Pentax Optio RS1000

The Pentax Optio RS1000 is a "well-specified entry-level compact camera with a clever twist," says Gavin Stoker at PhotographyBlog.com. It comes with swappable faceplates that can be customized to suit each user. The camera ships with 11 designed skins, but Pentax gives you the option of creating your own using the included tracing stencil or the downloadable templates from the Pentax Skins Gallery. The camera also comes with a SkinIt gift card, which is redeemable for a design at the SkinIt website, though Richard Baguley at DigitalCameraInfo.com says "the more exciting thing to do is to make your own."

Beneath the whimsical exterior and budget price is a 14-megapixel point-and-shoot that features a 4x optical-zoom lens (27.5 mm to 110 mm for suitable wide-angle coverage), a 3-inch LCD screen and the ability to record in 720p HD video, but sound is only in mono and optical zoom can't be used while you're recording. Nevertheless, Cliff Smith at Trusted Reviews.com finds video quality "surprisingly good, even in low light." But unlike the Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS, you can't hook it up to an HDTV to watch movies. It does, however, feature Auto Picture mode, which automatically selects the best settings for your subjects, or you can choose your own from among 15 scene modes such as landscape, sunset and blue sky. Shooting performance impresses critics, but image quality gets mixed results. Stoker finds the colors "well-saturated," while Smith describes them as "pale and washed out."

We found expert reviews at PhotographyBlog.com and TrustedReviews.com, where the Pentax Optio RS1000 receives thorough analysis. Baguley sums up the RS1000's specs at DigitalCameraInfo.com, and Amazon.com posts an even mix of positive and negative reviews.