Pentax Optio S5z

It is getting increasingly difficult to know what to write about Pentax’s ever-expanding line of five megapixel compacts. The range now consists of no less than nine models, all very similar in both specification and appearance. The new S5z joins the S5n, S5i, SV, SVi, S50, 50, and S55, as well as the Optio WP and Optio X, all of which sport 5MP sensors and either 3x or 5x optical zoom lenses, and range in price from around £112 to just over £200. Only detail differences in such things as LCD monitor size, battery type and a few special features differentiate most of these cameras. Pentax leads the market in ultra-compact digital cameras so one has to assume that it knows what it’s doing, but it certainly doesn’t make the reviewer’s job particularly easy.

In the case of the £198 Optio S5z, the main feature distinguishing it from the virtually identical S5n is its big 2.5in monitor. To accommodate such a big screen on such a small camera the case has been partially redesigned and is 3mm taller and 1mm thicker than its predecessor, but the size and position of the lens, flash, AF illuminator and self-timer indicator are unchanged. The extra height comes from the curvature of the previously flat top panel, but the positions of the on/off button and shutter release are identical to the previous model.
The only other real difference is that where the S5n has a charging cradle that also accommodates a spare battery, the S5z has a separate battery charger. It doesn’t have the charging contacts on the base, and because it is slightly thicker it doesn’t fit into the old cradle anyway.

Because of the big screen, the control layout on the rear panel is rather cramped compared to the elegant design of the S5n. The D-pad menu navigation control is very small and a somewhat fiddly to operate, as is the small rocker switch controlling the zoom lens. Nonetheless the controls are solidly mounted and operate with a nice positive click when pressed, so the camera is actually not unpleasant to use.
There isn’t much room for your thumb, but what room there is has a textured rubber grip and a small ridge, so holding the camera is quite comfortable, even for those with large hands. Build quality is as good as ever, with a strong all-metal case and a secure sprung hatch for the battery and memory card. The battery has a separate catch, so it won’t fall out while you’re changing the memory card.

The monitor screen itself is certainly big, and looks bigger thanks to the relative size of the camera, but at 110,000 pixels it’s not especially high resolution. This is the same pixel count as the 2in screen on the S5n, so there doesn’t seem to be much advantage to the bigger screen. It could also do with some sort of automatic brightness control, because it is difficult to see in bright sunlight without increasing the screen brightness in the menu.
Other than the minor differences already listed, the specification of the S5z is identical to that of the S5n. It has the same comprehensive and easy to use menu system, and the same green button. This is a common feature on Pentax compacts, and can be programmed with one of three functions; an easy “auto everything” shooting mode, a quick start for initialising the recording mode, or the more useful Function setting, which assigns a selection of frequently used menu options as secondary functions on the D-pad, including recorded pixels, image quality, white balance, AF area, metering mode, exposure compensation, and adjustable sharpness, saturation and contrast. This allows the user to customise the controls of the camera, and gives it a welcome versatility not often found in budget compact cameras.

The S5z has the same 16 scene and shooting modes as the S5n, including night scene, landscape, portrait, self-portrait, sunset, food, pets, text copying, sports/action and beach/snow. It also has a special effects mode that includes soft focus, posterisation, stretching/compressing the image, and adding a white border at the bottom of the frame for a caption or label. Other functions include two-level macro focusing (6cm or 18cm), manual focusing, infinity focusing and pan-focusing, which gives the maximum possible depth of field for wide-angle shots.
Also available are a time-lapse movie mode and colour filters that can be added in playback mode after the shot has been taken. Other playback options include cropping and resizing, copying, brightness adjustment, movie editing and DPOF print ordering. You can also select one of your shots to be used as the start-up screen. For a camera in this price bracket, the range of features offered by the S5 models is extremely impressive. The only things missing are manual exposure options, but with the range of shooting modes available they are not really necessary.
Talking about start-up brings us onto performance. Like the S5n, this camera starts up in approximately three seconds, and in continuous shooting mode it can capture approximately one shot every two seconds at maximum quality. Lowering the image quality slightly increases the shooting rate to about one shot a second. This isn’t particularly fast by recent standards, and as I have mentioned before it is something that Pentax needs to address in its next series of compacts. The autofocus system is extremely quick so there is no appreciable shutter lag, and thanks to the AF illuminator it can focus in complete darkness at a range up to a few meters.
In terms of picture quality the S5z is a solid performer, although it does have a few minor problems. Exposure, focusing and colour reproduction are first-rate, and noise control is especially good. As with the S5n there is no visible noise at 80 or 100 ISO, and only a little at 200 ISO. Some noise is creeping into the shadows at 400 ISO, but images are still completely useable.

The only real problems are associated with Pentax’s versatile but now aging Sliding Lens System. Lens distortion has been an issue for this lens from the beginning, and it rears its ugly head here too. On many shots there is slight but noticeable blurring towards the corners of the frame, most obviously on wide-angle and macro shots. It’s not a major problem, but does mar the performance of an otherwise excellent camera.

Verdict

It’s debateable whether the addition of a 2.5in monitor to an already perfectly good camera really contributes anything useful, but Pentax apparently thinks so. The range of interesting features on offer is impressive, while the easy-to-use controls, attractive compact style and superb build quality make this a very good general snapshot camera. Despite some lens distortion image quality is good, and the S5z represents excellent value for money

Pentax Optio SVi - Digital Camera

When the vast majority of compact digital cameras have 3x optical zoom lenses, a camera that offers a larger 5x zoom range, while still remaining small enough to slip into a jacket pocket, is going to have a distinct advantage. The Optio SVi is the latest addition to Pentax’s already extensive range of 5 megapixel compact cameras, and offers just such a bonus. Priced at an extremely competitive £195, it is positioned toward the upper end of the compact snapshot market, and does offer some very useful creative features for the more experienced photographer.

