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Pentax unveils shiny LX Gold SLR to celebrate 60 years
What better to snap oodles of pictures at your Thanksgiving feast than with a gravy-proof (and gold-plated) SLR? Taking a note from the bevy of other Midas-touched gizmos out there, the Asahi Pentax LX Gold sports a thoroughly blinding paint job with faux-alligator accents to add an extra layer of tacky to an already gaudy device. Apparently aiming to bring back a taste of 1981 (when the 10 millionth Pentax SLR rolled off the production line; pictured after the jump), the company is seemingly reintroducing the vivid shooter to celebrate 60 years of staying afloat. Of course, we aren't sure how many of these splendiferous units will be offered up (or wanted at all), but we're sure it'll rock quite a premium for those somehow interested.
Pentax X-Change interchangeable lens concept
DSLRs get all the photog credit, what with those snazzy interchangeable lenses and decent image quality, but point and shooters get most of the work done for most consumers, thanks the the size and convenience of a tiny, easy to use camera. Well, nothing much going on for the "decent image quality" angle of things, but at Photokina, Pentax is showing off a "X-Change Point & Shoot" concept that demos an interchangeable lens system for a compact cam. The miniscule camera body has a pop-up flash, and can accept a variety of lenses. Interestingly, the CCD is built into each lens, allowing for different focal lengths, protection from dust, and what we suppose would be some hefty prices. Unfortunately, it looks like Pentax has been kicking this idea around since 2002, so we're not going to get our hopes up too much for an imminent release. Pentax has plenty of other interesting (and old) concepts they're showing off at Pk, so be sure to peep the read link to catch the rest.[Via OhGizmo!]
Check out the E-400, K10D and NV7 in their Photokina glory
The peeps over at DigitalCameraInfo.com got their grubby mitts on some digicam hawterness over at Photokina and they've posted up their impressions for y'all to see. In the high end we have the Olympus EVOLT E-400 DSLR (top) with a £700 list price ($1324 US) for its Europe-only launch. Overall, it seems the 10 megapixel camera is a solid offering, with a particularly small form factor, but since you're not exactly going to be slipping this into your jeans pocket, that doesn't really set it apart from the crowd, and neither do the rest of its features. It should work for the more casual users, but DCI isn't really feeling this one for other higher-end uses. As for the Pentax K10D (middle), the DCI folks have pretty much nothing but praise, and are thinking it could work out as a budget alternative to the Nikon D200, and might be a fit for the pro set if the image quality is good enough. With a 10 megapixel CCD and features like shake reduction and dust reduction, all wrapped up in a well-made, weatherproof and easy to use package, the K10D could well be a worthy successor to the K1000, and at 1,000 Euros ($1,269 US), the price isn't too shabby neither. Finally, on the point and shoot end, there's the Samsung NV7 OPS. The $400 cam features an optically stabilized lens, 7.2 megapixel CCD, and an interesting "Smart Touch" interface, which involves buttons along the side of the LCD for intuitive menu navigation. Apparently the interface works great, but the rest of the camera isn't so hot. Performance is pretty clunky, and while DCI is reserving judgement on image quality until they can get the NV7 into the lab, the initial impressions weren't great. The good news is that colors looked accurate, and the image stabilization worked fine.Read - Olympus EVOLT E-400Read - Pentax K10DRead - Samsung NV7 OPS
Pentax's Optio E20 for simple folk
In the rampup to Photokina nought-six, Pentax brings us another new Optio shooter with their entry-level Optio E20. As followup to the E10, the E20 brings 6 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom, 2.4-inch LCD, and a "simple" mode setting which relieves the user of all responsibility for doing anything other than pushing the shiny button up top. No, on TOP we said, that's the zoom button ferchrisake. The E20 runs off a couple of AA batteries 'cause Pentax doesn't trust noobs anywhere near a battery charger. Sorry, no pricing nor ship date, just these pretty pictures. Mmm, pre-tty cam-er-a.
