67 verified purchasers have reviewed this product.
94% of people recommend it.
Show scores of…
*not all purchasers provided a score or review
Score 10.0/10
+
ease of use I am a pensioner and after getting it as a replacement for kodak digital couldnt be happier the video clarity amazes me.
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none found as yet
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
purchased 14 Apr 2009
paul, accrington
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
Score 10.0/10
+
excellent pictures, quality, ease of use
-
night time pictures could be better
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
purchased 23 Apr 2009
Sharon, Sevenoaks
, “Experienced amateur”
More like this »
Score 10.0/10
+
Excellent, neat little camera, simple to understand. Great quality pictures and easy to use has plenty of features, some I still have to learn about. My friend also bought one, she is used to the old type of camera and not good with gadgets, although daunted at first she is now really pleased she bought it as am I can't fault it really. Makes taking good pictures easy.
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none
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
purchased 04 Apr 2009
Robin, Crawley
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
Score 9.0/10
+
Good Colour reproduction.
Good selection of manual functions.
Image Stabiliser.
-
Zoom not available in Movie Mode
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
purchased 28 Apr 2009
Barbara, Redditch
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
Score 10.0/10
+
Super camera, really gald I bought it. Actually it was a pressie for my partner and it is better than mine. I borrow it for the best pics.
-
Reviewer left no comment
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
purchased 13 Apr 2009
Anonymous verified purchaser
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
Score 8.0/10
+
slim compact good quality
-
transferring software is a bit clunky
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
purchased 13 Apr 2009
Dave, NW London
, “Keen amateur”
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+
Beautifully made, a real pleasure to use
-
None whatsoever
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
purchased 03 Apr 2009
Score 10.0/10
+
excellent package at a very reasonable price
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Reviewer left no comment
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
purchased 02 Apr 2009
Anonymous verified purchaser
, “Keen amateur”
More like this »
Score 10.0/10
+
Compact, neat, quality
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Reviewer left no comment
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
purchased 12 Apr 2009
Anonymous verified purchaser
Score 7.0/10
+
good picture quality
-
operating manual very poor
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
purchased 17 May 2009
Bedo, Kosice
Score 9.0/10
+
full customizability, full manual controls provided (AE/AF/MF), great picture quality (in its class), adjustable picture parameters (on a 'low contrast' setting image quality approaches a 10-12 MPix DSLR in some respects), 'intelligent' digital zoom, mechanical and digital shake reduction, quick operation, good quality LCD
-
a bit noisy above ISO100, still usable up to ISO 800 though - but then this is to be expected from a 12 megapixel compact. The good thing is that noise resembles grain more than anything else. Movie quality only so-so.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
purchased 25 May 2009
Lucy, Bridport, Dorset
Score 9.0/10
+
Super little camera, great oics, easy to use and compact.
-
Software is a little frustrating at times....
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
purchased 21 May 2009
Lisa, Surrey
Score 10.0/10
+
Easy and intuitive to use - I haven't read the manual at all. Amazing quality pictures.
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No view-finder. Not such a downside once you get used to this, particularly considering the amazing ease of use and quality of the camera and images, but sometimes a view-finder would be handy! Having said this, the screen is large and very clear, so as mentioned not too much of a downside.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
purchased 16 Jun 2009
Duncan, Haddington
Score 8.0/10
+
Simple to use.
-
No viewfinder - dificult to frame picture in bright light if you cannot see the screen
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
purchased 18 Jun 2009
Laura, Glasgow
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
Score 10.0/10
+
Camera is really easy to use and holds a decent charge.
-
Reviewer left no comment
purchased 03 May 2009
FAUZIA, GILLINGHAM
Score 7.0/10
+
GOOD QUALITY PICTURES
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NOT THAT EASY TO USE
purchased 06 May 2009
thierry, Amersham
, “Keen amateur”
More like this »
Score 10.0/10
+
great value for money and with far more features than listed, including a "pet picture" set-up (already tested on my two labradors!).
Easy to operate, great screen, compact yet solid. as good as anything twice its price! 10/10.
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No case as standard. If I had a wish to make, it would be to do a splashproof option (I hike all the time and my last camera did not like it!)
purchased 21 May 2009
Ryanke, Liverpool
Score 10.0/10
+
Excellent product . Image quality great.
-
None so far
purchased 04 May 2009
Anonymous verified purchaser
Score 7.0/10
+
Simple to set up, ease of use.
-
Not enough quality for distance photography
purchased 04 Jun 2009
John, Beverley
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
Score 9.0/10
+
Looks good, lightweight, easy to use even for a non-technophobe like myself
-
Image quality not quite as good as expected, but maybe because I set camera for max 5 megapixels...
Have now set it to 12 megapixels on advice of my daughter so hopefully this will improve.
purchased 06 Jun 2009
Anonymous verified purchaser
Score 10.0/10
+
Excellent value for money. Easy to use and compact design is perfect for putting in your pocket or small handbag. Just taken my daughters graduation pictures, they came out brill!
