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Pentax Optio X90 superzoom reviewed, trumps many beginner SLRs

Tim Stevens — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:34:00 EST

The power of an SLR with the ease of a compact. That's what Pentax would like you to believe its Optio X90 offers and, according to a Photography Blog review, that's about what you can expect. The 12 megapixel, 26x superzoomer's lens offers amazing flexibility without doing the lens-swap shuffle, and image quality was said to deliver very good with "striking colours" (it's a British site, mind). This is definitely a camera with a focus on helping users, but there are controls for setting shutter and aperture priority, and you can go fully manual if you like to work it, work it. Pentax's shooter doesn't score a perfect recommendation, with an inability to optically zoom while filming being a definite bummer, but the X90 earns high marks for its combination of performance and usability -- and at $399 it's something of a good deal, too.

Pentax Optio X90 superzoom reviewed, trumps many beginner SLRs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pentax makes all-weather Optio W90 and superzoom X90 official

Vlad Savov — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:53:00 EST

Pentax is going for broke with its take on the rugged camera, the W90, which is unlikely to ever be confused for a svelte and stylish point-and-shoot. What it loses in looks, it gains in usability, however, as the 12.1 megapixel shooter can withstand shocks from a height of four feet, go nearly 20 feet under water, and withstand temperatures as slow as -10 degrees Celsius. The dustproofing is just topping on that rugged cake, though it still offers things like 720p / 30fps video recording and 5x optical zoom that are now considered standard camera specs. There are also three forms of shake reduction: one is post-processing of affected images, the second is by automatically increasing the ISO in low light conditions, and the third is the use of "exclusive software" during movie mode. We can't say any one of those will be as good as a well-implemented optical image stabilization, but at least they're there and might offer some assistance. As to the X90, it joins a growing band of 26x and above optical superzoomers, while adding the W90's 720p video mode and anti-shake plus its own sensor-shift stabilizer for good measure. Both shooters are expected in April, priced at $330 for the W90 and $400 for the X90, though we've noticed the former will show up a month earlier in the UK with a £270 ($417) price tag.

Pentax makes all-weather Optio W90 and superzoom X90 official originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pentax's rugged W90, ultra-zoom X90 now all but official

Donald Melanson — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:26:00 EST

We've already seen Pentax tease a few new cameras ahead of PMA, and it looks like another pair have now slipped out at the last minute. That includes the rugged W90 which, among other things, packs a ring of LEDs around the lens to help with close-up shots, and should hold up against even the nastiest conditions (as Pentax has gone out of its way to demonstrate in the photo above). Joining it is the 12.1-megapixel Pentax X90, which is a bit less compact and not weatherproof, but packs a 26x optical zoom in a DSLR-esque body, among other as yet unspecified specs. Still no word on pricing or availability, but Pentax should be getting official with these any day now.

Pentax's rugged W90, ultra-zoom X90 now all but official originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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