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| Date Reviewed: Nov 13, 2003 |
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Strengths: Super small yet has more than enough functions, takes great pictures. A true pocket camera.
Weaknesses: Battery charger not self-contained (requires separate cable), LCD does not display exact image color as the photo taken, small 4-way controller.
Summary: 2003-11-13 20:47:03 It's amazing how Pentax squeeze so many function into this small package. I took some test images and was shocked to see how great the pictures looks despite it's miniature size. Now my Canon S400 looks and feels bulky, time to get rid of it.
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| Date Reviewed: Oct 17, 2003 |
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Strengths: Size/Weight, Image Quality, Battery Life
Weaknesses: None
Summary: This camera has exceeded my expectations. It takes sharp, well focused pictures and the menu system is easy to read and very intuitive. Battery life is excellent. I would recommend at least a 256MB memory card. Although the camera is small, it's controls are very easy to operate. The only drawback may be the location of the power button (next to the shutter control).
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| Date Reviewed: Oct 27, 2003 |
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Strengths: Very small, very low weight and amazing features and quality for it's size. Even the battery time before recharging is amazing. It is really nice to have 11mb built-in memory. Handling is comfortable.
Weaknesses: Covers seems to be flumsy, but the future will show if it is really a disadvantage.
So far I have not discovered any other possible weakness to be reported.
Summary: The Optio S4, even offers the oportunity of a recharge adapter for recharging the battery without removing it, but this one has to be purchased separatly.
I already had a lot of fun with this camera - it is really worth its price.
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| Date Reviewed: Oct 23, 2003 |
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Strengths: Image quality, size, battery life, durability.
Weaknesses: Night time picture quality, cheap feeling battery door, shutter button and power button are too close together.
Summary: I have had so many comments on this camera from anyone that sees me pull it out of my pocket in an Altoids tin. It's a real eye catcher and has the picture quality and features to back up its appearance. It has an improved menu button on the back compared to the Optio S and takes great pictures in automatic mode. The only complaint I have is how difficult it is to take a picture at night that does not come out fuzzy or have the background lights bleed together on the picture. Great camera for its size and would definetly recommend to anyone that wants to take their camera everywhere with them and take lots of high quality photos.
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| Date Reviewed: Dec 2, 2003 |
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Strengths: Size, 4Mp, 3X Zoom,
Weaknesses: Noise at low light
Summary: The smallest 4MP camera. Can carry anywhere you want.
I decided between Canon S400, Minolta XT ,Casio Z3/Z4, Optio S. I love this camera since the first time I saw the Optio S but it has something that I don't like such as no buffer and small controller at the back. When Optio S4 came out, I check it. It improved the weakness from Optio S and become the S4. So Optio S4 is the one that I want. Small, cool gadget camera.
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| Date Reviewed: Nov 13, 2003 |
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Strengths: small size. light weight as well...
Weaknesses: On and off switch too close to shutter button. During the first day of usage, this camera already does not respond at one point and "freeze up"... :( Having doubt about the reliability..
Summary: I am very impressed about this camera for the small size and weight. It really does fit into the mint can and goes everywhere.
Also, It has a lot of functions... We spent a few mins going over the manuel and try to learn they all.... The one BAD experience was that "camera freezed up while on and we were unable to turn off the switch"... we had to take out battery to re-start the camera... Hopfully, this will not happend again. Not very reliabile otherwise....
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| Date Reviewed: Nov 26, 2003 |
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Strengths: Very fast. Light weight and VERY small. Cheap. Good quality pictures. Good focus. Lots of options. Very costomizable. Very good battery life. No nonsense design. Hot shoe. IR Remote control (optional)
Weaknesses: Had som problems with auto white balance. Flash a little weak. No man. control over shutter or apperture. Noise apparent at iso 100, but at 50 it is good. Contrast and Sharpness set too high at defaul
Summary: I just got the camera yesterday, but played around with it a lot.
I came from a Canon G1 that I had for 2 years, and a Canon Digital Rebel (300D) that I got 3 weeks ago.
I write this review, primarily to publish my test of the battery life:
With the display ON, taking pictures WITH FLASH and maximum resolution and quality, on a Panasonic Ultra High Speed 256MB SD card, I could take 326 pictures.
I did NOT use the zoom, and did not turn of the camera more than a couple of times.
The card obviously had to be erased 3 times.
The test took 75 minutes which may be the limmiting factor here and my index finger hurt badly afterwards....
This batterylife is TWICE that stated in the manual, and that is stated at taking pictures with flash ON at only 50% of the time.
My conclusion is that, either the manual is wrong, in a good way, or the 160 pictures is with a "turn on/turn of" at regular intervals.
I got an extra battery, but I'm beginning to think I don't need it.
On the note of picture quality, I'm a bit hessitant because I have not compared to the G1 or Rebel yet. I am, though, enclined to say that noise is notisably higher at magnifications, but probably not on a printout.
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| Date Reviewed: Nov 21, 2003 |
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Strengths: Size, zoom, features, quality of images, improvements over Optio S, price.
Weaknesses: Battery door, on/off and shutter button little too close.
