The Optio X arrived in late 2004 as Pentax's swivel-body compact—a camera that split into two distinct sections that could rotate 270 degrees independently. This design echoed Nikon's legendary swivel cameras from the late 1990s, letting you shoot from high or low angles while keeping the LCD visible. Despite that rotating mechanism, Pentax's Sliding Lens System made it impossibly thin at just 18mm.
NO FILTER: SHOT ON OPTIO X
THE LOOKS
The Optio X has a distinctive two-part aluminum alloy design with resin coating. One section holds the 3× zoom lens with black fascia, while the larger section contains the 2-inch LCD and all controls. The sections connect with a swivel mechanism that rotates 180 degrees upward and 90 degrees downward. At 116.5 × 46.5 × 75mm and 145 grams, it's shockingly pocketable when the lens retracts completely flush.
THE SPECS
The smc PENTAX 3× zoom covers 36–107mm with f/2.6 at the wide end — notably fast for a 2004 compact and the reason it handles dim indoor shooting better than most rivals. The 5-megapixel CCD delivers clean output at ISO 80, with noise appearing quickly above that. Super Macro focuses from 6cm. Separate dedicated buttons for stills, video, and voice recording. 320×240 video at 15fps. PC camera functionality for video chat via Windows Messenger. SD/MMC cards plus 14MB internal. 145g.
DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS
- The 270-degree swiveling dual-section body with independently rotating lens section allowed shooting from virtually any angle while keeping the LCD visible and comfortable.
- The Sliding Lens System at just 18mm thin made it the slimmest in the entire Optio series despite housing the complex swivel mechanism inside.
- The aluminum alloy construction with included charging cradle felt premium, with the dock handling battery charging and providing TV/PC connectivity.
THE VERDICT
The Optio X captures mid-2000s experimentation at its finest. The rotating design offered real compositional flexibility for creative angles, and the Sliding Lens System made it impossibly thin. For collectors, it's a perfect example of Pentax's willingness to try weird form factors before smartphones killed camera diversity.