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Reviewer left no comment
purchased 06 Jun 2009
mark, newcastle upon tyne
Score 9.0/10
purchased 28 Jun 2009
Score 9.0/10
+
It's very easy to use and very compact in size. It would have been better if it had a larger screen otherwise a good camera
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Nothing to report as yet
purchased 20 Jul 2009
Anonymous verified purchaser
Score 8.0/10
+
POCKET SIZED, GOOD FEATURES, NEAT -I HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO USE ALL FEATURES YET OR PRINT FROM THE CAMERA EITHER
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YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT IMAGE YOU'RE TAKING WHEN IT'S VERY LIGHT AND EQUALLY WHEN IT'S EVENING.
purchased 13 Jul 2009
Anonymous verified purchaser
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
Score 10.0/10
+
nice & neat small enough to fit into any handbag on a day out, very easy to use
-
hard to see thw picture you are taking on the screen in the sunlight
purchased 13 Jul 2009
Michelle, Leeds
Score 10.0/10
+
I took this camera on a night out, I couldn't see a thing in the view finder, but the pictures were brilliant. Excellent small camera.
-
None so far!
purchased 11 Jul 2009
John, Conwy
Score 9.0/10
+
Good battery life & quick charging. Photos seem very good quality. Automatic functions very easy and others like macro quite intuitive.
-
Does not come with protective case and memory stick also extra cost.
purchased 29 Jul 2009
Barry , OLdham
Score 3.0/10
purchased 31 Jul 2009
Anonymous verified purchaser
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
Score 10.0/10
+
Easy to use takes great pictures
-
Pictures on the camera can only be viewed when the lens is open i.e. camera ready to take pictures :-)
purchased 13 Apr 2009
sheryl, london
Score 10.0/10
+
It has a re-chargable battery which has a long life. It's light and compact easy to fit in your pocket.
-
it takes a couple of seconds to take the photo.
purchased 25 Jul 2009
Anonymous verified purchaser
, “Experienced amateur”
More like this »
Score 10.0/10
+
so easy to use set up straight away and take pictures instantly really happy with this purchase and thought it was a bargain aswell
-
for me there is no bad points yet!!!!
purchased 08 Aug 2009
John, London
Score 2.0/10
+
Noting that redeems the poor quality pictures. My 4 year old 6 megapixel camera took far better pictures. But was a larger camera
-
Not bad in very good light but overall pictures are not great
purchased 19 Jun 2009
Karen, Beverley
Score 10.0/10
+
Bought this for informal pictures of my daughters graduation...excellent value for money and ease of use. You can just point and shoot, or for the more adventurous, there are the usual 'special' features!! A great camera at a fab price!!
-
Reviewer left no comment
purchased 06 Jun 2009
nikhil, london
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
Score 9.0/10
+
Stability control is very very good. Some very good quality shots and lots of features
-
Wish the movie mode could use zoom and ccd shifting stability controls
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
purchased 04 May 2009
Tina, Felixstowe
, “Point & shoot”
More like this »
+
This is so easy to use and load photo's on to computer, love the face detection.
-
Reviewer left no comment
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
purchased 25 May 2009
severine, ashford
, “Keen amateur”
More like this »
Score 6.0/10
+
Reviewer left no comment
-
No black and white pictures... how strange???
1 of 8 people found this review helpful
purchased 07 Apr 2009
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Expert reviews for Pentax Optio A40
PC Advisor expert review - by Kathleen Cullen
The Pentax Optio A40 is the latest result of Pentax's tradition of producing simple, usable, ultracompact cameras that have high-quality optics.
This Pentax Optio A40 review continued on PC Advisor
reviewed 26 Sep 2008
Camera Type
 
|
Compact
|
|
There are 2 main types of camera: The SLR and the Compact.
SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. SLR cameras use a prism to reflect the exact image as seen through the lens and so offers a more accurate viewfinder. SLR cameras have detachable lenses offering greater flexibility if you wish to take a variety of different photographs.
Compact cameras have a built in lens and an ‘above lens’ viewfinder which is less accurate but they are often cheaper, more sleekly designed and easier to carry anywhere with you to capture that moment perfectly without having to fiddle with complex settings or a bag full of lenses.
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resolution (Megapixel)
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12
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|
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resolution (Megapixel)
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12.43
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|
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Optical Zoom Ratio
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6
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The amount by which the camera optics (lens) can bring the subject closer.
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Screen Size in Inches
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2.5
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Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
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Digital Zoom Ratio
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6
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Not to be confused with optical zoom, digital zoom enlarges a portion of the image thus simulating optical zoom. In doing so, some image quality is lost.
