Are you looking for an entry-level digital SLR?

Let's take a look at Pentax K-x vs Nikon D3000, a comparison that may not have occurred to you.

What do you think?

One of the most popular and respected names in the digital SLR market is Nikon. They sell tons of them. And when you are talking "cheap" digital SLR, the Nikon D3000 is right there. But let me suggest that there is some value added due to a really great marketing campaign.

Pentax has a different marketing strategy. They depend more on loyalty and word of mouth. Maybe not totally, but their marketing budget is nowhere near that of Nikon.

So, how do these two entry-level digital SLRs really compare?

There are a few areas where the Pentax K-x dominates with respect to features and benefits:

*Image stabilization is in the camera in the Pentax. Nikon does not have image stabilization in camera. Instead it is in the lens. That means you have to buy a lens with that feature. There are plenty of those type of lenses that can be purchased now (many newer lenses are being produced with this technology). But if you have the Pentax, you can use virtually any lens that has been produced over the past 40 or so years, and it will work... with image stabilization.

*Lenses - all Pentax lenses, as well as third party lenses made for Pentax, work on a Pentax K-x. Not so for the Nikon D3000. It seems like I just said this above, but there yet another consideration. This has nothing to do with IS or VR. There is a group of lenses that are made for Nikon cameras like the D3000 that only work on the cameras that have a "crop" sensor. Basically, this means that if you eventually upgrade to a high end Nikon, you would have to replace some, or all, of your lenses for the higher end digital SLR Nikon camera.

*Video - available in HD 720p in the Pentax. No video at all in the D3000.

*Next is Live View. Again, Pentax has it and Nikon does not.

*Finally, the all powerful Money factor. They have a very close price point. It just depends upon the day and the sale price you happen to find.

What about areas where the Nikon D3000 has better features or benefits?

Well, there is one. This one point is a point that many photographers think should have been included. It is Auto-Focus points. They are visible in the Nikon D3000 but not in the Pentax K-x. These AF points let the photographer see where the camera is setting its focus point. To some folks, this is very important.

This discussion brings us to a concept that many agree upon. The Pentax K-x, even though it compares in price, really is not a cheap digital SLR in the truest sense of definition. The Nikon D5000 and the Pentax K-x are a better match up because the D5000 has a similar feature set, including those features that are missing from the D3000. However, the price tag for the D5000 is substantially higher.

Not every cheap DSLR is made equal. Make sure you take a look at the Pentax K-x vs Nikon D3000 before you make you final purchase decision.