Pentax 645

February 26, 2007 - Pentax Japan announced the 31.6 megapixel Pentax 645 Digital medium format camera. Launch date is tentative, according to Pentax.

The Pentax 645 Digital medium format camera has an upgraded 31.6- megapixel Kodak CCD sensor, up from a previous 18-megapixel sensor announced last year. Although details are limited, the manufacturer states the Pentax 645 will accept both CF and SD memory cards. It will be compatible with smc Pentax 645 interchangeable lenses. The launch date will be announced at a later time, according to the Pentax Japan website.


Along with the introduction of the Pentax 645, Pentax plans to introduce the smc Pentax-D FA645 55mm f/2.8 lens for exclusive use with the new digital medium format camera as well as older film medium format SLRs. The FA645 55mm lens will be launched alongside the Pentax 645 camera.

Pentax *ist DS

Pentax claims that the *ist
DS is the smallest and
lightest digital SLR on
the market at moment. This isn’t
just some hollow boast based
on a few millimetres shaved here
and there, but a difference that’s
obvious the moment you see it
and pick it up. It makes the Canon
EOS 300D seem bulbous, and
the Nikon D70 look like a great
battleship of a thing.
Size isn’t everything, of course,
and many a good camera has been
ruined by being too small to hold
comfortably. The *ist DS manages
to steer clear of this trap, and
although its lack of height in the
body means that your little fi nger
overhangs the base of the camera,
it still offers a comfortable and
secure one-handed grip.

Competitive pricing

This isn’t the fi rst Pentax digital
SLR – the original *ist D came out
well over a year ago (reviewed in
DCM November 2003, it scored
94%). Although the *ist D is
undoubtedly an excellent camera
in its own right, it’s fairly expensive
compared with its rivals. Selling at
a street price of around £740 with
lens, the *ist DS is a pared-down
version of its older brother. And, at
this price, it now compares much
more favourably with the latest
discount prices on the ageing
Canon EOS 300D, and it undercuts
the D70, even with Nikon’s latest
price realignments.

Reduced features?

These reductions in size and cost
lead us to ask: has Pentax taken
away too many features of the
original *ist D and left us with a
camera that’s not up to the job?
And does the low price point mean
compromises in build quality too?
The *ist DS is designed for all
levels of photographer, including
fi rst-time digital SLR users. It
has a simplifi ed feature set and
control layout, and externally
it’s remarkably free of knobs
and buttons (the downside of
this means that many common
functions are less accessible).
On the back of the camera a Fn
button displays a four-way menu
system on aN LCD. You press up
on the navipad to change the drive
mode, right to alter the ISO, down
to change the fl ash mode and left
to alter the white balance.
There’s also a choice of three
different metering patterns
(multi-pattern, centre-weighted
and spot), but you have to trawl
through the menus to get to them.
Although you can get by using fi ll
fl ash and a little experimentation,
you may be disappointed to note
that the fl ash modes don’t include
any slow sync options.
Overall, however, the *ist
DS does in fact do pretty well
everything you need in a budget
digital SLR.

Built to last

Despite being a budget camera,
the *ist DS is built around a rigid
stainless steel chassis, and there’s
a feeling of solidity and precision
about it. Its only weakness is the
lightweight feel to the navipad and
central OK button, but otherwise
this camera comfortably beats the
300D for ‘feel’.
Power comes from four AA cells
or two lithium-ion rechargeable
batteries. If you use AAs, you’re
likely to stick to rechargeable
NiMH cells. These aren’t as reliable
in use or storage as lithium-ion
cells, but in the *ist DS they offer a
capacity of up to 440 shots (more
if you don’t use fl ash), which isn’t
bad at all. Disposable CR-V3 cells
are expensive, but they’re an even
better option because they can last
up to 850 shots.
This suggests that the camera
has a pretty modest power
consumption and hence less risk
of unexpected power loss. It’s also
remarkable that Pentax is able to
manufacture the world’s smallest
digital SLR, yet still fi nd space
inside for four AAs rather than the
much slimmer lithium-ion cells that
are used by other manufacturers.

