PENTAX Optio I-10 is a newly announced digital compact camera that looks like Auto 110 micro-SLRs. It features 12-megapixel sensor, 2.7″ LCD, 5x optical zoom and 720p HD movie shooting. In addition to its eye-catching designs the camera offers a wide range of advanced functions.

The 28mm wide-angle lens easily handles landscapes, architecture and group shots in a confined space, as well as photos shot from a distance. Its Intelligent Zoom function allows to extend the zoom range to approximately 31.3 times. The lens is also equipped with sensor-shake image stabilization to prevent blurring.

The Optio I-10 doesn’t allow for much control over camera settings. Instead, it offers its Auto Picture mode and a selection of 22 Scene modes, among which one can find Digital panorama and High-Sensitivity anti-shake mode. There’s also a D-range setting in the camera, which task is to prevent whitewashed (overexposed) and blacked-out (underexposed) areas in an image.

The camera also offers upgraded Face Detection AF & AE function that even detects the faces of dogs and cats. It can detect up to 32 faces in a frame and give priority to per-registered faces in group shots.

To add fun to the process of shooting the Optio I-10 offers an array of creative digital filters that add various visual effects to recorded images. Furthermore, you can male use of the camera’s Original Frame function to apply a decorative frame and/or letters/characters to a recorded image.

The camera also features the new and innovative Subscreen Input function, which displays a thumbnail of a recorded image in the upper left corner of the LCD panel. This function comes in handy when you want to shoot subjects from the same angle and at the same image size as in this image.

Pentax Optio I-10 - Specifications:

• 1/2.3″ CCD sensor
• 12.1 Megapixels:
• CCD-shift Image stabilization
• 5x Optical Zoom
• Focal length Equivalent: 28 - 140mm
• Aperture Range: F3.5 (W)- F5.9(T)
• 2.7-inch LCD Monitor with 230K dots
• Focus modes: 9-point AF, Spot AF, Auto tracking AF
• Focus: Macro, Super Macro, Infinity-landscape, Pan Focus, Manual Focus
• Shutter Speed: 1/2000- 4 sec.
• Metering: Multi-segment, Center-Weighted, Spot
• Sensitivity: ISO80 – 6400
• 22 Scene Modes
• Auto Picture Mode
• Digital Panorama mode
• D-Range Feature
• 11 Digital Filters
• Original Frame Function
• Movie mode: 1280×720 pixels at 30fps
• 26.7MB Built-in Memory
• SD/SDHC Memory Card

Pentax has announced the Optio H90 compact camera, featuring 12.1 effective megapixels a wide-to-telephoto 5X optical zoom lens and a 2.7-inch LCD screen and boasting high-quality aluminum alloy body.

The lens is 25.5mm wide-angle at the wide end, which is useful when photographing landscapes, architecture and group shots within confined spaces. Moreover, its 5x optical zoom to approximately 31.3 times thanks to the Intelligent Zoom function.

The camera is a point-and-shoot in its essence and features Auto Picture mode yet it offers and the same time a wide choice of preset scene modes. Among them there is a Digital Panorama mode with its Digital Wide function to compose an extra-wide-angle picture.

For effortless snapshots the Optio H90 features its Face Detection AF & AE function, which is a great tool in casual shooting of people. It can detect up to 32 faces in a frame. It is further enhanced by Smile Capture and Blink Detection functions.

The camera can also to keep constant focus in its Auto-tracking AF mode prevent whitewashed (overexposed) and blacked-out (underexposed) areas in an image thanks to is D-Range setting.

To add fun to shooting process the H90 offers its Digital filters, including Toy Camera and Retro, to add distinctive visual effects to recorded images and Frame Composite function with 90 frames stored in the camera, which allows you to shoot images with decorative photo frames.

The camera captures high-definition-TV-quality movie clips (1280 x 720 pixels). Their quality is ensured by Movie SR (Shake Reduction) which automatically compensates camera shake during movie shooting.

