New Pentax K-x dSLR dishes up HD video for under $650

By | September 17, 2009, 12:57pm PDT

Summary: Taking a page from its successful predecessor, the K200D, the newly announced Pentax K-x delivers impressive specs in an aggressive priced package. Currently the lowest-priced dSLR to provide HD video, the K-x is priced at least $200 less than the next cheapest dSLRs with HD video, the Nikon D5000 and the Canon Rebel T1i.

Taking a page from its successful predecessor, the K200D, the newly announced Pentax K-x delivers impressive specs in an aggressively priced package. Currently the lowest-priced dSLR to provide HD video, the K-x is priced at least $200 less than the next cheapest dSLRs with HD video, the Nikon D5000 and the Canon Rebel T1i.  Like the K200D, it takes easy-to-find AA batteries (four AA lithium batteries are included) rather than proprietary Lithium Ion batteries like most dSLRs, and its compact size will appeal to shooters making the jump up from point-and-shoot models.  The new K-x will be available in four colors when it starts shipping in October (black, white, red, and navy blue) though the red and blue versions will be limited editions.

For a quick specs comparison with similarly priced competitors:

Pentax K-x Sony Alpha DSLR-A330
Olympus E-620
Price $649.95 (with 18-55mm lens), ships in October $649.99 (with 18-55mm lens)

$699.99 (with 14-42mm lens)

Sensor 12.4 megapixels, 23.6×15.8mm CMOS 10.2 megapixels,  23.5 x 15.7mm CCD 12.3 megapixel Live MOS
Continuous Shooting Speed 4.7 fps 2.5 fps 4.0 fps
LCD 2.7-inch, 230,000 pixels (fixed) 2.7-inch, 230,400 pixels (tiltable) 2.7-inch, 230,000 pixels (articulated)
Autofocus 11-point (9 cross-type) 9-point 7-point (5 cross-type)
Sensitivity ISO 100-12800 ISO 100-3200 ISO 100-3200
Live View Yes Yes Yes
Storage Media SD, SDHC Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, SD memory card, SDHC memory card Compact Flash Type I/II (UDMA), Microdrive, xD-Picture Card
Movie Mode

1280×720 (24 fps)/640×416 (24 fps) None None
Dimensions 4.8×3.6×2.7 inches 5.0×3.8×2.8 inches 5.11×3.7×2.36 inches
Weight (body)

18.2 oz 17.3 oz 16.6 oz

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Topics

Janice got her hands on a Nikon Coolpix 900 back in 1998 and has been a digital camera enthusiast ever since.

Disclosure

Janice Chen

Janice Chen has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted in this blog.

Biography

Janice Chen

Janice Chen is an editorial consultant and has been covering technology for over two decades. Serving as editor in chief at CNET and Computer Shopper magazine for many years, she oversaw product coverage for the CNET and ZDNet websites. She has appeared on most of the major morning TV news programs and was featured weekly on CNN Headline News' Hotwired segment recommending personal tech ranging from digital cameras to notebook PCs. Prior to that, she appeared with Anderson Cooper on a monthly technology segment for ABC World News This Morning. Quoted in numerous publications such as the New York Times, USA Today, and People magazine, Janice has also evaluated tech products for BusinessWeek, USA Weekend magazine, and Parenting magazine among others.

Janice got her hands on a Nikon Coolpix 900 back in 1998 and has been a digital camera enthusiast ever since. A graduate of Cornell University, she resides in Maplewood, NJ, with her husband (a professional photographer who shot his last roll of film in 2003) and their two daughters.

Related Discussions on TechRepublic

Did you know you can take part in these discussions with your ZDNet membership?
9
Comments

Join the conversation!

Just In

camera battery facts
drjoed@... 1st Oct 2009
The fact that you can use "regular" batteries does not mean that the manufacturer intends you to do so! This is a convenience so that if you forget an extra set and are running out of juice you can-not should-go to any store and pop in a set of AA batteries! The advantage of "proprietary" batteries is that they are usually lighter but also much more expensive to replace and harder to find. The AA rechargeables are cheap and plentiful and when they die you buy another set and can still use the same charger. Also, if you happen to upgrade to a new camera that takes AA's then you can keep your old batteries! With the proprietary batteries if you but a new camera chances are the battery will be different! (I think every camera that Kodak or Sony has ever made takes a different battery if not the AAs)
0 Votes
+ -
share lenses?
lostarchitect 17th Sep 2009
anyone know if this can share lenses with an ist-
D?
0 Votes
+ -
Yes, it will.
pjdemmitt@... 18th Sep 2009
All the Pentax DSLRs will use any lens that Pentax has ever made, going back to the screw-mount lenses of the Spotmatic series. You need an adapter for those, but all Pentax lenses will work.
0 Votes
+ -
great, thanks! (n/m)
lostarchitect 21st Sep 2009
.
I buy when they come out with a full frame sensor. I have a lot of very good glass from my K1000.
It seems like the only award winning photos I see are made with full -frame cameras. Am I missing something ?
Great, just great. This is fantastic innovation on the part of Pentax. This will put pressure on the other camera makers to come up with something competitive.

The K-x is very tempting as a second camera and fantastic for those venturing into the world of DSLRs for the first time.
0 Votes
+ -
Cheap? Or expensive long-term?
mattmuir 19th Sep 2009
WHY, oh why, do these camera companies keep bringing out
cameras that use regular batteries. The are for suckers only,
and it sounds as though a decent beginners SLR has been
ruined with the lack of a decent rechargeable, long life
battery.
0 Votes
+ -
well...
lostarchitect 21st Sep 2009
I suppose you could buy rechargeables and a
charging unit, and only use regular AAs when you
can't plug it in.
0 Votes
+ -
camera battery facts
drjoed@... 1st Oct 2009
The fact that you can use "regular" batteries does not mean that the manufacturer intends you to do so! This is a convenience so that if you forget an extra set and are running out of juice you can-not should-go to any store and pop in a set of AA batteries! The advantage of "proprietary" batteries is that they are usually lighter but also much more expensive to replace and harder to find. The AA rechargeables are cheap and plentiful and when they die you buy another set and can still use the same charger. Also, if you happen to upgrade to a new camera that takes AA's then you can keep your old batteries! With the proprietary batteries if you but a new camera chances are the battery will be different! (I think every camera that Kodak or Sony has ever made takes a different battery if not the AAs)

Join the conversation!

Formatting +
BB Codes - Note: HTML is not supported in forums
  • [b] Bold [/b]
  • [i] Italic [/i]
  • [u] Underline [/u]
  • [s] Strikethrough [/s]
  • [q] "Quote" [/q]
  • [ol][*] 1. Ordered List [/ol]
  • [ul][*] · Unordered List [/ul]
  • [pre] Preformat [/pre]
  • [quote] "Blockquote" [/quote]
ie8 fix

The best of ZDNet, delivered

ZDNet Newsletters

Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox

Facebook Activity

White Papers, Webcasts, & Resources
ie8 fix