn the image into a drawing. These can all be adjusted by spinning the command wheel, although there are only three increments available for each. Dynamic range can be expanded this way, but again, the range of increments is disappointing. 

Performance
Startup is lightning fast at less than 0.5 seconds before capturing the first image. Shot-to-shot time is then 0.5 seconds too, and only slightly more with the flash enabled. In burst mode, we took 3 frames per second.

Exposure is good, although colours seem pale. With the kit lens, images were crisp with no trace of distortion or vignetting. White balance is slightly off under electric lighting, but the range of presets is always within easy range.

Noise performance impressed us. Unlike compact cameras, which may as well not bother going higher than ISO 800, dSLRs tend to be cleaner at higher ISO speeds. For the K200D at ISO 1,600, images are usuable, if soft.

Battery life was reasonable without the flash enabled, with 100 test shots failing to give the AAs any trouble. It's a different story when using the flash, which burned through the Alkaline batteries in one session.

Conclusion
The Pentax K200D is a straightforward entry-level dSLR. For each higher-spec flourish, it lacks a more obvious consumer-friendly function like live view and face detection. But SD cards and AA batteries keep things simple. We prefer the controls of the Olympus E-510 over the K200D's somewhat clunky operation, but compatibility with older Pentax lenses may give it the edge for some people over the Four Thirds lens range.

Edited by Shannon Doubleday