With the Optio 750Z, Pentax
raises the bar for its compact cameras to 7 megapixel, adds a
swivelling 1.8 inch LCD monitor, and encloses it in a new body
that still retains touches from previous Pentax designs.
Four controls are positioned on the top right side of the camera: the On/Off
power button which is flanked by a green LED, the 2-stage shutter
release with the Mode dial around it, and just in front of the
Mode dial, a small lever called the Front Lever.
The Front lever has three basic
uses:
to set Exposure Compensation which has a range
of ± 2EV in 0.3 EV increments;
to choose one of three personalized capture modes (see
further down);
or, in the Playback mode, to display the next or previous
image in single-image display, or to display the next or
previous set of nine images in nine-image display, or to
display the next or previous set of nine folders in folder
display.
The Mode Dial of the Optio
750Z has 12 settings, 10 of which relate to capture modes:
Program Mode: the camera
handles aperture and shutter speed, all other parameters
remaining under the control of the user.
Aperture Priority Mode:
allows selecting the aperture manually (from f2.8 at the
wide angle end, and f4.6 at the telephoto end, to f7.6 for
both) while the camera decides the shutter speed, and all
other parameters remain available to the user.
Shutter Priority mode:
lets the user choose the shutter speed (between 1/1000
second and 15 seconds) while the camera selects a matching
aperture. Once again, all other parameters remain available
to the user.
Manual Mode: provides
complete control over both aperture and shutter speed selection,
in addition to all other photographic parameters. As the
exposure is under the control of the user, exposure compensation
is not available.
User Mode: this mode
allows the selection of any one of three groups of preferred
settings (using the Front Lever) that have been previously
saved.
Movie Mode allows recording
video clips with sound at either one of two frame sizes:
640 x 480 pixels at 30 or 15 frames per second,
preventing the use of the digital zoom.
320 x 240 pixels at either 30 or 15 frames per
second, allowing the use of the digital zoom.
With either format, metering and white balance are
continuously adjusted, while focus and optical zoom
position are locked at the first frame. The length
of the recording is dictated by the capacity of the
memory card in use.
Digital Filter Mode serves
to capture photos in a variety of colour tones (red, pink,
purple, blue green, yellow) as well as Black and White,
Sepia, and Soft, which lessens sharpness and saturation.
3D Image Mode is to
capture stereoscopic images. The camera divides a horizontal
frame in half vertically, recording the first image of
the subject on one side, and the second image of the same
subject on the other side but with a slight perspective
offset. With a bit of practice the image can then be seen
with the naked eye, or if printed, with an optional stereoscopic
viewer available from Pentax.
Panorama Assist Mode allows
capturing series of images that can be assembled later
into panoramic photos. The mode overlays, semi-transparently,
one edge of the preceding photo so that the next can be
overlapped accurately using the software (ACDSee for Pentax)
provided with the camera.
Picture Mode which
is the access to any of the 12 Scene Modes available:
Landscape accentuates
greens, blues and sharpness.
Surf & Snow applies
exposure compensation and accentuates contrast
slightly.
Sunset uses
a negative exposure compensation and a slight
increase in colour saturation.
Flower captures
vivid colours using the macro mode and a wide
aperture to blur the background slightly.
Autumn Colours adjust
saturation and contrast to capture fall colours.
Food uses
macro mode and adjusts contrast and saturation
so as to capture appetizing photos of foods.
Portrait reduces
contrast slightly and uses a wide aperture to
blur the background slightly.
Self-portrait sets
the camera to look for a near focus. The full
zoom range remains available and the LCD monitor
can be rotated to face front so as to frame the
shot.
Sport optimizes
shutter speed so as to freeze action.
Night Scene forces
the flash to Off — although that setting
can be changed — and allows an exposure
of up to 4 seconds. Noise reduction is automatically
applied to long exposures.
Night Scene Portrait provides
the same parameters as the Night Scene mode,
but activates the flash so the camera will capture
the foreground as well as the background.
Fireworks cuts
off the flash, locks the focus to infinity and
the exposure at 4 seconds. Noise reduction is
applied to the image, and colours are accentuated.
