Pentax Optio S5i 5MP, Chic. Sleek. And ultra-compact. The Optio S5i packs a myriad of performance and user-friendly features into an irresistible package. A 5.0 megapixel CCD for exquisite detail and clarity. A large, 1.8 inch LCD monitor to view the action even in bright light. Flash exposure compensation and an astounding 21 picture modes to ensure the best images possible. And it’s all housed in a gorgeous 3.7-ounce aluminum alloy body. The perfect pocket accessory for professionals, travelers, and people on the go.
The Optio S5i lets you achieve superior clarity that extends from macro shooting to expansive landscapes with the power of 5.0 effective megapixels. Compose and view recorded shots with a convenient 1.8 inch LCD monitor that offers a 100% field of view. Take your Optio S51 anywhere! With an innovative sliding lens that retracts to be flush with the body of the camera and an aluminum alloy design, the Optio S5i achieves exceptionally compact dimensions of just 3.3 x 2 x .81 inches. Zoom in on the action with a 3X zoom with a focal range covering angles of view equivalent to those of a 36.5-107mm lens in 35mm format. The optical zoom can also be augmented with 4X digital zoom, which takes the camera’s total zoom capability to an impressive 12X. Conserve power with an optical viewfinder that offers the advantage to switch-off the LCD monitor. Take shots without additional media. With approximately 10MB of built-in memory and compatibility with SD memory cards, the Optio S5i allows the recording of a substantial amount of images.
Helpful consumer’s review
This is a remarkable camera. I’ve tried bulky full-functioned cameras and miniature no-frills cameras. But the Optio S5i combines the best of both worlds. The designers have managed to squeeze a wide array of desirable features (such as optical zoom, multiple focus modes, video, and many useful program modes) into a tiny, palm-size package. It is in fact the smallest full-functioned camera I found in an exhaustive search.
I went into many electronics stores and hefted all the popular ultracompact cameras, including the Sony Cybershot DSC-T1. But none could match the Optio S5i for sheer compactness and lightness. (Although only the earlier S4i was in stores at the time, I knew its weight and dimensions were the same as the S5i’s).
Inevitably, there have been compromises: Shooting at full resolution, you have to wait a few seconds between shots while the S5i records data. The life of a battery charge is below average (you’ll need to keep an extra battery handy). Noise (speckles and dots) creeps into images taken at the most sensitive ISO settings (200 and 400), a common problem among cameras that capture light with ultra-tiny CCDs.
