Product Description

Meet the PENTAX Optio M20 with so more than you might expect from a digital camera with such an affordable price. Loaded with outstanding image quality thanks to a 7.0 Megapixel CCD, 3x optical PENTAX lens, and an ultra-efficient power management system for up to 700 shots with lithium AA batteries, this is a perfect camera for photographers on-the-go! Offering easy capture and easy review with 115.000 pixel 2.5-inch LCD monitor with 100% field of view, the Optio M20 offers high-quality extended movie captures QuickTime motion JPEG (640 x 480) at 30fps. Add 9-point multi auto focus with Spot-focus, Infinity landscape and Auto tracking focus modes or use the Mode palette to choose from a wide selection of Capture modes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18494 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Pentax
• Model: 18626
• Released on: 2006-10-01
• Dimensions: 1.00" h x 3.00" w x 5.00" l, 1.00 pounds
• Memory: 22MB
• Display size: 2.5

Features

• What's in The Box - Optio M20 / USB Cable I-USB7 / AV Cable I-AVC7(B), Strap O-ST51, Dock Insert O-DI58, Software S-SW58 (CD-ROM)
• 7 Megapixel for stills up to 3072x2304 resolution or Movie mode at up to 640x480 VGA resolution
• Bright 2.5 LCD Screen
• Multimode Electronic-Flash
• High-quality extended movie captures QuickTime motion JPEG (640 x 480) at 30fps

From the Manufacturer
The Pentax Optio M20 compact, affordable digital camera now offers 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 model also features the new Pentax High ISO Blur Reduction mode for sharper images without camera shake or subject blurring.

7.0 effective megapixels permit beautiful, crisp prints even at large-format sizes
The Optio M20 produces clear images with impressive quality thanks to the high resolution afforded by its 7.0 effective megapixels and to its high-performance smc Pentax lens. This superlative resolution makes it possible to attain prints with crisp details even when the photo is greatly enlarged.

Outstanding battery life
With a comprehensive energy-saving design, the Optio M20 provides exceptional battery life (approximately 220 images with AA alkaline batteries, or approximately 700 images with AA lithium batteries) for on-the-go power.

New Blur Reduction mode reduces camera shake and subject blurring
The Optio M20 is equipped with a High ISO Blur Reduction mode, a new feature that lets you take photos at faster shutter speeds for sharper images even in dim lighting conditions such as night scenes and indoor sporting events. In this mode, the camera automatically adjusts the sensitivity to as high as ISO 1600 to match the brightness of the subject. The higher sensitivity permits faster shutter speeds that effectively reduce not just camera shake but also blurring caused by moving subjects.

Auto Picture mode automatically determines the best settings for the shooting conditions
The Auto Picture mode lets the camera automatically determine the shooting conditions for Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, and Program modes and choose the optimum settings for each subject. This Pentax original function simplifies shooting for users since it eliminates the necessity of making a number of individual settings.

High-quality Movies with Anti-Shake Function
The Optio M20 captures movies at 30 fps (frames per second) at resolutions up to 640 x 480 pixels and with an image quality rivaling that of camcorders. Camera shake while filming can be corrected automatically using the movie anti-shake function.

Face Recognition AF and AE for beautiful one-step portraits
The camera includes Face Recognition AF and AE, which allows you to take bright, beautiful photos with perfectly focused faces free of backlighting shadows. This useful function automatically detects the position of the subject's face anywhere in the photo frame and adjusts the focus and optimizes the exposure for the detected position.

Auto-tracking AF continuously focuses on a moving subject
The Optio M20's auto-tracking AF feature continuously focuses on subjects such as kids and pets that move around unpredictably. Since the focus frame automatically follows the movement of the subject inside the photo frame, you can capture those instantaneous photo opportunities.

Easy-to-view LCD Monitor
The Optio M20 comes with a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, which displays subjects' movement with very little time delay (60 fps). Its easy-to-view, large monitor and menu display make operation, setting, monitoring, and playback comfortable and easy. An auto LCD dimmer function automatically dims the backlight to preserve battery life and optimize the screen checks indoors and outdoors.

