Pentax's entry-level 2006 compact — 6MP CCD, 3x zoom, 2.4in screen, runs on AA batteries
The Pentax Optio E20 was an entry-level digital compact announced in September 2006, part of the budget E series that sat below the slimmer S and A model Optios. It was pitched at first-time digital camera buyers who wanted simple operation and cheap-to-find AA power rather than headline specifications.
It uses a 6-megapixel 1/2.5-inch sensor producing images up to 2816x2112 pixels, with a 3x optical zoom that can be combined with digital zoom for around 12x effective magnification. Composition is on a 2.4-inch LCD, and images are stored in roughly 13MB of internal memory or on SD cards. Video recording is available at QVGA resolution, and the camera runs on two AA batteries.
This is a straightforward snapshot camera: point, zoom, shoot. The AA power supply makes it a practical hand-me-down or first camera since spares are available in any supermarket, and the plain control set means little to relearn. Image quality is typical small-sensor mid-2000s fare — good in daylight, noisy at higher sensitivities.
Because it runs on AAs there is no proprietary charger to chase, which makes used examples easy to put back into service — just check the battery contacts for corrosion from cells left inside. Confirm the lens extends and retracts cleanly, the SD slot reads a card (early firmware may not accept large SDHC cards), and the screen is unmarked, as there is no optical finder to fall back on.