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PENTAX Announces The Optio S1 Compact Digital Camera, Packaging A Host of User-Friendly Features In An Elegant, Ultra-Compact Body
Mississauga, ON – March 2, 2011
PENTAX Canada Inc. is pleased to announce the introduction of the Optio S1 compact digital camera. It has a host of advanced, user-friendly features designed to make high-quality digital photography simple and effortless. The ultra-slim Optio S1, with its all-metal body featuring soft curves, rounded edges, and a highly polished reflective surface, proves that fashion and function can go hand in hand.
The Optio S1’s features include 14 effective megapixel resolution, a 5X optical zoom lens with 28mm wide-angle coverage, HD video capture and a CCD-shift-type SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism. Its housing is made of a high-quality aluminum alloy, with different plating and gloss coating applied to each of the three colour variations (chrome, black and green), giving users a choice of body colour that suits their own style. The Optio S1 also features precisely laser-engraved logos and feature descriptions.
With meticulous attention given to every design detail, the Optio S1 is the perfect choice for photographers who demand both the fun of picture-taking and the joy of possessing a high-quality, beautifully designed imaging tool.
Major Features
1. Stylish body with well-conceived design
The Optio S1’s chrome model combines a high-quality aluminum-alloy housing with a mirror-finish plating on the body surface. The black and green models have been treated with different gloss-coating processes to produce unique textures. Each model comes with a lens barrel that matches its body colour, while all models feature precisely laser-engraved logos. Thanks to the meticulous attention given to every single design detail, the Optio S1 is a stylish, beautifully designed camera that you won’t want to hide in a pocket or carrying case.
2. Versatile 5X optical zoom lens with 28mm wide-angle coverage
Despite its compact dimensions, the Optio S1 features a 5X optical zoom lens covering focal lengths from 5.0mm to 25.0mm (equivalent to approximately 28mm wide angle to 140mm telephoto in the 35mm format). Thanks to its wide zoom range, the Optio S1 can be used for a wide variety of subjects and scenes — from breathtaking landscapes, majestic architectural photos and group shots in confined spaces, to tightly cropped snapshots taken from a distance. When coupled with the Intelligent Zoom function, which allows even tighter zooming in on the subject, the zoom range can be extended to approximately 33.5 times.
3. Exceptional image quality
Combining the exceptional image resolution assured by approximately 14 effective megapixels and a state-of-the-art imaging engine with a high-performance PENTAX zoom lens and a reliable SR (Shake Reduction) system, the Optio S1 delivers brilliant, high-quality images with well-defined details. Even when enlarged to poster sizes, the images ensure sharp, high-resolution prints with excellent edge-to-edge sharpness.
4. Triple anti-shake protection to prevent different types of camera shake
1) CCD-shift-type SR
The Optio S1 incorporates an advanced CCD-shift-type SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism, which assures sharp, blur-free images even in the most challenging lighting conditions, such as when using the zoom lens at telephoto, or when shooting a sunset or indoor scene in incident light only, by effectively compensating camera shake by up to approximately three shutter steps.
2) High-Sensitivity anti-shake mode*
When it detects low-lighting conditions in still-image shooting, the Optio S1 automatically raises the sensitivity to as high as ISO 6400, making it possible to use a higher shutter speed to effectively minimize the adverse effects of camera shake and subject shake under poor lighting conditions.
3) Movie SR mode**
During movie recording, the Optio S1 prevents blurry images by using exclusive PENTAX software to digitally minimize annoying camera shake.
* When the High-Sensitivity anti-shake mode is selected, the recorded size is fixed to five megapixels (2592 x 1944 pixels).
** When the Movie SR mode is selected, the angle of view becomes narrower than normal shooting.
5. High-quality, HD-proportioned movie recording with single-action REC button
The Optio S1 captures beautiful, flawless movie clips at 16:9 high-definition TV proportions (1280 x 720 pixels)*** at a frame rate of approximately 30 frames per second. It comes with an independent Movie REC button on the back panel, so the user can easily start movie recording from any shooting mode without delay.
*** When the Optio S1’s AV output terminal is used, movie clips are output at normal image size. If the user wishes to play back movie clips at high-definition-TV proportions (1280 x 720 pixels), the data must be transferred to a personal computer for playback.
6. Advanced, user-friendly Auto Picture mode
The Optio S1 features the PENTAX-original Auto Picture mode, which automatically selects the most appropriate shooting mode for a given subject or scene by accurately and instantly accessing all photographic conditions affecting the subject or scene. It detects 14 different subjects and scenes including people, landscape, blue sky and sunset, and instantly optimizes all camera settings such as sensitivity and shutter speed.
7. Upgraded Face Detection for greater fun and convenience
The Optio S1 features a new-generation Face Detection AF&AE function, which instantly and accurately detects the subject’s face in the image field, then catches it in sharp focus and optimum exposure. It also comes equipped with other convenient features to make portrait and snapshot photography simple and effortless, including the Smile Capture mode that automatically releases the shutter the moment the camera detects the subject’s smile and the Natural Skin mode that reproduces natural, healthy skin texture.
8. Creative image-editing tools to broaden visual presentation possibilities
The Optio S1 comes equipped with nine digital filters, including Toy Camera and Retro, to add various visual effects to recorded images without requiring a computer. It also offers other creative tools such as the Miniature filter, which turns an actual scene into an image full of miniature models, and the HDR filter, which produces images with an extra-wide gradation range. Thanks to these creative tools, the user can create a wide variety of unique visual effects with very little effort.
9. Other features
1) Wireless remote shooting is possible using an optional PENTAX remote control
2) Large 2.7-inch colour LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 dots for easy viewing of images and menus
3) In-body recharge system for simple, cellphone-like battery recharging
4) Compatibility with SDXC memory cards for recording large numbers of high-quality images or videos****
5) D-Range setting to prevent whitewashed (overexposed) and blacked-out (underexposed) areas in an image
6) Image viewing, editing and filing software included: MediaImpression 3.0 for PENTAX (Windows version) and MediaImpression 2.1 for PENTAX
(Macintosh version)
**** UHS-speed-class data transmission not available.
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
