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Pentax *ist DL2

APS-C AF digital SLR camera

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Pentax *ist DL2

Specification

■ Production details
Announced:January 2006
System:● Pentax K APS-C (2003)
■ Imaging plane
Maximum format:APS-C
Mount and Flange focal distance:Pentax K [45.5mm]
Imaging plane:23.5 × 15.7mm CCD sensor
Resolution:3008 × 2008 - 6 MP
■ Shutter
Type:Focal-plane
Model:Electronically controlled
Speeds:30 - 1/4000 + B
Sensor-shift image stabilization:-
■ Exposure
Exposure metering:Through-the-lens (TTL), open-aperture
Exposure modes:Programmed Auto
Aperture-priority Auto
Shutter-priority Auto
Manual
■ Physical characteristics
Weight:470g
Dimensions:125x92.5x67mm

Manufacturer description

January 26, 2006 PENTAX Corporation is pleased to announce the marketing of the PENTAX *istDL2 lens-interchangeable digital SLR camera to offer the fun and excitement of high-quality digital SLR photography to many levels of photographers — especially first-time digital SLR users.

Developed as a proud successor to the popular *istDL, this new digital SLR inherits many of its predecessor’s popular features, including a compact, lightweight and easy-to-hold body and a simple, accessible operation system. At the same time, it provides several improvements and additions, such as an increased number of AF sensor points and eight user-friendly Scene Modes.

As a result, it delivers greatly enhanced overall cost performance to its users.

PENTAX believes that the new *istDL2 is an ideal starter camera for many different users around the globe, ranging from photographic novices and family snapshot enthusiasts to current digital-compact and film-SLR users who want to take up digital SLR photograph.

This camera is not available in Europe.

Major Features

1. User-friendly automatic operations

The *istDL2 is equipped with the innovative Auto Picture Mode, which automatically and instantly selects the most appropriate Picture mode from Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Macro or Action for a given subject or situation to assure the optimum combination of aperture, shutter speed, white balance, saturation, contrast, and sharpness. In addition, the built-in auto flash automatically pops up in dimly lit or backlit situations. As a result, even first-time digital SLR users can immediately produce high-quality digital images with minimal effort.

2. Simple, accessible operation system

The *istDL2 features a functional, easy-to-access operation system to simplify complicated camera operations. From the large, easy-to-use mode dial and the responsive Av/Tv select dial to the multi-function four-way controller, all switches and dials are designed and laid out for optimum accessibility and maneuverability. Coupled with its ergonomically designed, easy-to-hold grip, it assures smooth, flawless operation at every stage of photography.

3. Auto sensitivity setting

Like many digital compact cameras, the *istDL2 features an “AUTO” position for sensitivity setting. In this position, the camera’s sensitivity is automatically set by the camera, based on such factors as subject brightness and lens focal length, while the user can randomly select the upper limit of sensitivity between the standard output of 400 and 3200. This position is extremely useful to avoid camera shake in poorly lit locations and to prevent sensitivity resetting failures by the photographer.

4. Large 2.5-inch color LCD monitor

The *istDL2 incorporates a large, high-precision 2.5-inch color LCD monitor on its back panel. With approximately 210,000 pixels, this monitor displays recorded images sharply and beautifully for effortless confirmation of focus and composition, even when the original image is enlarged by 12 times using the digital zoom capability. To maximize the benefit of this large monitor, the menus are displayed on-screen with large characters and digits for easy, quick confirmation. The menu screen also provides an optimum color scheme between menu descriptions and background to assure effortless menu reading under all types of lighting conditions.

5. Compact, go-anywhere body

The *istDL2 offers a compact, lightweight body for outstanding portability and maneuverability, thanks to such advanced downsizing technologies as a high-rigidity stainless-steel chassis, 10-layer electronic circuit boards, high-density packaging technology, and mirror-box and shutter units that are designed in perfect proportion to the CCD size. By combining a compact, lightweight penta-mirror with PENTAX-original optics and focusing screen, it provides a large, bright viewfinder image for easy confirmation of the subject’s expression and picture framing.

6. High-definition, maximum-gradation images with 6.1 effective megapixels

Thanks to its large, high-performance CCD image sensor (23.5mm by 15.7mm), the *istDL2 offers 6.1 effective megapixels. Coupled with PENTAX’s original image processing technology using a high-performance engine, it produces high-definition images rich in gradation and saturation. It also offers a choice of finishing touches between “bright” and “natural” to satisfy user preferences.

