Product Description

Novice digital photographers will find the Optio E40 easy to use with its simple 8 Megapixel resolution, advance Face Recognition technology and Digital Shake Reduction functions for high quality photography. The slim, lightweight body and the Simple mode selection dial with a high resolution 2.5" LCD make a perfect digital choice for anyone new to digital cameras. Flash Modes - auto flash, flash on, flash off and redeye reduction Flash Range - 14.1' (wide), 7.5' (tele) in auto ISO White Balance - Auto preset modes - auto, daylight, shade, tungsten and fluorescent Shutter speed - 1/2000 to 4 seconds Scene Modes - Auto Picture, Program, Night Scene, Movie, Voice Recording, Landscape, Flower, Portrait, Surf & Snow, Sport, Digital SR, Kids, Pet, Panorama, Frame Composite and Green Dimensions - 3.7 x 2.4 x 0.9 Weight - 6.2 ounces / 4.6 ounces without battery or memory

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34530 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Pentax
• Model: 19196
• Released on: 2007-09-17
• Dimensions: .90" h x 2.40" w x 3.70" l, .30 pounds
• Memory: 22MB
• Display size: 2.4

Features

• 8.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 16 x 22-inch prints
• 2.4-inch LCD display; 3x optical zoom
• Face Recognition AF and AE function; Digital Shake Reduction mode
• Green mode to automate camera setup when shooting still images
• Stores images on SD memory cards; powered by 2 AA-size batteries

From the Manufacturer
The Pentax Optio E40 is an affordable, entry-level compact digital camera also featuring Face Recognition technology and Digital Shake Reduction functions for high-resolution photography. This entry-level model accepts widely available AA batteries and is designed for simple and intuitive operation so that even beginners can enjoy photography effortlessly.

Face Recognition AF and AE Function
Pentax adds Face Recognition AF and AE technology to the Optio E40 to automatically detect and focus on faces, regardless of where the people appear in the photo frame. In addition, optimal exposure settings are set automatically so that the areas with faces are not darkened even if there is backlighting. (Face Recognition AF and AE technology available when the photography mode is "Auto Picture," "Program," "Portrait," and "Kids" and the camera is directed at people from the front.)

8.1 Effective Megapixels Produce Exceptionally Fine-Detailed Photos
Despite being an entry-level camera, the Optio E40 delivers high-resolution photos that look sharp even at large magnifications thanks to its 8.1 effective megapixels, which precisely captures images down to the finest detail.

Digital SR (Shake Reduction)
A mode that reduces camera shake and blurring when photographing still images. The sensitivity is adjusted automatically, to as high as ISO 1000, to match the brightness of the subjects. This enables photography with faster shutter speeds and images with less blurring can be obtained.

Auto Picture Mode
The Auto Picture mode lets the camera automatically determine the shooting conditions for Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, and Normal mode and choose the optimum settings for each subject. This Pentax original function makes photography a lot easier for users since it eliminates the necessity of a number of individual settings.

Compatibility with AA Batteries
Since the Optio E40 accepts widely available AA batteries, you can shoot with confidence when away from home or whenever you want. Furthermore, the camera has been designed specifically to use less power so that you can take approximately 240 photos when running on alkaline batteries.

Green Mode for Automated Setup
The Optio E40 comes with the Green mode to automate camera setup when shooting still images and allow digital-camera beginners to enjoy effortless photography. A single button press automatically sets the exposure, sensitivity, white balance, and other parameters according to the shooting conditions. This function is useful when asking someone else to take your picture or when you lose track of camera settings.

3x Optical Zoom and 4x Digital Zoom
The Optio E40 features a 3x optical zoom lens with a focal range covering angles of view equivalent to those of a 37.5-112.5mm lens in 35mm format, which is ideal for a broad spectrum of subjects from landscapes to travel photography to portraits. Combined with 4x digital zoom, the Optio E40 achieves a total of about 12x zoom capability.

