Pentax Optio S5z

The latest model in Pentax's Optio family is the S5z. This sleek and compact 5-megapixel camera should satisfy casual photographers' every need.

The Quick button on the back brings up one of the camera's 10 shooting modes, which will automatically sort out settings for various lighting environments. Users can choose between an 'auto everything' shooting mode, the recording mode, or the function setting, where settings can be manually customised.

All key features such as flash, zoom and close-up macro mode are controlled by dedicated buttons at the back. It has a 3x optical zoom and comes with advanced features such as white balance settings and exposure compensation.

The quality of shots is very good, with vibrant colours and crisp detail, even round the edges. Thanks to its many mode settings, the camera works well both indoors and out. The flash is a little strong, but the camera manages to focus well even in almost dark conditions.

There's no optical viewfinder but the big 2.5in LCD screen is good for framing pictures, although it is susceptible to a lot of glare in bright conditions which makes it difficult to compose shots.

The screen displays remaining battery level and memory card space. Photo-enthusiasts will like the fact that a histogram can also be displayed, which is a handy way of gauging brightness.

The interval required between taking shots is pretty slow. Taking a single photo is quick, but it takes an average of almost five seconds for the camera to process one single snap before you can take another, which isn't really suitable for those looking for action shots.

The control buttons at the back of the camera are quite small, which makes it hard for users with large hands to navigate through the menus. There is a rubberised ridge at the edge though, which makes holding the camera comfortable while shooting.

It comes with 10Mbof internal memory, which isn't really worth mentioning, but there's an SD card slot to increase the capacity. The device records MPEG-4 video with audio at 30 frames per second, and you can also record 30-second voice memos that can be added to a particular snap.

There's also a basic movie-editing function but, like all digital cameras, the quality is only good enough for attaching to emails or playing back on the device itself.

This Optio S5z is perfect for casual photographers who take photos for fun rather than spending time composing each shot. With plenty of features and an easy-to-use menu system, it is well worth its price tag. The only disappointment is the time is takes to ready itself for another shot.