Like the rest of the Optio range, the SVi is an attractively styled and exceptionally well made camera. It has a strong stainless steel case, the front panel of which is textured with a fine pattern of concentric circles, making it very easy to grip. The SVi, although very compact compared to most other manufacturer’s cameras, is somewhat larger than some of Pentax’s other models, primarily to accommodate its larger lens. As a result there is more room on the body to space out the controls and still leave somewhere to put your thumb.

There are a couple of problems with the control layout though, particularly the menu and function buttons which are mounted flush with the bottom corners of the plastic surround of the monitor screen. These look all nice and stylish but they are fiddly to operate, especially when the camera is mounted on a tripod. Fortunately the buttons do have a nice solid ‘click’ when pressed, so at least you know when you’ve pressed them.Main mode selection is via a knurled wheel on the back panel above the monitor screen. Available modes are program auto, manual exposure, night shooting, picture mode (scene programs), movie mode, sound recording and a user-defined setting.

A 1.8in LCD monitor is quite small by recent standards, but with 115,000 pixels it is very sharp, and is bright enough to work well in direct sunlight. It also leaves room for a decent optical viewfinder, which seems to be a rare luxury these days.

In terms of general performance the Optio SVi is a bit on the sluggish side. Start-up time is a positively glacial four seconds, while shot-to-shot time in continuous shooting mode is rather slow at two seconds. For general snapshot shooting the sluggish autofocus means that many spur-of-the-moment shots will be lost because the camera just can’t focus on a moving subject fast enough. Pentax makes many outstanding cameras, but it really needs to work on improving things like start-up times, shot-to-shot times and autofocus speed. In all of these areas it is lagging dangerously behind its rivals.

Many Pentax compacts are loaded with odd features such as colour masking filters, but the SVi seems at first to be a bit lacking in this department. It has picture modes for portraits, landscapes, action, snow scenes, sunsets, flowers, autumn colours, museums and food, as well as Pentax’s unique stereoscopic 3D mode and a panorama stitching mode. There are special effects modes, but they are implemented differently on the SVi.

Instead of slowing down picture taking by adding special effects while shooting, the camera has the option to add effects in playback mode, including the aforementioned colour mask filters, as well as sepia, monochrome, soft focus, full-spectrum colour alteration and a special ‘illustration’ mode that resembles the Photoshop ‘posterisation’ filter. This means that you can take the shot you want then experiment on it with different effects afterwards. After adding filters and effects you can save the altered image as a different file, keeping your original photo intact.Creativity is further enhanced by a good range of focus modes, including manual focus and selectable 5-point AF. Most importantly there is also an extremely good and easy-to-use manual exposure mode with shutter speeds of 4 to 1/1000th seconds and full aperture control from F2.8 to F8.0. This well-thought-out range of creative features and options sets the SVi apart from mere snapshot cameras and actually turns it into a useful creative photographic tool.

On the down side, the SVi has a rather disappointing movie mode. It can shoot relatively small 320 x 240 pixel AVI movies at 30 frames per second with audio, with clip duration from one second up to the capacity of the SD memory card. Full VGA resolution would have been better, and the fact that the zoom lens cannot be used while recording is also a drawback. Considering the advanced movie modes available on some rival models, this is something else that Pentax needs to address in its next generation of Optio models.

Of course there’s not much point having lots of nice creative features if you don’t have the picture quality to back them up, but here the Optio SVi scores major points. In every circumstance it turned in nothing but superb top-quality pictures, both social snapshots and artistic photography. Colour rendition was perfect, as were exposure and focusing, all of which coped well with a wide variety of lighting conditions.

Pentax’s compact lens systems, particularly the 3x zoom Sliding Lens System found on a lot of sub-compact cameras, have been criticised for producing significant distortion at wide angle settings, but the is no such problem with the 5x zoom lens on the SVi. Whether wide-angle or full telephoto, images were extremely sharp across the entire frame. There was a little purple fringing visible on some very high contrast shots, but it was minimal and not enough to cause a significant problem. Noise control was also extremely good, with no real noise appearing on shots up to 200 ISO, although there was a fair bit of it visible in 400 ISO shots. Indoor flash performance was very good, with an effective range of around four metres.

Battery life appears to be very good, although the camera is powered by the same 710mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery as the S5 range, which might be a bit small considering the extra work it has to do in the SVi. Nonetheless, it held out for two days of heavy use without a recharge, so maybe it’s tougher than it looks.

Verdict

An excellent photographer’s camera at a very reasonable price – the SVi has a lot of creative versatility and the image quality to back it up. Superb build quality, nice handling and an attractive design make it an outstanding all-round camera, especially for the more ambitious photographer or newcomer who wants a camera that will let them learn. Very slow start-up, sluggish performance and slow autofocus system are handicaps however

Pentax Optio S55

It seems like every other week I’m reviewing yet another tiny Pentax 5-megapixel compact. In fact a quick browse through my camera samples folder shows that this is the eighth one that I’ve written about this year. Come on Pentax, give my aching fingers a break! I could get carpal tunnel syndrome at this rate.

Available for £150.70, the Optio S55 is a budget-priced zoom compact that saves on development costs by sharing many of its features with other cameras in the Optio series. It has the familiar 3x zoom Sliding Lens System optics found on most of the other models in the range, the same big 2.5in LCD monitor found on the S5z, and the same slightly-larger-than-tiny aluminium alloy body found on the S45 and S50.

The size of the body is mainly to accommodate the power source. Like the S45 and S50, the S55 runs on two AA batteries, making a good choice for holiday photography. If you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere and can’t find a power point to plug in your battery charger, you can always chuck in a couple of Duracells to keep shooting for another few hours.
As with all Pentax models, in fact most of the models from all the major manufacturers, build quality is exemplary. The sandblasted-looking exterior has excellent resistance to dents and scratches, and shows up greasy fingerprints a lot less easily than a glossy finish would do. That huge LCD monitor screen also seems to have a scratch-resistant coating.

