Pentax V10 Review

The Optio V10 is the first member of a new line of ultra-thin, ultra-compact digital cameras from Pentax. The V10 couples an eight megapixel CCD with an SMC Pentax-branded 3x optical zoom lens, and a 3.0" LCD display. Offering a higher-than-average resolution of 230,000 pixels, this larger-than-average LCD is the only method of framing images since the V10 forgoes any form of optical viewfinder.

The Pentax Optio V10 has a fairly typical 35mm-equivalent focal range of 36 - 108mm, with a maximum aperture that varies from f/3.1 to f/5.9 across the zoom range. ISO sensitivity is from 50 to 1600 (3200 in Digital Shake Reduction mode), and the V10 offers auto exposure plus sixteen additional capture modes. V10 shutter speeds range from 1/2000 to 4 seconds and metering is via a multi-segment matrix with +/- 2.0EV of exposure compensation. Autofocus is performed by a 9-point TTL contrast detection system that includes spot, auto tracking and face recognition modes.

Optio V10 connectivity includes both high-speed USB 2.0 and NTSC / PAL video, and images are stored on Secure Digital / MultiMediaCards, including newer SDHC types, plus 52MB of built-in memory. The Pentax V10 derives its power from a proprietary Lithium-ion battery pack or optional AC adapter.

The Pentax Optio V10 ships from November 2007, priced at about US$250.