Lens improvements

In one respect at least, the *ist
DS is superior to the original *ist
D. The only ‘kit’ lens option with
the older camera is a fl imsy and
lacklustre 18-35mm zoom. In
contrast, the *ist DS can be bought
with a digital lens that has a better
build and wider focal range. The
18-55mm zoom is an exact match
for the 18-55mm lens supplied
with the Canon EOS 300D, though
neither can match the focal range
of the Nikon D70’s 18-70mm.
Like the Canon lens, the Pentax
zoom has an aperture range of
f3.5-5.6. It’s in the handling,
however, that the two lenses
differ. First, the Pentax lens has a
smoother and fi rmer zoom action.
Second, the focusing ring at the
front of the lens has a far better
feel to it, and there’s a distance
scale too. In addition, the front
element of the lens doesn’t rotate
during focusing, which means that
you can attach polarising fi lters
and graduates and not have to
reposition them every time the
camera chooses a new focus point.
The *ist DS has another, less
obvious, advantage over Canon’s
EOS 300D: the viewfi nder.
According to Pentax, it’s equal in
size, clarity and brightness to fi lm
camera viewfi nders. You might not
notice the difference at fi rst, but
if you have the opportunity to put
the Pentax to your eye, then the
Canon and fi nally the Nikon, you’ll
fi nd that the viewfi nders in the
Canon and Nikon do indeed seem
rather cramped.
The larger viewfi nder image
isn’t just cosmetic, either – it
enables more precise focusing with
wide-angle zoom settings.
And, amazingly in an amateur
camera, the focusing screens
are interchangeable, so you can
substitute a split image or ‘scale
matte’ screen.
There are a couple of other
surprises. One is a sensitivity
range that goes from ISO 200
up to ISO 1600. The other is
the camera’s compatibility with
a huge number of older Pentax
lenses, right back to the 1960s and
screw-mount Takumar optics that
can still be used on this camera,
via an adaptor. There are some
operational restrictions (metering
and exposure modes), depending
on the type of lens, but the fact
that you can use them at all will
be a welcome surprise for longstanding
Pentax owners.
Although the *ist DS uses
SD memory cards rather than
CompactFlash, it isn’t the problem
that it might have been because
these days SD cards are readily
available in high capacities and at
comparable prices.

Is it a good buy?

The Pentax’s image quality is
every bit as good as its rivals.
Colours and contrast are
exceptionally strong, there’s little
colour fringing and the lens shows
low levels of barrel distortion.
So, if you’re looking for a
compact and satisfying build,
plus image quality as good as a
6-megapixel sensor can provide,
then the *ist DS is surely the new
budget standard. You certainly
won’t be disappointed…

Pentax Optio WP

Most of us have been in
situations where we’ve
feared for the safety of
our beloved camera. Whether it’s
trying to snap surfers on a Cornish
beach, or attempting to capture
the excitement of a tropical
monsoon, it’s a terrible moment
when you wonder whether the
potential image is worth the
possible damage.
Pentax is taking on the current
rash of ‘splash-proof’ cameras with
the latest addition to its burgeoning
Optio range. The Optio WP is
immune to the elements, straight
out of the box.

Deeper and down

Pentax claims that it can be
submerged underwater for up to
30 minutes to a depth of 1.5 metres
(fi ve feet). While this means that
it’s great for messing around in the
water and other damp places such
as ski slopes, it’s only really good for
hanging around near the surface.
Still, the WP’s underwater ability’s
handy if you’re on holiday and
don’t want to leave your camera on
the beach while you have a quick
dip in the sea.
The waterproof nature of the
WP gives it a distinctive look. It’s
fi nished in a mixture of silver and
grey, with rounded edges and
very little in the way of exposed
parts. One element of the camera
that gives us immediate cause for
concern is the 3x optical zoom lens:
we’d certainly prefer to have some
kind of sliding cover to protect it,
instead of a clear glass face.

