Detecting any external difference
between last year's Pentax Optio
S, and the Optio S4, a new 4 megapixel version,
requires a close look at both. Aside from the name on top of
the camera, only the colour of the lens front element's trim
is different.
On the front of the camera, concentric
grooves radiate from the lens barrel, while on the back these
have their origin around the 4-way controller.
All the external controls of the Optio S4
are identical to those of the Optio S, starting with the power
button on the top right near the edge of the camera, and the
shutter release next to it. The trim of the On/Off button lights
up green to record images ;
and red when
the Optio S4 is being used as a voice recorder. While the photo
mode is engaged when the button is pressed once, the voice recorder
mode requires that the On/Off button be held in for more than
two seconds.
The back of the Optio S4 supports
the other external controls, arranged on the right side and below
the 1.6 inch LCD monitor. The largest of these is the zoom control,
which is on the upper right side. The control has a dual role
moving the lens to wide angle when pressed on the left, and displaying
an index screen (9
thumbnails) in playback; while pressing it on the right side
adjusts the telephoto in the capture modes and magnifies an image up
to 4X in playback.
Two other buttons are provided between the zoom control and the optical
viewfinder. The one closest to the viewfinder serves to select:
cycles through the Flash
Modes in the recording modes: Auto, Forced On, Forced
Off, Auto with Red-eye Reduction, Forced On with Red-eye
Reduction.
while in Playback, the button
can be used to Delete one at a time when pressed
once, or all images if pressed twice. In addition, a menu
option allows the delete function to be accessed when an
image is shown immediately post-capture for a couple of
seconds.
The other button, between the Flash modes and the zoom control, cycles
through the alternative focusing modes of the Optio S4:
Macro: provides a focus
distance of 18 to 50 cm (7 to 20 in.), and allows the use
of the zoom.
Super Macro: provides
a focus distance of 6 to 20 cm (2.4 to 8 in.), sets the lens
to the middle zoom position and disables both the zoom and
flash.
Landscape: sets the lens
to infinity focus.
Manual Focus: permits
manual focusing using the up and down arrows of the four-way
controller. A distance scale is shown on the left of the
screen. When the lens is set to the middle position in its
range, focus can be as close as 6 cm (2.4 in); otherwise
the minimum distance is 18 cm (7 in.).
AF point selection: sets
the focus point absolutely anywhere in the frame using the
four-way controller.
While in Playback, the button can be used to protect images
from accidental deletion.
A small 4-way controller is flush-mounted on the right side of the LCD
monitor, providing directional controls in the menus and, by default, exposure
compensation with its left and right arrows (±2EV in 0.3EV increments).
In addition, the up and down arrows of the control provide for other functions.
The up arrow cycles through:
Self-timer: 10 seconds.
Remote control: for
use with the optional remote control. Two options
are available, a 3-second delay after the remote is pressed,
or none.
Continuous Mode: keeps
shooting until the memory card is filled. The frame rate
varies according to the image size and quality in use.
and in Playback, pressing the
up arrow of the controller calls up a menu which allows
selecting which photos will be printed (Digital Print Order
Format), including how many prints to make of any one photo,
and whether or not the date should be imprinted on it.
While the down arrow is used to select shooting modes [MODE]
from a dial displayed on the monitor, and the right left arrows are used
to reach a specific mode:
Program Mode: allows
the most control over the Optio S4. Exposure Compensation,
Contrast, White Balance, Saturation, ISO and Sharpness can
be adjusted. (See the Characteristics section of the review
for details).
Scene Modes: is the
access for the 7 scene modes of the Optio S4 (See further
below). Note that the icon shown in this position of
the dial is the last used Scene mode.
Night Scene Mode: allows
using the slowest shutter speed of the Optio S4 of 4 second.
The flash can be used to capture the foreground in addition
to the background which is captured by the long exposure;
or be forced Off for night time scenery photos.
Movie Mode: records
a video clip with sound at a 320 x 240 pixel frame size
for up to 60 seconds. The optical zoom is disabled, but
the digital zoom can be used if it has been enabled in
the menu.
Panorama Mode: allows
recording images that will be stitched into a panorama
later using the software included with the Optio S4 (Windows
only).
3D Mode: captures a
3D image in 2 steps as 3D images are composed of 2 slightly
different views of the same subject. The first step records
the left side of the image, and the second step captures
the right side. During 3D capture, the screen shows a grid
to help align the object, and displays the first shot to
the left of screen when the second exposure is made. The
finished image can then be seen in 3D using a viewing glasses
included with the Optio S4, or with some practice, by staring
at the mid-point between the 2 images until they merge
into a single image.
Digital Filter Mode: provides
digital effects. Coloured filters can be applied to the
image (black and white, sepia, red, green and blue). In
addition, the mode offers a "Slim" filter mode
that allows the image to be distorted so as to make the
subject appear fat or thin.
User Mode: allows choosing
some presets for the camera, and have them instantly available
when the mode is selected.
The Scene modes are selected by pressing the down arrow of the four-way
controller while the Scene Mode icon (see above) is displayed. A
secondary selection dial is then displayed and again, the desired mode
is selected with the left and right arrows and confirmed by pressing the
4-way controller in the centre to OK the selection:
Landscape: similar
to the landscape mode accessed with the Focus button, but
adds a slight increase in sharpness.
Flower: softens sharpness
slightly.
Portrait: uses a
wider aperture to help defocus the background along with
+0.3EV and a slight decrease in contrast and sharpness.
Self-portrait: permits
a closer focus and adds +0.3EV, while slightly decreasing
contrast and sharpness.
Surf and Snow: adds
0.3EV compensation for the brightness of the subject, and
slightly increases contrast and sharpness.
Autumn Colours: applies
a slight increase in saturation and sharpness while using
-0.3EV compensation.
Sunset: relies on
lowering exposure compensation by -0.3EV and a slight increase
in saturation.
Starting on the left, the remaining buttons under the LCD screen call up
the MENU; control the DISPLAY; or switch the camera to Playback
mode .
As with other controls, the DISPLAY button cycles through 3 information
overlays that offer varying amounts of information. In all cases the shutter
speed and aperture selected by the camera are indicated in the lower left
of the monitor when the shutter release is pressed halfway:
The first overlay (the default) indicates time and date,
flash mode, shooting mode, number of images that can be captured,
and the state of the battery.
The second adds all current camera settings plus a histogram,
dead centre of the image, showing the distribution of brightness
in the frame.
The third shows only the focus brackets, but as with all
others adds the shutter speed and aperture when the shutter
release is half-pressed.
A fourth press of the button turns off the monitor.
In terms of ergonomics,
the Optio S4 is identical to the Optio S, and while this obviously
makes economic sense, a couple of minor improvements might have
been made to the design. One might have bee the addition of a
separate OK button which would have reduced the
load placed on the 4-way controller. The other, reversing the
positions for the On/Off switch and the shutter release, which
would prevent accidentally turning off the camera while hunting
for the shutter release.
Introduction
;
and red 
when
the Optio S4 is being used as a voice recorder. While the photo
mode is engaged when the button is pressed once, the voice recorder
mode requires that the On/Off button be held in for more than
two seconds.
(9
thumbnails) in playback; while pressing it on the right side
adjusts the telephoto in the capture modes and magnifies an image 
up
to 4X in playback.
images
from accidental deletion.
.
