Pentax w30 Waterproof camera

[ZEBRA]

Pentax w30 Waterproof camera

This is my first impressions of this camera
Let’s start with the official Overview from Pentax

• 7.1 effective mega pixels deliver outstanding pictures
• Enhanced waterproof function (3m for 2h)
• New Anti reflection LCD monitor
• Digital SR (Shake Reduction)
• High-quality movies with Shake reduction function
• "Face Recognition Priority AF & AE"
• 3X optical zoom lens
• Macro photography as near as 1 cm
A fuller listing of all the official specifications can be found on the Pentax website
www.pentax.co.uk/_uk/photo/products/index.php?cameras&gruppe=digital%20compact&produkt=19275&id=uebersicht



The first thing you notice when taking this camera out of the box is how stylish this camera looks, it fits neatly in the hand and the buttons are easy to operate and well laid out .
Every thing about this camera is top quality.



Within 5 mins the settings can be easily mastered the large crystal clear rear photo screen also acts as a menu controller allowing you to set the cameras functions quick and easily by use of the easy scroll menu buttons .
All the opening covers for battery and memory cards ect have positive locking catches on them and rubberised backing to the small compartments so no water can enter them even when fully submerged.




For my first experiment with this camera I used a 2 gallon container filled with cold water the camera was switched on in preview mode and submersed for 1 hour .



As you can see the camera is switched on and under water I took several test photos while it remained submersed all came out very clear .I found that even though the camera was wet and under water I could easily adjust the settings the buttons are very well set out and easy to use .
When I removed the camera from the water after a quick dry with a towel I opened the battery cover to see if their was any water ingress after 1 hour submerged not a drop was inside I think we have finally found a camera that suits the needs of us kayak fishermen

A note on the battery for this camera it is a Rechargeable D-LI63 lithium-ion battery which is supplied with the camera.
I charged the battery fully which took 2 hours on the supplied desktop charger.
I have used the camera for aprox 6/8 hours on and off changing menus taking test shots ect and they are still half charged I think a full charge would last a full weekend and more making this camera not only practical but also economical as well no more taking 5/6 sets of batteries to the weekend camps.




My first impressions of this camera are its amazing it carry’s a full set of features.
It is compact enough to fit in your pfd pocket.
It is easy to use and very easy to load to the computer.
It looks very robust yet also very modern and stylish so should not suffer at all from the harsh environment we kayak fishermen use the equipment in.
It is most of all waterproof to 3 meters for 2 hours.
All in all I think we now have the camera we have all wanted for years well done has to go to Pentax for designing such a great piece of kit for us all.

I will add to this review once we have used the camera a bit more.

[glow=red,2,300]this review is also on our main website north wales kayak fishing .[/glow]
twe05.build.sitebuilderservice.com/trellix/sitebuilder/f_edit_page.html

[SEAJUNKY]

Thats a great initial report there Terry. What would you expect to have to pay for the camera. Also does it have a keeper loop for safety on it?

Steve

[degs]

hi terry,
very impressive,the thing that apeals to me most of all is the battery as with most digital camers they use ni-mh rechargables but as you well no they do not last long,i have 2 didgital camers for my work the oldest has its own rechargable battery only 3 meg pix but way out performs my 5 meg pix that has to have the ni-mh batterys constantly on charge.this looks like the one we have been lookin for,i had a look around on web and found a couple around or just over the £100 mark looks like little money for such a good camers cant wait to see the picture performance

[ZEBRA]

hi guys the picture quality is amazing i blew up some shots tonight to a4 and the quality is amazing .the camera has a loop strap and thank fully its got a large loop i noticed a few cameras have the loop straps but they tend to be rather small loops so getting your hand in and out of the strap is sometimes difficult but not on the w30 .the full UK retail price for this camera is £179.00 but as Steve has pointed out they are available cheaper if you shop around but even if you paid full retail it would be worth every penny .

[BassNasty AKA David]

Looks good but has anyone got the olympus 790sw to compare to it.I am in the market for one of these cameras but havent seen a comparison between the two as yet.I think it may be more substantial being "shock proof".

[ZEBRA]

hi bassnasty i just spoke to olympus and they are sending me the full specks on th 790sw .

[hake]

I bought a Pentax w30 last year and I have to say I've been impressed with it. As Terry says, the picture quality is very good. My only quibble would be that the on-board screen is fairly low resolution. Having said that, it is a good size.

Mine has been in the water (salt) quite a few times, including snorkelling on holiday last year. Pictures were as good as the watr clarity would allow and there was no water ingress. The only thing to watch for is salt build up on the hinges to the battery and connections compartments.

All in all, as a strictly "point and shoot" photographer, I'm very pleased with the w30. Certainly, the waterproofness takes away a lot of the worry or ruining a good regular camera whilst out on the yak.

[BassNasty AKA David]

Thanks Zebra will look forward to seeing those.
Cheers

[SpeciMan]

I have a previous Pentax W model. They're good cameras. My only gripe is that you need to wipe the lens before taking a shot as droplets get on the outer lens protector. Could do with a lens cover.

[boomphat]

I'm still pleased with my W30. It's better than our old Sony Cybershot except in low light mode. I checked a lot of reviews and chose it over the Olympus, though shockproof would be nice.
I do find water droplets under the hatch, but around the rubber seal.
Once its been in salt water watch out for salt smears on the lens.
It's capable of a lot of functions that I haven't used yet.

[SpeciMan]

Recommend leaving the camera in sports mode when out on the water. Reduces the chance of out of focus shots.

[izzetafox]

I have one and love it, got it from EBuyer for £90 last September. Excellent photos and unbelievable battery life.

Nice video here is my first attempt.


And a couple of pics:





I like it and the missus is happy that I brought it for her.....lucky it's waterproof for kayakking...just a coincidence of course. BTW it is packed with features and has great explanations on screen as well. It's idiot proof. it must be if I can use it.

Get yourself a 2gb card from Ebay for next to nothing and you have 900 pix at max res.