Pentax Introduces High-End Ultra-Zoom

2012.08.23

Pentax just announced a flagship ultra-zoom digital camera with an uncanny resemblance to the Pentax K-5 DSLR reviewed here. The all-new Pentax X-5 is built-around a 16 megapixels CMOS sensor paired with a 26X stabilized optical zoom lens equivalent to 22.3-580mm giving it an extremely wide field-of-view compared to other ultra-zooms. Its deep sculpted hand-grip adds even more stability which essential towards the long end of its zoom.

The X-5 is a powerful ultra-zoom with full manual controls including manual focus and custom-white-balance. It features both a tilting 3" LCD with 460K pixels and a fixed EVF with 230K pixels from framing. A traditional set of controls are found on top and on the back of the camera. This includes a mode-dial and single ergonomic control-dial.

Its high-speed CMOS sensor lets it shoot full 1080p HD video and gives it a wide 100 to 6400 range of ISO sensitivities. The X-5 runs on four standard AA batteries which gives it a class-leading battery-life of 950 shots-per-charge. The X-5 is also compatible with SDXC cards and the Pentax Infrared remote control.

The Pentax X-5 is scheduled to ship next month for $279 USD and for an undisclosed price in Canada. It is already available for pre-order right here.

• Digital Camera