The User’s Review: Pentax K-x digital slr camera, black kit with DA L 18 – 55 mm zoom

Color catches potential buyers' eyes, but I prefer the black.
For me, I use camera to record colors
rather to paint colors on.  

Fig 1. Pentax K-x front and top

The body (SN 3772695) and lens (SN 5105285) were made in Philippines and Vietnam, respectively. Brought at $479.99 with no sale tax and free shipping from Adorama (in NYC) via Buy.com on December 4, 2010. With the bonus points from Buy.com and my Discover credit card, my final cost should be reduced to ~ $450. The black or navy blue bodies are ~ $20 more expensive than those in white, red or other colors in the US market.

Fig. 2. Side views of Pentax K-x.

Why did I buy? Right price and smaller size compared with equivalent Canon and Nikon; 720 HD video; and AA battery usage.

Fig. 3. Pentax K-x rear view with a glass LCD protector and SD card cover.

What I like: compact CMOS digital slr with in-body shake reduction, excellent workmanship (8.5/10), quick response, a GREEN button (for user-assigned function), DOF preview, mechanical MF/AM switch (on my Minolta Maxxum 70, such switch is functional only when power-on), bright viewfinder (although it’s the mirror type), a power-on indicator (the white piece behind the shutter button, and between the GREEN and AV buttons in Fig. 1 bottom image), 3-frame bracketing, acceptance of SD and SDHC card, 19 languages (I use only two), a 300-plus-page English manual with an index, and an optional AC power supply.

Fig. 4. Pentax K-x bottom and battery cover. 

What I do not like: no light-up focus spots (but only AF frame (area) without known focused point) in the optical viewfinder, preset-aperture video with mono-sound, lower video quality in low light or with fast moving subjects (such as kids), short battery life (REALLY short like draining when using both LCD and flash. Therefore, 4 high-capacity rechargeable AA batteries are HIGHLY recommended), the battery cover under the grip does not close tightly (my fingers feel this, which is a little bit annoying). Cosmetically, I prefer a  total black body without the chromed line around the bottom of top cover. It's plastic mounts on the DA L lenses (notice the difference between Pentax DA and DA L lenses, the latter ones are low-cost). K-x is some sort heavier, compared with the last generation of low-end slr 35mm film cameras such as Canon T2, Minolta Maxxum 70, Nikon N75, and Pentax *ist, which were released around 2003 - 2004.

Later in 2011, I brought a AC adapter for my K-x to fuel it through AC since it drains my four rechargeable batteries. At the end of 2011, I also wrote a review on the AC adapter K-AC84U.