Pentax *ist DS 6.1 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Body Only)

You have to love the ability to use 40 year old lenses in all the modes. Using an old SMC-A 50mm 1.7 all functions work except auto focus. Metering is correct and the exposures looked great.

I like the look of the images taken with this camera, it uses a CCD sensor instead of the current CMOS sensors of the newer camera which to me look somewhat fake.

The viewfinder is big and bright, it uses a prism instead of mirrors. The focusing screen is good and makes using old lenses easy (the rangefinder works with the manual lenses too).

This camera doesn't have functions I don't want or need. It doesn't have live view, but so what, if I wanted that I would have gotten a point and shoot. It also doesn't do video, which is fine because DSLR cameras take bad video anyway. Get a camcorder for video, and a DSLR for pictures.

I have two nikon DSLRs and a pile of nice lenses, but I also have some great Pentax lenses (K mount and screw mount) from my film days that were going to waste, so after some research I started looking for the ISTd in either the original D model or the S model. I settled on the S.

My camera was sold as faulty, but a firmware upgrade solved the software glitch that the previous owner had. I would recommend this camera for anyone that has manual lenses, it works great.

It's a decent beginner's DSLR, lightweight, good image quality when shooting RAW (JPEG looks a bit over-processed). Takes pretty much any lens, including fully manual M42s (with an adapter), but be aware that KAF3 lenses with the AF driven by a motor in the lens rather than the screw drive in the body will NOT autofocus on it - you need a K10D, K20D, K7 or K5 to use them. Big (not like baby Canons) and bright viewfinder, which can actually be used for manual focusing. AF performance is ok, but nothing to write home about.

What it really lacks is in-body image stabilization, in that sense K100 is a better option - not much more expensive, pretty much the same in everything else.

AA batteries is a curse and a blessing at the same time. It's a blessing that you can find them at a buck store in the middle of nowhere. It's a curse that NiMH don't last very long because of the memory effect they suffer from - I wish Pentax used 6 of AAA instead of 4 AAs - would allow for a deeper discharge before the camera stops working. If you can get Li-ion CR-V3s instead, get them, otherwise, at least get a smart charger that discharges the NiMH batteries fully before charging them.

IQ: as I said, shoot RAW and it's decent. JPEG looses quite a bit of detail, so always use high quality and tune down sharpness a notch. Also the default setting for Saturation looks a bit too aggressive.

At this point, if you want a cheap Pentax, go up to at least K100D and get an in-body image stabilization, or spend another $200 and get a K20D. Otherwise, Nikon D70 or something similar might be a better alternative unless you have a lot of old Pentax glass - similar sensor, similar features, you can also use M42 glass, but the selection of lenses for Nikon is bigger, especially aftermarket - you get Tokina, Zeiss, more choices from Sigma and Tamron. When it came out, it was a great camera at a great price point, but today there are better alternatives.

Pros
~small
~quality built/ very sturdy feel
~takes AA batteries (available anywhere and have long life)
~It's a Pentax (myriad of good/cheap lenses available)
~very simple controls- Everything important is there and it is easy to learn to use so you can focus on taking better pictures more than learning how use the camera.

Cons
~could make less noisy images
~takes AA batteries (rechargeable AA's usually take longer to charge than Li Ions)
~If the AF can't decide what to focus on it may not even take a picture, but this is rare and limited to very low light conditions
~In high quality image modes, primarily RAW, the buffer time can seem quite long but this is the only DSLR I've used extensively so i'm not sure if that's even abnormal.

This is my first DSLR and I'm very glad I picked it. It is a great tool for learning how to use a DSLR and take MUCH better pictures. I absolutely love how sturdy it feels in comparison to other DSLRs in its price range- makes some others seem like toys. The only thing that even slightly irks me after realizing it's a 4 year old camera is the AF.In crowded and low light conditions the af seems to have issues determining what to focus on, but to me this seems like an issue that will always be present until af systems can read your mind!

Although this camera doesn't have anti-shake, or the resolution and preview screen size of modern DSLR's, there are a lot of features to make this attractive to someone moving up from a point'n'shoot or a film SLR.
1. It is compact and not too heavy, considering it has a metal frame.
2. It uses easily available AA batteries, (alkalines get gobbled up fairly quickly, but can be used in a pinch), 2500mAH or better NiMH will give you around 200 shots per charge.
3. It can accept up to 8GB SDHC memory with the latest firmware upgrade.
4. It can utilize vitually any K mount lens with shutter automation, and program and aperture automation with KA mount lenses. Manual focus is made easier with a visible and audible "in focus" signal. That 135mm f2.8 telephoto you bought for your K1000 is a great sports lens now!
All in all, a great starter DSLR with enough features to satisfy a serious amateur.

I started using Pentax cameras and lenses about 1980s, and had a happy 15 years with them. I took 10 years off from hobby photography then got use of a friend's ist D about 2006. I eventually wanted my own and price/performance led me to the ist DS recently. It's a fantastic camera that will run current "kit" lenses (zoom, autofocus) very well. But it will also allow you to utilize inexpensive manual focus lenses from Pentax going back to 1975 that will yield phenomenal pictures.

The ist DS is an easy to use DSLR that still has a pentaprism viewfinder to allow accurate focus with older, superior quality lenses. If you want a winning combination and will do a little work, it's great.