The saying that good things come in small packages doesn't always hold true (Sony Rolly anyone?), but it certainly does in the case of the Pentax Optio M50 ($229.95 list). Loaded with features like face detection and digital shake reduction, this well-rounded 8-megapixel compact (available in silver, pink, or blue) offers a lot of bang for the buck. Although some areas have room for improvement, the Optio M50's simple interface and overall good performance make this a point-and-shooter nearly anyone can enjoy.
At 2.2 by 3.7 by 0.9 inches (HWD), the brushed-metal 4.7-ounce Optio M50 is similar in size to the Casio Exilim EX-S880. Though tiny, the camera feels surprisingly sturdy and sports a 2.5-inch LCD, which is easy to view, both indoors and in direct sunlight—important, as there's no optical viewfinder. The lens has a range of 6.3 to 31.5mm (35mm equivalent: 36mm to 180mm), maximum f-stops of f/3.5 to f/5.6, and a 5X optical zoom. Like most point-and-shoot cameras, the M50 accepts SD and SDHC memory cards.
For the most part, the M50's buttons are thoughtfully placed and big enough for even large fingers to press squarely. But while the shutter button (located on top of the camera) is slightly elevated and easy to find by touch, the power button (next to the shutter button) is concave and offers no tactile feedback, making it harder to locate. The four-way controller serves as navigational tool for menus, and provides instant access to flash and focus modes, while a center button controls display information. The zoom control is relatively wide and easy to press with the thumb, and you get dedicated buttons for the face-detection and smile-capture features.
The menu system is uncomplicated and unlikely to intimidate novices. Options to adjust settings like white balance and sensitivity are well positioned and easy to find, although the M50 may have taken the friendly approach a bit too far. For example, the mode selection screen, while helpful and informative, features large icons that, in my opinion, mimic the drawings of a fifth grader; they might be a bit off-putting for some.
For automatic shooting, the M50 will select from six modes (standard, night scene, landscape, portrait, sport, flower) depending on the scenario, and an instant review option allows a picture to be previewed for from 0.5 to 5 seconds after it's taken. The M50 isn't too strong on manual settings. While you can, for example, adjust the M50's white balance, you have to choose from six preset options rather than fine-tuning it manually.
Face detection works well. Even in groups of more than four people, the camera recognized and focused the individual faces in the shot. Smile capture, on the other hand, wasn't reliable. It was able to detect smiles, but more than half the time when the LCD indicated that someone was smiling the M50 failed to snap a picture. (The Optio V20 did better here.) The M50's Digital Shake reduction was a mixed bag. The images I took while walking, at both a normal pace and briskly, showed very little blurring. Unfortunately, there was noticeable noise in many of the shots, likely because Pentax raises ISO settings in order to reduce blur. ISO settings range from 100 to all the way to 6400, but, in general, I found leaving the ISO at 100 was best, as using the higher settings resulted in more noise than I'd like to see. This means you're pretty much limited to bright daylight shots or, in darker settings, to those within range of the flash—somewhat problematic, because the camera's flash didn't wow me.
The M50 held up well in most areas during my lab tests. Image quality was slightly above average with good daylight consistency, although colors seemed slightly muted. Flash shots were inconsistent, with an overall dark cast; the V20's flash shots were much better and consistent. Achieving 2,000 lines, the M50 scored slightly above the average on our resolution test. (The average score for an 8MP camera is between 1,700 and 1,900.) Boot and recycle times were also good, at 3.33 and 2.33 seconds respectively. Shutter lag was very good as well, at 0.28 second. Barrel distortion wasn't apparent at the telephoto end but was significant at the wide angle of the lens.
The M50 does a great job of capturing 30-frame-per-second AVI video. Quality was superb, with little graininess and great color contrast. You can't use the 5X optical zoom while recording, but otherwise I had no complaints. The M50 doubles as a voice recorder as well, but the audio quality was slightly tinny.
There's a lot to like about the Pentax Optio M50. It's compact and responsive, and it offers solid overall performance; furthermore, it's loaded with features, is easy to use, and has a great price. If you're in the market for an inexpensive compact that doesn't skimp on features, the Pentax Optio M50 is worth a look. On the other hand, if you favor performance over style, the V20, which costs about the same, might be a better choice.
Article courtsey of pcmag.com
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