The Pentax K100D, a 6.3-mega pixel camera with a 2.5-inch LCD screen, has been given a 9 out of 10 rating for it’s image quality, and an overall rating of 9 out of 10 also - not bad. Trusted Reviews has reviewed the K100D and writes: “While the K110D is definitely aimed at the consumer end of the market, it’s not short on advanced features.

At no time did it feel like it had been built down to a price. It has the same fast, accurate 11-point SAFOX VIII AF system and 16-point multi-pattern exposure metering as the *ist DL2, but these are now coupled with an all-new image processing engine which certainly seems to be a massive improvement. The DL2 was by no means bad, but its images always looked a little soft and its high-ISO noise reduction was never brilliant. Both image quality and noise reduction are much improved by the new system, and by all accounts the quality is as good as, if not better than the Nikon D40. Pentax lenses have always had an excellent reputation, and the SMC Pentax DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens has optical quality at least as good as anything you’ll find on the front of a Nikon D40.”

“The camera’s overall performance is good, but it’s not going to win any races. The AF system and metering are nice and quick, certainly on a par with any recent competitor. In continuous shooting in JPEG mode it can fire off five frames at 2.5fps, but then slows to about 1.3fps, although it can keep this up until the card is full. In RAW mode it can fire a quick three-shot burst, but then has to pause for about four seconds to empty the memory buffer before the next shot. This is a lot quicker than previous Pentax SLRs could manage, undoubtedly another benefit of the new image processing engine. In low light, popping up the flash enables it to operate as a powerful AF assist lamp with a range of at least 4m.”

It may be the cheapest DSLR on the market, but the Pentax K100D isn’t short of advanced features, performance or image quality, and can comfortably hold its own against the Nikon D40. Build quality, design and handling are all superb, and the Shake Reduction system is as good as any on the market. If you’re looking for a good entry-level DSLR with the option to build up a kit, then look no further.