WHAT'S HOT: The Optio 230 is a compact and easy-to-use camera. It's just large enough to fit comfortably in your hand, yet small enough to drop into a shirt pocket. The functional control and navigation buttons are nicely spaced and well sized, even for large-handed users. In full-automatic mode, the menus are kept to a minimum, and in "Full" control mode--where you can change settings like ISO, white balance, and color--the longer menus are relatively well organized. The menus' black text on a white background makes them especially easy to read in bright sunlight.

One feature of the Optio 230 may be frivolous, but if you love self-portraits, it's just what you're looking for: The LCD folds out, so you can view it while the lens is pointed at you. More useful, and rarely found on a camera in the Optio's price range, is the manual white-balance setting; you point the camera at a white object, such as a piece of paper, and press the trigger. In our experience, this is the best method for ensuring accurate colors.

The Optio 230 is extremely kind to batteries. We took well over 500 shots in our battery-life tests before the single CR-3V gave out.

WHAT'S NOT: Unfortunately, the camera's overall image quality failed to impress us. In our lab tests using the Optio 230's default settings, it received relatively low scores both for on-screen images and for printed shots. Though it produced relatively good color in daylight-balanced lighting, our model had a somewhat corpselike complexion in our flash shots. Our outdoor test image was a bit underexposed and washed with a slight bluish tint. The 4-by-6 prints that we made looked relatively sharp, but when we enlarged the images they blurred noticeably.

WHAT ELSE: The Optio 230 also accommodates folks who never threw away their 3D glasses. Using a special setting in the camera, you take two shots of the same object and then print out the double image. To see the effect, you have to use the special 3D viewer that comes with the camera. It's sort of fun, but seems like more work than it's worth.

As you would expect for a camera that costs less than $300, the Optio 230 includes few extras. However, you do get a long strap that lets you hang the camera around your neck. Most cameras offer only a short wrist strap.

Pentax bundles ACD Systems' ACDSee image management software with the Optio 230. While it lacks the fine image editing and repairing controls found in Adobe's Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, ACDSee has a great set of tools for managing a large collection of digital photos, including features that let you create contact sheets, find duplicate files, and quickly rename groups of shots.

UPSHOT: Though the Optio 230 is a solid camera with a couple of interesting features, it would benefit from higher resolution.

SUMMARY

Pentax Optio 230 2 megapixels, 1600 by 1200 maximum resolution, 38mm to 114mm focal range (35mm equivalent), f2.6 to f5 aperture range, shutter speeds from 4 seconds to 1/1500 second, optical and LCD viewfinders, USB and video connections, 16MB CompactFlash media, one CR-V3 disposable lithium ion battery, 8.2 ounces with batteries; ACDSee 3.1 software. One-year parts and labor warranty; 8.5-hour weekday toll-free support. $299 800/877-0155 www.pentax.com