Pentax Optio WP Digital Camera - Waterproof, Fun, and Functional

Author's Rating:

Pros: Small size, waterproof, nice LCD screen, easy to use, variety of features

Cons: No viewfinder, no lens cover, short battery life, no manual adjustments

The Bottom Line: 
This is a fun, waterproof camera that works great as an all-around camera. It is especially handy for travel and outdoor activities.

Author's Review
After a few years of owning the Pentax Optio S, we were excited to learn about the OptioWP. We liked the Optio S, which we thought was a pretty good camera. We finally bought a Canon 20D digital camera last year, so we decided to get the WP as our second camera. The 20D is a pretty big camera, which isn’t always practical, nor do you want to take it everywhere with you (for example, in a kayak or on a camping trip).

The WP is unique because amphibious, meaning that it is waterproof. We were very excited when this camera was unveiled, and I really looked forward to trying it out, especially underwater. We purchased this for $330 online (from ZipZoomFly.com). I have actually been seeing this camera advertised quite a bit online and in print.


Some Quick Stats

autofocus
auto exposure
auto flash
5.0 megapixels
3x zoom
LCD monitor
Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
SD memory card removable
Built-in memory (approx. 10.5MB)

You can find a full list of specifications at http://www.pentax.com


The Pros

~ waterproof ~ This is such an awesome concept, and probably the biggest selling point to this camera. I really wish we had this camera when we went on our honeymoon in late 2004. We could have surpassed the hassles of searching for underwater disposable cameras in November, lugging them to Mexico, getting them developed, and making sure the airport didn’t ruin our film. It becomes a cost effective issue because you’re talking about $12-15 per disposable underwater camera and then another $10 for developing. We used 5 cameras on our honeymoon, so right there, we spent at least $125 right there.

This is such a versatile camera and means no more living in the dark ages of disposable cameras (also a plus for the environment). This camera can go to a 5.0 ft depth (1.5m), for up to 30 minutes. The lens is small and can be dried off pretty quickly. I try to use a soft cloth, which usually consists of a towel or the inside of a t-shirt when we are outdoors.

The quality of the underwater pictures is pretty decent. Living in the Northeast, I haven’t had a chance to have fun with tropical underwater pictures, but I was actually surprised how well some of our underwater pictures have come out. Of course, like any underwater camera, the quality of the photos depends on things like light (the more light the better), depth (closer to the surface is better), and water quality).

~ fast start up ~ We really like how fast this camera starts up. Even better than the Pentax Optio S, it turns on quickly. .6 seconds, to be exact. It is frustrating when a digital camera takes any longer to get ready to take a picture.

~ user friendly ~ With our first Optio S, it was easy to figure out how to work the camera. I never even used the manual. I continued to do so with this camera as well. The buttons are pretty easy to use and, for the most part, are fairly self-explanatory. You can walk yourself through the menu options without much trouble at all.

~ 2” LCD monitor ~ This camera has a very generous screen for viewing. The 2” size is ample and the images are crisp, bright, and clear.

~ movie mode ~ Although I’m not terribly impressed by any digital camera’s movie mode, this is pretty decent, and at least it has it as a feature. My husband brought back some short clips from a trip, and the quality was decent.

~ small & sleek ~ This is a very small, compact camera. I can’t imagine a digital camera being much smaller. (Too small can be a bad thing, too, in my perspective). Not only is it a great size, but it is smooth and sleek, making for even easier portability. It has a pretty attractive exterior. One of the things we keep this in is a neoprene type bag, and it is easy to slide it in or get it out. The edges of the camera are rounded and all the surfaces are flush and smooth. It even has a built in zoom lens. The size is perfect for just about anything, and we do a ton of traveling, so it’s really easy to take it with us. We have taken it everywhere from road trips to kayaking.

~ fast shutter ~ In the past, we have put up with slow shutter response or a shutter lag. Nothing like trying to capture something and it’s gone by the time the camera takes a picture. The Pentax OptioWP has a .05 second shutter release. Besides our digital SLR (Canon 20D), most digital cameras I have used have a noticeable delay, which I find annoying. This camera is fairly fast and I don’t find myself irritated by slow shutter response.


Cons

~ no viewfinder ~ Over the past few years, I have managed to wean myself off the tendency to want to put the camera up to my face to look through the viewfinder. After feeling like an idiot because there is no viewfinder, you learn quickly. The only problem with not having a viewfinder is that, although the LCD screen is great, sometimes a viewfinder is just better. For example, if it is really dark or really light out. When we were in Mexico, there was a bat on the ground we wanted to take a picture of, but the it was completely dark out, so we basically had to guess in terms of pointing and shooting with the flash. On the other hand, when it is really bright out, it is hard to see the LCD screen, which would be another instance where a viewfinder would be practical.

~ no auto-focus assist lamp ~ Along the same lines (think bat on ground story), when you’re trying to focus on something in low light, the camera doesn’t do particularly well. In an instance with low to no light and you plan on using a flash, just a little bit of light would come in handy, especially when the LCD screen isn’t picking up anything.

~ lack of manual control ~ Unlike SLR and some of the better cameras out there, the OptioWP does not have the capability for the user to manually adjust shutter speed and aperture values. This obviously puts limitations on photo-taking, but for some, that’s ok. Generally, unless there are adverse conditions (really dark, etc.), this isn’t a problem, although I try to prevent the “blurry photo” syndrome from shooting in low light. There is a setting for action situations, dim lighting, and so on, but that still sets the camera’s own parameters for the shots.

~ short battery life ~ Unfortunately, the seems like the batteries don’t stay charged for very long when camera is not in use. And, the batteries lose charge pretty quickly when the camera is use. This might be attributed to the LCD screen. It actually isn’t too bad of a trade off, but you have to take into consideration that you might want to purchase some extra batteries to have on hand or making sure you charge up the batteries regularly. Obviously, if you’re on a camping trip or the like, you might want to bring pre-charged batteries along with you since you won’t have access to an electrical outlet. Otherwise, you can intermittently keep a main battery charged between uses so that you don’t end up with a dead camera. On the bright side, you can buy replacement/additional batteries for around $10 a piece (we were able to find 2 for $20 on Ebay) – not bad at all!

~ no lens cover ~ This is the only camera (digital or SLR) that I have ever owned that does not have a lens cover of any sort. This makes me somewhat nervous, since obviously, if we scratch the lens, it means the end of the camera. It is doubtful that we will ruin a camera this way, but it worries me that the lens is exposed, with no protection.


Overall

I love the concept of this camera, and not only is it fun to use, it is pretty practical as well. It has a variety of good features and is very useful besides just for underwater pictures. I can’t wait until I have the chance to use this on a tropical vacation when I go snorkeling. The picture quality is pretty good and overall I am very satisfied with this camera.

If you would like to see samples of pictures taken with this camera, feel free to e-mail me. I can show you some underwater or regular photos we have taken. Also, if you have any questions, please e-mail me or leave a comment.
EpinionsJavelina@hotmail.com

http://www.pentaximaging.com/