Pentax Optio RZ10 Digital Camera
- Average rating of 3.5 stars from 22 reviews.
- Released 14 years 10 months ago (Sep 2010).
-807493219, 807493220, 807493221, 807493222
The Pentax released a new camera in September 2010, the Pentax Optio RZ10. In this report we will present you all the goodies this camera brings to the table. Also included is a a summary of 18 expert reviews (from Engadget, Macworld, Imaging Resource etc.) and some impartial buying advice based on all that they had to say about this new camera from Pentax.
Pentax promises that the RZ10 will come to you with handy functions and advanced features that can make photo shooting effortless. The camera is equipped with a 10x optical zoom lens (28 mm to 280 mm) offering high magnification. Furthermore, says Pentax, the camera can capture landscapes or subjects in motion equally well. The RZ10 also features dual Shake Reduction that is supposed to effectively reduce blur.
According to Pentax, this camera captures superb images due to 14.5 megapixel resolution. Telephoto focal length is extendable beyond 280 mm to 1876 mm super-telephoto with its Intelligent Zoom function.
Other noteworthy features include:
1. High quality 720p video recording
2. Automatic shooting mode
3. Pet mode - detects faces of cats and dogs ( both pre-registered and unregistered)
4. Casual design allowing easy maneuvers
5. Choice of three image sizes (4:3, 16:9 and 1:1)
All reviewers agree on the fact that the images produced by the RZ10 are high quality. It captures brilliant, crisp images with good exposure and details, smooth skin tones and exceptional resolution, write GadgetSpeak and Engadget. There has been one small comment by Steve's Digicams that at ISO 80 blue colors present a bit of noise, though the same reviewer has commended the image samples of both indoor and outdoor shots.
Though not many reviewers have commented on the Pentax RZ10's video quality, the expert at Steve's Digicams seems not to be impressed at all, stating that the RZ10 delivers disappointing HD video quality - the mic picks up background noise, the video quality is not sharp and unfortunately there is no zoom in video mode.
Experts report excellent colors and exposure all round with the Pentax RZ10. The high performance 10x optical zoom lens also seems to deliver. The Face Detection and Intelligent Zoom also received positive comments by most of the reviewers.
It seems to be an easy to use camera, with a simple and user friendly interface and quite easy to control, reads the Steve's Digicams review. The same reviewer assesses the camera as light but durable thanks to its compact plastic body. According to GadgetSpeak the LCD is big, sharp and very clear, the menu system is also clear and easy to operate.. It has a somewhat toy-like appearance, that can be appealing to many.
The battery also received a thumbs up from Steve's Digicams - the Pentax RZ10 delivers good battery life.
The Pentax RZ10 pretty much delivers on its promise, bar the video quality which was rated as poor according to most experts.
In all other respects the RZ10 delivers as a compact super zoom and promises high quality images and a great performing 10x optical zoom in a nice and easy to use design.
The Pentax RZ10 with its great image quality and ease of use is a pretty good option as a beginners first compact. However, at the price range which currently hovers around $160-$220 there are a lot better options in terms of image quality available in the market.
Notably, check out the following before digging into your wallets for the RZ10 :
- the Panasonic DMC-FX700 which scores in the video department but suffers a glitched LCD,
- the Fuji F300EXR which scores with much better auto focussing but is as bad as the RZ10 in terms of video and
- the Pentax K-r.if you want to stick with Pentax.
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Pentax Optio RZ10 Digital Camera