Editorial Review:Product Description:Pentax continues to make big advancements in 'little' with the introduction of the 4.0 megapixel Optio 450 digital camera. The Optio 450 hosts a variety of features including a high resolution 1.5 inch LCD monitor, a movie mode that captures up to ten minutes of video with sound, a voice memo recording mode, panorama assist, full manual control and a 5X optical zoom (20X combined).
Amazon.com Product Description:The sleek, sophisticated Pentax Optio 450 digital camera offers high-level performance and is convenient enough to make you want to carry it everywhere. The Optio 450 features a 4-megapixel resolution, 5x optical zoom lens, automatic operation as well as a wide range of manual control, and compatibility with Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard memory cards.
Optics and Resolution Featuring a 4-megapixel CCD sensor, the Optio 450 delivers image detail up to 2,288 x 1,712 pixels for print enlargements beyond 11 by 14 inches. The exceptionally compact lens offers a high level of performance with a 5x optical zoom. Zooming power can be augmented through combination with a digital 4x zoom for a total of 20x zoom performance.
Storage and Transfer Images are stored on either Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMediaCard (MMC) memory cards. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB storage-class connectivity, which means the camera can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.
Movie Mode In addition to taking still photos, the Optio 450 is capable of recording up to 10 minutes of video at 15 frames per second, with 320 x 240 recorded pixels. The Optio 450 can also be used as an audio recorder, with up to 30 seconds of sound added to images.
More Features With the 3-D image mode, the Optio 450 adds a totally new dimension to digital photography. Just take two shots following a simple set of guidelines to achieve shots that have a genuine sense of depth and perspective when seen through the special viewer provided
Other features include:
- 1.5-inch TFT LCD display
- Optical viewfinder displays actual image zoom, which helps to conserve battery power by switching off LCD display
- Digital filter mode provides effects similar to conventional filters, from sepia to color tones (red, pink, yellow, green, blue, and purple)
- Built-in flash can be automatically set to fire; also includes red-eye reduction, flash-on, and flash-off modes
- A range of shooting modes to choose from, including metered manual and shutter-priority AE
- Interval shooting mode lets you set the time to start shooting, the duration of the interval between shots, and the number of frames
Power and Size The camera is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (included). It measures 3.9 by 2.3 by 1.6 inches and weighs 7.2 ounces.
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What Flash Card is Right for This 4MP Camera?
It is a question that all digital camera enthusiasts ask themselves shortly after purchasing a digital camera, but it is one that is not easily answered as there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. This review will help to guide you to the best solution based off the characteristics and specifications of the Pentax Optio 450 4MP Digital Camera. I feel I am qualified to provide this information as I was in the memory industry for 7 years but having left the industry a year ago, I can be completely unbiased on this subject.
One of the biggest factors to consider is the megapixel rating of this Pentax camera. Considering this particular camera is generally considered to be a 4MP digital camera. You can expect to store approximately 32 images on a 64MB card, 64 pictures on a 128MB flash card, 128 digital pictures on digital film of 256MB capacity, 256 pics on a 512MB picture card, 512 images on a 1GB media card, 1,024 photos on a 2GB flash card, and a monstrous 2,048 digital photos on a 4GB card. These image/picture calculations assume that you are going to utilize the full potential of your camera but won't shoot in RAW mode. In other words, the estimates are for shooting at the highest JPEG setting available for the Pentax Optio 450 4MP Digital Camera. Understand that they are indeed estimates and can vary based off the actual scene or subject being shot and the amount of light, color variation, detail, etc. in the photo. You can assume these numbers are accurate within 10%.
However how many images a card can hold is not the only factor you should consider before buying this all important accessory. You should also consider that you may want to use your Pentax Optio 450 4MP Digital Camera to take shots of sporting events, wildlife, or even your child's unique expressions. These moments have a very small window of opportunity to get the shot you desire thus a flash card that has been rated by experts as being a faster card may be something to consider. In my opinion, it is always best to find a review of a flash card as it performed in your specific digital camera. Some cameras just work better with specific flash cards do to the software, firmware, buffer utilization, etc. between the camera and the flash card. Finding an answer to this question is not usually an easy task. There is, though, a superb website that not only offers flash card reviews but also has an extensive user forum that can answer this all important question for you. You may want to take a look at dpreview dot com and then do a search for the Pentax Optio 450 4MP Digital Camera in the forums area, if that doesn't work just do a search on Pentax and you should be able to find someone that can help you. I am fairly certain you will have plenty of information to make an informed buying decision. You may also want to look at their detailed review of this particular camera as well if you have not yet decide on whether to purchase it.
Of course one of the next factors to consider is in regards to price. Please, do not make the mistake that I have made of buying the absolute cheapest flash card. Take a look at the factors I have mentioned here before you make a purchase. Think of a flash card for your Pentax camera as an extension to it. Just as you wouldn't purchase the cheapest camera case for your camera (personally I own the Targus DPMV02 Pro Series Video/Photo Backpack but I like the extra room and the backpack style, which may not be your cup of tea) don't necessarily purchase the cheapest flash card either. Keep in mind that you will use this card every single time you use your camera. Like I said it is truly an extension of your digital camera.
The final thing I will mention is in regards to service. There are a number of flash card suppliers in the world today. However all of the flash cards are actually built by a handful (3 - 5) of companies and even those companies only have a few options (2 - 4) regarding which components they are going to use in their particular design. More or less, the actually hardware inside each flash card is going to be similar but the way in which they utilize that hardware and the level of support they will provide, given there is a problem, are more paramount. Just imagine going 10 days without a flash card for your camera (which I did) because you are waiting for some company to repair your flash card, or worse yet having it fail and having no recourse. There are a couple of manufacturers that do very well in regards to utilizing technology and providing customer service. As of the time of this writing they are SanDisk, Lexar, and Viking. However check the newsgroups and forums for the latest information as it can be very cyclical and unfortunately can take a turn for the worse overnight.
No matter what flash card you decide to use with your digital camera make sure you take the time to take the pictures. Time flies by fast and having thousands of images to thumb through 5 years from now to remind you of the time that has gone by will be the most powerful investment of all. I have personally purchased a SimpleTech external hard drive to store my images on (another reason I like the Targus DPMV02 Pro Series Video/Photo Backpack as it gives me room to put in my hard drive). The hard drive combined with the backpack allows me to take my photos with me when I go visit family and friends. I use PhotoShop exclusively to do all my photo editing and batch processing (a great feature of PhotoShop) and of course make occasional backups to DVD-RW.
Enjoy your Pentax Optio 450 4MP Digital Camera. I hope this review has informed you how this camera can be best enhanced by a flash card and the best approach in finding one that meets your specific needs.