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- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 7 reviews
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3 out of 3 people found this helpful
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1 out of 1 people found this helpful
"Excellent value for money, very sharp pictures, extremely portable"
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Recent user reviews
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 7 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 3 of 7 user reviews
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1 out of 1 people found this helpful
"Excellent value for money, very sharp pictures, extremely portable"
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Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest
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alaTest.com
Editors' rating: 87
Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 108 reviews of PENTAX Optio A20 from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 80/100 and users 82/100. Comparing these reviews to 540866 other Digital Compact Cameras reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 87/100 = Very Good.
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dpreview.com
Editors' rating: 80
Summary: There are 35 images in the samples gallery.
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tech.co.uk
Editors' rating: 80
Summary: This is a camera that grows on you: once you've seen the stunning images it can produce, you'll forgive it almost anything.
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techradar.com
Editors' rating: 80
Summary: Instead of giving sharper detail and more flexibility, the addition of millions of pixels to tiny CCDs has often exacerbated simmering problems of digital noise and increased processing time, or revealed previously unnoticed problems with budget lenses
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photographypress.co.uk
Editors' rating: 90
Summary: The A20 is a superbly specified digital compact that lacks almost nothing in terms of specification and control and at a great price
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tech2.com
Editors' rating: 80
Summary: In a case like this, its easy to forget that at the end of the day, the Pentax Optio A20 is still an ultra-compact, and with that size come a lot of limitations. Comparing it directly to the likes of the mid-range Canon Powershots would be ridiculous, ...
CNET editors' buying advice
We have not reviewed this product but here is CNET's buying advice on Digital cameras. This content was chosen based on the features included with this model of digital camera.
Shutter-priority
Shutter-priority is an automated exposure mode that will allow the photographer to set the shutter speed, and the camera will then set the appropriate aperture based on the light meter reading. Fast shutter speeds are ideal for capturing sharp images of high speed events, such as sports and other high action occasions. Slow shutter speeds can be set to get artistic blur in images, such as moving water or car taillights at night. Using shutter-priority will allow such flexibility while providing good exposure for your photos.
See more Shutter-priority products
Image stabilization (Anti-shake)
When using handheld cameras at slow shutter speeds, or with high optical zoom, image stabilization (aka anti-shake) will help with capturing sharper images. There are two types of image stabilization, optical and electronic. Electronic, or digital, stabilization works by shifting pixels within the image frame to interpolate sharpness. Optical sharpness is attained by physical movement within either the camera body or the lens element, which compensates for handheld shaking. Of the two, optical is generally considered more favorable by most photographers.
Read more in the Digital Camera Buying Guide
Snapshooter
The casual photographer needs a camera that is easy to carry and easy to use, so compact and ultracompact cameras make the best choice. These digital cameras are the most useful for taking snapshots anywhere, and can produce nice photos for email, web, or prints smaller than 8x10 inches.
The specs that matter
| Resolution | It doesn't matter. Most digital cameras on the market today have sufficient resolution for your needs. |
| Price | $150 to $300 |
| Lens type | Zoom (range encompassing at least 38mm to 114mm, 35mm equivalent) |
| Storage media | Internal memory, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, xD-Picture Card, or Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard |
| Photo file format | JPEG |
| Interfaces | USB, NTSC/PAL television connection |
| Exposure controls | Automatic, programmed scene modes, exposure compensation (for tweaking the automatic exposure) |
| Focus controls | Automatic |
| Flash modes | Automatic, fill, red-eye reduction |
| Software | Photo stitching, photo album, slide show |
| Multimedia | VGA (640x480), 30fps video-clip recording with sound |
| Cool features to look for | Direct-to-printer (PictBridge) output compatibility, in-camera red-eye removal, automatic exposure fix, optical or mechanical image stabilization, face detection |
Read more in the Digital Camera Buying Guide
CNET product brief
Description: The Pentax Optio A20 is a 10-megapixel, ultra-compact camera.Compared to other ultra-compact digital cameras on the market, it is expensive at around $300.
Pros: Has a 10-megapixel resolution.Weighing only 4.5 ounces without battery or media, this digital camera is very light for a compact camera.This camera also offers control of several exposure modes including shutter-priority, program, and manual mode.
Cons: None noted, given available product data.
Suitability: An ultra-compact digital camera, suited for everyday snapshot photography.A recommended use, based on key features, is semi-professional photography.The largest recommended print size, estimated from the camera's resolution, is 12x16 or larger.
Value: In general, this digital camera's features are in line with its price.However, the average price of ultra-compact cameras with comparable resolution is considerably less, around $185.
Suggestions: For more help in deciding if this is the best digital camera for you, visit the buying guide for digital cameras at CNET Reviews.
CNET's Product Briefs are generated by a software tool that combines product specifications with knowledge of our editorial experts. They do not reflect hands-on assessment or labs testing. For more information about how we create Product Briefs, contact us.
