The Pentax Optio M20 is a simple digital camera. It has seven megapixels and a three times optical zoom lens. It comes in at the cheaper end of the digital camera market. The Optio M20 is aimed at anyone who is looking for a camera that is easy to handle, is relatively lightweight and can take a decent snap shot in most situations.
Image Quality
Hmmm…. I never like to be overly critical of cheaper, entry level models like the Optio M20. After all you do need to make some allowances for less expensive cameras and it is not fair to compare them directly against more expensive models. Even so, I was disappointed with the results I saw from this camera and I think there are better cameras out there in the same price bracket.
My biggest gripe is the lack of sharpness shown in the outdoor photos. This type of scenic shot should be a bread and butter shot for any digital camera. Lighting conditions are excellent and this should help to show the camera at its very best. In all three of my scenic shots focusing is very soft. Even when compared against other similar cameras this is disappointing.
Looking closely at these three photos I would say the camera handles the glare of the sun well. I did notice a small amount of darkness creeping into the corners of the second outdoor photo. This can happen when the lens is not zoomed in at all and it is something I notice quite often.
The outdoor portrait is a bit darker than I am used to seeing and it is also darker than I would like to see as well. The photo has a kind of orange glow to it. Again I feel the face could be a bit sharper too.
Colours in the outdoor scenic shots, portrait and test for colours are all strong. As well as the orange feel to the portrait I feel the colours are also not quite right in the scenic shots. In these there is a purple tinge to areas of the sky.
The indoor portrait is not a bad effort, but focusing is not 100% sharp. There is also more red eye than I would like to see.
Once lighting levels hit a certain level the Optio M20 quickly gives up the ghost. It is unable to produce anything like an acceptable level of focusing. In summary I would suggest the camera may prove to be a bit erratic indoors and you should always make sure there is as much light available as possible.
For close up work the macro shot is quite sharp and clear. I found though that it seemed to suffer with a purple tinge in the same way that other photos have throughout my tests.
At ISO 400 noise levels are acceptable. In fact this is one area where the Optio M20 does a bit better than many other cameras. The highest ISO setting is 1600. By the time you reach this level picture quality has dropped away sharply.
Shutter Lag and Recycling Times
When testing for shutter lag times I found that using the flash can really slow down the Optio M20. Without the flash I recorded 0.41 seconds for a single photo and 10.51 seconds for five shots. These are not the fastest times, but they are roughly in line with other entry level models. With the flash times rose to 1.65 for a single shot and 14.10 for five.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Features
The 3x optical zoom lens has a focal length of 38 - 114mm in 35mm format. The lens aperture is f3.1-5.9. There is also a 4x digital zoom. For close up work you can get to within 5cm of the subject.
As with just about all digital cameras there is a selection of pre programmed scene modes. These are Night Scene, Landscape, Flower, Portrait, Surf & Snow, Sport, Blur Reduction, Kids, Pet, Food, Self-portrait and Frame Composite. By selecting a scene you give a clear indication to the camera of the type of photo you are about to take. It then changes settings accordingly.
The Built in flash unit works in a range up to 4m. Using the zoom lens decreases the range of the flash down to 2m. Flash modes are: on, off, automatic, soft flash and red eye reduction.
Other features include continuous shooting and a self timer (two or ten second delay). You can also adjust levels of saturation, sharpness and contrast. There is also a mode that lets you use the camera as a voice recorder.
More advanced settings you have access to include white balance (Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light, Manual setting), exposure compensation (±2 EV (1/3 steps)) and ISO settings (64, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600). Shutter speeds are controlled by the camera. These work in the range 1/2000 seconds to 4 seconds.
You can compose your shots by using the 2.5" LCD screen. This is made up of around 115,000 pixels.
In the box you will find the necessary cables and software CD to connect the camera to a computer, television set and compatible printer.
You can shoot movie until the memory card is full. Sound can be captured and you can also zoom in and out while recording the movie. The maximum resolution is 640 x 480 pixels and the top speed is 30 frames per second.
Ease of Use
When it comes to ease of use I had no complaints. The camera is sensibly laid out and the menu systems are not difficult to work with. There is also a special green mode that makes the camera even easier to use by blocking access to the menu.
Cost
You can pick up the Pentax Optio M20 for roughly £75. At the time of writing the review this makes it the cheapest seven megapixel camera I am aware of. Other similar models include Fuji Finepix A700 (£105), Olympus FE-210 (£90) and Sony DSC S650 (£105).
Style
One area I like is the look of the Optio M20. It has a pleasant simple appearance. You will find a slightly raised are on the front of the camera. This helps you to hold the camera steady when you are taking a photo. With dimensions of 61 x 94 x 23mm it is just about small enough for a pocket. It weighs 130g.
Batteries
Two AA batteries power the Optio M20. Pentax estimate that you should be able to take roughly 220 shots before a standard set of alkaline batteries run out.
Memory Card
21.9 megabytes of storage have been built into the Optio M20. I was able to take 13 shots before the memory was full. This is enough to get you started, but you will soon need a larger memory card. The camera is compatible with SD and SDHC cards.
Click here to save money on Memory Stick Duo.
Points I like:
Simple design and style
Ease of use
Where it is not so hot:
Sharpness of photos
Colours
Summary
I'm sorry to say the Pentax Optio M20 is not a camera I feel I can recommend. The important test for any digital camera is does it take a good photo. In too many of my tests I struggled to do this.
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
| Pentax Optio M20 Summary |
| Description: | 7 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens |
| Ease of Use: | 9 |
| Features: | 8 |
| Colour: | 7 |
| Macro: | 7 |
| Indoors: | 6 |
| Value for Money: | 7 |
| Style: | 8 |
| Movie Mode: | 8 |
| Image Quality: | 5 |
| Build Quality: | 8 |
| Total: | 73 |
| Verdict: | As far as I am aware the Pentax Optio M20 is the cheapest seven megapixel digital camera made by a leading brand. It is easy to use and very straightforward. I also like the simple design and style that make it small enough to slip into a pocket. |
| Review Date: | April 2007 |
| Click for: | Sample Images |
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