Side by Side Comparison of: Sony vs Pentax

This camera was so much more than it was advertised to be. It does so many different types of shots and it works like a charm. The only thing is the memory card is larger than my other camera so we had to buy my son a new one so he could use the camera. I really like it a lot.

Excellent camera. Why spend more money on other brands when this has all the features of the more expensive cameras. I love this camera, takes awesome photos and has so many creative aspects to photo taking. You can change the lenses for other types of photography; macro, etc...but the lens that comes with this camera does it all. You can zoom in when you need to. There is a pop up flash that senses low light. You can put it on all automatic; focusing, light metering or you can go creative and make your own settings. This is a very versitile camera that is great for the beginner or for the advanced photographer because there are so many possibilities. This takes creative photography to the max! I love this camera, my camera, and would recommend it to anyone!

was able to purchase this item along with accessories before the holidays and had A YEAR to pay for them after applying for an amazon.com store card with deferred financing. 50$/month and now its all mine.LOVE it for ALL aspects sport(golf-waterskiing)/sunrise-sunset/fall foliage here in VT...i've ben an avid 35mm camera user for 20+yrs (purely amateur) but have some postcardquality picturesi looked @ the nikon but could'nt justify spending THAT much $$$ for a body and 1 lensknow i've only begun to utilize ths camera to its full potential.with the 8gb card included i've taken in excess of 500 pictures w/memory to spare.battery life is OUTSTANDING in my opinion. thinking maybe a higher end card will increase my speed w/the golf shots as w/it set on sport auto i only get 3-4 frames of a golfers' swing.4.9/5 in my book i would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone taking the "leap" into highend digital photgraphy.honestly, JAY CAMERON

I havae a small digital camera that takes good pictures but I wanted one that would get me some close-up shots during football games that my son plays in. I researched several cameras and lenses from various manufacturers and sellers. I finally decided to go with the package that Amazon was offering. I do not regret the decision. I am no professional by any means, but the camera makes the pictures seem like I am. I am still learning some of the different functions on the camera, but they are not that hard to learn and in time I will have a handle on them. As an extra bonus, the camera actually arrived earlier than anticipated. Very happy with the camera, lenses, and the delivery.

I bought this camera from Amazon one month ago and have been very satisfied with it (and of course, Amazon's great service). I won't repeat the many pros cited in other Amazon reviews, but I was blown away with Sony's online customer service. For many years now, most companies' CS strategy has been to promise more and deliver less. I was therefore quite unprepared for my excellent experience. I was unable to find a particular "how to" answer in the camera manual so I went to Sony's website. After entering the model number, I was given the option to do a real-time chat. To my amazement, (a) I was immediately connected with someone, (b) she quickly acknowledged that DSLRs were beyond her and she was transferring me to a specialist, (c) the specialist responded a few seconds later....and (d) she correctly answered my detailed and rather technical question! I'm still in shock. If you're debating between camera manufacturers, this is something to seriously consider before making you choice.

This is truly a wonderfull camera for anybody who wants to get into the SLR Digital Camera world. Photographs are excellent, the level of detail that one gets in the pics is amazing, and it is so easy to use. Little by little one gets more use to all its features, but right out of the box, after charging the batteries, it's just point-a-shoot, with all the professional look of it. If it's worht mentioning, the only thing that I do not understand why this model does not support it, is the "live view". But taking pics the old fashioned way, looking thru the viewfinder, it's even more realistic down the road. I, as a beginner, recommend this product 100%!

thank you was very satisfied.

I really like the camera. It is a good starter camera for the introduction to the SLR type cameras. Deal would have been a little better if it came with the strap. Having the battery included was a plus.

In the years since I purchased this camera, there have been better and cheaper options as far as DSLRs go, but I am still quite satisfied with this camera.

Nice camera package and functionality. I purchased this to use at work because of the price and the additional 75-300mm lense. Upon my employer finding out, they purchased me a Canon D50. This is a nice camera. I now use it for personal use and it is more than capable of doing the job. The Canon D50 is sweet though.

Sony's a33 and a55 have taken its digital cameras to a higher level and are to be preferred to the older camera reviewed here. However, the following comments still apply, particularly to the lenses. The 18-70mm kit lens was sharp enough for portraiture at its telephoto focal lengths. All-automatic exposure, focus and flash produced good results on many typical scenes. Both this lens and the companion 75-300mm kit lens should have numerically smaller f-stops, and so I bought a 1.7 used Minolta 50mm lens for serious available light work. Therein lies one of the Sony's attractions: Minolta A-mount lenses work in full auto mode. Sony's proprietary battery is outrageously expensive, but so are batteries for other DSLRs -- even so, it's wise to have a backup battery.

