Pentax K200D review

The K200D looks slightly old-fashioned compared to the other cameras here, and it's the heaviest too.

There's nothing outdated about its specifications, though, with a 10 megapixel sensor, 2.7 inch screen and image stabilisation built in. It's the only camera here to include a passive LCD screen to show settings in addition to the main colour screen. This means the colour screen isn't needed when shooting, which explains the huge battery life of 1100 shots. The use of four AA batteries is a bit of a pain compared to the rechargeable Li-ion cells in the other cameras, though it means a pack of ordinary AAs can rescue you if the power runs out. We tested the K200D with the 18-55mm lens.

A Function button turns the navigation pad into shortcuts for flash, ISO speed, white balance and drive mode. This isn't quite as quick as dedicated, labelled buttons, but not far off. We like the dedicated RAW button, which can be programmed to flip between RAW and JPEG modes or switch to RAW for the next shot only - perfect for when you spot a great shot during a day of casual snapping.

Performance is a weak area. The K200D was quite responsive in normal use, taking two shots per second. Focusing was generally quick, but low light and zoom could drag it out to over three seconds. Continuous mode revealed that the Pentax couldn't save photos as fast as it could take them. It started at a fair 2.56fps, but became erratic after five shots, with gaps of up to a second. RAW continuous capture ran at an abysmal 0.5fps.

Our image quality tests produced consistently sharp autofocus and superb detail, often coming top of the group in direct comparative tests. The image stabilisation wasn't able to keep handheld shots sharp at very slow shutter speeds, but proved its worth in typical indoor lighting. Noise was higher than average at high ISO speeds, though, and automatic exposures weren't quite as reliable as the best cameras here.

The K200D is a decent camera, but doesn't do enough to stand out from the crowd.

Author: Ben Pitt