Pentax OptioS 3.2 Megapixel

I am in the entertainment business and appreciate a small digital camera that can take a beating. The Pentax Optio S is just such a camera.

Though we now have lots of digital cameras with resolution ratings far in excess of the Optio's 3.2 megapixel rating, the Optio is a stellar performer for most users. Not only does it take very good quality pictures, the little bugger fits perfectly in an Altoids tin. This means you can bounce it around quite a bit in pockets and bags and it doesn't get banged up or dusty.

There is some serious entertainment value there too. I am always getting comments about it as I pull it from an Altoids tin and take some great shots.

Although my original Optio I purchased a few years ago is still going strong, I bought two more of them on ebay just so I could have a couple of spares on hand if this one ever broke...!!!

Excellent little camera.

KD

Awesome little camera with great features. It is very compact so that you can take it anywhere from a concert to a hunting trip. The ability to take close-up shots as well as action and video make it very impressive for its size. I take it with me everywhere.

Don't let the 3.2 megapixel fool you, this camera takes awsome pictures, I carry mine with me most of the time, for a compact on the fly camera, this one is hard to beat. If I carry my camera bag out for a shoot I always have my S in my pocket for the quick shots. People talk about these cameras being fragile because of their size, all I can say about that is mine has been thru the ringer, carried in my pocket in all kinds of conditions and is still giong strong. These S series Pentax cameras are some of the best compact cameras you can get in my opinion.

I wanted a very small, lightweight camera to have in my purse. I normally use a dslr, but I don't take that with me on daily errands with my preschoolers. Every so often something happens--like the Easter bunny showing up at the mall--where having a camera makes a difference. (My phone does not have a camera.) This tiny camera fits easily into my purse and hardly weighs anything. The pics are acceptable snapshot quality, and I even have one enlarged to 5x7. It lacks the bells and whistles of some more recent cameras, but it is more than adequate for what I wanted.

This is a fantastic LITTLE camera...it is so compact, it fits neatly inside of an Altoids box ! Do not be fooled by the 3.2 megapixel capacity. The newer breed of cameras all boast 7, 8 or even 10 megapixels...this is great if you need to make a 30 x 40 print of your image...3.2 megapixels will yield you a nice quality 8 x 10 print, and when is the last time you printed anything larger than 8 x 10? The only drawback is the small, thin Pentax-only rechargeable battery that this camera needs. You MUST carry a spare, since you can't just pop in a AA battery. Of course, this is what allows the camera to be so small. Most current digital cameras now use AA batteries for convenience, but that makes the camera so much larger & heavier. The small size of the Optio S is a great advantage when traveling, when size & weight might be an issue. The camera also records 30 second video clips with sound, as well as sound only recording for note taking, etc. Great features in such a small package. Only other caveat, as with ANY pocket digital...the camera is FRAGILE, do not drop it ! It is not a professional, ruggedized unit that will withstand sun, sand, surf, and other tortures! If you drop it hard, kiss it goodbye ! This camera will probably be a classic, as it was the first of the really small digitals that had so many features. I have owned 4 of them (lost 2), originally priced, even at Costco in 2003 at $380, now selling on e bay for $75-$125, a great deal !

It may not be top of the line for what is available these days but with 3.2 MP and 3X optical zoom it accomodates nicely. It also uses SD cards for additional memory (good because these cards are cheap). For the price these cameras can be found at it is a great deal. Only change I would like it to have is AA batteries instead of using a battery pack.