Overview

The Optio W10 is Pentax’ latest model in the WP range. The W10 is waterproof up to a depth of 1.5 metres an can also withstand dust, snow and sand, making it an ideal outdoor camera. The Optio WP10 is equipped with 6 megapixels resolution, a large 2.5 inch LCD monitor and a 3 times optical zoom. High ISO 800 sensitivity allows for taking pictures of fast moving objects or in low light situations while reducing blurred image results. The high quality movie mode with a resolution of 640×480 and 30 frames per second features an anti shake function that compensates camera movement while recording movie clips.

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Available Reviews

• Pentax Optio W10 review at imaging resource
• Pentax Optio W10 review at DigitalCameraInfo
• Pentax Optio W10 review at CNet
• Pentax Optio W10 review at Steve's Digicams
• Pentax Optio W10 review at Popular Photography
• Pentax Optio W10 review at TrustedReviews
• Pentax Optio W10 at DigitalCameraReview

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Specifications

Resolution: 6 megapixels
Focal Length: 38mm - 114mm, 35mm equivalent
Optical Zoom: 3x
Exposure Modes: Auto, Scene Modes
Macro Mode: 10cm
Movie Mode: 640×480, 30fps
Shutter Speed: 1/2000 - 4 sec.
LCD Display: 2.5 inch
Storage Media: SD card
Battery: battery pack
Dimensions (H x W x D): 4.2 x 2.1 x 0.9 in. / 107 x 55 x 23mm
Weight: 4.9 oz. / 140g, body only

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Features

Building on the success of the WP range, Pentax is pleased to introduce the Optio W10. With a tough water and dustproof body, the Optio W10 is a 6.0 effective megapixels compact digital camera that packs a 2.5-inch LCD monitor and a 3x optical zoom lens, all in a slim line body.

The Optio W10 has been engineered to deliver enhanced, ruggedised functionality, building upon the success of the Optio WP family. It is capable of underwater photography without requiring a waterproof case or other accessories. The very fact that the W10 is waterproof means it is also snow-proof making this the perfect camera for skiing holidays, whilst the waterproof housing also means the camera is sand-proof, making it the perfect camera for beach holidays, yachting and other water based activities. The Optio W10 offers improved LCD monitoring and movie recording. This model has been made more convenient and user-friendly with the addition of the new Face Recognition AF/AE function, which detects people’s faces in the picture frame and adjusts the focus and exposure accordingly.

Major features
1. Waterproof performance, without the need for a case
The Optio W10 complies with JIS class 8 waterproof performance, enabling it to withstand up to 30 minutes of continuous operation at an underwater depth of 1.5 meters. Furthermore, the Optio W10 has also been proven to conform to Class 5 dustproof performance of category 2. Such capabilities make it ideal for use on the beach or in dirty environments. Given the camera is waterproof it can simply be rinsed off if becomes dirty.

2. 2.5-inch LCD monitor with superb visibility outdoors
The Optio W10 comes with a new 2.5-inch low-reflection LCD monitor. The LCD cover is finished with a non-glare coating, making the screen easier to see even on bright days. The LCD backlighting features a brightness adjustment as well as a Power Saving mode, which automatically reduces the backlight intensity to preserve battery life.

3. High-quality movie recording
The Optio W10 smoothly captures movies at 30 fps (frames per second) at sizes up to 640 ´ 480 pixels with image quality rivaling many camcorders. Furthermore, switching on the newly added movie anti-shake function automatically compensates for camera shake while recording movies. (The anti-shake function can be switched on or off.)

4. Face Recognition AF/AE, a new technology that adjusts focus and exposure for people’s faces
The Optio W10 is equipped with Face Recognition AF/AE, a new technology that detects faces and automatically adjusts the focus and corrects the exposure to suit. When the camera’s shooting mode is set to one of Portrait, Self-Portrait, or Natural Skin Tone, this feature will detect and focus on a person’s face anywhere in the picture frame. This technology is particularly effective at preventing “dropout” photos, where the camera focuses on the background and not on the person when taking commemorative or other valuable photos. At the same time, this feature automatically corrects the exposure so the face is properly exposed even in lighting situations where the brightness of the person and the background are drastically different, such as when a person is under a spotlight or on a strongly backlit scene.

5. Continuous AF and tracking AF
Continuous AF or tracking AF are activated automatically upon selection of Sport, Pet or Kids modes – allowing the camera to track a moving subject within the frame and maintain accurate focus accordingly.

6. High-sensitivity shooting
The Optio W10 supports high-sensitivity shooting at standard output sensitivity 800 (sensitivity is selectable). This enables fast shutter speeds for crisp, sharp shots with minimal blurring even in dark conditions or with moving subjects.

7. Super image quality from the 3x optical zoom lens and 6.0 effective megapixels
The Optio W10 includes a 3x optical zoom lens that covers focal lengths from 6.3 to 18.9 mm (equivalent to 38 to 114 mm for 35mm film) and features a ‘folding’ optical system so the lens never protrudes from the camera while zooming. Optical components have been redesigned for higher resolution, delivering advanced image quality that takes full advantage of the raw power of 6.0 effective megapixels.

8. Simplified operations with the Mode Palette
Selection of shooting and playback modes is made much easier with the Mode Palette, The original mode selection function lists mode icons on the LCD monitor. By offering 25 shooting modes and 15 playback modes, the Mode Palette speeds up mode selection without having to navigate advanced settings. Pressing the green button while in the Mode Palette activates a guide function which displays an explanation of each mode.

9. Green mode for easy camera-controlled shooting
The camera features a Green mode which simplifies picture taking by letting the camera control detailed settings. One press of the green button activates the Green mode, so even new photographers can enjoy taking pictures with ease. The Green mode resets the shooting menu, setup menu, and other settings to their defaults and locks the menu and mode buttons and other controls so you don’t have to worry about unintentionally changing the settings. This mode comes in handy when asking others to use the camera.

10. Green button for immediate setup screen access
The Option W10 includes a green button that immediately calls up the setup screen for settings such as exposure correction and sensitivity. You can assign frequently used functions to the green button to speed up setups when shooting. Up to four functions can be assigned. Initially, the Green mode is pre-assigned to the green button (the three other functions are not assigned).

11. Slim body with a flat design
The slim, flat body design of the Optio W10 allows it to fit in the smallest of pockets. The camera’s grip is fashioned with a finger-rest in the shape of a water droplet for to ensure a secure hold on the camera. The aluminum alloy body ensures the camera is tough whilst remaining lightweight.

12. Other features
1. Ready to shoot just 0.6 seconds after the power is turned on
2. Real-time display of “washed out” and “blacked out” areas
3. Image Recovery function lets you retrieve accidentally erased pictures
4. Picture Voice function can record sounds before and after taking a picture
5. Macro mode allows close-up photography as near as 1 cm
6. Frame composite function allows you, either when shooting or after shooting, to add a decorative frame that is printed around the image
7. Soft flash function avoids overexposure during close-up flash photography
8. Up to 4X digital zooming
9. Three color modes (full-color, B&W, sepia) for versatile movie recording
10. “Clock Mode” function displays the time even when the camera is off
11. SD memory card compatible; approx. 10.5MB built-in memory
12. Standard image viewer, ACDSee for PENTAX software
13. FotoNation’s red-eye compensation function for flash shots
14. DPOF, Exif Print, and PRINT Image Matching III compatibility
(source: Pentax)