Pentax Optio WP 5MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

Other products by Pentax

Product Details

Product Manual [3.33mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 100 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007CZ6F0
• Item model number: WP
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,481 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 15, 2007

Product Description

From the Manufacturer
The Pentax OptioWP is a compact digital camera that features JIS Class 8-equivalent waterproof performance and has a body only 22mm thick. What's more, the OptioWP also features a 2.0-inch LCD monitor, a 3x optical zoom lens, and the imaging power of 5.0 effective megapixels.

Developed in line with the three keywords Sportiness, Elegance, and Leisure, the OptioWP provides the user with the advantage of waterproof performance that enables confident shooting during a range of water sports. And unusually for a camera with such sporting capability, the OptioWP also has surprisingly sophisticated styling that makes it ideal for use on practically any kind of occasion.

With the incorporation of a truly easy-to-operate user interface and other innovations, the OptioWP enables truly stress-free operation. A key example of this is the unique Pentax Mode palette function, which redefines user friendliness and has been exceptionally well received on other models. Indeed the OptioWP takes the palette function a couple of steps further, allowing it to be used for playback mode selection as well as for shooting mode selection by displaying the icons for various modes on the screen at once. Additionally, the OptioWP features a function that displays easy explanations for each function too, and all Playback operations have been carefully reviewed and simplified.

Major Features:

Slim, Flat Body
With a thin body of just 22mm, the OptioWP can be easily slipped into and out of a pocket or bag. And despite its compact dimensions, its well-designed grip ensures the camera remains safe and stable in the hands when shooting at all times. With a front panel crafted from an aluminum alloy, the camera conveys a sense of accessible sophistication, while the round water ring design and four-way key are every bit as attractive as they are practical.

The Pentax Optio WP enables the user to shoot continuously for up to approximately 30 minutes underwater at a maximum depth of 1.5 meters.

Waterproof Performance
Offering JIS Class 8-equivalent waterproof performance, the OptioWP enables the user to shoot continuously for up to approximately 30 minutes underwater at a maximum depth of 1.5 meters. Such waterproof capability also allows the user to wash the camera with water to rinse away sand and dirt. The perfect companion for watersports, skiing, and other outdoor leisure activities, the OptioWP also allows the user to shoot in places that would be too dirty to take other cameras.

3x Optical Zoom Lens and 5.0 Effective Megapixels
The OptioWP incorporates an optical lens unit specially designed to suit underwater photography. Delivering 6.3-18.9mm 3x optical zooming performance, it provides a focal range covering angles of view equivalent to those of a 38-114mm lens in 35mm format. Such zooming power can also be combined with approximate 4x digital zoom, making a maximum zooming power of 12x possible whenever desired. Like all Pentax zoom lenses, the lens of the OptioWP offers excellent imaging performance. It is also composed of 9 groups of 11 elements (3 of which are aspherical lenses) to achieve optimal compensation for aberrations and make the most of the impressive 5.0 effective megapixels.

Large, 2.0-Inch LCD Monitor
Despite its compact and slim body dimensions of 102 x 51 x 22 millimeters (W x H x D), the OptioWP features a large, 2.0-inch LCD monitor. Incorporating low-reflection technology and a backlighting system, this LCD monitor remains extremely easy to view, even when used outdoors on sunny days. The LCD monitor also features a power saving mode that extends battery life by automatically reducing the intensity of the aforementioned backlighting.

Green Mode
Green mode fixes all camera settings to a standard combination with a single press of the Green button (with the exception of the zoom setting). This is of particular use should the user become confused with the selection of settings or should the user wish to ask someone else to take a picture. The photographer also has the ability to allocate up to 4 frequently used functions to the Green button as short cuts, providing direct access to exposure compensation and white balance, for example.

Mode Palette
The OptioWP offers the Mode palette for shooting. This displays icons for shooting modes at once for simplified selection. Proven to be highly popular on other models in the Optio series of digital compact cameras, this mode has been further improved for the OptioWP in terms of user friendliness. Out of a total of 20 icons, the user can select 15 for display at once. 5 of the 15 icons can be replaced with the 5 remaining icons at any time and the user also has the freedom to display their 15 selected icons in the order of their choice. Additionally, the Green button can be pressed in conjunction with the selection of an icon to bring up a text explanation of the function it represents. This makes it easy for the user to understand the roles of different modes without even having to pick up the instruction manual.

The Mode palette of the OptioWP also makes it simple to select playback modes. The palette itself is translucent, so the playback icons are displayed directly over the desired image for easy selection. There's also a mode explanation function that displays descriptions to assist novice users.

Synchronous Sound Record
Featuring Synchronous Sound Record mode, the OptioWP enables the user to record up to 20 seconds of sound to accompany a still shot, beginning prior to shutter release and finishing after it. This enables the photographer to record memorable moments in a much more special manner. (Note: Upon selecting Synchronous Sound Record mode, the OptioWP starts recording sound before shutter release and stops 10 seconds after the shutter release button is pressed. The OptioWP then attaches the resultant audio file to the still shot.)

Continuous AF and Tracking AF
In addition to the conventionally available continuous AF, the OptioWP features a new tracking AF function available in Pet and Sport modes. This automatically monitors the movement of a subject within the frame, keeping it sharp and in focus wherever it moves in the shot. Normally, focusing is achieved by driving the lens with the shutter release button depressed halfway. During continuous AF use, however, the lens continues to readjust for focus at all times. This allows optimal focus to be achieved as soon as the shutter release is pressed down fully.