The control layout is simple enough, but this is not a simple camera, and I would certainly not recommend it for a first time user. My parents, both in their 70s, took the S55 on holiday to Italy to get me some good test shots. My father is a keen amateur photographer and owns a couple of nice film SLRs, but he had never used a digital camera before. I attempted to explain the S55’s multiple modes and options to him, but after going over it twice I still don’t think he’d really grasped it. I can’t say I blame him though because to be honest even I found it confusing and difficult to understand.

The problem is that there are far too many options, and they are all accessed in different ways. For instance, the main mode dial has settings for portrait, landscape and night scene photography, as one might expect. However set the main dial to “Pict” mode, press the OK button and you’re presented with nine options including landscape portrait, self portrait, sunset, beach and snow.

Set the main dial to the icon of an artist’s palette and you get a variety of colour filter options, as well as panorama stitching and two-in-one group portrait function. On top of that there’s a standard program auto mode, but also the “green smiley” mode, a simplified auto-everything option that bypasses all the manual controls and automatically selects the best mode for the conditions.

The impression I get is that the designers of the S55 just wanted to see how much stuff they could cram into one camera. I have to admit it’s an impressive list, but I just wish they’d spend as much time thinking about how all those modes could actually be used. Either a much bigger mode dial or a nice integrated menu system would have made far more sense.

It’s a shame that the interface is so awful, because apart from that the S55 is quite a nice camera, although like all of Pentax’s current Optio range it is a little slow. It starts up in just under three seconds, which is a little bit on the sleepy side, and in continuous drive mode it shoots five frames in just over eight seconds, which while not embarrassingly slow, is put to shame by the rapid drive modes available on some recent rival models, such as the excellent Kodak V550.The plethora of modes and options listed above at least offer some versatility, and it has some features that are a lot of fun to play with, such as colour mask filters that shoot a black and white picture but with one primary (red, green or blue) in colour. Unfortunately the S55 lacks a real manual mode, but the “Fn” button does allow rapid access to exposure compensation, so some quick creative control is available.

The built-in flash charges quickly and has a useful range of 4.9 metres, which isn’t bad for a unit this size, although it does seem to have a tendency to over-expose indoor flash shots. The movie mode is adequate, although with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels at 30fps with mono sound, it’s nothing to write home about.

In normal light the multi-point AF system is reasonably quick, taking well under a second to lock on, but the lower the light levels the slower it gets, and quickly gets to a point where it won’t lock at all. The camera has no AF illuminator, so you can expect some very blurry nighttime shots.

In general use, the S55 performs well. Colour balance is excellent, focusing is sharp and under most conditions exposure is also very accurate, however it does seem to have a problem with bright reflected light, and burned out highlights were found on a number of shots taken in bright Mediterranean sunshine.

Image noise was also a bit of a problem. In Auto ISO mode the camera will automatically set the sensitivity to 400 ISO in low light conditions, and as you’ll see from the accompanying sample shots, at both 200 and 400 ISO there is a great deal of noise and colour distortion. Results at 50 and 100 ISO are better though.

In summary, the Optio S55 isn’t a bad camera, especially considering the price of £150.70. The use of AA batteries gives it an appeal for those holidaying in out-of-the-way places, and the build quality will make sure it survives the trip. It’s just a pity that the control interface is so complicated, and that the image quality isn’t a little better.

Verdict

As a budget compact, the Optio S55 has a lot going for it, but unfortunately it is let down by image noise problems and a very confusing list of modes and options. It is rugged and well made though, so you could do worse for your winter holidays

Pentax Optio WPi - Waterproof Camera

You know, I think Pentax’s UK marketing department might be trying to kill me, but they’re going to make it look like an accident. This is the second year in a row that Pentax has launched a camera that can take photographs underwater, and once again my review sample has been sent in the middle of winter. Pentax knows that I’d get into a lot of trouble if I tried taking pictures in my local swimming bath, so the only way I can get any underwater sample shots is to risk an extremely unpleasant death from hypothermia and frostbite by braving the near-zero water temperatures in a river or the sea. As murder plots go, it’s both fiendish and almost foolproof.

The Optio WPi is of course based on the popular Optio WP launched about this time last year. Jalal reviewed it here in April 2005 and gave it very high marks. I reviewed it for a certain well-known camera magazine and was also most impressed by it. The new WPi adds an extra megapixel to the existing formula, resulting in a 6MP compact with a 3x optical non-extending zoom lens and a 2in LCD monitor – and let’s not forget that it can also take photos at up to 1.5 metres underwater. It manages to do all this while still being one of the slimmest and most stylish digital cameras on the market. It is available for a high street price of £269.99, or for as little as £171 if you shop around online.

The WPi is designed as a go-anywhere camera for outdoor activities such as skiing, surfing, or even snorkeling, and has been designed to survive in extreme conditions. It is basically a ruggedised version of the lovely Optio S6 compact, sharing the same sensor, exposure system and software. It has a strong but light aluminium body with rounded and beveled corners for strength, with a profile only a couple of millimeters thicker and taller, and actually slightly shorter, than the S6. The non-extending, internal focusing lens is protected behind a scratch-resistant glass cover, and all the controls and external protrusions are recessed or smoothly rounded, leaving nothing to get snapped off or snag on pocket linings. The LCD monitor also has a scratch-resistant cover and the battery/card hatch has a locking catch so it doesn’t open accidentally while submerged.

The controls are nicely laid out, and are broadly similar to those on Pentax’s more mainstream compacts, including the idiot-proof Green Mode button. Most common options such as flash mode, self-timer, drive mode and macro mode are accessed as secondary functions on the D-pad, as are the shooting mode options. These include the usual portrait, night scene, landscape, sports and beach/snow modes, but also include flowers, candlelight, kids, pets, soft focus and an underwater mode. Yet more are available via a customisable menu. Also on the same menu is the movie mode and sound recording. Pressing the green button in this menu brings up a handy note explaining each function for beginners.

