1. 7.0-megapixel CCD and 3x Pentax optical zoom lens
2. JIS Class 8 Waterproof and Class 5 Dustproof performance allows underwater photography and video
3. 2.5-inch low reflection LCD monitor; 115,000 pixels
4. Ultra-fast 9-point auto focus; Portrait mode utilizes Face Priority AF for perfect results
5. High-quality extended movie captures QuickTime motion JPEG (640 x 480) at 30fps; built-in editing functions

Editorial Review :

The Optio W20 is the latest model in the PENTAX Optio W series of cameras that are waterproofed for underwater photography without requiring a waterproof case or other accessories. This model features a new Shake Reduction mode, which allows you take sharper photos without camera shake or subject blurring even of low-light scenes or fast-moving subjects, and an upgrade to a 7.0-effective-megapixel. All told, this camera boasts better image quality in a fun, easy-to-handle package.

Customer Review :

Great for outdoor shots

I had this trusty little guy for over a year while doing marine biology work in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. It survived fish guts and water. I also dropped it a handful of times, and that never seemed to phase it. It took great outdoor shots, and indoor bright lighting shots looked good too. I could take a pic of a fish on a table and zoom way in to see the scales when I looked at it on the computer. The anti-blur mode is pretty good for catching birds in flight too. Low lighting indoor shots, however, were a problem. All of my party pics from the time I had this camera are terrible. If you are looking to take pics of family and friends, look elsewhere. The final thing I will say is to get a neck strap. Mine fell out of my pocket while canoeing, and it is probably still waiting at the bottom of the river for some lucky swimmer.

Rating :

Good choice for harsh conditions

I bought this camera for use while kayaking. It fits well into the pocket of my PFD. The programming choices available work well for my needs. Movie mode is nice. There is a problem with clicking sounds while taking movies that seem to come from grasping the unit with a finger on the battery/Sdcard cover while taking movies. The qualiy of the photos is not quite as good a the Kodak Z700 camera we have, but that is to be expected given the difference on optics. Overall I am happy with this unit. The only change would be to eliminate the clicking noises, which is avoidable if attention is paid to how the camera is held while taking movies.

Rating :

Great Camera - so many features!

My boyfriend and I purchased this camera for my sister and her husband as a wedding present. They went to Costa Rica on their honeymoon and when they came back, not only were they talking about how great their trip was, but they couldn't stop praising the quality and features of this camera. The camera's waterproof feature made it perfect for travel in such a humid climate where other digital's just can't take the added moisture. They were also very pleased with the plethora of camera and lense modes available. My brother-in-law is a photographer and a university art professor so I was a little nervous about making this purchase for them, but they couldn't be more pleased with the camera, its functions, and the high quality photographs and videos that it produced.

Rating :

pentax w camera

I liked my first one so much that i bought this second one for my girlfriend and she loves it as well. We have really enjoyed playing around in pools, rivers, and the lake with these cameras. You wont be disappointed. i do recommend a second battery for when the first one loses its charge, though it does have a pretty good battery life.

Rating :

Singing in the rain !

A great camera for travel or vacation ... small yet loaded with features and a nice size LCD screen. Did a lot of "looking around" and no one could compare with all this camera had to offer, ESPECIALLY the waterproof and dustproof features. Let it rain ... I'm good to go !

Rating :

More reviews...

1. 10-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality poster-size prints
2. 3x optical zoom
3. 2.5-inch LCD screen with wide viewing angle and Bright mode
4. Enhanced DivX movie capture with Digital Shake Reduction
5. Capture images to SD memory cards (not included)

Editorial Review :

The stylish Optio S10 compact digital camera with 10.0 effective megapixels offers digital Shake Reduction and a high-speed Face Recognition AF and AE function for fast, high-quality portraits. The Optio S10 is the seventh DivX Certified digital camera from Pentax. Now enhanced with digital Shake Reduction, the DivX format enables photographers to create high-quality video files that may be played back on a wide variety of DivX DVD players and other devices. The Optio S10 digital camera is one of the smallest, lightest 10-megapixel digital cameras in the world.

