Pentax K20D

Released in 2008, the Pentax K20D is a mid-size DSLR measuring 142 x 101 x 70 mm and weighing 800 g. Framing is through a traditional optical pentaprism viewfinder at eye level.

An APS-C CMOS sensor with stabilisation built into the body makes this a camera for stills. It does not record video, so it suits photographers whose interest is photographs rather than movies.

Weather sealing and the KAF lens mount round out a body aimed at deliberate outdoor shooting. There is no built-in wireless, so moving files to a computer means a card reader or cable.

At the heart of the K20D sits a 14.6 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor paired with Pentax's Prime processor. The resolution leaves room to crop images or make prints, and the APS-C format gives the field of view familiar from cropped-sensor bodies.

Stabilisation is built into the body rather than the lens. That means every lens you mount on the KAF mount benefits from shake reduction, which helps handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds with whatever glass you already own.

Autofocus uses 11 points. The main constraint on fast-moving subjects is the maximum 3 fps burst, which suits portraits, landscapes and posed work better than fast action.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 3200 and the shutter reaches 1/4000 s, workable ranges for daylight and general photography. Framing is through an optical pentaprism, so you view the scene directly through the lens.

The K20D does not record video in any mode. If motion clips matter to your work, this camera cannot supply them, and that single omission is the most important thing to know in this section.

What it does include is built-in interval shooting. The camera can fire a series of stills on its own timer, and you can assemble those frames into a timelapse sequence on a computer afterwards. The result is a set of individual images rather than a movie file.

Weather sealing pairs well with interval work outdoors, since the camera may sit in place for long stretches while the sequence builds and conditions can change around it.

The feature set is modest, scoring 47 out of 100, which places the K20D around the middle of cameras in our database for Features. Weather sealing and live view are covered, while several connectivity and screen conveniences are absent.

On the back is a 2.7 inch LCD with 230,000 dots. It is fixed in place and not touch-sensitive, so live view framing and shot review are the main uses.

Weather sealing is present, and both flash options exist: a built-in unit plus support for an external flash. Together they cover damp conditions and low light without adding accessories.

GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are all missing. Images leave the camera by card reader or cable, and location tagging would require a separate device.

Storage and battery is a limited area for the K20D, scoring 27 out of 100. Each shortfall is manageable on its own, but together they reward a photographer who plans ahead.

The camera writes to SD, SDHC or MMC cards in a single slot. With no second slot there is no overflow or in-camera redundancy, so a spare card belongs in the bag for busy shoots.

The D-LI50 battery is rated for 500 shots, a specification figure rather than a guarantee of real-world endurance, so intensive days may call for a second battery. The camera does not charge over USB, so an external charger handles charging.