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I just purchased a new camera for our office, seeing as the old Sony Mavica (Floppy Disk Camera ) is only 1mp & getting Flaky.

My Criteria: External Strobe Capable, < 20mm wide angle, standard (non-proprietary) batteries, 3+MP.

Here’s the ONLY one to comply: Pentax *ist DS… the “Digital K1000”

What it's got: Synched Hotshoe; Downward compatible with almost all Pentax lenses (my body came with an 18-55mm); uses 4-AA (or 2CRV-3) batteries; 6.1, 4 or 1.5MP jpg or RAW, SD card storage (not included - I use a 512).

Some Links:

http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/pentax-istds-reviews.html

http://www.megapixel.net/cgi-bin/fs_loader.pl?p=http%3A//www.megapixel.net/reviews/pentax-istds/pentaxistds-review.html

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/istds.html

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0502/05021306pentax_istdssilver.asp

I like this one - a reviewer with a sense of history:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/sm-jan-05.shtml

I got mine with 18-55mm lens for less than $850 US from Amazon.com, taxes & shipping included.

It functions in "totally automatic" OR "totally manual" and any combination thereof. PLUS I get to use all my old K1000 lenses.

User selectable ASA settings from 200 to 3200 (darn near takes useable pictures, hand held, in moonless starlight ambient (Bulb setting on a tripod if you want)). Also allows "through lens" aperature checking and +/- manual F adjustment even in auto mode.

I get 163 6.1MP shots in “low compression” JPG out of a 512mb SD card. It also shoots in 6.1MP RAW if necessary/desired.

Smaller than the Nikon or Canon too.

As an ex-news photog, I’m in love. It’s my bulletproof K1000 all over again. All the functions are easy, easy, easy to find & reach.

About the only thing it doesn’t do is movies/sound… but that’s what my 4MP pocket Canon S410 is for.

Hello Bryan:

Hey -- thank you so much for posting this! It look to be an awesome camera. Here's an online store selling it with the lens for $750!!

http://www2.butterflyphoto.com/shop/pro ... WLENS&dp=1

Other than the odd name (Star-ist DS?), and the SD storage, this camera is a winner. It is 1/3 smaller than the Nikon D70, and smaller than the Canon Digital Rebel -- those are BIG cameras! And with four high-capacity NiMH AA batteries, it can take 550 pictures *with* 100% flash, or 750 or so without any flash. Whew.

Thanks again, Bryan.

Neil Blanchard wrote:Hello Bryan:

Hey -- thank you so much for posting this! It look to be an awesome camera. Here's an online store selling with the lens for $750!!

http://www2.butterflyphoto.com/shop/pro ... WLENS&dp=1

Other than the odd name (Star-ist DS?), and the SD storage, this camera is a winner. It is 1/3 smaller than the Cannon Digital Rebel and the Nikon D70 -- those are BIG cameras! And with four high-capacity NiMH AA batteries, it can take 550 pictures *with* 100% flash, or 750 or so without any flash. Whew.

Thanks again, Bryan.

Why didn't I see that one... Oh well. What's $100 ? (except most of another lens, or external flash, or 1gb SD card... sigh.)

Hello Bryan:

Any nice pics you care to share? I'm curious to see some "real" shots. TIA

Neil Blanchard wrote:Any nice pics you care to share? I'm curious to see some "real" shots. TIA

Not yet. I got it as a gift and have to sneak around with it so the intended recepient doesn't see it.

OTOH, my avatar comes from a 4mp shot from my Canon S410... it blows up nicely to 24x36...

I'll post some when we go out and shoot a church for a design competition coming up.

Greetings,

Kodak P880 8MP with EVF (electronic viewfinder): http://www.dcresource.com/news/newsitem.php?id=3110
Ships "in September" MSRP~ $600 (nice)

Nikon D50 6.1MP dSLR (digital SLR): http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/nikon/d50-review/index.shtml
available now(?) for MSRP~ $900 w/ lens

Sony DSC-R1 10MP with EVF: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/sonydscr1/
http://www.dcresource.com/news/newsitem.php?id=3156
Ships in "mid-November" MSRP~ $1,000