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Thanks, Alex. Unfortunately that Flickr video doesn't seem to work at the moment, just keeps loading. Perhaps there's too much traffic.

However, as you confirm it's 15 fps only, I find it non-acceptable for my needs.

[AlexM]

Ok, I've uploaded the original samples to a file sharing site in their unaltered form. You may experience a few seconds wait before the actual download starts.

848x480x30fps - SR off (23MB file size)
Pentax X70 - 848x480x30fps SR off

848x480x30fps - SR on (23MB file size)
Pentax X70 - 848x480x30fps SR on

1280x720x15fps - SR off (15MB file size)
Pentax X70 - 1280x720x30fps SR off

1280x720x15fps - SR on (15MB file size)
Pentax X70 - 1280x720x30fps SR on

Let me know if the links do not work.

Alex

Alex, I was able to download all the files now. Thanks a lot for the effort! Very kind of you.

The picture quality looks fairly good IMO, but as you said panning looks a bit nasty.

[mariak]

Hi!

I've read your posts, because I'm interested in this camera, everything so far sound great, but I have a question.

One of my intended uses for the camera, is to take pictures of my children while playing sports, one football, other figure skating.

How the zoom combined with the sports setting and possible burst, turns out? Has anyone tried similar settings?

I would really appreciate your help. Thanks.

[AlexM]

The sports mode will do what you want both in zoom and burst mode shooting. It's fast enough to capture moving subjects. Just remember... the faster the burst speed, the lower the quality of JPEG.... at 4fps, the jpeg quality is 3 stars, and you can shoot up to 7 pictures. At 6.3fps, your jpeg quality is 2 stars, and you can shoot up to 7 shots. At 11fps, you can shoot up to 21 shots at a jpeg quality of one star. Also, in any burst speed mode, you are limited to a 5MP recorded pixel size, which is still 2592x1944 pixels, large enough for up to an 11x14.

Alex

[mariak]

I appreciate your reply, I have to admit that although still sounds like a really nice camera for its price, I'm finding the reviews of the new Sony Cybershot HX1, very positive even with less optical zoom power.

Thank you again.

[AlexM]

No problem at all.... That's why they make the myriad of brands. No one brand will have everything for everyone.

Alex

Alex, how does the thing feel in your hands? The video review (the link was posted in another thread) makes the camera look miniscule in a man's hands. Is it too small?

[AlexM]

Alex, how does the thing feel in your hands? The video review (the link was posted in another thread) makes the camera look miniscule in a man's hands. Is it too small?

The camera actually feels comfortable in my hands. My hands do not hurt from holding it all day long while shooting, like they do when I'm shooting with my K20D (my K20D feels like it weighs a ton after about 8 hours of holding it). The X70 is only slightly smaller than the K20D but MUCH lighter, which goes a long way in comfort value after a long day carrying one.

Alex

[RonM]

I agree with AlexM. The camera fits nicely in your hands and doesn't weigh down your neck. We have had ours for a couple of weeks and are happy with the majority of the pictures; however, we are stuggling a bit with the grain. Outside pictures with full sun and indoor flash shots look great! Indoor shots without flash or outside shots with stark contrast (Bright background/foreground with Dark foreground/background) appear grainy. My wife and I are novice camera users with mostly point-and-shoot experience. Any tips on eliminating the grain while balancing the exposure?

[rprii]

I could not hold off any longer . . . I have 2 K10s (K7 on order) and a little fujifilm compact that I carry in my pocket (came with an underwater housing which is cool for snorkeling).
Anyway, after reading this thread, I had to get the X70 . . . just placed my order ($328 including shipping from Abe's of Maine) . . . and, ordered a few extra batteries . . . thanks for the link.

[Elias]

So, I've bought Pentax X70 and was very dissapointed...
1. In comparision with my last Canon A720 (no hyperzoom) - pictures are very GRAINY. If you'd like to get better quality pictures - USE FLASH. But it helps only for objects in distance 3-4 meters.
2. In comparision with Canon A720 - Pictures are not good detailed. You can loose a lot of details.
3. ISO6400 - is a FAKE. It doesn't work correctly in 3200 or even less. Manual shooting is not comfortable adjustable.
4. Often you can automatically make mistake in pressing Power Button instead of Shoot Button.
5. Video Shooting is not smooth. HDTV VIDEO - Who needs it with so bad quality, with so many GRAIN and with 15 FPS only??? THIS IS one more FAKE. Even my old Canon A720 makes video with low lightened areas much better. Movements of camera are not soft (the same) but Video Picture with resollution of 640X480 looks much better and not SO GRAINY. I'm not speaking about small SONY cameras with HDTV VIDEO support. - The best quality I even see and the most smooth movements.
6. I found that Macro-shoot works perfectly. BUT if you want to make Macro-shoot in 1 cm. with FLASH - you receive halfround shadow of lenses. Is it so necessary to release this shooting in separate option?
7. 11 shots per second??? HEHEHE - one more FAKE. You can do it, and you will find 11 low quality photos. Choose at least two times less per second.
8. Returning to Video. When I turning camera ON - I hear a little ANNOYING SOUND, something like old mechanical watches. I've turned display OFF, I've changed resollution of video, pictures and etc. but sound is not dissapearing. What's wrong? Why? When I record video this sound is closer to microphone than any other and I can hear it in addition to all other sounds.
Will be back soon... Have to work.

