How good are the Pentax DSLRs, particularly the 200D?

Ken Rockwell makes no argument as to whether IS/VR is better on lenses or with sensors in that article. Furthermore, there is no definitive proof that suggests any advantage of using optical IS over sensor-shift/mechanical IS other than the ability to view the effect in the optical viewfinder. With live view IS preview (currently Olympus only AFAIK), it's becoming even less of an selling point. The advantage of having mechanical IS is that you don't have to pour hundreds of extra dollars to buy the stabilized versions of the same lens. You can input the focal length of any lens you can mount on the camera to calibrate the amount of compensation required.

The battery argument is hardly one that sways. Don't tell me you'd pass up weather sealing, 11-point autofocus (compared to 3 on the D60), mechanical image stabilization, backwards compatibility with any K-mount lens made since the mid-70s (and virtually every Pentax lens ever made with adapters), and an affordable lens and accessory lineup because of an AA battery problem. AAs are inexpensive, easy to find, and plentiful in supply. Buy a few sets of Eneloops and you're good to go -- way cheaper than an OEM battery. If that isn't enough, Pentax makes a weather sealed battery grip for the K200D as well. The place the K200D really lags behind its competition is its continuous shooting rate (2.5 fps compared to an average of 3 fps).

Take a look at DPReview's comparision in the K200D review. They compare RAW, JPEG, and ISO tests between the K200D, D60, and XSi. With the digital cameras that are out these days, the difference between IQ is minute so it really does come down to those bells and whistles. Good technique and proper equipment (lenses and lighting) trumps nearly any IQ problem.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk200d/page25...