Pentax Compact Features

Joined: 07 Sep 2006 Posts: 2

Can anyone tell me from the details below if this camera has much, if any, manual capabilities. I honestly have no idea what all those specs mean.

Thanks.

Specifications for Pentax Optio S60
Type
Compact-type digital still camera with built-in zoom lens, autofocus, auto exposure and auto flash
Effective
Pixels
6.0 megapixels
Sensor Total pixels 6.36 megapixels
1/2.5 inch interline transfer CCD with a primary color filter
Color Depth 12- bit
Recorded
Pixels
Still 2816 x 2112 pixels, 2560 x 1920 pixels, 2304 x 1728 pixels, 2048 x 1536 pixels, 1600 x 1200 pixels,
1024 x 768 pixels, 640 x 480 pixels
Movie 320 x 240 pixels
Sensitivity Auto, Manual (80/160/320/400:Standard Output Sensitivity)
File Formats Still JPEG (Exif 2.2), DCF, DPOF, PRINT Image Matching III
Movie AVI (Motion JPEG format), approx.30fps / approx.15fps, with sound
Sound WAV (PCM), monaural
Quality Levels ★★★(Best), ★★(Better), ★(Good)
Storage Media Built-in memory (approx. 11 MB), SD memory card
Lens
smc PENTAX power zoom 5.8mm-17.4mm (equivalent to 35mm-106mm in 35mm format)
F2.6-F4.8, 6 elements in 5 groups (2 dual-sided aspherical elements)
Digital Zoom
1X - approx. 2.6X
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: 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 (0.66 ft.) at 10.2mm
Manual Focus 0.18m (0.59ft.) to infinity, 0.06 m (0.2 ft.) to infinity at 10.2mm
Exposure
Control
Metering System TTL metering: Choice of Multi-segment metering, Center-weighted metering, Spot metering
Modes Mode dial Auto Select, Portrait, Landscape, Night scene, Movie, Voice recording,
Digital Effect, Program, Picture
Picture Mode Flower, Self-portrait, Surf, Snow, Sunset, Museum, Text, Food, Landscape Portrait
Digital Effect Black and white, Sepia, Red, Green, Blue, B&W+red, B&W+green, B&W+blue, two in one shoot area by halves
& join,
Panorama Assist
Digital Filter During play mode (Black and white, Sepia, Red, Green, Blue, B&W+red, B&W+green, B&W+blue, Soft,
5 kinds of Illustration, 2 kinds of Special Effect)
Exposure Compensation ±2 EV (1/3 steps)
Movie Shooting time From approx. 1 sec. to memory card capacity.
Shutter Programmed AE electronic lens shutter with CCD electronic shutter
Shutter speed Approx. 1/2000 sec. to 4 sec.
Drive Modes One shot, Continuous, Remote control, Self-timer
Flash Built-in auto flash. Automatic discharge under low lighting conditions in auto modes.
Effective Range
Flash-on and Flash-off modes. "Red-eye" reduction function also available. Approx. 0.2m - 4.9m (0.66 ft -16 ft)
(5.8mm at Standard Output Sensitivity 400)
Approx. 0.2m -2.8m (0.66 ft -9.2 ft) (17.4mm at Standard Output Sensitivity 400)
White Balance Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light, Manual setting
LCD Monitor
2.5 inch, TFT color LCD (Approx. 115,000 pixels)
Time World Time 62 cities (28 time zones)
Language
English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Swedish, Netherlandish, Korean, Chinese
(Traditional/Simplified),
Japanese
PictBridge Print mode Single image print, All images print, DPOF auto print
Interfaces
AV output terminal, USB terminal, DC input terminal
Video Output Compatible with NTSC and PAL formats
Power Sources One CR-V3 lithium battery, two AA batteries (lithium, alkaline, nickel and rechargeable Ni-MH).
Optional AC adapter also available. (One CR-V3 lithium battery allows approximately 420 shots to be taken*)
Dimensions 89(W) x 58.5(H) x 27.5(D)mm (3.5 x 2.3 x 1.1 inches) (excluding protrusions)
Weight 185g (6.5 oz.) loaded and ready
135g (4.8 oz.)without battery and SD memory card

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:03 am

the S60 has almost no manual features at all, you can set the ISO manually and there is some exposure compensation, but you can't set the aperture or shutter speed directly.

Pentax don't seem to be doing manual control on their compacts at the moment, which I think is a mistake on their part. I think some of the Casio sub-compact cameras have some level of manual control but I don't know them well.

hope this helps