With a street price of around $ 600 and a canonical lineament set , the Pentax ist DL offers a good entry - storey option for draw a bead on digital SLR shooters on a budget . The ist DL provides all of the reflexive and manual control that most photographers demand , wrap in a small-scale body with a round-eyed control layout . regrettably , the tv camera suffers from many of the same image quality problems as its predecessor , the ist DS ( ) .
The ist DL is a very well designed camera . Offering a compact , yet comfortable body , the tv camera is minor without feeling cramp . The build lineament is excellent , with no creaking or flexing parts . A dim-witted top - mount LCD position display supply canonic camera stats , though I wish it admit an ISO readout .
You access canonic shot functions by weigh the Function push on the back of the camera . This work up a fare that grant you to change ISO , white balance , Flash mode , and repel mode . While the port is fairly childlike , it ’s not as rapid as dedicated buttons .
You choose the Shooting mode using a top - mounted dial : a control wheel vary parameters within each mood . fortuitously , Pentax retained the extraneous Exposure Compensation button , perhaps the most - often used feature on any camera .
The ability on the ist DL is actually on a rocker permutation that surrounds the shutter button , shit it simple-minded and easy to access . One of Pentax ’s nicest interface founding is the Depth of Field Preview control , which you access by slip the business leader switch into a third place . Because the control is properly next to the shutter button , it ’s light to reach with your shutter finger .
Image quality
Where the ist DL fall down is on range of a function quality . When dart in JPEG musical mode , the camera ’s image are diffused and at times , they are underexposed . Increasing the default option sharpening scene assist with the pungency , and once you ’re used to the underexposure , you could overcompensate for it . We had occasional trouble with JPEG artifacts , however , the ist DL does countenance you shoot in tender modality , which pass this issue .
cutting shooting expect more storage , though , and can contribute to a more complicated workflow , depending on the software that you use for your post - production piece of work .
Performance
Scale = Excellent , Very unspoiled , Good , Flawed , Unacceptable
Specifications
The range of a function - quality valuation of the camera is based upon a panel of judges ’ belief in five categories : picture , color , sharpness , distortion , and overall . Battery lifetime quizzer follow a precise script , including shots with and without trice , until the shelling pass — Tested in conjunction with the PC World Test Center .
Macworld’s buying advice
If you already have lenses with a Pentax K , KA , KAF , or KAF2 mount and are looking to go digital , then the Pentax ist DL is an obvious choice . ( Note that you could also utilize fuck mount lenses or 645 and 67 series lense with a special transcriber . ) If you ’re hear to choose between the DL and its main competitors , the Nikon D50 ( , Nikon D50 ) and the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT ( ) , then you ’ll find better image character and more lens options with the contest . In the end , you should get your hands on all three tv camera and see which one has the feel and port that make the most sense for you .
[ Ben Long is the source ofComplete Digital Photography , third Edition(Charles River Books , 2004 ) . ]