The controls on the WPi are a little stiff and clunky, but they have to be to withstand water ingress under pressure. They have a distinct ‘click’ when operated, which is useful if you’re using the camera with gloves or very cold fingers.

I have previously criticized some Pentax compacts for having rather slow performance and especially start-up time, but the WP was an exception to that rule. With new faster software the WPi is no slouch either, starting up in just under three seconds. It’s shot-to-shot times in continuous drive mode are quite good at one full-resolution frame per second for 6 frames in standard mode, while in high-speed mode it shoots 10 frames in a little over two seconds, but in this mode it is limited to 1,280 x 960 pixel resolution, or about 1.2MP. Write-to-card times are about average for a camera in this class.

The 9-point AF system is not the fastest I’ve ever seen, but it is certainly one of the best for low-light performance. In fact the WPi focuses more quickly, accurately and reliably in lower light than some cameras that are equipped with AF illuminators, a feature which the Pentax lacks. For low light photography the built-in flash has a range of 3.1 metres at wide angle or 2.5 metres at full zoom.

In order to keep the number of potential water ingress points to a minimum, the DC power input and USB connectors are concealed under the locking battery/card hatch, which has a waterproof rubber seal. It comes supplied with a separate battery charger, and uses the same D-LI8 3.7V 710mAh lithium-ion battery as all of the other compacts in Pentax’s range, so if you already own a Pentax the batteries are interchangeable. The D-LI8 isn’t a particularly large battery, and I found that by the end of a long day’s shooting it was down to one bar and in need of a recharge. If you’re taking the WPi on holiday even for a weekend, don’t forget the charger.
With the WPi performing generally well, the movie mode is a bit of a let-down. It is only capable of shooting at 320 x 240 pixel resolution at 30 frames per second with sound, a rather sub-par performance when compared to recent compacts from other leading manufacturers. It does however offer some movie editing options in playback mode, as well as options for still images including colour filters, adjustable brightness, red-eye removal, resizing, and some truly heinous frames that can be added to your pictures, including a lace-trimmed heart shape. Lovely.

At the risk of damning with faint praise, in terms of image quality, the WPi isn’t bad. I’ve seen 6MP compacts that are considerably better, but I’ve also seen a lot worse. As I already mentioned, focusing while not quick is reliably accurate, and metering is also generally good under most conditions, although some shots were slightly over-exposed. Colour reproduction was also generally good, although reds did seem to be a little under-saturated to my eye. I also felt that images lacked a certain fine detail, and showed slight artefacts in some areas. Image noise at higher ISO settings was also quite bad. The WPi does offer adjustable contrast, saturation and sharpness, so perhaps a little experimentation with these settings can produce a more pleasing result.

On the whole though, not a bad performance. The Pentax Optio WPi is the only fully waterproof 6MP compact on the market, and it is ideal for any sort of outdoor activity short of serious SCUBA diving. It is also an ideal social camera for its sheer indestructibility and excellent low-light performance, plus if some idiot spills beer all over it you can just rinse it off under a tap.

Verdict

If you have a camera-killing lifestyle but enjoy taking pictures, then the WPi is the ideal solution. It is well made, looks superb, handles well, has reasonably good image quality and can survive and take pictures in conditions that would destroy any other camera. There’s nothing else on the market like it.

Pentax Optio S6

A couple of weeks ago I nearly froze my toes off testing the waterproof Pentax Optio WPi, so this week I thought I’d have an easier time with its non-amphibious sibling the Optio S6. Unfortunately our wonderful British weather had other ideas. This time I froze the rest of my body, and wished that I was as waterproof as the WPi. Anyone who tells you we’re having a mild dry winter is lying through their teeth. It’s cold and wet out there, and has been all week.
Over the past three years, the six consecutive models that have comprised Pentax’s Optio S range of tiny sub-compact digital cameras haven’t really changed much. From the original 3.0MP Optio S launched in January 2003, to the S5z launched in May last year, the only real changes have been the ever-increasing size of both the CCD and the LCD monitor. The range of features on offer, the menu, power, exposure and autofocus systems, the 3x zoom Sliding Lens System optics and even the size and shape of the case have all remained virtually unchanged from one camera to the next, with only slight tweaks here and there. A camera design that was ahead of its time three years ago was beginning to look dated, and its performance was starting to lag behind the competition. It was clearly time for a change.
This change has appeared in the form of the Optio S6, the latest in the series. Competitively priced at £229.99 on the high street or as low as £189.99 online, at first glance it looks very much like all the other cameras in the S series. It is extremely compact, with the same well made all-metal body and flush fitting lens. It even has the same concentric circle texture on the front panel. However, although the S6 looks quite similar to its immediate predecessor the S5z, it is a very different camera both inside and out. It still has a 3x optical zoom lens that folds into itself leaving a camera just 19mm thick, but this isn’t the same lens as on previous models. It is a new design which is smaller, lighter and extends much more quickly at power on. Previous Optio S models have been getting a bit slow on the start-up, but thanks to the new lens design and an improved power system, the S6 now takes just 2.5sec to power up. There are a few faster cameras around, but this is better than most.
Another familiar looking feature is the big 2.5in LCD monitor, but this too is vastly improved. It is low-reflection with exceptionally high 232,000 pixel resolution and a particularly fast refresh rate, which means that the scene you see on the monitor doesn’t lag behind movements of the camera.

One thing that hasn’t changed much is the control layout and menu system, but then the previous Optio S system was very good already. The selection process for flash modes and focus modes has received a bit of a tweak though, and these are now selected from a list rather than just cycling through the available options.
There are plenty of focusing options to chose from, with pan focus, infinity focus and 25-step manual focus available, as well as macro mode although with a minimum range of 15cm this is not terribly impressive. The focus area mode can be selected in the menu, but sadly the frame-wide selectable AF point is no longer an option, but it has been replaced with an active tracking AF, ideal for shooting moving subjects.

