Digital Camera review for Pentax Optio E10

Pentax Optio E10 is the latest Pentax affordable digital camera. Its basic features are 6 Mega Pixel, 3X Optical zoom, large 2.4" LCD Screen, 10MB internal memory and using AA battery. Moreover, Pentax Optio E10 provides high quality movie capture in AVI format with sound at approx. 20fps. The design of easy to use, point and shoot, light weight and slim design to fit most users.

The main Optio E10 specifications are;

Type:: Compact-type digital still camera with built-in zoom lens, autofocus, auto exposure and auto flash

Effective Pixels:: 6.0 megapixels

Image Capture Device:: Type – 1/2.5 inch interline transfer CCD with a primary color filter Total Pixels - 6.36 megapixels Color Depth - 12 bit x 3 colors Recorded Pixels - Still: 6M (2816x2112 pixels), 4M (2272x1704 pixels), 2M(1600x1200 pixels), 0.3M (640x480 pixels); Movie: 320x240

Focus System:: Type - TTL contrast detection autofocus system with AF assist lamp Autofocus – Multi-point AF & Infinity Landscape Mode Focusing Range - Auto Focus: Normal - 1.64 ft (0.5m) to Infinity; Wide Macro - 2.0 inches (0.05 m) to 1.31 ft (0.4 m) at 5.5mm; Tele Macro - 1.15 ft (0.35m) to 1.31 ft (0.4m) at 16.5mm

Lens:: Type - PENTAX power zoom Focal Length – 5.5mm – 16.5mm 35mm Equivalent - 35mm - 114mm Aperture Range – F2.8 –F4.8 Construction - 6 elements in 5 groups (2 aspherical elements) Optical Zoom - 3X Digital Zoom - 4X Combined - Approx. 12X

Exposure Control:: Light Metering Method - TTL metering with choice of: Center-weighted & Spot meter Sensitivity - Auto, or User select ISO 64, 100, 200 Exposure Control Method - Program AE Exposure Modes - Mode dial: Simple, Program, Landscape, Night Scene, Portrait, Sport, Movie Exposure Compensation - +/-2 EV (1/3 steps) Shutter - Type: Programmed AE electronic lens shutter with CCD electronic shutter; Shutter Speed: Approx. 1/1000 – 2 seconds White Balance - White Balance Control: TTL Auto, Manual; Available Settings: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light Flash - Operation Modes: Auto, Flash-off, Flash-on, Red-eye reduction; Effective Range: Approx. 11 ft (3.4m) (5.5mm at Sensitivity 200); Approx. 6.6 ft (2m) (16.5mm at Sensitivity 200)

Shooting Specifications:: Picture Modes – Portrait, Landscape, Night scene, Sport Digital Filter - Black & White, Sepia Drive Modes - Single-shot, Continuous, Auto bracket, Self-timer Movie Mode - Shooting Time: From approx. 1 sec. to memory card capacity

Time:: Modes - dd/mm/yy, mm/dd/yy, yy/mm/dd

Image Storage:: Storage Media - Approx 10MB built-in memory, SD memory card removable File Formats - Still: JPEG (Exif 2.2), DCF 1.1 (Design rule for Camera File system), DPOF 1.0(Digital Print Order Format), PRINT Image Matching III; Movie: AVI (Motion JPEG) approx. 20fps with sound

LCD/Viewfinder:: Optical Viewfinder – N/A LCD Monitor – 2.4 inch, Low reflection TFT color LCD LCD Coverage – Approx. 100% LCD Resolution - Approx. 110,000 pixels

Playback Specifications:: Playback Modes File - Single, Index- Nine image Magnification – 4X Playback Menu – Slideshow, Protect, DPOF, Resize, Quality Change, Image Copy Erase and Image Protect Modes - Single, All

PictBridge:: One image printing, DPOF auto print

Language:: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Swedish, Dutch, Japanese, Chinese

Interfaces:: Type - AV output terminal, USB terminal, DC input terminal Video Output - Compatible with NTSC and PAL formats (monaural sound)

Power Supply:: Two AA Batteries (Alkaline or rechargeable NiMH), AC adaptor kit (optional); (allows approximately 300 shots* with 2500mAh NiMH, 80 shots* with Alkaline) * According to CIPA-compliant testing (with LCD monitor on and flash used for 50% of the shots)

Physical Specifications:: Operating Temperatures - 32 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees to 40 degrees Celsius) Camera Casing - Plastic Dimensions (W x H x D) - 3.4 x 2.4 x 1.3 Inches (87 x 60 x 32mm) Weight – 4.6 oz. (130g) without battery and SD memory card, 6.3 oz. (180g) loaded and ready

Computer System Requirements:: USB (Driver installment is required for Windows 98/98 SE) Mac Requirements - OS: Mac OS 9.2 or later with QuickTime 6.0, standard equipped USB port PC Requirements - OS: Windows 98, 98SE, Me, 2000, XP Home/Pro, standard equipped USB port Software: ACDSee for PENTAX Mac Requirements - OS: 9.2 (with the latest CarbonLib) or later with QuickTime 6.0 or later installed CPU: POWER Macintosh machines of 266MHz or later Memory capacity: Over 8MB Hard disk capacity: Over 6MB PC Requirements - OS: Windows 98 SE, Me, NT, 2000, and XP Home Edition/Professional CPU: Pentium or later Memory capacity: Over 64MB Hard disk capacity: Over 40MB

What's in the Box:

Test Results:

Automatic mode Day shot testing (Outdoor):

Testing setting: Automatic mode, auto white balance, flash off, 6M 3 stars (super fine) quality and tripod is not used.

I am very happy with the outdoor photos generated by automatic mode without flash. Pentax Optio E10 digital camera is very easy to use, just point and shoot with the program AE mode. It is affordable price and good picture quality.

(Photos have been down sized to 500X375 pixels)

Auto focus	3X optical Zoom in

Macro testing:

Testing setting: Macro mode, auto white balance, flash off, 6M pixel super fine quality and tripod is not used.

Pentax Optio E10 has good macro quality 3-4cm close up to the subject. We can clearly see the detail of the tree leave.

(Photos have been resized to 500X375 pixels)

approx. 3-4cm close up

Night shot testing (Outdoor):

Testing setting: preset Night shot mode, auto white balance, flash off, superfine quality and tripod is used.

Users can take easy night shot photos simply by using Pentax Optio e10 preset night shot mode. Of course, tripod is recommended to use in night shot mode. As expected, some noise is generated during 3X zoom in but not serious. (Photos have been resized to 500X375 pixels)

Auto focus	3X optical Zoom in

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