Pentax X90 Reviews

The Pentax X90 is equipped with an HDMI-micro output, allowing you to enjoy your own movies on a HD TV monitor. This camera captures High Definition video clips in 1280×720 pixels at 30 frames per second. This camera also features Movie SR mode, which effectively minimizes annoying camera shake during movie capture.

The camera features a Face Detection function which is effective for capturing casual snapshots of people by optimizing the focusing and exposure of up to 32 faces in a single image in approximately 0.03 seconds. The  X90 megazoom camera also offers other user-friendly functions including Smile Capture which automatically releases the shutter the instant it detects the subject’s smile, and Blink Detection which warns the photographer when the subject’s eyes are closed at the moment of capture.

The Pentax X90 features also the upgraded Face Detection AF & AE function, which automatically detects up to 32 faces in the image field in a mere 0.03 seconds and captures them in great accuracy and with superb clarity, even when the faces are tilted or turned sideways. It also offers a new Small Face filter, which makes the subject’s face appear slightly smaller than in reality in recorded images. In addition, the X90 offers other user-friendly functions designed to produce beautiful portraits with ease: the Smile Capture function, which automatically releases the shutter the instant it detects the subject’s smile; and the Blinking Detection function, which warns the photographer when the subject’s eyes close at the time of shutter release.

The build quality is still up to Pentax’s usual high standard, with tight panel joins and a strong metal hinge on the battery/card hatch. The large comfortable handgrip has a textured rubber surface, and there is a textured rubber thumbgrip on the back. The control layout is well designed with large clearly labelled buttons, and the camera is very comfortable and pleasant to handle. The LCD monitor is nice and sharp, and bright enough to work well outdoors even in bright sunlight. It has a good angle of view in every direction except downwards, annoying really because that’s one direction you need a wide view, for shooting over obstacles.

The Pentax X90 incorporates the PENTAX-original CCD-shift-type SR (Shake Reduction) system to assure sharply focused, blur-free images even under demanding photographic conditions prone to camera shake, such as when using the zoom lens’s super-telephoto range or when shooting a sunset or indoor scene with incident light only.

The X90 offers plenty of features, but most of them are exactly the same as the X70. Externally it’s hard to tell the two cameras apart. The overall body design is almost identical, apart from the X90′s slightly longer lens barrel with a totally cosmetic knurled ring around the end of it. The colour is different too; where the X70 was available in matt black only, the X90 is an attractive blue-grey colour with a slight crackle finish.

The X90 digital SLR camera captures high-quality movie clips, equivalent in image quality to that of high-definition TV (1280 x 720 pixels), in 30 frames per second. It also features the Movie SR (Shake Reduction) mode, which effectively minimizes annoying camera shake during movie shooting through the use of exclusive software. As a result, the photographer enjoys high-quality, blur-free movie shooting with minimal effort. It is even equipped with an HDMI micro terminal for audio/video signal output, allowing the enjoyment of high-resolution movies simply by connecting the camera with a high-definition TV monitor.

This SLR has a combination of approximately 12.1 effective megapixels, a sophisticated imaging engine and a high-quality PENTAX zoom lens, the X90 delivers super-clear, high-quality images. It even allows the photographer to choose the preferred finishing touch from Bright, Natural or Monotone.

The X90 features the advanced Auto Picture mode, which automatically selects the most appropriate shooting mode for a given subject or scene by detecting the subject’s lighting and other conditions. This user-friendly mode not only makes the right mode choice for the photographer from Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, Night Scene Portrait, Flower, Sport or Standard modes, but also features an auto macro mode, which automatically switches the camera’s focus range to macro in close-range applications.

