67 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent entry level DSLR
I received this camera last Friday. I had 2 full days to take great shots with this camera. I purchased two bundle kit, which comes with 18-55mm lens as well as 50-200mm lens. I have another manual focus lens, which is A50.7.
One of the most asked questions about this camera is AF speed. Yes, AF is pretty quick. To test AF speed, I sometimes turn focus ring...
2 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Updated firmware did not fix the battery glitch
From Day One my K-x's battery meter was faulty--even with the firmware update (Version 1.01). Whenever I switched the mode dial the battery meter went to HALF. Turning the K-x off re-set the battery indicator back to full. The Pentax people (VERY knowledgeable and accommodating) told me the camera was defective and to either send it to them or return it to the place...
I received this camera last Friday. I had 2 full days to take great shots with this camera. I purchased two bundle kit, which comes with 18-55mm lens as well as 50-200mm lens. I have another manual focus lens, which is A50.7.
One of the most asked questions about this camera is AF speed. Yes, AF is pretty quick. To test AF speed, I sometimes turn focus ring to opposite direction and checked the time it takes to set the focus. It was usually less than 0.4s. Even in low light situation, it worked fine. I took many shots with only one small table light in the living room so, ISO was 6400 and shutter speed was 1/4. Camera doesn't seem to have any problem for AF. Nice thing as a entry level camera is that it supports up to 11 AF point and you can choose your AF point. Some may say, it lacks super impose. However, simply touching 'ok' button reveals current AF point in the LCD screen. So, that's not a problem. AF is sharp and accurate. In MF mode, camera indicates the right focus in two ways both sound and indicator. So, there's no problem using manual focus lens. in Liveview mode, Camera magnifies focus point to assist you, which is very useful since viewfinder is very small.
High ISO support. This is the best part I like about this camera. It supports up to 6400, and can be expanded to 12800. I took several shots outside around 6:00 PM. My friends used flash but my K-x didn't require flash. with 3200 or 6400 ISO, it still gave me clean bright pictures. Pentax did a great job reducing noise, especially color noise. It's hard to find the noise from the pictures. Now, 3200 is something you can use everyday. Actually, scene mode for the kids uses very high ISO to get 1/1000s or faster shutter speed. Thanks to that, pictures for my kids are all sharp and crispy.
User interface is very intuitive and simple. Since this camera is small, most of the buttons are within reach of your thumb and index fingers. Though it's small, grip is ergonomically designed so that camera is very stable in your hand. It has one auxiliary button (green button), which you can assign other functions. It has drive mode, ISO, White balance, aperture and flash buttons. It also has dial to navigate menu faster.
It uses 4 AA batteries and this is really nice. You can use your Ni-MH batteries or Lithium-ION batteries. It your camera is run out of juice, you can go nearby stores and buy one quickly. I took about 250 shots and I didn't need to recharge yet. Camera recognizes battery type automatically and optimizes the operation.
with all the bells and whistles, I think Pentax K-x is super buy for the beginners. Not only it has all the features needed, it outperforms higher grade DSLRs in certain area like low noise. Thanks to great compatibility for the mount, even 30 years old lens can be used for this fresh new DSLR. It was quite fun to look at postings to sell old, student film camera kit at bargain price and you can use lens out of it. I also got 50mm fast lens which is excellent to take portrait shot from used market.
A few updates.
1. Some folks reported battery compatibility issue. Below is the blog of Pentax USA President. He recommended user to put batteries and wait for a few seconds so that Camera recognizes the type of batteries.
[...]
2. It also reveals a few problems related to Shake reduction. First, it produces noise from magnet handling CMOS censor. Bad thing is, this noise is recorded in movie mode. K-7 also has same issue but it supports external microphone. K-x doesn't allow that so, this can be one issue.
3. It also shows color overflow problem under low light situation, especially red and blue. When there's bright light, for example traffic signal, red color or blue color spread around as if it overflows.