The inside story

The WP’s 5-megapixel sensor
is backed up with an impressive
array of features and functionality,
including the ability to set the white
balance according to your shooting
conditions – outside or inside,
depending on the type of light.
It’s strange that there’s no
underwater white balance setting
on the WP, just a palatte of
shooting modes, accessed via the
Mode Select edge of the fi ve-way
navipad. Of particular note are
the dedicated Underwater Scene
program and, rather intriguingly, a
group of Pet modes with a choice
of cat or dog, dark or light fur
options. The Pet mode activates an
autofocus tracking function, where
the subject is monitored and kept
in focus.
The WP has a handy Green
mode which is, unsurprisingly,
activated by pressing a green
button. This takes the camera into
basic point-and-click operation,
and it’s perhaps best used when
passing the camera to uninitiated
members of your family at
Christmas. The Green button can
also be set to provide easy access
to any of the other settings on the
camera – a welcome feature.
In use, the Optio WP benefi ts
from a rapid start-up time, and
it’s quick off the mark when it
comes to shooting in general. Sadly,
it’s certainly not perfect in terms
of handling. The WP’s a pretty
small camera, and while all the
controls are easily accessed when
shooting landscape shots, once
you turn it through 90 degrees and
try to shoot portraits the zoom
control becomes more diffi cult
to access. More annoyingly, in
this position the shutter release
disappears from under your fi nger
– we managed to turned the
camera off a couple of times while
we were shooting!
With so many features and
functions on offer, we were half
expecting image quality to be
below par as a consequence.
However, while the WP doesn’t
quite manage to reproduce the
image quality of several of its
5-megapixel compact rivals, it still
performs remarkably well.

Blurred vision

The WP’s exposure is accurate
enough in most conditions,
and image defi nition is pretty
impressive. Look a bit deeper into
the image, however, and textual
details appear blurred. Chromatic
aberration is kept to a respectable
minimum when shooting highcontrast
subjects, and while there’s
a certain amount of darkening
around the far edges of the image,
this isn’t as pronounced as it can
appear with lenses that are capable
of more zoom.
The WP captures colours
particularly well, with skin tones
and more extravagant hues coming
across impressively – especially
if you’ve got to shoot in bright
sunlight. On overcast days,
however, the white balance fi nds
the job a bit trickier, underlining
the fact that this camera is a real
holiday snapper.

What’s the verdict?

The WP is certainly a neat, compact
camera, and if you’re the sporty
type, then its rugged good looks
and waterproof casing could prove
tempting. However, we can’t help
feeling that these positive points
have been added at the cost of a
couple of negatives – most notably,
the camera lacks the out and out
image quality of some of its more
fragile competition…

Pentax Optio S

If you’ve already read the review of the Casio
Exilim EX-Z3 this issue, then let’s start off by
saying that it has a lot in common with this
Pentax Optio S model. The Optio S also has a set of
external dimensions that are really quite extraordinarily
small. Both cameras are so slim that you wonder how
they can accommodate the 3x optical zooms they’re
equipped with, never mind all the other electronics
needed to capture, process and store digital images.
Not only is the Pentax incredibly slim, it also exudes
an air of quality that belies its comparatively modest
price. This impression’s enhanced by a milled metal
finish that not only looks good but also gives your
fingers a surface to grip on. All too often, digital cameras
can come across as a triumph of style over function, but
the Pentax offers both features and design finesse in a
package so neat that it makes other cameras look
positively bloated.

The ultimate lightweight?

