Pentax Optio WP
- Reviewer
- Charlie Brewer
- Review Date
- 9 March 2005
- Manufacturer
- Pentax
- Price as reviewed
- £190
- Latest price
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Reader review
User: Rom Muryn, Yeovil, Somerset
Date Posted: 6 December 2005
Review: Love it lots. I spent many days canoeing wilderness Maine, so I was in and out of a canoe all day. The camera spent the day in my breast pocket or the cargo pocket in my pants. It got banged about whilst wading. I did give it respect and kept the pockets clean. So far the camera remains solid, clean and unscratched. Oh yes and the pictures are great. It’s simple and quick to use. During the trip I was photographing moose whilst others were fumbling in waterproof bags. I wish the zoom was bigger though. The batteries are cheap and over three weeks I used two of the three I took. The alarm facility is good too. Would buy again.
Rating:
8 people have rated this review helpful
Reader review
User: Jimbo, Tampa, Florida
Date Posted: 10 August 2005
Review: I would buy it again. <br>Minuses: The LCD finder does burn through the battery relatively quickly, but I got a full eight hour day out of it both in and out of a 75 degree (25c) freshwater spring. I had enough juice to spare, so I let the kids entertain themselves on the 2 hour trip home snapping photos often making faces at each other and looking at the results on the finder (kept them out of my hair!). As far as the lens cap – think it through. Sand and dirt are suspended in water particles; it would be a jam-o-matic if it had a mechanical shutter protector. I suspect the lens is more durable than it appears. The image quality was better than I expected. Above the surface, in Florida sunshine, they look great. Underwater, in a clear spring, it was better than I expected. I have not tried in low light. Having used a Nikon IV, I can tell you its really hard to get a good UW picture unless you have a heck of a lot of light. But for a casual snapshooter, this really gives you the flexibility to go where other digicams would fear to tread such as Adventure Island, (Tampa water theme park). <br>Couple of tips: Spring for the Kingston Elite (high-speed) memory or equivalent, it will speed up shot-to-shot time. Consider an extra battery after determining your usage patterns (don't buy the knockoffs, they stink). I have a neck cord and a boat key float on the neck cord, as it will sink! The float for boat keys is just enough buoyancy to keep it from Davy Jones Locker. Make sure you check the lens for water droplets before taking a snap. Avoid air bubbles drifting before the lens while shooting UW. It will focus on them, not your subject.
Rating:
8 people have rated this review helpful
Reader review
User: Matt, Havre De Grace, MD
Date Posted: 13 May 2005
Review: The batteries cost $50.00, but seem to last a long time. The memory needs to be replaced with a higher capacity after purchase. The lack of lens cover is to prevent moisture from becoming trapped and causing damage. A camera case is available for this specific camera for $10.00. I recommend that the cover be included with the unit at purchase. I have only had the camera for three weeks and I think there may be a software glitch, but it is premature to draw a conclusion as I am still learning to operate it. I love the size, weight, fast make ready time and special features of this camera. The most desirable of the features is its water proof case that also prevents intrusion of dust. The camera can be washed under the faucet with no worries. If I were to make any changes, I would change the case so that pictures could be taken without pulling the whole unit out first. I am satisfied with the camera, and the price.
Rating:
5 people have rated this review helpful
Reader review
User: Clayton, USA
Date Posted: 29 April 2005
Review: I bought this camera, carried it around for a week, and then returned it. Mr. Brewer points out what is for me a total show-stopper, but for him he still managed to score the camera 9/10! This is an ultra compact camera with no lens cap! This isn't going to live in a camera bag it's going to be in pockets and purses by its size. Furthermore, this is a waterproof camera and most watery places that people go (lakes, rivers, oceans) have sand and grit galore. Without a lens cap the lens-cover is going to get scratched and once that happens, well, there'll be no more good pictures. On a side note, the camera actually CRASHED on me. I was using the macro mode at the time and taking some test shots and it actually locked up. The screen was still lit, but none of the buttons did anything at all. I even held the power button down for over a minute and still nothing. Finally, I pulled out the battery and put it back in to force a reboot and all was well then. And one final comment: this camera has no view finder! You've got the lit LCD in the back and that's it. I was able to use it in direct sunlight though, (though it took some squinting). The major downside here is that a giant lit LCD is going to drink batteries and as Mr. Davies points out, this does take special batteries (and I imagine that the Li-ion battery packs are the only way to get reasonable battery life out of an ultra compact.)
Rating:
6 people have rated this review helpful
Reader review
User: James Davies, UK
Date Posted: 22 March 2005
Review: I am considering buying the Optio WP because I can't get an Optio 43WR - to replace my Kodak DC5000. A major gripe I have with the spec of this type of camera, is that it only takes a bespoke Li-on battery (which is expensive?) and requires a special charging cradle. Li-on are vulnerable to low temperatures (e.g. when skiing), and cannot be recharged in the wilderness - the camera manufacturer (not just Pentax) just don't understand the requirements for an outdoor camera!!
Rating:
10 people have rated this review helpful
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Pentax OptioWP Digital Camera
(5.19 Megapixel, Compact Camera, 3x Optical Zoom, 4x Digital Zoom, CCD Sensor, Video Capability Included, 2 in. LCD Panel, Built-In...)
