Pentax Optio W80: Review

Posted to Digital Cameras 2009-10-21

Pentax Optio W80 review:

The Pentax Optio W80 is a compact 12.1MP, 5X zoom digital point-and-shoot camera. It is the Pentax entry in a relatively new category of point-and-shoot cameras that has developed over the last couple of years - the life-proof camera. The Optio W80 is waterproof, dustproof, shockproof and coldproof. In other words, it's built like a tank.

The camera can withstand water at depths up to 16 feet for a period of 2 hours, survive drops of up to 3.3 feet, and function down to 14ºF. The Optio W80 features a 5x (28-140mm) zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD screen and HD movie capture of up to 1280x720 images at a framerate of 30fps. It also features face detection autofocus, optical image stabilization and a super macro mode for shooting subjects as close as 1cm.

Rating:

4.2 out of 5

Quality

You have to give a camera that's waterproof, dustproof, shockproof and coldproof 5 stars for quality. The polycarbonate plastic body is aluminum plated, and the case has rubber bumpers on all 4 corners. The camera feels solid in your hand, and the controls are well laid out for use underwater or in bad weather. A lot of thought has gone into the design of this camera, and it shows.

Performance

The good news is that the Pentax Optio W80 opens up picture taking opportunities that you might not get with other, less rugged cameras. The bad news is that the image quality is good, but not great. Particularly in low light, the pictures are soft and somewhat noisy. In bright sunlight the images fare a bit better, but they're still somewhat soft. Shots taken indoors with the built-in flash are also disappointing.

Summary

If you need a point-and-shoot digital camera that's durable above all else, then the Optio W80 definitely deserves a look. The durability specs are better than most of the competition. But if image quality is more important to you than ruggedness, you might want to look elsewhere. All in all a very well built camera that will let you take some shots that you wouldn't be able to get with a less rugged camera.

Pros

12.1MP resolution
5x (28-140mm) zoom lens
Waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, coldproof
Optical image stabilization
Face detect autofocus

Cons

There are no cons for this product