Replacing the Optio A10, which was introduced at CES in January, is the 10-megapixel Optio A20, which has a larger 7.

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leadpic_OptioA20

August 23, 2006: Pentax has made a pre-Photokina announcement of two new digicams, the Optio A20 and Optio M20, that will represent upgrades to existing models.

Both will offer higher resolution than their predecessors. Replacing the Optio A10, which was introduced at CES in January, is the 10-megapixel Optio A20, which has a larger 7.18 x 5.32 mm CCD with a wider light-sensitive area, which is said to produce sharper tonal reproduction, finer textures and better noise reduction. Like its predecessor, the new model has an smc Pentax 3x optical zoom lens which includes three aspherical elements. New features include three anti-shake functions: a Shake Reduction (SR) mode, a Blur Reduction High ISO mode and a Movie Anti-Shake. All claim to improve camera performance in dim lighting.

The SR mode uses two gyro sensors to detect movement and a CCD-shift mechanism to counteract the shaking. In the Blur Reduction mode, the camera boost ISO up to 1600 to permit faster shutter speeds to be used. The Movie Anti-Shake Function applies electronic image stabilisation to movie clips. Other features include auto-tracking AF and built-in red-eye correction. The camera is supplied with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

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OptioM20

The Optio M20 replaces the Optio M10 and offers 7-megapixel resolution, a 3x optical zoom lens and a new High ISO Blur Reduction mode, similar to that on the A20. Designed for point-and-shoot photographers, it features an Auto Picture mode that lets the camera determine the shooting conditions for Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, and Program modes and select the best settings for each subject. A 2.5-inch LCD monitor is provided for shot composition and menu selection. The M20 uses AA batteries and claims to deliver up to 220 shots from alkaline batteries or 700 shots from lithium cells.

Both cameras come with new Face Recognition AF and AE functions plus the ability to record movie clips at 30 frames/second at resolutions up to 640 x 480 pixels. They can also be used with both SD and the new SDHC memory cards. No details on pricing or local availability have yet been provided by local Pentax distributor, C.R. Kennedy & Company but the cameras are scheduled for worldwide release in late September or October.