Pentax announces Optio M20
By
Michael R. Tomkins, The Imaging Resource
(Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 00:24 EDT)
Pentax USA has today unveiled the Optio M20, the second in the company's M-series digital camera lineup.
The Pentax Optio M20 couples a 1/2.5" seven megapixel CCD imager, Pentax-branded 3x optical zoom lens and 2.5" LCD display with 115,000 pixels - but no optical viewfinder - in a compact body with a gently curved handgrip that should make the camera a little easier to hold steady, while remaining pocket-friendly. The Pentax M20, like the M10 before it, is designed for simplicity and affordability first and foremost, and has a list price of just $200. That's $30 less than the previous model, even though additions include a greater shutter speed range, ISO sensitivity to 1600 (where the M10 was limited to ISO 400), and a 30 fps VGA movie mode. Other features of the Pentax M20 include 22MB of built-in storage memory, and an SD card slot with support for the new SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) standard, which extends the maximum flash card capacity to a theoretical 32GB (4GB cards being the largest at the time of this writing), with sustained transfer rates of up to six megabytes per second. There's also NTSC / PAL video and USB 1.1 data connectivity (rather slower than the USB 2.0 High-Speed connections offered on many cameras these days), as well as a built-in flash and a macro mode that allows focusing as close as 5 centimeters. Power comed courtesy of two AA batteries - either alkaline disposable (included), or NiMH rechargeable (optional). The Pentax M20 goes on sale from September 2006.
| Pentax Optio M20 |
|
| General |
| Camera Type |
Compact |
| Manufacturer |
Pentax |
| Model Number |
M20 |
| Dimensions |
3.5 x 2.4 x 1.0"
89.0 x 60.0 x 25.0mm |
| Weight |
165.0 g
5.8 oz |
| Planned Price |
$200.00 |
| Planned Availability |
Sep 2006 |
| Image Capture |
| Sensor Type |
1/2.5" CCD
7.18 megapixels (total)
7.00 megapixels (effective) |
| Filter Type |
RGBG |
| Aspect Ratio |
4:3 |
| Image Dimensions |
3072 x 2304 (7.1 megapixels)
2560 x 1920 (4.9 megapixels)
2304 x 1728 (4.0 megapixels)
2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels)
1600 x 1200 (1.9 megapixels)
1024 x 768 (0.8 megapixels)
640 x 480 (0.3 megapixels)
|
| Image Quality |
3 levels |
| Image Preview / Review |
| Viewfinder |
No |
| LCD |
2.5", 115,000 pixels
100% field of view |
| Playback Zoom |
8.0x max |
| Lens |
| Lens Type |
PENTAX power zoom
3x optical zoom |
| Image Stabilization |
No |
| Focal Length |
6.3 - 18.9mm (actual)
38 - 114mm (35mm equivalent) |
| Aperture Range |
f/3.1 (wide) / f/5.9 (tele) - ??? |
| Focusing System |
9-point Contrast Detection w/ spot and tracking AF modes |
| Focusing Range |
Normal: 16" - infinity (40 cm - infinity)
Macro: 2.0" - 41" (5 cm - 100 cm) |
| Exposure |
| ISO Sensitivity |
Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600* (blur reduction mode) |
| Shutter Speed |
4 - 1/2000 second |
| Exposure Modes |
Program |
| Metering Modes |
TTL multi-segment |
| Exposure Compensation |
+/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments |
| White Balance |
Image Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light |
| Internal Flash |
Modes: Auto, Flash-off, Flash-on, Red-eye reduction
Range: Wide: 13 ft (4m); Tele: 8.2 ft (2.5m) |
| Creative |
| Scene Modes |
Night scene, Landscape, Flower, Portrait, Surf & Snow, Sport, Kids, Pet, Blur Reduction, Food, Frame |
| Digital Zoom |
4x |
| Time Lapse |
No |
| Movie Format |
MOV (QuickTime MotionJPEG) with audio
640x480 and 320x240
Max. frame-rate: 30 frames per second |
| Storage |
| Recording Medium |
SD/MMC, Built-in |
| File System |
Complies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF) |
| File Format |
JPEG (Exif 2.2) |
| Connectivity |
| Video |
Yes, NTSC / PAL switchable |
| Computer |
USB 1.1 |
| Other |
DC In |
| Power |
| Battery Type |
Alkaline disposable, NiMH rechargeable |
| Battery Form Factor |
2 x AA |
| Product Bundle |
| Battery / Charger |
2 x AA Alkaline disposable battery |
| Flash Memory |
22.0MB built-in memory |
| Other |
| Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliant |
Yes |
| PictBridge Compliant |
Yes |
| Internal Microphone |
Yes |
| Tripod Mount |
Yes |
| More Photos |
|
|
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|
Original Source Press Release:
|
PENTAX UPGRADES TWO POPULAR COMPACT DIGITAL MODELS
GOLDEN, CO. (August 21, 2006)…PENTAX Imaging Company has announced significant upgrades to two popular PENTAX compact digital camera lines. The latest model in the PENTAX Optio A series is the Optio A20 now featuring 10.0 effective megapixels and three anti-shake functions including Shake Reduction, Blur Reduction High ISO mode, and a Movie Anti-shake all designed to improve image quality. PENTAX also announced the latest model in the Optio M series, a compact, affordable digital camera now offering 7.0 effective megapixels plus a wide range of basic features including extended AA battery life that makes the camera an ideal travel companion. This new model also features the new PENTAX High ISO Blur Reduction mode for sharper images without camera shake or subject blurring.
The Optio A20 will ship in October 2006 for under US $350.00, while the Optio M20 will ship in September 2006 for US $200.00. PENTAX Imaging Company is an innovative leader in the production of digital SLR and compact cameras, scopes, eyepieces, binoculars, lenses, mobile printers and scanners. For more than 80 years, PENTAX technology has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses. With headquarters in Golden, Colorado, PENTAX Imaging Company is a division of PENTAX of America, Inc. # # # Visit all of our product websites:
www.pentaximaging.com
www.pentaxslr.com
www.h20camera.com
www.pentaxsportoptics.com
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