Pentax Optio S1 is a stylish obsidian and scarlet snapper
The Pentax Optio S1 is a stylish, sensuous black and scarlet snapper for a seriously reasonable price.
The S1 in Pentax Optio S1 is the most stylish compact camera we've seen from Pentax in a long old while. It sets aside the toy-like styling of previous models with a sensuous black and scarlet frame, and all for a very reasonable price.
The S1 is a 14-megapixel point-and-shoot with a 5x optical zoom and a 28mm wide angle, equivalent to a 35mm camera. At the back there's a 2.7-inch screen. The settings offer face, smile and blink detection and 22 scene modes. There are also nine special effects to choose from, adding a miniature or retro feel to your pictures, among others.
For low-light shooting, the S1's sensitivity goes up to ISO 6,400. The sensor itself benefits from being imperceptibly moved to compensate for even the tiniest amount of camera shake.
The S1 is a more stylish Pentax compact than we're used to. For a long time Pentax point and shoots have had a toy-like feel, not helped by the cat sound effects.
The smarter S1 draws its inspiration from classier compacts such as Canon's IXUS range, all sleek lines and smooth curves in a crisp aluminium shell. The buttons are contained in semi-translucent bubbles. It also has sexy deep red accents, seductively revealing themselves as the lens slides smoothly out.
You can shoot 720p video at 30 frames per second, with a dedicated video button. The S1 takes SD, SDHC and extra-roomy SDXC cards, so there's plenty of room for your snaps and video. It also charges by direct connection to the mains, so you don't need to pop the battery into a seperate charger.
The Pentax Optio S1 comes in black, silver or turquoise. It will cost around £120, a decidedly generous price for such a sleek package.