The two remaining positions on the Mode Dial offer functions that are specific
to the Optio 750Z:
Sound Recorder which allows
the 750Z to function as a digital recorder, storing sound
files in WAV format. The duration of the recording is only
limited by the capacity of the memory card.
Digital Exposure Metering
Mode turns the Optio 750Z into an advanced reflective
digital exposure meter, a function that we have not seen
in any other camera to date. Moreover, using the zoom,
the metering can be changed from a wide area metering into
a spot meter. The ISO can be selected — independently
of the setting used to capture images — precisely
(6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 25, 32, 40, 50, 64, 80, 100, 125,
160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600,
2000, 2500, 3200, 4000, 5000 or 6400 ISO), as can the EV
step (1/3 EV or 1/2 EV) and the colour mode, Full Colour
or Black and White.
The Optio 750Z is equipped with a simple optical viewfinder that bears
no particular markings, but has a diopter correction. Two LEDs are vertically
aligned on the right of the exit pupil. The upper one lights up green,
solidly when focus is achieved, and blinking when it cannot be ascertained;
the lower one lights up red when the flash is ready, or blinks when the
flash is charging.
The 1.8 inch LCD monitor is composed of 134,000 pixels and
swivels, making it possible to open it to the left, rotate it 90° towards
the back or 180° towards the front.
All the other external controls for
the Optio 750Z are positioned to the right of the LCD screen.
Starting on the right of the optical viewfinder, a row of three buttons
is labelled with black icons above and blue ones below, the colours corresponding
to the buttons' functions in the recording modes (black), or their function
in the Playback mode (blue):
The first button,
on the left, selects the Flash modes, cycling through:
Auto, Forced Off, Forced On, Auto with Red-eye Reduction,
Forced On with Red-eye Reduction. Moreover, pressing the Fn button (see
further) allows selecting synchronization, either first
or second curtain.
In Playback mode the same button
serves to Lock an image, preventing its accidental
erasure.
The second button serves to
select how photos are captured:
Single Frame Shooting: captures a single
photo each time the shutter release is pressed.
Continuous Shooting: captures photos in
JPEG format as long as the shutter release is pressed.
The frame varies according to image size and current
compression settings. Focus, white balance and exposure
are set and locked at the first frame.
Self-timer: with a delay of either 10 or
2 seconds, the 2-second option available when the Fn button
is pressed.
Bracketing(JPEG format only):
Exposure Bracketing, over ± 2EV
in 0.3 EV increments.
White Balance Bracketing records 3
images: one with the normal white balance setting,
then one with a redder tone, and finally one
with a bluer tone.
Saturation Bracketing records 3 images:
one with low saturation, one normal, and one
with an increase in saturation.
Sharpness Bracketing records 3 images:
one image with lowered sharpness, one at the
normal setting, and one with increased sharpness.
Contrast Bracketingrecords 3 images:
one image with less contrast, one at the normal
setting, one with an increase in contrast.
Interval Shooting can be set to take JPEG
photos with an interval time adjustable between 10
seconds to 99 minutes, over 2 to 99 photos, and with
a starting time that can be set to be between 00:00
and 23:59.
Multiple Exposure Mode, also applies to
JPEG images, and allows superimposing an image atop
another, the first image being displayed semi-transparently
on the LCD monitor. images can be recorded so that
priority is given to either the brighter or the darker
image, or so that their exposure is averaged across
both.
Or simply to start the Remote Control (the
unit itself is optional) with or without a 3-second
delay.
In the Playback mode the button
serves to set DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) settings
for captured images. The Optio 750Z is compatible with PictBridge and
can be connected directly to a PictBridge compliant printer
to make prints (1 to 99 copies of any one photo) and decide
whether the time and date will be superimposed on prints.
Selects the Focus mode:
Normal Autofocus: the camera focuses on
subjects that are from 65 cm (23.35 inches) to infinity.
Macro: lets the camera focus on a subject
from 15 to 65 cm (5.85 to 23.35 inches), and allows
use of the zoom.
Super Macro: forces the zoom to the wide
angle end and locks it there while the Super Macro
mode is in use. The mode allows focusing on a subject
from 2 to 65 cm (0.78 to 3.35 inches).
Landscape: sets the focus to infinity.
Manual: allows focusing the camera manually
using the zoom control to adjust the focus point
according to a distance scale that is displayed on
the lower part of the LCD monitor, and which covers
distances from 2cm (0.78 in.) to infinity.
