Either Pentax K100D-series camera is a perfect gateway camera for the point-and-shoot digicam shooter who wants to move up to an interchangeable lens SLR and is not encumbered by a bunch of AF lenses from other manufacturers. For the Pentax film SLR shooter, this is the perfect way to upgrade to digital without having to toss out all of the--manual or autofocus--lenses you may already own. Yeah, I wished it had direct monochrome capture, but I also wish I owned a Ferrari. Best of all, with a price point as good or better than any other entry-level SLR, either the K100D or K110D is one heckuva way to improve your ability to not just take photographs but to make them.

This unmanipulated JPEG file was captured with a Pentax K100D with smc P-DA Fish-Eye 10-17mm F3.5-4.5 ED (IF) lens. Exposure in Manual mode was 1¼30 sec at f/10 and ISO 400.
The Black & White Digital Filter converts the original color image into a black and white photograph. Why black and white? Sometimes it just looks right and simplifies a photograph by focusing attention on the subject itself, not its color. Try it, you'll like it.	The K100D's Sepia option in the Digital Filter menu lets you add a vintage, nostalgic touch to produce a warm monochromatic brown tone.
Want more than just a sepia tone? The Color Digital Filter lets you apply a tone that ranges from dark magenta to light magenta with 16 stops in between at various cyan and yellow tones. This filter can be used for manual color correction or applied to an (already filtered and saved) black and white image to produce all kinds of warm and cool tones that are far different and dramatic than the single sepia tone that is available. Roll the e-dial back and forth and the LCD screen previews what the image will look like.	5. The three-level Soft Digital Filter lets you add a soft focus effect by "lightly fading the entire image." Like Goldilocks, you can select from three levels of softness--little, lots, and just right--just by turning the camera's e-dial.

Viva K-Mount
One of the big deals about K100D-series cameras is their ability to use every K-mount lens ever made. Pentax's Ned Bunnell told me, "Pentax has manufactured over 24 million lenses in the last five decades because we believe that for every assignment there needs to be a lens that matches each photographer's style, amateur and professional alike." And that number doesn't include K-mount lenses from other manufacturers. To use old K-mount lenses on your K100D-series camera, here's all you have to do:
Step 1: Set the "Fl with S lens used" custom function to "2."
Step 2: Set the "Using aperture ring" custom function to "2."
Step 3: Once these settings are made, the Shake Reduction option on the main menu is accessible so you can input the lens focal length. If it is an older lens without the "A" setting on the aperture ring you can only access Manual (set at the M position on the mode dial) or Shutter Priority (mode dial set to anything but M). You are also limited to stop-down metering so the viewfinder does darken.

This hot rod was photographed with the smc P-DA Fish-Eye 10-17mm F3.5-4.5 ED (IF) lens at 12mm. Exposure in Aperture Priority mode was 1¼80 sec at f/20 with a +2¼3 exposure compensation to open the shadows. (Oh, this was made at a car show at Zion National Park--no kidding.)

Technical Specifications
Effective Pixels: 6.1 megapixels
Image Capture Device: Interline interlace CCD with a primary color filter
Color Depth: 8-bit (JPEG) or 12-bit (raw) x three colors
Autofocus Modes: AF-Single (with focus lock), AF-Continuous, Manual
Shake Reduction: CCD Image Sensor Shift
Lens Mount: Pentax KAF-mount compatible with Pentax KAF2-, KAF-, and KA-mount lenses; K-mount lenses; S-mount lenses--with adapter; 67/645 lenses--with adapter
Light Metering Method: TTL open-aperture metering with choice of 16-segment, center-weighted, and spot metering
Metering Range: 1-21.5 EV (at ISO 200 with 50mm f/1.4 lens)
Sensitivity: ISO Auto, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Exposure Control: Program AE, Auto Picture mode, Picture mode, Scene mode, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Bulb
Picture Modes: Auto Picture, Scene, Standard, Portrait, Night-Scene Portrait, Landscape, Macro, and Action
Scene Modes: Night, Surf & Snow, Text, Sunset, Kids, Pet, Candlelight, and Museum
Autoexposure Lock: Push button type with approx. 20-second timer
Depth Of Field Preview: Via main switch
Shutter Speed: 1/4000 sec to 30 seconds and Bulb
Flash: Built-in series-control retractable P-TTL pop-up flash
Drive Modes: Single-shot, Continuous (2.8 fps, 5 JPEG, 3 raw), Self-timer (12 seconds, 2 seconds)
LCD Function: Image rotation, slide show, Digital Filters, histogram, exposure warning
Erase And Image Protect Modes: Single, All
Interfaces: USB 2.0
Dimensions: 5.1x3.6x2.8"
Weight: 19.8 oz
Price: K100D $699.95 with smc 18-55mm zoom lens

For more information, contact Pentax Imaging Company, 600 12th St., Ste. 300, Golden, CO 80401; (800) 877-0155; www.pentaximaging.com.

Acknowledgements: Many thanks to the Used Department at Adorama Camera (www.adorama.com) and Mr. Jack Gold for their assistance in providing older manual focus Pentax K-mount lenses to test with the Pentax K100D.