Pentax K20D Review: Digital Photography Review

Main Menus

The K20D's user interface takes a little getting used to, with its slightly inconsistent use of the 'OK' button. In top level menus, the right-hand arrow is used to select options, while 'OK' turns off the menu and makes you start again. Once in a sub-menu parameter selection screen, the 'OK' button suddenly can be used for making selections. If you've not used a Pentax regularly, you will find yourself pressing 'OK' at inappropriate times, despite the on-screen prompts.

	The K20D's menus are divided into four sections; record, play, setup and custom. The rear dial moves between these different sections, while the front dial scrolls down the menu, one page at a time.

Record menu


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Recorded Pixels	• 14.6M • 10M • 6M • 2M	- 4672 x 3104 - 3872 x 2592 - 3008 x 2000 - 1824 x 1216
JPEG Quality	• * * * * • * * * • * * • *	- Premium - Best - Better - Good
File Format	• JPEG • RAW • RAW+	RAW+ gives one RAW file and one JPEG from each exposure
RAW file format	• PEF • DNG	Choose Pentax's proprietary format (smaller) or the Adobe standard.
Extended bracket	• Off • White Balance Bracketing amount GM +/-1 to +/-3 BA +/-1 to +/-3 • Saturation Bracketing amount +/-1 to +/-4 • Hue Bracketing amount +/-1 to +/-4 • Contrast Bracketing amount +/-1 to +/-4 • Sharpness Bracketing amount +/-1 to +/-4	Shifts the camera to JPEG mode then processes each exposure in three different ways, with the magnitude of each change defined here. White balance can be bracketed in either the Green/Magenta or Blue/Amber axis.
Multi-exposure	• Number of shots Off 2 - 9 times • Auto EV Adjust Off On	Combines up to 9 separate exposures to create a single image. Auto EV adjust corrects the exposure back to the brightness of a single exposure. [Example]
Interval shooting	• Off/On • Interval hh/mm/ss • Number of shots 1-99 • Start trigger Now Set Time hh/mm	Allows up to 99 shots to be fired at pre-chosen intervals starting either when you press the shutter button or at a pre-determined time. [Example]
Color Space	• sRGB • AdobeRGB	Selects the color profile applied to JPEG files.
RAW button	• Cancel each time On/Off • JPEG > JPEG RAW RAW+ • RAW > JPEG RAW RAW+ • RAW+ > JPEG RAW RAW+	The 'Cancel each time' option dictates whether the camera stays in the mode selected by pressing the RAW button or reverts to the mode selected under 'File Format.' The other options decide which file mode the camera shifts to and can be tailored based on which file type is currently being shot.
Memory	• Flash Mode • Drive Mode • White Balance • Sensitivity • EV Compensation • Flash Exp. Comp. • Auto Bracket • Playback Display • File No.	Allows you to check or uncheck individual camera settings which are remembered at power-off, by default all of the items listed here are checked.
Input focal length	• Focal length 8 - 800mm in 34 common steps	Enter the focal length of non-CPU lenses to improve Shake Reduction.

Play menu


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Playback display	• Bright / Dark area On/Off • Quick zoom Off/x2/x4/x8/x16/x32	Dictates whether over and underexposed areas are highlighted in playback. Quick zoom defines the initial zoom level upon zooming-in.
Instant Review	• Display Time 1 sec 3 sec 5 sec Off • Histogram On/Off • Bright / Dark area On/Off	Defines how long the (non-recorded) instant review image stays on screen and whether histograms and dark/bright clipped areas are displayed on it.
Instant Review	• Show grid On/Off • AF frame display On/Off	Influences whether 'thirds' gridlines and the phase-detect AF points are displayed in Live view mode.
Digital Preview	• Histogram On/Off • Bright / Dark area On/Off
Slideshow	• Interval 3 sec 5 sec 10 sec 30 sec • Repeat playback On/Off