Pentax Optio T20 is tiny, and tangibly sweet
Pentax is throwing down some lightweight love today, too, with its Optio T20 ultracompact joining the beefier K10D DSLR we just brought you. Sporting most of the niceties found on the Optio T10 -- including that ultrathin 0.77-inch enclosure and expansive 3-inch touchscreen LCD -- the Optio T20 also packs a 7 megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, 640 x 480 movie mode at 30fps, and a nifty stylus used to decorate your images in-camera via the "Drawing Function." You'll also find a rechargeable Li-Ion battery, 12MB of internal storage, and an SD card slot here (sorry, no SDHC just yet) -- all for a reasonable $350. Sadly, though, you'll have to wait until next month to get your hands on one of these shiny little point-and-shoots -- but hey, that's the price you pay for demanding only the freshest gadget news.
Pentax's K10D 10.2 megapixel weather-resistant DSLR
We've seen plenty of weather-proof compact shooters, but Pentax is going the extra mile with their new K10D DSLR, stuffing in 72 seals for resistance to water and dust. Pentax also has a snazzy new proprietary Shake Reduction system that doesn't require specialized anti-shake lenses, and claims to offer a 2.5 to 4 stop advantage for shots. The cam also includes a Dust Removal system to shake any dust off the CCD that might happen to get in. Pentax doesn't stop there, they've tossed in an 11 point autofocus system, SDHC card support, ISO 100 to ISO 1600 sensitivity range and a 2.5-inch LCD. With a 10.2 megapixel CCD and that beefy feature set, the K10D is going to look mighty attractive when it drops in November for $900 ($1,000 with a 18-55mm lens), but the real proof is in the pics, so we'll hold out for some hands-on reviews. Keep reading for some hot DSLR pr0n.
SDHC-enabling firmware updates for Pentax, Casio cameras
If you're still rocking a digital camera older than the recently unveiled Nikon D80 or lineup of Canons, for instance, the lack of SDHC support may have you a bit down on your luck. Apparently Casio and Pentax aren't wasting any time in making sure their customers are kept happy, as both companies have released firmware updates for a few popular shooters that sport SD slots. Pentax Japan is hooking up the *ist DL, *ist DL2, *ist DS, *ist DS2, and K100D (K110D to soon follow) with SDHC support, while Casio is upping the ante on its EX-S500, EX-Z600, and EX-Z850. So if you happen to own one of these select models, and you can't resist the urge to drop some coin on those pricey (albeit spacious and speedy) SDHC cards, be sure to do your duty and treat that digicam to its respective upgrade first. While these may be the first few cameras in which SD 2.0 support is granted retroactively, we don't imagine the list will stop here -- so, dear camera manufacturers, what's the holdup anyway? Read - Pentax Firmware Updates Read - Casio EX-S500 Firmware Update Read - Casio EX-Z600 Firmware Update Read - Casio EX-Z850 Firmware Update
Pentax releases new Optio L20
Pentax has just released the new Optio L20, the "man's version" (according to the translated Russian press release) of the Optio S7. The new L20 is packed with 7.0 megapixels, and a blur reduction mode (not quite the same as the new flutter shutter research), but that gives priority to faster shutter speeds and higher ISO settings. This new camera also has face recogition technology, to be able to focus better on human faces and make them brighter accordingly. There's no mention of how much this new number will cost, nor of when we'll get it out of Mother Russia, which is the only place it seems to be available for now. [Via LetsGoDigital]
Pentax Optio A20 and M20 bump the megapixels
Not a whole lot to see here -- other than pixels, of course. Pentax is squeezing a few more megapixels out of their Optio A and M series with the new 10 megapixel A20 and 7 megapixel M20, bumped from 8 and 6 megapixels respectively. The A20 is also privy to Shake Reduction, High ISO and Movie Anti-shake technologies, while the M20 manages a High ISO mode, all targeted and sharpening up those action shots or shaky-cam moments. Most of the other specs remain rather mundane, such as 2.5-inch LCDs and 3x zoom lenses, though SDHC is a nice addition, and both cameras do seem to have slimmed down just a bit. Otherwise it doesn't look like these consumer shooters have much more to offer than their predecessors, and the prices haven't budged much either, with the M20 shipping in September for $200, and the A20 following in October for $350. Check a pic of the M20 after the break.
Pentax's Optio W20 waterproof digital camera
Looks like enough people thought the ability to dunk their digital camera in a martini glass was a decent buying incentive that it was in Pentax's best interest to upgrade that W10 to the W20. Their new JIS Class 8 waterproof device can stay submerged up to 5 feet in water for up to 30 minutes, and features a SDHC support, 1600 ISO mode, 3x optical zoom, 1-inch macro mode, 7 megapixel sensor, 2.5-inch display, and an "under $300" asking price (i.e. $299.9999999-infinite). Ships September (i.e. next month, for you slacker types), so if you didn't already have a W10 (or a waterproof case) and were planning on trip far or near to take a dip in the drink, you may want to hold out just a bit longer.