Customer Review :

I still love Pentax

My first camera ever was a Pentax, when I was starting college, before the "digital craziness", and I needed a 35mm SLR for the photography course. I bought a used ME super at a cheap price. Later, I went through a few compact digital cameras (Sony and Canon) during the next years. Someday, then, I saw a Pentax ad in a photography magazine. It was the classic first "Optio S", the one that could use an Altoids tin as a case. The mega-tiny size was the main attractor to me, and I decided to get one some day. Finally, a couple years ago I bought one of the sucessors, the wonderful Optio s5z, which lasted me fore a little more than a year until it was stolen. That small camera was one of the best buys in my life. It was the first digital camera that I could keep with me in my pockets, and helped me record many priceless moments of my youth in pictures and videos. Talking of videos, I used that function A LOT, maybe more than the pictures, and because of that, I now keep in my computer very nice footage of me and my friends that I wouldn't have right now if I didn't carry that tiny Optio with me. Today we still enjoy and laught with those videos, and one of my friends bought the S7 optio as a consequence.

Anyway, last christmas I was looking to replace my lost s5z, and found out that the S10 was the new sucessor, but it was sold exclusively at Walmart (not avaliable where I live). Looking around for something I could order from Amazon, people recommended me the Canon SD1000, because of the size, that was almost identical to the optio. Having used Canon in the past and my work, I didn't hestitate and ordered it. It is a marvelous camera by the way.

However, a few days ago I saw the Optio S10 avaliable at Amazon, and in an impulsive shopping moment (Pentax love?), I got it, and gave the Canon to my girlfriend.

Let me tell one thing, however. For the first 2 days I was disappointed with the camera, but I later found out it was because I was used to the SD1000 operation menu. Pictures came very grainy, and I felt the images were of less quality that the canon. Wrong! After 10 days of use, I can assure you, as the above reviewer wrote, that the images I've gotten from the tiny Optio S10 are sharper and more natural than the SD1000! I recently shot some portraits using the nice "Natural skin tone portrait" mode in the camera, and they pictures were A-W-E-S-O-M-E, they have the backround blurred, and the look of a photo taken with a SLR, something I haven't been able to do with the canon. Very natural and fine colors too.

The operation is very fast, though the canon is still a bit (milliseconds) faster to start and take pictures. A feature I like a lot is the Anti-shake mode, that I use without flash when taking a picture indoors or with little light and serves me well. The night scende mode is great too. I'm not joking when I say that this little camera produces photos with a very peculiar feel, more "artistic", vintage, more SLR-like... than other digicams. I love it. Superb image quality, though I had to learn to set it to not go at 3200 ISO unless I want "cell phone" quality pics. Yesterday I printed a portrait of my girlfriend and I (using ISO 1600), in black and white, at 8x10 size, and there's no visible grain. The print looks like if it was taken with a film camera. This is something I had never seen in a compact camera!! I'm Totally amazed.

Now, I will tell you the three reasons why I didn't give it 5 stars:

- "Cheap plastic feel": For me, compared to the aluminium canon this camera is just plastic made. It doesn't matter too much to me, because I use the P&S cameras as semi-disposable units, expecting them to last me 6-12 months until they break or get stolen. But for many people it may be a no-no. If you're those kind of persons that buy point & shoots and expect to keep them usable until they get old, then I suggest you look for another brand/model of better body build.

- Video: I don't know why, but the video quality, although it is still good quality divx 640x380 @30 fps, feels like 'downgraded' from the optio s5z. I see more pixels in this optio in low light than with the last one, and the sound is very poor. The avi files I got with the s5z showed a quality rivaling that of the powershot sd1000 one (which uses not compression). But this one lacks "something"...

- Short battery life: For me, this is very important. If you're thinking of buying one of the optio S line cameras, buy at least one more battery, and if you're traveling, get another one more. I'm not joking. This is something Pentax could have 'upgraded' in all these years...

