Pentax Optio 230 digital camera - PC World's Top 10 Digital Cameras 18092,

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Pentax Optio 230 digital camera has been chosen by PC World's editors as one of the Top 10 Digital Cameras in their October 2002 issue.  PC World is the only publication where digital cameras are reviewed and ranked monthly.  Products are based on price, performance, functionality, ease of use, and service support. In this article the editors state, "Compact and simple to use, the Optio 230 has some unusual features, like a 3D picture mode and a fold-out color LCD screen for self-portraits. Check out this Flash 3-D Pentax Optio 230 digital camera Showcase

Overview

The Pentax Optio 230 camera is a compact digital camera that delivers sharp, satisfying images with operational ease. It realizes the utmost in clarity with 2.0 effective megapixels and provides superb freedom of composition with its powerful 3X zoom lens. It also offers a wide range of handy shooting modes, including an innovative 3D-image mode for stereoscopic shooting. For greater versatility, the Optio 230 even has a handy swing-out LCD screen, which folds out through 180? to assist in a variety of situations. And for convenient connectivity to a computer, the Optio 230 is USB compatible.

Compact and simple to use, the Optio 230 has some unusual features, like a 3D picture mode and a fold-out color LCD screen for self-portraits.

The Features

• Detailed imaging with 2.0 megapixel (effective pixels) CCD.
• The 3X power zoom lens of the Optio 230 is equivalent to a 38-114mm lens in 35mm format and provides high-quality, high resolution images while achieving an impressively low level of image distortion for a camera of such small proportions.
• Not only is the Optio 230 capable of 3X optical zooming, it also provides 2.5X digital zoom for a combined capacity of 7.5X zoom.
• The Optio 230 is amazingly compact and easy to carry, with the following dimensions ?4.0" (103.5mm) width, 2.5" (63.5mm) height, 1.5" (42mm) depth, and it weighs only 6.3 oz (180g).
• Operation of the Optio 230 is easy and stress-free. With a simple turn of the well-proportioned dial, the user can easily choose from a range of shooting modes, such as Auto, Full selectable, Night Scene, and Movie, as well as playback modes.
• Composition of self portraits is made simple and fun with the Optio 230?s high-resolution, 1.6 inch LCD monitor that swings out through 180?, so that you can see exactly how you appear in the frame while still holding the camera.
• A creative 3D-image mode provides stereoscopic photography with included Stereo Viewer.
• The Optio 230 offers a wide selection of flash functions including Auto flash, flash-on, flash-off and red-eye reduction modes.
• The Optio 230 is compatible with the USB Mass Storage Class. This makes it easy for you to transfer photographic data direct to PCs via the USB cable provided, allowing swift importing into a variety of common applications. (*System requirements: PC running Windows 98/98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP Home edition/Professional or Mac OS 8.6 or higher -- installation of included driver software required).
• Movie mode records 30 seconds of video in AVI format.
• Multiple image file formats including, JPEG, TIFF and AVI.
• Three metering options include Multi-segment, Center-weighted and Spot-metering.
• The Optio 230 offers 5-point autofocus. It also has Spot AF, which lets you place greater focal emphasis on your subject and make a subtle reduction in the sharpness of the background.
• Macro shooting mode allows you to compose shots at a distance of just 0.33ft (0.1m) from your subject and zoom in or out as you please.
• A choice of color, black & white, and sepia modes allow further creative freedom.
• The convenient self-timer function features a ten second shutter delay.
• For convenience that extends beyond use in your own country, the Optio 230 offers a World Time Function. Capable of displaying the time in 62 cities around the world, it can also record the time of each shot taken without the need for resetting.
• The Optio 230 includes the following: 16MB CompactFlash?, USB cable, video cable, ACDSee? software, Stereo Viewer, neck strap and lithium 3 CR-V3 battery.

Specifications for Pentax Optio 230 digital Camera
Type:	Compact-type digital still camera with built-in zoom lens, autofocus, auto exposure and auto flash.
Effective Pixels:	2.0 megapixels.
Sensor:	2.11 megapixels (total pixels) 1/2.7 inch interline transfer CCD with a primary color filter.
Color Depth:	10 bit x 3 colors.
Recorded Pixels:	Still - 1600 x 1210 pixels (TIFF), 1600 x 1200 pixels, 1024 x 768 pixels, 640 x 480 pixels . Movie - 320 x 240 pixels.
Sensitivity:	Auto, fixed (equivalent to ISO 100, 200)
File Formats:	Still - JPEG, TIFF, DCF, DPOF. Movie - AVI (Motion JPEG Format) 15fps.
Quality Levels:	"Good", "Better", "Best".
Storage Media:	CompactFlash (CF) card Type I.
Lens:	Pentax power zoom 5.8mm-17.4mm (Equivalent to 38mm-114mm in 35mm format) f/2.6-f/5.0, 6 elements in 5 groups (1 aspherical elements).
Digital Zoom:	1X-2.5X
Focusing System:
Type:	TTL contrast detection autofocus system. Manual focus/Infinity-landscape mode available.
Focusing Areas:	5-point autofocus, Spot Autofocus.
Focusing Range:	Autofocus: Normal - 1.31 ft. (0.4m) to infinity. Macro ? 0.33 ft. (0.1m) to 1.64 ft. (0.5m). Manual focus: 0.33 ft. (0.1m) to infinit
Exposure Control:
Metering System:	TTL metering: Choice of Multi-segment metering, Center-weighted metering, Spot metering.
Exposure Modes:	Auto, Full selectable, Night Scene, Movie, 3D image, Auto bracket.
Exposure Compensation:	?2 EV (1/3 steps).
Movie:	Shooting time: approx. 1 sec.-30 sec.
Shutter:	Programmed AE electronic lens shutter with CCD electronic shutter. Shutter speed: approx. 1/1500 sec. to 4 sec
Drive Modes:	One shot, Continuous, Self-timer.
Flash:	Built-in series-control auto flash. Automatic discharge under low lighting and backlight condition in auto modes. Flash-on and flash-off modes. "Red-eye" reduction function employs a single discharge.
White Balance:	Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten Light, Fluorescent Light, Manual setting.
Color Modes:	Color, black & white, sepia.
Optical Viewfinder:	Actual-image zoom viewfinder.
LCD Monitor:	1.6 inch, TFD color LCD with swing out screen.
LCD Function:	Nine-image and 1X-4X magnification available in playback mode.
Interfaces:	TV output terminal, USB terminal, DC input terminal.
Video Output:	Compatible with NTSC and PAL formats.
Power Sources:	Lithium battery CR-V3, two AA (lithium, Ni-MH, alkaline) battery. Optional AC adapter also available.
Dimensions:	4.0 (W) x 2.5 (H) x 1.5 (D) inches (103.5mm x 63.5mm x 42mm).
Weight:	8.1 oz. (230g) loaded and ready. 6.3 oz. (180g) without battery and CF card.