[G-CPTN]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08...axoptioe50.asp
White balance • Automatic
• Daylight
• Cloudy
• Tungsten
• Neon
• Manual selectable
http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/d...ntax+Optio+E50

Even in well-lit outdoor scenes, image quality was hit or miss. While colors came through nicely, ISO noise, even at low sensitivities, kills the crispness of images. With lots of bright, controlled lighting and ISOs locked at the lowest setting, sharper images were slightly easier to obtain – as in our studio test shot.

Lens Faults
The biggest flaw that I found with this the lens on this camera is the amount of purple fringe that shows up in everyday images. Taking a shot of an afternoon skyline with lots of trees in the background can change the color of the sky from blue to purple as a result of heavy fringing.
Otherwise, the lens is unremarkable, with some edge softness and unimpressive center sharpness but decent distortion control at both ends of the range.

ISO noise gain in solid color fields was pretty intense, even between 100 and 200 ISO. This resulted in images that looked very muddy even though focus was spot on for the most part.

At high ISOs, fine detail in images was hardly legible with the amount of noise that was present. While performance at ISO 1600 is about in line with expectations for a camera in this price range, heavier than usual noise at ISO 200 and 400, especially, limit the camera's blur reduction abilities, flash range, and general low light capabilities.

CONCLUSIONS
As a digital camera sold at bargain basement prices the Pentax Optio E50 has a lot to offer – in both good and bad ways. It has a very fast zoom speed, good build quality, fast rapid fire modes, but also has lots of ISO noise, intense purple fringe on high-contrast shots, and a disappointing white balance system. For a beginner or notice who just wants something to carry "just in case" this camera could be an acceptable choice, though there may be better options in the budget arena. As expected, for someone who is expecting higher image quality, the E50 isn't the place to look.
Pros:
* Good telelphoto and wide angle range
* Fast zoom speed
* Face detection
Cons:
* Face detection has hidden intentions towards cheese crackers
* Lots of ISO noise, even at lowest setting