DigiCamReview: Pentax K110D Digital SLR Announced

Pentax have announced the new Pentax K110D, a 6 megapixel digital SLR, this model is aimed at beginners and does not feature the anti-shake CCD system that the new K100D features. It features a 2.5" screen and takes AA batteries. Both cameras lose the *ist name, and gain a K100 based name, similar to the classic Pentax K1000 35mm film SLR.

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PENTAX K110D Digital SLR - FACT SHEET

11-point wide-frame AF to capture off-center subjects in crisp focus

The K110D's sophisticated SAFOX VIII autofocus system features 11 sensor points (with nine cross-type sensors) to automatically focus on the subject with utmost precision, even when it is positioned off center. The in-focus sensor point is automatically superimposed in red in the viewfinder for at-a-glance confirmation. This high-precision AF system offers a choice of two AF modes: the conventional single AF, and the continuous AF,** which maintains focus on the moving subject as long as the shutter release button is pressed halfway down.

** The continuous AF mode is selectable by the user only when P, Tv, Av, M or B is selected as a shooting mode on the mode dial. This mode is automatically activated by the camera when the Auto Picture Program, or one of the Picture or Scene modes, is selected.

Bright, clear viewfinder

The K110D features a lightweight penta-mirror viewfinder, which combines PENTAX-original finder optics with a Natural-Bright-Matte II focusing screen to deliver bright, clear subject images with a 0.85X magnification and a 96 percent field of view.

Large LCD monitor to facilitate image viewing and menu setting

The K110D incorporates a large 2.5 inch color LCD monitor on its back panel. Its wide-view design allows the photographer to check the monitor image over 140 degrees vertically and horizontally, ensuring effortless image viewing even from a diagonal position. With a total of approximately 210,000 pixels, it also offers digital zooming of playback images up to 12 times for easy confirmation of the image's focusing status and details. The large monitor size allows for large letters, digits and icons on the menu screens to facilitate menu confirmation and camera operations. In addition, the color scheme between the menu listings and the background is optimized for each menu screen to assure at-a-glance confirmation, even under varying shooting conditions.

Auto Picture Mode for effortless point-and-shoot SLR photography

The K110D offers the PENTAX-developed Auto Picture Mode, which automatically and instantly selects one of the four Picture modes — including Portrait, Landscape and Macro — by calculating various photographic factors to assure optimum results. Since this advanced shooting mode takes away all the concerns about aperture, shutter-speed, white-balance, saturation, contrast and sharpness settings, the photographer can concentrate on image composition and shutter opportunity.

Auto sensitivity control up to ISO equlivalent of 3200 standard output sensitivity

The K110D features an auto sensitivity control function, which automatically sets the optimum standard output sensitivity — up to 3200, which is the highest automatic setting in its class — based on such data as the subject's brightness level and the lens' focal length. Since this function allows the use of higher shutter speeds in poor lighting situations (such as indoor sports events and night scenes), it helps the photographer to effectively reduce camera shake and prevent blurred images.

AA-battery power supply for easy battery replacement on the road

The K110D is powered by four AA-size batteries — available nearly everywhere around the globe — for worry-free batter replacement. It also accepts two CR-V3 lithium batteries.

True-to-life, rich-gradation images assured by 6.1 effective megapixels

The K110D features a large, high-performance 23.5mm x 15.7mm CCD as its image sensor, assuring the faithful reproduction of the desired photographic intention in the resulting images — from images with beautiful out-of-focus backgrounds to those with edge-to-edge sharpness. By combining 6.1 effective megapixels with a high-performance imaging engine and advanced image-processing technologies, the K110D is designed to produce beautiful, true-to-life images that are rich in gradation. What's more, it offers a choice of two finishing touches of “Natural” or “Bright” to create a distinctive atmosphere.

Compatibility with existing PENTAX interchangeable lenses

The K110D is compatible with all existing PENTAX interchangeable lenses. This compatibility lets the photographer use various lenses for the same subject, or select the most appropriate lens for a given situation, assuring the top visual creativity available only through SLR photography.

** Lenses compatible with the K110D are: K-, KA-, KAF- and KAF2-mount lenses; screw-mount lenses (with an adapter); 645-system lenses (with an adapter); and 67-system lenses (with an adapter). Certain lenses may lose part of their functions.

Super-compact, ultra-lightweight body, with outstanding rigidity

While the K110D is designed to be compact and lightweight to enhance operability and portability, it also incorporates a newly developed stainless-steel chassis and a fiber-reinforced engineering plastic housing to reinforce its overall rigidity and durability.

Upgraded standard software package

The K100D's standard software package consists of the PENTAX PHOTO Laboratory 3 that features the reliable SILKYPIX image-processing engine (developed by ICHIKAWA SOFT LABORATORY) for RAW data processing, and the PENTAX PHOTO Browser 3 that offers faster data processing speed and better operability than the previous version, and can convert RAW images to the DNG format. DNG is a public, archival format for digital camera raw data.

Save-by-day Storage Capability on an SD memory card

Images can be stored in a standard format where all files are located in one folder, or the images can be stored in folders for each day of shooting automatically on an SD memory card.

Additional features

·High-speed shutter unit, with a top speed of 1/4000 second

·High-speed continuous shooting, up to five images (at “Best” image quality in JPEG format) at the speed of approx. 2.8 images per second

·Eight distinctive Scene modes to accommodate specific subjects/applications

·19 custom functions to personalize camera operations

·SD memory card compatibility

·Choice of two depth-of-field preview functions (digital/optical)

·Choice of 16-segment multi-pattern metering, center-weighted metering and spot metering to accommodate various photographic applications

·Noise reduction mechanism to reduce digital noise during extended exposures

·USB 2.0 (HI-SPEED) compatibility for speedy data transfer to PC

·Choice of image format between JPEG (Best, Better or Good) and RAW

·Five digital filters (Black-and-white, Sepia, Slim, Soft and Brightness) for easy editing of recorded images