Digital Photography Blog: Digital Camera Reviews, Ratings, News, Tips and Tutorials.
February 2010
February 2009
January 2009
August 2008
July 2008
April 2008
March 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
Digital Camera Reviews and Ratings By manufacturer:
Canon | Casio | Fuji | HP | Kodak | Minolta | Nikon | Olympus | Panasonic | Pentax | Samsung | Sony | Misc. | Accessories | Lenses
Steve's Digicams reviews the Pentax Optio 750Z and writes - 'The 750Z is a good choice for anyone wanting a high resolution point-n-shoot with plenty of features that appeal to everyone from a beginner to expert. It offers a "better than average" 5x zoom range and great image quality. Its 7-megapixel Best quality images have plenty of resolution to create photo-quality 13x19-inch prints, and enough content to produce 8x10's from a heavily cropped image. With a street price of $599 or less, it offers a very good value.'
Get the Latest Price on the Pentax Optio 750Z
DP Review reviews the Pentax Optio 750z and writes - 'It's odd but there's something strangely appealing about the 750Z's retro styling, the faux leather front and chrome piping, it's almost comforting. Don't be fooled though this is one seriously modern camera with a huge range of functionality, both prosumer and technology based. Indeed there isn't a huge amount the 750Z can't do, it's fully loaded, and that can sometimes make it a bit confusing.'
DCRP reviews the Pentax Optio 750Z and writes - 'While it's not perfect, I do like the Pentax Optio 750Z quite a bit, and it earns my recommendation. It has a stylish, fairly-compact body with a handy flip-out LCD display. Build quality is very good for the most part, save for the cover over the battery/memory card compartment. Despite its size, the Optio packs a 5X zoom lens -- great for telephoto lovers who don't want to carry around a bulky ultra zoom camera. Photo quality is very good, though a bit noisier than the other 7MP cameras I've tested. Images were well-exposed, colorful, and very sharp, all with a minimum of purple fringing. You may encounter some blurry corners or vignetting in flash shots while using the 750Z.'
Imaging Resource reviews the Pentax Optio750Z Digital Camera and writes - 'With a 7.0-megapixel CCD, 5x optical zoom lens, exposure control ranging from fully automatic to fully manual, and a wide selection of creative modes and features, the Pentax Optio 750Z offers a lot of the functionality of higher-end digicams in a compact, easy to use package. The camera's varying levels of exposure control suit it for any level of user, and novices will enjoy being able to slowly expand their control as they gain more experience. New Optio features such as the Digital Exposure Metering mode and customizable LCD display refresh the line, while expanded options like an 11-point AF area and swiveling LCD monitor make the camera even more flexible. I liked the mix of features and functions a lot, and found the “retro” styling with the pseudo-leather accents very appealing.'
Megapixel reviews the Pentax Optio 750z and writes - 'With the Optio 750Z, Pentax raises the bar for its compact cameras to 7 megapixel, adds a swivelling 1.8 inch LCD monitor, and encloses it in a new body that still retains touches from previous Pentax designs.
The body of the 750Z is metallic, with the exception of the back cover of the LCD monitor, and the front sports a black rubber surface with a chrome trim reminiscent of some old 35mm film cameras, but which provides a welcome grip area.'
CNET Reviews has a review of the Pentax Optio 750Z and writes - 'Thanks to the recent spate of fully featured, pocket-friendly 7-megapixel cameras from Pentax, Olympus, Sony, and Canon, serious photographers don't have to trade must-have capabilities for compact size. Pentax includes the fine-tuning control over exposure and focus that photo enthusiasts need, along with some stand-out features such as a flip-out swiveling LCD, a 3D stereoscopic shooting mode, and a time-lapse interval recording option. Unfortunately, mediocre performance and imaging artifacts in the photos seriously crimp the Pentax Optio 750Z's upscale appeal.'
Get the Latest Price on the Pentax Optio 750Z
Pentax Press Release
"WELCOME TO SEVENTH HEAVEN: PENTAX UNVEILS 7 MEGAPIXEL DIGITAL
PENTAX ANNOUNCES HIGH-END OPTIO750Z WITH SEVEN MEGAPIXELS IN COMPACT SIZE
GOLDEN, Colorado (August 16, 2004)...PENTAX Imaging Company has introduced a little heaven on earth in the new Optio750Z digital camera. With 7.0 megapixels and a 5X optical zoom, the Optio750Z will delight advanced photographers seeking high quality images from a compact digital camera. Strategically positioned at the high-end of the PENTAX Optio Series, the Optio750Z offers true performance in a pocket-sized digital camera.
Classically designed with an aluminum alloy exterior and a leather-grained rubber façade, the Optio750Z delivers high-precision imaging with 7.0 effective megapixels, a high-performance smc PENTAX 5X optical zoom lens, newly developed ASIC (Application Specified Integrate Circuit), and other impressive features. The camera’s 10 shooting modes meet a variety of shooting situations, and a large dial simplifies mode selections. The generous 1.8 inch, low-reflection LCD monitor enhances visibility and shooting freedom and the camera captures VGA video with sound at a rate of 30fps (frames per second) with 640 x 480 recorded pixels up to the full available capacity of the chosen memory card.The PENTAX Optio750Z and other new and exciting digital products will be on display September 20 at the PEPCOM Holiday Spectacular in New York City.
As with all newer PENTAX Optio digital cameras, the Optio750Z includes the latest version of ACDSee™ 5.1 software. With a $150 value, ACDSee™ digital camera software makes it easy to retrieve, view, manage, print, enhance and share your digital photos.
