Pentax Optio E40

Updated - Friday, 22nd February 2008

Latest Update - Review and Sample Test Photos by RegHardware (added 22 February ‘08)

Pentax Optio E40 features:

8.1 megapixel
3x optical zoom
2.4 inch (110K pixel) LCD
ISO range: 80, 160, 320, 400, 800, 1000
Shooting modes: Auto, Program auto, Night Scene, Movie, Voice Recording, Landscape, Flower, Portrait, Surf & Snow, Sport, Digital SR, Kids, Pet, Panorama, Frame Composite, Green
Accepts SD and SDHC media
Powered by 2 AA batteries (alkaline, NiMH, lithium)k

Read More Reviews - (updated 22 February ‘08)

RegHardware
PCAdvisor
DigitalCameraReview
Steves-Digicams

RegHardware - 27 December’07 - reviews the Pentax Optio E40 and thinks it does a pretty good job, just not outstanding. Here’s a summary of their review -
“Let’s face it, it one of the lesser expensive cameras out there but it does a reasonable job but it does tend to produce sketchy photo quality. It’s got a lot of nice features but competition at this level is pretty hot and you can get better quality for just a little bit more money.”

PCAdvisor - 27 December’07 - reviews the Pentax Optio E40 and notes for such an inexpensive camera it fast and responsive. Here’s an excerpt from the review verdict -
“If you’re on a very tight budget or want a snapshot camera all the family will be able to get to grips with this Christmas, the Pentax Optio E40 is worth further investigation. For the price you really can’t go wrong.”

DigitalCameraReview - 30 November’07 - reviews the Pentax Optio E40 and thought the camera was easy to operate yet failed to impress them them with any unique features. Here’s an excerpt from the review conclusion -
“The Pentax Optio E40 comes fairly equipped and for a good price. It’s simple to shoot - with 8.1 megapixel resolution, a 2.4 inch LCD, and 3x optical zoom. It’s powered by AA batteries, which provide good life, and it even has a face detection AF/AE system. And, it’s available for under $150. Image quality with the E40 was what you’ll find in a lot of cheaper cameras - they do ok with outdoor shots, but not great with indoor shots. Bottom line, however, I think that there are better options out there in this price range, like the Nikon Coolpix L series cameras.”

Steves-Digicams - 06 November’07 - reviews the Pentax Optio E40 and comments the shooting performance was only average for a camera in this class. Here’s an excerpt from the review conclusion -
“For an 8-megapixel compact camera, the performance was a little slow and the image quality was average for a camera in this range. The focusing system is very slow, so this is definitely not a camera for any type of photography that involves motion. It could be useful as a backup camera or for someone who has just entered the digital world, since it is extremely easy to use.”

Sample Photos

[Sample Test Photos at RegHardware]
[Sample test Photos at Steves-Digicams]

Specifications

[Official Pentax specifications]

Owners Manual

[Owners Manual Download Page]

Press Release

PENTAX Corporation is pleased to announce the PENTAX Optio E40 compact digital camera. This entry-level model accepts widely available AA batteries and is designed for simple and intuitive operation so that even beginners can enjoy photography effortlessly. With the Optio E40, we have created a model that makes it easier than ever to enjoy high-resolution pictures with such new features as Face Recognition, handy for taking shots of people, and Shake Reduction, which reduces the effects of camera shake and subject blurring.

Main Features:

Face Recognition AF&AE function that is convenient when photographing portrait

The Optio E40 newly features the Face Recognition AF & AE function, which allows you to take beautiful pictures of people easily by letting the camera determine the focus and exposure. This Face Recognition AF&AE function automatically detects and focuses on faces, regardless of where the people appear in the photo frame. In addition, optimal exposure settings are automatically conducted so that the areas with faces are not darkened even if there is backlighting.

Available when the photography mode is Auto Picture, Program, Portrait, and Kids and the camera is directed at people from the front

Digital SR (Shake Reduction) A mode that reduces camera shakes and blurring of the subject when photographing still images. The sensitivity is adjusted automatically, to as high as the high sensitivity of ISO1000, to match the brightness of the subjects. This enables for photography with fast shutter speeds, and images with less blurs can be obtained.

Auto Picture mode automatically determines the best settings for the shooting conditions The Auto Picture mode lets the camera automatically determine the shooting conditions for Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, and Normal mode and choose the optimum settings for each subject. This PENTAX original function makes photography a lot easier for users since it eliminates the necessity of making a number of individual settings.

Compatibility with widely available AA batteries Since the Optio E40 accepts widely available AA batteries, you can shoot with confidence when away from home or whenever you want. Furthermore, the camera has been designed specifically to use less power so that you can take approximately 240 photos when running on alkaline batteries.

Equipped with the Green mode for automated setup The Optio E40 comes with the Green mode, which automates the camera setup when shooting still images, that allows even complete digital-camera beginners to enjoy picture-taking effortlessly. A single button press automatically sets the exposure, sensitivity, white balance, and other parameters according to the shooting conditions. This function is useful when asking someone else to take your picture or when you have simply lost track of the camera settings.

8.1 effective megapixels produce exceptionally fine-detailed photos Despite being an entry-level camera, the Optio E40 delivers high-resolution photos that look sharp even at large magnifications thanks to its 8.1 effective megapixels, which precisely captures images down to the finest detail.

3X optical zoom and 4X digital zoom for a maximum of about 12X magnification The Optio E40 features a 3X optical zoom lens with a focal range covering angles of view equivalent to those of a 37.5-112.5mm lens in 35mm format, which is ideal for a broad spectrum of subjects from landscapes, through sightseeing photographs, to portraits. Such zooming power can also be combined with 4X digital zoom to achieve a total of about 12X zoom capability

Other features:

Recording movie size is up to 640 x 480 pixels with images quality of rivaling camcorders
Large, high-resolution 2.4-inch LCD monitor with approximately 110,000 pixels provides an easy-to-view display
Calendar Display function allows easier image retrieval based on the capture date
More convenient to carry thanks to the slim design, which features a lens design that fully retracts when the camera is off
Continuous shooting mode can record up to 16 consecutive images (640 x 480 pixels per image) in a 2-second burst
Compatible with SDHC memory card in addition to conventional SD memory cards
Coming with about 10MB of built-in memory that allows internal image storage even when the memory card is full
New Panorama mode enables the camera to join the captured images into one picture
Frame composite function allows you to add a decorative frame around the image when shooting
Compatible with PictBridge, DPOF functions, Exif Print, and PRINT Image Matching III