This is a great DSLR at an amazing price. It is a very sophisticated camera yet easy to use. The fucntions you need to change most often are easily accessable, not buried in a menu.Although this is considered an entry level DSLR, it's far more advanced then that description would imply. You have total creative control over the image as well as in body stabilization.I would have given this camera 5 stars had it not been for the lens included in this kit. The lens is an old Minolta design that probably worked well with a 6MP camera but its limitations are clear with this 10MP CCD, the lens exhibits a limited area of sharpness and produces retatively flat images.My suggestion is to buy the body and look elsewhere for the glass.

VERY NICE CAMERA

great camera to have around and does well

very good

AWESOME CAMERA !!! Fantastic lens, logical, easy to use controls with lots of options. Takes great pictures The bad news is the battery and charging system. The charger only works when the battery is IN THE CAMERA ! Even worse, the supplied cable is WAY too short; 12" or less.The battery itself would not hold a charge and, from Pentax is about $50. BUT ! The battery is essentially identical to the Casio NP-40; which is readily available on Amazon as are off-the-camera chargers.

Well, it will beat a P & S, but not a DSLR. This can be expected, and I knew what I was going to get before I bought the XG-1. I bought this camera for taking nature shots as I cycle as I want a decent zoom, BTW the Sony LCSU11 case is a perfect size for the XG-1. I use a 52mm UV filter for protecting the lens.I made a lot of test shots and found that the IS hand held is next to useless at full zoom, I got a lot of blur. On a tripod in day light, I got good pics at full zoom, but the Multi-AF may pick up a a different subject, recommend using Single AF. I also got good macro shots using Single AF.I haven't tried any night shots yet at full zoom, but don't expect much. Just wish it had IR (Pentax ad is wrong on their store site, states it has IR (recommended accessories)), but Ricoh site is correct. IR will help reduce blur as compared to manual shutter release.I notice if you don't zoom out too far, say 300 to 500 mm than images have a good IQ hand held at both Aperture setting and full Auto, only ones I tried.Overall, I'm pleased for what I intend to use it for, did have high expectations on the full zoom when hand held, but around 500 mm it's okay.I did a lot of research on other bridge camera brands, and they all have their problems. So does Pentax XG-1. The price I was willing to pay was the deciding factor. Overall, I recommend it.You can find generic batteries and charger for this camera at a good price.update: Did a moon shot at full zoom, and I'm very pleased with it. Had to play with the shutter speed to get what I wanted, but overall, not bad.

I have a ton of experience with Pentax cameras from old style film to the newer DSLR's. I have always found Pentax cameras to be under rated. At their price point you can usually find features that are found on their higher priced competitors. I have also found that when people complain about picture quality 80% of the time it is the fault of the photographer. I currently have a Pentax K50 and recently purchased the XG-1. As with any fixed lens cameras there are trade offs. The ability to use an array of lens that have a better fit and finish than a fix zoom gives the DSLR more of an advantage, That being said I am very happy with the XG-1. The color saturation is great and the pictures are sharp and crisp. Using the auto setting gives very good pictures There is a slight amount of distortion at the extreme zoom range but it is not very noticeable. It is very simple to use but has enough controls for the advanced amateur. I found the zoom feature to be quiet and fast. The auto focus was also very good although it was a little iffy in low light. After all is said and done I would recommend this camera to anyone who is looking for a well made all around camera that gives you a bunch of features to play with if you don't want to "auto pilot" all the time.UPDATE:Just thought I would let anyone interested know that original replacement batteries (LB-060) can be purchased from B&H Photo. Also I saw one reviewer complained that there wasn't a stand alone charger for the battery. After a little investigation I found that the Casio BC-31L charger will work for the LB-060 battery. It also works for some of the Kodak Astro Zoom cameras that also use the same battery. Actually the Kodak AZ 521 is basically the same as the XG-1. I find that if you hunt around you can find items that will work between different manufacturers. They just don't want you to know.

The camera itself is great, but the seller did not disclose that the memory card was only 16MB. This card literally only holds 10 photos, and now I am going to be spending close to $100 to get one with decent storage.I am considering returning the product within the next 7 days and buying a similar camera with better storage and a more thorough product description.

