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Pentax *ist DL Digital SLR Review
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Review Summary
Reader Score: 9.00 (out of 10)
Pentax's *istDL is the company's second entry into the consumer DSLR market. With a 6.1 megapixel APS-format sensor, a maximum ISO of 3200, a 2.5-inch, 210,000 pixel display, RAW file capability, and a street price of about $750 with lens included, it's very competitive. The camera's autofocus system may fall short of the competition, and the kit lens is nothing to brag about, but in this price range, it remains a viable option.
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Other Reviews For This Model
| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| CNET Reviews |
9.75 |
03-21-06 |
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| Review: "One of the smallest and most affordable dSLRs in town, the Pentax *ist DL is another of the company's series of SLRs that is as easy to use as it's perplexing to pronounce. The DL is a sibling of the *ist DS2 with slightly fewer features and a larger body. The series' primary attractions-such as the 6.1-megapixel CCD and a user-friendly design-remain the same.
..Despite its slight stature and modest price point, the *ist DL handily produces crisp, vibrant photos that should please any photographer taking the step up from a digital point-and-shoot. Curious amateurs should definitely explore beyond the DL's simplest options; a few automatic features, such as white balance, are handily outperformed by the camera's manual settings." |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| DigiCam Review |
9.20 |
05-08-06 |
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| Review: "Announced on the 1st of June 2005, the Pentax *ist DL is a 6.1 megapixel digital SLR camera with a 2.5" screen. The pentax DA lens I tested it with is equivalent to 15-55mm on a 35mm camera.
Image quality is excellent, the images have very good colour, with good contrast and detail, with low noise except at higher ISO settings. Images were slightly smoothed but this is adjustable within the camera. Purple fringing was not noticed, and red-eye was not a problem. The camera was very competent at focusing (except on very plain or dark surfaces).
The Pentax *ist DL Digital SLR is a great digital camera. It feels very comfortable in hand, and produces very natural pictures with little noise and rich pleasing colours. This camera is very easy to use (in auto mode), and would definitely suit a beginner. The camera offers adequate battery life, with very good controls and good build quality." |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| Pocket-Lint |
9.00 |
12-14-05 |
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| "The camera is small and light for an SLR and this will appeal to those upgrading from a compact. And although I felt the camera wasn't the most comfortable to hold, all the most-used controls are well laid out. The four-way controller on the back of the body however, I found a little unresponsive. A shame as it's the main input device for the camera.
. . if you're looking to upgrade from a compact or a first-time digital camera this is a good option. You will produce good images once you've set the camera up and you will have the flexibility of interchangeable lenses and external flashguns. If you're looking for a good mid-range digital SLR then maybe you should think about something from the big two – Nikon and Canon - as their models are dropping in price and have better pedigrees, and in my mind are easier to handle despite their comparatively bigger sizes." |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| LetsGoDigital |
7.77 |
08-22-05 |
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| With a compact, lightweight body, simplified operations and outstanding cost performance, the Pentax *istDL is designed to extend the advantages of high-quality digital SLR photography, including lens interchangeability, to photographers of all levels, even those who are unfamiliar with digital and SLR photography. The *ist DL SLR camera is not intended as a successor of the current Pentax *ist DS, but it surely is a digital reflex that looks rather similar to the *ist DS. The new *ist DL was designed as an affordable starter camera by further advancing Pentax's digital camera develop-ment concepts of "user-friendliness" and "a harmony between ease of use and portability." |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| Camera Labs |
7.00 |
12-02-05 |
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| "The biggest problem facing the *istDL though are the number of very tough rivals costing pretty much the same price on the street. Anyone considering the DL should also be weighing up the superior build and handling of the Nikon D50, the unique built-in Anti-Shake feature of the Konica Minolta 5D, and of course the slightly higher resolution and exemplary image processing of Canon's EOS-350D / Digital Rebel XT. " |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| PC Magazine |
6.50 |
09-16-05 |
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| The images we analyzed weren't as sharp and crisp as those of the Nikon D50 or the Canon Rebel XT. As with other D-SLRs, you can set the autofocus control to specific points in the frame, which may help increase your sharpness. But when we set the default autofocus to "wide" mode, we saw softness in sections of our still-life image. |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| ShutterBug |
----- |
01-06-06 |
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| "The smallest and lightest digital SLR on the market at the time of this writing, the *ist DL is also among the most affordable in the 6-megapixel category. As the entry-level model in the Pentax line, it was designed for simplicity of operation, yet it's surprisingly versatile, with a full slate of semiautomatic and manual features as well as overrides for full control. While the high-end *ist Ds2 boasts a few more capabilities, the *ist DL is very well equipped. It even includes depth of field preview, not available with every camera in the sub-$750 price range.
The Pentax *ist DL may not be perfect for sports photography enthusiasts, but it's a very desirable multipurpose camera. It would be a fine choice for families that include both novices and more experienced shooters. Faster than most of the digicams with built-in lenses, it's also capable of producing superior image quality-particularly at high ISOs-because of its larger sensor. It would also be a suitable choice for anyone who already owns some Pentax-mount lenses, whether autofocus or manual focus. At a street price of $749, including the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL zoom ($649 body only), the Pentax *ist DL is certainly a bargain for a versatile entry-level camera with an oversized LCD monitor." |
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