A few users reported above problems to Pentax R&D and they are supposed to return by 11/9. I hope firmware upgrade will fix those problems.
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Pentax Kx is Pentax digital SLR for beginner and enthusiast. Pentax Kx replaces Pentax KM / K2000. There are many improvements from KM, such as three stops higher ISO setting, video recording, faster continuous shooting, 11 selectable auto focus points and 12.3 megapixel image resolution (compare to 10 mp). Kx shares same body as Km, so it is still very compact but not weather-sealed like Pentax k200, k20d or k7. It also use four AA batteries instead of lithium batteries.
BODY & HANDLING
Pentax Kx weights 581g, and its dimension is 122 x 92 x 69 mm. It is one of the smallest DSLR camera around, but not the lightest because of body material and 4X AA batteries.
Using batteries has been always been debated, some people like to have lithium battery with their camera, especially those who does not or concern about reliability of rechargeable batteries. Some might prefer the universal AA batteries because they are available everywhere and the rechargeable one is relatively cheaper compare to lithium one.
Built quality of this camera is generally good for beginner digital SLR, sturdy and substantial. Ergonomic is not the best especially for people that has big hand or finger, but it is good in general.
Like KM, the camera interface has been simplified yet very accessible. It has one thumb dial which you will use this a lot to change setting values. There are dedicated trash button, AF/AE-L, exposure compensation button, customizabe green button, live view button, info button, four way buttons which are shared with ISO, WB, Flash, self timer. These are basically what you will need and expect from a good digital SLR camera.
There is also a shooting mode dial, where you can find manual and semi automatic control. There are also some popular scenes mode and video mode. Unique to Pentax, there is Sv (sensitivity mode), which allow you to set preferred ISO and let the camera decide on aperture and shutter speed value.
Changing setting is fast and easy because of availability of many dedicated buttons. Main LCD screen could be activated by turning the camera to ON position or pressing INFO button. Pressing INFO button twice, you will get 12 squares representing popular settings such as auto HDR, image size, shake reduction, etc.
This small control panel is a great help and better than Nikon's info screen, but it is not better than Olympus super control panel.
LCD SCREEN & VIEWFINDER
LCD screen is basic, plain 2.7" , 230k. Compared to recent years DSLR, this screen is a bit outdated but it is not bad. Viewfinder is relatively big compare to beginner DSLR camera. Only Canon 500d and 450D can match the size of the viewfinder.
AUTO FOCUS PERFORMANCE
Auto focus (used with 18-55 kit lens) is surprisingly fast in bright light or low light situation. You will get AF confirmation in the viewfinder (hexagonal green dot) but there is no indicator where the active focus point is. For who that rely on automatic 5 points, 11 points or central point AF, it might not be a problem, but for those who usually use other individual AF point, it might be a bit of inconvenience.
IMAGE QUALITY AND ISO
Pentax Kx images in natural setting are not bright and saturated like competitor like Canon DSLR, but they are more muted and a bit cold. It is similar to Nikon DSLR such as Nikon D90. Nikon and Pentax Kx uses Sony sensor, and that might explain the similarity.
But don't too worry if you don't like muted color, because you can always set higher saturation in Pentax custom setting or deal with it later in your favorite photo editing program. But off course it won't match Canon color when you both set the saturation setting to the max.
* Pentax Kx is available in 100 colors combination in Japan
* Built-in photo processing like auto HDR is slow (takes approx. 10 sec to process and to make a good HDR, you need tripod). It also drain batteries power quickly. Live view, movie recording is very basic for DSLR standard and it also drain batteries. Prepare plenty of rechargeable AA batteries if you keen on using these features.
* The kit lens 18-55mm is generally an OK kit lens, but to get better image quality especially sharpness and image acuity, I recommend you to look for some better lenses such as Pentax 16-45 f4 or 17-70mm f4.
COMPETITOR
Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Price: $750
is a leading beginner cameras with 3" hi-res LCD and 15 megapixel image resolution. The most important maybe the access to Canon extensive lenses. But this camera is more expensive and slower in continuous burst (only 3.5 fps), no built-in image stabilization, and image is not as clean as Pentax Kx' image in high ISO setting.
Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens and 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD Price: $700
D5000 is also a great low light performer like its brother Nikon D90, but the problem with this camera is lack of built-in auto focus motor. This limit your lens selection. There is no built-in image stabilization either. Like Canon and Pentax beginner DSLR cameras, D5000 has live view and movie mode, plus swivel screen.
Pentax Kx is a small wonder. It is great camera for low light condition, very portable (especially combined with Pentax pancake lenses), and the design is very user-friendly. It has two problems that prevent this camera to be the perfect beginner/enthusiasts camera: the active auto focus indicator is absent , and battery life is short when you use photo retouching features and record movie often. However, with the current price point, this camera gives you a better value than its competitors.
Subjective Rating - Relative to entry level DSLR cameras 2009
Image Quality : 5/5
Features : 5/5
Performance : 5/5
Body and Handling : 4/5
Value for Money : 5/5
For image samples and iso comparison please visit my blog. You can find the link through my Amazon profile.
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I purchased the K-X with the two lens kit with the 18-55 lens and the 55-300 lens.
This is a wonderful little camera; the autofocus is fast and accurate, the menus are clear and easy to use, the picture modes let you play with your creativity or you can use it for just point and shoot, and it has manual control when you are ready to use it. I went with the long lens because I take a lot of detail shots and this lens does the trick for me. I haven't yet found a situation where I needed to zoom in closer, and when I do I can always buy a longer lens. Back to size it's a great one handed camera to use, I find the camera comfortable to handle and it feels well made.
I've taken about an hour of video so far; it can shoot up to 25 minutes of video at a time. It's not a video camera but when you want to take a video spontaneously it works great. For me the video is just icing on the cake. The photos are what I bought the camera for. I use mostly the aperture priority (to manipulate the depth of field or get low light shots) and the auto picture settings. And they come out consistently crisp and accurate. Sometimes you will have to manipulate the white balance settings especially when you use the low light capabilities of this camera without a flash, as with any DSLR. The camera has lots of digital filters to process your pictures with, and they are fun to use. What I love most is being able to use the high ISO settings and not need a flash indoors and still get great quality shots.
I use rechargeable batteries in the camera and have now downloaded the new firmware so the camera recognizes them faster. This is a must do because before I had to turn the camera on and off and turn the live view on and off for it to recognize new batteries. I played with a few sets of batteries to make sure they would work. I'm saving the supplied lithium batteries to be a back up set when the rechargeable batteries get depleted.
The in camera shake reduction works with all my lenses including my old manual lenses from 30 years ago. The neat thing about using manual focus lenses (and wearing glasses like I do) with this camera is that you can set the camera to beep when you have focused the lens correctly, and there is also a visual indicator when you look thru the viewfinder. And every Pentax mount lens you buy will work with this camera.
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This is only a preview and I will post a revised review in a few days.
This is my first SLR camera so I have no frame of referrence other than my visits to camera shops to try a few out. I was torn between the Canon T1I and the PENTAX K-X. I took a look at the T1I and felt it was a bit on the cheap side. It was also a bit more expensive with less features and lens are very expensive. Also I think the 1080P at 20 frames is a gimmick as is the whole HD video feature in SLR camera's.
I have only had the Pentax K-X camera for 24 hours but cant get over the build quality. It takes fantastic pictures and has more options and tweaks than you could ever want. Its very easy to use right out of the box even for my wife, yet if you want to tweak your photos and get into it everything SLR offers, the options are there and then some.
A few comments about the fact the camera does not come with rechargeable batteries and battery life in general:
As for Battery life, I am using the supplied Lithium AA's I have used the camera for several hours, taking video and a couple hundred pictures, the battery is still showing as full! As for no included rechargeables, this to me is a non issue. 1. You can keep a spare set of batteries either alkaline or Lithium or even rechargeable which is what I plan to do. I think this offers a ton of flexiblity and ensures you will never run out of juice!
