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Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor image
 
(based on 23 ratings)
Brand: Pentax
Located in: Cameras & Lenses, Digital Cameras & Accessories, Digital Cameras
Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor
Review Snapshot®
Avg. Customer Rating:
 
4.7 stars
(based on 23 reviews)
91% of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Customers most agreed on the following attributes:

Pros:
Easy to use(17), Fast shutter speed(12), Great picture quality(16), Great resolution(3), Image stabilization(17)
Cons:
Slow focus(3)
Best Uses:
Art(17), Fun(13), Landscape/scenery(18), Photojournalism(10), Portraits(16)
Describe Yourself:
Enthusiast(3), Photo enthusiast(12), Semi-pro photographer(6)

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
Great camera!
By Mr HDTVVerified Purchaser from New England on 10/20/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction, Weatherproofing
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Portraits, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Semi-pro Photographer
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I'd love to have the K-7, with its smaller body and faster shutter mechanism, but the K20D is nearly as good and a lot cheaper right now. I think it will be good enough for me for a while, and then I can upgrade to the K-7 or its successor at a later date.

 
Don't stick only with the big names.
By roicoVerified Purchaser from NYC on 10/5/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Cons:
Heavy
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Photojournalism, Portraits, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

Amazing camera, lots of specials settings, user customization, and amazing IQ, in a very durable body.
As a long time canon user i was a little afraid to move to Pentax but never regraded for giving it a chance. Got it for an amazing price, and it really feels like a pro camera in your hands compare to the same price category from canon, Nikon, and Sony.
Very happy customer.

 
Bought two
By HilophotoVerified Purchaser from Hilo, Hi. on 7/8/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Cons:
Poor In Low Light, Slow Focus
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Portraits, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

Like the strong build, weatherproof which i need as i hike into water fall and river areas and we get plenty of rain in Hilo.

 
Best For Price!
By Joe the TouristVerified Reviewer from Woburn, Ma. on 4/14/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

Good solid feel.
Pentax has got me back into fun photography. Loaded with useful features.
A few changes in your settings gives you a full range with your older Pentax lenses. Try that with brands X and Y!
I love the noise reduction settings for high ISO's.
Great camera at a reasonable price!

[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
The K20D is awesome
By SALVerified Reviewer from Massachusetts on 4/5/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Cons:
Battery died
Best Uses:
Landscape, Sports, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I've had the K20D since about June 2008 and I love it and haven't had any problems with it, other than the battery which died within a few months. However, the Power2000 NP-400/D-L150 batteries are under $20 and work great with the Pentax charger (vs $45+ for the Pentax batteries). I also recommend the Pentax SMCP-DA 18mm - 250mm lens as a good all around lens. And since I like doing scenic/wildlife photography, I also eventually bought a Sigma 50-500mm EX/HSM lens which works well with the K20D, though some might not like the weight of it, I can overlook it given the capabilities of it. This combination is great for getting up-close to wildlife.I'm not sure why anyone would choose other major brand digital SLRs which are around the same price but with less resolution. It just doesn't make sense to me.The only complaint, besides the battery, is that the interval shooting is limited to 99 images. That means that without an external trigger/intervalometer, you can only automate shooting a max of 99 frames w/o intervention if your doing time-lapse photography, although I did track down a company that makes compatible intervalometer for around $50 which I'm waiting to receive. The ~$140 Canon TC-80N3 might work with the K20D (if anyone has tried this, I would be curious to know if it works).

 
Love my Pentax K20D
By Bill LVerified Purchaser from Washington, DC on 3/12/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Image Stabilization
Cons:
Nothing I don't like
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Photojournalism, Portraits, Sports, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I have used my K20D for 3 months now. I love the camera. The controls are logical and easy to use once you know them. I particularly like the in-camera image stabilization. I have taken some lower light shots, hand held that are very crisp that, when I tried the shots without stabilization were blurred. Just a great, solid feeling camera.

[0 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
Pentax K20D
By Steve5760Verified Purchaser from Rapid City, SD on 3/3/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Photojournalism, Portraits, Sports, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Semi-pro Photographer
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I love this camera!

 
Excellent Camera
By TonyVerified Purchaser from Austin, Texas, USA on 2/15/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Best Uses:
Art, Landscape, Portraits, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Semi-pro Photographer
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

This camera is very well built, sealed and comfortable to hold in the hand. The 15 megapixels are more than adequate and the price is simply unbelievable. For the same features in other brands you can't buy as much camera.

 
Best Camera I've ever owned
By jbnhlVerified Purchaser from Mobile, AL on 2/6/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Photojournalism, Portraits, Sports, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I shoot landscapes, objects, wildlife and some portraiture, the K20D is everything it says and more. I have had no problems with this camera and I find it very easy to learn and use. I could not be happier with this purchase.

