Pentax debuts adventure-ready, $850 dSLR

May 21, 2012 By Joe Plumber

(Credit: Pentax) I have to admit: the $900 Pentax K-30 dSLR sounds like a pretty promising replacement for the K-r. Rugged on the outside with the potential for the same excellent photo quality as the K-01 mirrorless ILC, claimed faster autofocus performance than the already fast K-5, and a 100 percent coverage viewfinder that you usually only see in more expensive models all add up to a possibly great start to the Pentax-Ricoh era. Though it’s not “durable” in the same sense as bodies like the Nikon D4 or Canon EOS-1D X , with parts designed to withstand heavy photographic abuse, the K-30 offers weather-and-dust resistance, with claims of usability down to 14 degrees (most cameras only guarantee down to 32 degrees); that said, Pentax makes no claims about battery life at those temperatures.