Viewfinder
This camera has no viewfinder; there wouldn’t be room for one anyway.
LCD Screen
The Optio M10 uses a 2.5-inch TFT color LCD viewing screen, composed of 115,000 pixels. It is said to have a low-reflection coating on the surface glass for increased viewing angle performance. In the low light conditions of the exhibit hall the image was bright and clear, with good off-axis brightness as well. We can not testify to its full sunlight usability. Strong colors and pastel skin tones were reproduced well.
In use, the screen can provide a straight image with no camera settings visible, or you can cycle through two more levels of detail onscreen. The first shows the shooting mode in use, exposures left on the card and battery life, and a second level of detail includes a live histogram. While a nice inclusion, the histogram on M10 is small and difficult to read when the camera is held at a distance to compose the image. In any event, it can be turned on or off depending on personal preference.
Pentax has done a good job of integrating the display into the fit and feel of the camera. It fits seamlessly and the glass cover has a reassuring thickness. The user does not get the feeling that they have to coddle the camera for fear of damaging the display.
Flash
As mentioned, the flash tube sits in the middle of the front panel of the camera and is a small, fixed rectangle. Basically, the flash is between the right-hand grip and the lens. It is so close to the lens that red-eye difficulties are a foregone conclusion.
Pentax has included the usual red-eye reduction pre-flash feature, a single flash. Other operating modes cover auto flash, no flash and flash always. The company lists the flash range as 13 feet in the telephoto position to 8.2 feet in wide angle, with the camera on auto ISO setting.
In the exhibit hall, we were able to fire off a couple of test shots and noted a recycle time of perhaps five seconds. We offer no verification of the red-eye reduction at this point but will test it thoroughly when we conduct our full review of the camera. Our general conclusion on flash performance for most of the small point-and-shoot models is that it works best on close-up portraits and isn’t much use past ten feet or so; the tube is just too small to have any reach. In this model, there is no fill flash adjustment available.
Zoom Lens
Pentax uses its own branded lens on the M10, a 5.8-17.4mm (35-105mm equivalent) with six all glass elements in five groups, with two aspheric elements. The choice of focal length of the zoom is in line with the intended use of the camera. Basically, 3x optical covers the moderate needs of the beginning shooter. These lens designs are deliberately set for variable maximum F-stop depending on the zoom setting, and the M10’s offering of f/2.8 to f/4.9 is typical performance of this type of camera styling. The telephoto F-stop of f/4.9 will require higher ISO settings indoors, and the flash is no help in these situations either, as it doesn’t have much power at a distance. This camera basically cannot perform at long distance indoors, at least not with moving objects.
Pentax has the zoom switch in the right place: on the back of the camera, so you can get to it easily when the camera is held away from the body. I did find it moved more rapidly than I would have wished, and this rapid rate is fixed. I found myself hitting the rocker button in short spurts, inasmuch as it will traverse the whole zoom range in a couple of seconds. Autofocus continues to operate while zooming but the image really locks in once you release the zoom. There is no image stabilization.
