PENTAX Optio RS1500: Review

The PENTAX Optio RS1500 is a compact camera with a unique feature: it offers a unique opportunity to customize the design, which allows anyone to create a truly unique and original camera. All thanks to the possibility to change the look of the front through the replacement of the skin (5 included in the package).

In addition to the aesthetic side, we find the characteristics of absolute quality, as 4X optical zoom and 14-mega pixel CCD sensor, as well as various software enhancements implemented to make the pictures as sharp as possible. In addition, we will find a 3-inch LCD monitor. The Face Recognition functions up to a10 faces and the ability to shoot HD video at a resolution of 1280×720 pixels (30 fps).

PENTAX Optio RS1500: Design

The PENTAX Optio RS1500 is a worthy addition to the RS100, which inherits the attractive form-factor and, above all, the ability to customize by changing the front cover. For the rest of the design of the camera is among the most classic, not losing.

The charm that has always characterized the Pentax compact cameras. To change the appearance of the camera does not need to do is insert a skin between the body of the PENTAX Optio RS1500 and removable transparent acrylic panel to easily change the appearance of the camera and make it truly unique.

PENTAX Optio RS1500: Features and Functionality

The PENTAX Optio RS1500 is the evolution of PENTAX RS100, highly customizable by replacing the front skin. The design is quite classic and conservative, in line with most PENTAX, but despite the line encloses the technical features very good at a reasonable price. The camera is capable of taking high-quality photos thanks to the CCD sensor 1/2, 33 ” 14 mega pixel and its 4x wide optical zoom equivalent to the 27.5-110mm lens which then provides coverage from a wide angle to telephoto.

For viewing pictures is a 3-inch LCD display to 230000 points. Apart from the development of photographs, you can make movies in various qualities: HDTV with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels (speed 15/30 fps), VGA with a resolution of 640×480 pixels (speed 30/15 fps) QVGA with a resolution of 320×240 pixels (speed 30/15 fps).

To facilitate the automatic focusing device, PENTAX has implemented an auto focus TTL contrast detection system with the following features: 3-zone auto focus, spot auto focus, automatic tracking AF (anticipating moving subject) as well as three types of camps set up automatic kelp, namely Normal, Macro and Super Macro.

Very interesting Super Macro option that ranges from a minimum to a maximum of 8cm to 25cm focal length of 5.8mm. Perhaps one of the less good is the camera’s display screen that has a good size (3 ” diagonal 7.62 cm) but very poor resolution (230,000 pixels).

The display allows playback of images and video, among which we find in addition to the reproduction of images and video, various options: image rotation, face filters small, natural complexion, digital filter, adding frame, direct editing movies, red-eye compensation, resizing, trimming, protection, image copy, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), start-up screen and enlarged reproduction of the face.

As for the digital filters, the RS1500 is quite advanced, implementing 10 types of filters such as black / white, toy camera, retro, colors, soft, star effect, fish-eye and brightness. Turning to the more purely photographic features, let’s talk about shutter, exposure and flash.

The PENTAX Optio RS1500 is equipped with a programmed electronic shutter with automatic exposure times ranging from 1/2000 to 1/4 of a second, and for night scenes, a maximum time of 4 seconds. The meter has a multi-zone TTL metering with reading and various exposure modes: auto picture, program, natural skin tone, night scene portrait, night scene, movie, landscape, blue, sky, sunset, flower, sports, digital SR, kids, pet, portrait, food, candlelight, surf & snow, half-length, portrait, frame composite, text, digital, landscape and green.

The compensation of + / – 2EV in 1/3 EV. The flash is, as most of the compact, integrated into automatic control (automatic activation in the case of poor light). The modes are three: so flash on, flash off mode and red-eye reduction. The usable range is both wide-angle (about 0.15 to 4.8 mm – ISO Auto) and telephoto (about 0.4 m – 2.6 m – ISO Auto).

The white balance is very complete since it is both automatic and manual, as well as for balancing daylight, shade, tungsten and fluorescent. Last, but not least, the strength of the PENTAX Optio RS1500 is the next-generation Auto Picture mode that automatically selects the most appropriate shooting mode and automatically optimizes settings to ensure the various photographs of high sharpness. The camera can also record video clips with HDTV 720p (1280x720px with a frame rate of 30 fps). The video will be moved thanks to the Movie Shake Reduction.

Conclusion

The PENTAX Optio RS1500 is a compact design with a classic yet innovative with the ability to change the skin to your liking so quick and easy. Of course, in addition to the more aesthetic side of the camera has a high concentration of technology that allows the creation of good quality photographs thanks to the use of digital filters. The PENTAX Optio RS1500 is compact in size and in price, but ” great ” in the specifications.