NewsFebruary 2005

Previous news story    Next news story

Pentax Optio S5n

Pre-PMA 2005: Pentax has utilised its proprietary Sliding Lens System to create the 3x zoom lens Optio S5n, which is just 20.5 mm wide. The addition to the S-series has been designed to fit in with Pentax's concept of 'being stylish and ultra-compact enough to be worn like an accessory'. Spec wise it can capture VGA-quality movie clips which can be played back on the 2.0-inch LCD. The Optio S5n comes with a stand which charges spare batteries and those in the camera. The Optio S5n will be in the shops in March and will set you back £249.99 (approx $386).

Press Release:

The PENTAX OptioS5n — a Stylish Digital Camera Combining a 2.0-inch LCD monitor, Ultra-compact Dimensions, High Performance and Exceptional Ease of Use

PENTAX introduces the new OptioS5n — a stylish and compact digital camera with ultra-compact, lightweight appeal. What's more, it also offers the power of 5.0 effective megapixels and a 3X optical zoom lens incorporating PENTAX’s unique Sliding Lens System. Developed in line with the OptioS series concept of being “stylish and ultra-compact to enable it to be worn like an accessory”, there's so much more to the OptioS5n than its stylish, elegant appearance. Indeed
with an easy-to-see 2.0-inch large LCD monitor, a useful Mode Palette function that simplifies shooting and playback and the advantage of MPEG-4 file format for high-quality, extended duration movies, the OptioS5n is every bit as versatile as it is attractive.

Major features
1. Stylish, ultra-compact body
A high-precision spindle effect of fine engraving has been applied to the silver surface of the OptioS5n's high-quality aluminum body. This achieves a texture that exudes sophistication and catches the light, while each of the four corners has been carefully rounded to impart a sense of softness. Handling is further improved through the use of rubber material on the back and strategic design elements on the front that lead to a more confident grip. The OptioS5n is also highly compact. In fact, through making use of the unique Sliding Lens System, the OptioS5n features a powerful 3X optical zoom lens, yet retains ultra-compact dimensions of just 83 (W) x 52 (H) x 20.5 (D)mm.

*1 and has a light weight of just 105 grams
*2.With such sophisticated looks and conveniently small dimensions, the OptioS5n is ideal not only for traveling, leisure and everyday shooting, but also for various business purposes too.

*1: Excluding controls and other protrusions
*2: Excluding batteries and SD memory card

2. Large, easy-to-view 2.0-inch LCD monitor
Despite its ultra-compact body, the OptioS5n incorporates a large 2.0-inch, TFTLCD monitor — the biggest in the popular OptioS series. It offers an approximate 100% field of view with the clarity of approximately 110,000 pixels, making it easy to confirm composition at the time of shooting and displaying images with high quality during playback.

3. Extremely easy Mode Palette
Selection of both shooting and playback modes simply couldn't be any easier. Using the Mode Palette that displays 16 shooting icons and 11 playback icons on the monitor at once, the user is free to simply choose the one best suited to the scene at hand. Furthermore, the palette itself is also translucent, so the icons are displayed directly over the desired image for even easier mode selection.

4. Quick button customizes desired functions
The user has the freedom to assign up to three functions*1 to the handy Quick button for fast access. When the user assign the “Fn Setting” to the Quick button, it provides a shortcut to four items out of a total of 11*2 choices. Alternatively, the user can enjoy the convenience of leaving the Quick button at its default setting, Green mode, which leaves all settings to the camera for a fully automatic shooting.

*1: Functions that can be assigned to the Quick button: Green Mode, Initialize Rec. Mode, Fn
(Function) Setting
*2: Items that can be assigned to the Fn Setting: Recorded Pixels, Quality Level, White Balance,
Focusing Area, AE Metering, Sensitivity, EV compensation, Sharpness, Saturation, Contrast
and off

5. High image quality
A number of factors converge in the OptioS5n to achieve satisfyingly high image quality. A 1/2.5-inch primary color CCD with the power of 5.25 total megapixels captures intricate detail with excellent resolution. An smc PENTAX lens delivers high-clarity by suppressing ghosting and flare. Furthermore, the OptioS5n also incorporates a new ASIC (Area Specific Integrated Circuit) to provide strengthened image processing performance, while noise reduction has been taken to a superior level. As a result of all these advantages, the OptioS5n combines clarity and true-to-life color gradations with meticulous color compensation.

