Editor's Choice 2007: Imaging Essentials

EDITOR'S CHOICE Advanced DSLRs

Camera of the Year: Pentax K10D

The ten-megapixel Pentax K10D defies its mid-tier price. No other model in its class is so well sealed against the elements, for example. And its bright, sharp pentaprism viewfinder is among the biggest we've seen in a D-SLR, making manual focusing easy if you're using older Pentax K-mount optics. That said, the camera's 11-point wide-area autofocus system features nine cross-type points for fast and accurate motion tracking. Another K10D asset is its sensor-shifting Shake Reduction (SR) system. Built into the camera body, it works with any ordinary, existing Pentax lens. As advertised, it let us shoot handheld and still get sharp results at shutter speeds up to four stops slower. The K10D's biggest "wow" however is its in-camera processing capability. It allowed us to take a digital-preview test shot, adjust white balance, and see those changes live, on the LCD screen. We could also "develop" RAW images as new JPEGs and "push" or "pull" their exposure in camera -- or change their size, quality, contrast, sharpness, saturation, and white balance as needed. The Pentax K10D is the only D-SLR available to offer that winning level of sophistication.

Read more on the Pentax K10D. Next product: Nikon D80.