Summary: I was about to purchase a Canon S400 camera until my friend brought over his Optio S. I did some research on the Optio S series and at first glance was very impressed with the specs. My first camera was a Fuji FinePix 2600 2.0MP camera and I thought it was excellent. The advantages of the Optio S4 is obviously the size of the camera. Being skeptic about image quality and size of the camera, I was quite amazed at the quality of images after a variety of shots. Reading reviews of other websites state that the Image quality on the S4 is inferior to the Canon cameras. After 2000 shots in a week, I am very satisfied with all the pictures that came out. Battery life on the S4 is amazing. It took me 3 days of constantly taking pictures and using the LCD to requiare a full charge! My old Fuji camera lasted a day max. The improvement over the S is that at night, the shutter will expose at 4 seconds max and not 1 second the previous version sported. So far, the S4 has fixed a lot of common issues with the previous version. A few things that drive me nuts about this camera is the battery door. Would anyone really complained if Pentax added a few extra ounces of rubber for the battery door? I am dissapointed with the contruction of the battery door. It looks as if it is possible to break the battery door if you do not open it gently. In addition, with the battery door open, it hangs onto the camera with a small strip of rubber with the thickness of a piece of paper.
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| Date Reviewed: Nov 30, 2003 |
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Strengths: Small, robust, powerful.
Weaknesses: NA
Summary: An excellent camera. Great lens, suprisingly robust. Because of it's small size, I anticipated a camera with a "flimsy" feel. I was suprised with the solid, large camera feel. Highly recommended. The standard battery has a long life between recharge.
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| Date Reviewed: Nov 21, 2003 |
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Strengths: so small and compact; has as many functions and modes as other cameras (video, self-timer, etc.)
Weaknesses: The material is not very durable...it scratches so easily!
Compared to the Exilim EX-Z4 (which is slightly larger), the LCD screen is so tiny ;(. It does not have the scratch-resistant "gel" screen.
Summary: EVERYBODY was impressed with the camera. People cannot believe a digital camera so small can do so much! Its zoom and resolution is impressive too! Strongly recommended for a 1st camera to last for many many years.
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| Date Reviewed: Dec 5, 2003 |
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Strengths: Picture quality, convenience, size, size, size
Weaknesses: Battery door hindge seems flimsy
Summary: I absolutely love this little (very little) camera. The quality compares with my larger Optio 430RS. It takes a secure digital or MMC cards, which are, unfortunately, more expensive than the compact flash card. I recommend a 256 mg card so that you are not changing cards too often and perhaps putting a strain on the single hinge compartment door.
I found some of the photo choices quite unique. There's a setting for flowers and sunsets to name two. I shot some flowers with the flower setting and the standard setting. I could not see the difference.
I have been traveling a great deal so my photos represent these vacations. I no longer print the picts, but use HP Memories (Mac and PC) to produce VCD formated CD's that plat on my TV DVD player.
Buy the camera and the software and enjoy!
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| Date Reviewed: Nov 10, 2003 |
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Strengths: size, style, handling, speed
Weaknesses: none so far - maybe low light. and they definitely should have moved the on/off button!
Summary: 2003-11-10 13:21:26 we love our camera! the quality of the stills and of the video have surprised us so far. it is very easy to use and easy to get to know. some reviewers have voiced concern over the "flimsy" battery door - it's actually brilliant design - we think it will hold up better than conventional doors due to its flexibility. it is fabulous to have sound as well, and it's quick! it's amazing that they fit so much into such a tiny little camera.
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| Date Reviewed: Nov 3, 2003 |
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Strengths: Size is amazing, easy to carry. Best feature is heightened responsiveness through a shutter release time lag of 0.01 sec!
Weaknesses: I'm pretty happy with this baby...
Summary: It's the best mini-camera on the market today. I got a 512 MB SD card for it, and I'm very happy with all aspects - fast shutter release time, lots of interesting shooting modes like 3D, spectacular super close up lens, good battery time. The user interface for mode switch is a bit clumsy, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. The software is okay, not as good as the competition, but once I get stuff on my HD, I use PhotoShop... so who cares? I used to shoot with a Canon digital Elph, which used to be small but now feels like of clunky! I think Canon's picture sensing internal software is slightly better. But once I get used to this Optio, I'm sure I'm going to rocking and rolling.
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| Date Reviewed: Dec 5, 2003 |
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Strengths: Small, powerful, 3x optical, image quality, many functions, good battery life compare to Canon SD100, powerful flash and design.
Weaknesses: Battery cover a bit flimsy, the 4 arrows dial button too small (though I have small fingers, find it difficult to operate), 3D function seems useless to me.
Summary: Great small compact camera, a recommended to have one. But if you looking for many features and small size camera but a little bigger than this Optio S4, I would recommend to own a Canon SD100. About the 3D function, it seems useless because it needs a special 3D viewer spectacle to view the 3D image that we took. I would rather take the 3D fuction off and add stronger feature on the manual control. Right now, the camera manual control is only for focusing control not for shutter controling. Too bad, hope they could improve in the next optio line. Peace out...
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| Date Reviewed: Mar 22, 2004 |
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Strengths: very cute; good pic quality; reasonable price
Weaknesses: shutter botton is too close to power switch.my wife accidentally turned off the camear once.
Summary: 2004-03-22 09:19:39 generally, this camara is very goood. the design is elegant. it looks very cute and is very easy to handle.
features are enough. doesn't have the battery cover problems as many others mentionsed here.
very happy with this one. would recommmend to others.
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