Pentax Optio A40 Reviews: Digital Compact Camera

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Pentax Optio A40 Reviews: Digital Compact Camera reviews

This digital camera is a good all rounder.

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9.0 out of 10 based on 65 reviews.

Pentax Optio A40: 12.43 MP (Megapixels), 6x optical zoom, SDHC Card storage, Yes image stabiliser digital Compact camera.

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Pentax Optio RS1500 Chameleon

Score 8.5/10 Read 4 reviews

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Ease of use	8.8
Image quality	8.7
Features	8.8
Build Quality	8.8
Value for money	9.1
Overall rating	9.0

Some customer reviews of Pentax Optio A40

Most helpful reviews

Barry , OLdham

Score 3.0/10

Good points:: none
Bad points:: picture quality

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	1.0
Features	6.0
Build Quality	6.0
Value for money	1.0
Overall rating	3.0

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Confirmed purchase: 31 Jul 2009

John, Conwy

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Good battery life & quick charging. Photos seem very good quality. Automatic functions very easy and others like macro quite intuitive.
Bad points:: Does not come with protective case and memory stick also extra cost.

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Confirmed purchase: 29 Jul 2009

sheryl, london

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: It has a re-chargable battery which has a long life. It's light and compact easy to fit in your pocket.
Bad points:: it takes a couple of seconds to take the photo.

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 25 Jul 2009

John, London

Score 2.0/10

Good points:: Noting that redeems the poor quality pictures. My 4 year old 6 megapixel camera took far better pictures. But was a larger camera
Bad points:: Not bad in very good light but overall pictures are not great

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	2.0
Features	7.0
Build Quality	7.0
Value for money	2.0
Overall rating	2.0

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Confirmed purchase: 19 Jun 2009

Confirmed purchaser Point & shoot

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: Easy to use takes great pictures
Bad points:: Pictures on the camera can only be viewed when the lens is open i.e. camera ready to take pictures :-)

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	7.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 13 Apr 2009

Confirmed purchaser Experienced amateur

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: so easy to use set up straight away and take pictures instantly really happy with this purchase and thought it was a bargain aswell
Bad points:: for me there is no bad points yet!!!!

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 08 Aug 2009

Karen, Beverley

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: 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!!
Bad points:: Reviewer left no comment

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 06 Jun 2009

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This Pentax Optio A40 is reviewed on Macworld

This Pentax Optio A40 is reviewed on PC Advisor

This Pentax Optio A40 is reviewed on Pocket Lint

Product Features

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.
Resolution (Megapixels)	12

Resolution (Megapixels)	12.43

Optical zoom ratio	6
The amount by which the camera optics (lens) can bring the subject closer.
Screen size (Inches)	2.5
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Digital zoom ratio	6
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.
Type of image stabiliser	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.
Type of image stabiliser	Electronic
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.
Touchscreen	No
Touchscreen technology allows you to move and click things directly on the screen using your finger or a stylus pen.
3D	No

Colour	Multi
The main colour of the product.
Media format	SDHC Card
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)
PictBridge	Yes
An industry standard allowing images to be printed from camera to printer, without needing a computer. CIPA PictBridge Standard Website
Macro Mode	Yes
This mode allows close-up photograpy of small objects such as insects and flowers.
Video recorder	Yes
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.
Manual Focus	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.
Timer	Yes

Weight (g)	130
The weight of the product in grams.
Flash	Yes
Whether or not your camera has an in-built flash. Flashes are essential for fully capturing a low light image.
Body Only	No
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.
WiFi	No
Wifi allows you to connect your device to wireless routers or modems which allows you to connect to broadband internet.
Shortest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/2000
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.
Longest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/4
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.
Waterproof	No
If your camera is waterproof you will be able to film under water which is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
Viewfinder	LCD Monitor
USB port	Yes
Socket for connecting devices such as a computers and other components.
Dimensions (mm)	57x89x23.5
The size of the device in millimetres, in width x height x depth.
RAW Format	No
GPS Receiver	No

Resolution (Pixels)	3000x4000
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.
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.
In-built memory (Megabytes)	22

Release date	2008-02-19
The date the product was originally made available for purchase.
Height in mm	56.5

Width in mm	89

Depth in mm	23.5

Serial Shot Mode	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth is a technology for the wireless transfer of data such as contacts, photos and music between mobile phones, computers and a host of other Bluetooth enabled devices. Read more about Bluetooth on Wikipedia
Autofocus	Yes
Range Finder Type	LCD Monitor
Changeable Lens	No
Highest focal length (Millimetres)	111

Lowest focal length (Millimetres)	37

Also known as: Optio A40

Digital Cameras Buyers' Guide

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

More info at Pentax's website

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