Additional Optio E40 Features

• Recording movie size is up to 640 x 480 pixels with image quality of rivaling camcorders
• Large, high-resolution 2.4-inch LCD monitor with approximately 110,000 pixels provides an easy-to-view display
• Calendar Display function allows easier image retrieval based on the capture date
• More convenient to carry thanks to the slim design, which features a lens design that fully retracts when the camera is off
• Continuous shooting mode can record up to 16 consecutive images (640 x 480 pixels per image) in a 2-second burst

Customer Reviews

Mostly What I Was Looking For
I was looking for a compact digital camera that took standard AA-batteries (so that I could carry extras and/or buy new ones if my batteries went dead on me while I was out somewhere), and the e40 was literally the smallest one that I could find. It takes fine pictures, and has just about all the features I was wanting (stitch assist, shake reduction, video with audio). Plus, it wasn't terribly expensive.

On the other hand, the Shake Reduction feature is a bit questionable. As its own setting, it mostly results in very grainy pictures. But in "Green Mode" (as in, you are "green," and the camera is going to do everything for you), it seems to do pretty well (assuming that it's actually being used--it's hard to tell), with clear pictures even when the camera is moving.

The only true negative is that little specks of linty fluff managed to wedge themselves behind the LCD screen pretty much the first time I put it in my pocket. It doesn't affect the photos, but it is distractingly visible when the LCD is framing dark areas. Of course, that could just be a problem with my particular unit, and it wasn't a big enough deal for me to try to get it fixed or replaced, but it was still a bit of a downer.

The camera comes with two batteries to get you started (you'll want to replace those with rechargeables), and an entirely too-bulky USB cable that plugs into the camera on one end, and splits on the other end into USB and A/V, all on one cable. I threw the cable away and bought a cheap 2GB SD-card with SD-card reader included, so that I can just take the SD-card out of the camera and plug it into my laptop to download pictures. The camera also came with the single most pointless accessory I can imagine: a cheap plastic "docking port" that allows you to stand the camera up on its base--an act that the camera is perfectly capable of doing, quite stably, without assistance. :P

Bottom line, though: If I had it to do over again, I would still buy this camera--because it's relatively small, reasonably priced, uses regular batteries, and takes great pictures. So I can live with a little lint.

Excellent pictures, OK battery life
We bought this camera before our vacation. It is very easy to use right out of the box. The menu has large icons with short descriptions of each function. The pictures turn out great. The video function is easy to use although the video looks shaky on playback. The battery runs down pretty quickly if you use the video function or take a lot of flash pictures. We like the convenience of using AA batteries and not being tied to a charger, but that's also its drawback. If you don't want to buy a lot of batteries, you should look at the M40. I believe it is the same as the E40 except it has a rechargeable battery pack instead.

Pentax Buddy
I have owned Pentax cameras for years; all my pentax takes very good pictures. When digital cameras was introduced I considered pentax first. Pentax Optio E40 is a very good camera; takes excellent pictures at close range; the image is clear; the video quality is excellent at close range; the audio quality is super; you can record audio at any time instantly; you can even record music or TV show directly from TV monitor without cable or plug-ins; the audio volume is loud enough without the use of speakers. the pictures comes out very clear. This camera has unbelievable amount of features; the features are easy to access; the buttons are very easy to operate; No unnecessary menu reading; its instant buttons for quick operations. I couldn't explore all of the features due to time constraint.

The bottom line is: For beginners or for those that dosn't need special applications, this camera is one of the best in the market; for the price, it is a steal compared to other cameras of the same category. Finally, the draw back(negetive)for this camera is inability to take clear pictures in AUTO MODE at long range; if the distance is more than 40ft, at AUTO MODE, the pictures and videos are not good; you have to use the special buttons and settings to get better picture. I think that every good camera, at AUTO MODE, should be able to zoom in and take exellent pictures without special menus. Dont forget to purchase SD card to be able to take enough pictures and videos; also, a rechargable battery pack is a plus; get one if you want to save money on batteries.