The S6 features the same Green Button as on previous models, which operates as a user-definable function button, giving quick access to four commonly-used options via the D-pad. The defaults are resolution, ISO, white balance and exposure compensation, but any of the other menu adjustments can be mapped onto it, including image quality, focus area, metering mode, contrast, saturation and sharpness.

Although like the rest of the Optio S range the S6 has no manual exposure controls, it does have a good selection of scene modes, although fewer than on some previous models. These options include night scene, landscape, flower, portrait, candlelight, surf & snow, sport, pets, text copying, food and the unintentionally hilarious frame composite mode, in which a delightful decorative frame is added to your shot. Choose from a lovely lacy heart, a border of roses and daisies, or a frame of film with a cartoon character saying “How nice!!” I couldn’t put it better myself.
Also on the mode menu is the movie mode. It shoots at the now essential 640 x 480 resolution at 30 frames per second, however unusually it stores clips in the ultra-compact DivX format.

Inside the S6 is a new 6.36MP CCD sensor (6.0 effective), as well as a new faster exposure and autofocus system. It is also equipped with an AF illuminator, which I found would provide a focus lock in total darkness at a range of about 3 metres.
Also useful for low-light shooting is an exceptionally powerful built-in flash, with an effective range of over 5m at wide angle, or 2.7m at telephoto. Flash metering is also very good, providing just the right amount of fill-in flash even at quite close range. Colour balance and coverage were also very good.

This brings us neatly to the crux of the issue; picture quality. Previous Optio S models have generally produced very good picture quality. Not perhaps the best available, but certainly well above average. Each successively more powerful model has improved on the last, so does the 6 megapixel S6 continue the trend? Happily, the answer is yes.

The Optio S6 is capable of the highest image quality of the series so far, although I will have to qualify that. In order to get the best out of it, you need to make a few adjustments. Shooting in the appalling weather over the past week, I’ve found that the automatic ISO setting has a great fondness for selecting 400 ISO at the slightest provocation, leading to many pictures being ruined by excessive image noise. However by manually setting either 64 or 100 ISO and just holding the camera more steadily it was possible to get much better results in the same conditions.

Apart from that hitch, colour rendition, exposure and focusing were spot on in virtually all conditions, and with the faster AF system more shots were in focus.
All in all, the S6 is a good continuation of a popular and innovative line of digital cameras. It corrects all the weaknesses of previous models, and with its improved performance and image quality it makes a perfect pocket snapshot camera.

Verdict

If you’re looking for an ultra-compact camera that can deliver good quality pictures with a minimum of fuss, the Optio S6 should certainly be near the top of your list. It is well made, attractively designed, and is one of the smallest and lightest cameras on the market. It has enough options to cope with virtually any shooting conditions, and its excellent low light focusing and flash performance are a big bonus. Considering its very competitive price and the S6 is hard to beat.

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Pentax *ist DL2 Digital SLR

If you’re over the age of 30 and studied photography at college or university, chances are you learned the basics on the venerable Pentax K1000. It was a basic manual-only camera with a match-needle lightmeter, perfect for beginners, and what it lacked in features it made up for in robust reliability, superb handling and excellent picture quality.

After a 21-year run the K1000 finally ceased production in 1997, but Pentax still makes a camera for beginners. It’s called the *ist DL2 and it was launched in January this year.

The *ist DL2 is the very epitome of the entry-level DSLR, and that includes the price. It is available exclusively from Jessops, so there are no dubious online discount deals available, but even so it is priced at an incredibly competitive £349 including a high quality 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Pentax DA lens. Compare that with £393 for the Nikon D50 or £485 for the (8 megapixel) Canon EOS 350D with similar sized lenses and the DL2 looks like a very tempting package.

Pentax has always been known for making very compact and lightweight SLRs, and the DL2 continues that tradition. Comparing it side by side with the Nikon D50 reveals that the Pentax is 55g lighter, 8mm narrower, 9mm shorter and 10mm thinner than its rival. Even with the 18-55mm lens attached it is still light enough to use comfortably one-handed if necessary. The low weight is all the more remarkable when you remember that like all of Pentax’s digital SLRs the DL2 is powered by 4 AA batteries. In fact the weight of the batteries inside the handgrip helps to balance the camera.
With such a small camera there is of course the danger that handling could be compromised, but fortunately this is not the case. The DL2 only has a bare minimum of external controls and they are well spaced out so they’re not crowded. The handgrip is small compared to other DSLRs, but is comfortable to hold even for my very large hands. The sculpted shape is a definite improvement over the rather cramped grip of the *ist D, and a large thumb grip at the back makes for a very secure hold.

The middle of the back panel is dominated by the big 2.5-inch LCD monitor, which with 210k pixels is significantly sharper than the screens on either the D50 or 350D. Like most SLRs the DL2 doesn’t offer a live preview, but it does provide instant review with full exposure information, exposure histogram and optional clipped highlight indication on playback.

The viewfinder is large and bright, but is a bit lacking in information. Aperture, shutter speed, frames remaining, program mode, and a manual focus warning are all you get. The camera beeps for focus confirmation, but there are no focus points marked on the viewfinder.

The controls and available options are more reminiscent of a high-end compact camera than a professional SLR. The main mode dial has the necessary SLR manual exposure modes, but also has program settings for portrait, landscape, macro, action, night portrait and flash-off modes. As well as these it also has eight scene modes that are lifted whole from an Optio compact, even including the same menu icons. Modes include night scene, surf & snow, text, sunset, kids, pets, candlelight and museum. Bizarrely, the pet mode offers a choice of icons, for a cat or a dog depending on your preference. It makes no difference to the operation of the camera which you choose, only the icon is different.
Other options are more basic. The top slot on the menu is image tone, which has only two settings. Unfortunately, these aren’t labelled on the menu, but page 110 of the manual reveals that they are bright and natural modes. Other choices on the menu include three image sizes (1.5, 4 and 6MP) and four image quality settings including RAW mode. There are also sliders for saturation, sharpness and contrast, although the actual degree of control is limited.

