Pentax Optio750Z

Reviewed January 2005

Interface & Software

While the Fn button's function is often counter-intuitive and too complicated, the rest of the interface devised for the Optio 750Z is generally well-organized and clear. The fonts and colours used make the information legible and similarly, the menu system's options and the way the sections are organized are clear, and logical.

The third section of the menu, Set-up, is one of the longest sections, but much like the others, is clearly organized and easy to use:

• Format: to format an SD card.

• Sound: serves to adjust the volume and set a sound for Start-up, Shutter, Operation, and Self-timer.
• Date Adjust: to set the date and time on the Optio750Z, and the way they will be displayed.
• World Time: to select the local time, and a destination time so that the camera can easily show either.
• Language: sets the language that will be used for the interface (German, English, Chinese [traditional or simplified], Korean, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese or Russian).

• Folder Name: has two options, Normal, which creates folder names based on on 3 digits (100, 101, 102) and the suffix PENTX, or by making the camera use the numbers of the month and day to create the folder name.
• Start-up Screen: On or Off. Selects whether or not the Optio logo, or an image selected from those captured, is shown when the camera starts up.
• Display: this option serves to select how much information is displayed superimposed on the monitor. Two settings (Setting 1 and 2) can be independently configured and called up by pressing the OK button at the centre of the 4-direction controller.

• Brightness: serves to adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor.
• Video Out: NTSC or PAL.
• USB Connection: sets the USB protocol. Mass Storage, when connecting to a computer; PictBridge to connect and print photos directly on a PictBridge compatible printer.
• Sleep Timeout: decides the time after which the monitor will turn off when the camera is not in use (30 seconds, 1 or 2 minutes or Off).
• Auto Power Off: sets the automatic shut down delay time when the camera is not in use (Off, 3 or 5 minutes).

• Fn Setting: to assign additional functions to each of the 4 arrows of the 4-direction controller, which are then called up by pressing the Fn button (see the Ergonomics section of the review).
• USER 1, 2, 3: serves to establish and memorize up to 3 sets of user preferences that can then be recalled by turning the Mode Dial to the User position.
• Reset: returns the camera to its factory default with the exception of the date and time, both local and world time, and the language setting.

Pentax includes a printed manual with the Optio 750Z, and an identical non-interactive PDF manual on the CD that accompanies the camera in North America. While the manual covers all aspects of the camera, its explanations of some modes and functions are occasionally superficial, lacking practical detail, and demand time and patience from the user to grasp some aspects of the camera's operations.

Software

The North American retail Pentax Optio 750Z tested here was supplied with a CD containing ACDSee version 5 in a variety of languages, QuickTime 6 and DirectX 9.0.

This particular version of ACDSee is customized for Pentax and includes FotoCanvas, FotoSlate and Showtime.

Showtime! serves to create presentations that can include photos, videos and sound.

It is worth noting however that the program requires Windows Media Player version 7.0 or above to be present on the computer, but that it was unable to recognize Windows Media Player version 10 ...