Focusing Area Mode: is an alternative to
the wide area focusing system, making it possible
to select the focus point from any of 11 areas in
the frame (this mode is available in conjunction
with either macro focus mode).
In Playback, the same button
serves to delete the photo currently shown on the monitor
after selecting delete from a confirmation screen.
The Zoom Control is located on the upper left of the back,
positioned so that it is readily available under the thumb. In Playback
it serves to magnify an image (up
to 10X) when pressed to the telephoto side,
or review images as thumbnails (9
per screen) when pressed to the wide angle side .
Three other buttons are stacked on the right side of the monitor. Starting
with the upper one:
starts the Playback mode.
Moreover, holding the button pressed more than 1 second makes
the camera retract the lens. Similarly the button can also
be used to start the camera directly in Playback mode and
therefore avoid having it deploy the lens, if it is held
in while the power button is pressed.
The next button, ,
adds additional uses to some of the settings provided by the three buttons
above the LCD screen: , ,
and .
The availability of these additional settings is indicated at the top of
the screen that is shown when the Fn button is pressed (see below).
Worth noting, the icon corresponding to the extra function only shows with
some of the functions provided by the buttons:
When the Flash is active, Fn allows
selecting First curtain or Second curtain.
When the Self-Timer is
active, Fn allows changing from a 10 to a 2 second
delay.
When Bracketing for Exposure, White Balance, Sharpness, Saturation,
or Contrast, either the self-timer, or the remote control
can be additionally selected.
Or, when set to use the Remote Control, Fn allows choosing
a 0 or 3 second delay before the shutter release after the remote's
button has been pressed.
Last, when either the Standard or Super
Macro modes are engaged, Fn serves to use the
user-selectable Focus Point in conjunction with the macro
modes.
Furthermore, if programmed in the Setup menu (see
the Interface and Software section of this review) the Fn button
can be used to give additional functions to the arrows of the
4-direction controller, by assigning each to display a chosen
menu option, in effect turning them into shortcuts to some
of the most commonly needed settings contained in the menu.
Any one of 17 items, mostly options
from the Recording menu, can be assigned to the controller's
arrows. The shortcut is then accessed by pressing the Fn button,
which displays the available functions as an overlay on the image (see
above), and then the arrow assigned to the required menu
option.
The last button is much more
straightforward:
displays the menu, showing
the appropriate section depending on which mode (capture
or playback) the camera is set to.
Last, the 4-direction controller serves to navigate the menus, options
or image playback, while the OK button, at its centre, is used to
confirm selections.
Moreover, when set to a still image
capture mode, the OK button also serves to switch between
two different information displays, each one fully customizable
by the user so as to show more or less information as desired.
By default the Optio's Setting 1 is set to full display,
superimposing every critical camera setting on the LCD monitor,
while Setting 2 displays no information.
The settings shown can include
the shooting mode (P/S/A/M) or the Custom mode in use (1, 2,
or 3), flash mode, focus mode, whether or not the digital zoom
is active, AF brackets, the remaining number of images that can
be captured, a composition grid, an indicator for the battery
change, date and time, exposure correction, aperture and shutter
speed, white balance setting, histogram, ISO sensitivity, and
even which zone of the frame could be over or underexposed.
In Playback complete shooting parameters can be shown, as well as a histogram.
The ergonomics of the Optio 750Z are best understood when seen
in two parts. First, the in-hand feel of the camera and its stability.
In this area the Optio 750Z gets high marks as it offers a compact
size with an exterior finish that makes the camera pleasant to
use, and practical thanks to its adjustable screen.
The second part is the overall ease of use of the controls. There, for
the most part the 750Z is on par with others, but, in our opinion, with
one exception: the operation of the Fn button.
Each of the additional functions
that are reached through the Fn button add a layer of complexity
to the operation of the camera that would have been better handled — and
more readily accessible — as either menu options, or as
additional steps that a given button would cycle through.
Introduction
(up
to 10X) when pressed to the telephoto 
side,
or review images as thumbnails 
(9
per screen) when pressed to the wide angle side 
.
,
adds additional uses to some of the settings provided by the three buttons
above the LCD screen: 
