Pentax Optio W80 12.1 MP, Waterproof Digital Camera, with Float Strap & 2GB SD Card - Adorama Exclusive Color; Black with Gold Finish

by Pentax

Product Details

• ASIN: B002TTOREK
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,752 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 21, 2010

Product Description

Pentax Optio W80 12.1 MP, Waterproof Digital Camera, with Float Strap & 2GB SD Card - Adorama Exclusive Color; Black with Gold Finish: Internal Optical Zoom: 5X internal optical zoom in a slim 1 inch body is equivalent to 28-140mm. Range: 12.1 Megapixels for detailed images that can be printed in large sizes. Wide angle lens: Features anti-reflective coating, making it easy to view, even in bright sunlight. Waterproof design.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent choice for the intended purpose, March 13, 2010

By 

Chicago John "Rirelguvat vf rinarfprag." (Elburn, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pentax Optio W80 12.1 MP, Waterproof Digital Camera, with Float Strap & 2GB SD Card - Adorama Exclusive Color; Black with Gold Finish (Electronics)

After much concern over disparaging reviews citing unacceptable noise levels even at low ISO, as a life-long Pentax customer I decided to take a calculated risk, listening more to the positive reviews. This camera is inarguably durable and waterproof, and it has some very cool features such as great macro capability and time-lapse photography as well as motion video and 5X optical zoom. It goes where I wouldn't want to take my DSLR's -- that is the main point -- and that will be almost exclusively outdoors in full daylight albeit sometimes in inclement conditions. The question then becomes, "Is this camera capable of delivering acceptable image quality under the conditions of use and for the intended purpose?"

The answer to that question is "Yes.", even "Hell, yes!".

If you want to look at a 100% crop of a 4000 X 3000 pixel image, yes, you will see noise and even at ISO 100. But I don't intend to print posters with these images. I will be resizing them for display on the internet, my computer, and digital picture frames. Moreover, in the unlikely event I need to radically crop an image, I've found that my digital image editing software's noise reduction function does a great job of eliminating the noise. Ya, it's an extra step, but so what if you wouldn't have been able to capture the image in the first instance???

While some have decided to focus on the negatives, the unique niche this camera fills for me greatly overshadows the compromises the design entails. And by the way, I like the yellow accent color on this particular model too !

So there, naysayers ! :-P For me, this camera is perfekt.

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Further clarificaton on the noise "issue". Some of the photography blog image comparisons are not really apples-to-apples: I've seen a higher percentage of high ISO shots for the W80 than the Canon and Olympus alternatives (at twice the price), but when you make a direct comparison of 100% crops at equivalent ISO, I'd rate Pentax in between Canon and Olympus. In any case, bottom line: This camera is not a DSLR. With any smaller CCD and high pixel density, noise is inevitable; it is a matter of degree. If you don't want to deal with noise, buy a DSLR.

But, if you check for noise reduction software ("noiseware", to coin a phrase) online, you will find several offerings that do an incredible job, some with free versions for non-batch processing, and an inexpensive price for large batch, automatic processing. Using the automatic mode with a "noiseware" program, I've had amazing results without significant loss of sharpness from my W80 images, even at higher ISO levels. I just routinely batch-process everything I shoot with this camera, and end up with images that are far superior to any other as-captured compact images I've seen on-line.

In summary, although noise is the most prominent objection to this design in virtually every review, you can address that perfectly well, in my amateur opinion, via a software solution and take advantage, thereby, of the many other advantages this camera offers in comparison with its competitors, including its lower price. So that is my 3 cents worth.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What A Disaster, June 30, 2010

By 

G. Denels - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pentax Optio W80 12.1 MP, Waterproof Digital Camera, with Float Strap & 2GB SD Card - Adorama Exclusive Color; Black with Gold Finish (Electronics)

I purchased the W80 just before taking a trip to the Galapagos Islands. The camera seemed a good compromise between the cheap Kodak disposable underwater cameras and the more expensive models being offered by Canon. On the second day of snorkeling the camera leaked water and, of course, ceased to operate. What a disappointment. I was on a wonderful vacation and my hopes of taking some nice underwater pictures were ruined. Upon returning to the USA I contacted Pentax and returned the camera to them. They said they would examine the camera and probably give me a new camera. Well I got the camera back last week and the camera took pictures, but they were purple! I called Pentax again and they apologized, BUT they explained that since the camera is modular they can fix it by just replacing the "boards". At this point I asked them for a refund. They said they couldn't do that, but would try to repair the camera again.
Frankly the camera is a piece of junk. I wanted it only for it's underwater capabilities. The quality of its "dry land" photos are only fair, not sharp at all. Do not buy this camera!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great point and shoot!, September 11, 2011

By 

discolemonade - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pentax Optio W80 12.1 MP, Waterproof Digital Camera, with Float Strap & 2GB SD Card - Adorama Exclusive Color; Black with Gold Finish (Electronics)

I've had this camera for about 2 years now, and I love it! I am very absent-minded with cameras for some reason, too many have fallen prey to the hot tub or swimming pool. This camera is completely waterproof. I have taken it in the swimming pool, lake and ocean, and it works like a charm. Not the absolute best picture quality or zoom, but it is decent quality. It also has some fun frames and other settings that are cool.