Pentax Optio E30 7.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

I bought a Pentax Optio E30 a few months ago. After taking a few pictures (10-15) I had 2 replace the batteries. The new batteries lasted only 2-3 days & I only used the camera 4 less than an hour. I bought a charger & some rechargeable Ni-Mh batteries. They don't fare any better than the alkaline. I very seldom use this camera & the batteries go dead just sitting in the camera 4 2 2 4 weeks. I would not recommend this camera 2 anyone I liked.

This camera is the best digital camera I have ever used. The menus are intuitive & the ease of operation is unmatched. The photo quality is impeccable & the videos are amazing. The sound quality is great & there is no chop in the framing. I have used this camera 4 high speed sporting events & it looks like every shot was a photo that was posed.

for this price- camera is ok.it's nice, menu is easy 2 navigate.it doesn't have viewfinder & this is real disadvantage.macro mode really sucks....and the zoom is little noisy...but unless you've got focus, the picture will be good.true point-and-shoot camera.if you want more-have 2 pay more:))

The camera itself is great 4 the price. The only thing I miss is the view finder. Tried 2 take pictures in Badlands Nat.Park The sun was in my face so the LCD screen was very hard 2 see. The pictures from the camera are great. Overall its a good deal.

I bought this camera 4 a trip I will be taking based on the reviews & the price. The pictures I have taken so far are good, except at beach. Without a viewfinder the screen is a mirror in the bright sun. Also, the description of the camera said that the batteries would last 4 200 pictures. Not true at all. I only got 24 pictures out of the batteries, perhaps because it was so difficult 2 see in the sun & it took so long 2 take pictures. Guess I will take a bag of batteries on my upcoming trip 2 Italy!

Post Script 2 above review: used the camera on my trip 2 Italy & it was excellent!!! Took almost 200 pictures & only had 2 change batteries once. The battery seems 2 recharge itself..battery indicator sometimes reads yellow then next time you use camera it's green -- so you get lots of pictures. Pictures came out great..still miss viewfinder, but this is a great camera 4 the money.

Post-post-script: On May 18, 2008, less than one year after purchase of this camera, the lcd monitor inexplicably broke - did not drop it, no undue handling - camera was in my jacket pocket. Pentax claims the damage was my fault & it's not covered under warranty. $97 2 fix a $99 camera!!! Absurd!! Was great camera until it broke. Went 2 Italy & back with no problems & took great pictures. Never thought I had 2 handle camera like it was a raw egg, if you get my drift - so still don't know how monitor broke. DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA!!

Pentax Optio E30 offers one of the highest resolution CCD's in its class with 7.1 megapixels offers high quality images. The 3x optical zoom lens covers a wide range of shooting conditions, from wide angle landscape shots 2 sharp portraits. With its large, 2.4" LCD monitor, the E30 offers easy composition & framing of shots, & offers a bright image during playback 4 review. Using easy-to-find AA batteries, you can be assured of finding power virtually anywhere in the world. We recommend considering rechargeable batteries 4 more enduring performance & economy. The Optio E30 offers lots of features while sticking 2 simple operation. If you're just starting out, please set the E30 2 the Green Mode 4 simple operation with the minimum amount of adjustments. The Mode Pallet lets you select from a wide range of shooting options 2 perfectly optimize the camera 2 a wide range of shooting conditions. ImageLink compatibility means the E30 can be docked with compatible printers & pictures can be printed without using a PC. Scene Modes program, night scene, movie, voice recording, landscape, flower, portrait, surf & snow, sport, pet, food, frame composite, self-portrait, fireworks, sunset / Movie modes - AVI (MotionJPEG) with audio; 640x480 & 320x240; Max. frame-rate - 28 frames per second Slot accepts SD or MMC memory card 4 image storage / 11MB memory is built-in Electronic-Flash mode Unit Dimensions 3.7 x 2.4 x 1.4 (94.0 x 61.0 x 36.0mm); 6.4 ounce