Photo Frame Function
With the OptioWP, the user can choose to add one of three different pre-installed photo frames to a recorded image. It is also possible to record images specially to suit the photo frame of your choice and photo frames can be added at the time of printing, too.

Recovery Function for Erased Images
With a newly incorporated recovery function, the OptioWP makes it possible to reclaim images and audio files erased accidentally. This can be done at anytime prior to the recording of new data.

Movie Editing Function
The OptioWP is equipped with a movie editing function that allows the user to edit recorded movies within the camera itself. Furthermore, one frame of a movie can be stored as a still image or the selected movie can be divided into different frames for storage in separate files. (Storable still image size depends on the recording size of a movie.) Two movies can also be combined into one.

Clock Mode
By pressing the OK button for an extended duration while the power is turned off, the OptioWP can be made to display the time on the LCD monitor. Just like a mobile phone, Clock mode makes the OptioWP handy for confirming the time, and the function is also compatible with the World time function.

Other features

• Becomes ready to shoot just 0.6 seconds after the power is turned on.
• The red-eye compensation function touches up red eyes in recorded images.
• Real-time warnings indicate washed out and blacked out areas.
• Digital zooming provides up to 4x performance.
• Macro mode enables shooting from as close as 1 centimeter from the subject.
• Full-color, black and white, and sepia color modes are available for movie shooting.
• Features SD memory card compatibility and has approximately 10.5MB of built-in memory.
• Compatible with exclusive, rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries.
• Comes complete with ACDSee for Pentax Standard image viewer software.
• Features DPOF functionality, Exif Print, and PRINT Image Matching III compatibility.

Product Description
Snorkel, ski, or attend a stunning wedding, and you'll never stop snapping with the OptioWP. This digital delivers both on land and in the sea with a faster .6 second start up, a quick .05 second shutter release, movie mode and a generous 2.0 inch monitor. A beautiful, petite JIS Class 8 waterproof-rated exterior promises you'll capture images proudly just under the water's surface or in the most formal settings. Finally, your wait is over for petite, durable, go everywhere digital.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Understand why you are buying it., July 16, 2005

By	R. A Gibson (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Let's be clear. To date, only one digital camera can go underwater without some sort of special housing and that is this camera, the Pentax Optio WP. It is small, light, and has a very intuitive set of menus (who needs the manual, this thing is darned easy to use). That said, if you are looking for a general purpose point and shoot digital camera, look elsewhere. The quality of the photos are only average at best. Despite the 5 megapixels, significant detail is lost in the capture of the photograph. Noticeable fuzziness exists on the perimeter of all photos. Close inspection (zoom in with your favorite photo editor) shows a great deal of pixelation (read interpolation). My guess is the CCD sensor in the Optio isn't grade A. Don't misunderstand, I want to like this camera, but I've used too many that yield better photos (for Point & Shoot, the Canon Elph still can't be topped, if you are an enthusiast go Nikon or Olympus C Series).
So in the end, it will go in my camera bag where it will stay until the trips to the beach and the water park... because after all, that's why I bought it!

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best waterproof digicam, May 2, 2005

By	K. Weaver (Reno, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When shoppping for a waterproof digital camera to use while river floating, I was drawn to this one. Small, sleek & stylish, it's better looking and has better resolution than any of the other offerings. I've only used mine on one trip, but I already like it. Although I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of an optical viewfinder, the large LCD is bright enough to use in sunshine with sunglasses on. A few of my photos came out blurry even though the beep indicated the autofocus had locked. These were photos of other boats coming toward me rapidly while I was sitting in my boat, so my movement may have contributed. I need to experiment with the continuous AF and high-speed shooting modes to perfect these shots. It's great that the camera offers you so many options of AF and shooting modes. It also offers a large array of options for tweaking your images in the camera, from adding a frame to eliminating red-eye. This makes me think it might be feasible to print good hard copies without using a computer, something I never considered with other cameras.

All in all, I'd say this is a very good do-it-all, take-it-anywhere camera, with the bonus of it being waterproof. Highly Recommended!

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive little gem, July 29, 2005

By	Hartmut Uschmann (Jackson, MS) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Photography has been my hobby for many years, and I own some prosumer level equipment, so bying a little snap-shot camera like the Optio WP seemed like regression.
We went on vacation to Sanibel Island, and I have to say that 60% of my pictures were shot with the Optio. Why? Because is was always there! It is extremely convenient, very quick to power up and fast enough for true snap shots (in good day light). The picture quality using the presets is amazingly good (that's coming from a control freak who never uses automated settings), and the under-water shots were excellent as well (in clear water). I was a little worried about it truly being waterproof, but it is! I had it in the pool just about every day and in the Ocean several times as well-it never failed.
I am impressed and have enjoyed this little gem more then I imagined. Short battery life, especially when using flash, and flash reach is poor, but that really did not impact on the utility of this camera. I love it and will have it with me from now on. (FYI, buy a second battery and the little nylon case (PTX-L100), which has a little pocket inside for a spare battery, and you are set to go anywhere).
Shortcomings: as stated ealier, battery life and flash reach. Also, the camera has problems aquiring correct focus in very low light. On one occasion, the camera "misbehaved", it was obviously a software malfunction and fixed itself by using the
"reset to default" function from the menu.
Have fun with it.
Hartmut Uschmann