Ricoh’s award-winning K-50 DSLR kit is now even more attractive, adds Wi-Fi for under $500

 

 

Last December, Ricoh's impressive Pentax K-50 digital SLR took top place in our annual Camera of the Year awards as 2013's Best Entry-Level DSLR. Based around the same sensor as the company's then-flagship Pentax K-5 II DSLR, the key to the K-50's success was a design that brought numerous enthusiast-grade features down to a consumer-friendly pricetag.

At the time, the weather-sealed Pentax K-50 was priced at US$780 for a kit that included an 18-55mm zoom lens which was also weather-sealed. That was simply unheard-of pricing for a camera with a bright, accurate pentaprism viewfinder, twin control dials, a 1/6,000-second shutter speed and six frames-per-second burst shooting, let alone one with an all-weather design.

 

The customized color variants of the Pentax K-50 (as shown here in a shot taken with the K-50) don't come with an Eye-Fi card. If you opt for the standard black, white or red variants of the camera, though, you can get the full kit with lens and Eye-Fi card for just US$500.

Now, though, the 16-megapixel Pentax K-50 has gone from being a superb deal to an absolutely spectacular one. Just ten months after it took our award, the K-50 is now selling for US$500 -- and that's with a newly-expanded kit. On top of all its other features, Ricoh is now offering the K-50 with an Eye-Fi card in the product bundle, gifting its affordable-yet-capable camera with the ability to transfer images wirelessly via Wi-Fi to your smartphone or tablet.

If you're wondering whether the Pentax K-50 deserves a spot in your camera bag -- or perhaps considering gifting one this holiday season -- you can see a raft of sample images and gallery photos in our Pentax K-50 review. More details on the new bundle can be found on Ricoh's website.