The new standard for DSLRs!

I have been an amateur photographer for over 30 years and have mostly worked with film for my "good" photography efforts. I have been using digital Point and Shoot cameras for the past several years, but recently decided to replace my 35mm SLR with a "real" camera. Very glad I did.

I compared the *ist DS (dumb name) to both the Nikon D70 and the Canon D Rebel - as well, I had been looking at the *ist D, the predecessor to this camera. They were all very good cameras but I have been very happy with the quality and performance of the DS. It is a modern and very functional SLR - and can make some beautiful images.

When you consider the significant price difference between the Pentax and the Nikon, the Pentax is a bargain.

The size is by far the best attribute of this unit, and hand fit is excellent. When shooting for a long time, size and weight can become a big deal.

This unit has the same image sensor (Sony) as the Nikon, and with the SD memory (a positive) and the fact that it uses AA batteries (I bought NMh rechargeables but you can use alkalines in a pinch)it is very flexible to support.

So far, I have shot several hundred images. There is a slight tendency to be underexposed with the pop-up flash but if you are serious about flash photos, buy an AF compatible external flash anyways. The pop-up flashes on all these cameras are strictly for emergencies and snaps. Otherwise, images are excellent.

The Autofocus is very quick and the camera has an easy to use exposure and focus lock. The review screen on the back is both large and bright and VERY high res. Menus seem intuitive - I have not had to refer to the manual very many times. :-)

Finally, you can crank the ISO up to 3200 on this baby - if you can deal with the noise. But just having this level of flexibility is helpful when shooting low, natural light situations.

Pentax has a winner! And now I am one too!