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Sep 12 2009

Pentax X70 12MP CCD Digital Camera with 24x Optical Triple Shake Reduction Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD

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Pentax X70 12MP CCD Digital Camera with 24x Optical Triple Shake Reduction Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD
 
Manufacturer: Pentax
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $399.95
Sale Price: $362.00
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Small in stature. Big in power. The Pentax X70 packs the capability and control of 12.0 megapixels and a 24X zoom lens into a convenient, compact build. It's the heart of a DSLR in the body of a compact camera.

Product Details
  • 12.0-megapixel resolution for photo-quality prints up to 11 x 14 inches
  • 24x wide-angle optical zoom; equivalent to 26-624mm
  • Triple Shake Reduction technology; HD-quality video capture at up to 15fps
  • 2.7-inch LCD screen; Face Detection AF/AE
  • Capture images to SD/SDHC cards (not included)

Video Reviews
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Customer Reviews
Pentax x70.....Great Camera
 
Review Date: June 15, 2009
Reviewer: James L. Allard, Brandon, Ms. USA
I purchased this camera after reading reviews and looking at several other cameras. I have taken a little over 300 pictures along with a few minutes of video just to see what it would do in the video setting. You can't use the optical zoom while shooting video, but you can use the digital zoom. If you want a good video camera, then you should invest in one that is for that even though this one is pretty good as a backup.
I am very pleased with the camera so far. Very good color and most of the pictures are sharp, although I did have a few that were softer for some reason. I have made some adjustments to the camera since then, but have not taken any pictures since the adjustments. Lots of great features and of course the 24x zoom is one reason I bought it. I am just a hobbyist but have an Olympus C765 that took great pictures but had a shorter zoom and fewer megapixels.
I found the menu to be easy to use and the owner's manual is easy to understand. I have referred to it on several occasions due to the many features of the camera. I do highly recommend spare batteries since it goes through them pretty quickly. You have to take into consideration the large LCD screen, powerful zoom, flash, etc. that all eat up battery life. I also recommend a good LCD screen protector. I found a nice glass one for under $10 made for the Pentax screen. So, all in all, this camera has most everything I wanted in a digital camera without all those lenses to lug around. The video was pretty good for not being a regular video camera.
Pros- Great zoom, excellent color, good picture quality, lightweight and small size, good menu layout, good flash, focus assist light, loads of features.
Cons- Low battery life, no lens thread for filters, touchy zoom lever.
Pentax Camera
 
Review Date: September 12, 2009
Reviewer: Bonton, Colorado
I am not a professional photog and cannot write about the technical aspects of this camera. But I really, really like this camera. It takes great pictures, is easy to use, is super lightweight and is an all around a great little camera. It was a big step up from my pocket digital camera that was a point and shoot with little zoom capacity. I bought it on recommendations from other users and was not steered in the wrong direction.
Photo Bug
 
Review Date: July 16, 2009
Reviewer: Richard Karlin, Phoenix, Arizona
This is a great camera. Its zoom really reaches waaaay out and was perfect for my trip down the Oregon coast. I took over a thousand photos and was extremely pleased with the Pentax.
Awesome Zoom!
 
Review Date: August 22, 2009
Reviewer: J.C., Anaheim, Ca
We took our new camera on a vacation to the Sierras and we were able to get some great close-ups of the wildlife that were very sharp. The 24 optical zoom really gets in close and I do recommend steadying it on a tripod or other solid surface. I took shots without the support and they were very clear but I wouldn't want to risk the shot if it was a one-time opportunity.

The camera offers a lot of variety for settings so it should please any type of photographer. The only drawback for me is that you need to flip up the flash if you want it to go off, the camera will take pictures in very low light without the flash but they will be grainy and I was used to my smaller Pentax where the auto flash kicked in without you doing a thing.
Wonderful camera
 
