The powerful 6.1 megapixel *ist DS Digital SLR camera from Pentax has a lot
to offer digital photographers.
Being both the lightest and smallest D-SLR
camera available today, and producing some excellent quality images, makes
it hard not to be amazed at what this camera is capable of.
Other nice features (such as backwards compatibility with older mount
lenses) make this camera a major contender in the digital SLR market place.
This review takes a closer look at the *ist DS and sees if it lives up to
all the hype surrounding it.
The first thing that you notice upon picking up the *ist DS is how light it is -
this is thanks to a steel frame covered by a plastic shell, which is made all
the more pleasing to handle thanks to sculpted rubber grips on both the front
and back of the camera, for the hand and thumb respectively.
This camera is robust and cleanly finished – the controls are well crafted and
intelligently placed on the camera, while a 2-inch LCD display, a large
comfortable viewfinder, and a built-in flash that can double-up as a focus
assist light make shooting with this camera a pleasure.
Optics and Resolution
The 6.1 megapixel CCD sensor in the *ist DS is capable of producing some truly
superb quality photos with very high levels of detail, accurate color
representation, and very low levels of both distortion and noise.
The standard lens supplied with this camera adequate for most photographers
needs, however it only has a maximum range of 84mm (35-mm equivalent), and is
likely to leave many people wanting a little more telephoto capability.
Users should be kept happy with the ability to capture images in both JPG and
RAW format, an innovative auto focusing function that allows you to set up to 11
focus points, ISO ranges from 200 to 3200, plus almost 20 more custom
user-defined functions.
User Controls
Thanks to ergonomically designed controls, the *ist DS is very comfortable to
use and you are never left wondering how to perform a certain camera function.
To the left of the bright 2-inch LCD screen are four buttons used to access the
menu, delete and display images, and view image details; while a 4-way
controller resides on the right side of the LCD for navigating the menu system
and gaining quick access to various camera functions while in playback and
recording mode.
Despite some initially confusing abbreviations, the menu system is well laid out
and easy to navigate and supports nine different languages.
Storage and Transfer
The *ist DS uses Secure Digital memory cards to store photos, but unfortunately
the camera does not come with a card included so you will have to buy your own
before you can start taking photos. A USB 2.0 interface is available to transfer
images to your PC, and thankfully Pentax has supplied the USB cable in the box.
Battery Life
This camera relies on power from either the included CR-V3 lithium batteries or
the standard AA rechargeable kind, which should provide you with around a few
hundred shots per charge.
It’s a good idea to invest in some rechargeable batteries and keep the included
lithium ones in your camera bag incase you ever need them – these can be stored
for many years without losing their charge.
Shortcomings
With so much on offer it’s hard to think of any shortcomings for the *ist DS.
The strangely cryptic abbreviations of some menu functions may annoy some users
at first, but as mentioned above; it doesn’t take long to understand what they
represent.
The only other annoyance for users is probably the lack of a memory
card being included with the camera, but this does allow you to obtain a card of
your desired capacity from the outset instead of putting up with the often-small
memory cards included with many digital cameras.
Conclusion
Overall the Pentax *ist DS is a very impressive digital SLR camera. It offers
user-friendly controls, a menu system that is easy to navigate, and not to
mention outstanding quality photographs.
Both printed and digital versions of an
understandable 200 page manual come complete with this camera, as well as two
pieces of software from Pentax for transferring and adjusting your photos.
This
is definitely one of the most impressive compact digital SLR cameras available
today, and comes highly recommended to both beginners and experienced
photographers alike.
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