Ultra lightweight aluminum alloy body - Weighs only 7.2 oz
Voice recording mode - audio capability that rivals stand alone audio recording devices
Unlimited recording in Movie mode with sound
Editorial Review:
A successor to the popular Optio550, the Optio555 offers exceptionally compact and lightweight design that is ideal for use anywhere. PENTAX maximized the responsiveness of the Optio555 including reduced lag time so the camera is instantly ready when the power is turned on. In addition, a single touch of the playback button brings up recorded images and just a touch of the shutter button is all that is required to return to shooting. With enhanced operation capability and maximized responsiveness, the Optio555 allows satisfying shots to be taken with extreme ease. Add a powerful 5X optical zoom (4X digital zoom for a combined 20X total zoom), and the superb clarity of 5.0 effective megapixels, the Optio555 offers extreme versatility with superb detail and accuracy.The Optio555 also features PictBridge compatibility that eliminates the need for PC connectivity during printing by allowing the camera to be connected directly to a compatible printer. This feature allows direct control over printing and a full range of other functions.
Succeeding the popular, award-winning Optio 550, the Optio 555 offers a quicker start-up time and reduced lag time between shots. This lightweight camera also offers a 5-megapixel resolution, 5x optical zoom, PictBridge direct printing, and movie mode with sound.
Optics and Resolution With its 5-megapixel resolution, the Optio 555 delivers 2592 x 1944 pixel images for up to poster size enlargements. It also offers 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, and 640 x 480 resolution modes. The high-precision SMC Pentax 5x optical zoom lens and employs advanced image processing technologies to capture powerful images. The ultra-compact zoom system allows the lens to fully retract in two stages and helps reduce the depth of the camera. It also features a 4x digital zoom, for a 20x total zoom.
Movie and Audio Modes The Optio555 can also capture video with sound at 15 frames per second, with 320 x 240 recorded pixels. The videos can be as long as your memory card will allow. All clips are recorded in MOV format, allowing easy playback on a PC or Mac. The time-lapse movie feature runs a set of sequential recorded frames together as a short film. It offers a selection of X2, X5, X10, X20, X50, or X100 recording speeds and can be used to achieve effects such as construction scenes or clouds rushing across the sky.
The Optio555 can record audio to the full capacity of the external memory, allowing the Optio555 to be used as a regular voice recording device. With a 64 MB memory card, you can record up to 2 hours and 12 minutes of audio. It also allows you to record and attach up to 30 seconds of sound for each image.
More Features
This camera can connect directly to select printers. Learn more about PictBridge.
The Optio555 was designed to be ready within mere seconds of the power being turned on, and it is easy to switch between playback and shooting modes. A single touch of the playback button will bring up recorded images, and just a touch of the shutter button is all that's required to return to shooting. Modes are easy to select through a handy mode dial, and it is easy assign frequently used functions to independent buttons.
1.5-inch LCD monitor
Viewfinder with actual image zoom allows you to conserve power by switching off the LCD monitor
Macro mode lets you shoot as close as 5.9 inches from subject, while Super Macro mode gets you as close as .79 inches
Built-in flash with auto, on, off, auto + red-eye reduction, and flash-on + red-eye reduction modes
Shooting modes: Metered manual, Aperture-priority AE, Shutter-priority AE, Program, Picture, Panorama assist, Movie, 3D image, Digital filters, User
Picture modes: Landscape, Night scene, Flower, Portrait, Surf & Snow, Autumn color, Sunset, Fireworks, Text
Direct Printing The Optio555 also features PictBridge compatibility, which eliminates the need for PC connectivity during printing by allowing the camera to be connected directly to a compatible printer. This feature allows direct control over printing and a full range of other functions. Learn more about PictBridge.
Storage and Transfer The Optio 555 is compatible with Secure Digital (SD) MultiMedia (MMC) memory cards; a 16 MB SD card is included. When shooting in Large/Normal mode (2592 x 1944), you can store 8 images on the included memory card. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB 1.1, which means the camera can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.
Power and Size The camera is powered by a proprietary rechargeable lithium-ion battery. It measures 4.84 by 3.35 by 3.35 inches and weighs 7.2 ounces excluding the batteries or 8.8 ounces when loaded with the battery.
What's In The Box This package includes the Optio 555 digital camera, 16 MB SD card, rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charger, USB and A/V cables, strap, and CD-ROM with USB drivers for PC and Mac. It also includes ACDSee 5.0 digital camera software (a $150 value), which makes it easy to retrieve, view, manage, print, enhance and share your digital photos.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
BEST ON BALANCE I have taken a look at several digital cameras, from friends, work, etc. (I have to add that I'm basing this review on the Optio 550 which is very similar to the 555). There are some great features of this camera, and a few drawbacks. The good:
-The 5X zoom is fantastic. It's hard to find a 5X zoom 5MP camera that is portable and where the lens fully retracts. I don't need the 5X often, but when I do it's great to have.
-Good night photos. I'm not saying they are better than the other... more info
an excellent pocket camera This is billed as an upgrade to the earlier Optio 550, and when my much used & much appreciated 550 went over a cliff with a grad student (the student survived, the camera, alas, did not)I went straight out and ordered a 555. Good news/bad news. Good news is that I find the 555 has all of the things that I loved about the 550 -excellent resolution, remarkably good automatic exposure even in very weird lighting situations, the VERY nice 5x optical zoom that has allowed me to get some really good "up... more info
Exceptional picture quality, fast, small problems This is my fourth digital camera in as many years. Overall, this is far better than the Olympus Camedia line and the Sony DSC-W1. I haven't had the opportunity to work with Cannon's, and I think that would be the closest contender for wht you can get in this camera. The pluses of this Pentax are the crisp, extremely accurate colors, which are, if anything, on the bright side. But mostly they are spot on. Secondly, the flash is fast and powerful and most importantly, the focus is extremely fast and... more info
Amazing Camera! This is the best camera I have own so far. Lots of cool stuffs. You don't have to be a professional to operate this camera. It's design for beginners as well as camera buffs. Excellent battery life! And most of all, considering all the features built into this camera, the price is very reasonable.
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