The Pentax Optio H90 is my eighth digital camera. I've been shooting digital since 2003 and have owned several Fujifilm and one Samsung. I still own a Fuji 8mp and a Samsung 12mp. This background is so that you know I've purchased and learned to use a number of digicams.The Optio H90 is a wonderful little camera. It has great product design and is easy to hold and use. It has the softest shutter of any camera I've ever owned and that is a plus. The controls are very well laid out. It's internal menus are the easiest, most logical and well thought out of any I've ever looked at or used. There is surprising depth to what this camera can do. My favorite feature is what Pentax calls "Memory." This function allows you to set and have the camera remember, each time you turn it on, an extensive list of settings. The coolest of these items is the ability to zoom the camera to any focal length and have the H90 recall it. So if between the 28 140mm (35 equivalent) focal lengths you'd like to maybe start around a 50mm lens equivalent, you can do it. There is also a "Green Button" that allows you to take your favorite variable function and bring it out of the menu and onto the green button. I use mine to bracket exposures.
The photos are of very good quality, but perhaps just a bit soft in low light. Pentax has a post shot stabilization system, Pixel Track SR, that actually works quite well. There is a slight delay when it functions, but no more so that other cameras "fix" computations. The menu and mode functions offer an enormous variety of settings. The "OK" button sets what information you can see on the LCD screen. You just push it to see more or less information. The Optio H90 comes is three color varieties, I got the silver and ceramic white job, a very clean looking product. The screen is quite good, even in bright sunlight, but you will probably want to brighten it some to shoot is direct sun. The camera doesn't have an automatic brightness mode. It's very reasonably priced, as well.
Of course, it's not perfect. I wish it had a bit more battery life, it's about average for its class I would say. In the review mode the lens does not retract. I wish it would, in order to protect against accidental touching of the lens or possible damage. The camera batteries don't charge in the camera. That would be nice, too. I bought a $6 SD/USB reader and upload photos to my Macs using it, thereby saving a bit of battery life.
My conclusion is that the Pentax Optio is a great camera for beginners through advanced amateur photographers. It is a camera you'll want to keep on your person at all times. The H90 delivers quality images in a huge varietiy of shooting situations. I've taken great macro photos as well as scenics with it. I recommend it to anyone looking for a reasonably priced and very capable digital camera.
Pros:
-Small & compact
-Stylish yet simple design
-Able to take macro shots and wide angle
-On-camera filters for stylish/creative looks: ToyCamera, B&W, Sepia, Retro, etc.
-Fast start-up times
-Relatively quick shot times
Cons:
-Low-light shots can be a little grainy
-The screen on the back is a little small, but it's manageable (it's a P&S, what else do you expect)
-Extremely contrasting images are hard to get a good balance/focus on
Bottom line its great at what it does, it out performs its price range; $100 camera with filters and stylish look, check!Camera arrived as scheduled. Very nice unit, well made, everything included ready to go!
Easy to use, with all the expected and advertised features. Pentax offers a great value for all photo buffs. Compact, light weight, good quality excellent optics.
gI love the camera. It's simple to use and is loaded with features. It's not an SLR, but it's handy and fits in my pocket. The only thing is that it would've been better if it used AA or AAA batteries. I guess I have to buy a backup battery for emergencies. I like the different shooting settings. It can even take clear pictures in low-light settings. I was able to take some nice shots of the total lunar eclipse although I just got the camera a couple of days before. You can edit pictures on the camera without the software and it creates a second copy, leaving the original intact. You can stitch 3 pictures for panoramic view, right on the camera and it's easy to do it. It basically shows you the edge for the first frame, which you can superimpose over the object and take the second frame then repeat for the third frame.
What I don't understand is why different color models have vary that much in price!!!Great light weight, fit in your pocket camera with wide clear screen, easy to use controls and straightforward menus. Very nice optical zoom and macro features. Perfect camera for taking high quality pictures when you do not want to lug around your SLR. Super camera for the price.
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