Pentax Optio W60 Digital Point & Shoot Waterproof Camera, 10 Megapixel, 5x Optical Zoom, 5.7x Digital Zoom, 2.5" LCD Display, Blue

2009-01-20T19:00:00

I normally use a Fuji FinePix F30 as my portable camera, however it is not waterproof. Because I prefer low light/available light photography, the Fuji has spoiled me for this. It's winter in New England, so I have not been able to test the waterproof features - The camera is, however, definitely snow-proof and beer-proof. It has been dropped in the snow many times, and I even sometimes make a tripod out of snow. It has even been dunked in a glass of beer (this happens when you hang the camera from your neck and forget about it). In daylight, the camera produces very good pictures. However, in low light the pictures become noisy, or, you have to limit the ASA setting. There is an "image stabilization" mode, but this seems to produce blotchy pictures. I use "snow" mode (that's what New England looks like now) and the pictures are very good. The wide angle lens is perfectly suited to wide landscapes or tree-lined paths or indoor pictures (assuming enough light), etc. Having a waterproof camera means I can hang the camera around my neck (I use an ID badge strap - the camera comes with a wrist strap) and not worry about it. Battery life is short compared to the Fuji. I find myself having to recharge the battery after a day of use. I have not yet tested how low the battery can get before the camera stops working, but I can easily be at the "warning" stage after a day of shooting. Luckily the battery charges quickly. One note about the "auto-mode" (first choice in the "mode" menu). This seems to select camera modes pretty much at random, so that (for example) I'll take a picture outside at night and sometimes get no flash, sometimes get "night portrait" mode, etc.

Austin

2009-01-08T19:00:00

The fact the camera does so much gives it a steep learning curve.

SAMUEL S.

2008-12-31T19:00:00

This camera is suitable for bright outdoor snapshots only. Anything above ISO 200, due to low light, is too noisy. Macro focus mode is impressive. Smile/blink recognition function usually works pretty well.

StAugPhotog

2008-12-28T19:00:00

Fits in your shirt pocket and you can take it anywhere. Waterproof to four feet so you don't have to worry about rain or dust. The menu is easy to use and it has 81 different frames to use to put around a photo. I have several camera's from film to DSLR, but I enjoy my Pentax very much.

Larry