Pentax K100D Performance

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Pentax K100D Performance

Timing and Performance

Good to slightly slow speed for a consumer-oriented digital SLR.

Startup/Shutdown
Power on to first shot	1.6 seconds	Time it takes for camera to boot
Shutdown	0.6 seconds	How long it takes to turn off
Buffer clearing time	13 seconds (5 seconds buffer clearing in LF JPEG)	Worst case buffer clearing time. -- This is the delay after a set of shots before you can remove the card. Some cameras won't retract their lenses and shut down until the buffer is cleared.
Mode switching
Play to Record, first shot	0.2 seconds	Time until first shot is captured
Record to play	3.0 seconds	Time to display a large/fine file immediately after capture
Display recorded image	0.7 second	Time to display a large/fine file already on the memory card.
Shutter response (Lag Time):
Full Autofocus	0.182 second	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture
Prefocused	0.149 second	Time to capture, after half-pressing and holding shutter button.
Continuous AF	0.148 second	This mode usually shows no speed increase with our static subject; we have no way to measure performance with moving subjects
Manual focus	0.150 second	For most cameras, shutter lag is less in manual focus than autofocus, but usually not as fast as when the camera is "prefocused"
Cycle time (shot to shot)
Single Shot mode Large Fine JPEG	0.53 second; 5 frames total; 5 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Single Shot mode 640x480 JPEG	0.51 second; 4 frames total; 4 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Single Shot mode RAW	0.51 second; 3 frames total; 13 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Early shutter penalty?	No	Some cameras refuse to snap another shot if you release and press the shutter too quickly in Single Shot mode, making "No" the preferred answer
Continuous mode Large Fine JPEG	0.38 second (2.65 frames per second); 4 frames total; 5 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Continuous mode 640x480 JPEG	0.38 second (2.65 frames per second); 4 frames total; 4 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Continuous mode RAW	0.38 second (2.65 frames per second); 3 frames total; 13 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Flash recycling	3.5 seconds	Flash at maximum output
Download speed
Windows Computer, USB 2.0	2,148 KBytes/sec	Typical Values: Less than 600=USB 1.1; 600-770=USB 2.0 Low; Above 770=USB 2.0 High

The Pentax K100D's performance was quite good overall, though start-up is just a little slow for a digital SLR at 1.6 seconds. Shutter lag is good on average, but "prefocus" times (half-pressing and holding down the Shutter button before the final exposure) is a little slower than I'd expect at 0.149 second. Shot-to-shot cycle times are very good, at about 0.53 second for large/fine JPEGs, but the camera only captures five frames at this rate, taking about five seconds to clear the buffer. Continuous-mode speed is moderate, at about 2.65 frames/second, for up to four shots in succession, regardless of resolution. The flash is quick to recycle at 3.5 seconds after a full-power shot. Connected to a computer, download speeds are exceptionally fast, so you won't feel a need for a separate card reader. Bottom line, the Pentax K100D is a little slower than the more pro-oriented digital SLRs on the market, but overall performance is good enough for most consumer purposes. The K100D is responsive enough for action shots, and its quick flash recycling time is a nice bonus as well.

Battery and Storage Capacity

Battery
Very short battery life with standard AA alkaline cells, but much better life with CR-V3 and AA lithium cells

Operating Mode	Number of Shots
CR-V3 lithium batteries	630
AA lithium batteries	570
AA alkaline batteries	60
AA NIMH rechargeable batteries	300

The Pentax K100D uses four AA batteries for power, and a set of single-use alkaline batteries is included with the camera. Though runtimes are increased with the NiMH batteries over alkalines, the best results come from two CR-V3 lithium battery packs. I strongly recommend picking up a two sets of CR-V3's or AA NiMH rechargeable batteries and keeping them freshly charged and on-hand for extended outings. (See our battery shootout page for information on actual measured capacities of various NiMH brands and capacity markings.)

The table above shows the number of shots the camera is capable of (on either a fresh set of disposable batteries or a fully-charged rechargeable battery as appropriate), based on CIPA battery-life and/or manufacturer standard test conditions.

(Interested readers can find an English translation of the CIPA DC-002 standards document here. (180K PDF document))

Storage
The Pentax K100D accepts SD/MMC cards, though no card is included.

Image Capacity with 256 MB Memory Card		Fine	Normal	Basic	RAW
3,008 x 2,000	Images	84	155	248	23
	File Size	3.0 MB	1.6 MB	1.0 MB	11.1 MB
	Comp.	6:1	11:1	18:1	0.8:1
2,400 x 1,600	Images	117	207	336	-
	File Size	2.2 MB	1.2 MB	762 KB	-
	Comp.	5:1	9:1	15:1	-
1,536 x 1,024	Images	226	361	555	-
	File Size	1.1 MB	709 KB	461 KB	-
	Comp.	4:1	7:1	10:1	-