Pentax K200D

The K200D is a DSLR from 2008 built around a 10.2 megapixel APS-C sensor. You compose through an optical viewfinder, and the shooting experience is straightforward: frame, focus, release.

It suits photographers who want a simple, sturdy body rather than the latest technology. Weather sealing copes with changeable conditions, and in-body stabilisation counters camera shake, so both are strengths here.

Ownership is practical. At 690 g and 134 x 95 x 74 mm it is a mid-sized DSLR, and the four AA batteries keep the power system simple.

The optics score of 48 is modest, and the K200D sits in the bottom 21% of cameras in our database for Optics. The APS-C sensor contributes useful points, but the limited maximum ISO is among the specifications that hold the result down.

In-body stabilisation is the highlight. The sensor shifts to counter camera shake, so every lens on the Pentax KAF mount benefits, including lenses with no stabilisation of their own. It reduces camera shake rather than subject movement, so moving subjects still need a fast shutter speed.

Autofocus offers 11 points, and the camera shoots at up to 2.8 frames per second, a maximum figure rather than a promise of sustained speed. That pace favours steady subjects over fast action.

Sensitivity spans ISO 100 to 1600, so dim scenes will often push the camera to its ceiling. The maximum shutter speed is 1/4000 second, and framing is through an optical pentamirror viewfinder.

The K200D does not record video. There are no resolution or frame-rate figures to discuss, because the camera offers no movie recording.

Built-in timelapse is likewise absent, so the camera offers no automated interval shooting of its own. Any clip-based or motion work will need a different tool.

For a stills photographer this changes little. The K200D is a stills camera through and through, so the absence of video matters mainly if your projects require motion.

The features score of 34 is limited. The 2.7 inch LCD offers 230,000 dots, no touch input and no articulation, and with no live view the screen is used only for menus and image review. Every shot is framed through the viewfinder.

Weather sealing is the genuine strength. It protects the camera in dusty or damp conditions, letting you keep shooting when the weather turns, though it does not make the camera waterproof.

A built-in flash handles casual indoor shots, and support for an external flash leaves room to expand your lighting. There is no GPS, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so files come off the camera by removing the memory card.

The storage and battery score of 51 is modest. A single slot takes SD, SDHC or MMC cards, so there is some flexibility in card choice but no second card in the body; carry spares for important shoots.

Power comes from four AA batteries, and the rated 1800 shots is a strong result. Treat it as a rating rather than a guarantee of real-world endurance.

There is no USB charging, so plan on spare cells rather than topping up from a cable. Because the camera takes ordinary AAs, carrying a fresh set is simple, and swapping depleted cells for new ones takes moments.