Pentax Kx

The Pentax Kx is an APS-C DSLR released in 2009. Weighing 580g, it is a light, compact body for its class, easy to carry on everyday outings.

A CMOS sensor and the Pentax KAF mount define the shooting experience. It suits anyone learning photography or wanting a straightforward body with classic optical viewfinder framing.

Power comes from four AA batteries rather than a proprietary pack. Spare sets are easy to carry, and a fresh set can be swapped in whenever the current one runs down.

The Optics score of 51 is a modest result that sits around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics. The 12.4-megapixel resolution of its APS-C CMOS sensor leaves limited room for heavy cropping.

In-body stabilisation is a genuine strength here. Because the mechanism sits in the body, shake reduction works with any KAF lens you mount, including unstabilised primes, so handheld shots at slower shutter speeds are more dependable.

Autofocus uses an 11-point system, while burst shooting reaches a maximum of 4.7 frames per second. That burst figure is a top rate, not a promise of sustained speed.

Sensitivity spans ISO 200 to 6400. Framing happens through an optical pentamirror viewfinder, which shows the scene directly and uses no battery power to compose. The 1/6000 top shutter speed gives room for wide apertures in bright light.

The Video score of 34 reflects a limited specification. Video recording is available, but clips top out at Standard HD resolution, and the maximum frame rate is 25fps. Those two ceilings frame what the Kx can do with moving pictures.

Clips are saved as Motion JPEG files. There is also no built-in timelapse function on offer, so interval sequences cannot be programmed using the camera's own controls.

For a camera released in 2009, video is best treated as a supplement to stills, not the main output. Anyone who wants video as their primary result will meet the Standard HD resolution limit quickly, and that limit shapes every clip the camera records.

The Features score of 34 signals a limited specification. The 2.7-inch TFT LCD has 230,000 dots, so confirming fine focus on the screen takes a closer look.

The screen is fixed and has no touch input, so menus and focus points are set with buttons. Live view is available, which helps when composing on a tripod or at waist level.

Lighting options are practical here: a built-in flash for quick fill, plus support for an external flash when you need more power and control.

There is no weather sealing, GPS, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. With no wireless transfer available, images come off the camera by removing the memory card, and the body needs care in rain or dust.

With a score of 51, storage and battery is a modest but workable area. Images record to a single SD or SDHC card, and the absence of a second slot means no in-camera backup during important shoots.

With just one slot, the card holds the only in-camera copy of your files, so downloading images after a shoot is the practical way to protect them.

The power arrangement is a quiet strength. Four AA batteries deliver a rated 1900 shots per set, the standout figure in this section.

There is no USB charging, which fits the AA design; you swap batteries instead of recharging inside the camera, so a carried spare set keeps a long shoot moving.