Info screen on K200D question

Evening all

Real noob question for 200 D owners. With my Canon cameras the rear panel info is on all the time unless you switch it off. This allows me to see what I'm adjusting - I always shoot full manual so need to see if exposure is right or how much over/under. I mostly shoot with my camera on a tripod and will adjust exposure with my eye not to the viewfinder but using back panel to decide on exposure.

Now am I missing something on the Pentax ? I can press info and the info screen comes on but the nano second I touch any control on the camera it goes off !!!! Huh ??????

Is there a way to use it the same as I do on the canons ?

thanks in advance

Just had a look at mine. I don't think it is possible to do what you want. It certainly doesn't auto update when you change something! Just tried..... have to press the info button again.

Don't know if this can be changed, I usually go handheld and just adjust the basics..........

oh dear ... how basic a fail on Pentax part.

I couldn't see anything in the manual suggesting you can do it and have played around in the menus.

staggering omission IMO

I've always found the top LCD to be more than adequate. For me the pros of this camera do outweigh the few negatives. This was pretty much an entry level camera!

Why don't you learn how to use the camera before rushing to judgement?

You might find there are other ways to achieve what you need.

G

I don't know the K200D, and assumed, from the fuss this chap is making, that it didn't have a top screen.

Judderman, why can't you use the top screen?

G

I oft shoot in low light (occasionally in near dark) so an illuminated display really is best suited for purpose.

Surely the screen will illuminate?

And surely it is best that it turns itself off to avoid wasting the battery?

I am sure you will get used to how the camera works in a short while.

G

the back screen doesn't stay on and the LCD panel is not illuminated

Meh nothing is perfect - I'll use top LCD when light enough and peer through the viewfinder when not.

I do like the camera lots and the Image quality is top drawer

Would this be the Guide display time you are refering to??
Page 210 of the manual.

Nice try and thanks but just tried that - set it to 30 seconds and it still goes off the second you change shutter, speed or aperture etc.

Thanks all the same

Use the preview function. Page 112 of the manual. This will allow you to see the exposure etc.
If you want to check depth of field etc switch to optical view and look through the view finder.

ha ha that was going to be a whole separate post. OK this is probably me being uber stupid but I don't get the whole preview thing at all.

Seems to me all it does is take an image which you can then choose to save or not - so how is this different to just taking a picture ? why would I not just take a picture and then delete if not wanted or not import to PC later on - seems a pointless function to me.

It's not really what I want to do but looks like I can't do it with the K200D - I want to see, on screen, my settings and be able to continue seeing them as I change said settings.

As I touched on earlier to me this seems bread and butter functionality and I was very surprised when I realised it wasn't available on this camera.

Tanks for the replies everyone

I'm afraid the sort of feature you are talking about was introduced after the k200d... Which is quite an old camera really now. I didn't miss it as I was used to shooting information in the view finder. Or on the top LCD.My k7 has it, but I never use it

thanks for that