Review Date: January 6, 2010
Reviewer: Kay C. Fulmer, Elizabethtown, KY USA
I was encouraged to get a good camera before our trip to Alaska. I knew I could not afford a high end camera, so I begain researching. I had a Pentax years ago and it was a great camera, so when I begain reading about the X70, I liked what I was reading. I especially liked the size and weight of the camera. I'm not a professional, but love taking pics when traveling. After much research and comparison of many cameras, I felt the X70 had the most to offer for the money. I ordered it and was not disappointed when it arrived. It takes fantastic pictures. I used it on the trip and came back with some very nice pictures. I have seen many complaints about the battery life and I have not had this problem at all. The battery lasts a very long time for me. I use it a lot to make pics of crochet items and the stitch clarity is great. I love the setting for babies also, as I have a new grandson and the pics are great. I just love everything about this camera. It is a great size for travel, not so heavy and bulky as some cameras I considered.
Even Better Than Expected
 
Review Date: September 7, 2009
Reviewer: Kay Cummings, Shell, WY United States
This is a wonderful camera. Takes wonderful pictures with the optical zoom and Intelligent zoom goes even farther - the digital zoom works but quality isn't the greatest. Great video also (if you can keep from moving the camera too fast) and sound. I was looking for a digital video camera, and am so glad I picked this one instead - better quality video and wonderful stills. Easier to use than my old digital camera. Panorama is great too.
Pentax X70: great travel camera compared to Canon SLR
 
Review Date: April 11, 2010
Reviewer: Martin, Saskatoon
Purchased originally for a trip to Africa. The light weight, super-zoom capability, and high picture quality made it an excellent choice. Went with friends who brought well over $1500 worth of new Canon SLR with multiple lenses. The X70 allowed me to react MUCH more quickly to the situation and get some truly excellent shots of game/landscape. Often, our friends with the SLR were left fumbling with lenses as animals ran away. Picture stabilization for high zoom photos worked extremely well in bright light, less so with the limitations of low light. The zoom control itself is a little twitchy but definitely gets easier to use with practice. The view finder screen made shooting in sunny conditions easy, something I have found impossible with view screen only cameras. For sticking in a backpack and hiking, it is truly excellent due to the light weight, flexibility, and high picture quality. The SLR got left behind: too heavy! Battery life, while not amazing, was very good as I was able to get at least 2 days of hard zooming use out of a battery charge. When we got home, the pictures from the SLR were of higher resolution when viewed on a big screen HDTV. The difference was small however and would not have been noticeable without the direct comparison. On a 17" computer screen, the difference is insignificant. The color of the X70 pics is excellent and equal or superior to the big SLR. The quality of prints seems more related to the printing process than the pics themselves as, on the same high quality printer, the pics cannot be distinguished from each other based on resolution/quality. Maybe sharper colors from the Pentax but small difference. When our friends printed up a picture book of the trip (where we spent about one of three weeks together), nearly half the pictures chosen were from our camera! For use around home both inside and outdoors the Pentax easily replaces my previous point and shoot digital cameras for family photos giving shots of higher quality.

On balance, I would say the X70 is an excellent choice for the traveler who wants higher picture quality and more capability from a camera without the weight and significantly higher price of an SLR. It's easy to use, takes excellent pictures of high resolution and superior color, is very deep in features/capabilities, is light and compact for travel, and represents excellent value for money. The 24X superzoom capability gives amazing results. If you're an amateur photographer with an active lifestyle and travel aspirations, I highly recommend it. It's much closer to a digital SLR than the point and shoot it really is.
Consider as a light DSLR
 
Review Date: February 19, 2010
Reviewer: tertpo,
Pros:
+Perfect image quality for a lightweight camera (You can compare at [...])
+Weighs only 400g
+Sharp pictures (I LOVE IT)
+IS works good even with 24x optical zoom
+Can take -relatively- wide angle photos.
+Price

Cons:
-Pictures are overexposured (too white). Exposure setting should be changed.
-You will need an extra battery (I suggest Maximal Power DB OLY LI-50B)
Excellent
 
Review Date: August 3, 2009
Reviewer: K. Branham,
I have spent hours playing with this camera and love everything about it. I am not a professional by any means, but it takes such great pictures, people seems to think I am. It's simple to use.
Great Camera!
 
Review Date: May 21, 2010
Reviewer: Lora Redmon, Russell Springs, KY
This camera is great. It's my first "professional" camera, and I just love it! I'm constantly playing with it and learning new things it can do. I'm shaky from meds I take, and almost every picture I take is clear as ever! Awesome camera.

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 12th, 2009 at 3:48 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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