Easy to use 3x optical zoom
The Optio M20 includes a 3x optical zoom lens with a focal length from 38 to 114 mm for 35mm film, which is ideal for a broad spectrum of subjects from landscapes, through sightseeing photographs, to portraits.

SDHC memory card support for greater storage of high-quality images and longer movies
The Optio M20 supports two removable storage media: the conventional SD memory cards and the new SDHC memory cards.

Compatibility with the ImageLink printing system
The Optio M20 is compatible with the ImageLink printing system, which allows wireless connection of a digital camera to ImageLink-compatible printers. By simply placing the Optio M20 on the printer's dock, the user can take advantage of simple, push-button printing of recorded images, without requiring a personal computer.

Additional features

• World time function for 71 cities (28 time zones) worldwide
• Calendar display lets you choose photos by date
• Mode Palette provides quick access to 15 shooting modes and 13 playback modes
• Soft flash function avoids overexposure during close-up flash photography
• Macro mode allows close-up photography as near as 5 centimeters
• Digital zooming provides up to 4x magnification
• Approximately 21.9MB of built-in memory
• Includes the ACDSee for Pentax image viewer/image management software
• Supports PictBridge, DPOF functions, Exif Print, and PRINT Image Matching III

What's in the Box
Digital camera, AA alkaline batteries, USB cable, AV cable, wrist strap, CD-ROM with software and drivers, printed operation manual

Customer Reviews

Love it!
I just recently bought this camera and absolutely love it. I purchased it as an upgrade to my Vivitar 3705 which was a horrible camera. While the Pentax M20 may not be the top of the line, you get so much for the price!

The LCD screen is large and crystal clear. The settings are easy to change and use. It is simple to go back and forth from taking pics to viewing the ones you've just taken. Easy to delete unwanted pictures.

I find the picture quality to be very good. I don't have the same problem with blurry pictures as the other reviewers have mentioned. Only time I have noticed blurry photos is when the camera moved slightly while snapping the picture. A little icon shows on the screen when that happens so I was expecting it.

Over all, if you are thinking about purchasing this camera as a first camera or an upgrade, I think it is a great choice! I love mine!

Blurry for Unknown Reason
My findings are quite similar to those of the first reviewer of this camera.

I purchased the Pentax Optio M20 as a replacement for my 5-year old Canon PowerShot A40. The M20 is a 7 megapixels camera versus only 2 megapixels for the A40. I first saw the camera offered on one of the home shopping channels and I liked what I saw, but I was able to find one for considerably less money on the internet.

After almost two weeks of experimentation with the new camera, I absolutely loved almost everything about the camera -- such as the huge 2.5" display; extremely easy maneuvering amongst an amazing variety of features/functions; small size; light weight; lo-o-ng battery life on two common AA batteries, etc. About the only thing I did not care for was the unfamiliar size of the I-USB7 connection cable (small connector that plugs into camera).

Even with all the great features of the camera, it didn't take photos nearly as good as my old 2 megapixel camera! The photos were unacceptably blurry for a 7 megapixel camera. The photos were not as good as my old camera and barely better than some I've taken with my cell phone camera. I re-set all the functions to their original settings then experimented with various items such as: faster shutter speed, higher/lower megapixel settings, varying the ISO, using with/without the anti-shake function, with/without a flash, etc. I didn't see noticeable improvement.

I contacted Pentax via email and I will also call them later to try whatever they suggest to remedy the problem. However, at this point I think I will be returning the camera for a refund. I will follow future reviews to see how other people more experienced than me rate the camera. I liked the features so much that I would certainly purchase it again but right now I think there may be internal problems with the model Optio M20.

Another low-light champion!!
You've got to try this camera to know what I'm talking about. Pictures came out clean and rich.Now, let's talk about the blurring issue. In fact there is no such problem because everybody should agree with me that you don't shake your camera immediately before/after you shoot. And even after a shot(in low-light, indoors) you need to give a time to the shutter lag to close. This shutter lag is slow but we are more concerned about picture quality than anything else.My low light pitures are like WOW! When I show them to people they think it's done in daytime. I won't talk much. My dear friend JUST GO AND BUY IT.You can't regret it. Period!