Pentax K100D DSLR reviewed
Pentax certainly isn't new to the budget-DSLR scene, and its K100D is another fairly affordable offering into the single-reflex lens world. When we first got wind of this camera a few months back, our biggest excitement stemmed from the more manageable naming system, but ePhotoZine actually found quite a bit more to love about the K100D than the refreshing model name. While this unit is an awful lot like the *ist DL 6.1, that's actually not such a bad thing. The most substantial update to the 6.1 megapixel camera is the CCD-shift shake reduction system -- a first in the Pentax DSLR lineup -- that presumably helps reduce blur in moving and low-light situations (i.e. OIS). Reviewers found the system beneficial, but poorly implemented nonetheless; there's no visual indication the system is actually working or how effective it is until you view the finished image, which isn't exactly useful in the field. Also, the camera had a tough time digesting more than 3 RAW shots in succession, often forcing the operator to wait until the buffer was clear before shooting could resume. However, if those two relatively professional complaints won't apply to you, the K100D produced excellent images and was said to "perform well for its price point." While the 2.5-inch display, sturdy enclosure, 200 to 3200 ISO settings, and impressive 11-point AF system were viewed quite fondly, it should be noted that your CF cards aren't welcome here, as only the SD format is accepted, and 4 AA batteries are used in favor of a proprietary cell. But if you've been chomping at the bit to grab a DSLR on the cheap, and you can live with the, um, unstable anti-shake system, you can snag the K100D now with a bundled 18-55mm lens for $699.99. [Via Photography Blog]
Pentax announces Optio S7
It's a Pentax, it's an Optio, it's got a 7 megapixel sensor, face recognition, DivX / MPEG-4 VGA video recording, optical image stabilization, a 2.5-inch display, 23MB memory, 3x optical zoom, SDHC support, and a name: the S7. Nothing we haven't all seen before; another day, another model. This one will happen to run you $300 (or less) come September.
Pentax's K100D and K110D DSLRs
Pentax just announced their K100D and K110D Digital SLRs today which hopefully kick that ridiculous, google-hating *ist naming convention to the curb once and for all. The two DSLRs are in fact, the same 6.1 megapixel digital cams only the K100D packs in Pentax's CCD oscillating Shake Reduction technology to keep your pics clean while shooting with a telephoto lens or under low-light conditions. Each camera remains compatible with Pentax K-mount lenses, and features ISO 200 to 3200 sensitivity, a 2.5-inch LCD, and SMC Pentax DA lens with 12x zoom. Expect the K100D to ship for $699 in July with the K110D set to drop in August for an entry-level enthusiast's price of $599.
Pentax's 10 megapixel *ist D SLR makes Seoul appearance
It still doesn't have a name, price or launch date, and they're still not letting anyone touch it, but Pentax's forthcoming 10-megapixel *ist D SLR is making the rounds in Korea. AVing managed to get a few choice shots of it at the Seoul International Photo and Imaging Industry Show. The pics show a pretty standard collection of the controls you'd expect on an SLR, multiple autofocus modes and a popup flash. No surprises, really, but at least Pentax has stopped keeping it under glass, which we hope means this is getting just a little closer to launching.
Pentax *ist DL 6.1 megapixel DSLR reviewed
If you're looking for a relatively cheap way to enter the world of digital SLR photography, the UK's DigiCam Review thinks you could do a lot worse than the Pentax *ist DL, which despite its unpronouncable name, came out a clear winner in their testing. Successor cheaper alternative to the company's *ist DS, the 6.1 megapixel DL impresses on many fronts, including image quality, response times, ergonomics, and, perhaps most importantly to a DSLR newbie, ease-of-use. Specifically, the DL -- which was tested with the optional 15-55mm Pentax DA lens -- captured pictures with good contrast, detail and color, low noise except at the highest ISO setting, and a general lack of purple-fringing or red-eye, while providing a lot of features, such as RAW support, auto ISO, and a 2.5-inch display, for its $740 price tag. The only real knocks here seem to be the lack of image stabilization or CF card support -- meaning storage is limited to the most capacious SD card available -- but since this model is certainly not targeted at pros, those issues may not even matter to most.
