Pentax Optio T10? Good Camera? Or Sony?

Question

I'm on the market for a camera, and I really am interested in the touch screen cameras. I've settled between two.

I'm leaning towards the Pentax Optio T10 6 Megapixel with a 3 inch touch screen. Does anyone have any experience with it? It looks like a good camera.


If I want to spend more, there's a sony cybershot 10 megapixel with a 3 inch touch screen. Obviously, this is the better camera. Idk Which to go with going from an old 2 megapixel. Advice please?

Answer 1

The Pentax got a "77%" rating at LetsGoDigital (see link to the full review). The same site has not reviewed the Sony Cybershot DSC N2 ... although there is a link below to a review at Imaging Resource. You may also want to consider the N1 predecessor to the N2 ... it was 8 MP and should be more in the same price range as the Pentax.

As an aside I think megapixels are over rated as a critieria for cameras. In many cases you can get a "better" camera -- based on lens or ISO range or zoom range or whatever -- for less money if you are willing to look at lower resolution. When you consider that for most photography, even when you want to do blow-up prints, anything more than about 5-6 PM is unnecessary.

The 4th link below had a review of both the Pentax and the Sony N1 and rated the Sony better overall than the Pentax on Photographic qualities but worse on functionality.

I'm not going to try to pick between the two cameras ... that is a decision you must make based on YOUR needs from a camera. After all if you put priority on features that one is better at than the other, even if the second camera is, overall, "better" for the avergae user, it wouldn't be the right choice for you.

For example, you have defined a touch screen as a key factor for you. But lens speed, zoom, ISO range, dimensions, etc. are all important characteristics that you have to consider.

I'd suggest doing what I had to do when I moved "up" from a 2 MP camera ... decide what features were critical and which are nice to have ... then find cameras in a price range you can entertain that meet those critieria ... then consider which BEST meets your defined requirements for the lowest price. I find there are numerous digital camera review sites where you can get at least semi-objective data on which to make a decision. See links.