A year after Pentax released its highly rated K-m, there is a new entry-level DSLR with the K-x. The two cameras are very similar, with the exception of one major change. The old 10 Megapixel CCD sensor is out, and a new 12 Megapixel CMOS sensor is in. So what we expect is a comfortable, pleasant-to-use little SLR with improved sensitivity.
Among DSLRs, the K-x is up there with the best of the moment. Start-up is instantaneous, focusing is fast (but noisy with the kit 18-55 mm DA L lens), and so is image saving... provided you don’t enable the optical correction functions, which cause a delay of approximately three seconds when saving files! But since the same corrections exist in photo-retouching software, it may be better to leave them up to the computer. Burst mode is fairly fast, at 4.5 frames per second for nine JPEG images – an excellent result for an entry-level camera.Buy the Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Lens (Black)
With their new A500/A550 DSLRs, Sony has new models to compete with the benchmark SLRs of the moment, namely the Nikon D90 and Canon T1i. The A550 has a wealth of features aimed at winning over photographers: a 14.2 MP EXMOR CMOS sensor, a burst speed of five frames per second, Live View with fast autofocus, and tilting display screen, among other things.
Read the full review at tomsguide.com
Pentax K-x Specs
| Type | TTL autofocus, auto-exposure digital SLR digital-still camera with built-in retractable P-TTL auto pop-up flash | |
|---|---|---|
| Effective Pixels | approx. 12.4 megapixels | |
| Image Sensor | Total pixels | approx. 12.9 megapixels |
| Type | CMOS with a primary color filter | |
| Size | 23.6mm x 15.8mm | |
| Recorded Pixels | Still Picture | JPEG: [12M] 4288x2848 pixels, [10M] 3936x2624 pixels, [6M] 3072x2048 pixels, [2M] 1728x1152 pixels RAW: [12M] 4288x2848 pixels |
| Movie | [0.9M] 1280x720, 16:9, [0.3M] 640x416, 3:2 | |
| Sensitivity ( Standard output sensitivity ) | Auto, Manual: 200-6400 (1EV steps or 1/2EV steps or 1/3EV steps) Bulb mode: up to ISO1600, Could be expanded to ISO 100-12800 | |
| Recording Format | Still Picture | RAW (Original/DNG), JPEG (Conforms to Exif 2.21), Conforms to DCF (Design rule of Camera File system) 2.0 |
| Movie | Motion JPEG (AVI) 24FPS | |
| Image Formats | JPEG - Baseline ( : Best, : Better, : Good)RAW (12bit) (PEF, DNG ) RAW+JPEG: available | |
| Storage Media | SD memory card , SDHC memory card | |
| White Balance | Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten Light, Fluorescent Light (W, D, N, L (Light Bulb) ), Flash, CTE, Manual setting, with WB fine adjustment | |
| Viewfinder | Type | Fixed molded penta-mirror type |
| Focusing screen | Natural-Bright-Matte II focusing screen | |
| Field of view | approx. 96% | |
| Magnification | approx. 0.85X (with 50mm F1.4 lens, infinity, -1m-1) | |
| Diopter adjustment | approx. -2.5 - +1.5m-1 | |
| Live View | Type | TTL by Image sensor |
| Display | Enlargement (2X, 4X, 6X in case of AF mode, 2X, 4X, 6X, 8X, 10X in case of MF mode), Grid pattern, white/black out warning display, Histogram display | |
| Autofocus Mode | Contrast detection + Face detection / Contrast detection / Phase difference detection | |
| Monitor | Type | TFT color LCD monitor, Brightness adjustable, Wide angle view |
| Size | 2.7 inch | |
| Dots | approx. 230,000 dots | |
| Preview Method | Optical/Digital preview *This function can be allocated to green button through Menu. | |
| Playback | Single frame, 4-image display, 9-image display, 16-image display, 36-image display, Zoom display (up to 16 times, scrolling possible), Image comparison, Rotating, Folder, Calendar, Slideshow, Histogram, Bright/Dark area, Resize, Trimming, Index | |
| Digital Filter | Rec. mode: Toy camera, High contrast, Soft, Star burst, Retro, Extract color, Fish eye, Custom Playback: Toy camera, High contrast, Soft, Star burst, Retro, Extract color, Illustration(Pastel, Water color), Fish Eye, HDR, B&W, Sepia, Color, Slim, Miniature, Brightness, Base Tweaking, Custom | |
