Low budget filmmaking seems to be migrating toward DSLR cameras as the platform of choice. Pentax has a new camera on the market that makes 24p filmmaking cheaper than ever before. The Pentax K-x is a High Definition 24p DSLR video/still camera. And if that wasn't enough, it retails for an unbelievable $649. This is very refreshing in a market place where the average DSLR camera cost $1500 and up.

I think the major plus for this camera is the Pentax KAF2 bayonet stainless steel mount. Which means this camera is compatible with every lens Pentax has ever made. A quick search on ebay and one will discover Pentax used lenses are some of the most affordable on the internet. You can put together a set of halfway decent Pentax lenses for $400-$700. When on average a set of Nikon or Canon glass will cost you upwards of $2000-$4000.

You are probably saying by now, "Sign me up! I want a K-X now!" But before you sell the farm, I think I should mention the fact that this camera has a couple of major flaws. First of which being, it has no audio input. As with most low priced video cameras, Pentax gutted the audio line-in jack, opting for a built-in camera microphone. Now in the world of filmmaking this is an easy fix, if you record dual system sound using a Zoom H4N or something comparable.

And that would be the end of our problem if the camera's deficiencies stopped with the audio issues. But in a world of pluses and minuses of course there are a few more short comings. The next minus is not that major actually. I probably shouldn't even mention it. Though for the sake of full disclosure I will pass on this little tidbit, and it almost goes without saying in this price range, the Pentax K-X only shoots HD 720p video, instead of the 1080p most cinematographers would expect now of days. Personally I don't think a resolution of 1280x720 is a deal breaker. In a time when a standard definition film like "Paranormal Activity" are breaking box office records, it goes back to the fact that content is king. Who cares about what camera you shoot your movies on. I would watch "Pulp Fiction" if it was shot on an IPhone.

Now folks, it's time for the deal breaker. And I've racked my brain a long time to try and figure out a workaround for this problem, but alas, I think this is proverbial straw that broke the camels back. You have no manual control over the ISO setting. What does that mean for the uninitiated? The ISO is set to auto, meaning you have no control over the cameras sensitivity to light. An ISO of 100 requires more light to expose properly than an ISO of 3200. The area this flaw shows up in is a loss of detail. It reeks havoc when panning the camera, the auto ISO causes the video image to shift unnaturally. This is a big deal in the world of cinematography. Filmmaking is an art form where you paint your filmed images with light. Fundamentally at the core of cinematography is the manipulation of light. Without out light film becomes radio. If you have no manual control over the cameras ISO settings you cannot do your job as a cinematographer. Although, it still early in the release of this camera...the auto ISO setting issue may be corrected when they release a new firmware. But until they do so, I would stamp this DSLR, "BUYER BEWARE," for anyone planning on using it for HD video production.

VIDEO BELOW BY LEE STRANAHAN: