Pentax Optio M20
Digital Camera Review
Dec 20, 2006
- By James Murray
1.8
The Pentax Optio M20 is a compact point-and-shoot camera with a sizable 1/2.5-inch 7-megapixel CCD, selling for under $200 online. This digital camera offers a 2.5-inch, 115,000-pixel LCD screen, a Pentax 3x optical zoom lens, connectivity options to either PictBridge or ImageLink printers, and a number of preset shooting modes. Manual controls on the M20 include EV compensation, ISO up to 1600, flash, and white balance. Fully automatic settings are only available for controls like aperture, shutter speed, and metering. With a limited maximum aperture of just f/3.1 and questionable construction, image quality will again determine the value of this new point-and-shoot.
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Picture Quality / Size Options (8.5)
Picture quality and size options on Pentax Optio M20 are listed within the shooting menu in two separate sub-menus. The picture size options for the Pentax Optio M20 have a high resolution setting of 7 MP (3072 x 2304) and scale down from there with options of 5M (2560 x 1920), 4M (2304 x 1728), 3M (2048 x 1536), 2M (1600 x 1200), 1024 (1024 x 768) and 640 (640 x 480). It is also possible to reduce the picture size in playback mode to 320 (320 x 240) for faster uploading to either email or Internet profile sites. Directly beneath the recorded pixels sub-menu, the compression can be changed to *** (best), ** (better), and * (good). Both the image quality and size settings are easy to adjust and understand without having consulted the manual or a dozen online help sites.
Picture Effects Mode (8.0)
There is control over picture effects when in both the shooting and playback modes on the Pentax Optio M20. Adjustments to contrast, sharpness and saturation can be made prior to recording; the scale consists only of +, 0, and – options though. This isn’t going to provide the user with the nuance or control found with the most basic post-production image editing software. In addition to these three marginal effects, the playback mode offers brightness and digital filters. The brightness filter enables the user to adjust overall brightness +/-6 steps if manipulated with enough control and delicacy. The digital filter options allow for selections between soft, black and white, sepia, red, pink, purple, blue, green and yellow. These filters work well, but it will take forever to process. Users have to wait upwards of 12 seconds to record an effect. It is fun to apply these digital effects on one or two images, but it will drive the user crazy if processing a number of images.
