I-10 vs 110

One of the things being prepared before the cancellation of Pentax User magazine was an article comparing the new I-10 compact with the 110 system that it was intended to mimic. Here's a couple of examples of images:
Pentax 110, 50mm lens, 200 ISO


Pentax I-10 digital image:


No contest in terms of quality I think! And instead of a gorgeous speedbag full of lenses, filters and other bits, we have just one tiny digital compact. There has been progress.

Hi John, thought I would comment on the I10, I was in Marbella yesterday and had my hands on an I10, they wanted 179 euros for it,

seems to be a nice little camera although I thought it was a bit small and a bit on the light side, anyway Play.com had an offer on it last week for 99 pounds which I tried to buy but as usual they would not send to Spain, so I am going to get my mate in Aberdeen to get one for me, I want it for my shirt pocket

I will start uploading when I get it
regards,
Jack.

£119.99 for a black one and £183.15 for a white one? Go figure . . . I can't, and the reviews aren't encouraging either.

I haven't seen a review, but I'm using one very successfully anyway!

As for prices, they have certainly tumbled.

Google for "Pentax I10 reviews". Most of them report that the lens produces poor sharpness towards the edges of the frame, and poor noise control from ISO 400 and above.

This review is fairly typical.

Though what you've shown here is certainly a 'no contest' John. These two images are poles apart, despite the reviews.

Very curious, reading that review is like reading about a totally different camera.

As with the Panasonic LX-3 (daughter's), there's likely a lot of in-camera software correction going on behind the scenes (no doubt you're aware of a substantial amount of discussion about that).

Perhaps some of the reviews were looking at i-10 images, without those software corrections being applied?

I guess that the downside of all this, for all manufacturers, is that bad reviews of early samples could decimate sales.

That is, assuming that anyone actually reads all the web information in any significant numbers. If the I-10 or anything else appeared in the High Street at a ludicrous offer price, it would sell any number they cared to make, regardless of web reviews.

Interestingly, in terms of mainstream paper magazines, Pentax have been doing rather well lately, apart from AP of course.

For some reason AP seems to me to be institutionally anti-Pentax. Even the recent report on Pentax mulling over whether or not to release the 645D in the UK has a headline "Pentax Dithers...." whereas we go on to read that they have sent out their reps to see what the dealers think they could do with the 645D. Seems like a sensible approach to me, before committing to a major release.

When I handled an I10 I was impressed gy the feel and build quality.

I took a couple of street shots and found the straight from the camera IQ very good, unfortunately I've deleted/lost the images.

In the current Pentax Optio range this model has to be the flagship and best, it's just a shame there's no optical view finder, an item I keep hearing people asking for in shops.

Come on Pentax make a great camera better, put an optical 'finder on it!

Ironically, Pentax 110 lenses are starting to become popular with owners of Panasonic G and GF1 cameras (and that Olympus, one), who mount them with an adapter.

I knew that stupid little system must have a use!

Thanks for posting these two images John, as they make an interesting contrast.

There are other comparisons between the analogue and digital cameras:

Pentax Auto 110 / 110 Super:

* 110 film speed ran from ISO 80 to ISO 400,
* Auto winder gave 1 frame per second,
* 110 Super gave 1.5 stops exposure compensation,
* Range of lenses covered 35mm to 140mm (in 35mm terms),
* Soligor 1.7x Teleconverter extended range to 238mm,
* thumb-operated wind-on lever on right side of camera,
* 110 system used original Pentax lettering, rather than the condensed font used on current digital cameras.

Pentax I-10:
* digital speed starts at ISO 80 and ends at ISO 6400,
* continuous shooting at 2.6 frames per second,
* I-10 optical zoom covers 28mm to 140mm (with scene mode giving 21mm equivalent),
* thumb-operated zoom lever on right side of camera,
* I-10 uses original Pentax lettering.

Can't help thinking the I-10 was designed to appeal to veteran 110 film users and is a very capable little camera.

its alright having pentax slr but surely Panasonic are better at compacts

Pentax Expert- yes they are special cameras for a "special" kind of photographer. I think you would qualify as "special".