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Face Recognition
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Face Detection
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A function for automatically detecting peoples faces and correctly adjusting the focus and exposure to take the best photo
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Image Stabilisation
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Electronical Image Stabiliser
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If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images.
It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
|
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Image Stabilisation
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Yes
|
If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images.
It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
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Colour
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Multi
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The main colour of the product.
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Memory Card Slot
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Yes
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|
Having a memory card slot allows you to save data to a memory card and then transfer it to another device. For example you may put a photo from your camera or mobile phone onto a memory card and then plug it into your printer to print directly.
Memory card slots come in many formats:
Compact Flash Card
Memory Stick Duo
Micro SD Card
MMC
SD Card
SDHC Card
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Media Format
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SDHC Card
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|
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to.
The main types of card media format:
Compact Flash
Micro SD
MMC (Multi Media Card)
SD Card (Secure Digital)
SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
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PictBridge
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Yes
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An industry standard allowing images to be printed from camera to printer, without needing a computer. CIPA PictBridge Standard Website
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Macro Mode
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Yes
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This mode allows close-up photograpy of small objects such as insects and flowers.
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Video Recorder
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Yes
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Video recording functionality allows the capture of videos in mpeg or avi format which is great if you want to capture a whole scene, not just one moment.
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Manual Focus
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No
|
|
Almost all modern cameras have autofocus. Manual focus allows you to override the autofocus and set the distance yourself. This is especially useful if your camera is struggling to focus in a low-light or confusing scene.
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Timer
|
Yes
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|
Having a timer function is essential if you want to get into the shot yourself. Make sure your camera has this feature if you plan to go on holiday and capture photos of you and your friends or family having fun together.
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Under Water
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No
|
|
An under water feature means your camera is safe to dive with, usually between 3 and 5 metres. Most dSLR cameras will require expensive separate housing so consider investing in a waterproof digital compact first.
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Weight (g)
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130
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The weight of the product in grams.
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Flash
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Yes
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Whether or not your camera has an in-built flash.
Flashes are essential for fully capturing a low light image.
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Body Only
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No
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|
dSLR cameras have detachable lenses and are sold in a variety of combinations. This facet lets you know whether the package your are considering comes bundled with a lens or whether it is just the body of the camera.
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WiFi
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No
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Wifi allows you to connect your device to wireless routers or modems which allows you to connect to broadband internet.
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Shortest Shutter Speed
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1/2000
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|
This is the fastest speed at which the camera can take a photo. Faster shutter speeds really freeze the action and are great for sports photography.
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Longest Shutter Speed
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4
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This is the longest exposure your camera will take. The longer you take a photo for, the more light is let in and the more motion is captured.
Long shutter speeds can give fantastic, artistic results.
Try photographing the night sky at 30s or longer to see how the rotation of the Earth causes the stars to curve through the scene.
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Longest Shutter Speed
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4"
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This is the longest exposure your camera will take. The longer you take a photo for, the more light is let in and the more motion is captured.
Long shutter speeds can give fantastic, artistic results.
Try photographing the night sky at 30s or longer to see how the rotation of the Earth causes the stars to curve through the scene.
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Dimensions (mm)
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57x89x23.5
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The size of the device in millimetres, in width x height x depth.
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Resolution (Pixels)
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3000x4000
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A camera sensor, that captures the photograph, is measured in pixels. The number given here is the horizontal amount of pixels followed by the vertical quantity of pixels.
The more pixels a camera sensor has, the bigger and higher quality the image will be.
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Max. Aperture Lens 1
|
f2.8-5.4
|
Measured in f-stops the aperture of a lens dictates the maximum amount of light captured.
If you want to do low light photography look for something with a wide aperture like f2.8.
The widest aperture is given as a range as it changes when your lens is zoomed in.
|
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In-Built Memory (MB)
|
22
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|
|
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USB Port
|
Yes
|
|
Socket for connecting devices such as a computers and other components
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Release Date
|
19 Feb 2008
|
|
The date the product was originally made available for purchase.
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Also known as: Optio A40
Digital Cameras Buyers' Guide
Photos taken with this camera
Manufacturer's Description
The latest model in the “optio A” series. Pentax’s top class compact digital cameras that purse high image quality and high performance. The optio A40 has an increased 12.0 effective megapixels and high image quality rivaling that of SLR cameras.
- 12.0 Effective Megapixels For Higher Image quality and Enhanced Performance
- Three types Of Anti-Shake Functions To Suit Any Photography Situation
- Face Recognition AF&AE Function That Photographs Portrait More Beautifully With Simple Operation
- New “Dynamic Range Adjustment” Function To Prevent White Outs and Black Outs
- Bright and easy To View LCD Monitor
- 3X optical Zoom and 6X Digital Zoom For A Maximum Of 17.9X Magnification
- Video Recording Function Enabling High Qualilty recording For Long Periods Of time
Score 8.9/10
Score 9.1/10