7. User-friendly guide screen

The *istDL2 features a user-friendly, multi-data guide screen, which offers detailed description of shooting modes, displays drive, flash and white balance settings using text and sample photos, and presents a comprehensive list of all camera settings on the large 2.5-inch monitor.

8. High-precision 5-point AF system

The *istDL2 incorporates a five-point wide-area AF system (SAFOX VIII with five cross-type sensors) to assure dependable, high-precision autofocusing. Using the five sensors positioned in a cross pattern over the image field (one in the middle, two at sides, and two at top and bottom), this system automatically and unfailingly selects the optimum sensor for a given subject. It also allows the user to fix the AF detection point at the middle sensor. In addition, the *istDL2 offers a choice of two AF modes: Single AF to lock the focus when the shutter release button is half-depressed, and Continuous AF to adjust the focus continuously to the subject’s movement.*

* The AF-mode switching function is available only when the Programmed AE, Shutter-Priority AE, Aperture-Priority AE, Metered Manual or Bulb shooting mode is selected. In the Auto Picture Mode, Picture Mode or Scene Mode, either the Single AF or Continuous AF mode is automatically selected by the camera according to the mode in use.

9. Eight Distinctive Scene Modes

The *istDL2 offers eight different Scene Modes (Kids, Pets, Candlelight, Museum, Night Scene, Surf & Snow, Text and Sunset) to simplify camera operations for particular subjects or certain situations. The user can easily and quickly set the most appropriate Scene Mode for a given subject or situation by selecting the corresponding icon on the mode palette displayed on the LCD monitor.

10. Two preview functions

In addition to the conventional optical preview function, which allows the photographer to confirm the depth of field in the viewfinder, the *istDL2 also comes equipped with a new digital preview function, which allows confirmation of not only the depth of field, but also the exposure level, image composition and flash lighting effect, on the LCD monitor.

11 . 1/4000-second high-speed shutter

The *istDL2 incorporates a high-speed shutter unit, with a top speed of 1/4000 second and a top synchronization speed of 1/180 second, to assure greater visual creativity. The bulb setting is also available to accommodate extended exposures at night.

12. High-speed 2.8-frame consecutive shooting

The *istDL2 records up to five images (at “best” image quality in JPEG format) consecutively at a speed of approximately 2.8 frames per second, allowing the user to capture a series of photos of the subject’s motion.

13. Compatibility with PENTAX interchangeable lenses

The *istDL2 offers the outstanding benefit of lens interchangeability, letting the user take advantage of the wide selection of PENTAX interchangeable lenses for use with diversified subjects and applications.**

** PENTAX K-, KA-, KAF- and KAF2-mount 35mm-format lenses can be used without an adapter or modification. PENTAX screw-mount 35mm-format lenses and PENTAX 645- and 67-system lenses can be used with an adapter. Some functions may not be available with certain lenses.

14. Sporty, fashionable design

The *istDL2 is designed to be sporty and fashionable, with eye-catching silver-colored edges around the shutter release button and LCD data panel on the upper panel, and the LCD monitor and four-way controller on the back panel.

13. Others

  • Eighteen user-programmable custom functions to personalize camera operations to user preferences
  • SD memory card compatibility
  • Storage of recorded images in separate day-by-day files on an SD memory card
  • Versatile three-mode metering system, with a choice of 16-segment multi-pattern metering, center-weighted metering and spot metering.
  • Noise-reduction system to minimize annoying digital noise during extended exposures
  • Dual power source, with a choice of two CR-V3 lithium batteries or four AA-size batteries
  • Effortless PC data upload via USB 2.0 (HIGH-SPEED) connection
  • Functional playback functions, including 12X zoom display and nine-image thumbnail display
  • A choice of image format between JPEG (good, better or best) or RAW
  • Five built-in digital filters (black-and-white, sepia, slim, soft and brightness) for easy processing of recorded images.
  • PENTAX PHOTO Laboratory 2.1 RAW-data processing software and PENTAX PHOTO Browser 2.1 browser software included
  • PictBridge compatibility
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Table of contents
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Pentax K APS-C system cameras
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35mm full frame

43.27 24 36
  • Dimensions: 36 × 24mm
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Diagonal: 43.27mm
  • Area: 864mm2

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Image stabilizer

A technology used for reducing or even eliminating the effects of camera shake. Gyro sensors inside the lens detect camera shake and pass the data to a microcomputer. Then an image stabilization group of elements controlled by the microcomputer moves inside the lens and compensates camera shake in order to keep the image static on the imaging sensor or film.