Metering gets the usual three choices - matrix, CW or spot, but focus area has only wo, wide area or centre spot. There is no option for a selectable focus point.

One unusual feature is the aperture preview. Turning the on/off dial clockwise an extra notch activates the preview function. Rather than showing you the result in the viewfinder like most SLRs, the DL2 takes a picture and displays it on the monitor, but doesn’t write it to the memory card. It would be even better if it was possible to zoom this picture to check sharpness more closely.

Other external controls include exposure compensation, AE lock, and an FN button that provides a wide range of secondary functions on the D-pad. Manual or auto focus is selected by a two-position switch on the side of the lens mount. There is no continuous AF option.

Despite its cut-down list of features, it still has some nice touches. The self-timer includes a 2-second option with mirror lock-up for vibration-free shots, and its ISO range of 200-3200 beats both the D50 and 350D. Like the D50 the DL2 uses SD cards for storage, so those memory cards from your compact will work.

The built-in pop-up flash is particularly nice. It has a stated guide number of 15.6, but I found that it was easily capable of lighting up a large room. It also doubles as a long-range AF lamp, firing as a high-frequency strobe so fast that it appears to be continuous illumination.

Shooting performance is a little erratic. In continuous mode the DL2 can shoot five frames in about three seconds, and after that slows to an average of about one frame a second. I say average because it has no sense of rhythm at all, and shoots at apparently random intervals.

However, in single shot mode, focusing and exposure are admirably quick and shutter response is effectively instant, which is what one expects from a digital SLR.
The DL2 uses the same 6MP sensor as the rest of Pentax’s current DSLR range, which is, I think, the same sensor as the Nikon D50. However, Pentax seems to have been able to do more with it than Nikon could. If you refer to my review of the D50 from December last year, you’ll find that it suffered from purple fringes on high-contrast edges and the white balance system tended to put a blue colour cast over everything.

Fortunately the *ist DL2 has none of these problems. In the default vivid mode, images are sharp bright and colourful. Possibly a little too colourful in fact, with reds especially being a bit over-saturated. In natural mode, images have a much more realistic tone, with just a hint of softness that responds very well to a light application of unsharp mask.

In fact, the natural mode JPEG images taken straight out of the camera and slightly sharpened in Photoshop actually had more detail and better contrast than RAW mode images processed using either Photoshop or the supplied RAW conversion utility. Images at 200 and 400 ISO were essentially noise-free, with only a little noise visible at 800 ISO. 1600 ISO was grainy but usable with no colour distortion, although 3200 ISO would be best avoided.

The 18-55mm (28-70mm equiv.) standard zoom lens supplied as part of the kit is very good, especially compared to the sub-standard optics bundled with the Nikon D50. It focuses quickly and accurately, and provides excellent corner-to-corner sharpness and a minimum distortion. It did catch a little lens flare when shooting into the sun, but it is supplied with a lens hood to combat this. Pentax lenses have always enjoyed a very good reputation for outstanding quality with compact size and low weight, and thanks to the K-bayonet lens mount the *ist DL2 is fully compatible with every Pentax lens ever made, including old M42 screw-mount lenses and 645 medium-format lenses via adapters.

Verdict

The Pentax *ist DL2 is bargain-priced entry-level DSLR that combines the ease of use of a compact with the performance and picture quality of an SLR. It may lack some features, but it has all the important ones and even has one or two surprises. Experienced users may find it restrictive, but it is a perfect camera for the beginner who wants to learn, or for those making the switch from compact to SLR. It also gives you access to a vast range of Pentax lenses and accessories

Pentax K100D Digital SLR

Although I have a deep and abiding respect for the many marketing people without whom I could not do my job, I have to wonder at the sanity of the marketing genius that came up with the name for Pentax’s previous line of digital SLRs. The name, “*ist”, was explained to me by a marketing guy from Pentax UK, and to be fair he thought it was a bloody stupid idea too. The asterisk is a wild-card character, you see, and the –ist part is like scientist, or artist, or any other sort of –ist, so with the wild-card it means the camera can be anything you want it to be…

Yeah, right. It’s a camera, which means it takes pictures. How can you go into a shop and ask for a product if you can barely even pronounce it? “I’d like an asterisk-ist DL2 please.” Try saying that out loud; it sounds stupid, and I can’t help but wonder how much better the *ist range would have sold if it had been given a more sensible name.

Well, maybe now we can find out, because when Pentax was naming its newest range of SLRs that marketing genius must have been locked out of the meeting. Instead of wild cards it just has the letter K, which harks back to Pentax’s most famous film SLR, the classic K1000 with which we all learned photography at school. Trading on a legacy like that has got to be a better idea than some wacky marketing gimmick.

Echoing the K1000 is also appropriate to the first of the new models, the K100D and its stablemate the K110D. Launched simultaneously both are 6-megapixel entry-level cameras aimed at newcomers to digital SLR photography. The only difference between the two models is that the K100D features Pentax’s newly developed moving sensor Shake Reduction system. The new models will replace the consumer-orientated cameras in the *ist range, including the DS2. Pentax’s other new camera, the 10-megapixel K10D due to go on sale this month, will replace the aging *ist D.

The pricing of the new models is highly competitive. The K100D is available online for around £399 complete with a lens, while the K110D is about £50 less. This compares favourably with other entry-level DSLRs, including the Nikon D40 (6MP, £399), Canon EOS 400D (10MP, £480) and the Olympus E-500 (9MP, £500). It’s worth noting that none of these competing cameras have shake reduction systems. The next cheapest DSLR to feature that technology is the Sony Alpha A100 at £490.

