Pentax's 2002 entry compact - 3.2MP CCD, 3x zoom, 180-degree fold-out LCD, CompactFlash storage, AA power.
The Pentax Optio 330GS was a 3.2-megapixel compact digital camera announced in September 2002, a budget-oriented sibling to the original Optio 330 aimed at first-time digital buyers. Despite the similar name it is a distinct model from the Optio 330 and 330RS, so match the GS suffix when comparing listings.
It pairs a 3.2-megapixel 1/2.7-inch CCD (2048 x 1536 maximum) with a 5.8-17.4mm 3x optical zoom, approximately 38-114mm equivalent. Autofocus is contrast-detect with five points, sensitivity covers ISO 100-400, and the LCD folds out from the body up to 180 degrees - unusual for a budget compact. Photos store on CompactFlash cards, and power comes from two AA cells (NiMH recommended) or one CR-V3.
An entry-level camera even in 2002, the 330GS today appeals to collectors of early-2000s CCD compacts and buyers chasing older digicam colour at low cost. The fold-out screen gives it waist-level and self-portrait angles that few rivals of its price offered.
AA power is a strong point - fresh NiMH cells revive most examples - but it uses CompactFlash, not SD, so factor in a card and reader. Check the fold-out LCD ribbon works through its full travel, the zoom extends cleanly, the CCD shows no banding, and the battery door and contacts are corrosion-free.