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Pentax Optio S55 Summary
5 Megapixels
Low-Quality Video: 320x240 resolution or less.
Custom White-Balance: Specifies exactly what should be white to the camera.
Action Photography: Shutter speeds of 1/1500 or more.
Spot Metering
Runs on standard AA batteries
Accepts Secure Digital (SD) memory.
Neocamera detailed review
Discontinued: No longer produced by the manufacturer. May still be in stock or found used.Pentax Optio S55 Assessment
The Pentax Option S55 is a good ultra-compact camera that improves well on its predecessors. The S55 produces better pictures than most ultra-compact cameras with great color, excellent contrast, good sharpness, low noise and low chromatic aberrations. Users of this camera will be amazed of the amount of useful features packed into this camera including a customizable interface, a live histogram, image parameters adjustment, manual focus, custom white balance, panorama-assist mode and voice-recording. This is also one of the rare ultra-compact cameras powered by AA batteries. The main weakness of this camera is its slow focus speeds, particularly in low-light and low-contrast situations.
The Pentax S55 competes with the Konica-Minolta X50 which produces pictures with slightly more details but also more noise. The S55 is slower and not as well built as the X50 but does pack more features and has the advantage of using AA batteries.
Our full-length review focuses on usability and suitability rather than intricate feature descriptions. The review emphasizes information necessary to make an informed buying decision.
Neocamera detailed review| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Ultra-compact using AA batteries |
Trouble focusing on low-contrast subject |
| Very good color and contrast | Slight corner blurring at wide-angle |
| Low noise up to ISO 200 | No optical viewfinder |
| Good battery-life | Slow performance |
| Feature-rich |
|
| Good ergonomics | |
| Good super-macro mode | |
 Good Good |
|
Recent Similar Cameras
Pentax Optio S55 Related Information
| Sister Cameras |
|---|
| Pentax Optio S45: 4MP |
| Pentax Optio S50: 5MP, 1.6" LCD, 15 FPS Movie mode |
| Pentax Optio S40: 4MP, 1.6" LCD, 15 FPS Movie mode |
 |
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Pentax S55 Highlights
Compact digital cameraSensor-Size: 6 x 5mm
Actual size when viewed at 100 DPI
| 5 Megapixels Fixed Lens | ISO 50-400 |
| 3.1X Optical Zoom | Shutter 1/2000-4s |
| 1 FPS Drive, Unlimited Images | Custom white-balance |
| 320x240 @ 30 FPS Video Recording | Spot-Metering |
| 2.5" LCD 115K Pixels | Standard AA Battery |
| Secure Digital |
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