The small, aluminum Pentax Optio S12 is similar in appearance and features to its predecessor, the S10. The 3x optical zoom remains the same, as does the lightweight but sturdy metal body, however the imaging sensor has been upgraded to 12megapixels . Scene modes for all common shooting situations are included, and the face detection feature can be activated in any of them with the touch of a button. Reviews describe the image quality as very good, although note a tendency to slightly underexpose in indoor situations. Focusing in low light is cited by reviewers as being on the slow side, but very reliable.