6. Movie shooting with in-camera editing
Offering movie shooting with 640x480 recording pixels at the smooth rate of 30fps (frames per second), the OptioS5n delivers movie quality comparable to a television image. The OptioS5n is also a first in the OptioS series in that it offers the new advantage of an MPEG-4* image compression system. In comparison to the conventional AVI (motion JPEG) system, the MPEG-4 recording format enables the user to record longer movies on the same memory card. The user
can also conduct various editing tasks in-camera following shooting, such as“Save as still image,” “Divide” and “Cut and stitch”.

*Recorded images on the OptioS5n can be played back on computers with Windows
98SE/Me/2000/XP with Windows Media Player 9 or later installed. Not compatible with
Windows 98/NT and Macintosh machines.

7. Handy camera stand charges batteries still in the camera and spares at the same time
The camera stand charges batteries while they are inside the camera. Furthermore, it has space for spare batteries too, which begin charging as soon as the ones inside the camera are fully charged. The OptioS5n also offers the additional convenience of being compatible with different voltages ranging from 100V to 240V (50/60Hz) — enabling users to take it along on travels and recharge it virtually anywhere in the world*.

*Requires a commercially available power plug adaptor.

8. Other features
1) Quick response with approx. 0.01 sec.* shutter release time lag
2) SD memory card compatibility, approx. 9.3MB built-in memory
3) USB2.0 (HIGH-SPEED) compatibility, AV cable connects the OptioS5n to a TV
4) Auxiliary AF light (on/off switchable)
5) Standard image viewer, ACDSee for PENTAX software
6) Up to 4X digital zoom
7) Super macro mode allows the user to shoot as close as 6cm from the subject
8) DPOF function, Exif Print, PRINT Image Matching III compatibility
9) PictBridge compatibility
*Time taken from the moment the shutter release is fully depressed following focus lock to the
moment the shutter opens, when the flash is switched off.

Pentax Option S5n specifications

Sensor	• 1/2.5" Type CCD • 5.3 million pixels total • 5.0 million effective pixels
Image sizes	• 2560 x 1920 • 2304 x 1728 • 2048 x 1536 • 1600 x 1200 • 1024 x 768 • 640 x 480
Movie clips	• 640 x 480 @ 30 fps with monoaural sound • Recording time dependant on capacity of memory card
File formats	• Still: JPEG • Movie: AVI (MPEG 4) • Sound: WAV
Lens	• 35.6 - 107 mm (35 mm equiv) 3x optical zoom • F 2.6 - 4.8
Digital zoom	Up to 4x
Focus	• TTL contrast detection autofocus system with AF spotbeam • Autofocus • Pan focus • Infinity-landscape
AF area modes	• 7-point multi AF • Spot AF • 49-point selectable AF
Focus distance	• Normal: 0.4m (1.31 ft ) to infinity • Macro: 0.18m (0.59 ft.) to 0.5m (1.64 ft.) • Super macro: 0.06m (0.2 ft.) to 0.2m (0.65 ft.) at 10.2mm
Metering	• Multi segment • Center-weighted • Spot
ISO sensitivity	• Auto • ISO 80 • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400
Exposure compensation	• +/-2 EV • 1/3 steps
Shutter speed	4 - 1/2000 sec
Scene modes	• Green • Program • Night Scene • Movie • Panorama assist • Landscape • Flower • Portrait • Self-portrait • Sunset • Food • Pet • Text • Sport • Surf & Snow • Digital effect (Postalization, Soft, Slim filter) • USER • Digital filters: Black & White, Sepia, Red, Pink, Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Brightness
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Shade • Tungsten light • Fluorescent light(Neutural White/ White/ Daylight) • Manual
Self timer	Yes
Continuous shooting	Yes
Flash	• Built-in flash • On/off, Red-eye Reduction • Range: Approx. 0.2m - 3.5m (0.66 ft -11 ft) (5.8mm at Standard Output Sensitivity 200) Approx. 0.2m -2m (0.66 ft -6.6 ft) (17.4mm at Standard Output Sensitivity 200)
Viewfinder	No
LCD monitor	• 2.0" TFT LCD • 110,000 pixels
Connectivity	• USB • AV out • DC in
Print compliance	• DPOF • PictBridge • Exif • PIM III
Storage	• SD card • 9.3 MB internal memory
Power	• D-LI8 rechargeable lithium ion battery • Camera stand/charger supplied
Weight	105g (3.7 oz.)without battery and SD memory card 120g (4.2 oz.) loaded and ready
Dimensions	83 x 52 x 21 mm (3.3 x 2.0 x 0.8 in)