A new slim camera from Pentax. The S7, the 7 referring to its 7 megapixel capacity, features:

• Approx. 232,000 pixels 2.5-inch non-glare LCD monitor with excellent outdoor visibility
• Mode Palette provides quick access to 16 shooting modes and 15 playback modes
• Frequently used functions can be assigned to the Green button
• Digital zooming provides up to 4X magnification
• Approximately 23MB of built-in memory
• Built-in AF spotbeam (on/off switching possible)
• Includes the ACDSee for Pentax image viewer/image management software
• Supports PictBridge, DPOF functions, Exif Print, and PRINT Image Matching

Optio S7 is the first compact Pentax to accept the new SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) memory cards in addition to SD memory cards. Recommended Price is under US$400.

The guys at Engadget have found some pics of the new as-yet-unnamed (or at least unnumbered)  Pentax *ist D 10MP camera due out this fall. No details yet on the specs and features--Pentax apparently isn't letting the press, or anyone else, even touch it--but the prototype is behind glass at the Seoul International Photo and Imaging Industry Show this week. Here's hoping that it gets better reviews than the DS2; it's high time for Pentax to become a real player in the DSLR market.

This seems a little harsh to me, given they gave it a "fair" review. I'd think that to be eligible for for a "wost of" you'd need a 1-star or less rating, but their point is good. Pentax's DSLRs have so far been disappointing, and the 6.1MP *ist DS2 isn't even in the same league as it's supposed competition like the Nikon D50 and D70s, with a noisy sensor and digicamish recycle time. This is sad for a company with Pentax's history; hopefulyy the joint venture with Samsung will quickly bring them into the digital age with style, even if the DS2--their first joint product--isn't quite up to snuff.

Four new lenses are planned from Pentax - three are designed for use on Pentax APS-C format digital SLR cameras, the fourth for the recently announced Pentax medium format digital camera. They can be viewed on a PDF download.

• DA21mm f3.2 AL Limited (around June 2006)
• DA16-50mm f2.8 (around December 2006)
• DA70mm f2.4 (around October 2006)
• DA50-135 f2.8 (around Decemebr 2006)
• DFA 55mm f2.8 (sometime in 2006)