Samsung GX-1S DSLR reviewed
It's been a couple of months since Samsung dropped their first DSLR, the GX-1S, and we'd yet to hear anything of it since -- until now. DigitalCameraInfo has a review up of the sub-$1g DSLR, and they were pretty thorough in giving it the once-over. The reviewer found the device to be rather small for its class -- which of course we love to hear -- but didn't like the way it felt in the hand, and weren't particular impressed with its button layout. It scored on ease of use, color, and low noise on low ISOs, even though it underexposed a few too many shots and apparently wasn't quick to the draw on autofocus. Basically it doesn't sound like the camera to wait around for, which doesn't surprise us given Samsung's less than mindblowing digital camera releases to date. Even if you just want something with a Pentax lens mount that's not a Pentax, the GX-1S "seems to be a re-branded Pentax" according to DCI, so you should probably put that credit card away for now and see what develops in time for Photokina in a few months.[Via DPBlog]
Pentax Optio W10 waterproof digicam reviewed
The Pentax Optio W10, announced in February, may look like a fairly straightforward point-and-shoot, but if you're familiar with the company's product line, you'll recognize this one's secret weapon immediately: it's waterproof. No, not waterproof as in scuba-diving, but waterproof as in, take-it-to-the-beach or take-it-on-your-next-fishing-trip. That's a distinction shared by very few other compact digicams, and could make this a good option for your summer activities. Digital Camera Review checked the camera out, and found it to be well-designed and durable. The lens is protected by a plastic cover, other openings are sealed, and buttons are harder to press thanks to waterproofing. The reviewer was impressed with the image-quality on the 6 megapixel shooter, saying images "showed accurate color and good exposure in a variety of conditions." The main gripes were shutter lag (hey, it's a compact) and an LCD screen that tends to be a little hard to view in bright sunlight. Given that you may be planning to take this one to the beach, and there's no optical viewfinder, that could be a problem, but chances are you'd rather deal with that than risk dropping your SLR in the water.
Pentax Optio A10 8 megapixel shooter reviewed
Digital Camera Review is doing what doing what they do, and have a review up of Pentax's headline Optio, the 8 megapixel A10. Including a 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, and optical image stabilisation, the camera looks to be a decent deal for it's roughly $300-350 asking price, but the low battery life and sub-par default settings might be a turn-off for some. The back of the camera is rather dominated by a 2.5-inch screen, leaving out an optical viewfinder, but probably not much the worse off, thanks to the sharp and accurate LCD. The camera is fairly small, but manages to have decent ergonomics, and easy customization makes it even nicer to use. Unfortunately, you might be using those menus a bit more than hoped, since the default image settings were oversaturated and underexposed. Otherwise the image quality was fairly good, with standard light response and uniform sharpness. Shake reduction worked well, which is a big plus, and while the rechargeable battery wasn't quite up to snuff, you might have a bit of cash left over for a second one at this price.
Engadget Lovecast 069 - 02.14.06
We've got a special Valentine's day Lovecast for everyone out there on this February 14th; last week we asked for you to call us up and hit us with your best love & gadget-related questions, and today we took on the best of them with a certain panache, a certain sensitivity, a certain je ne sais quoi. So put on some Gainsbourg, grab you and your sweetheart a glass of rosé, and kick back as we send this one out to all the lovers, lovelorn, loveless, and lovesick out there who have a special spot in their hearts for technology just as they do their special someone. Get the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3). [RSS] Add the Engadget Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically (MP3). [MP3] Download the show (MP3). [AAC] Download the show (enhanced AAC). [OGG] Download the show (OGG). [Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley! Hosts Peter Rojas and Ryan Block Producer Randall Bennett Music Bluesmen Get Hungry - Electric Blues Format 38:51, 17.7 MB, MP3 Program 02:38 - A man's DS dilemma 06:13 - Heartbreak over the Rio Karma 09:50 - Refurbished iPod for the lady 14:05 - Metaphorical "catcher's mitt?" 19:16 - Xbox 360 love down under 23:20 - Sharing an MP3 with your significant other via Bluetooth 27:20 - Breaking up over TiVo 29:49 - Getting your Treo back 33:56 - New cameras for the couple? LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Call up the Podcast at: 1-888-ENGADGET
