Pentax Optio S10 Review

Click on the Optio S10 to take a QuickTime VR tour

The stylish 10-megapixel Optio S10 is the latest model in the popular Optio "S" series, and offers many powerful features, like digital Shake Reduction and a high-speed Face Recognition AF&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 users 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 is one of the smallest, lightest 10-megapixel digital cameras in the world.

The Optio S10's compact design makes carrying more comfortable and convenient not only in travel and leisure but also in the daily snapshots and business scenes. The aluminum alloy body is not only durable, but also gives a sophisticated texture to the camera.

Digital SR (Shake Reduction) mode reduces camera shakes and blurring of the subject when photographing still images. The sensitivity is adjusted automatically, to as high as the ultrahigh sensitivity of ISO 3200, to match the brightness of the subjects. This enables photography with fast shutter speeds, and images with less blurs can be obtained.

The Optio S10 is equipped with a "Face Recognition AF&AE" function that automatically detects and focuses on faces. In addition, the Optio S10 also comes with new functions that apply face recognition technology, such as "Natural Skin Tone" mode, which smoothly presents skin texture based on the detected information, and "Half-length Portrait" mode, which automatically takes close-up photograph of the upper body by trimming the people recognized in photo frame.

The Optio S10 captures movies at 30 fps at sizes up to 640x480 pixels with image quality rivaling camcorders. Since it employs the DivX® (MPEG-4) movie format, the Optio S10 can record long, high-quality movies. In addition, Movie SR effectively corrects blurring in images through software, so it enables users to easily enjoy movie recording.

Optio S10 Features:

• Ultra compact 3.4 x 2.1 x 0.8 inches, weighs just 4.1 ounces
• Stylish and durable aluminum alloy body
• 3x Pentax zoom lens (38-114mm in 35mm equivalent)
• Digital Shake Reduction for blur free images
• Face Recognition AF&AE
• 10-megapixel CCD imager for images up to 3648 x 2736
• 2.5" color TFT LCD monitor with 100% coverage
• Records 640x480 MPEG-4 video & audio at 30fps with Movie SR
• 30 second voice memos can be attached to images
• Shooting modes selected from a virtual mode dial
• Three metering choices: multi-segment, center weighted and spot
• 28-zone, 62-city, world time with alarm clock.
• Audio-Video output for TV display
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery included
• ~22 MB of internal memory plus SD/SDHC card slot
• PictBridge, Epson PRINT Image Matching III and Exif Print compatible
• USB Mass Storage compliant
• Optional remote control

The Optio S10 is available now with an MSRP of US$249.

Physical Views

The Optio S10 compared in size to a standard CD.

Optio S10 Specifications

Type: Ultra-compact digital camera Sensor: Type - 1/1.8" Interline Transfer CCD w/ primary color filter; Effective pixels - 10MP; Total pixels - 10.37MP; Recorded resolutions - Still: 10M (3648x2736), 7M (3072x2304), 5M (2592x1944), 3M (2048x1536), 2M (1600x1200), 1024 (1024x768), VGA (640x480); Movie: VGA (640x480), QVGA (320x240); Quality levels - *** (best), ** (better), * (good) Lens: Type/construction - smc Pentax Zoom Lens (7E, 5G, 2 dual aspheric lenses, 1 single aspheric lens); Optical zoom - 3x, 7.9-23.7mm; Focal length (equiv.) - 38-114mm; Intelligent zoom - approx 3.6x (7M), 4.2x (5M), 5.3x (3M), 6.7x (2M), 10.4x (1024), 16.3x (VGA); Digital zoom - 5.4x; Combined zoom - 16.3x; Aperture - f/2.8-5.4 LCD/Viewfinder: LCD screen - 2.5" TFT color LCD with LCD Bright Mode; LCD coverage - 100%; LCD resolution - 232,000 pixels; Wide angle viewable - YES, 160 degrees horizontal and vertical; Optical viewfinder - n/a Focus System: Type - TTL contrast detection autofocus w/ AF assist lamp; Autofocus - 5 point AF, spot, tracking, pan, and face recognition autofocus modes available; Manual focus - YES; Macro focus - YES, manual and super macro; Focus lock - YES, by pressing the shutter release button half way; Focus range (wide angle) - Normal 1.15' to infinity, macro 0.39-1.31', super macro 0.20-0.49' Flash: Type - Built-in series-control auto flash; Flash modes - On, off, auto, redeye, soft flash; Effective range - Wide 23' auto ISO, telephoto 11' auto ISO Storage Media: Internal memory - 22MB; Removable memory - SD, SDHC Interfaces: Ports - USB 2.0 hi-speed, AV out, DC in; Video out - NTSC and PAL; Printer interfaces - PictBridge Power Supply: Power source - Rechargeable D-LI68 lithium ion battery; Recordable images - approx 250; Playback time - approx 240 min; Movie recording time - approx 80 min; Audio recording time - approx 230 min; AC adapter available - Optional Physical Specifications: Dimensions (W x H x D) - 3.4 x 2.1 x 0.8"; Weight without battery or removable memory - 4.1 oz; Loaded and ready - 4.6 oz; Construction material(s) - aluminum alloy; Operating temperature - 32-104 degrees F Timing: Startup - approx. 1.8 sec; Release lag - approx 0.02 sec; Shot to Shot - approx TBA (can vary w/ SD card speed); Autofocus time - TBA Language Support: English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Russian, Thai, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese Image Stabilization: Still - Digital SR Mode (ISO 3200); Movie - Movie SR Metering System: Type - TTL; Multi-segment - YES; Center weighted - YES; Spot - YES; Exposure compensation - +/- 2 EV in 1/3 steps ISO Sensitivity: Auto - 64-800; Manual - 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 in Digital SR White Balance: Auto preset modes - Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent; Manual mode(s) - YES Shutter: Type - Programmed AE electronic lens shutter w/ CCD electronic shutter; Shutter speed - 1/2000 to 4 sec Capture Modes: Mode selection - Auto Picture, Program, Night Scene, Movie, Voice Recording, Landscape, Flower, Natural Skin Tone, Portrait, Half-Length Portrait, Kids, Digital SR, Sport, Surf & Snow, Pet, Text, Food, Frame Composite; Green simplified mode available - YES; Face recognition available - YES, Natural Skin Tone, Portrait, Half-length Portrait, and Kids modes; P/A/S/M/B - P; Date/time stamp - YES; Digital filters (capture) - n/a Drive Modes: Mode selection - one shot, self timer (10s, 2s), continuous, remote control (3s, 0s); Continuous FPS - approx TBA; Self-timer - YES, 10 sec, 2 sec; Remote control - infrared, 3 sec, 0 sec (remote optional) Playback Modes: Mode Selection - one shot, index (9 thumbnails), magnification, movie playback, sound playback, histogram, select/delete, calendar; Mode Palate - slideshow, resize, trimming, image/sound copy, image rotation, color filter, digital filter, brightness filter, movie edit, redeye edit, voice memo, protect, DPOF, startup screen, frame composite; Magnification - up to 8x, scrollable; Digital Filter Effects - color filters (13), digital filters (5), brightness filter, frame composite; Movie edit - save as still image, divide movies, extract movies File Formats: Still - JPG (EXIF 2.2), DCF, DPOF, Print Image Matching III; Movie - AVI (DivX with MPG-4), 30 FPS w/ sound, movie anti-shake; Sound - WAV (PCM), monaural Computer Requirements: For device connectivity. Bundled software requirements may vary. Windows - Windows ME/2000/XP/Vista, USB port; Mac - MacOS 9.2, X (10.1 or later), USB port