No B.S. Review
The folks over at Pentax sent us one of their new Optio W60s to play with. Unlike some of the other waterproof video cameras we have reviewed, this is an actual camera with all of the features of any other compact point and shoot, but without the need for any additional housing. The W60 offers 10 Megapixels and a 5x optical zoom, a 2.5 inch screen and they claim it can reach a maximum depth of 4m for up to two hours! It runs off of a rechargeable Lithium-ion D-LI78 battery and takes a standard SD memory card. It also takes video, but the photos were what I was after.
We took it out on a cold and dark day it proved to be a rugged little unit. It tucked into the front of my 5 mil nicely and with a short tether, it wasn't going anywhere. We did manage to get some wax on the lens which clouded the pictures but the otherwise the features worked really well. I am a photo nut and like to use the different settings including manual which the W60 makes super accessible and user-friendly.
The shake control and autofocus worked like a dream and even in fairly big seas made it easy to snap a few shots off before taking one on the head. From a photography perspective this is a great little camera that I would recommend to anyone that spends time in or near the water. From a surfers' perspective this is a great camera that is still small enough to bring out without being too cumbersome. You'll be able to capture real quality images with the point and shoot feature, the only downfall is that you may not have time to use all the options it offers! I think this camera is a must have for any surf photograper. Even if you already shoot with a waterproof SLR, this camera is the perfect complimentary side arm to have in your arsenal. Go get one today, start shooting, and submitting to surf magazines around the world! As always, thanks for reading and tell a friend…
- Shaper
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