Reasons to choose EI-100
Released in 2001, EI-100 has about 15 mm² of sensor area, 1.2 MP effective resolution, and a 240 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Pentax EI-100
vs Pentax Optio 230
VS
Sensor area
15 mm²
EI-10021 mm²
Optio 230- Area ratio
- 1.41:1
- Absolute difference
- 6 mm²
- Relative difference
- 40.6%
The Optio 230 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 1 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
EI-100MetricOptio 230
1.2 MPEffective pixels1.9 MP
4.5 × 3.37Sensor5.33 × 4
3.55 µmPixel pitch3.35 µm
12.64 µm²Pixel area11.22 µm²
7.91 MP/cm²Pixel density8.91 MP/cm²
7.7Crop factor6.49
—Maximum video—
240 gWeight230 g
Internal storageStorageCompactFlash type I
AA (4) batteries (NiMH recommended)BatteryAA (2) batteries (NiMH recommended)
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The Optio 230 has the larger sensor area. The Optio 230 has the lighter body. The Optio 230 has the higher effective resolution. The Optio 230 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose Optio 230
Released in 2002, Optio 230 has about 21 mm² of sensor area, 1.9 MP effective resolution, and a 230 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.