Filed under: Digital Cameras

DSLRs get all the photog credit, what with those snazzy interchangeable lenses and decent image quality, but point and shooters get most of the work done for most consumers, thanks the the size and convenience of a tiny, easy to use camera. Well, nothing much going on for the “decent image quality” angle of things, but at Photokina, Pentax is showing off a “X-Change Point & Shoot” concept that demos an interchangeable lens system for a compact cam. The miniscule camera body has a pop-up flash, and can accept a variety of lenses. Interestingly, the CCD is built into each lens, allowing for different focal lengths, protection from dust, and what we suppose would be some hefty prices. Unfortunately, it looks like Pentax has been kicking this idea around since 2002, so we’re not going to get our hopes up too much for an imminent release. Pentax has plenty of other interesting (and old) concepts they’re showing off at Pk, so be sure to peep the read link to catch the rest.

[Via OhGizmo!]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

We’ve seen plenty of weather-proof compact shooters, but Pentax is going the extra mile with their new K10D DSLR, stuffing in 72 seals for resistance to water and dust. Pentax also has a snazzy new proprietary Shake Reduction system that doesn’t require specialized anti-shake lenses, and claims to offer a 2.5 to 4 stop advantage for shots. The cam also includes a Dust Removal system to shake any dust off the CCD that might happen to get in. Pentax doesn’t stop there, they’ve tossed in an 11 point autofocus system, SDHC card support, ISO 100 to ISO 1600 sensitivity range and a 2.5-inch LCD. With a 10.2 megapixel CCD and that beefy feature set, the K10D is going to look mighty attractive when it drops in November for $900 ($1,000 with a 18-55mm lens), but the real proof is in the pics, so we’ll hold out for some hands-on reviews. Keep reading for some hot DSLR pr0n.

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals

If you’re still rocking a digital camera older than the recently unveiled Nikon D80 or lineup of Canons, for instance, the lack of SDHC support may have you a bit down on your luck. Apparently Casio and Pentax aren’t wasting any time in making sure their customers are kept happy, as both companies have released firmware updates for a few popular shooters that sport SD slots. Pentax Japan is hooking up the *ist DL, *ist DL2, *ist DS, *ist DS2, and K100D (K110D to soon follow) with SDHC support, while Casio is upping the ante on its EX-S500, EX-Z600, and EX-Z850. So if you happen to own one of these select models, and you can’t resist the urge to drop some coin on those pricey (albeit spacious and speedy) SDHC cards, be sure to do your duty and treat that digicam to its respective upgrade first. While these may be the first few cameras in which SD 2.0 support is granted retroactively, we don’t imagine the list will stop here — so, dear camera manufacturers, what’s the holdup anyway?

Read - Pentax Firmware Updates
Read - Casio EX-S500 Firmware Update
Read - Casio EX-Z600 Firmware Update
Read - Casio EX-Z850 Firmware Update

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Not a whole lot to see here — other than pixels, of course. Pentax is squeezing a few more megapixels out of their Optio A and M series with the new 10 megapixel A20 and 7 megapixel M20, bumped from 8 and 6 megapixels respectively. The A20 is also privy to Shake Reduction, High ISO and Movie Anti-shake technologies, while the M20 manages a High ISO mode, all targeted and sharpening up those action shots or shaky-cam moments. Most of the other specs remain rather mundane, such as 2.5-inch LCDs and 3x zoom lenses, though SDHC is a nice addition, and both cameras do seem to have slimmed down just a bit. Otherwise it doesn’t look like these consumer shooters have much more to offer than their predecessors, and the prices haven’t budged much either, with the M20 shipping in September for $200, and the A20 following in October for $350. Check a pic of the M20 after the break.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Looks like enough people thought the ability to dunk their digital camera in a martini glass was a decent buying incentive that it was in Pentax’s best interest to upgrade that W10 to the W20. Their new JIS Class 8 waterproof device can stay submerged up to 5 feet in water for up to 30 minutes, and features a SDHC support, 1600 ISO mode, 3x optical zoom, 1-inch macro mode, 7 megapixel sensor, 2.5-inch display, and an “under $300″ asking price (i.e. $299.9999999-infinite). Ships September (i.e. next month, for you slacker types), so if you didn’t already have a W10 (or a waterproof case) and were planning on trip far or near to take a dip in the drink, you may want to hold out just a bit longer.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Pentax certainly isn't new to the budget-DSLR scene, and its K100D is another fairly affordable offering into the single-reflex lens world. When we first got wind of this camera a few months back, our biggest excitement stemmed from the more manageable naming system, but ePhotoZine actually found quite a bit more to love about the K100D than the refreshing model name. While this unit is an awful lot like the *ist DL 6.1, that's actually not such a bad thing. The most substantial update to the 6.1 megapixel camera is the CCD-shift shake reduction system -- a first in the Pentax DSLR lineup -- that presumably helps reduce blur in moving and low-light situations (i.e. OIS). Reviewers found the system beneficial, but poorly implemented nonetheless; there's no visual indication the system is actually working or how effective it is until you view the finished image, which isn't exactly useful in the field. Also, the camera had a tough time digesting more than 3 RAW shots in succession, often forcing the operator to wait until the buffer was clear before shooting could resume. However, if those two relatively professional complaints won't apply to you, the K100D produced excellent images and was said to "perform well for its price point." While the 2.5-inch display, sturdy enclosure, 200 to 3200 ISO settings, and impressive 11-point AF system were viewed quite fondly, it should be noted that your CF cards aren't welcome here, as only the SD format is accepted, and 4 AA batteries are used in favor of a proprietary cell. But if you've been chomping at the bit to grab a DSLR on the cheap, and you can live with the, um, unstable anti-shake system, you can snag the K100D now with a bundled 18-55mm lens for $699.99.

