Pentax Optio A40 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: We associate Pentax compacts with cheery, child-like styling, but the top-of-the-range Optio A40 is striving to be taken rather more seriously. Optical image stabilisation, a 12-megapixel resolution, fast performance and excellent image quality all ...

Pros: Optical image stabilisation ; excellent image quality

Cons: Uninspiring specs ; hard to take styling seriously

Verdict: With a high-end price tag but middling specs, the Pentax Optio A40 doesn't stand out. Picture quality is first-class, with optical image stabilisation and dynamic range adjustment looking interesting, but the toy-like styling isn't for us

Review summary: In the last year, photography has really gained importance among my hobbies and interests.

Pros: Excellently sized compact camera ; Good lens ; Great image quality

Cons: Focusing difficulties (many photos completely out of focus) ; Sluggish flash performance ; Menus can be a bit confusing

Verdict: 6th Ave

Review summary: 12-megapixels too much for a compact?

Pros: Easy to use, good screen, design and build, anti-shake, image quality, detail

Cons: Noise is obvious at higher ISOs, price

Verdict: The Optio A40 sits at the pinnacle of Pentax's compact range and offers a set of features that would not embarrass a budget digital SLR. A CCD-shift anti-shake system graces a 12-megapixel sensor and Face AF, and by golly, it all seems to work too

Review summary: Is this the end of the road for Pentax compact cameras? Say it ain't so!

Verdict: Hopefully the Optio A40 doesn't represent the last generation of Pentax compact cameras, because despite its ultra-compact size it is packed with clever technology, including effective image stabilisation and dynamic range improvement. Build quality, ...

Review summary: The Pentax Optio A40 is an attractive twelve megapixel camera with an SMC Pentax-branded 3x optical zoom lens, and a 2.5" LCD display. Offering a higher than average resolution of 232,000 pixels, this LCD is the only method of framing images since the ...

Verdict: Optio A40 connectivity includes both high-speed USB 2.0 and NTSC / PAL video, and images are stored on Secure Digital / MultiMediaCards, including newer SDHC types, plus 21MB of built-in memory. The Pentax A40 derives its power from a proprietary ...