Pentax Optio E90

PENTAX Introduces the Easy-to-Use Optio E90 Digital Compact Camera

Mississauga, ON – January 25, 2010

PENTAX Canada Inc. is pleased to announce the introduction of the PENTAX Optio E90 entry-level digital compact camera. The Optio E90 comes equipped with a host of user-friendly features and functions to make high-quality digital photography effortless, even for first-time digital camera users. These include the PENTAX exclusive Auto Picture mode that automatically selects the most appropriate shooting mode for a given subject or scene and Automatic Face Detection with Smile Capture for quick, effortless snapshots. Compatible with easy-to-find AA batteries, and with World Time and Date Imprint functions, the affordable Optio E90 makes an excellent travel companion.

The Optio E90 will be available in Canada mid-February 2010.

Major Features

1. Automatic Face Detection
The Optio E90 features the advanced Face Detection AF & AE function, which automatically detects the subject’s face, then optimizes the focus and exposure settings. It is also equipped with the Smile Capture function, which automatically releases the shutter the moment the camera detects the subject’s smile.

2. Auto Picture mode for automatic selection of the ideal shooting mode
The Optio E90 features the PENTAX-original Auto Picture mode, which automatically selects one of eight shooting modes (Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, Night Scene Portrait, Flower, Sport, Standard, and Candlelight) for a given subject or scene, allowing you to effortlessly capture beautiful, high-quality images.

3. Comfortable, easy-to-hold design
The Optio E90’s exterior has a non-slip rubber coating that helps prevent the camera from accidentally slipping out of your hand. The right side of the front panel is slightly raised from the rest of the body to form a grip for a fatigue-free, firm and comfortable hold of the camera.

4. Powered by world-standard AA-size batteries
The Optio E90 is powered by two AA-size batteries, which can be found almost anywhere in the world, eliminating worries about unexpected battery shortage while traveling. Thanks to its highly energy-efficient design, it’s possible to take approximately 220 images* with a pair of fresh alkaline batteries, 600 images with fresh Lithium batteries*.
* Based on measurement conditions conforming to CIPA specifications.

5. Green mode assures easy shooting for beginners
With simple push-button operation, the Optio E90’s user-friendly Green mode automatically selects the optimum combination of exposure settings, ISO sensitivity and other factors for a given subject or scene. This mode not only makes high-quality digital photography simple and effortless, even for first-time digital photographers, but it is also ideal to use when asking someone else to take your picture.

6. Double anti-shake protection to prevent camera shake and subject shake in unfavourable conditions

1. High-Sensitivity Digital SR anti-shake mode
   When the Optio E90 detects low-lighting conditions in still-image shooting, it automatically raises the sensitivity to as high as ISO 1600, making it possible to use a higher shutter speed. This effectively minimizes the adverse effects of camera shake and subject movement under poor lighting conditions.
2. Movie SR mode**
   During movie recording, the Optio E90 prevents blurry images by digitally minimizing annoying camera shake through the use of exclusive software.

** When the Movie SR mode is selected, the angle of view becomes narrower than normal shooting.

7. Digital filters to add personal, creative touches to recorded images
The Optio E90 comes equipped with six digital filters to add various visual effects to recorded images without needing a computer. In addition to the conventional Monochrome and Sepia filters, the Optio E90 offers the new Starburst filter, which creates cross-, heart- or star-shaped highlights from nighttime illuminations or reflections on the water. You can apply one or multiple filters to a single image.

8. Digital Panorama mode to compose extra-wide-perspective images
The Optio E90 features the creative Digital Panorama mode, which automatically creates a single panoramic picture from as many as three images. This easy-to-use mode comes in extremely handy when shooting expansive subjects, such as spectacular landscapes or high-rise buildings, which cannot be captured in a single standard-format image.

9. Exceptional image quality with approximately 10.1 effective megapixels
Combining approximately 10.1 effective megapixels with the high-performance PENTAX zoom lens, the Optio E90 delivers brilliant, high-quality images with well-defined details. Even when images are enlarged, you are assured of sharp, high-resolution prints with edge-to-edge sharpness.

10. Optical 3X zoom lens covering angles as wide as 31.5mm
The Optio E90 comes equipped with an optical 3X zoom lens covering focal lengths from approximately 31.5mm to 94.5mm (in the 35mm format). Its 31.5mm wide-angle coverage is particularly handy when photographing spectacular landscapes, magnificent architectures or group snapshots in a confined space. Coupled with the Intelligent Zoom and Digital Zoom functions, which allow even tighter zooming in on the subject without compromising image quality, you can extend the zoom range to approximately 17.1 times.

11. Other features

1. Large 2.7-inch, high-brightness colour LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 dots for comfortable viewing of images and menus
2. Recording of beautiful movie clips (640 x 480 pixels) almost equal in quality to those recorded by a video camera
3. World-time function to keep track of local time for 75 cities in 28 time zones around the world
4. Image recovery function to retrieve accidentally erased images
5. High-speed continuous shooting mode to record 16 images (fixed at 640 x 480 pixels) in a mere two seconds
6. MediaImpression 2.0 for PENTAX image viewing, editing and filing software included (compatible with latest operation systems, Windows 7 and Mac OS X 10.6)

PENTAX Canada Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of HOYA CORPORATION PENTAX Imaging Systems Division of Japan and maintains offices in Mississauga. PENTAX Canada Inc. markets digital SLR and compact cameras, lenses, sport optics, closed circuit television lenses and medical equipment.

PENTAX on the web at www.pentax.ca