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Pentax announces Optio S1 ultracompact

The S1 is a pretty, but pretty standard wide-angle pocket camera.

Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials
  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
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Joshua Goldman

Pentax

Pentax dropped its Optio P-series ultracompacts from its 2010 point-and-shoot lineup, and launched the H90 instead. Today, Pentax announced the Optio S1, a new line and camera that's a lot like the H90, but with rounded corners.

Basic specs include a 14-megapixel CCD sensor, 2.7-inch LCD, and a wide-angle f3.9-5.7 28-140mm-equivalent lens with a 5x zoom. Unlike the H90, though, the S1 has sensor-shift image stabilization.

As for shooting modes, it's geared for those who typically never leave auto. However, there are a couple extras like a high dynamic range (HDR) option for better highlight and shadow detail and some art filters like Toy Camera and Retro. It'll capture 720p HD-quality movies at 30 frames per second, too.

While it's nothing extraordinary, Pentax always offers a sub-$200 small, stylish compact, and the Optio S1 is that camera for 2011. Look for it in March.