Pentax W30 Review

The Pentax Optio W30 is a waterproof, seven megapixel camera with a Pentax-branded 3x optical zoom lens, and a 115,000 pixel 2.5" LCD display. According to Pentax, W30 waterproof performance capacity has more than doubled compared to the previous W20 model, and now allows photographers to capture images underwater up to 10 feet for 2 hours. Improved construction of the camera incorporates metal front and back covers for added durability. Protective glass on the lens is treated with a Super Protect (SP) coating, developed exclusively by Pentax for superior water repellency. In addition to a JIS Class 8 waterproof standard, the Optio W30 features JIS Class 5 dustproof standard that protects the camera even more in outdoor settings.

The LCD is the only method of framing images with the Pentax W30 forgoing an optical viewfinder. The W30's lens offers a fairly average 35mm-equivalent focal range of 38 - 114mm, with the maximum aperture varying from f/3.3 to f/4.0 across the zoom range. ISO sensitivity ranges from 64 to 800 (1600 in blur reduction / report modes), and the W30 keeps things simple with only program mode plus a whopping 23 scene modes. Connectivity includes both USB and NTSC / PAL video, and images are stored on Secure Digital / MultiMediaCards plus 21.9MB of built-in memory. The W30 is also compatible with newer SDHC memory cards. Power is derived from a proprietary Lithium Ion battery pack.

The Pentax Optio W30 ships from late March 2007, priced at US$300.