Chic. Sleek. And ultra-compact. The Optio S5i packs a myriad of performance and user-friendly features into an irresistible package. A 5.0 megapixel CCD for exquisite detail and clarity. A large, 1.8 inch LCD monitor to view the action even in bright light. Flash exposure compensation and an astounding 21 picture modes to ensure the best images possible. And it’s all housed in a gorgeous 3.7-ounce aluminum alloy body. The perfect pocket accessory for professionals, travelers, and people on the go. From the Manufacturer

The Optio S5i lets you achieve superior clarity that extends from macro shooting to expansive landscapes with the power of 5.0 effective megapixels. Compose and view recorded shots with a convenient 1.8 inch LCD monitor that offers a 100% field of view. Take your Optio S51 anywhere! With an innovative sliding lens that retracts to be flush with the body of the camera and an aluminum alloy design, the Optio S5i achieves exceptionally compact dimensions of just 3.3 x 2 x .81 inches. Zoom in on the action with a 3X zoom with a focal range covering angles of view equivalent to those of a 36.5-107mm lens in 35mm format. The optical zoom can also be augmented with 4X digital zoom, which takes the camera's total zoom capability to an impressive 12X. Conserve power with an optical viewfinder that offers the advantage to switch-off the LCD monitor. Take shots without additional media. With approximately 10MB of built-in memory and compatibility with SD memory cards, the Optio S5i allows the recording of a substantial amount of images.
Recharge your Lithium-ion batteries by setting the Optio S5i in its compact, lightweight recharge unit. Choose from 22 shooting modes displayed on the LCD monitor via the Mode:

And More ...
Voice recording mode enables audio recording that rivals many standalone devices. This can be incredibly handy in a wide range of situations, offers index ability, and can be used to record audio to the capacity of the available memory. And you can connect your Optio S5i directly to your printer and gain control over printing, resizing, trimming, digital filters, and other functions without the need for a PC! The Optio S5i supports PictBridge, a new direct-print standard that allows the camera to be connected to a PictBridge-supported printer directly via USB cable.

The Optio S5i also comes bundled with a CD-ROM that features an exclusive USB driver as well as the popular ACDSee for PENTAX, which can be installed on both Windows and Macintosh systems. Take pictures of yourself or include yourself in group shots with a handy self-timer. Capture fast-paced action by activating continuous shooting and holding the shutter button down. Adjust light sensitivity easily with a selection of ISO 80, 100, 200 and 400 as well as an auto setting. Take control of the date function and the number of copies with DPOF compatibility. Produce prints that are more faithful to the original subject when you use your camera with Exif Print (Exif 2.2) and PRINT Image Matching-compatible printers. Attach up to 30 seconds of sound to recorded images. Assign two frequently-used functions to the left and right positions of the four-way controller for easier access in the future.

Achieve exceptional user-friendly operability through use of newly-designed processing circuitry and an innovative software algorithm. These elements work hand in hand to take responsiveness to a new level and support a shutter time release lag of a mere 0.01 seconds. Gain easy access to frequently-used shooting and playback functions and modes through use of the handy virtual mode dial. Switch from the menu screen and move into simple shooting quickly and easily with a Quick button that takes the user back to Green mode. The Quick button can also be configured to take the user to Mode Palette, White balance, Mode memory, Trimming, Resizing, other menus, and even sub menus should the user desire. Get great results with a built-in flash that fires automatically in low-light conditions. For greater control, the camera also features Flash-on, Flash-off, and red-eye reduction modes, and there's also the option of Slow shutter sync which is useful when shooting in Night Scene mode.

Test

Good images from an incredibly tiny package., December 14, 2004 Reviewer: Cliff Hutson "The Marmot" (Southern California) - See all my reviews My first impulse was to compare the Optio S5i to my Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom and then give it only four stars, instead of five. After all, they are both five megapixel cameras and the image quality from the Olympus is much better. Then I realized while such a comparison may not be comparing apples to oranges, it is comparing say a Red Delicious to a Granny Smith. You buy them for different reasons.

I bought the Pentax because I want a camera that I could stick in a shirt pocket every morning and forget about until I needed it. The Optio S5i has more than met that criterion. For that convenience, I am willing to accept images that may be slightly softer in the corners or be somewhat less saturated than the ones I get from my more serious camera.

The Optio S5I actually has some very robust features. Although, it is at heart a point-and-shoot it offers some control in the ability to make manual adjustments to white balance, change focus points, and other exposure control options. The noise levels are exceptionally low for a subcompact digital camera. This is a lot of camera in a very tiny package and can meet the needs of the novice as well as the advanced photographer who wants a camera to knock around with while traveling or kicking back

Remarkable feat of miniaturization, October 29, 2004
Reviewer:
David Brittan (Newburyport, MA) - This is a remarkable camera. I've tried bulky full-functioned cameras and miniature no-frills cameras. But the Optio S5i combines the best of both worlds. The designers have managed to squeeze a wide array of desirable features (such as optical zoom, multiple focus modes, video, and many useful program modes) into a tiny, palm-size package. It is in fact the smallest full-functioned camera I found in an exhaustive search.

I went into many electronics stores and hefted all the popular ultracompact cameras, including the Sony Cybershot DSC-T1. But none could match the Optio S5i for sheer compactness and lightness. (Although only the earlier S4i was in stores at the time, I knew its weight and dimensions were the same as the S5i's).

Inevitably, there have been compromises: Shooting at full resolution, you have to wait a few seconds between shots while the S5i records data. The life of a battery charge is below average (you'll need to keep an extra battery handy). Noise (speckles and dots) creeps into images taken at the most sensitive ISO settings (200 and 400), a common problem among cameras that capture light with ultra-tiny CCDs.

But with patience and practice, I've managed to take some very high-quality photos (technically, I mean--I don't claim to be Ansel Adams). Right now I'm looking at a full-bleed 8 1/2 x 11-inch color print of a whale-watching boat, taken on a sunny day with the zoom at 3X. The focus is razor-sharp, the color is well saturated, and the resolution is extremely high--I can make out individual leaves on trees half a mile away. (I can also vouch for the Canon i560 photo printer, which is no longer made but still available for around $70.)

What I like best about the S5i is the convenience. I love to take photos, but always hated carrying a piece of artillery around my neck--I could never participate fully in the events I was photographing. The S5i fits neatly into a shirt pocket. I carry mine around in a little leather pouch attached to my belt. It's no more trouble than wearing a very thin cell-phone pouch. When I need it, I just slide it out of the pouch, power it on, and am ready to shoot in three or four seconds. (By the way, even though I have big hands, I've had no difficulty operating the tiny controls.) The Optio S5i provides something I've never before experienced with a full-featured camera: freedom!

Great Little Camera, January 7, 2005 Reviewer: C. Wasko (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews Bought this camera in October based on the positive reviews and wanting to move to digital. This has been a great camera - Put it in your pocket and take it anywhere, easy to use and better picture quality than the last couple of 35MM cameras I've owned. The charging station is also very handy and the battery will last for a long time. Dropped it a few times with no problems.
Took this camera to Disney in December for vacation - I ended up taking close to 250 pictures and keeping 140 (which cost @$35 to get prints made). I have a great shot of the fireworks over the castle which never would have shown with my 35MM. Nighttime still pictures in the park are great, however night parade pictures just didn't work. I would definitely buy this camera again, but here are the cons that I've experienced:

1)Very low light pictures are virtually impossible to take. Fine for indoor with lights or outdoor areas with some light.
2)There is a noticeable shutter lag, so motion pictures are also very tough to take. You have to anticipate where the action will be and focus there.
3)Video mode is poor - would only use for extreme video emergencies.
4)Optical zoom is great, digital is not.
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