Pentax Optio M20 Digital Camera Review

by James Murray
Published on December 20, 2006

Navigation
Intro	Testing / Performance
Physical Tour	Components
Design / Layout	Modes
Control Options	Image Parameters
Connectivity / Extras	Overall Impressions
Conclusion	Specs / Ratings

 

The Pentax Optio M20 has a 1/2.5-inch 7 MP CCD, 3x optical zoom lens, 2.5-inch LCD screen, a number of preset shooting modes, a handful of manual options, a fully automatic mode for the novice and a movie mode with audio capture.  The camera impressively remains under $200 and can currently be found online for around $150 without too much searching.  All isn’t candy though, and readers should take into consideration problems like a poorly designed rubber flap that opens onto the battery compartment.  The M20 has an internal interface that challenges the simplicity of a Kodak EasyShare and a quality of construction that falls far short of the competition.  In the end, the M20 is a point-and-shoot digital camera on the cusp when it comes to a value purchase. Sure, it has more megapixels than most cameras found at this price, and the user-friendly design is also an advantage. The low-quality construction and uninspired design allude to its limitations, though, it's still a reasonable alternative and strong value for point-and-shooters on a budget.

 

Kodak EasyShare C743 – This model had a recent price reduction on the Kodak website and can now be purchased through Kodak for $199.95 or elsewhere for even less. This camera matches the Pentax M20’s resolution with its 1/2.5 inch 7.1 MP CCD and also comes with a 3x optical zoom lens. The LCD screen is slightly smaller at 2.4 inches, but it does have a real image optical viewfinder if needing to conserve battery power. This model has a slightly smaller shutter speed range, an ISO range that extends to ISO 400 in full resolution (ISO 800 is an option at the lowest resolution), +/-2 EV compensation, +/- 2 bracketing, three preset white balance options and a center-weighted metering mode.  The Kodak EasyShare C743 does have two burst mode settings and a video mode with a full resolution of 640 x 480 at 30 fps.  Kodak has always excelled in their novice-friendly interface that is simple and logical from shot to finished print.  What’s interesting is that manufacturers like Pentax have begun to catch up in this portion of the market and are beginning to produce cameras that challenge the Kodak line-up by providing both simplicity and manual control at a budget price.  One area where Kodak is a distinct leader continues to be the included Kodak EasyShare software that provides users with a basic interface for altering images once exported from camera, an option not found with the ACDSee software of Pentax.

 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 – This digital camera is available on the Sony website for $200, but it can be found for less. The W30 has a 1/2.5 -nch 6 MP CCD, 32 MB of internal memory, and a 3x optical Carl Zeiss branded lens. The DSC-W30 has a larger maximum aperture of f/2.8, and a user controllable shutter speed range of one second to 1/2000th of a second. Other manual controls include EV compensation, flash settings, and ISO up to 1000. Options like white balance come with a minimum number of preset options but don’t include the custom or number of preset modes found on the M20. Another setback for this camera comes when the movie mode is considered.  It does have the potential to capture at 640 x 480 at 30 fps but only if users purchase a Memory Stick Pro Duo card.  While most users will purchase a memory storage device of some type, the number of options and price range found with SD media is far more varied and more kind to the budget market when compared to the Sony branded Memory Stick Pro Duo.  Additionally, this camera only has seven preset shooting modes. However, the Kodak does have a cleaner, more solid design than the M20, and it can be bought in silver, light blue or white colors.

 

Fujifilm FinePix A600 – This compact digital camera has a 1/1.7-inch 6.25 MP CCD and is currently available for under $200 online.  The stocky A600 has a 3x optical zoom lens with a better maximum aperture of f/2.8. The manual control options found on this camera include ISO, flash control and EV compensation while presets are only available for white balance alteration.  There are no manual settings for focus, aperture, and metering; there is also a smaller automatic shutter speed range.  The AF settings are drastically limited when compared to the M20’s abundance of options.  Playback functions are also limited to a trimming option and further image editing will need to be completed using editing software.  In addition to all these shortcomings, the camera has a mere 12 MB of internal memory, only 4 preset shooting modes and a stuttering 10 fps movie mode at a reduced resolution of a 320 x 240 pixels. 

 

 

Canon PowerShot A540 – The Canon PowerShot A540 is another compact camera currently priced online at around the same amount as the Pentax Optio M20; it has a slightly smaller 1/2.5-inch CCD with 6 megapixels. This camera has a longer 4x optical zoom lens and a wider maximum aperture of f/2.6.  The LCD screen falls a bit short of the mark with 2.5 inches at a sub-par of 85,000 pixels.  The manual controls that are included with this camera include aperture priority, shutter speed priority, EV compensation, white balance, metering, and ISO. Other controls include not only flash settings but a flash exposure adjustment as well.  The My Colors in-camera image alteration and photo effects options blow the M20’s slim selection of digital filters out of the water.  The Canon A540 captures video at 640 x 480 at 30 fps maximum and has thirteen preset shooting modes for novice users looking to move beyond full auto but still overwhelmed by manual options.  Included in the box are both a post-production software program and a 16 MB MMC memory card.

Point-and-Shooters – The Pentax Optio M20 is definitely meant for the point-and-shoot photographer that is looking for either outright auto (with Green mode) or a partially manual auto mode (program) that is still friendly to the novice user.  The shooting mode interface is simple to move through and easy to comprehend even if the manual hasn’t been consulted prior to shooting.

 

Budget Consumers – With its easy to use interface, simple design, 7 megapixels, 2.5-inch LCD screen and a handful of manual controls, the Pentax Optio M20 could be a tempting option with its sub-$200 price tag. Although, before jumping to buy this camera the consumer should be sure to consider the shortcomings, like the pointless and potentially detrimental right-side port cover.

 

Gadget Freaks – This is a standard digital camera with standard controls, modes and design. While perfectly functional and appropriate for the point-and-shooter, the gadget freak is inevitably going to look elsewhere for their latest addition to their stable of innovative products.

Manual Control Freaks – The manual control freak will be somewhat disappointed by the smattering of options that include focus, exposure and white balance but lack metering, shutter speed or aperture control. The interface is simple to understand and the live view for manual controls is admittedly handy, but without the additional manual options, the manual freak is going to feel a bit underwhelmed by the Pentax Optio M20.

Pros/Serious Hobbyists – There would be no reason for the pro or serious hobbyist to consider this camera as a photographic option - even as a vacation camera, this type of shooter demands more control over exposure and visual effects.