Compaq Digital DECserver 700 (DSRVW-HC) Remote Access Server

Pros: Easy to use, great metering, metal K-mount
Cons: Small flash, AF not as quiet as Canon USM

I bought this camera to have a "good camera" for a trip to Europe, and I am in the shakedown phase of using it. This is my first AF camera, but prior to this I used another Pentax SLR, the P30t. This camera has an excellent metering system....

Pros: Easy to use, great for the beginning or expert photographer.
Cons: To change aperture in manual mode, you must push a button and a dial.

I bought this camera about five months ago, and I love it! It is so easy to use, even if you do not know anything about cameras. If you are an avid photographer, this camera lets you decide what to do, but if you just like to point and shoot this...

This camera is excellent. I have gotten accurate metering outdoors, in backlit situations, indoors, low light, shooting slides, etc. This camera has an "auto" mode that turns it into a glorified point & shoot camera, and when I check the f-stop and shutter speed settings I nearly always find them appropriate for the situations I'm addressing. For more control, metered manual, shutter priority and aperture priority modes are extremely easy to use. The AF system is great, too. The body supports AF tracking for when a subject is moving. I have found that feature to work well, also. This body has a durable *metal* KAF mount for lenses, which means old Pentax lenses from years gone by will fit. I find the 28-80 f/3.5-5.6AL lens to be an adequate general purpose consumer zoom. It's not a fast high end zoom, but works in most situations. The on camera flash is very convenient, and pops up automatically in most situations where it is needed.

I really, really like this camera. I have shot about 15 rolls of print, and one roll of slides, and exposure is almost always right on - even for backlight (automatically adds fill flash). Of especial interest is the "Auto picture" mode that transforms it into a P&S. It works fantastically, often choosing f/stop and shutter values I would choose, correctly identifying a portrait shot, for instance, and giving a large f/stop. Focus is fast and accurate, and the predictive AF for tracking fast moving objects/people works well, also. This camera has a metal KAF mount for lenses, and therefore it accepts K, KA, and KAF2 lenses, also. I have had no problems using my SMC-A 50mm f/2 lens, an older manual focus lens. The on camera flash is there when you need it, but not always powerful enough. So you might look into the AF360FGZ flash to augment it. In short, this is a fantastic camera, with which you can't go wrong - especially if you already own a Pentax lens or two!

This camera is excellent. I have gotten accurate metering outdoors, in backlit situations, indoors, low light, shooting slides, etc. This camera has an "auto" mode that turns it into a glorified point & shoot camera, and when I check the f-stop and shutter speed settings I nearly always find them appropriate for the situations I'm addressing. For more control, metered manual, shutter priority and aperture priority modes are extremely easy to use. The AF system is great, too. The body supports AF tracking for when a subject is moving. I have found that feature to work well, also. This body has a durable *metal* KAF mount for lenses, which means old Pentax lenses from years gone by will fit. I find the 28-80 f/3.5-5.6AL lens to be an adequate general purpose consumer zoom. It's not a fast high end zoom, but works in most situations. The on camera flash is very convenient, and pops up automatically in most situations where it is needed.

I really, really like this camera. I have shot about 15 rolls of print, and one roll of slides, and exposure is almost always right on - even for backlight (automatically adds fill flash). Of especial interest is the "Auto picture" mode that transforms it into a P&S. It works fantastically, often choosing f/stop and shutter values I would choose, correctly identifying a portrait shot, for instance, and giving a large f/stop. Focus is fast and accurate, and the predictive AF for tracking fast moving objects/people works well, also. This camera has a metal KAF mount for lenses, and therefore it accepts K, KA, and KAF2 lenses, also. I have had no problems using my SMC-A 50mm f/2 lens, an older manual focus lens. The on camera flash is there when you need it, but not always powerful enough. So you might look into the AF360FGZ flash to augment it. In short, this is a fantastic camera, with which you can't go wrong - especially if you already own a Pentax lens or two!

I really, really like this camera. I have shot about 15 rolls of print, and one roll of slides, and exposure is almost always right on - even for backlight (automatically adds fill flash). Of especial interest is the "Auto picture" mode that transforms it into a P&S. It works fantastically, often choosing f/stop and shutter values I would choose, correctly identifying a portrait shot, for instance, and giving a large f/stop. Focus is fast and accurate, and the predictive AF for tracking fast moving objects/people works well, also. This camera has a metal KAF mount for lenses, and therefore it accepts K, KA, and KAF2 lenses, also. I have had no problems using my SMC-A 50mm f/2 lens, an older manual focus lens. The on camera flash is there when you need it, but not always powerful enough. So you might look into the AF360FGZ flash to augment it. In short, this is a fantastic camera, with which you can't go wrong - especially if you already own a Pentax lens or two!

I really, really like this camera. I have shot about 15 rolls of print, and one roll of slides, and exposure is almost always right on - even for backlight (automatically adds fill flash). Of especial interest is the "Auto picture" mode that transforms it into a P&S. It works fantastically, often choosing f/stop and shutter values I would choose, correctly identifying a portrait shot, for instance, and giving a large f/stop. Focus is fast and accurate, and the predictive AF for tracking fast moving objects/people works well, also. This camera has a metal KAF mount for lenses, and therefore it accepts K, KA, and KAF2 lenses, also. I have had no problems using my SMC-A 50mm f/2 lens, an older manual focus lens. The on camera flash is there when you need it, but not always powerful enough. So you might look into the AF360FGZ flash to augment it. In short, this is a fantastic camera, with which you can't go wrong - especially if you already own a Pentax lens or two!

This camera is excellent. I have gotten accurate metering outdoors, in backlit situations, indoors, low light, shooting slides, etc. This camera has an "auto" mode that turns it into a glorified point & shoot camera, and when I check the f-stop and shutter speed settings I nearly always find them appropriate for the situations I'm addressing. For more control, metered manual, shutter priority and aperture priority modes are extremely easy to use. The AF system is great, too. The body supports AF tracking for when a subject is moving. I have found that feature to work well, also. This body has a durable *metal* KAF mount for lenses, which means old Pentax lenses from years gone by will fit. I find the 28-80 f/3.5-5.6AL lens to be an adequate general purpose consumer zoom. It's not a fast high end zoom, but works in most situations. The on camera flash is very convenient, and pops up automatically in most situations where it is needed.

This camera is excellent. I have gotten accurate metering outdoors, in backlit situations, indoors, low light, shooting slides, etc. This camera has an "auto" mode that turns it into a glorified point & shoot camera, and when I check the f-stop and shutter speed settings I nearly always find them appropriate for the situations I'm addressing. For more control, metered manual, shutter priority and aperture priority modes are extremely easy to use. The AF system is great, too. The body supports AF tracking for when a subject is moving. I have found that feature to work well, also. This body has a durable *metal* KAF mount for lenses, which means old Pentax lenses from years gone by will fit. I find the 28-80 f/3.5-5.6AL lens to be an adequate general purpose consumer zoom. It's not a fast high end zoom, but works in most situations. The on camera flash is very convenient, and pops up automatically in most situations where it is needed.