Pentax Optio MX

Brief description of the Pentax Optio MX:

The Pentax Optio MX is a great, unique looking camera, if a little clunky. It is great for both amateurs and the more experienced alike.
The camera itself is not in the usual 'box' style of most other digital cameras, it has a sleek silver body, with an arm on the right, which rotates 180 degrees. This is where the lithium-ion battery is stored. The 'take picture' button, is encased ...
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My experience with Pentax Optio MX:

Pros:

Firstly, I'm not an experienced photographer myself, and when we first got the camera I was a bit overwhelmed by all the menus and settings it has (being a woman and all that), but it didn't take long to get used to it, and soon mastered the basics of it.
It is easy enough to use for what I needed it for, which I guess is what the majority of people need a digital ... more

Brief description of the Pentax Optio MX:

The Pentax Optio MX is a great, unique looking camera, if a little clunky. It is great for both amateurs and the more experienced alike.
The camera itself is not in the usual 'box' style of most other digital cameras, it has a sleek silver body, with an arm on the right, which rotates 180 degrees. This is where the lithium-ion battery is stored. The 'take picture' button, is encased in zoom button, with the record button a little lower down, all neatly sitting on the shoulder of the handle. The LCD monitor display is on the cameras back, and can be flipped up 210 degrees and swivels 180 degrees, which is great for protecting it from damage.
The flash is stored in the top of the camera, and can be erected by the push of a small button on the left hand side. Also on the side are the flash settings button, the delete and the timer buttons. The memory card is stored on the top right, along with the usual buttons and knobs you would expect to find on a camera, the power, menu, play and exposure mode wheel.

Basic Features
• 3.2-megapixel CCD for still shots.
• MPEG-4 Movie mode for continuous movie recording (with sound) as long as 120 minutes.
• 1.8-inch color TFT LCD monitor that flips up 210 degrees and swivels 180 degrees.
• Glass, 10x, 5.8-58mm lens, equivalent to a 38-380mm lens on a 35mm camera.
• As much as 10x digital zoom.
• Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual exposure modes, plus a range of preset "scene" modes.
• Shutter speeds from 1/2,000 to four seconds.
• Maximum aperture of f/2.9 to f/3.5, depending on lens zoom position.
• Built-in flash with five modes and an intensity setting.
• SD/MMC memory card storage, 16 megabyte card included.
• Power supplied by one D-LI7 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack or optional AC adapter.
• ACDSee, ACD Showtime, and ACD Fotoslate software and USB drivers included for both Windows and Mac platforms.
Special Features
• Normal and High-Speed Continuous Shooting modes.
• Panorama mode.
• Night Scene photography mode, plus eight preset Scene modes.
• Auto Exposure Bracketing.
• Two- and 10-second Self-Timer for delayed shutter release.
• Adjustable color mode with eight color filters.
• Macro and Super Macro (close-up) lens settings.
• White balance (color) adjustment with six modes, including a manual adjustment and a bracketing mode.
• Image Contrast, Sharpness, and Saturation adjustments with bracketing.
• Multi-Segment, Center-Weighted, and Spot metering modes.
• Sensitivity setting with three ISO equivalents (100, 200, and 400) and an Auto setting.
• Adjustable autofocus area and available manual focus control.
• PictBridge compatibility.
• USB cable for connection to a computer (driver software included).
My experience with Pentax Optio MX:

Pros:

Firstly, I'm not an experienced photographer myself, and when we first got the camera I was a bit overwhelmed by all the menus and settings it has (being a woman and all that), but it didn't take long to get used to it, and soon mastered the basics of it.
It is easy enough to use for what I needed it for, which I guess is what the majority of people need a digital camera for, family photos, holiday snaps and home movies and the like… I was quite amazed at the quality of the photos it took, as I have seen the quality of some other cameras in the same price range, It has a 10x optical zoom and a10x digital zoom, and the fact it is a DigiCam and Camcorder in one is brilliant.

Cons:

I have found that it takes a while to set up, for example… pulling the arm down, turning the screen round, taking of its cap, turning it on, and finally erecting the flash if you think you need it, takes a little time. I also found that you also need quite a steady hand if you zoom in too far, it tends to wobble and distort the picture, so if you are intending to take close ups, it may be worth investing in a tripod.

Anyhow, The camera overall for me was great value for money, It was bought from a reputable Electronics website for £99 a year ago. It has been an enjoyable experience and would recommend to anyone.
 

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