The *ist DL2 is the very epitome of the entry-level DSLR, and that includes the price. It is available exclusively from Jessops, so there are no dubious online discount deals available, but even so it is priced at an incredibly competitive £349 including a high quality 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Pentax DA lens.  

Specifications

 More information :  Announced 27-Jan-06
 Max resolution   :   3008 x 2008
 Low resolution  :    2400 x 1600, 1536 x 1024
 Image ratio w:h   :   3:2
 Effective pixels   :   6.1 million
 Sensor photo detectors  :    6.3 million
 Sensor size   :   23.5 x 15.7 mm
 Sensor type   :   CCD
 Colour filter array  :    RGB
 Sensor manufacturer   :   Sony
 ISO rating    :  Auto, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
 Zoom wide (W)   :   n/a
 Zoom tele (T)  :   n/a
 Digital zoom  :    No
 Image stabilization   :   No
 Auto Focus   :   Yes
 Manual Focus   :   Yes
 Auto focus type   :   TTL 5-area AF
 Normal focus range  :    n/a
 Macro focus range  :    n/a
 White balance override   :   8 positions, plus manual
 Aperture range   :   n/a
 Min shutter  :    30 sec + Bulb
 Max shutter   :   1/4000 sec
 Built-in Flash  :   Yes
 Flash guide no.       
 External flash   :   Yes, hot-shoe
 Flash modes  :    Auto, On, Off, Red-eye reduction
 Exposure compensation   :   -3 EV to +3 EV in 0.5 or 0.3 EV steps
 Metering   :   Multi-segment (16), Center-weighted Average, Spot
 Aperture priority  :    Yes
 Shutter priority   :   Yes
 Focal length multiplier   :   1.5
 Lens thread  :    Pentax KAF2, KAF, KA mount
 Continuous Drive   :   Yes, 2.8 fps up to 5 images
 Movie Clips  :    No
 Remote control   :   Yes, Wired optional
 Tripod mount  :    Yes
 Self-timer  :    Yes, 2 or 12 sec
 Timelapse recording  :    No
 Orientation sensor  :    No
 Storage types  :    SD/MMC card
 Storage included  :    None
 Uncompressed format  :    RAW
 Compressed format   :  JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
 Quality Levels  :    Normal, Fine, Superfine
 Viewfinder  :    TTL
 LCD    :  2.5 "
 LCD Pixels   :   210,000
 Video out   :   Yes
 USB    :  Yes
 Firewire (IEEE 1394)  :   No
 Battery / Charger  :    No
 Battery  :    AA (4) batteries (NiMH recommended)
 Weight (inc. batteries)  :    565 g (19.9 oz)
 Dimensions   :   125 x 93 x 66 mm (4.9 x 3.7 x 2.6 in)
 Notes   :   SLR body only, no lens

Review

If you’re over the age of 30 and studied photography at college or university, chances are you learned the basics on the venerable Pentax K1000. It was a basic manual-only camera with a match-needle lightmeter, perfect for beginners, and what it lacked in features it made up for in robust reliability, superb handling and excellent picture quality.
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