My conclusion: If you want SUPERB quality images (certainly sharper than the canon sd1000) in a mega-compact ultra-lightweight camera, at the cost of sacrificing 'durable' material, and don't care much about the battery, this is your best bet. If not, then just look around, there are other brands out there that offer stronger cameras at the same price, with longer battery life.

If my girlfriend gave me back the Canon powershot sd1000 today, I would keep this optio S10 as a backup camera, even if I still love Pentax, for the reasons I wrote above. In fact, I'm keeping it as a secondary ultra-compact, after I recieve a Casio exilim Z80 I just ordered, and which, according to the reviews, has a great battery and aluminium body. Pentax, take care of those details, but I still love you!

Rating :

Pentex Optio S10

Pentax Optio S10 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Blue)Great little camera. Small and very easy to carry. Super value for price. Produces outstanding quality pictures. Easy to download pictures onto laptop. Uses SD card for expanded memory. I purchased the camera, two extra batteries and a 4 GB SD card to use on a 10 country european tour. I took a laptop to download and back up files. It worked well for my purpose and budget. One 4 GB SD card will hold approximately 1000 top quality pictures or an hour and 45 minutes of video. It takes about an hour and a half to recharge a battery. I am very happy with the camera and would recommend it if you can live with the less desirable features listed below.

There are some features I don't like. While camera turns on quickly, it takes a second or so to auto adjust aperature opening. Also, you must hold button down halfway and wait for autofocus. This takes another second or two. Battery must be removed from camera to be recharged. Each battery will allow 150 to 200 pictures at 10 megapixel setting. I purchased two extra batteries and took 400 to 500 pictures a day.

Rating :

Excellent photo quality makes this little camera a big winner

I'm writing this review for the Option S10, which I bought a few weeks ago to replace my Optio S5. The S10 is much better than the S5, which I've had for 3 years and really liked. For some reason Pentax doesn't attract a big following with their consumer mid-range digital cameras.

Other cameras I tried: Sony T-200 and the Canon SD750 and Canon SD1000. In my opinion, the picture quality of the Optio S10 was better than the Sony and the SD1000, and about the same as the SD750.

I took the Optio with me on vacation, and posted some test shots. Before launching into my review, I listed my priorities, so you know on what basis I'm judging.

PRIORITIES, in order of importance:
- Picture quality
- Ultracompact size
- Durability
- Speed (shuttering and powering on)
- Zoom
- Attractiveness
- Cost
- Variety of modes, extras, user options
- Newness of model

Also, I'm a Mac user, so it has to be Mac friendly. This works on iPhoto easily.

Things I Don't Care About:
- Touch screens
- Face detection (it does have face detection) / Smile detection (I find this creepy)

PROS
- Excellent photo quality at all MP levels (5MP, 7MP, max 10MP)
- Very good shake-reduction (HUGE improvement over previous models)
- Turns on in about 3 seconds (another huge improvement)
- Excellent Macro and Super-Macro output
- Pocketable, easily fits in an evening bag
- Powerful flash for its size
- Solid build quality
- Easy-to-understand, intuitive layout and menu options
- Wide variety of modes (Text, Portrait, Landscape are especially good)
- Adjustable flash (none, soft, regular, auto)
- Adjustable red-eye (none, forced, auto)
- Competitively priced at $249 ($236 on Amazon)

CONS
- Does not fit inside an Altoids tin like previous models
- Awkwardly-placed USB input alongside the battery/flashcard slots (must open door first)
- Just average battery life (about 150 pics at highest 10MP quality setting)
- Double flash (I don't mind, but some find this annoying)
- Must remove battery from camera to charge (previous model had a better cradle charger)
- Takes 1-2 seconds to rest between shots
- Must press down half-way for a half-second on the shot button before taking a shot to trigger focus

In conclusion, the Pentax Optio S10 is a solid, all-occasion camera that I can take with me everywhere, and the photo quality is surprisingly excellent. I would recommend it to amateur photographers in a second.

