DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS

Pentax Announces Optio V20 with 5x Zoom, 3-Inch Monitor and Innovative Portrait Functions

GOLDEN, CO (March 17, 2008)…PENTAX Imaging Company has announced the PENTAX Optio V20 compact digital camera with a 5X zoom lens, 8.0 megapixels, and a generous 3.0 inch LCD monitor.  Ultra-slim and stylish in design, this latest PENTAX compact digital camera makes it easy to capture and to view images. 

Three innovative features on the Optio V20 help users optimize portrait photographs.  A Face Recognition function automatically detects and focuses on faces, then sets the optimum exposure.  Smile Capture detects the key facial expression of happy people and releases the shutter automatically.  Blink Detection reports to the user whether any subjects closed their eyes in an image, so that the shot may be recaptured if necessary.  Additional features include Auto-tracking AF for continuously focusing on a moving subject, 52MB of built-in memory, and an Auto-Macro mode that allows close-up photography as near as 4 inches (10 cm) without changing the normal focusing mode. 

The PENTAX Optio V20 will ship in May 2008 for US $279.95.        

PENTAX Optio V20 Fact Sheet

Optical 5X Zoom Lens

The Optio V20 is equipped with a 5X optical zoom lens with an angle of view equivalent to a 36mm -180mm lens in 35mm format that allows users to zoom in on subjects.  Combined with the digital zoom function (approx. 1X to 5.1X), the camera offers photography with a maximum zoom of 25.5X.

Large 3.0 Inch LCD Monitor

The Optio V20 features a high resolution, 3.0 inch LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 dots that enables images and text to be displayed largely and clearly. The LCD monitor has a wide viewing angle of 170 degrees from all directions, making it easy to confirm images even when viewing the screen from any angle.  The LCD also features  an Anti-Reflection coating that reduces reflections. With this coating, the monitor is even more easily viewable outdoors.

8.0 Megapixels

With a high resolution of approximately 8.0 effective megapixels and a high-performance PENTAX lens, the Optio V20 offers high quality images even when pictures are enlarged.

Face Recognition AF&AE , Smile Capture, And Blink Detection For Portraits

The Optio V20 is equipped with the Face Recognition Auto focus and Auto Exposure function to automatically detect and focus on faces and set the optimum exposure. In addition, the Optio V20 is equipped with a Smile Capture function that recognizes smiles and releases the shutter automatically.  A Blink Detection function tells users whether subjects blink during image capture, so the image may be recaptured.

Digital Shake Reduction

The Digital Shake Reduction mode reduces camera shake and blur of subjects when photographing still images. The sensitivity can adjust automatically to the ultra-high sensitivity of ISO 6400 to match the brightness of the subjects. This enables photography with fast shutter speeds and images with less blur.

Evolved Auto Picture Mode Automatically Determines Best Settings For Shooting Conditions

Unique to PENTAX, the Auto Picture mode automatically determines shooting conditions and chooses optimal settings for Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, Normal, Flower and Sports mode.

Additional Features:

• Movie recording function with shake reduction enabling high image quality rivaling camcorders
  
  
• Mode palette provides quick access to 16 shooting conditions and 15 playback modes
  
  
• Panorama mode for composing photographs into 1 panoramic picture
  
  
• Auto-Macro allows for close-up photography as near as 4 inches (10cm) without changing the normal focusing mode
  
  
• Auto-tracking AF continuously focusing on a moving subject
  
  
• Date imprint function for easy image categorizing
  
  
• Approximately 52 MB of built-in memory
  
  
• FotoNation’s red-eye compensation function for flash shots
  
  
• Includes the ACDSee for PENTAX 3.0 image viewer/image management software that supports Windows VistaTM
  
  
• Support PictBridge, DPOF functions, EXIF Print, and PRINT Image Matching III

Specifications

MODEL: Optio V20

TYPE: Ultra-compact digital camera

PRODUCT CODE: 17191, UPC: 027075139701

SENSOR

Type: 1/2.35” interline transfer CCD w/ primary color filter

Effective pixels: 8.0 MP

Total pixels: 8.5 MP

Recorded resolutions

Still: 3264x2448 (8MP), 2592x1944 (5M), 2304x1728 (4M), 2048x1536 (3M), 1600x1200 (2M), 1024x768 (1024), 640x480 (VGA)

Movie: 640x480 (VGA), 320x240 (QVGA)

Quality levels: ««« Best, «« Better, « Good

LENS

Type/construction: Pentax zoom lens, 8 elements, 6 groups (4 aspherical elements)

Optical zoom: 5x

Focal length (equiv.): 6.3-31.5mm (36-180mm)

Digital zoom: 5.1x

Combined zoom: 25.5x

Intelligent zoom: Approx 6.3x at 5M to 25.5x at VGA

Aperture: f/3.5-5.6

LCD/VIEWFINDER

LCD screen: 3.0” TFT color LCD with In Plane Switching (IPS) technology for wide angle viewing