I bought this camera in March of 2008, before it was in stores. I have loved this camera. But as I've started to become a better photographer, I am not so fond of this camera afterall.The problem I am having is this: what I see in the viewfinder is NOT what I get! I wonder if anyone else is having this problem? Mine is shooting high.I have used friend's cameras and theirs do not have this problem. I bought Sony to be different, to not have the same kind of camera as everyone else. It is looking like I should have gone with the norm.______After calling Sony, I learned my camera was broken. The anti dust thing was causing the viewfinder to be off. So I will say, I'm still slightly disappointed but it has worked.

I have always used Canon before but I have also used a Nikon D-60 for a short while.I obtained an A200W (two lenses kit). I generally liked the build, excellent features for the price and the fact that it includes two lenses (18-70 and 75-300). The menus are excellent and the battery life is extremely good.However there are disappointing things also:- ISO800 and above is almost unusable for professional work because of the noise.- In low light situations (indoor and cloudy days) the noise and quality of the photo (white balance and in noise) is sometimes terrible.- Pictures of kit lens 17-70 are disappointing in maximum zoom. Same goes with 75-300.- Photos with flash (automatic mode) are sometimes overexposure and sometimes underexposure.

I recieved the camera this week. First of all. You can't use it till you buy a memory card. The manual is ok at best. However if you have a little experience with cameras. You will be happy with the A200 (alpha)..DO NOT LOAD THE SOFTWARE UNTIL YOU BACK EVERYTHING UP!!!..The first time I tried to load it? My computer would not restart until it went thru troubleshoot mode. So I tried it again..Like the idiot I am...Then it locked my computer up for good. The only way I could save my computer was with SYSTEM RECOVERY... I lost all my files and started from scratch...Then tried it again..After loading new software for a printer and a Canon camera...With the same result... Locked up on SONY..The camera is OK...Beware of the software!...

additional Info FYIHi guys just wanted to share this with you..........About a week ago I was taking some nature photograph's ...It was a hot day here in Miami and I was sweating quite a bit. After about 30-40 shots the lcd turned orange then green then the camera died. I sent it to the service center in Laredo TX, They told me there was corrosion on one of the boards and it was'nt covered by the warranty.Wow...was I dissapointed , They gave me the option to repair it for $350.00 or trade it in for a new camera ....I opted to upgrade to the A300 for $347.00 (Duh!) .My point ....These cameras should be able to withstand some drops of sweat...we do take photos in the heat.....so take extra care of yours ...unless u want to upgrade to the A300 Hahahah. Another expensive lesson for me..........I'm looking forward to the A300 it should be arriving by early next week. hopefully the live view will minimize sticking my face on the camera while sweating........hahaha. Hope to post more photos soon...If I hadnt bought so many accessories and lenses for the sony i wouldve gone another direction.....I agree it's a great camera for its price. I sold my D40 to buy the A200.Great sharp shots in daylight. One thing bugs me .....The AF illuminator does'nt work well in dim light. I was actually looking for the AF illuminator on this and could'nt find one. I did some research and one site said it's built in w /the flash....Does'nt work too well as far as i'm concerned ....The AF goes loco in really dim conditions. This is one thing sony should improve on........follow up... i just received my HVL-F36AM flash by Sony and the AF Assist on the external flash works much much better...I reccomend u get one if you're planning to take a lot of shots in dim lighting....

This camera was cool except for the fail control for shutter speed and aperture broke leaving the camera useless

BULD: The camera feels very plasticky to the touch. It feels less sturdy than i had imagined it to be.The features are what you expect any DSLR to have.PICTURE QUALITY: The pictures are always a little softer than i would like. I have seen pictures taken by entry level Canon and Nikon cameras and their photos can be nice and crisp. I tried meddling around with the f-stop to get sharper images but they always turned out a tinge soft.BATTERY LIFE: OK. You can take it on a weekend trip without having to worry about recharging it.OVERALL: I was disappointed with the overall performance of the camera. I would not recommend this camera to anyone else. I suggest going for a Canon or Nikon.***********************UPDATE: Its been a little over a year after buying the camera and it failed on me. The auto-focus mechanism doesnt work anymore and the camera is literally useless. Since i am out of warranty i went to the store and got an estimate for the repair. I was told it would cost me $298 plus parts. I am very disappointed with Sony.

The Sony A200 camer, I did not get a clear picture out of it yet, the reason that I gave it a 2 stars, because it will not take AA battery, and it will not take standard flash,( like my Vivitar, 283, 285.) The reason that I bought it, beacuse, I have all other camers already, and I like to try out for a sony, and turn out this is the worse camer that I have, because it will not take standar flash.

