Pentax Optio RZ10

On paper, the Pentax RZ10 has a lot going for it. It features a 28-280mm equivalent stabilized zoom lens and 14 megapixel CCD sensor. It can shoot 720p HD video and up to 9.1 five megapixel frames per second. It also includes a 2.7" 230k dot LCD and comes in a variety of vibrant colors and is designed to be compatible with Eye-Fi wireless memory cards. The RZ10 is also one of the cheapest and lightest cameras in its class, and its comparatively basic feature set makes it one of the easiest cameras to get to grips with. There is no doubt that for some, this camera will fulfill their photography needs. On the other hand, it has the most restrictive zoom, the lowest resolution LCD and most limited video specification, lacks 'bells and whistles' such as built-in GPS, and it has the least powerful flash. As much as we struggled with the RZ10 camera at times, it is one of the most comfortable cameras to hold in the group test. And while they are not the prettiest we've seen, the camera's somewhat pixilated menus are easy to navigate and very functional.

In day-to-day use, what frustrates us most about the RZ10 are its poor rear LCD, slow performance, and the sub-par quality of its JPEGs when observed critically. Ultimately, we might be more prepared to overlook some of the camera's handling weaknesses if its image quality was above average, but sadly it isn't.