Rating :

Best i've Ever Had

This is honestly the best camera that I have ever had. I've owned nothing but Canon's (and a brief stint with a Panasonic) and I love this camera a lot. I got mine at Wal-Mart for $200, but I really like it. It's small, lightweight and I'm so thankful that I don't have to buy batteries anymore. I heard that the rechargeable battery in this, lasts for like 2000 shots so I'm not too worried. I just make sure that when I'm not using it, I charge up the battery; I have yet to have it die on me.

I love this thing so much and would recommend it to anyone!!

Rating :

Digital for Dummies

I had a very old Fuji FinePix 2400 for long time. Decided it was time for this grandmother who has thousands of pixs of grandchildren on my pc to upgrade to more megapixal quality. Tried many makes and models for hours. Decided on the Pentax S10 for ease of use. I loved it from day one. Sadly it was stolen and now I have to replace. I'm going for the same one. It's really easy to use for an older photographer.

Rating :

1. 7.0-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
2. 3x optical zoom; 3.0-inch touch-screen LCD display; slim 0.77-inch-thick body
3. Records movies at 30 frames per second; includes in-camera movie-editing functions
4. With My Drawing mode, write directly on the image shown on the LCD or add a stored illustration with the Stamp function
5. Stores images on SD memory cards (includes 12MB internal memory)

Editorial Review :

Experience fun photography with the impressive 3.0 inch touch-panel LCD of the Pentax Optio T20. Decorate your images with the creative Drawing Function, Stamp Modes and built-in Picture frames. Ultra-slim and stylish design features an aluminum alloy exterior, which effortlessly slips into a pocket or purse. A 7.0 Megapixel CCD, 3x optical Pentax lens with an ultra-slim and stylish aluminum alloy exterior with the intuitive touch-panel operation with included stylus makes this a fun new way to take pictures. 35mm Equivalent, 2 dual-sided aspherical elements TTL contrast detection auto Focus System Auto focus - 5 point AF, Spot AF, Manual with AF assist light Auto focusing range, Normal - 1.31 ft (0.4m) to Infinity Macro focusing range - 6 inches (0.15m) to 1.6 ft (0.5m) Manual Focus - 6 inches (0.15m) to Infinity Picture Modes - Program, Landscape, Flower, Portrait, Night scene, Surf & snow, Food, Sport, Pet, Frame and Movie Mode Still File Formats - JPEG (Exif 2.2), DCF (Design rule for Camera File system), DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), PRINT Image Matching III Rechargeable Lithium-ion D-LI8 battery System Requirements - Mac OS 9.2 or later, Win 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, USB port Dimensions - 3.7 x 2.3 x 0.77 inch (95 x 59x 19.5mm) Weight - 4.8 ounces (135 grams)

Customer Review :

Terrible Camera

This camera has been sent back to Pentax twice because the lens froze and camera did not function. That problem was repaired. Now it does not hold memory properly. I have lost pictures. Pentax will not fix it. I have just put it in the hazardous material pile to take to the dump. Will be purchasing a Canon product as a replacement.

Rating :

Pentax T20 - A Keeper!

I like this camera. After spending a little time and tweaking some of the settings, I am satisfied. The photos I have are sharp and clear. The videos are good enough for a digital camera. Watching the videos on tv are a hoot! I like the large screen, bright and vibrant! Editting photos is fun. You can write on the photos (times, places, people, things you want to remember about the photo, Etc). There are frames you can put around the pictures. I like the rose frame. I'm having great fun being creative with this camera. I think the $179.99 I paid is a fair price for such a nice camera. Please take some time with this camera, you'll be surprised what a little tweaking of the settings will do for your precious memories. I'm having a ball!

Rating :

No complaints.

Don't need to be too detailed. The camera is great. Big screen, looks good, works good. Takes good pictures.

Nothing to say.

Rating :

Find another camera... Do not buy this one.