[Via Photography Blog]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

It’s a Pentax, it’s an Optio, it’s got a 7 megapixel sensor, face recognition, DivX / MPEG-4 VGA video recording, optical image stabilization, a 2.5-inch display, 23MB memory, 3x optical zoom, SDHC support, and a name: the S7. Nothing we haven’t all seen before; another day, another model. This one will happen to run you $300 (or less) come September.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Pentax just announced their K100D and K110D Digital SLRs today which hopefully kick that ridiculous, google-hating *ist naming convention to the curb once and for all. The two DSLRs are in fact, the same 6.1 megapixel digital cams only the K100D packs-in Pentax's CCD oscillating Shake Reduction technology to keep your pics clean while shooting with telephoto lens or under low-light conditions. Each camera remains compatible with Pentax K-mount lenses, and features ISO 200 to 3200 sensitivity, a 2.5-inch LCD, and SMC Pentax DA lens with12x zoom. Expect the K100D to ship for $699 in July with the K110D set to drop in August for an entry-level enthusiasts price of $599.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

It still doesn't have a name, price or launch date, and they're still not letting anyone touch it, but Pentax's forthcoming 10-megapixel *ist D SLR is making the rounds in Korea. AVing managed to get a few choice shots of it at the Seoul International Photo and Imaging Industry Show. The pics show a pretty standard collection of the controls you'd expect on an SLR, multiple autofocus modes and a popup flash. No surprises, really, but at least Pentax has stopped keeping it under glass, which we hope means this is getting just a little closer to launching.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

If you’re looking for a relatively cheap way to enter the world of digital SLR photography, the UK’s DigiCam Review thinks you could do a lot worse than the Pentax *ist DL, which despite its unpronouncable name, came out a clear winner in their testing. Successor to the company’s *ist DS, the 6.1 megapixel DL impresses on many fronts, including image quality, response times, ergonomics, and, perhaps most importantly to a DSLR newbie, ease-of-use. Specifically, the DL — which was tested with the optional 15-55mm Pentax DA lens — captured pictures with good contrast, detail and color, low noise except at the highest ISO setting, and a general lack of purple-fringing or red-eye, while providing a lot of features, such as RAW support, auto ISO, and a 2.5-inch display, for its $740 price tag. The only real knocks here seem to be the lack of image stabilization or CF card support — meaning storage is limited to the most capacious SD card available — but since this model is certainly not targeted at pros, those issues may not even matter to most.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

The Pentax Optio W10, announced in February, may look like a fairly straightforward point-and-shoot, but if you're familiar with the company's product line, you'll recognize this one's secret weapon immediately: it's waterproof. No, not waterproof as in scuba-diving, but waterproof as in, take-it-to-the-beach or take-it-on-your-next-fishing-trip. That's a distinction shared by very few other compact digicams, and could make this a good option for your summer activities. Digital Camera Review checked the camera out, and found it to be well-designed and durable. The lens is protected by a plastic cover, other openings are sealed, and buttons are harder to press thanks to waterproofing. The reviewer was impressed with the image-quality on the 6 megapixel shooter, saying images "showed accurate color and good exposure in a variety of conditions." The main gripes were shutter lag (hey, it's a compact) and an LCD screen that tends to be a little hard to view in bright sunlight. Given that you may be planning to take this one to the beach, and there's no optical viewfinder, that could be a problem, but chances are you'd rather deal with that than risk dropping your SLR in the water.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

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Digital Camera
Review is doing what doing what they do, and have a review up of href="http://www.engadget.com/search/?q=Pentax">Pentax’s headline Optio, the 8 megapixel href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/03/pentax-intros-optio-a10-and-optio-e10/">A10. Including a 3x optical zoom,
2.5-inch LCD, and optical image stabilisation, the camera looks to be a decent deal for it’s roughly $300-350 asking
price, but the low battery life and sub-par default settings might be a turn-off for some. The back of the camera is
rather dominated by a 2.5-inch screen, leaving out an optical viewfinder, but probably not much the worse off, thanks
to the sharp and accurate LCD. The camera is fairly small, but manages to have decent ergonomics, and easy
customization makes it even nicer to use. Unfortunately, you might be using those menus a bit more than hoped, since
the default image settings were oversaturated and underexposed. Otherwise the image quality was fairly good, with
standard light response and uniform sharpness. Shake reduction worked well, which is a big plus, and while the
rechargeable battery wasn’t quite up to snuff, you might have a bit of cash left over for a second one at this price.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras, Features, Gaming, Handhelds, Media PCs, Podcasts, Portable Audio, Portable Video