Pentax Optio A40

For more than 80 years, PENTAX has captured the moments and memories of life with its innovative series of cameras. Now the PENTAX legacy of excellence continues with the Optio digital camera line.

Below is a quick guide to the Optio Range:

A ("A" class) - The most advanced features including 10 megapixel resolution, built in hardware image stabilisation and DivX video.
S (Small) - Ultra compact and elegant yet fully featured.
W (Waterproof) - Our toughest models, waterproof, dust proof and rugged enough to go anywhere.  
Z (Zoom) - Features a 7x optical zoom for bringing subjects closer.
V (View) - A large, bright 3.0" LCD monitor for easy viewing.
M (Mid range) - A more compact design supplied with lithium rechargeable battery and charger.
E (Economy) - Entry level, user friendly and  AA battery compatible for easy access to power any where in the world.

The Optio A40 is PENTAX's first digital camera with 12.0 effective mega pixels which enables for ultra high-definition images. It is newly equipped with a large 1/1.7-inch CCD that has a wide light receiving area that is superior in tone reproduction.

Through the incorporation of a new image engine that has excellent colour reproducibility and smc PENTAX lens, which has a reputation as having high resolving power, the Optio A40 pursues even higher image quality and further enhanced performance.

Nothing is more exciting than perfection.

> 1/1.7”CCD with 12 megapixels resolution for richly detailed

images with outstanding colour renditions

> 3X optical zoom with 3 aspherical lens elements for sharp,

brilliant, high-contrast images

> Triple “Shake Reduction for blur-free photos utilising the PENTAX

original opto-mechanical “Shake Reduction” with highly sensitive

detection sensors and special micro mechanics to stabilise the

CCD. Additional digital “Shake Reduction” is offered for blur-free

pictures and videos under nearly any circumstance.

> The new “Dynamic Range Adjustment” function that controls the

contrast range of the pictures and ensures that photos have a

proper balance between brighter and darker areas.

> People are at the centre of the picture – this “cliché” is no longer

just another advertising statement when it comes to the

Optio A40. The Optio A40 recognises people in the scene and

ensures that they are perfectly captured – the exposure is spoton,

skin tones are correctly reproduced, and the best possible

focal length is set. The photographer only has to decide whether

the shot should be a classical portrait or a tight head-andshoulders

shot.

> Internal image processing ASIC * carries out complex high-speed

image processing, offers much faster writing of data to memory

and higher quality image editing.

CCD

• 12.4 Megapixel – total

12.0 Megapixel – effective

1/1.7” Interline Transfer CCD with primary colour filter

• Resolution: 12 MP (4,000 x 3,000), 10 MP (3,648 x 2,736),

7 MP (3,072 x 2,304), 5MP (2,592 x 1,944),

3 MP (2,048 x 1,536), 1,024 x 768, 640 x 480

• Sensitivity: automatic, manual selectable

(ISO64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1,600, 3,200)

Lens

• 7.9 – 23.7mm / 2.8 ~ 5.4 (37 – 111mm in 35mm format),

7 elements in 5 groups (2 double-sided and 1 single-sided

aspherical lens elements)

• 3X optical zoom, 6X digital zoom

Monitor

• Low-reflection 2.5” TFT Monitor with backlighting, 160° viewing

angle, 100% field of view, approx. 232,000 pixels

• Image viewing after recording:

single image with histogramme, 8x magnification

9 image thumbnail view, slide show, image rotation

Image Formats

• Photo: JPEG (Exif 2.2), DCF, DPOF

Video: AVI (MPEG-4, DivX ® -Format), with sound

Sound: WAV (PCM, mono)

Memory

• SD card

• SDHC card

• Approx. 21 MB internal memory

Focus

• 5-point TTL Contrast Detection System with AF assist light,

focus tracking with appropriate Picture Modes, Spot AF,

manual and pan focus

• Photo: Normal: 0.35m – ∞

Macro: 0.12 – 0.4m (wide angle)

Supermacro: 0.06 – 0.15m (wide angle)

Metering

• TTL metering switchable between multi-field, centre-weighted or

spot metering

• Programme controlled electronic shutter

Shutter speeds: approx. 1/2000 – 4sec.

• Recording function: Video, Sound, digital “Shake Reduction”,

Auto Pic Mode, Programmed automatic, Shutter Priority, Manual,

Nightscene, Landscape, Flowers, Natural Skin Tone, Portrait, Kids,

Sport, Surf & Snow, Food, Pets, Jewellery

• Exposure correction: ±2 EV (1/3 steps)

Flash

• Built-in flash with automatic operation in poor lighting

• Manual Flash-on and Flash-off modes, Soft flash

• Preflash for reduction of the “Red-Eye” effect

• Flash range (at ISO Auto)

Wide-angle: approx. 0.06 – 7.1m

Tele: approx. 0.35 – 3.5m

Video **

• Resolution: 640 x 480, 320 x 240

• Editing Function: save as photo, individual sequence or multiple

scenes spliced together

• Videos are MPEG-4 compatible and recorded in the memorysaving

DivX ® format so that longer videos can be recorded in

higher quality

• Movie “Shake Reduction” for blur-free video

• Frame rate: input signal at 25fps recorded at 30fps.

Power requirements

• Rechargeable Li-Ion battery, D-LI8

• Battery capacity: approx. 180 images*

approx. 200 minutes in playback

• AC mains adapter (optionally available)

Interface

• AV (compatible with NTSC and PAL)

• USB 2.0 high-speed connection

AC mains connection

Drive modes

• Single shot, continuous, Video and Sound, Self Timer release

(2 or 10sec.), IR Remote Control (0 or 3sec. release delay)

White balance

• Automatic or manual, Daylight, Tungsten, Shade, Neon

Special Functions

• World time for 75 cities, 28 time zones

• Menu languages: English, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French,

German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish,

Swedish, Turkish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai

• “Shake Reduction” for blur-free images with longer shutter speeds

and focal lengths

• Date imprint for on-screen presentations

• Dynamic Range Adjustment for more accurate representation

relative brightness

Operation speeds

• Switch on to ready: 1.8sec.

• Shutter delay: 0.01sec.

Print Functions

• PictBridge compatible for single image print, all image print and

DPOF print, PRINT Image Matching III

System requirements

• PC: Windows 2000 and XP Home Edition/Professional

(compatible with Windows Vista)

CPU: Pentium III 500MHz or newer

RAM: minimum 128 MB

Available hard drive capacity: minimum 50 MB

• Mac: OS 9.2 (with latest Version CarbonLib) or higher with

QuickTime 6.0

CPU: POWER Macintosh Processor with minimum 266 MHz

RAM: minimum 8 MB, available hard drive capacity minimum 6 MB

Software

• ACDSee for PENTAX, with image data bank,