This camera has better features than the pictures that it takes. Dont be fooled by this. The sleek neat feel of the camera ia a good selling point. It is one of the cleverest models that I have seen, but I would never buy one again, or purchase another item from pentax. I bought this camera because my girlfriend had one. It seemed like something that would be fun to have, and it was, for about a year. Like the other reviews that I have read, you do not EVER want to buy a camera that does not have a view finder. It is difficult to see your subject in outdoor lighting conditions and, as such, impossible to take the pictures that you would like to. Additionally, the camera took terrible photos in "challenging light conditions" i.e snow, or bright light. The video function captured light wrong in brighter light conditions as well turning the brightness into a pink haze that saturated the video. These were all things that I could deal with though.

A few months back after roughly a year of use, my girlfriends camera lens froze on the startup procedure which caused the camera to default to an off condition. She has not been able to use the camera since. My camera did this a few times as well, but after some fiddling, I was able to get some extra life out of it. Well, a few weeks ago, the autofocus quit working and I could not take anything but a blurry semblance of a photo. I sent to pentax for repair and they told me that it would cost $167 for a complete repair. The camera originally cost $280.

In summary, I would recommend that you spend your money on something else. This camera, though full of technically fun options will ultimately leave you with a bitter taste of disappointment even if you are lucky and it does not malfunction as did mine and my girlfriends.

Rating :

Stay away from Pentax cameras - bad products - service even worse

Camera offers great features and high quality pictures; however, it is poorly built and won't last very long.

I purchased mine in 8/06. By December it was broken (lens mechanism ceased) and had to be shipped to Pentax for repair (on my dime). It took them 10 weeks to realize they can't fix it and send me a replacement camera.

6 months later the replacement camera broke (same problem). I sent it back to Pentax 6 weeks ago and they still have it. They no longer make this camera, so they can't replace for me. They won't refund my money and pretty much won't do anything for the customer.

Bottom line - spend your money elsewhere. Buy a canon, buy a Casio, buy a Kodak - just don't buy a Pentax.


Rating :

More reviews...

1. The image quality of 7.0 effective megapixels permits beautiful, crisp prints even at large-format sizes
2. Stylish and slim compact body - New Blur Reduction High ISO mode reduces camera shake and subject blurring - Supports the SDHC memory card for greater storage of high-quality images and longer movies
3. Face Recognition AF & AE for beautiful one-step portraits - Auto-tracking AF continuously focuses on a moving subject
4. High-quality movies with an anti-shake function - Auto Picture mode automatically determines the best settings for the shooting conditions
5. Includes the ACDSee for PENTAX image viewer/image management softwareSupports PictBridge, DPOF functions, Exif Print, and PRINT Image Matching

Editorial Review :

The 7 megapixel PENTAX Optio S7 is loaded with advanced features - all in a slim and stylish body. This model features an easy-to-use Blur Reduction High ISO mode to help reduce the effects of camera shake and subject blurring for sharp images even in dim lighting conditions such as night scenes and indoor sporting events. Also featured is Face Recognition AF & AE - a function that simplifies portrait taking. In addition, the Optio S7 is the first compact PENTAX digital camera to accept the new SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) memory cards in addition to SD memory cards.

Customer Review :

fab cam

This is a great camera. Light weight. Takes amazing pictures. Speedy delivery. GREAT price. I recommend this camera to anyone. A++++++

Rating :

An Altoid box of utility and fun

This camera, which does fit in an Altoid box, has been a pocket companion of mine, ever since I bought it to replace my Pentax Optio S4. Yes, it is slow to the starting gate, but, in the bracketing or burst mode, there is some relief from this problem. That slowness cost it five stars from me. Intuitive controls, easy to learn. Great color. Prints are excellent. Low light and bright light handled about average. I'm a Canon fan for larger point and shoots, and have a digital Minolta SLR (yes, I know, they went out of business)--but this little charmer is what I carry day to day.

Rating :

SLOW!!!!!

I am generally happy with the camera and quality of the pictures, but the start up time and the shutter lag are some of the slowest I've seen. My family has 6 p/s cameras from all different manufacters and this Optio is the worst.

I just don't understand why the companies promote "face recognition system", "anti shake",and high megamixel when what we really want is a camera that will take a shot when you press the button!

