NEWS UPDATE 10 JUNE: This article was updated on Monday 10 June to include a quote from Pentax Ricoh Imaging UK.
Olympus and Fujifilm recently announced plans to pull low-end compacts from their line-ups, in the wake of fierce competition from smartphones.
The aluminium-bodied, 14-million-pixel, ‘card-sixed’, Pentax Efina (priced
£79.99), features a 5x zoom lens, a 2.5in LCD screen and HD movie
recording.
‘Its compact dimensions mean it can fit into a pocket or handbag with ease, making it the ultimate go anywhere camera,’ said Pentax Ricoh Imaging UK earlier this week.
Pentax Ricoh Imaging UK’s general manager Jonathan Martin told Amateur Photographer: ‘At Pentax we recognise that the market for entry-level compact cameras is in decline, but we want to be able to offer a complete range of cameras to our customers.’
The lens is designed to deliver the 35mm viewing angle equivalent of a 26-130mm zoom.
Features also include a maximum ISO of 1600, 16 scene modes and a ‘cellphone-like’, in-body, rechargeable battery.
It is compatible with Eye-Fi memory cards, allowing wireless transfer of images, adds Pentax.
A UK availability date has yet to be announced.
