10 megapixel APS-C CCD
We fully expected and Pentax delivered, ten million pixels for their new flagship digital SLR was an absolute (marketing) requirement. Interestingly this CCD has slightly different specifications than the Sony unit used in a few other ten megapixel digital SLR's so we can't be sure of its origins. It's 23.5 x 15.7 mm with 10.75 million total pixels, 2-channel read-out.

Shake Reduction
Pentax has implemented the same design of CCD-shift based Shake Reduction that we saw on the K100D. It is a slightly different design than other CCD-shift systems as it utilizes permanent magnets, ball bearings and four coils on the CCD plate giving the ability to move in x and y directions but also rotationally around the lens axis (click for diagram). Pentax are claiming between 2 and 4 stops over non-SR.

Dust Reduction / Removal
Pentax also couldn't avoid but get involved in the whole 'dust removal' movement. Their solution involves applying a 'fluorine-type coating to the low-pass filter' to reduce the chances of dust sticking and also using the shake reduction system to shake the sensor either manually or automatically at startup (dust is gathered on a sticky pad below the sensor).

Dust and weather resistant seals
The K10D body has no less than 72 seals which provide dust and weather (splash) resistance. These are located along seam lines and button / control points. The optional battery grip is also dust and weather resistant with 38 seals.

11-point Auto Focus, 9 cross sensitive
The K10D has a 11-point auto focus sensor which quite impressively has nine points (in the center) which are sensitive to both horizontal and vertical detail.

Supersonic motor compatible
Supersonic motors have been available in Canon and Nikon lenses for a while but not yet to Pentax, the K10D is fully compatible with upcoming Supersonic Direct-drive motor lenses, the first of which are due to be announced at the end of this year.

Hyper Program
Although nothing new to Pentax SLRs this useful feature is still unique to Pentax and extremely useful. Simply in Program mode you turn the front dial to shift into shutter priority mode with the selected shutter speed or the rear dial for aperture priority. Press the green button to return to normal Program auto exposure. Simple, easy and very useful.

Sensitivity and Shutter/Aperture priority
These two exposure modes are unique to the K10D and have been requested by digital SLR owners for some years now. Sv (Sensitivity priority) mode is quite similar to Program exposure but provides faster access to sensitivity, just turn the rear dial to change. TAv (Shutter speed and Aperture priority) mode allows you to set the shutter speed and aperture manually and the camera will automatically select the correct sensitivity.

Selectable RAW format (PEF / DNG)
The K10D is the first digital SLR to provide both the manufacturer specified RAW format (in this case Pentax PEF) and also the 'standard' Adobe created DNG format.

Dedicated RAW button
On the left side of the lens mount is a unique dedicated RAW button, this can be configured to switch in and out of RAW+JPEG / JPEG modes for a single shot or continually. Very useful.

In-camera RAW development
The K10D allows you to develop images shot as RAW to a JPEG with a wide range of selectable adjustments; size, compression, white balance, digital exposure compensation (+/-2 EV), tone, saturation, sharpness and contrast.

Flexible Auto ISO
As well as Sv and TAv mode the K10D also provides a very flexible automatic ISO mode, simply select AUTO from the Fn menu and turn the front dial to set the minimum ISO, the rear dial to set the maximum ISO. The ISO will be automatically selected in either 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps depending on the 'Sensitivity steps' custom function.

'Digital Preview' / White Balance
You can select between optical depth of field preview (which works in the normal way, stopping the aperture down while you look through the viewfiner) or 'digital preview' which effectively takes a shot without saving it and previews it on the LCD monitor. This feature is also available when selecting White Balance to evaluate how the image will appear.

Lithium-Ion battery
Another Pentax first for the K10D is the D-LI50 Lithium-Ion battery, believe it or not all previous Pentax digital SLRs have used AA batteries. The battery itself does have a striking resembelence to other Lithium-Ion packs but will certainly provide plenty of power (the exact details not yet specified by Pentax).

Battery grip with SD / remote holder
The optional D-BG2 has a flat profile (unlike many battery grips which have a stalk which fits into the camera battery compartment) and a dedicated connector which matches with a terminal on the base of the camera. The battery cartridge slides in from the side, it takes one additional D-LI50 battery and has space to store a spare SD card and the camera remote.

Large LCD with wide viewing angle
It wouldn't be a modern digital SLR without at least a 2.5" LCD monitor, so the K10D doesn't disappoint in this respect. This particular unit measures 2.5" and has 210,000 pixels with a wide 140° viewing angle.

And the rest... (there were more than 20)
What's left? 16-segment metering (plus center weighted and spot), white balance fine tuning (looks a bit like Canon), multiple exposures, remote control from the rear (IR sensor) and SDHC (SD of 4 GB or greater) support.