Pentax Optio X - New Toy

[rutt]

Looking for a tiny camera with waist level shooting, I settled on one of these. They are pretty cheap for what they are -- 5MP, very small, pretty fast, $319 at Adorama.

Took it on a ski trip over the last week (along with some other stuff, posts soon.) This camera is smaller than an ipod, but maybe a little larger than a mini. It seems quite solid. Controls are simple.

I turned down in camera sharpening and saturation as much as possible and shot at highest quality available. Here are some shots in difficult noon time light on the mountain. No post processing at all:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16576464-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16576657-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16576523-L.jpg

This one is me (I think the fill flash was turned on):

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16459426-L.jpg

These were taken in better light, during a storm with flat light:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16222001-L.jpg

And just plain mountain flat light:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16459315-L.jpg

Here's a classic for a pocket camera, out the airplane window at 5pm. This is Boston harbor:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16221611-L.jpg

And here are some from very low light. Waiting for luggage at midnight in Boston (flash diabled):

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16576884-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16577129-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16577078-L.jpg

And here is a really difficult lighting situation:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16577356-L.jpg

That was with the cab stopped and the camera resting on the seat back. Here's one with the cab in motion and the camera held free:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16577205-L.jpg

What I like about all of these is that they are shots I just wouldn't have gotten with my DSLR. I wouldn't have had the camera. I would have had to get it out. It would have attracted too much attention. Too hard to get the low angle. Whatever. There are plenty of things a DSLR can do that this wee camera cannot, but the reverse is also true.

[wxwax]

You make an excellent point, mr. rutt. :nod I really like the first image. And the girl by the luggage carousel. So you're an adventure skier, eh? :bow

[luckyrwe]

So, on the average, how much time lapses from when you press the shutter release until the camera actually fires?

[rutt]

So, on the average, how much time lapses from when you press the shutter release until the camera actually fires?
It's fast enough, perhaps 1/4 second. The time between shots is more disturbing to a 1dmkii owner, maybe 2 seconds.

[rutt]

Oh, I meant to mention a drawback of this camera. No optical viewfinder makes outdoor photography difficult in bright sunlight. Very hard with google or sunglasses. Without these, it's hard but I got the hang of it.

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16313295-L.jpg

[rutt]

It's fast enough, perhaps 1/4 second. The time between shots is more disturbing to a 1dmkii owner, maybe 2 seconds.
I guess I should be more accurate here. In very low light, like at the airport it can take seconds for the thing to focus and adjust itself for the light. After it does this, it shoots almost instantly. Outdoors, the focus and adjustment cycle takes maybe 1/4 second or less. In short, nobody can mistake this thing for a 1dmkii, but as I said, it has a different mission profile.

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16313311-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/16313321-L.jpg

[luckyrwe]

It's fast enough, perhaps 1/4 second. The time between shots is more disturbing to a 1dmkii owner, maybe 2 seconds.
Wow, the musket of the camera world. :D

[fish]

so rutt...didn't you already get in trouble for shooting other people's kids? wtf, over? :huh

[rutt]

so rutt...didn't you already get in trouble for shooting other people's kids? wtf, over? :huh
Waddaya gonna do with me? I suppose I'm just incorrigible. The kids at the airport were probably more dangerous than the ones at the ski resort. In both cases I had my own with me, which helps.

[rutt]

Wow, the musket of the camera world. :D
I don't know if this helps, but I've used a Canon S500 and this camera is very comparable in terms of speed, image quality, and size. For all I know it shares a lot of hardware. The S500 is almost twice as thick as the Optio X, but maybe about 80% as wide. The heights are basically the same.

So compared to the S500, chose between CF and SD cards. Chose between waist level shooting and an optical viewfinder. I think the Optio's dimensions are a bit more friendly to pockets. It's comfortable enough in my pants pocket.