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Pentax has announced the Pentax K-M (or K2000, in the US), a new DSLR that will compete in the now-so-crowded entry-level market.
The camera, which is built around an image stabilized 10 megapixel sensor has been designed to be small, light and easy-to-use. The two lenses available in kits with the camera have also been re-engineered to be lighter.
Slightly different from the previous K200D, the Pentax K2000 can sport these features, in a nutshell:
- 10.2-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints
- Includes 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DA L lens and AF200FG flash
- 2.7-inch wide-view LCD panel; Shake Reduction Technology
- Dedicated, reprogrammable Help button displays information on LCD
- Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

The Pentax K2000 offers uncomplicated operation for new digital SLR users and family photographers seeking high-quality digital SLR photography for the first time. Combining Pentax-developed, easy-to-use Auto Picture modes as well as powerful learning functions all housed in one of the smallest, lightest camera bodies in its class, the Pentax K2000 system is ideal for digital SLR beginners. Additional features on the newest digital K2000 SLR body include a 10.2-megapixel CCD, a 2.7-inch wide-view LCD panel and an ultra-compact design that facilitates one-handed operation. The body also features the same Pentax-developed Shake Reduction technology found on more advanced K-series digital SLRs. Pentax Shake Reduction is compatible with more than 25 million Pentax lenses, and delivers sharp images even when hand-held at slower shutter speeds. The Pentax K2000 also features the powerful, Pentax-developed Auto Picture Mode, which selects from Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Action, and Night! Portrait modes to tailor the camera settings to guide and teach you about digital SLR photography.

PMA 2008 opens on January 31st: there’s already a host of new products, some of them unofficially introduced, a lot of web speculations and too much rumors.

Among the tech trends for 2008 we can spot for sure:

• CCDs are getting past 12/14 MP, 10 MP is now pretty commonplace, although lens quality still matters (and we mean the lenses which sometimes are part of bundle kits),

• Live View: being able to pre-view not only through the viewfinder will become common feature among DSLRs, at last,

• extended dynamic range: in a nutshell the range of luminosity the CCD is able to catch, a much better and technical explanation may be found here on CambridgeInColour.com. Many digital camera are introducing/will introduce algorithms to enhance dynamic range so we’ll have to sort out which just fits better our pictures.

Some of the new products we already know something about:

- Canon introduces EOS Rebel XSI (in Europe AKA 450D) that goes far beyond the best-seller Rebel XTi (AKA 400D) with a 12 Megapixel CCD, Live View mode, SD/SDHC card support, a 3″ display and much more: watch out for this, it’s gonna mean a lot of rock’n'roll again for Canon;
- Pentax introduces K200D and Pentax K20D: the first is an entry-level 10 MP DSLR sporting several smart features.
The Pentax K20D features Live View, raises up the ante to 14 MP (!) and extends the previous K10D with a tougher body, new lenses and (need to say?) extended dynamic range;

- Samsung presents GX-20: almost the same as Pentax’s K20D just ‘dressed’ by Samsung; aggressive pricing and kit bundling will give competitors some trouble from this prosumer DSLRs couple;
- Fujifilm announced many new compact cameras as well as the new S100fs: a high-level bridge camera (bridging compact and DSLR, that is) that takes the place for the (glorious, we still love it) Finepix S9100 (AKA S9600).
The 2/3″ CCD reaches now 11 Megapixel, focal length is now 28-400mm (previously the S9100/S9600 lens was 28-300 mm) with optical stabilizer.
Yet again the S100fs its own extended dynamic range system (more to investigate on this) and the brand new Film Simulation mode (hence the name FS) already used in the award-winning DSLR S5 Pro.
Brand new cameras are the S1000fd, self-dubbed “the smallest 12X zoom compact camera”, and the S8100fd, now with 10 MP sensor, that replaces the (still young) S8000fd.

Still many upcoming new products in the next days, both lenses, accessories and memory card.

Goin’ to Las Vegas? Check here for more info on PMA 2008.