The 2012 Pentax X-5 looks like a removable lens camera but it is not. It is so-called “bridge camera” with a 16-megapixel sensor and a powerful 26x optical zoom lens. This equals in film terms to a lens that zooms from 22mm wide angle to 580mm telephoto.

It runs on 4 AA batteries and has both a rear screen and a smaller view screen inside the hump at the top. While the small screen is no match for today’s mirrorless internal viewfinders, it is still much better than just a rear screen.

The rear screen flips out and up but is not fully articulated.

Being a camera for casual users, it does not have a full range of shutter speeds and lens openings.  

The top of the camera houses the zoom lever and shutter button, on/off switch, exposure correction button and mode dial. The dial selects the various exposure modes (auto, very limited manual), a user setting, movie, special subjects (night snap, sports, landscapes, portrait), and scene modes (15 in all).

Files are saved to a typical SD card, although some of today’s huge capacity cards may not work. Users can not only view images but are offered a variety of in-camera editing choices and can save their edits as a new image. Sounds can be turned of making the camera silent with the exception of lens zoom mechanical noise.

As I go back over photo files dating back years, I am frequently surprised at how many “keepers” were shot with my X-5.

Maybe it is the large text of the menus or some features that no pro camera would dream of, but I’ve always felt it was a carefree or even, in some ways, a fun camera to use. While not quite responsive enough for sports or wildlife action, it is great for urban and scenic photography and all kinds of family snaps.

Click here for information about the failed marketing of bridge cameras

eBay SOLD prices $45 -$75.

(May vary with demand)