[windflower]

I have taken some more sample shots and posted them on Flickr, including a short 40 second 640x480 video demonstrating the video image stabilization of the X70.

Pentax X70 - Olvera St. - Union Station - Los Angeles - a set on Flickr

Alex

Your photos on Flickr certainly demonstrate this conclusion on infosyncworld: "We've got our bets placed on the Pentax X70, based on the exceptional image samples we snagged."

[torneol]

So, I've bought Pentax X70 and was very dissapointed...
1. In comparision with my last Canon A720 (no hyperzoom) - pictures are very GRAINY. If you'd like to get better quality pictures - USE FLASH. But it helps only for objects in distance 3-4 meters.
2. In comparision with Canon A720 - Pictures are not good detailed. You can loose a lot of details.
3. ISO6400 - is a FAKE. It doesn't work correctly in 3200 or even less. Manual shooting is not comfortable adjustable.
4. Often you can automatically make mistake in pressing Power Button instead of Shoot Button.
5. Video Shooting is not smooth. HDTV VIDEO - Who needs it with so bad quality, with so many GRAIN and with 15 FPS only??? THIS IS one more FAKE. Even my old Canon A720 makes video with low lightened areas much better. Movements of camera are not soft (the same) but Video Picture with resollution of 640X480 looks much better and not SO GRAINY. I'm not speaking about small SONY cameras with HDTV VIDEO support. - The best quality I even see and the most smooth movements.
6. I found that Macro-shoot works perfectly. BUT if you want to make Macro-shoot in 1 cm. with FLASH - you receive halfround shadow of lenses. Is it so necessary to release this shooting in separate option?
7. 11 shots per second??? HEHEHE - one more FAKE. You can do it, and you will find 11 low quality photos. Choose at least two times less per second.
8. Returning to Video. When I turning camera ON - I hear a little ANNOYING SOUND, something like old mechanical watches. I've turned display OFF, I've changed resollution of video, pictures and etc. but sound is not dissapearing. What's wrong? Why? When I record video this sound is closer to microphone than any other and I can hear it in addition to all other sounds.
Will be back soon... Have to work.

I have bought x70 for my wife and ´cause I tested it by my self, too. First I think, that this is just crap. Then I decided to take closer look of the different settings and just take more pictures with differend values... I get some decent shots, too.

I agree, that ISO after 1600 is kind of joke. I think, that Pentax is not alone with this ISO thing. At DSLR´s which have ISO values for even 25200 or so, are jokes too. Well, maybe it´s big numbers, which take attention of buyers, but where is the real need for big ISO values for budget cameras? 15 - 20 years ago, what was "biggest ISO" with film SLR´s? ISO 800? And pictures were awsome...

I meen, that if you pay about 400 Euros for a camera, you can´t expect decent features, which are available on 2 - 3000 Euro equipments...

I think, that Pentax has done a mistake, ´cause they try to put too many features (which are not proper) to, may I say, cheap camera.

After all, I´m quite happy with x70, specially, when I remember what it costs.

[Fathia]

I have a question, if that's alright. I recently bought the Pentax Optio x70 and after reading this thread and playing around with the camera, I decided I needed some spare batteries. So I bought them from ebay:

2x Battery for Pentax Optio X70 Megazoom DLi92 D-LI92 - eBay (item 130398441093 end time Jul-06-10 12:52:41 PDT)

because they sounded like the ones you had described. I recieved them yesterday and I put one in the charger I got with my camera, and the orange light turned on like it normally does, but then turned back off. I don't lknow what that means? Does that happen to you as well? Should I just leave it in there, is it still charging??

I'd really appreciate if someone could answer soon, because I'm going on holiday soon, and all my photo-taking relies on these new batteries! Thankss!