Digital Home Thoughts: Pentax Announces Optio RS1000 and Optio RZ10 Compact Cameras

Following up on the DSLR side of things, Pentax also has launched two compacts; the first is reminiscent of its Optio S series with its small metal body and circular grain design, which tends to get dirt stuck in, speaking from personal experience. The RS1000 comes with a 28-110mm equivalent lens, 3" QVGA LCD and 720p movie mode, and 14.1 megapixel sensor (which is a bit much). In addition to being available in black and white, the RS1000 features err, skins to personalise the camera. The RS1000 is priced at a cheap US$150.

On a side note, I remember using my Optio S5n when on holiday in NZ in 2005 and it was a pretty great camera except it had occasional focus hiccups. I did appreciate the UI and its ability to set the "Green Button" (a Pentax feature) to either idiot mode or quick-settings-for-advanced-users mode. It's something more manufacturers should adopt.

The other compact is the budget RZ10, a 14 megapixel camera with a 28-280mm equivalent 10x zoom lens, with a 720p movie mode, and a low price of US$220 to go. Not many outstanding features at this price point for a compact travel zoom, but it does boast a 9 FPS high speed shooting mode. It does look a bit toy like though; the green is especially unappealing. Both cameras will be available next month. Photo of the (non-green) RZ10 and a sample of the RS1000 skins after the break.

Pentax Optio RS1000 News Source: DPReview.com

Pentax Optio RZ10 News Source: DPReview.com