Pentax Optio S - Expert Reviews

Review summary: This metal-body camera combines generally good image quality and an excellent feature set with a stylish, truly pocket-sized design.

Verdict: This metal-body camera combines generally good image quality and an excellent feature set with a stylish, truly pocket-sized design.

Award: Recommended!

Review summary: Pentax announced the ultra-compact (in the most accurate sense of the phrase) Optio S at CES 2003 in January 2003. The Optio S measures just 83 x 52 x 20 mm (3.3 x 2.0 x 0.8 in) and weighs in at just 115 g (4.1 oz) ready to shoot, specifications we'd ...

Pros: Average three megapixel resolution, Good reliable metering, if slightly conservative (worth checking live histogram), Low image noise at ISO 50 and 100, Excellent macro focus performance (for an ultra-compact), Wide range of focus options including ...

Cons: Lens softness, especially at corners and bottom of frame, Some chromatic aberrations visible (although average for this size of camera), Some vignetting / light fall off in right-hand corner of frame at maximum aperture, Power and shutter release ...

Verdict: The Optio S is a camera which has immediate 'consumer appeal'.

Review summary: There's no TIFF or RAW mode available on this camera. The camera names files as IMGP####.JPG, where # = 0001 - 9999. The camera maintains the numbering even if you erase the card.

Pros: Incredible design and engineering ; Good value at under $400 ; Good battery life for a tiny camera ; Quite a few controls for a point-and-shoot ; Impressive playback mode ; Unique 3D photo, fast forward movie features

Cons: Photo quality -- blurry edges/corners, some noise ; Poorly designed four-way controller ; Power/shutter release buttons too close together, too similar ; No AF illuminator ; Redeye ; Body scratches easily ; No memory card included ; paltry 11MB of ...

Verdict: A small camera needs a small battery, and the Optio S has one. The D-LI8 battery is one of the smallest li-ion batteries I've seen, and it packs a fairly low 2.6 Wh of power. Pentax estimates that you can take about 160 pictures (with 50% flash use) ...

Review summary: The Pentax OptioS (shown above larger than life) is smaller than the size of an average credit card and just over 3/4-inch thick. The OptioS fits neatly into an empty tin of Altoids®. It's a high-quality 3.2 effective megapixel 3X zoom digital camera

Verdict: If compact is what you want, three megapixel cameras don't come any smaller than the OptioS (as of April 2003.) SD / MMC cards are now readily available up to 256MB and soon in 512MB capacities. The OptioS may be just what you're looking for if you ...