Reviews

Pocket-lint  writes:

 “In operation the X90’s 9-point AF takes just over a second to determine focus and exposure with a half press of its shutter release button… Like its zoom range, ISO sensitivity is also respectably broad, stretching from ISO 80 through to ISO 6400, though performance is in fact fairly average.”
Rating: ★★★★☆

PhotographyBlog writes:

“The camera handled chromatic aberrations excellently during the review, with very limited purple fringing present around the edges of objects in high-contrast situations… in terms of light sensitivity, up to ISO 800 the X90’s performance is pretty good, though detail is beginning to soften at ISO 800.”
Rating: ★★★★☆

Steve’sDigicams writes:

“Overall the camera can capture nice photos, but suffers from noise and an inaccurate white balance system under certain conditions. Performance is great, matching up well to other Super-Zoom cameras with higher price tags.”
Rating: N/A

DCI writes:

“The X90 is also quite easy to use, with great button implementation and a simple, easy-to-navigate menu system. One significant downside to the camera is its diminutive size, which is great for portability, but not for comfort.“
Rating: ★★★★☆

ImagingResource writes:

“In the end, even though I wanted to love it for its design, the Pentax X90’s performance stifled any affection. Any way you spell it, the Pentax X90 is close but gets no cigar. The Pentax X90 is not a bad camera by any means, but we’d steer you toward others for better quality and performance for the price.”
Rating: N/A

MacWorld writes:

“In terms of picture quality, sensor shift anti-shake is fairly good at preventing blur when shooting at the maximum optical telephoto setting or in low light, although images appear quite noisy and lose detail at ISO1600 and above.”
Rating: ★★★★☆

Our Rating (4/5)

Good: Broad focal range throws up a wealth of compositional choices, well placed and responsive buttons and controls, speedy in operation

Bad: Optical zoom not accessible when recording movies, average low light performance, plastic-y if solid feel

 

Videos

Specifications:

Sensor:
• 1/2.33″ sensor
• 12.0 million effective pixels
• 12.7 million effective pixels

Image sizes:
• 4000 x 3000
• 4000 x 2672
• 4000 x 2256
• 3072 x 2304
• 2992 x 2992
• 2592 x 1944
• 2048 x 1536
• 1024 x 768
• 640 x 480

Aspect ratios:
• 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 1:1

Image stabilization:
• CCD-shift

Movie mode:
• 1280 x 720
• 848 x 480
• 640 x 480
• 320 x 240

Lens:
• 26x zoom
• 26 – 676mm in 35mm format
• 14 elements in 11 groups (4 aspherical elements,3 ED elements)
• f=4.6 – 119.6mm
• F2.8-5.0

Digital zoom:
• approx. 6.25X

Focus modes:
• 9 point AF
• Spot AF
• Auto Tracking AF
• Macro
• Super Macro
• Infinity Landscape
• AF Point Selection

Shooting Modes:
• P/A/S/M

Scene modes:
• Auto Picture
• Night Scene
• Night Scene Portrait
• Half-length Portrait
• Movie
• Landscape
• Flower
• Portrait
• Surf & Snow
• Sport
• Digital SR
• Kids
• Pet
• Food
• Fireworks
• Party
• Natural Skin Tones
• Candlelight
• Digital Panorama
• Frame Composite
• Voice Recording
• Green
• Vertical Snap
• Blog
• Text
• Frame Composite

Metering:
TTL
• Multi-segment
• Center-Weighted
• Spot

Sensitivity:
• Auto
• 80 – 6400

Shutter speed:
• 1/4000- 1/4 sec.
• 4 sec in night scene mode

White balance:
• Auto
• Daylight
• Shade
• Tungsten light
• Fluorescent light
• Manual Setting

Drive modes:
• One shot
• Self-timer
• Continuous Shooting
• Interval
• Auto-Bracket

Viewfinder:
• Electronic
• Dipotre adjustment

LCD monitor:
• 2.7″
• approx 230K dots

Flash:
• Auto
• Flash-on
• Flash-off
• Red-eye reduction
• Slow sync

FLash range:
• Wide: approx. 0.2 – 9.1m (ISO Auto)
• Tele: approx. 0.5 – 5.1m (ISO Auto)

Connectivity:
• DC Input
• AV Output
• NTSC, PAL
• USB2.0 High speed

Storage:
• Built-in Memory (approx. 31.2 MB)
• SD/SDHC Memory Card

Power:
• Rechargeable Li-Ion battery D-LI106
• Optional AC adapter kit is also available

Dimensions:
• 112 × 81 × 99 mm (4.4 x 3.2 x 3.9 inches)

Weight (with battery):
• Approx. 400g (13.8 oz)