The technology allows to increase the shutter speed by several stops and shoot handheld in such lighting conditions and at such focal lengths where without image stabilizer you have to use tripod, decrease the shutter speed and/or increase the ISO setting which can lead to blurry and noisy images.

Original name

Lens name as indicated on the lens barrel (usually on the front ring). With lenses from film era, may vary slightly from batch to batch.

Format

Format refers to the shape and size of film or image sensor.

35mm is the common name of the 36x24mm film format or image sensor format. It has an aspect ratio of 3:2, and a diagonal measurement of approximately 43mm. The name originates with the total width of the 135 film which was the primary medium of the format prior to the invention of the full frame digital SLR. Historically the 35mm format was sometimes called small format to distinguish it from the medium and large formats.

APS-C is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the film negatives of 25.1x16.7mm with an aspect ratio of 3:2.

Medium format is a film format or image sensor format larger than 36x24mm (35mm) but smaller than 4x5in (large format).

Angle of view

Angle of view describes the angular extent of a given scene that is imaged by a camera. It is used interchangeably with the more general term field of view.

As the focal length changes, the angle of view also changes. The shorter the focal length (eg 18mm), the wider the angle of view. Conversely, the longer the focal length (eg 55mm), the smaller the angle of view.

A camera's angle of view depends not only on the lens, but also on the sensor. Imaging sensors are sometimes smaller than 35mm film frame, and this causes the lens to have a narrower angle of view than with 35mm film, by a certain factor for each sensor (called the crop factor).

This website does not use the angles of view provided by lens manufacturers, but calculates them automatically by the following formula: 114.6 * arctan (21.622 / CF * FL),

where:

CF – crop-factor of a sensor,
FL – focal length of a lens.

Mount

A lens mount is an interface — mechanical and often also electrical — between a camera body and a lens.

A lens mount may be a screw-threaded type, a bayonet-type, or a breech-lock type. Modern camera lens mounts are of the bayonet type, because the bayonet mechanism precisely aligns mechanical and electrical features between lens and body, unlike screw-threaded mounts.

Lens mounts of competing manufacturers (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony etc.) are always incompatible. In addition to the mechanical and electrical interface variations, the flange focal distance can also be different.

The flange focal distance (FFD) is the distance from the mechanical rear end surface of the lens mount to the focal plane.

Lens construction

Lens construction – a specific arrangement of elements and groups that make up the optical design, including type and size of elements, type of used materials etc.

Element - an individual piece of glass which makes up one component of a photographic lens. Photographic lenses are nearly always built up of multiple such elements.

Group – a cemented together pieces of glass which form a single unit or an individual piece of glass. The advantage is that there is no glass-air surfaces between cemented together pieces of glass, which reduces reflections.

Focal length

The focal length is the factor that determines the size of the image reproduced on the focal plane, picture angle which covers the area of the subject to be photographed, depth of field, etc.

Speed

The largest opening or stop at which a lens can be used is referred to as the speed of the lens. The larger the maximum aperture is, the faster the lens is considered to be. Lenses that offer a large maximum aperture are commonly referred to as fast lenses, and lenses with smaller maximum aperture are regarded as slow.

In low-light situations, having a wider maximum aperture means that you can shoot at a faster shutter speed or work at a lower ISO, or both.

Closest focusing distance

The minimum distance from the focal plane (film or sensor) to the subject where the lens is still able to focus.

Closest working distance

The distance from the front edge of the lens to the subject at the maximum magnification.

Magnification ratio

Determines how large the subject will appear in the final image. For example, a magnification ratio of 1:1 means that the image of the subject formed on the film or sensor will be the same size as the subject in real life. For this reason, a 1:1 ratio is often called "life-size".

Manual focus override in autofocus mode

Allows to perform final focusing manually after the camera has locked the focus automatically. Note that you don't have to switch camera and/or lens to manual focus mode.

