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Pentax X90: Superzoom becomes eight per cent more super

Pentax has announced the X90, which promises to be even more super than its superzoom predecessor, the X70, offering a longer zoom range

Luke Westaway Senior editor
Luke Westaway is a senior editor at CNET and writer/ presenter of Adventures in Tech, a thrilling gadget show produced in our London office. Luke's focus is on keeping you in the loop with a mix of video, features, expert opinion and analysis.
Luke Westaway

Last year, Pentax made a fairly good impression with the X70, a 12-megapixel superzoom with a 24x optical zoom. Now Pentax has confirmed the existence of that camera's successor, the X90, an even super-er superzoom, with a meaty 26x optical zoom.

Apart from its zoom boost and a slightly increased resolution, to 12.1 megapixels, the X90 remains largely the same as its predecessor, retaining the burst mode that allows you to take 11 shots at a 5-megapixel resolution in a second, as well as the 1cm macro mode.

The X90 will allegedly be able to shoot for 50 per cent longer than its previous incarnation, thanks to some large-capacity lithium-ion-battery goodness. You can record 720p high-definition videos to SD and SDHC cards, and play them back on the 69mm (2.7-inch) LCD display.

The X70 had a few performance and photo-quality issues that kept it from thoroughly tickling our fancy. Stay tuned for our verdict on whether or not the X90, due to be released in March for about £330, can atone for the sins of its father.