Also, the camera I purchased was a kit with both the 18-55mm and also 50-200mm lenses. these lenses are great build and have excellent image results.
Again, this is only a preview but what I have seen so far I am so glad I went with the Pentax over the Canon T1I! More to come soon.
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I just received and unpacked the K-x. The K-x feels solid and quality built, this is great for the class and has features that many more expensive cameras lack. I shot a few pictures and they are looking awesome... I will need more time to do a complete review, but overall the K-x looks great. I think this Camera has tremendous Value and will push more consumers to look at Pentax for dSLR. Many ppl forget or don't know the great Film Pentax's of the past.
A few notes:
1. Yes the camera comes without a SDHC Card, but Camera's lack this anyway. (I purchased a 16GB Class 6 SDHC ~$32).
2. The Camera comes with Lithium AA Batteries, but you can use Ni-MH Rechargeable AA also.
3. Included Kit lens 18-55mm is sharp and takes great pictures...
4. You can use many film/dSLR Pentax Lenses going back about 50 years, this mount is compatible.
I will update my review after some good photo work. The K-x does lack HDMI connection (only USB) so you can't playback from the Camera the 780p Video to a TV with USB. I will have to load my SDHC Card into my PS3 or Laptop for viewing/editing in 780p. It depends how much Video you will shoot and if you will record to DVD, in which case this is not an issue.
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I bought this for my daughter, and she had it working and taking pictures in less than 3 minutes after the initial configuration. Low light, bright light, macro and even stopping the blades of a helicopter with the 1/6000 of a second shutter speed make this camera one with the specifications of a high end model, at an entry-level price. Oh, and it takes HD movies as well. The rest of the cameras in this price range will be trying hard to catch up to the K-x.
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After several agonizing months of research and forum crawling, I found myself firmly stuck between the Canon T1i and the Pentax k-x. [...] analysis of the Pentax ultimately sealed the deal for me, promising a compact and responsive starter DSLR with lots of headroom to grow in to (and for hundreds less than the canon). Having had the camera for a few days now (and promptly updating the firmware to avoid the nefarious battery issue)I can honestly say I could not be happier. The kit lens has proven more than sufficient for me to cut my teeth on and can definitely produce sharp, vibrant pictures, provided you're not relying on the idiot setting. The button and menu layout is concise and accessible, allowing you to learn the camera inside and out in only a day's time. The camera itself is extremely compact but still manages to have a very solid and comfortable feel. And as so many have noted, the high-iso capabilities allow you to shoot in available light with fantastic results. And while hardcore photographers complain they're pointless, the in-camera filters and cross processing abilities give great results with minimal effort and absolutely add value to the camera. My only gripes thus far are the lack of focus points in the viewfinder (which i wouldn't actually use but feel i should get for spending 6 bills) and the AA batteries, which were easily remedied with a set of Eneloops. All in all though a FANTASTIC camera and ridiculous bargain. If you're reading this you want the k-x but are probably worried about going non-Canikon. My two cents: Buy Pentax and don't look back.
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I recently got the Pentax K-x in Black from Amazon. It arrived in only a few days, and Amazon provided me with a way to track my package, so I could see exactly where it was. I can't say enough about this wonderful camera. I've been shooting with SLRs for 25 years now, and this is the finest one I have ever used. It is such a pleasure to hold and use. You feel like you are holding something very special, as the build quality is top notch. The HD video feature is awesome, too. I've been tinkering around with HD video on my PC for a couple of years now, so I know all about the formats of HD. You are going to need a computer with a bit of muscle under the hood to be able to play your HD videos. I recommend a dual core processor. That should be enough to handle, playing your HD captures. It shoots video in the .avi format. And if you like to upload to YouTube, it works just fine. YouTube actually recognizes the video as being HD, and thus allows it to be played in their HD player. The other thing I love about this camera, is the RAW format. It lets you choose between the Pentax RAW (PEF), or the highly used .DNG (Digital Negative) format, which is so very versatile. I like shooting in .dng, since it's non proprietary, and Adobe Photoshop has no problem with it. As for the picture quality, and camera settings, they are what you would expect to be with any DSLR. I've always been a Canon guy, but couldn't resist this little gem. I'm so glad I opted for the Pentax, and have no regrets.