Images shared by: jbnhl

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Tags: Using Product

[0 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
Not as good with old lenses as wanted
By Scrapbook AnneVerified Purchaser from Ann Arbor, MI on 1/26/2009
Pros:
Comfortable Controls, Great Image Quality
Cons:
Hard to focus manually, Overexposes sometimes, Slow Focus
Best Uses:
Landscape
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I was encouraged to buy the camera because it would be compatible with my existing lenses. But that compatibility is severely limited and I had to purchase a new lens in order to be able to use the camera adequately. So I had to spend more money that I wanted to, but it works great with the new lens. I was disappointed in its ability for manual focus. The mirror in my existing camera is so much easier to use.

 
Great camera, durable, tough.
By markfVerified Purchaser from Minnesota on 1/21/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Photojournalism, Portraits, Sports, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Semi-pro Photographer
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

The camera is rather substantial (heavy), but that is a product of a very strong physical construction and shouldn't be held against Pentax. For those who use a camera in a less-than-comfy environment, it's built like a tank.

 
The best camera short of pro models
By JeffVerified Purchaser from Cadillac, MI on 1/21/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Cons:
Slow Focus
Best Uses:
Art, Landscape, Portraits, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

This thing feels so well built. Every time I look at the pics I am still in awe of the sharpness that this thing delivers even with the stock lens. I am certain there is no match for this camera below the $2000 mark. It was the best [$] I could have spent.

 
The K20 by Pentax
By Husker SteveVerified Purchaser from Rapid City, SD on 1/21/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, In a word WOW, Strong Construction
Cons:
No cons to this model
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Photojournalism, Portraits, Ready for everything, Sports, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Semi-pro Photographer
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I have yet to find faults with the K20! This is by far the best photographic investment I've ever made!

 
Great camera, especially for the price.
By HarveyVerified Purchaser from Dallas, Tx on 1/21/2009
Pros:
Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Cons:
Loud
Best Uses:
Landscape, Portraits, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Casual Photographer
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

Great images, sturdy, tons of camera for a reasonable price.

 
Very Happly with Adorama's Service!
By Dan the painterVerified Purchaser from Chicago, IL. on 1/14/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Cons:
Heavy
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Photojournalism, Portraits, Sports, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I purchased the K20D because I had Pentax lens and an external Pentax flash I purchased years ago for a 35MM SLR Pentax, and everything fit and works great. The K20D is heavy, but the weight feels secure and steady.

 
No Final Verdict
By jchVerified Purchaser from Mpls, MN on 1/14/2009
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization
Best Uses:
Art, Landscape, Portraits
Describe Yourself:
Semi-pro Photographer
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

Some issues with shooting speed on sports shots. In truth it is likely more an issue with the person behind the camera than with the camera itself!

Portraits have been nothing short of spectacular (which is the real reason for the purchase).

Did run into an issue when using Kingston brand SDHC class 6 cards. While the same cards work fine in my older Pentax bodies, this camera just doesn't play nice with them! I was able to retrieve images with 3rd party recovery software, but it was a major hassle. No issues whatsoever with Sandisk SDHC (class 4 and 6 work great) or "generic" SD and SDHC cards from a local computer store.

 
a great camera,highly recommended.
By nikonmanakVerified Purchaser from london,ky. on 12/29/2008
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Cons:
Poor In Low Light
Best Uses:
Art, Landscape, Macro, Portraits, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

i just love this camera,i was a nikon user for years and it was hard trying to convince my self to change over to pentax!this camera was easy to learn for me.the photos so far i take are out standing and i shot raw most of the time.low light is the only problem i have,but there is always manual focus to fall back on.buy this camera and you won't regret it.o yea adorama is a great store to buy from,great prices [...]

 
Great Camera
By deyivoireVerified Purchaser from chicago, il on 12/29/2008
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy To Use, Fast Shutter Speed, Great Image Quality, Image Stabilization, Strong Construction
Best Uses:
Art, Fun, Landscape, Photojournalism, Portraits, Sports, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

Excellent all-round camera with excellent pricing. Image stabilization and huge selection of backward compatible lenses. I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Its 2 main weaknesses are slower frames per second than the competition (poses some limits on fast sport and fast wildlife shooting) and no mirror up control (most of its competitors lack this also).

[0 of 3 customers found this review helpful]

 
Specifications didn't cover it all
By RayVerified Reviewer from Leeds, Maine on 9/13/2008
Pros:
Bright LCD, Strong Construction
Cons:
X-sync socket is a waste
Describe Yourself:
Photo Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

Bought this camera with the intention of shooting some of my work with strobes. I was very disappointed after reading in the instruction manual that "any use of high-voltage or high-current flashes may cause a camera breakdown." What a bummer. This clearly should have been stated under the camera specifications. Had it been, I certainly would not have bought it. Are all digital cameras with X-sync sockets like this?

