User Reviews Send this to a friend
Pentax *istDL 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera with DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL Digital SLR Lens
 
Manufacturer: Pentax
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $599.99
Sale Price: $569.95
Availibility: Usually ships in 4-5 business days
Buy Now
 

Product Description

Product Details

  • 6.1-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 14-by-19-inch prints
  • Includes wide to moderate wide-angle lens
  • Store images on separately sold Secure Digital memory cards
  • 2.5-inch LCD monitor
  • Powered by 4 AA-size batteries (alkaline included, rechargeable NiMH recommended)

Video Reviews

No video reviews found for this product.

Customer Reviews

A superb starter dSLR
 
Review Date: February 24, 2006
Reviewer: Deacon Thom, Forest Hills, NY United States
I first tried out this camera at a local camera store, and was impressed with its heft, its handling, and its surprisingly simple and intuitive LCD menu. I decided to take the plunge, and haven't looked back!

The pictures are unfailingly good, and the camera performs just as capably as my old Canon (film) SLR. Better still, since it's digital, I can experiment, see the results immediately, and quickly delete my mistakes, and try again until I get it right.

I can't help but think this will be a great tool for learning more about photography, and sharpening my skills. And at this price, it can't be beat! It's easily the most affordable dSLR on the market -- a terrific value for anyone, and an excellent piece of equipment for both beginners and advanced snapshooters eager to broaden their horizons.

Pentax *istDL the best?
 
Review Date: April 25, 2006
Reviewer: K. S. Crawford, Sandy, UT United States
After reading the "Wired" magazine buyer's guide for digital cameras, wherein they rated the Pentax *ist-DL with 5 (out of 5) bars, the Canon Digital Rebel XT with 4.5 bars, the Nikon D50 with 4.0 bars and the Olympus e-volt E-300 with 3.5 bars, and awarded the Pentax the "Editor's Pick" award as the best of the bunch, I decided to give one a try. What an amazing little imaging machine. It is small, fast, and, although I have tried to fool the meter with strong backlights and partial frame lighting, I have been unsuccesful. For all those who have been fooled into thinking that Canon makes the best digital SLRs (they certainly spend the most on advertising), you should do your own research. Mine lead me to this Pentax.
the K1000 of digital SLRs
 
Review Date: March 25, 2006
Reviewer: Richard, Alexandria, VA United States
I decided that I needed to get on-board the digital wave beyond my Kycocera EVF digital camera, meaning I needed an SLR. I chose Pentax as several newer film cameras, lenses and flash units I own are all Pentax. The flash units, and lenses for Pentax autofocus, autoexposure (KAF mount) 35mm cameras are interchangeable on the *ist DL, a huge plus! I love knowing I can use AA batteries, CRV3 batteries or an AC adapter (on order).

The DL is a joy to hold, the weight is less than my ZX-Ls and the ergonomics are even better. A couple of competitors' cameras that I have handled afterwards actually felt clunky to me. The LCD viewfinder is great (please let it be known, to save battery life it will time out much sooner than many folks are accustomed to with digi pocket cameras). The multifunction dial for auto shooting, or manual settings is pretty muchthe same as other models I have, cutting down the time I needed to read the manual. The "slim" filter feature is a unique feature to Pentax units I believe.

The kit lens is sharp and clear, and the equivalent to a 28-80mm lens in 35mm format, which suits most of my needs. The DA lens does not have an aperture ring, so those of us so accustomed to having one must learn to use the electronic settings (or use an earlier lens, on aperture priority). A few drawbacks I have read about the DL is that for sports/action use the autofocus may not be fast enough for some guys, and the AF360FGZ flash (I have one)does not swivel. I can get around those items; to me a big plus is that's been reported that Pentax digitals have less noise than many competitors at higher ASA/ISO settings, enabling you to use it in low light situations with less noise (I still want to call it "grain") in your images. As soon as the weather improves, I am going to really see what this baby can do beyond the test pics I have taken indoors.

A great camera to learn digital SLR photography with, just as the old K1000 was for 35mm.
Pentax *ist DL camera
 
Review Date: May 6, 2006
Reviewer: M. Mihaly, Pittsburgh, PA
I had researched this camera for about two weeks, and decided to buy one. It is my first SLR digital camera. I am very pleased with the size of the camera, the lcd screen, and menu (Very easy to use). It takes amazing pictures when printed on my Sony DPP-FP30 photo printer, I would recommend this camera to anyone thats on a budget and wants good quality.
Value, convience, and easy of use! Pentax at it's best again
 
Review Date: June 11, 2006
Reviewer: Rik Woods,
For the price this is a great entry level DSLR. I purchased it six months ago and have found it wonderful and easy to use. The pictures are crisp and sharp and the functions easy to learn. I use this camera body weekly and love that the lenses for my other Pentax SLR's work with the *ist DL

Related posts:

  1. Pentax *ist DS 6.1MP Digital Camera with Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Digital SLR Lens ...
  2. Pentax K110D 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens ...
  3. Pentax K100D 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Shake Reduction and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens ...
  4. Pentax K2000 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DA L Lens and AF200FG Flash ...
  5. Pentax K20D 14.6MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction and DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II Lens ...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Tagged with:

Filed under: Pentax DSLR Reviews

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!