Pentax Espio AF Zoom

Pentax Espio AF Zoom

The Espio is a autofocus 35mm compact camera introduced by Pentax in 1992. It is part of the Pentax Espio IQZoom series. A similar version was also called IQZoom 70XL released a couple of years later.

It uses a 35 to 70mm f/4.3 to 8 powered zoom lens comprised of 8 elements in 7 groups. It is able to focus from 0.6m to infinity. A focus confirmation LED is by the viewfinder.

The top center of the camera has a LCD setting screen with exposure counter dominating the display. On the right of the screen are buttons for infinity focus and drive mode. The drive mode button has settings for single frame, self-timer, two shot self timer, two shot tele-wide self timer, constitutive frames, multiple exposure, interval (3 min) and interval (60 min). The left has buttons for flash and red eye. Flash settings include auto, daylight sync, backlight (flash off), bulb (flash off), and bulb-sync.

The film is automatically advanced and rewound. Mid-roll rewind can be done by pressing and hold the drive mode button for 3 seconds. Rewind mode should be indicated on the LCD. Press the shutter release button to start winding. It is compatible with DX coded films from 25 to 3200 ISO. Non-coded film are set at ISO 25. It is powered by a single CR123A battery which last approx 15 rolls. The camera automatically powers off when there is no activity for 3 minutes. 

This Camera has been my ‘can’t believe it’s not butter’ moment of the Poundland Challenge. It turned up with a pack of other cameras as s 99p Job lot. Whilst others have made that job lot quite a good deal this was the hidden cracker. But why has this AF zoom compact so impressed me.

Pentax Espio
Pentax Espio AF Zoom 35mm compact

Pentax stuck together one neat camera ( also sold in the US  as the Pentax  IQZoom 70XL).  At first glance you might be lulled into thinking this is a 21st Century 35mm compact or a bulkier digital given it svelte matt black body. But nope – this hails from 1992 and was the first in a line of highly successful shooters from Pentax. Whilst later models had similar styling to other rivals this oozes a different class. The only camera matching this was the Olympus µ[mju:]  (stylus) series IMHO.

Phone Laugh
2015 Pentax Espio AF Zoom with Kodak BW400CN

At first glance it specs very closely to the Canon Sure Shot 60 Zoom. It is an autofocus X2 zoom with all singing and dancing auto exposure. But not only does it kick the Canon into touch stylistically, I goes on and converts the try with its lens and functions. And boy does it have functions

Pentax Espio AF Zoom Specs

  • Lens:  35-70mm 1:3.8-8
  • Focus : Infra-Red AF
  • Focus : 0.6m to ∞
  • DX Coding: 25-3200 ISO *
  • Shutter:  1/5-1/400 + Bulb
  • EV 100 :  6.5-17 (35mm)¹
  • Exposure: Auto
  • Battery : 1 x CR123A

*Non DX  films code at 25 ISO            ¹ slow shutter speed

You select these by means of 4 buttons around the Large LCD. You get the usual auto, flash on, flash off setting and there is a separate control for red eye reduction. Then things get interesting. There is an landscape shot mode and a bewildering array of timer modes including a neat option that takes a picture on wide and then auto zooms & takes another. Or there is the time lapse mode.

Crichton Church
2015. Taken on Pentax Espio with Agfaphoto Vista 200

Phew !! and that’s not all. You can even knock into bulb mode,  slow syncro mode for flash, repeat shot mode and it also has a Backlight function (+1.5EV). My only quibble is no flexible EV compensation but that really isn’t an option you’ll find on compacts of this era. There was a databack version too.

Cards & Flowers
2015. Pentax Espio with Agfaphoto APX100

Half depress the shutter and an green LED on right of viewfinder tells you if you’ve got focus (or blinks if you’re not or too close) and also locks focus in the central focusing spot. A red LED on the left tells you flash is ready (blinks if charging). The zoom is driven by a rocker switch. Bit slow and noisy by 21st century standards but fine for 1992.

Cycle milling
2015. Pentax Espio with Ilford XP2

And then there’s the lens.

8 element in 7 groups and with the AF is pretty sharp at both near and far. This is a corker and doubts about it. Sharp and accurate although you’ll need to engage panorama mode to get the best out of distance shooting. Up close and it is stonking as you can see. The flash is pretty typical so good for snapshots fairly close about 2m away but less good beyond.
This is a truly great late 20th century compact. It’s only failings really is the usual X2 length zoom but otherwise it’s the Dog’s Boll*&ks

Masked
2015. Pentax Espio with Ilford XP2

information at :  
https://austerityphoto.co.uk/pentax-espio-review-poundland-challenge-camera-no-8/


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