Timothy
Parker Consulting Incorporated
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Pentax EI200 Pentax’s EI200 is an eagerly-awaited product according to
camera retailers, and worth waiting for, too. There’s a bunch of features that
make the camera notable, and solid performance and design that make it useful. The Pentax EI200 is a 2.1 megapixel (1600x1200pixel
maximum) digital camera about the size and shape of a compact 35mm camera. The
size and weight of the unit fit easily in the hand and in a pocket or carrier.
The optical zoom lens is a notable feature, covering an effective focal
length of about 35 to 100mm equivalents in 35mm photography, with excellent
resolution and clarity. The aperture can be opened to about f2.4, allowing lots of
low-light shots that other digital cameras would render dark. Our resolution
tests shown only slight vignetting and loss of sharpness at the edges at the two
zoom extremes, certainly nothing to be noticed on photographs. The LCD on the back of the camera allows access to
functions through an easy-to-use menu interface.
Default options will suit many photographers, but it is nice to have
control over exposure and metering modes, white balance, and other parameters.
The toggling of continuous shooting and time-lapse imaging provide
creative options to a photographer. The
built-in flash is small and almost useless for any task other than fill, but
that’s par for the course with almost all digital cameras. The backplane
features a button and microphone for recording up to 45 seconds of audio clips
to the removable CompactFlash card, allowing quick notes about location,
exposure, of even audio sound bites to accompany photographs. Capacity The wimpy 8MB CompactFlash card supplied with the unit is
almost a throwaway. The camera’s three resolution modes allow you to choose
the number of shots you save on a card, but most users will want to purchase
larger CompactFlash cards for more capacity. At the highest resolution, the
supplied card can store a (gasp!) one single shot.
At thw lowest resolution you get about 25 shots on the card, but
pixelation causes image problems on any blowup larger than 4x6. Why camera
manufacturers skimp and give us flash cards that end up being useless is a
mystery: wise up guys! Charge us a few extra bucks for a reasonable capacity
card that we won’t waste! You get
discounts in bulk! Battery life is about average for digital cameras of this
resolution. The camera’s four AA batteries will last for quite a while as long
as you don’t use the LCD continuously. Use
of the LCD, or repeated use of the zoom lens, all drains the batteries at an
alarming rate. With constant use of
the LCD we managed only about 20 shots from a flesh set of alkalines, but with
judicious use of the back screen only for final keep/delete functions, we could
get 100 shots from a set. Flash
drains the batteries must faster, of course, and since the flash is rather weak
the drain is not worth it. Working It The controls of the Pentax EI200 are well placed, the
camera feels good in the hand and in constant use, and the overall impression of
the unit is of solid workmanship. Modifying the default behavior of the system
is easy with the menu, although again you’re draining battery life by using
the LCD. All the options are easy
to move between using a couple of buttons and a rocker panel. The range of adjustments will suit all but the most demanding
photographer. Our test shots showed good exposure calculations, with a
choice between center-weighting, spot, and average metering.
The spot metering was a little off, averaging a wider area than you would
think, but still acceptable. White
balance can be thrown off with overly white content, assuming an average gray
pall as with most cameras. White
balance adjustments are quite easy, though you have to remember to perform them
when necessary. Two buttons on top of the camera allow toggling between
portrait, landscape and a fast shutter mode for sports. ISO ratings can be
selected as 100, 200, or 400. As mentioned, the flash is underpowered and drains the
camera batteries quickly. Accompanying
the camera is a CD-ROM of Adobe PhotoShop LE, a USB to firewire cable for
downloading from the camera, and a cable adapter to display photos and sound on
a TV. There’s no AC adapter,
although one is probably available as an extra since there’s a socket for it
underneath one of the swing-out panels. Pentax includes a belt-loop case for the
EI200. Transferring images from camera to computer is slow, made worse by the
battery drain imposed during this process. Flash and Zoom We’ve already commented on the small flash.
To Pentax’ credit, the built-in flash does have some nice features such
as red-eye reduction and adjustments to the zoom setting of the lens.
Recycle time depends on the battery state. For shots in reduced light, we
had to boost the ISO rating to 400. With
subjects that are not close to the camera, a little brightening in software was
also necessary to get good exposures in a print, at the cost of a little
contrast loss. The zoom feature of the lens is activated with a back-panel
rocker switch. At full extension,
the lens sticks out about half an inch from its retracted position.
The zoom movement is smooth. From the resolution tests we’re pretty
sure the lens elements are glass (the manual – ours was in Japanese only –
doesn’t identify the components). The little things The shape and design of the Pentax EI200 got comments from
many rubberneckers while we tested the unit.
Many mistakenly thought it was a 35mm compact camera, the size and shape
very similar to those units from Pentax. Only
the LCD on the back gave it away to most onlookers. The camera was a joy to use, with the on-screen menu, rocker switch, and small push buttons all well conceived. Those with thick fingers may find the buttons small, but our testers had no trouble with any of the camera’s gadgets. A big rotary wheel on top toggles different modes, and the shutter release has a smooth feel to it. Apart from the 8MB memory card, it’s difficult to fault the camera in any way. We enjoyed our time with it. Specs:
Rating: 4/5 |
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