Pentax K-m features Shake Reduction
The Pentax K-m features a host of advanced features and sophisticated functions - including the innovative in-body Shake Reduction mechanism - to assist the photographer. It also offers a compact, lightweight body, designed by incorporating Pentax’s advanced downsizing technologies, accumulated over the years of digital SLR development, into different body parts. As a result, the Pentax Km assures simple operation and outstanding operability, even for inexperienced first-time digital SLR users.
Pentax K-m offers a compact, lightweight body
Despite the incorporation of a large-sized image sensor (23.5mm by 15.7mm), the Pentax K-m offers a compact, lightweight body to assure remarkable portability and maneuverability. This was made possible by the development of a compact, lightweight and high-rigidity stainless-steel chassis, the downsizing of the Shake Reduction mechanism and circuit boards, the employment of latest high-density packaging technologies assuring most efficient positioning and layout of various parts, and the repositioning of the battery compartment. The camera grip has also been redesigned to assure firm, comfortable hold of the camera body.
Simplified operation system for easy camera handling
The Pentax K-m features a newly designed control system, which positions most of the buttons and levels on the camera’s grip side, making it easier for first-time digital SLR users stepping up from their compact models to operate the camera. What’s more, the functions of each button or lever are instantly displayed on the camera’s LCD monitor with a single press of the help button to facilitate camera operation - especially for those who are unfamiliar with digital SLR cameras.
Auto Picture mode for automatic selection of shooting modes
The Pentax-developed Auto Picture mode is programmed to automatically select the most appropriate shooting mode - from such choices as Portrait, Landscape and Macro - for a given subject. With the Pentax K-m, this user-friendly mode is further upgraded, with automatic detection of situations requiring the Night Scene Portrait mode. Since all camera settings, including aperture, shutter speed, white balance, saturation, contrast and sharpness, are automatically adjusted by the camera for optimum results, the user can concentrate on image composition and shutter opportunity.
Pentax Km digital SLR features a CCD image sensor
The Pentax K-m combines a large, high-performance CCD image sensor (23.5mm by 15.7mm) with the sophisticated PRIME (Pentax Real Image Engine) as its imaging engine. With its approximately 10.2 effective megapixels, it produces beautiful, fine-detailed images with subtle gradations and delicate texture description. It also features a Custom Image function, which offers a choice of six finishing touches to help the user create intended images.
5 point AF system of the Pentax K-m dSLR camera
The Pentax K-m SLR lets the user keep shooting images at the speed of approximately 3.5 frames per second (in the JPEG recording format), allowing the user to capture a sequence of a fast-moving subject with great ease.The Pentax K-m incorporates a five-point wide-area AF system (SAFOX VIII with five cross-type sensors) to assure dependable, high-precision autofocusing. Using the five sensors positioned in a cross pattern over the image field (one in the middle, two at sides, and two at top and bottom), this system automatically and unfailingly selects the optimum sensor for a given subject. It also allows the user to fix the AF detection point at the middle sensor. Thanks to a thorough review of the AF algorithm, this AF system also offers improved autofocusing speed under poor-lighting conditions, in which conventional AF systems take longer to focus on the subject.
Auto sensitivity control up to ISO 3200
The Pentax K-m’s auto sensitivity control function automatically sets the optimum sensitivity between ISO 100 and ISO 3200, based on such data as the subject’s brightness level and the lens’ focal length. Since this function allows the user to take advantage of faster shutter speeds in poor lighting situations (such as indoor sports events and nighttime scenes), it helps the photographer to effectively reduce camera shake and subject shake and prevent blurred images.
Pentax K-m features effective gradation compensation
The Pentax K-m’s dynamic-range expansion function allows the user to expand a dynamic range (or a range of gradation reproduction) to minimize white-washed areas in the image. On the other hand, its shadow compensation function minimizes pitch-black areas lacking details. Combined, they help the user to produce beautiful, rich-gradation images when shooting high-contrast subjects.
LCD monitor and viewfinder on the Pentax K-m
The Pentax K-m digital SLR features a large 2.7-inch color LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 dots on its back panel. This monitor’s wide-view design allows the photographer to check the on-screen image from approximately 160 degrees both vertically and horizontally. It even offers digital zooming of playback images up to 16 times for easy confirmation of the image’s focusing status and details. Thanks to a combination of a lightweight penta-mirror prism, a Pentax-original finder optics and the acclaimed Natural-Bright-Matte focusing screen, the Pentax K-m’s viewfinder delivers a large, bright subject image with an approximately 96-percent field of view and an approximately 0.85-times magnification.
Pentax digital filters for unique visual expressions
The Pentax K-m’s built-in digital filters let the user effortlessly add some creative and artistic touches to recorded images - without the use of a PC. The user can select one of 14 different digital filters - including the new Toy Camera and Retro filters - to create a desired visual effect.