The Optio S is quite a departure compared to other
cameras in the Optio range. Pentax’s other digital
models are pretty compact, but the Optio S and its
aluminium body weigh in at just 98g – as the press
material points out, that’s less than a mobile phone.
This doesn’t seem to restrict the camera’s
photographic features at all. The 3.2-megapixel CCD is
large enough for enlargements up to A4 and there are
all the usual controls such as white balance, EV
compensation, digital zoom, adjustments for sharpness,
saturation, contrast and white balance.
The Pentax goes further. There’s even a world time
function and an alarm clock. This isn’t just a camera, it’s
practically a personal organiser.
The Optio S is also similar physically to the Casio
Exilim EX-Z3, though internally, there are more
differences. Where the Exilim provides 21 Best Shot
modes, the Pentax offers a selection of eight
comparable ‘scene’ modes. Interestingly, you can get to
these by pressing down on the four-way navigational
control pad whereupon it displays a circular mode
‘wheel’ on the LCD, rather like the system used in
some Olympus cameras.
The navigational controller itself is on the small side.
It’s a little thumbpad with a central ‘OK’ action, and
while it looks good, it’s not as effective as separate
buttons – it’s too easy to accidentally push in one
direction or another when you want to ‘OK’ an action.
Having said that, the Pentax doesn’t have the worst
controller we’ve used by any means, and it gets the
job done.
The LCD display is a pretty good size given the
dimensions of the camera, at 1.6 inches. It’s bright and
sharp, though it does tend to respond a little sluggishly
in very low lighting. Outdoors, it’s very effective – it’s
only in the very brightest lighting that it starts to get a
bit too faint to make out.
Feature-packed
The Pentax’s startup time is not bad at three seconds,
and its shutter lag – or lack of it – is especially
impressive. Indeed, when you’re shooting in good light
out of doors, you could almost convince yourself it’s not
focusing at all. (Nevertheless, shots are consistently
sharp and well-focused.) Repeated tests suggest that
the shutter lag averages out at no more than half a
second, and it seems no slower indoors in lower lighting
either. The lag increases with longer telephoto settings,
but not by much.
You can focus manually, too, via a distance scale.
You can also choose focusing points when you’re in
autofocus mode. The Pentax offers a surprising level
of sophistication in other areas, including three
different exposure metering patterns.
And Pentax has its own trademark feature – a 3D
mode. It uses the old stereoscopic principle, shooting
the same subject from two slightly different angles
(you have to reposition the camera yourself). The
two images are then placed side by side and
viewed using special 3D glasses (you can practise
your own 3D viewing skills without them). It’s a
novelty, maybe, but the 3D effect also happens to
be eerily convincing.
With a camera of this size, of course, handling is
going to be a concern. Because small though it is,
the Pentax is also remarkably wieldy. The milled
metal finish is easy to grip, and an indentation on
the backplate gives you somewhere to rest your
thumb. The Optio S is neat and effective to use –
more so than many much larger cameras.

What’s on the menu

The menus are big, easy to navigate and
straightforward. This is essentially a point-and-shoot
camera after all, so you wouldn’t really expect them
to be that extensive. Besides, you don’t need the
menus at all for many of the functions. To apply EV
compensation, for example, you just press the
navipad to the left or right, repeating the action to
set the level of compensation you want to apply to
your pictures. Playback mode offers fast cycling
between images, and you can add voice annotations
to saved images at this point too.
So far, the Pentax seems to offer few advantages
over the similarly priced Casio Exilim. Indeed, the
Exilim’s Best Shot mode offers more choice than the
Pentax’s scene modes, and the Casio’s LCD is a lot
larger, too. So is there any reason to choose it?

Winning combination

The Pentax does produce better images. They’re a
little crisper, a lot more saturated and have more
overall ‘punch’. They might not have the sheer
vividness and clarity of the Canon PowerShot A70,
but they’re still good by 3-megapixel standards.
More to the point, this is a sub-miniature camera
that’s as sophisticated, as wieldy, as affordable and
as downright good as any 3-megapixel snapshot.
This makes the Pentax a truly impressive package.
If you’re on a tight budget or you’re determined to
get the maximum number of features possible per
pound, then this isn’t the obvious choice. But if your
photographic knowledge is basic and you’re looking
for a beautifully made camera capable of highquality
shots – and one small enough to carry
around with you all the time – then this is surely
the camera for you.