Pentax Optio V20 Digital Camera Review

Pentax Optio V20

Digital Camera Review

Dec 17, 2008 - By Steve Morgenstern
1.9 Our search for inexpensive point-and-shoot cameras offering good performance for not much money leads us to the 8-megapixel Pentax Optio V20, a compact model with a big 3-inch LCD screen and a 5x optical zoom that provides far more flexibility when composing shots than the 3x lens typically found in this camera category. The V20 lists for $249.95, though we've seen it selling at closer to $200 from several discounters, a nice price considering the large screen and extended zoom. Lab testing results overall make the V20 an average performer, a bit behind the pack in some areas, a skinch ahead in others. To determine if this is the camera to fill your photo album without emptying your wallet, read the complete review.
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Pentax Optio V20 Review

This compact 8-megapixel point-and-shoot offers a handsome 3-inch LCD and a 5x zoom lens that's unusual in this class of camera. The all-plastic body feels solid enough to stand up to average use, though a fall to the pavement will leave you holding your breath in trepidation.

Front (6.50)
We'd call the front of the Pentax Optio V20 generic – the more judgmental among you may prefer "boring," but it gets the job done. There's a raised silver grip on the left to serve as a resting place for your middle finger. To its right is the self-timer lamp and slim rectangular flash, while the telescoping lens takes up the right side of the body. Below and to the right of the lens is a small mono microphone used for recording during video shooting and also for adding voice annotations to photos. 

 


There's not much excitement in the look of the V20. 

Back (6.50)
The glossy 3-inch LCD screen, flush with the camera body and surrounded by a thin black bezel, dominates the back of the camera. If visible fingerprints drive you crazy, this camera may not be good for your mental well-being, since the glossy screen, positioned with little margin for finding a handhold, is a smudge magnet. To the right of the LCD are the camera’s buttons and controls, which thanks to their simplicity don't feel cramped even though the real estate devoted to them is slender. At the top is the face detection control, which toggles between Face Detection, Smile Capture, and Off when pressed repeatedly. Below this is the Playback button, marked with the familiar VCR-style Play icon.  Below this is a four-way control with central OK button. In addition to controlling cursor movement in the menu system, the four buttons each have dedicated shooting functions mapped to them: from the top proceeding clockwise, these are Self timer, Flash mode, Shooting Mode and Macro mode. Below the four-way controller are two additional buttons. The left button brings up the Menu, the distinctively colored Green Mode button triggers an ultra-simple shooting mode by default, but can be assigned to other record-mode functions through the menu system. During playback, the Green Mode button is used to control image erasure.


With the large screen taking up most of the back,
Pentax kept buttons to a minimum.

Left Side (5.0)
The left side of the V20 is divided between the matte black plastic of the black and the polished silver of the front. The inset black panel in the center is home to a sturdy hard rubber door protecting a proprietary connector for USB and AV output cables. The door pops open easily enough with a fingernail, but takes some maneuvering to put back into place. Below this connector panel is a silver hook for connecting the included wrist strap.

The port doors opens more easily than it closes.

 

Right Side (3.25)
The right side of the V20 has no functional parts. Again, the silver camera front and black back meet in the middle here. Two small, black screws hold a reinforcing black plastic panel in place along the seam, with “5x Optical Zoom” printed vertically along the side.


If simplicity is a virtue, the right side
of this camera is saintly.

Top (5.75)
The V20 is topped by a band of polished silver. On the left side, “Optio V20” is embossed into the surface. To the right is the small round On/Off button, and beyond that, on the right side of the camera’s top, is the large silver shutter button surrounded by a silver zoom ring. There’s no mode dial, as found on many point-and-shoots, because the shooting modes are accessed using the camera’s internal menu system.

The top controls are simple and well positioned.

Bottom (4.75)
The plastic tripod mount is on the far left side, an arrangement that makes attaching the V20 to a tripod less secure since it minimizes contact with the camera bottom, but does allow access to the battery and memory card. To the right are six small speaker holes. At the far right of the camera’s bottom are the battery and memory card slots, protected by a plastic door that slides to the right and springs open. The battery within is held in place with a small plastic clip to prevent it falling out accidentally.


The battery/memory card door closes securely.

 
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