Pentax Optio W60 review?

[the7trumpetes]

I really enjoyed your honest Olympus 1030SW review because there are few reviews for this class of cameras (waterproof ultra-rugged), and most of them are D5 snobs that turn their nose up at anything that's not amazing, or they are enthusiasts so enamored with the fact that you can take underwater pictures that they completely ignore picture quality.

The thing is, I think I want to get either the 1030SW or the Optio W60. I like the specs and features of the W60 better, but there isn't really any indication on how its image quality stacks up against the 1030SW. Are you planning to review the W60? If so, I'm anxiously awaiting your take on it.

[EHaberfe]

I have a Pentax Optio W60.

It has at least one severe problem. In at least the 640x480 30 fps video mode, the camera exhibits severe vertical banding noise. I had an online chat with Pentax and they suggested exchanging the camera for another unit. I did this and the second camera exhibited the same behavior. I contacted Pentax by phone and they took the information, but could not tell me if this problem could or would be fixed by a firmware update See the web page I created about this problem at:

http://EricHaberfellner.com/Pentax_W60_Problem

[Beowulff]

Hi there Eric...

I just checked out your page with the W60 "banding" issues, and I hate to say it, but I tend to agree with Pentax's answer.

I've had the same (or very similar) problem with a Fuji E900, although the E900's banding is not as purplish/pinkish, but more a yellow/whitish banding.

I first noticed it with the sun reflecting off a car's chromework at a recreation reserve on a summers day. The effect was identical to yours (apart from the colour of the bands).

It only happens in video mode — strangely — but you can also see it on the LCD prior to capturing the video images. It doesn't seem to affect still images though, which seems a bit strange to me.

I'm assuming that it's simply(?) a massively overcharged photo-receptor leaking into the adjacent receptor, which then leaks into the next receptor... and so on, to form the band. I'm also assuming that it's the physical geometry of the individual photo-receptors on the sensor that causes the banding to be vertical, rather than horizontal or omni-directional. But I'm certainly no tech-head with this sort of stuff LOL.

We'll have to see if any of the other guys here know a bit more — technically speaking — about this issue, but rest assured that you're not 'seeing things' Eric!

Cheers :)

[Beowulff]

Hiya the7trumpetes...

You might like to check out this comparison between the Optio W60 and a couple of other waterproof cams here:

ZDNet Olympus W60 Comparison (http://blogs.zdnet.com/digitalcameras/?p=272)

it would seem that the W60 is okay for snorkelling (to 3.9m) but not SCUBA diving because of its depth limitations.

Have a look at their "Talkback" forum about it as well.

Good luck :)