In my quest for a point and shoot super zoom camera, I purchased this xg-1. My experience was that the images were not vivid and the image stabilization was not even up to par with my older inexpensive canon powershot sx 150 IS. I returned it and tried the Canon sx710 which far surpassed this in both of those areas but did not have the electronic view finder. I shopped further and found the Canon sx60 which has a 65x optical zoom and 260x digital zoom, excellent image stabilization and beautiful vivid colors. It was my keeper and I returned the sx710. Yes a bit more expensive but worth it.

Would not focus at all in super macro situations.

Nice camera for the price. When I received the camera, the battery was dead. Called Pentax/Racoh. they informed me that this particular battery is not being made any longer. I had to go to Radio Shack and get another one.

ok for still shots- delay for action shots make it really hard to use

Just another mediocre mega-zoom. What's the point? Had it for a day, then sent it back.I often wonder with all these camera manufactures why they can't improve upon any of these cameras for the past 10 years or so. They are all the same. I've tried and sent back every popular mega zoom there is, and every one of them performs similar to the next. None of them can take clear pictures in low light unless you use a tripod and adjust the camera settings manually -despite all their amazing advertising claims to the contrary. Image stabilization at extended zoom is negligible and most shots don't come out well- again contrary to all the manufactures' claims. They all pretty much suck.Funny thing is I have yet to find any new point and shoot camera that gives me sharper photos and more perfect colors than my 10 year old (Made In Japan) Fuji S5100. In my experience the old "Super CCD" sensors did a much better job than the current "backlit CMOS" junk that's in every new point and shoot. If that S5100 had a faster processor and some image stabilization it would be perfect. It seems that these camera companies have gone backwards in terms of picture quality for some reason.The only mega-zoom I was impressed with (and kept) is the Fuji HS50-EXR. It's a better camera overall compared to the rest of the junk that's on the market. It would be my recommendation for anyone shopping for a new "mega-zoom". Only negative is it's size.This new Pentax has nothing new to offer. Pictures were blah, zoom was slow. Not even a diopter adjuster. Maybe for $200 it would be OK, but not at it's current asking price. You can now pick up an HS50-EXR for around $310.One piece of advice is to look at the labels on the bottoms of these cameras to see where they are manufactured. Unfortunately most are made in China, but some (like this Pentax) are made in other lesser Asian countries with even cheaper labor. This camera is made in Myanmar. -I had to look that one up on Google Maps.

Great buy for NEW old stock. Camera is flawless. Works perfect.

I bought this camera about 3 years ago. I cant get it to take clear photos. Not sure if I got a dud. Everything is so blurry.

Does not use the modern memory cards. It uses compact flash card that is too difficult to find.

The manual list How to troubleshoot a camera when the LCD screen is dark or has no display. Unfortunately my new SONY DSLPR A350 still has a blank/black screen. Help....please.

After 200 photos and 2 months the camera can be turned on, but as soon as it is on all buttons are INOP. Screen in blank and the view finder is blank. The only way to turn it off is by letting the battery die or pulling the battery out. Horrible product to fail after 200 photos.

The zoom does not focus very easily. I having problems with the zoom feature.

PIECE OF JUNK!!! Sent back to the repair shop TWICE and not fixed. I will NEVER buy another Pentax/Ricoh camera - EVER!!Actually, I liked the camera when I first received it, but it worked for 2 months and failed to function. I called Ricoh/Pentax support and they had me send the camera in for repair. After about 2 months I received the camera back in the mail. The work order said it had been repaired and new firmware uploaded. Also cleaned inside and out. It looked clean, but still failed to work properly. I called the company again, and they want me to return it to Precision Camera in Connecticut for another repair.DON'T BUY THIS CAMERA! Get a Fujifilm or Nikon. You will be happier.

The camera will not focus once you get past about 12 power zoom. Many difficulties with it in that capacity.

Camera has a lot of features, but could not get the auto-focus to work properly.Only around one-third of the pictures were in focus. Very disappointing based on my positive past experience with Pentax brand cameras.I reluctantly returned camera for a refund.

Sadly, it's going back. It's works well from macro on up to the 300/350mm level and once there, refuses to focus..at all. I normally shoot in Program mode, but no focus, next tried Shutter priority, no focus, then tried Auto mode and still no focus. I tried a camera reset, recharged battery until full, checked to make certain lens was clean. I then just this morning got off the phone with Ricoh/Pentax and there is no firmware update and c/s rep no one has called about this issue. I'm sending this one back to Amazon and ordering the Kodak AZ522 as I know that one will capture a very nice image at any focal length. Pentax, I love your DSLR cameras, but this one definitely needs work. I suspect there will be no new release of this camera.