Pentax K-30 Weather-Sealed 16 MP CMOS Digital SLR (Black, Body Only) On Line
- 16 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
- Full weather sealing for worry-free use in any weather condition; Rugged coldproof design for sub-freezing use (-10C, 14F)
- Full 1080p30 HD video features h.264 compression, flexible exposure control, and HDR finishing options
- Advanced SAFOX IXi+ autofocus engine features AF assist lamp, light source sensor, and improved optical components
- 3-inch LCD is wide angle viewable, and features 921,000 dots of resolution
Best Review: Pentax K-30 Weather-Sealed 16 MP CMOS Digital SLR (Black, Body Only) - DISCLAIMER: This review is from a still-shooter's perspective. I don't use video that often so look elsewhere if you want an in-depth review of the video functions on this camera.The K-30 is a really great photographic tool like most of its predecessors were. Despite Pentax trying to distinguish it from its previous offerings...it performs pretty much the same as the K-5 in almost all areas.We'll start with image quality... it's excellent. However, I am personally not a huge fan of the 18-135 WR lens that it's bundled with. I like its versatility and the fact that it's weather-sealed. But it has softness issues at the telephoto end. I will probably end up holding onto it but there are better choices in the zoom category that make the most of this camera's excellent 16MP sensor. The DA 17-70 being one that comes to mind (but of course that is not weather-sealed). But outside of that, it has great ISO performance up through 1600 (and decent through 3200), detail capture, and dynamic range. This is especially true if you shoot RAW. The RAW files are great to work with as you can pull out extra detail out of them if you adjust the settings accordingly.Speaking of RAW files... Pentax saves RAW files in the Adobe dng file format exclusively with this camera and does away with the .PEF format on their older cameras. This is a wonderful feature because this universal file format will open in most photo editing software (I use Apple's Aperture and I had no problem opening the files).The only real downsides to this camera image quality-wise that I can think of is that the camera has a tendency to underexpose a little and the colors are somewhat inaccurate (and a tad oversaturated) in its default setting. However, these are only minor demerits and are easily adjustable in the camera settings. And on the exposure issue, I would rather the camera underexpose and retain detail than overexpose which makes it harder to recover lost detail in some instances.In other areas of performance... the AF performance is a distinct improvement over the K-x and K-r and is about on par with the K-5. In most shooting situations, it performs quite well, but it can struggle in low-light situations sometimes. One good thing about the 18-135 WR lens is that it has a built-in focusing motor so that helps AF performance overall. Shot-to-shot times are good, and the camera's burst speed performs as advertised with a decent buffer.The K-30, like its predecessors, offers a pretty good set of still shooting features for the enthusiast crowd. Things like Chromatic Aberration adjust as well as the highlight correction option which helps preserve detail. You can also convert JPEGS back to RAW in this camera which is something very unique. It also has a RAW button on the front of the camera like the K-5 did. The viewfinder is great, 100% coverage with a high degree of magnification.The camera is comfortable hold and shoot with. It is not a light camera overall, but it feels very solid and well-made and of course its weather-sealed. I have yet to test its weather-sealing so I can't vouch for how good it is, but from the reviews I've seen, it works as advertised (just don't completely submerge it in water though). I especially like having dual dials which is something that isn't terribly common on a sub-$1,000 DSLR. Overall the menu system is similar to its predecessors although the main interface has been redesigned a little to make it look more modern. The LCD on back is generally nice but has issues in direct sunlight like a lot of them do. One thing the camera does have is pretty snappy AF performance in live-view, which sets it apart from most other DSLRs. It's not lightning-fast, but it is faster than any other DSLRs I have seen, and is only bested by Sony's DSLT models and most Micro 4/3rds cameras as well.The battery port is the same as the K-r. It comes with the same Lithium Ion battery pack which delivers okay battery life. However, like the K-r, AA batteries can be used with the same adaptor that was used with the K-r. So that's one bonus if you're thinking about upgrading from the K-r.As for the video... it's good from what I have seen and an improvement over its predecessors. But Pentax does not offer an external microphone jack... which is a puzzling omission at this price point. If you are equal parts stills and video enthusiast.... the Canon Rebel T4i/650D is a better choice in this class of camera.So, overall, a great camera for still shooters who only occaisionally dabble into video. It is an excellent choice for travelers on a budget who want excellent still-shooting performance in a rugged body with a flexible powersource. From a still-shooting perspective, it's photo quality is some of the best you are going to find from an APS-C camera. However, it's very clear that Pentax still views video shooting as a secondary feature on the camera and if that is just as important to you as stills are, you might look elsewhere first.
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