Auto Mode
The auto mode is a program auto mode, which may be selected by pressing the LCD screen and selecting the program mode option from the options displayed within the first display menu. The program auto mode provides the most access to manual control options. All control settings for the T10 have default auto settings, which may be easily set back to automatic by entering the general menu. The program auto mode allows the user to set the following manual mode options when shooting: focus, metering, white balance, exposure compensation and ISO. The camera has full auto control over shutter speed and aperture regardless of what mode the user is shooting in.
Movie Mode
The movie mode for the Pentax Optio T10 is located and accessed by pressing the LCD screen, which shows the display menu. From this menu the user may select the program menu, and once this action is complete the user can instantly initiate video clips, which may be recorded from one second until the memory of the camera or the card is full. The movie mode settings allow the user to select between the following image resolution and frame rate options: 640 x 480 at 30 fps, 640 x 480 at 15 fps, 320 x 240 at 30 fps, and 320 x 240 at 15 fps. The maximum resolution and frame rate of 640 x 480 and 30 fps results in smooth video with TV quality display that should be good enough to cover basic shooting scenes.
An in-camera microphone is placed beneath the lens barrel on the front face of the camera to provide simultaneous audio recording when shooting video clips. Zoom may be engaged when recording video, and the zoom quality wasn’t impaired by the frame rate or resolution and resulted in smooth transitions from wide angle to telephoto and back. But regardless of how good these specifications are, still cameras with video features are not going to produce video image quality that can compete with video footage captured by a camcorder, and although hybrid cameras have advanced, the day of true hybrid functionality has still not wholly arrived for the digital camera market.
Drive / Burst Mode
The burst mode for the Pentax Optio T10 is accessed by pressing any portion of the LCD in order to prompt the display menu to appear. The burst mode for the Pentax Optio T10 allows users to select between single shot, continuous, self-timer, auto bracket and remote control activation. These settings are easy to alter. Users may also choose to engage the self-timer audio located within the sound submenu of the general camera menu. The burst mode displayed a quick reaction time and shot pictures until the memory card was full. There was a noticeable amount of time between shots, but nothing intolerable for the average point-and-shoot user.
Playback Mode
When reviewing images and video footage on the Pentax Optio T10, there are a number of image manipulation opportunities. The playback mode allows users to view images as either single frame images or a nine-image thumbnail format that may be navigated by engaging the zoom control ring located on the top of the camera. The zoom toggle also controls the level of playback zoom, allowing intensive cropping to occur if needed.
The Playback palette allows the user to scan between options, highlighting each one individually, which produces a full text description along with an illustration on how each control functions. The playback options for the Pentax Optio T10 give users access to resizing, trimming, image/sound copy, special effect, movie edit, red-eye compensation, voice memo, DPOF, start screen image and slide show options. This menu is entered by selecting the mode palette option from the first playback menu, which also displays option for rotation, deletion and information.
The playback mode presents the following digital filter options: black and white, sepia, color filter (for eight colors), B&W+Red, D&W+Green, B&W+Blue, Soft, Brightness, Illustration Special Effect and Slim. These features allow alteration of images to occur and be saved prior to printing or transfer to PC. The drawing mode is an especially interesting new feature included with this camera. It allows a line drawing to be placed across the surface of the image in a manner comparable to a basic illustration program provided with many computers or as a means of marking or labeling a particular image at the point of capture. Other settings within this drawing feature allow the user to stamp pre-designed clip-art images onto the surface of the image, so that preposterous red lips can be added to your beloved great-aunt Magee.
The playback modes are easy to engage and showed quick response the second time the camera was used, but the T10 did freeze up once when multiple effects were accidentally selected, although again, at this point it is impossible to say whether this was due to a flaw within the particular pre-production model we were evaluating or a deficiency within the camera’s hardware. Aside from this, the ability to add and subtract digital effects, drawings, and clip art should be a welcome and playful tool for occasional usage.
The playback mode allows users to set the following PictBridge controls as well as the above mentioned effects: one image print, all image print, DPOF auto print, paper size, paper type, paper quality and border.
Custom Image Presets
The custom image preset options are located within an overall shooting mode menu which is accessed by touching the LCD screen. A display menu appears which will then allow the user to select the mode option for the digital camera. Once this mode submenu has been entered, the 
user can choose between a program auto mode or one of nine preset shooting options.
The preset shooting modes for the Pentax Optio T10 contain settings designed for optimal reaction to the following general shooting situations: Landscape, Flower, Portrait, Night Scene, Surf and Snow, Food, Sport, Pet and Frame. These modes are displayed on a transparent live view background and are represented by a basic color illustration. The user may highlight and select an option, then choose the help feature for a full screen text description with an accompanying photograph to visually and textually describe when a specific shooting mode would be appropriate. This list of features should provide a general level of control opportunity for the beginning user unsure of themselves and their camera.
