List Price: $680.76
Sale Price: $599.99
Today's Bonus: 12% Off
I would have posted this in the comments section of the first review, but wanted to counteract the poor rating. I feel the original review is misleading to a potential buyer and skews the attributes of this camera.
First of all, this is a superior DSLR regardless of the bundled lens. The K-30 is a K-r on steroids, and fits nicely between it (the K-r) and the K-5 (or K-511). It maintains the once exclusive dual power option of the K-r and adds weather sealing (like the K-5), more megapixels (for improved resolution forgiveness when cropping), full 1080 HD video, a brighter and bigger pentaprism viewfinder (vs. pentamirror for the K-r), and a much better sensor in low light. Just the weather sealed body alone makes this a great value (Pentax is one of the few camera companies that offers this rugged feature).
The 18-55mm kit lens is just that. It's a low price lens that goes with the camera body.....and you pay in accordance as a bundle. You can purchase a two lens kit that features the 18-55 along with either the 50-200 (an underrated lens) or the far reaching 55-300....or you can opt for the 18-135 weather sealed kit (so they DO have that option for combined weather sealing). I believe there's even an option for the f1.8 50mm prime. Each is proportionately more expensive, as would be expected for better quality. It's completely ironic the 18-55 is one of the best "cheap" kit lenses out there. Comparing similar kits on DSLR's, you will not find a better built lens made by Canon or Nikon. It's a quite decent lens optically as well.....stopped down it is very sharp, esp. in the center.
The point is the camera is great and functions well WITH the non weather sealed lens. If you want the WR version of the 18-55m, you can purchase it separately and is very reasonably priced (or get the 18-135). Then you can either sell your "old" 18-55 for more than what you ostensibly paid with the kit price OR save it as a backup lens (perhaps with another DSLR). The fact that Pentax did not offer the 18-55 WR as a kit option does not relegate the K-30 body to a ONE star rating. I don't even own the K-30, but I know from exhaustive research (both professional and anecdotal)....as well as my several years as a Pentax *istDL and K-r owner.....that it's an outstanding camera which deserves an easy 5 star rating. It is arguably the best value for any DSLR on the market. But don't take my word for it. Check other reviews (on a multitude of sites) for yourself.
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