Customer Reviews
Average Rating:

Rating: 
-
be careful!
We bought this camera after doing a lot of research. The features are good, but....
The LCD screen broke about 10 days after we got it even though we bought a screen protector and kept the camera in a hard case. The seller said it had to be fixed under the Pentax warranty. Pentax said the camera was abused (it was not.) Amazon was great and said they would honor the Amazon guarantee.
I contacted Pentax many times and finally the head office agreed to repair the camera "as a one time courtesy."
We've never had this problem with an LCD screen on any other item, including other cameras.
So be careful of the screen, and be forewarned that Pentax may not honor the warranty if the camera breaks.Pentax Optio A30 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom with Shake Reduction System
Rating: 
-
FANTASTIC camera
I did a lot of research before deciding on this camera. Although the Pentax brand isn't quite was well regarded as Nikon or Cannon, I decided to take the plunge. I have been nothing but 100% satisfied! A few things that I REALLY like about this camera are:
1) it takes FANTASTIC pictures!
2) the menus are really really intuitive and easy to use (my mother can use it!)
3) it's compact - I can throw it in my purse or a pocket easily
4) the shake reduction feature really does work.
5) the 2GB card we bought could hold over 1000 picture. look for deals on cheap SD cards - they're out there!
We spent three weeks traveling this summer, and were in and out of old churches, sunny days, rain and thunder, wind... the whole nine yards!
If you're shooting at 10MP and you chose the shake reduction mode (it does shake reduction normally anyway, but there's a special shake reduction shooting mode too) it cuts the picture size down to 5ish MP (which isn't a big deal unless you're planning to make that shot a poster for your wall). By cutting down the MP size, the camera can retain detail in the shot. Works like a charm!
Overall, this camera was rugged, easy to use, we like the color (black), and the photo quality is really top-notch. We just had some 8x10s printed from our trip, and my parent's couldn't believe they were from a point-and-shoot digital camera!
Lastly, there's a little memory built into the camera. So, if you forget to replace the memory and grab the camera to go shoot something, you're not totally out of luck! Nice added bonus, but that's the only time you'd use it.
Only complaint is the battery life. It doesn't have a marathon battery, but it's not terrible. We were shooting all day long. Buy a second battery if you're worried - that's what we did!
BUY IT!
Rating: 
-
Very Pleased
I read all the other reviews after i had already ordered the camera, so i was unsure of what i had committed to. To my pleasant surprise it has been one of the best cameras that i have owned. I started early with Pentax cameras as i used to work in Singapore where they were much cheaper. Pentax makes an excellent lens and a sturdy camera. I would strongly recommend this camera to others especially ones that are looking for excellent images in a small pocket cameras.
Rating: 
-
Great Pic's
The camera takes great pictures. Lots of mode choices and they work. The shake reduction works very good. Pictures are in excellent focus.
Rating: 
-
Take it anywhere camera - great travel camera
Going on a day trip, sunday drive, vacation - just around the block - HEY got your camera? YOU CAN ALWAYS be ready with this little Pentax! I don't leave home without it! Loads of features BUT sometimes depending on lighting conditions has a hard time focusing.... Im sure many small compact camera do. BUT 10MP max res and all the other goodies make up for it - ANOTHER DISAPPOINTING NOTE- DIVIX format for video is not supported on MAC - I get video playback with NO SOUND. Terrible when video is kids or vacation! If camera was waterproof it would be even better! Build quality is very good! Not too small to hold. Black shell feels solid and professional.