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This is my third Pentax dSLR, the others are Ds and K10. I was not really planning on getting a K-x, especially after I bought a Panasonic LX3 just 2 months ago. The published reviews suggested that it is too good to pass up; the price may go up as a result of the reviews. So I jumped. For the rest of this review, I will be comparing the K-x to my K10.
AF performance is significantly improved. Even though I did not really feel that it was much faster, focus is dead on even in very poor light. There is no difference in AF speed for SDM lenses. Some people reported that they sometimes had problems with the K-x / Tamron 17-50 combination, I have yet seen that. I have to say that improvement in AF alone is enough to justify the upgrade for anyone with a Pentax older than K20.
Noise performance is another area that K-x just left K10 in the dust. When both were set to ISO200 and at 400% magnification, darker areas remained smooth for K-x while the K10 was visibly noisy. With the limited experience at ISO6400, I am so far very pleased with K-x noise performance.
I like a real optical view finder but I love LV for macro. I don't have any problem with the penta-mirror viewfinder. It might be a tad darker but you will hardly notice.
Some people have reported that K-x has a larger dynamic range than K10; however, I cannot confirm that yet. I am hoping that this is indeed the case. It is safe to say that it is at least as good as K10.
Before I placed the order, I was actually quite concerned with the lack of AF point indicators in the viewfinder. I think I am OK with this arrangement. It is obviously not as easy as K10 but not a deal breaker. As for the lack of a 2nd e-dial, it is again not a deal breaker since I also have a Ds which does not have a 2nd e-dial either. Weather sealing, not a deal breaker. I cannot justify spending another $500 just to get these features.
There are plenty of significant improvements over the K10 to make K-x a keeper. There are just a few minor issues.
Shutter/mirror is just as noisy as K10. I prefer the K7 but cannot justify the price difference. Again, it is not a deal breaker.
I have relatively large hands and hope that someone will market a battery grip for K-x. I have a battery grip for K10.
In summary, I can confirm the findings of many published reviews. It is a very capable camera and perhaps the best value in its market segment. It certainly took sales away from K7 but I think Pentax will increase market share at the expense of competition. BTW, it is also the cheaper dSLR in my collection. Great job Pentax.
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This camera is the best value in DSLRs on the market today.
I got it to replace an Olympus e-510 which is a fine camera, but the K-x blows it away.
My favorite features are the high ISO performance which allows for shooting without a flash in lower light, and using faster shutter speeds with the relatively slow kit lens, the quick auto focus, and it's small size and low weight.
I like to get out into the wilderness on my skis and bike but love to bring a good SLR with me. The K-x now makes that easier than ever. Also, being compatible with every Pentax lens made in the last 50 years is a huge plus. I picked up an inexpensive 50mm f1.7 prime on eBay and have been having fun shooting with that too. Much sharper (when stopped down) and faster (when opened up) than the kit lens which is ok but not fantastic.
Shooting around the house without having the use a flash is also a huge advantage. The shots just look more natural and when shooting it's less intrusive for my subjects to not have the flash going off all the time.
The two things I would add to this would be the weather seals found in the higher Pentax models and AF illumination (the rod spot that tells you what point is focused).
I haven't had any problems due to lack of seals yet, but the peace of mind would be nice while taking it out into the elements.
Video is ok but not great. That's a nice feature that I probably will not use a whole lot but it's nice to know I have the capability if the right opportunity arises.
Be sure to upgrade the firmware to 1.01 if your camera doesn't already have that version. It fixes some problem the original fw had with the battery meter and different kinds of batteries. Without it battery performance is not very good when using rechargeables.
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