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The A710 IS offers something of a middle ground in terms of functionality. The 6x optical zoom is nice, but it’s not a really telling feature, just good to have, and the image stabilisation works well with it. The resolution is good, but other in this kind of price range are now offering slightly more at 8Mp. Then again, for a compact, 7Mp is plenty and more is just overkill. The camera does offer a good deal of photographic control, even though the image quality is little better than average, and it only shoots sRGB as well.

The selling points of this camera are the flexibility of the design and the powerful zoom. Neither of these will let prospective purchasers down, but anyone looking for a more general camera will be disappointed by the image quality overall and the problematic flash. The VR system is something that a big zoom really needs if in poor lighting condition, but it is hardly infallible so a few shots are generally required, rather than assuming it will have worked. 

Pentax are back! With the possible exception of frame rate, made up for in part with the Shake-reduction and dual RAW capability, this camera is up there with Nikon’s D200 and Canon’s 30D. Packed with features that have been well thought out and are easily accessible in a body that has been built to withstand the pressures of hard use in typically English climates it has a lot going for it. If their lens line-up takes a similar leap in the next twelve months, Pentax will be back toe-to-toe with the big boys. This is a serious advanced amateur or semi-pro camera. 

With lots of picture modes and a generally simplified body control system, this is a DSLR that beginners can pick up and use. It produces very good results, and with a high 10Mp resolution can equally be used for landscapes and portraits. The autofocus is fast and accurate, but lacks sophisticated tracking and selection options. The ISO range is decent, but gets very noisy at 1600, even with noise reduction. 

A new race has begun in the digital camera marketplace. Manufacturers are now rushing to include elaborate systems that promise to reduce the effect of camera shake to their latest models. This doesn’t mean the long established quest for more pixels is over. The megapixel race is still very much alive, with higher resolution models pushing the 10 million pixel barrier. In this review Gary Wolstenholme takes a look at whether the Pentax Optio A20 will reign victorious in either of these competitions…

As an entry-level camera, the improvements over the D50 are all in the right areas. Sticking with the 6.1MP sensor is a sensible move, as most folk do not need the resolution offered by higher pixel counts and the saving in both hard disc storage and processing speed will be appreciated by many, even if they don’t know it. The image quality from it is good enough to beat most compacts anyway. The size and weight will appeal too, as there is virtually no weight penalty over the larger bridge cameras and, for the first time with an SLR, I could actually get it in a coat pocket comfortably…