The K100D looks superficially similar to the *ist DL2, but it is in fact a completely new body design. Measuring 129 x 93 x 70mm it is only a few millimetres wider and thicker, but at 660g including batteries it is 55g heavier. In fact, and unusually for a Pentax, it is the largest and heaviest of all the entry-level cameras in its price range, 100g heavier than the Canon 400D, 140g more than the Nikon D40 and a big 190g heavier than the Olympus E-500. The K110D is 75g lighter without the shake reduction system, but is still heavier than all of its competitors.

That bulk is reflected in the build quality. The K100D has a solidly made plastic body over a tough steel frame and feels extremely robust. The body shape and control layout is similar to the earlier models, but has also been revised. It has a large and extremely comfortable rubberised handgrip, a large LCD data panel on the top plate, and a big 2.5in 210,000 pixel LCD monitor screen on the back.

The controls are nice and simple, as befits its entry-level status. There’s a large rotating dial on the top left which selects the main shooting modes, which include the usual DSLR staples of program, aperture and shutter priority and full manual exposure (plus B mode), along with a scene mode with eight options, five special program modes and Pentax’s unique Auto Pict mode. This is a bit more sophisticated than most auto modes, because it tries to analyse the scene being shot and then automatically select the best special program mode for the circumstances. I found that it would normally default to program mode, but several times I noticed it setting sports or landscape mode at the appropriate times, so it does work.There is a function button on the back for quick access to white balance, ISO, drive/timer mode and flash mode, separate buttons for exposure compensation (handily located next to the shutter button) and AE lock and the usual playback, file info, delete and menu buttons down the left of the monitor, just as they have been on all previous Pentax DSLRs. The shooting menu itself is only two pages, but it has options to alter the saturation, contrast and sharpness, metering and AF modes and flash compensation. In other words it covers all the essentials without being over-complicated.

It has to be said that some of the menu items are downright bizarre. What exactly is “Swtch dst msr pt” supposed to mean? It’s an option to change between auto AF area, manual AF area and centre spot AF, so why not just label it “AF area”? Even the manual didn’t explain the abbreviation.

I really must mention that manual. I’ve often criticised certain manufacturers for putting the manual for their complex DSLRs on a CD in PDF format to save money, but despite the K100D’s budget price it comes with a large well-written fully-bound 216-page manual, all in English, with a colour cover and a full index, exactly what you need if you’re a beginner with a new camera, so major Kudos to Pentax. I hope you’re paying attention, Canon…

While the K110D is definitely aimed at the consumer end of the market, it’s not short on advanced features. At no time did it feel like it had been built down to a price. It has the same fast, accurate 11-point SAFOX VIII AF system and 16-point multi-pattern exposure metering as the *ist DL2, but these are now coupled with an all-new image processing engine which certainly seems to be a massive improvement. The DL2 was by no means bad, but its images always looked a little soft and its high-ISO noise reduction was never brilliant. Both image quality and noise reduction are much improved by the new system, and by all accounts the quality is as good as, if not better than the Nikon D40. Pentax lenses have always had an excellent reputation, and the SMC Pentax DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens has optical quality at least as good as anything you’ll find on the front of a Nikon D40.

There are several other nice little features that don’t get headline billing but are worth a mention. For instance when using the 2-second delay timer, usually needed to avoid camera shake on tripod shots, the mirror flips up as soon as the shutter is pressed, thus avoiding any mirror vibration when the shutter fires, ensuring a completely blur-free shot. Also worthy of mention is the live aperture preview. Instead of a dim, stopped down preview in the viewfinder, the camera takes a picture and displays it on the monitor without writing it to the memory card.On the subject of memory cards, like the *ist DL and DS, the K100D uses SD cards for storage, and in highest quality JPEG mode a 1GB card is enough space for approximately 340 shots, while in RAW mode it’s 93. Like most DSLRs the K100D can shoot in RAW mode, as well as the usual JPEG, but unlike some models it can’t shoot RAW + JPEG, which will put some enthusiast users off.

Also like previous Pentax DSLRs, the K100D uses 4x AA or 2x CRV3 batteries for main power. This has the advantage that these batteries are readily available all over the world, but it does add to the weight of the camera. The number of shots per charge will obviously depend on the type of battery used, but I took several hundred shots with a set of Duracell M3 Ultra batteries and the charge level was still reading half full.

The camera’s overall performance is good, but it’s not going to win any races. The AF system and metering are nice and quick, certainly on a par with any recent competitor. In continuous shooting in JPEG mode it can fire off five frames at 2.5fps, but then slows to about 1.3fps, although it can keep this up until the card is full. In RAW mode it can fire a quick three-shot burst, but then has to pause for about four seconds to empty the memory buffer before the next shot. This is a lot quicker than previous Pentax SLRs could manage, undoubtedly another benefit of the new image processing engine. In low light, popping up the flash enables it to operate as a powerful AF assist lamp with a range of at least 4m.

Of course the big selling point for the K100D is the shake reduction system. It is a new Pentax-developed moving-sensor system of the type pioneered by Konica Minolta and now used in the Sony A100, as well as some new models from Ricoh. Sensitive motion detectors react to any camera shake at low shutter speeds, and tiny high-speed actuators move the CCD automatically to compensate. This makes it possible to take hand-held shots at lower shutter speeds, or using longer lenses, with less chance of blurring due to camera shake.

Sony claims approximately 3.5 stops of extra shooting speed for its system, although most reviewers agree that about 2.5-3 stops is probably more realistic. I’ve tested the Pentax system extensively, and I found its performance was generally about the same as the Sony. It usually allowed shake-free shooting at least two stops below the safe speed, but would sometimes allow a shake-free shot as much as four stops slower, while occasionally shots just one stop slower would show slight motion blurring. The trick is, I think, to take several shots if you’re not sure. The chances are that at least one will be shake free.