Manual focus override in autofocus mode

Allows to perform final focusing manually after the camera has locked the focus automatically. Note that you don't have to switch camera and/or lens to manual focus mode.

Electronic manual focus override is performed in the following way: half-press the shutter button, wait until the camera has finished the autofocusing and then focus manually without releasing the shutter button using the focusing ring.

Manual diaphragm

The diaphragm must be stopped down manually by rotating the detent aperture ring.

Preset diaphragm

The lens has two rings, one is for pre-setting, while the other is for normal diaphragm adjustment. The first ring must be set at the desired aperture, the second ring then should be fully opened for focusing, and turned back for stop down to the pre-set value.

Semi-automatic diaphragm

The lens features spring mechanism in the diaphragm, triggered by the shutter release, which stops down the diaphragm to the pre-set value. The spring needs to be reset manually after each exposure to re-open diaphragm to its maximum value.

Automatic diaphragm

The camera automatically closes the diaphragm down during the shutter operation. On completion of the exposure, the diaphragm re-opens to its maximum value.

Fixed diaphragm

The aperture setting is fixed at F/ on this lens, and cannot be adjusted.

Number of blades

As a general rule, the more blades that are used to create the aperture opening in the lens, the rounder the out-of-focus highlights will be.

Some lenses are designed with curved diaphragm blades, so the roundness of the aperture comes not from the number of blades, but from their shape. However, the fewer blades the diaphragm has, the more difficult it is to form a circle, regardless of rounded edges.

At maximum aperture, the opening will be circular regardless of the number of blades.

Weight

Excluding case or pouch, caps and other detachable accessories (lens hood, close-up adapter, tripod adapter etc.).

Maximum diameter x Length

Excluding case or pouch, caps and other detachable accessories (lens hood, close-up adapter, tripod adapter etc.).

For lenses with collapsible design, the length is indicated for the working (retracted) state.

Weather sealing

A rubber material which is inserted in between each externally exposed part (manual focus and zoom rings, buttons, switch panels etc.) to ensure it is properly sealed against dust and moisture.

Lenses that accept front mounted filters typically do not have gaskets behind the filter mount. It is recommended to use a filter for complete weather resistance when desired.

Fluorine coating

Helps keep lenses clean by reducing the possibility of dust and dirt adhering to the lens and by facilitating cleaning should the need arise. Applied to the outer surface of the front and/or rear lens elements over multi-coatings.

Filters

Lens filters are accessories that can protect lenses from dirt and damage, enhance colors, minimize glare and reflections, and add creative effects to images.

Lens hood

A lens hood or lens shade is a device used on the end of a lens to block the sun or other light source in order to prevent glare and lens flare. Flare occurs when stray light strikes the front element of a lens and then bounces around within the lens. This stray light often comes from very bright light sources, such as the sun, bright studio lights, or a bright white background.

The geometry of the lens hood can vary from a plain cylindrical or conical section to a more complex shape, sometimes called a petal, tulip, or flower hood. This allows the lens hood to block stray light with the higher portions of the lens hood, while allowing more light into the corners of the image through the lowered portions of the hood.

Lens hoods are more prominent in long focus lenses because they have a smaller viewing angle than that of wide-angle lenses. For wide angle lenses, the length of the hood cannot be as long as those for telephoto lenses, as a longer hood would enter the wider field of view of the lens.

Lens hoods are often designed to fit onto the matching lens facing either forward, for normal use, or backwards, so that the hood may be stored with the lens without occupying much additional space. In addition, lens hoods can offer some degree of physical protection for the lens due to the hood extending farther than the lens itself.

Teleconverters

Teleconverters increase the effective focal length of lenses. They also usually maintain the closest focusing distance of lenses, thus increasing the magnification significantly. A lens combined with a teleconverter is normally smaller, lighter and cheaper than a "direct" telephoto lens of the same focal length and speed.

Teleconverters are a convenient way of enhancing telephoto capability, but it comes at a cost − reduced maximum aperture. Also, since teleconverters magnify every detail in the image, they logically also magnify residual aberrations of the lens.

Lens caps

Scratched lens surfaces can spoil the definition and contrast of even the finest lenses. Lens covers are the best and most inexpensive protection available against dust, moisture and abrasion. Safeguard lens elements - both front and rear - whenever the lens is not in use.