Pentax Optio M40 Digital Camera Review

Model Design / Appearance (6.25)
The Pentax M40 has a minimalistic, contemporary design and resembles many digital cameras currently on the market. The Optio M40 is attractive from far away, but its weak build quality is evident on closer examination. The plastic surfaces keep the camera lightweight for convenience, but less durable.

Size / Portability (8.0)
Measuring 3.8 x 2.3 x 0.7 inches, the Pentax M40 is a wee bit of a camera that can easily be carried in tote or pocket. The camera weighs a portable 4.1 ounces without battery or memory card accessories.

Handling Ability (6.0)
The Pentax Optio M40 handles relatively well for a petite camera. While other flat point-and-shoots are uncomfortable to handle, the Optio M40 includes a slightly bowed right hand grip. The text on the front of the camera, where the right hand grips, is cleverly textured so users’ fingers won’t slip. The back has five raised dots for the thumb to grip.



Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (7.25)
The button control design assists in handling and makes for easy navigation. The buttons are decently sized, spaced, and shaped. The four-way controller is comprised of separate buttons, making it easy to differentiate which direction you are pushing. The buttons are where they should be. They are properly labeled with icons so users can easily spot them. It’s boring, but it works.




Menu (7.0)
The Pentax M40’s menu system is logically organized. The menus are split into two tabs; Record Mode and Setting. The menus are transparent and overlay the live preview on the LCD. The Record mode menu houses vital settings such as white balance and resolution, while the Setting menu controls extraneous functions such as time and volume.

The menus provide thorough, but not overwhelming options. The Record menu has one curious setting called “Shutter Adjust” listed under white balance, but the Shutter Adjust simply translates into what would normally be called “Manual White Balance.”

Interestingly enough, the Record menu includes a helpful storage capacity setting that details how many photos are left on the memory card, depending on corresponding resolution. For instance, on a 128 MB memory card, the Record menu may indicate the user has 31 images left at the 8-megapixel setting. The Recorded Pixels setting is like the digital equivalent of a film SLR frame counter.

Record Mode
Recorded Pixels	8M, 5M, 4M, 3M, 2M, 1024, 640
Quality Level	***, **, *
White Balance	Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten Light, Fluorescent Light, Shutter Adjust
Focusing Area	Multi, Center, Spot
Sensitivity	Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
EV Compensation	+/- 0.3, 0.7, 0.1, 1.3, 1.7, 2.0
Movie	Recorded Pixels (640, 320), Quality Level (***, **, *), Frame Rate (30 fps, 15 fps), Color Mode (Full Color, B&W, Sepia), Movie SR
Digital Zoom	(check, uncheck)
Instant Review	5 sec, 3 sec, 2 sec, 1 sec, 1/2 sec, Off
Memory	Flash Mode, Drive Mode, Focus Mode, Zoom Position, MF Position, White Balance, Sensitivity, EV Compensation, Digital Zoom, Display, File No.
Sharpness	-, 0, +
Saturation	-, 0, +
Contrast	-, 0, +
Date Imprint	(check, uncheck)

Setting Menu
Format	Format, Cancel
Sound	Volume (5 steps), Start-up Sound (3 steps, Off), Shutter Sound (3 steps, Off), Operation Sound (3 steps, Off), Self-timer Sound (check, uncheck)
Date Adjust	Date Style, Date, Time
World Time	Select time (Home, International), Destination, Hometown
Language	English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Russian, Arabic, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese

Ease of Use (7.5)
The Pentax M40 is simple to use, even for first-timers. With sufficient handling, portability, and an intuitive menu system, the camera is easy enough to operate right out of the box. The M40 also includes a live histogram with highlight and shadow warnings that help the users determine the correct exposure.