The Optio750Z will ship along with the software to major camera retailers in September 2004.
PENTAX Imaging Company is an innovative leader in the production of digital and film cameras, binoculars, spotting scopes, eyepieces, lenses, mobile printers, scanners and internet cameras. For more than 80 years, PENTAX technology has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses. PENTAX Imaging Company is a division of PENTAX of America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of PENTAX Corporation of Japan.
Major Features of the PENTAX Optio750Z
High-precision, high-quality imaging
The Optio750Z employs a 1/1.8-inch primary color CCD with a total of 7.41 megapixels. It also incorporates a high-performance smc PENTAX which compromises seven groups of nine elements (two aspherical lenses) to achieve clear, high-contrast images with optimal compensation for spherical and other aberrations. The lens is treated with a unique lens coating that keeps ghost and flare to a bare minimum. The Optio750Z delivers more natural reproduction of gradations and meticulous color compensation thanks to the newly developed ASIC (Application Specified Integrated Circuit).
5X optical zooming and wide-ranging telephoto to macro shooting
The Optio750Z is equipped with a powerful smc PENTAX 5X optical zoom lens. To ensure maximum shooting versatility, this 7.8mm-39mm lens offers a focal range covering angles of view equivalent to those of a 37.5mm-187.5mm lens in 35mm format. In combination with the approximate 8X digital zoom, the user can achieve a total of up to 40X zooming. In Macro mode, the user can shoot from as close as 15cm from the subject at all zoom ranges and when the zoom is set at the wide mode end, the user can move in closer still to about 2cm from the subject. The Optio750Z is also equipped with Super macro mode, which allows the user to fill the whole frame with an area measuring approximately 3.37 x 2.47cm.
10 shooting modes for convenient and versatile shooting
To cope with wide-ranging shooting situations, the Optio750Z is equipped with 10 shooting modes – Program, Aperture-priority AE, Shutter-priority AE, Manual, USER, Picture, Panorama assist, 3D image, Digital filter and Movie.
Large mode dial
Mode selection is extremely simple with the Optio750Z. Just by turning the large mode dial that’s positioned on the top surface, the user can easily select the desired mode.
Easy-to-view, easy-to-use LCD Monitor
The 1.8-inch, 134,000-pixel LCD monitor employs a low-reflection mechanism that ensures drastically improved visibility compared to common permeation types of monitor and remains easy-to-view even in bright sunlight. The LCD monitor additionally offers the versatility of being able to swing out over a range of 180 degrees horizontally and 270 degrees vertically, which makes high-angle shooting in a crowd or low-angle shooting in Macro mode exceptionally easy.
An easy-to-use camera with a classic design
Despite its compact dimensions, the Optio750Z features an easy-to-hold grip, a large mode dial and strategically placed levers and buttons that maximize operability. Making it even more attractive still, its compact body is made of an attractive aluminum alloy and the front panel is accentuated with classic-looking leather-grained rubber.
Auto flash with discharge level compensation and rear curtain sync
The Optio750Z is equipped with an auto flash that discharges automatically in low light. The user can also make use of a flash discharge level compensation function that controls the amount of discharge by ±2EV in 1/3 steps, which is especially handy when using a flash for a subject at a close distance. The Optio750Z is also equipped with a rear curtain sync function that is ideal for capturing attractive images of light trails.
Selectable horizontal/vertical ratios
In addition to the ordinary horizontal and vertical image ratio of 4:3, the user can also choose the 3:2 ratio, which is the equivalent ratio to that of images produced by a 35mm film camera. For those who are more used to film cameras, this ratio setting ensures a more familiar sense of composition and shooting and produces images that can be printed out with no border in a size that’s the same as a conventional photograph.
Hybrid AF
Autofocusing precision and speed have both been enhanced by the incorporation of hybrid AF. Combining TTL contrast detection with an external passive sensor, it allows the photographer to choose from Wide AF, Spot AF and 11-point area selectable AF, and also features an auxiliary AF LED to achieve the best possible results when shooting in low light.
Digital exposure metering mode
Upon selection of Digital exposure metering mode, the user can use the Optio750Z as a high-performance digital exposure meter, with display of EV values at up to two separate points on the monitor for high-precision metering.
Movie shooting with sound and voice recording mode
The Optio750Z has the ability to capture VGA video with sound at a rate of 30fps (frames per second) with 640 x 480 recorded pixels up to the full available capacity of the chosen memory card. The Optio750Z is also equipped with a Voice recording mode that records audio only.
Other features
(1) Real-time warning display for overexposed (washed out) areas and under exposed (blacked out) areas
(2) TIFF format recording that stores images without compression
(3) Five auto bracketing functions that allow shooting with different levels of exposure, white balance, etc.
(4) Image trimming and resizing
(5) Diverse drive mode functions, such as Continuous shooting mode, Interval shooting mode, Multiple exposure mode, etc.
(6) Digital filter function that’s effective not only at the time of shooting but also on recorded images
(7) Mode Pallet that displays all 12 Picture mode icons at once for easy selection
(8) Actual-image optical viewfinder with diopter adjustment (+3m-1~+1m-1)
(9) Folder creation that allows folders to be named by date
(10) Image rotation function that converts vertically shot images to horizontal compositions
(11) Standard image viewer, ACDSee for PENTAX software
(12) USB mass storage class compatibility
(13) PictBridge compatibility
(14) DPOF, ExifPrint and PRINT Image MatchingIII compatibility"
Posted by Darren in our Pentax category on August 17, 2004