[6 of 6 customers found this review helpful]

 
Pentax Tradition Lives
By jstevewhiteVerified Reviewer from MidWest on 7/27/2008
Pros:
Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Small Lag Time, Strong Construction
Best Uses:
Art, Documentary, Fun, Photojournalism, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

A review like this can't say enough good things about this machine. It feels like a quality camera and acts like it, too. The sensor is sharp enough that you'll notice if you have any less-than-sharp lenses, and when you hook it up with really sharp lenses like, say, the FA 35mm f2, the detail is awe inspiring. I'm constantly amazed by full length candids in which I can count eyelashes.

You can use all of the old Pentax manual focus lenses, amazingly enough. I have several, from a 50mm 1.4 to a 100 f4 macro, and they work flawlessly. With the Pentax-A lenses, all of your exposure modes work; with M lenses, you have to use "manual" with "green button" - which means you focus and touch the green button, which stops down the lens, meters, and opens up, setting your shutter speed appropriately based on your selected metering pattern. It becomes second nature after a very short time, and using M lenses seems nearly as transparent as using A lenses. And the excellent shake reduction system works with them, too, because it's in the body, not the lens.

The low-light performance is excellent. The busier your shot is, detail wise, the better your low-light images will be - low-key, out of focus areas can develop some fairly obnoxious chroma noise and 'scan lines', but it's easy to fix in post. I used to shoot a lot of film, and I use the Kodak 1600 speed color films, and this camera's ISO 1600 images are an order of magnitude better than ANY high speed film I have ever used. I've got 8x10s from this camera at ISO1600 that are just beautiful - you'd never believe they were 'low light' images. And when you combine it with the shake reduction I mentioned in the previous paragraph, you can take photos in unbelievably low light. If I try two or three times, I can get a sharp image at 1/4 second!

The *only* negative I've found is that the AF is a little slow, and sometimes I have to take over and drive. Several reviews elsewhere have said that this isn't a camera for sports photography, but frankly, I used to shoot sports with an LX, so the speed of AF doesn't really impact my choice of applications. Seems like the new generation should learn the benefits of prefocusing :D.

[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
Can't possibly say enough good things...
By photodaveVerified Reviewer from salina, ks on 6/7/2008
Pros:
Amazing resolution, Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Small Lag Time, Strong Construction
Best Uses:
Art, Documentary, Fun, Photojournalism, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Professional
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

i use my camera for everything from top fuel drag cars that run 300 mph to soft studio portraits and it continues to amaze me every time i load the pics onto my computer. i cant possibly say enough great things about it. upgraded from the *ist D so its a huge step but i am very impressed.

[9 of 9 customers found this review helpful]

 
Surprisingly better than the K10D
By An Avid HobbyistVerified Reviewer from Alameda, CA on 5/23/2008
Pros:
Easy to Use, Good Battery Life, Good sized screen, Great Resolution, Nice Features and Settings, Rugged
Best Uses:
Outdoors, Travel
Describe Yourself:
Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I purchased a K10D about 18 months ago, and was completely awed by the camera, it was a huge improvement over my ist*. When the K20D was announced, I was mostly interested in the additional resolution, since I print many of my photos to 12 by 18 inches. The surprise was all the other improvements made to the camera, like lower noise, higher speed, faster focus, slightly larger screen, live preview, burst mode (21 frames per sec), the ability to shoot B&W, and more... On a recent kayak trip, a harbor seal popped up near the kayak. The attached image was taken with the K20D and the new Pentax 50-135mm lens with the kayak bobbing in the water. The resulting image says a lot. The focus and resolution are so good, you can see the spiral twist in the whiskers. I rated this camera as a 5, but the definition of 5 is "perfect" and nothing is perfect...so this camera is definitely a 4.8 or 4.9

Images shared by: An Avid Hobbyist

Harbor seal - camera handheld while in kayak

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Tags: Made with Product

[3 of 4 customers found this review helpful]

 
The Greatest DSLR Out!
By Cliff the PhotographerVerified Reviewer from Panama City, FL on 5/8/2008
Pros:
Easy to Use, Excellent in Low Light, Fast Shutter Speed, Good Battery Life, Good sized screen, Great Resolution, Nice Features and Settings, Rugged
Best Uses:
Outdoors, Portraits, Sports/Action, Travel, Weddings/Events
Describe Yourself:
Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about Pentax Pentax K20D 14.6 Megapixel Interchangeable Lens Digital SLR Camera Body, 2.7" LCD Monitor:

I had the K110D and that camera was great. Then I purchased the K20D and stepped into a whole new world. This camera is incredible. It takes amazing pictures with low light, lots of light, good light, any type of light. It feels great in your hands, focuses fast (although could be a little faster), has a solid build, and reproduces astounding color. I will keep this review short, but believe me, you cannot spend money on a better camera. The only drawback is 3 fps burst rate and sometimes slow auto focus. Otherwise, this camera would be a 5!

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