I'm not really a cow, honest. Oh, and thanks for reading!
I'm not really a cow, honest. Oh, and thanks for reading!
Member since:16.10.2005
Reviews:20
Members who trust:3
Last Christmas I was getting ready to buy my first digital camera. I didn't know what features I wanted on it exactly, but I knew that I didn't want to spend more than £300... or less than £200. I did plenty of research online before making my decision and opted for the Pentax Optio S50 in the end. This camera hadn't been out long back then.
Pentax lenses are, some say, the very best in the world, so I took this fact into consideration when choosing which camera to buy. As is the case these days, we are spoilt for choice as consumers with so many manufacturers vying for our custom. I feel I've made a wise choice in going for Pentax. After all, the better the lens, the better the picture.
For £255, I got the camera, a 512mb memory card, a case, a wrist strap, all the necessary cables and software, two batteries and a charger. I was very pleased.
A year on, and God knows how many photos later, and it's as good as new. I can't fault it.
The most important thing to mention is that the Pentax Optio S50 is so very easy-to-use. It has a nifty dial located at the top of the camera which allows you to select what you want with just a simple twist. The display is large, bright and clear. It has an easy-to-understand help menu which you can access when in either recording, or playback, mode. Simple explanations appear on-screen (there is also an instructional CD-ROM included if you want to
swot up on what your new camera can do). It really is great for those who are new to the delights of digital.
It's small (or should I say compact?) and light and looks great in a smooth and sleek aluminium alloy shell. It's clearly well made and sturdily built. It does look classy, even if I say so myself, and not at all cheap-looking, like so many others (I'm getting at you, Sony). The measurements are as follows: 3.5 inches x 2.3 inches x 1 inch. Small and easy to carry, it weighs just 180g when loaded and ready to use (that's including batteries, memory card and wrist strap).
Now for the jargon that I won't pretend to understand!
Internal flash, red-eye reduction, optical viewfinder, built-in colour monitor, self-timer, auto focus, manual focus, ISO, AF area… All I care about is that it's easy to use and takes crystal-clear images. The first time I copied my photos to my computer and opened them up one by one, I was shocked. They are huge and you can see everything! Blemishes, nostril hair, bloodshot eyes… You name it, you will see it when you view these sharp shots on your PC. It's fantastic.
It is a 5.0 (or 5.4 to be precise) mega pixel camera. Apparently, this larger figure indicates the number of light sensors on the imaging chip and the smaller - and most important - figure shows how many light sensors are actually used. The higher the number, the better the image. A mega pixel is a million pixels and with cameras that are capable of handling more than two million pixels, you can print your photo in A3 size without any noticeable impairment. This camera gives you five million pixels, so enough said.
There are 13 shooting modes - one for practically every situation you might possibly find yourself in. For example, there is a mode for taking pictures of scenery, for taking pictures at night time, for taking pictures in overcast conditions etc. It only takes a second for you to select which you require and which is most appropriate for the conditions you find yourself in. With an easy icon so you know which setting is suitable for which scenario (i.e. a flower icon for taking pictures outside where you require lots of vibrant colours in your snap), it's a piece of cake to take great photos every time. Portrait, landscape and night scene modes are on the mode dial, too.
You can customise the camera so that it remembers your preferred, and more frequently used, options (such as size and image quality).
It has a digital filter, so you can shoot in black and white, sepia, and apply red, green and blue tints to your photos. Finding these options is simple using the easy-to-navigate menu and dial.
It has a 3x optical zoom lens. Incidentally, it has the famous Pentax 'sliding lens' system, which allows the lens to fully retract inside the camera when switched off.
You can choose between six image sizes ranging from 640x480 to 2560x1920, There are three different quality settings as well. The maximum image (resolution) size is 2560x1920 pixels. Do bear this in mind when choosing your camera because the higher the resolution, the higher the quality of the pictures.
It is PictBridge compatible, which means you can print straight from compatible printers without the need for a personal computer. As I have a relatively new Epson printer - as is the case with any printer that has a slot for memory cards - I don't need to connect the camera to my computer to edit and copy pictures. I merely take the memory card out of the camera and slot it into the printer. It's a doddle.
There's roughly 11mb of built-in memory inside the camera, but you can add to this by inserting a memory card. 11mb will only hold about a dozen pictures, I'd say, and that's not nearly enough.
The best bit, you ask? Well, you can record video… with sound. This is a fantastic feature and came in very handy when we had some (very light) snow on Christmas Day! Finally, undeniable proof of a white Christmas! I used it to capture my Mum's 50th birthday party and have highlights on my computer and disc. With the AV cable, everyone can watch on TV. How long you can record for depends on the memory card's capacity, of course, so if you want to use this camera as a video recorder, then you'll need a high capacity (and therefore more expensive) memory card.
You can record 30-second voice memos and attach them to images of your choosing (to remind you of where and when it was taken or to record background noise to help set the scene when showing off your pictures to family and friends).
I mentioned software. I got ACDSee 5.1 software included. This is all you need to view and edit your photos on your computer.
The camera also displays world time and has an alarm clock, apparently.
It requires two AA batteries. Be prepared to do a lot of re-charging, because they don't last for long... but I don't know anyone who owns a digital camera who doesn't say the same, so this is not unique to Pentax. You really get what you pay for with batteries, so don't buy cheap ones! Don't even consider alkaline batteries. You will need good quality rechargeable ones. Alternatively, you can buy an AC adapter to plug your camera to the mains and use electricity instead of batteries. This only costs £40 direct from Pentax.
Although you can use this camera without purchasing a memory card, you won't be able to store many pictures on the 11mb of built-in memory. I can store loads of pictures and videos on my 512mb card.
As mentioned earlier, you also get audio-video output (AV) cables so you can connect your camera to your TV and view your pictures and videos on your television set. You can also connect it to your computer with the USB cable that is also included.
Another of the extras that you can buy for the S50 is an acrylic waterproof case that allows you to take photographs underwater. I don't have one, myself. You can also get a tripod and a remote control (so no relying on the self-timer or scurrying back to get in the shot) if you're serious about your photography.
The only bad point is that it takes a short while to start up and for the shutter to open. But be fair, that's not bad. My mobile phone has the same 'problem', but when you consider what it can do, it's no wonder it takes a moment extra to get going. This isn't really worth mentioning, but it's the only disadvantage (other than battery life) that I could think of… and it's only slight one at that.
All in all, a fantastic camera and one I would heartily recommend to anyone, especially those who are looking for a good first digital camera. I can't fault it and would certainly buy another Pentax camera again.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
(+) Ultra-compact dimensions, fun automatic tools, good performance for the asking price (-) Cluttered menu layout, camera buttons are scarce, specs are almost identical to the Samsung ES15
Great review. I have one of these cameras myself and absolutely love it. I've been meaning to write a review on it, too, but I don't think I could say it any better. I will only be changing my S50 when it eventually dies... which I think will be in the next millenium! Markd.
pippilli 25.11.2005 13:10
excellent review! Loads of detail, very impressive. Cheers, Pippa
![Pentax Optio S50 Digital Camera [5MP, 3x Optical]](http://images.ciao.com/ide/images/icons/no_pic_generic_S1.gif "Pentax Optio S50 Digital Camera [5MP, 3x Optical]"){kind=icon}
Nov 6th, 2005
very helpful by (91%):
helpful by (9%):
