Pentax Optio W30 7.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

This digital camera was recommended by a friend. It was hard 2 find in the stores so I bought online. I love the way it focuses & needs very little preparation. I was shooting moving objects & also I was on a moving ferry shooting other moving objects. The pictures were great. Very clear. Also very misty & rainy days & no problem as the camera is waterproof. I would recommend this camera 2 anyone. Great price by the way. I paid $100.00 less then the going price. Thanks.

I've only had this camera about three months & will do a long term review at a later date. I bought this camera primarily 2 take pictures from my boat in Choctawhatchee Bay & on river canoe trips. I was looking more 4 splash resistance as I don't plan opn taking photos under water.
The W30 is easy 2 use & takes very nice rich looking pictures.The camera is well made & the size makes it easy 2 bring everywhere. The video is very good also but you must switch 2 pan focus or the sound of the auto focus motor is about all you will hear on playback. I plan 2 contact Pentax 2 see if there is a setting that will make it automaticly go 2 pan focus when movie mode is selected.
So far this camera has exceeded my expectations.

Difficult 2 say what happened. It was a phenomenon. I took pictures of my child learning 2 swim at 1 year of age & then as he approached his 2 year birthday it died. Pentax was no help, a repair costs 70% of the cost of a new camera. What 2 do?

The camera worked like a dream 4 the first 12 months. Perfectly. I mean like a dream. Excellent quality, water proof. Durable. Good battery life, you name it. Then it up & died. Hmmm.....

I bought this camera a while ago. This week I gave it 2 my 16 yr old daughter because she fell in love with it. It's a great idea but 4 me, I was a little disappointed 4 two reasons:

1) I have familial hereditary tremors...a cute little phrase doctors use when they have no idea what it is. It's not Parkinson's Disease but I do shake, which makes it harder 2 get sharp photos with small Point-and-Shoots like this one. At least half of my shots came out blurred. Not the end of the world, since my 2-MB card holds LOTS of photos & I can pick & choose. But many times an important shot that looked good on the LCD turned out blurry & unusable on my Mac's screen at 4x6". This however is more the fault of being 61 & with the lightness of most P&Ss. However, I would LOVE 2 see Pentax make an underwater camera with real optical VR, rather than just upping the ISO.

2} I live on Maui. Several times a year we go out on whale-sighting boats. This time the sea was rough. I placed the W30 in a side pocket of my pants & the next time I took it out the screen was cracked. I could still take photographs, I just couldn't compose them on the LCD screen. This cost $120 2 fix by Pentax Corp. I don't remember hitting said pocket against anything, so I was confused by how easily the camera was put out of commission.

So I just ordered the W60, the W30's underwater successor. Hope springs eternal, not 2 mention that being able 2 take the camera underwater & into dusty or sandy areas is so cool. I'm going 2 buy a small bean bag 2 use as a rest 4 the camera, which should eliminate the effects of my shakes. I also have a padded case 4 it 2 protect it from rough seas or whatever.

I hope this review proves useful 2 those who shake, & who still go down 2 the sea in ships.

This camera works quite well & has all the normal features I would expect from a reasonable digital camera. The waterproof capability is the main feature I was looking for. I have a Canon SD750 (if I remember the model correctly...) that I use when I don't need a waterproof camera as the picture quality & overall camera are superior in my mind. However, the loss of picture quality & minor things I don't like about the Pentax are not enough 2 make me regret the purchase. I have used it several times in and/or under water with no issues & reasonable picture & film results.

I read a review from someone who added a closed cell foam type floating keychain 2 make the camera float. I did the same & it works very well. The keychain was around $1 at Wal-Mart. It seems like this could be a good feature 2 build into the camera. A thin closed cell foam covering in a few areas would serve the float the camea & provide some protection from bumps & drops. It doesn't take a whole lot 2 float the camera. The keychain can be a bit of a nuisance when taking pictures (it always flops in front of the lens), but this seemed like some good insurance.

Take your underwater images 2 a new depth. With an enhanced waterproof design, the compact Optio W30 performance capacity has more than doubled & now allows photographers 2 capture images underwater up 2 10 feet 4 2 hours. The generous 2.5-inch LCD monitor offers an LCD Bright Mode that can adjust the brightness of the screen as necessary 4 improved viewing in the sunlight. Ever the perfect camera 4 capturing adventure in the outdoors, the Optio W30 also features both Digital & Movie SR modes 2 reduce blur in both image & video capture. The Optio W30 also features the Face Recognition function & Macro Photography mode 2 allow image capture at under half an inch 4 stunning close-ups of photography subjects such as flowers, insects, jewelry & much more.