Golden, Colo. — Pentax swapped out one digital camera and added another to its Optio line of slim form factor cameras yesterday.
Both cameras offer PictBridge compatibility, 1.8-inch low-reflection LCD screens and a $150-value ACDSee imaging software bundle. Both models will ship next month.
The company introduced a top-of-the-line model, the 7-megapixel Optio750Z, for a suggested $649.95. The camera features a 5x optical zoom, an aluminum alloy exterior with a leather-grained rubber façade, 12 shooting modes and a mode dial atop the camera.
The 750Z can capture VGA video with sound at 30 frames per second (fps) to the capacity of an SD memory card.
According to Pentax, the 750Z’s hybrid autofocus system speeds focus time and features an auxiliary AF LED to improve low light shooting.
In addition to the standard image ratio of 4:3, the camera offers a 35mm equivalent 3:2 image ratio.
The other new model, the 5-megapixel Optio S50, will replace the Optio S40 and retail with a suggested retail price of $299.95. The camera features a 3x optical/2x digital zoom lens, a “help function menu” to guide digital novices through the camera’s features, 13 shooting modes, 11 MB of internal memory and an SD card expansion slot.
In-camera digital filters can be applied to previously recorded images during playback to transform recorded images into black/white or sepia tone or to emphasize certain colors.
An Auto Select mode enables the Optio S50 to automatically determine the photography environment and then choose from portrait, landscape or night scene modes.