Rating :

Great to carry everywhere

This camera was recommended to me by a friend. I purchased based on price, the fact is so compact. And, the Pentax name. I will attest as do others, it DOES fit in an altoid can. And, for the most part, when I carry it in my pocket I have it in the altoid can. It is 100% protected from pocket knife, keys, etc. Others have reviewed that it is slow. But, I haven't seen that to be a too big of a problem. It's true..but not a terrible problem. If you want speed...spend $400 more and get what you want. I know this probably goes with all electronics, but my wife dropped my camera with the lens open and it messed it up pretty good. It wouldn't work any more. So, durability it doesn't have from a 4' drop to the ground. But, to let you know how much I like the camera...I ordered another that very day!

Rating :

Aggravating

The shutter lag on this camera is so bad that Pentax has disgraced its good name by putting this camera on the market. Just how bad is the shutter lag? If you ask a stranger who is unfamiliar with the camera to take a picture for you, nine times out of ten you end up with no picture at all. Why? The stanger pressed the button just like you said, but failed to hold the button down for the three seconds or so that the camera needs to take the picture. Yes, it is that bad -- and even worse when the camera needs to flash. I hate this camera.

Rating :

1. 8.0-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 16 x 22-inch prints
2. 2.5-inch LCD display; 3x optical zoom with Shake Reduction technology
3. Mode Palette on LCD lets you navigate and select from 15 shooting modes and 15 playback modes
4. Record movies with sound in Divx MPEG-4 movie format (movie playback is not supported on Macintosh operating systems)
5. Powered by D-LI8 lithium-ion battery; stores images on SD memory cards (includes 24 MB internal memory)

Editorial Review :

For the anyone who wants everything in a compact package comes the Optio A10. The sleek, stylish design, 8.1 megapixels, 3x Optical Zoom, and Shake Reduction system come together to create a crisp, blur-free image that displays bright and clear on the large 2.5" LCD. These are just some of the great features that make the Optio A10 a great digital camera for just about anyone! Programmed AutoExposure/Auto Focus modes Image Storage - Approx 24MB built-in memory, SD memory card removable File Formats; Still - JPEG (Exif 2.2), DCF, DPOF, PRINT Image Matching III; Movie - AVI (MPEG-4 DivX) approx. 30fps with sound and anti-shake An SD Card is NOT included, therefore we suggest purchasing an optional 512MB memory card. It will allow you to store a lot more video and images, as well as take advantage of the camera's high resolution abilities. Interfaces - A/V output terminal, USB terminal, DC input terminal PictBridge compatible for printing images without a computer Easily transfer images to PC or Macintosh via USB cable or optional card reader (sold separately) Approximate unit dimensions (w x h x d) - 3.5 x 2.1 x 0.9 inches / Unit weight - 4.4 ounces (body only); 5.1 ounces with SD card and battery

Customer Review :

Pentax Optio A10 Digital Camera

I lost my original Pentax A10 and decided to I purchasing another as I really like the camera's convenience. It is easy to operate, offers an amazing array of options and small and light enough to carry in my purse all the time, so I am ready for any photo opportunity. I have recommended to anyone who is looking for a great camera.

Rating :

Excellent Camera

Size, price and quality, this camera still competes sucessfully with it's newer siblings.

I am exetremely satisfied with the Pentax Optio A10. No problems found to report.

Rating :

Worst Camera ever!

Keeps intermittently turns off. Sometimes stays off days at a time. Customer support refuses to repair it even though I only bought it a 6 months ago. I don't have a receipt but most decent company will repair it by looking at the serial number of when it was built.

Rating :

Takes too long to flash

I bought this camera last year for personal and business tasks. It does take crisp photos but it take way too long to flash and the subjects have to stand still long. I would not recommend it for sporting events or indoors or night shots.

Rating :

Mr

This is my favorite camara it is packed with options and small enough to go anywhere, anytime , day or night fast shots or slow. Has a large screen to check your pics, bright, clear,this is a nice camara.

Rating :

More reviews...