Verdict

It may be the cheapest DSLR on the market, but the Pentax K100D isn’t short of advanced features, performance or image quality, and can comfortably hold its own against the Nikon D40. Build quality, design and handling are all superb, and the Shake Reduction system is as good as any on the market. If you’re looking for a good entry-level DSLR with the option to build up a kit, then look no further

Pentax W20 Waterproof Camera

I can tell from the pounding of my head that it must be roughly January 1st, so a Happy New Year to all of you. Being early January of course, it is traditional at this time of year for Pentax to send me its latest waterproof camera to test. In previous years this has involved risking frostbite in near-freezing rivers and lakes, but this year the camera arrived a few days early, so I was able to subject it to the ultimate test of both camera durability and photographer’s stamina; the New Year’s Eve Pirate Party.

Down here in Devon we’re rather proud of our pirates, and what better way to celebrate this heritage than getting about 200 people all dressed up like the crew of the Black Pearl, singing an assortment of sea shanties to the accompaniment of a local band, fuelled by copious quantities of ale and a heightened sense of the ridiculous. Shiver me timbers, splice the mainbrace, avast there ye scurvy dogs etc. Honestly, it’s not embarrassing at all if everyone else is doing it too.

The camera that was unlucky enough to be subjected to this mayhem was the Optio W20, the latest in Pentax’s successful line of waterproof compacts. Previous models include the WP, WPi and W10, all of which, both 6-megapixel models, have been reviewed here. The W20 was launched in August 2006 and sells for around £220 on the high street, or around £170 online.

The W20 improves on the specification of the W10 only marginally, adding only a 7-megapixel sensor, a larger internal memory (22MB rather than 10.5), higher maximum sensitivity (1600 ISO over 800 ISO) and compatibility with the new SDHC (High Capacity) memory cards. Other than those changes the two camera are very similar. Even the body design is virtually identical, although the W20 adds a slight flare to the front of the case on the handgrip side, making the camera slightly more secure to hold.

Unchanged are the 2.5in 115,000-pixel monitor, the 3x optical zoom non-protruding lens, and the ability to survive immersion in water to a depth of 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes.

The W20’s body is mostly plastic, with an aluminium inset front panel. Build quality is very good, and although it doesn’t have the shock-proof abilities of the Olympus mju 725 SW it still feels sufficiently robust to survive a few knocks. The shape is smooth and sleek with no protrusions to catch on clothing or get snapped off.

Like the previous Optio W models the W20 is designed for casual outdoor use in wet weather or for activities such as skiing or sailing, rather than for serious underwater use. It can survive immersion in water and even has special modes for shooting stills or video clips underwater, but there’s no point pretending that it is a real diving camera. If you want something to use while SCUBA diving, you would be much better off with a normal zoom compact fitted with an underwater case, which are usually waterproof to at least 40 metres and have larger controls. While the controls on the W20 are sensibly laid out and easy to use, they are slightly too small to be easily operated while wearing gloves.

The internal electronics seem to have been slightly improved for the new model, although to be honest there’s no dramatic improvement so it’s hard to tell. The camera starts up in about 1.5 seconds, which seems to be a little quicker than the previous model, but the AF system is still a bit slow when compared to many other current models. However, like the W10, despite lacking an AF illuminator the W20 has a remarkable ability to focus in very low light conditions. At one point last night someone turned the lights out for a laugh, but I was still able to take photos with little difficulty, apart from a side-to-side slight swaying motion, possibly caused by the notoriously rough seas of the Spanish Main. Fortunately the improved high-ISO capability helped to cope with this.

The W20 has two continuous shooting modes, a normal one that shoots at around one frame every two seconds, and another that fires off five frames in two seconds, but then has to pause and write them to the memory card. This is about average performance for a current compact. The movie mode is also up to current standards, offering VGA resolution at 30fps.The W20 is, at heart, a simple compact snapshot camera, and it has a range of options to match. Its standard mode is Pentax’s useful Auto Picture mode, whereby the camera will attempt to select the best shooting mode automatically. Pressing the Mode option on the D-pad reveals a selection of 25 shooting options and scene modes, including the usual selection of program auto, landscape, portrait, sports, surf & snow, fireworks and flowers, as well as some Pentax favourites including Synchro Sound Recording (recording the ambient sound for a few seconds when a shot is taken) and the ever-amusing Frame Composite mode, which allows you to add one of three hilariously awful frames to your pictures.

There are three pages of menu options, although for some reason the often-used exposure compensation is relegated to the second page. There are several useful entries though, including an interval timer and adjustable contrast, saturation and sharpness.

Picture quality is, to be fair, no better or worse than average for a 7MP compact. Also to be fair, with the incredibly awful weather we’ve had recently it’s difficult to take a good picture even with the best camera in the world, so bear that in mind when you look at the sample shots.

There’s not a lot of improvement in detail between 6MP and 7MP, so the major difference between the W20 and W10 in terms of image quality is of course the higher sensitivity. The Auto ISO setting has an upper limit of 400, and at this level the image quality is generally very good. The picture quality of the W20 at 800 ISO is roughly the same as the W10 at 400, so there’s a 1-stop advantage in shutter speed, enabling some low-light shots to be taken without the flash. The very highest setting, 1600 ISO, is very noisy and should only be used when there’s no alternative.

The W20’s lens appears to be the same excellent folded-optics unit as on the W10, and again it produced good edge-to-edge sharpness and very little distortion at wide angle. Colour rendition and exposure were both as good as the dreadful lighting conditions would allow, and the level of detail in the test shots was good, although there was some evidence of over-processing and noise reduction.

Verdict

If you need a camera that can withstand immersion in water, your choices are basically limited to the Pentax Optio W20 or the Olympus mju 725 SW that I reviewed last week. The Pentax is cheaper, smaller, takes slightly better pictures, and looks more like a normal compact than the Olympus, but lacks the shock-proof credentials