The K200D features a large, high-performance APS-C size (23.5 x 15.7mm) CCD as its image sensor, assuring faithful reproduction in the resulting images - from images with beautiful out-of-focus backgrounds to those with edge-to-edge sharpness. Combining 10.2 effective megapixels with a high-performance imaging engine and advanced image-processing technologies, the K200D is designed to produce beautiful, true-to-life images that are rich in gradation.

Use your existing Pentax 35mm lenses and accessories. The K200D offers the outstanding benefit of lens interchangeability that allows users to take advantage of almost all existing Pentax interchangeable lenses. (PENTAX K, KA, KAF and KAF2-mount 35mm-format lenses can be used without an adapter or modification. Pentax screw-mount 35mm-format lenses and PENTAX 645- and 67-system lenses can be used with an adapter. Some functions may not be available with certain lenses.)

The K200D incorporates the PRIME (Pentax Real Image Engine) imaging engine designed exclusively for Pentax digital SLR cameras to meet the performance requirements of higher resolution sensors. this imaging engine produces well-balanced, true-to-life images through efficient control of CCD signals, saturation, brightness, white balance, sharpness and contrast. Its fast memory (DDR2: Double Data Rate 2) also serves to enhance speedy image processing and high-speed data transfer. Ultimately, PRIME provides beautiful, natural results similar to what you see shooting with film.

The Pentax Shake Reduction (SR) feature is an electromagnetically controlled system built into the body to detect handheld camera shake and compensates by moving a free floating image sensor, and unlike other DSLR optical anti-shake systems, this SR system delivers shake reduction with all Pentax lenses ever manufactured without requiring a special series of bulky, expensive optics. Furthermore, the Pentax SR system is superior to other sensor-moving systems because it uses no guide rails, allowing the sensor to oscillate in three directions - horizontally, vertically, and rotationally. The SR system is particularly helpful in situations where camera shake is an issue, such as with telephoto lenses, indoors without a flash, or other low light conditions at dawn, dusk or at night.

The Dust Removal System of the K200D encompasses several technologies to minimize or eliminate the effects of dust in your images. The surface of the low pass filter is sealed with a nanotechnology based fluorine coating so that dust has a difficult time adhering to the sensor surface. Dust that may get on the surface of the filter is then shaken off when the SR system shifts the CCD at high speed. The dust that is shaken off the CCD, then falls onto an adhesive sheet eliminating any possibility of its returning to the CCD surface. Occasionally, especially when shooting in humid conditions, the Dust Removal system will not purge all dust specks; that's when the camera's Dust Alert system will save you from time consuming retouching. This system analyzes the sensor to determine if and where any dust remains after the Dust Removal system is activated, and the results are displayed on the LCD screen, showing exactly where any dust remains.

The Enhanced Dynamic Range mode of the K200D allows you to better emulate the results you typically find only with images captured on film. It does this by increasing the baseline dynamic range of the camera by 200 percent to better capture details in highlight areas of an image.

The sophisticated SAFOX VIII autofocus system features 11 sensor points (with nine cross-type sensors) to automatically focus on the subject with utmost precision, even when it is positioned off center. The in-focus sensor point is automatically superimposed in red in the viewfinder for at-a-glance confirmation. This high-precision AF system offers a choice of two AF modes: the conventional single AF, and the continuous AF, which maintains focus on the moving subject as long as the shutter release button is pressed halfway down.

The K200D incorporates a sophisticated 16-segment multi-pattern metering system which solves even the most complicated lighting conditions efficiently and instantly to produce beautifully exposed images frame after frame. Spot and center-weighted metering modes are also available to accommodate specialized applications.

The K200D features an auto sensitivity control function, which automatically sets the optimum standard output sensitivity - up to equivalent ISO of 1600. Since this function allows the use of higher shutter speeds in poor lighting situations (such as indoor sports events and night scenes), it helps photographers reduce camera shake and prevent blurred images.

The K200D offers a top shutter speed of 1/4000 second to freeze fast-moving subjects and capture decisive moments and features a flash synchronization speed of 1/180 second and a bulb setting (B) for extended exposures.

The noise reduction function can be activated at slow shutter speeds to eliminate digital noise that may spoil the quality of captured images during extended exposures.

To trace the movement of an active subject or capture a sequence of the subject's expressions, the K100D offers a continuous shooting mode that allows the photographer to capture multiple images (up to four images at "Best" JPEG or RAW format) at a maximum speed of approximately 2.8 images per second.

The K200D offers the exclusive Pentax Auto Picture Mode, which automatically and instantly selects one of the four Picture modes - including Portrait, Landscape and Macro - by calculating various photographic factors to assure optimum results. Since this advanced shooting mode takes away all the concerns about aperture, shutter-speed, white-balance, saturation, contrast and sharpness settings, the photographer can concentrate on image composition and shutter opportunity.

Whether you're shooting in a misty, tropical rain forest, on a snowcapped peak, or along a dusty desert trail, the seals around the durable Pentax DSLR body reliably protect the inner components against humidity, moisture and dust particles, and allow you to keep shooting even in harsh conditions. In total, the K200D is protected by 60 seals and the optional battery grip with an additional 14 seals. Furthermore, the fiber-reinforced polycarbonate body surrounding the high-rigidity, stainless steel chassis provides plenty of strength for every day use.

The Pentax K200D incorporates a large 2.7 inch color LCD monitor with a wide-view design, allowing the photographer to see the monitor image over 160 degrees vertically and horizontally. It also offers digital zooming of playback images up to 32X for easy confirmation of the image's focus status and details, and, due to its large size, you can even review two images side by side. The large monitor allows for large letters, digits and icons on the menu screens to facilitate menu confirmation and camera operations.

The K200D features a lightweight penta-mirror viewfinder, which combines Pentax finder optics and a Natural-Bright-Matte II focusing screen to deliver bright, clear subject image with a 0.85X magnification and a 96 percent field of view.

The K200D is compatible with the widely available Secure Digital (SD), and High Capacity SDHC memory cards as its storage media, not only assuring high-speed recording and readout of image data, but also helping to reduce the camera body size. Furthermore, the camera can store images standard format where all files are located in one folder, or the images can be automatically stored in folders for each day of shooting using the save-by-day feature.

The K200D is powered by 4x AA batteries and work with single use lithium and alkaline type batteries or it can use rechargeable NiMH type batteries. Fresh AA lithium batteries will provide enough power to capture over 1000 images (or over 500 images with flash use 50% of the time), and can provide about 700 minutes of playback time. There is also an optional AC adapter available.

The K200D includes Pentax Photo Laboratory 3 which features the reliable SILKYPIX image-processing engine for RAW data processing, and the Pentax Photo Browser 3 that offers faster data processing speed and better operability than the previous version, and can convert RAW images to the DNG format.

The K20D Digital Camera is compatible with PictBridge, DPOF, Exif Print and PRINT Image Matching III systems, so you can print quality images using PictBridge supported printers - without the need for a computer.