| Focusing System | Type | TTL phase difference detection, 11-point wide autofocus system (SAFOX VIII) |
| Focus Mode | AF.A(auto), AF.S(single, with focus lock), AF-C(continuous)*, Manual focus * Auto Picture and Picture mode: only when the Action mode is selected. * Scene mode: only when the Kids, Pet, Stage lighting and Night snap mode are selected. * P/Sv/Tv/Av/M/B: AF.A, AF.S or AF.C selectable | |
| Focus Point | 5-point auto, 11-point auto, AF point 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 | |
| Exposure Range | EV1-21.5 (Standard Output Sensitivity 200 50mmF1.4) | |
| Modes | (1) Auto Picture mode (2) Picture mode (3) Scene mode (4) Program AE (5) Sensitivity-Priority AE (6) Shutter-Priority AE (7) Aperture-Priority AE (8) Metered Manual (9) Bulb Picture mode: Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Action, Night scene portrait, Standard Flash-Off Scene mode: Night Scene, Surf & Snow, Food, Sunset, Kids, Pet, Candlelight, Museum, Stage lighting*, Night snap* *The image is fixed to only JPEG. | |
| Exposure Compensation | ±3EV (0.5EV steps or 0.3EV 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 | This function can be allocated to AF button in Menu. | |
| Shutter | Shutter Type | Electronically controlled vertical-run focal plane shutter |
| Shutter Speed | Auto: 1/6000 - 30 sec. and bulb, Manual: 1/6000 - 30 sec., and bulb | |
| Drive Modes | Continuous shooting | Single-frame , Continuous (Hi, Lo), Self-timer (12s, 2s), Remote control (0s, 3s), Auto bracket approx. 4.7 fps, sequence: 17 frame (JPEG and Continuous (Hi)) 5 frame (RAW) approx. 2 fps , sequence: until the memory card becomes full (JPEG and Continuous (Lo)) 11 frame (RAW) |
| Built-in flash | Type | Built-in retractable P-TTL pop-up flash |
| Guide number | approx. 16 (Standard Output Sensitivity 200/m) 12 (Standard Output Sensitivity 100/m) | |
| Angle of view coverage | 28mm wide-angle (equivalent to 35mm) | |
| Flash Exposure Compensation | -2 EV - +1EV (1/2EV steps) | |
| Flash Synchronization | Hot shoe, sync-speed: 1/180 sec., P-TTL, high-speed-sync, wireless-sync with PENTAX dedicated flash | |
| Image Stabilizer | Type | Image sensor shift mechanism, Max 4 steps |
| Dust Removal | Type | Image sensor moving mechanism and SP Coating |
| Time | World Time | 75 cities (28 time zones) |
| Data Folder | Folder Name | Date (100_MMDD•••), PENTX (100PENTX, 101PENTX•••) |
| Power Sources | Four AA (lithium, alkaline, and rechargeable Ni-MH) batteries Optional AC adapter also available. | |
| Battery Life | Number of recordable images (Lithium) | approx. 1900 (Normal Recording)*2 , 1100 (50% use Flash)*1 |
| Playback time | approx. 680 minutes*2 | |
| Number of recordable images (Ni-MH 1900mAh) | approx. 640 (Normal Recording)*2 , 420 (50% use Flash)*1 | |
| Playback time | approx. 390 minutes*2 | |
| Number of recordable images (Alkaline) | approx. 210 (Normal Recording)*2 , 130 (50% use Flash)*1 | |
| Playback time | approx. 350 minutes*2 | |
| Interfaces | USB/Video USB 2.0 (HI-SPEED) | |
| Video Output | Compatible with NTSC and PAL formats | |
| Lens Mount | PENTAX KAF2 bayonet mount | |
| Usable Lens | PENTAX KAF3-, KAF2-, KAF-, and KA-mount lenses. * Power zoom function is not available. K-mount lenses usable with restrictions. S-mount lenses, 67/645 lenses usable with adapter and with restrictions. | |
| Dimensions | approx. 122.5(W) x 91.5(H) x 67.5(D)mm (4.8 x 3.6 x 2.7 inches) | |
| Weight | approx. 515g (18.2 oz.) without battery and SD memory card approx. 580g (20.5 oz.) loaded and ready with lithium battery and SD memory card approx. 615g (21.7 oz.) loaded and ready with alkaline battery and SD memory card | |
| Included accessories | USB cable I-USB7 , Strap O-ST53 , AA lithium battey 4pcs. , CD-ROM S-SW99 Eyecup FQ , Hot shoe cover FK, Body mount cover | |
| Bundle software | PENTAX Digital Camera Utility 4.0 | |
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