Pentax Optio H90 – Specifications:

• 1/2.3″ CCD Sensor
• 12.1 million effective pixels
• 2.7″LCD Monitor with 230K dots
• 5x Optical zoom
• Aperture Range: F3.5 (W) - F5.9 (T)
• Focal Length Equivalent: 28 - 140mm
• Focus: Macro, Super Macro, Infinity-landscape, Pan Focus, Manual Focus
• Focus modes: 9-point AF, Spot AF, Auto tracking AF
• Metering: Multi-segment, Center-Weighted, Spot
• Sensitivity: ISO80 - 6400
• Shutter Speed: 1/2000 - 4 sec.
• Auto Picture Mode
• 22 Scene Modes
• Face Detection
• Pixel Track SR Mode
• Frame Composite function
• Movie mode: 1280×720p
• 32.7MB Built-in Memory
• SD/SDHC Memory Card
• Rechargeable D-LI88 lithium-ion battery

What’s new: There’s a full review of the camera at Digitalcamerareview!

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PENTAX announces the launch of the PENTAX K-x mid-range digital SLR camera. Like the PENTAX K-m, it is a user-friendly camera for first-time DSLR camera users, and is housed in a compact and lightweight body.

This 12.4-megapixel camera spots live view shooting with 230K 2.7-inch LCD monitor, HD movie recording, and high-speed continuous shooting.

The K-x incorporates APC-S CMOS image sensor that can reproduce true-to-life images with fine detail and rich depth of colors, and a high-speed PRIME II imaging engine for producing more accurate color rendition and faster transmission speed of movie data.

The camera’s autofocus system features 11 sensor points to automatically capture even off-centered subjects in sharp focus. Face Detection AF automatically detects up to 16 faces.

With the K-x you’ll never miss a moment: its high-speed continuous shooting mode records 17 JPEG images at a maximum speed of 4.7 fps - the fastest of all entry-class models. And the camera’s top shutter speed of 1/6000 second allows you to preserve crisp images of fast-moving subjects.

The camera also offers the SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism to ensure sharp and blur-free images even challenging conditions.

Among other worthy features we find digital filter function for adding up to 16 creative visual effects to the recorded images, and HDR (high dynamic range) function to create one composite image from three images with different exposures.

The camera comes with either with 18-55mm DAL or 55-300mm DAL kit lens.

Camera Reviews:

Photographyblog.com:
The new Pentax K-x occupies the sweet spot between the entry-level K-m and prosumer K-7 cameras, combining the ease-of-use of the former with many of the advanced features of the latter. Its image quality is excellent, with noise-free JPEG images from ISO 100-800.

Photoreview.com.au:
This is an affordable, feature-rich DSLR with some creative in-camera filter effects that has a beautiful addition in the form of superior high-ISO performance. But still it cannot offer fast autofocusing and focus tracking in Live View mode.

Digitalcamerareview.com:
The camera offers excellent image quality as well as great ISO/Low-light performance. It is also competitively priced and solidly built. But it consumes power quickly, and has a slow and uncontrollable AF in Live View mode.

Sample Photo Galleries: photographyblog.com, digitalcamerareview.com.

PENTAX K-x DSLR – Specifications:

• 12.4 Megapixels
• 23.6mm x 15.8mm CMOS Image Sensor
• Maximum Image Size: 4288×2428 pixels
• File Format: RAW, JPEG, RAW+JPEG
• Image Sensor Shift Stabilizer
• Sensitivity: ISO 100-12800
• 2.7 inch Live View LCD monitor with 230,000 dots
• Focus Modes: Auto, Single with Focus Lock, Continuous, Manual
• 11-point wide autofocus system
• Autofocus: Contrast detection + Face detection, Contrast detection, Phase difference detection
• Metering Modes: Multi-segment metering, Centre-weighted metering, Spot metering
• Shooting Modes: Auto Picture, Picture (6 pictures) Scene (10 Scenes), Program AE, Sensitivity-Priority AE, Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority AE, Metered Manual, Bulb
• Shutter Speed: 1/6000 - 30 sec, Bulb
• Continuous shooting: Max. 4.7 fps
• Built-in Pop-up Flash
• Movie Mode: 1280 x 720p at 24 fps
• Dust Removal Mechanism and SP Coating
• Usable Lens: PENTAX KAF3-, KAF2-, KAF-, and KA-mount lenses
• Storage Media: SD, SDHC Memory Card

Official Information: pentaximaging.com.