Pentax E85
- 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Screen
- ISO 80 - 3200
- 640 x 480 video
- 32-96mm (F2.9-5.2) lens
- 145g - 93 x 58 x 24mm
- Launched September 2009
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
95 Imaging
35 Features
10 Overall
25
Pentax E85 overview
Pentax E85 is Pentax's Small Sensor Compact digital camera initially announced on September of 2009. It comes with a 12 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" size sensor with a peak resolution of 4000 x 3000.
The E85 places at #247 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras & all-around #1239 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. You can check our Smart camera filter to get camera listings based on your personal criteria.
The following is a chart of various criteria used in the scoring system.
Pentax E85 history
The Pentax E85 has a history of related cameras. Down below, you can find all previous and brand new models alongside key specifications.
F2.9-5.212MP1/2.3"2009
Pentax E85 Gallery
You can look at the E85 from various angles in the gallery below.
Pentax E85 Pros and Cons
Here is a list of pluses and minuses of the Pentax E85 based on aspects that are normally seen as crucial in a digital camera.
Pentax E85 Sensor specs
The sensor dimension in the Pentax E85 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 4000 x 3000 pixels using aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9.
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a LandslideThe CCD sensor has 12MP and gives a standard ISO range of 80 - 3200. Sadly, RAW photos are not supported therefore you have less room to maneuver in post.
The image below illustrates the E85's sensor size compared to other popular sizes. The E85 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is displayed in green.
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firmsTo get an idea of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.
Pentax E85 dimensions
Pentax E85 weighs in at 0.32 lb (145g / 5.11 ounces) & the physical size of the camera is 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9"). The weight of general Small Sensor Compact camera is 174g so the Pentax E85 is lighter as compared with its competitors.
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhoneThe following is a photo of the Pentax E85 besides a softdrink to help you get a feel for its size.
The top view below will highlight the button arrangement on the E85.
Pentax E85 Lens details
The E85 includes a fixed lens having a focal range of 32-96mm giving it a 3.0 x zoom which might not be perfect but it would certainly be valuable in certain situations.
At it's widest 32mm, the lens features an aperture of f2.9 which will be kind of sluggish and not good for low light occasions and you will find it hard to get good bokeh. You will likely also have to up your ISO setting which causes noisy images. At the long end, 96mm comes with f5.2 making it fairly sluggish and you might have to choose slower shutter speeds.
Pentax E85 Connectivity
The E85 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
Cameras that consist of NFC or Bluetooth compatibility can easily be used wirelessly by smartphones. You are able to copy files and in some cases change camera settings with no need to connect directly with the camera.
Certain apps also give a Liveview and press the shutter in case you aren't close to the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI port, it could be attached to an external screen. Many cameras will allow you to charge the battery with the USB port.
Pentax E85 Video details
The highest video resolution in the Pentax E85 is 640 x 480 and you can record in Motion JPEG file format. 480p is awful for today's requirements. You should try to get a minimum FUll HD resolution for good video. The body doesn't include a microphone or headphone port which means that you have got absolutely no control over the sound. It is probably a better idea to purchase another camera if you want better sound for your videos.
Pentax E85 Weather Sealing
There is no weather proofing on the Pentax E85 so you have to be cautious in rainy or dusty situations.
Pentax E85 Screen and Viewfinder
The Pentax E85 comes with a 2.7 inch fixed display having a resolution of 230 thousand dots.
Sadly the display isn't a touch screen.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthThe View Finder specifications for Pentax E85 are the following:
- ViewFinder None
Viewfinders can be rather helpful in bright outdoor situations which will make the camera screen washed out and hard to see.
Pentax E85 Shutter details
Pentax E85 continuous shooting speed is 1.0 frames/s. The maximum shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds.
Pentax E85 Flash and Hot shoe details
Pentax E85 features just integrated flash without external flash ability.
Pentax E85 Autofocusing details
Pentax E85 features only Contrast Based Autofocus & doesn't have Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more snappier & precise as compared with Contrast Based autofocusing.
Pentax E85 lacks manual focusing. Manual focusing option is good in low light or you want more precise focus control.
Pentax E85 Battery life
The typical Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 has the highest (470) battery life in this class of cameras.
Following is a list of Small Sensor Compact cameras which have the best battery life:
Pentax E85 for various forms of photography
The following chart indicates a analysis of the Pentax E85 for various forms of photography. To view more, scroll to the specific paragraph below.
Pentax E85 Portrait photography highlights
The Pentax E85 receives a points total of 21 which is really bad, and means the camera is just not appropriate to use for portraits. Photographing portrait photos leans greatly towards sensor dimension, support for RAW photos along with the capability to utilize off-camera flash.
Street photography with Pentax E85
Getting a average points total of 47, the Pentax E85 is relatively suited to buy for street photography. A good street photography camera offers a good balance of image quality plus portability.
Pentax E85 Sports photography details
A really bad sports photography points total of 17 suggests the Pentax E85 is just not appropriate for shooting sports. A camera needs to have excellent focusing plus fast continuous shooting for sports photography.
Pentax E85 as a Travel photography camera
Portability is super critical in choosing a camera for travel. In general, the Pentax E85 gets a decent 51 for a travelling camera which makes it fairly suited to take with you on your travels.
Pentax E85 Landscape photography information
For anyone looking to buy a camera for landscape photography, the most essential aspect is going to be image quality. The Pentax E85 and it's really bad grade of 23 as a landscape camera is just not appropriate compared to its competitors.
Pentax E85 as a Vlogging camera
A vlogging camera really should offer a articulating screen, microphone input and ideally image stabilization. Considering all things, the Pentax E85 is just not appropriate for vlogging as it gets a really bad score of 22.
Pentax E85 Alternatives
If you are looking for alternatives to the E85, below is a list of the top rated cameras which fall in to the class of Small Sensor Compact.
The line graph below gives you a summary of the E85 vs it's top scored competitors suggested above.
These are various other cameras you might look at as alternative options. To look at a comprehensive comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.