LCD resolution: 230,000 dots

Wide angle viewable: YES

Optical viewfinder: n/a

FOCUS SYSTEM

Type: TTL contrast detection autofocus

Autofocus: 9 point autofocus, spot/auto-tracking autofocus available

Manual focus: YES

Macro focus: YES, auto macro available

Focus lock: YES, by pressing the shutter release button half way

Focus range
Normal: 1.31’ to infinity (wide), 2.95’ to infinity (tele)
Macro: 0.33-1.64’ (wide), 1.97-3.30’ (tele)

FLASH

Type: Built-in series-control auto flash

Flash modes: Auto, flash on, flash off, redeye

Effective range: 14’ (wide, auto ISO), 9.2’ (tele, auto ISO)

STORAGE MEDIA

Internal memory: 51.1 MB

Removable memory: SD, SDHC

INTERFACES

Ports: USB 2.0 hi-speed, AV out

Video out: NTSC, PAL

Printer interfaces: PictBridge

POWER SUPPLY

Power source: Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery D-LI78

Recordable images: Approx 200

Playback time: Approx 210 min

Movie recording time: Approx 70 min

Audio recording time: Approx 300 min

AC adapter available: YES (optional)

PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions (W x H x D): 3.8 x 2.2 x 0.9”

Weight

Without battery or removable memory: 4.6 oz

Loaded and ready: 5.1 oz

Construction material(s): Aluminum alloy

Operating temperature: 32-104°F

TIMING

Startup: Approx 1.9 sec

Release lag: Approx 0.003 sec

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Russian, Thai, Korean, Traditional/Simplified Chinese, Japanese

IMAGE CAPTURE

IMAGE STABILIZATION

Still: Digital SR Mode (auto up to 6400)

Movie: Movie SR Mode

METERING SYSTEM

Type: TTL

Multi-segment: YES

Center weighted: YES

Spot: YES

Exposure compensation: +/- 2 EV (1/3 steps)

ISO SENSITIVITY

Auto: 80-6400 (6400 available only in Digital SR mode)

Manual: 80-6400 (6400 available only in Digital SR mode)

WHITE BALANCE

Auto preset modes: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent

Manual mode(s): YES

SHUTTER

Type: Programmed AE electronic lens shutter with CCD electronic shutter

Shutter speed: 1/2000 to 4 sec

CAPTURE MODES

Mode selection: Auto Picture (Normal, Night Scene, Landscape, Portrait, Sport, Flower), Program, Night Scene, Movie, Voice Recording, Landscape, Flower, Natural Skin Tone, Portrait, Surf & Snow, Sport, Digital SR (5M), Kids, Pet, Food, Panorama, Digital Wide Angle (5M)

Green simplified mode available: YES

Face recognition available: YES, up to 15 faces in all modes, smile capture available

P/A/S/M/B: P

Date stamp: YES, available in all except Green mode

Digital filters (capture): n/a

DRIVE MODES

Mode selection: One shot, self timer (10s, 2s), continuous, frame composite (3M)

Continuous FPS: Approx 1.43 FPS

Self-timer: YES (10s, 2s)

Remote control: n/a

PLAYBACK MODES

Mode selection: One shot, index (9 thumbnails), magnification, movie playback, sound playback, histogram, bright/dark indication, folder display, select & delete, calendar

Mode pallet: Digital SR, slideshow, resize, trimming, image & sound copy, image rotation, digital filter, movie edit, frame composite (3M), redeye edit, voice memo, protect, DPOF, image recovery, startup image, face zooming

Magnification: Up to 8x, scrollable

Digital filters (playback): B&W, sepia, color filters (6), color extract (3), soft, brightness

Movie edit: Save as still image, movie divide

FILE FORMATS

Still: JPG (EXIF 2.2), DCF 2.0 (design rule for camera file system), DPOF, Print Image Matching III

Movie: AVI (Motion JPG), 30/15 FPS w/ sound, color/sepia/B&W, Movie SR

Sound: WAV (PCM), monaural

FILE STORAGE MATRIX (BASED ON 1GB MEMORY)

COMPUTER SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS*

*For device connectivity. Bundled software requirements may vary.

Windows: Windows 2000/XP/Vista, USB port

Mac: MacOS 9.2, MacOS-X 10.1.2-10.5, USB port

KIT INCLUSIONS

USB Cable I-USB7, AV Cable I-AVC7, Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery D-LI78, Battery Charge Cradle D-BC78(A), AC Plug Cord, Strap O-ST20, Software CD-ROM S-SW77

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

AC Adapter Kit K-AC78U, Battery Charger Kit K-BC78U, PTX-210-LHM Leather Case, PTC-L50 Medium Nylon Case, Optio Extended Warranty (2 year)