I purchased this for a cruise to the Bahamas. Camera powers up quickly. Autofocus takes a little while in low light conditions. Lots of options for true "photographers", too many for me so far. I used underwater and picture quality was near perfect. Great all around camera as a replacement for my old Kodak digital.

I bought the W20 early this year for a month we spent in Hawaii. It was a great camera. Long story short, I lost it in the ocean. I just picked up a W30 while on business in Hong Kong. It is much faster than the w20. I haven't taken it underwater yet but the image stabilization works well and did I mention it powers up amazingly fast. Great product.

I bought this camera because I thought it would be an upgrade from the fabulous Pentax W20 waterproof camera. Rather this camera takes very poor, pixellated photos, no matter what the setting is on. I almost feel like I got a lemon. I have reset the settings, read the manual front to back and called Pentax customer care (who don't give a crap!) This camera is as good as garbage. If you need a good camera, then get the Pentax W20 which is truly the more superior of the 2.

I love this camera! I can take it anywhere, including dusty conditions and not worry about ruining it. Some will complain about the "cheap lens", but I think it's good enough for the intended purpose. Plus, I've blown up a shot to a 16x20 print and it looks fantastic! My only recommendation is to turn off the flash whenever possible as you'll achieve better, more realistic results, but that's the advice I give for any digital. The W30 is small, it's light, it's inexpensive and it takes great pics! What more could you want?

I took my new camera on our cruise. I got some amazing underwater (snorkeling) pictures. I got some that were so-so because of the amount of sunshine at the time. I wish it had a viewfinder because I am old and set in my ways and have always held a camera up to my eye to shoot. But I am getting used to using the LCD screen. The screen is nice and big, so it's really not bad. The camera is small and lightweight. I had a little trouble finding an extra battery, but I think they should be more readily available now. It took wonderful pictures out of the water also. I would recommend this camera to anyone.

Great product, particularly if you're looking for a digicam with optical zoom and no protruding lens. I used it on vacation and was happy with the picture and movie quality, battery life, reliability, and auto-focus. I did find that other people unfamiliar with the camera had a hard time taking pictures for me, but then later I learned the camera has a special mode for just that situation :)

Features I particularly like are the time-lapse and two different delay timers, plus the fact that each of the two dozen different modes has an on-screen description which pops up so you don't just have to guess by the icon what the mode does, like on so many other cameras.

Waterproof is a real plus, as is SDHC (Supports 2GB/4GB/etc SD cards)

It takes a little while to get used to the lack of an optical viewfinder, but other than the reduced battery life from having to use the LCD all the time, I don't miss it.

I have been using this camera for about 3 weeks. It was worked well. I purchased for the waterproof aspect. If you don't need a waterproof camera there are better deals.

The picture quality is good. It focuses fast in normal to bright light. When it gets darker the focus slows down to about 1 - 2 seconds.

The High ISO images are noisy and soft(800 and above), but I figured this would be the case with a compact digital camera.

I haven't had a chance to use it under or around water yet, but look forward to doing this on a kayak trip later in the year.

All the reviews & manufacturer hype the water/dust-proofness of this camera, which is fine, because it does a great job, is easy to use, and is fairly sturdy. However, we used to have a Canon SD400, but we wanted a waterproof camera. This W30 is a good camera, but I think we were spoiled with the picture/lens-quality of the Canon.

Good: Water/Dust proof with not much fuss. It just works! Easy to use. Compatible with new SDHC cards (my current card is 8GB!!!). But 16GB and 32GB are on the way. This allows a HUGE number of photos and video to be recorded on ONE CARD. Just make sure to keep spare batteries. One battery will 'roughly' last about 1 hour of video and a 100-200 photos (some with/without flash).

There are no external moving parts (such as lens extension)to get trapped with dust/water, since the lens 'extension' is internal.

The menu/capture-speed is good, but not 'quite' as fast as Canon's Digic II cameras (like SD400, or later).

USB connection is a standard USB mass-storage device, so it should work on Windows, Mac, or Linux with no problems (thank goodness).

Also, this camera seems to be pretty durable/tough. I dropped it several times on CEMENT/concrete, and it got a few cosmetic scratches on the case, but all operations and the lens were fine. But I might put a plastic screen protector on the 2.5" screen to prevent scratches. Another recommendation is to get a silicon skin for pool/underwater use (to prevent case scratches from the pool/rocks), or a neoprene case to keep the lens intact while traveling (since there is NO LENS COVER).

Bad: Video uses Quicktime-MOV files, which is good (potentially), but it's a bit grainy, and the compression is not great. But I can fit a 'rough estimate' of maybe 2-3+ hours of video on an 8GB card.

Ugly: Lots of grain/noise in low-light or even some normal daylight photos. You can workaround this by manually changing the ISO speed to 64, 100, or 200 to reduce noise, but then you may get some blurry shots (due to camera/object motion).

OVERALL: If you don't need a waterproof camera, get a Canon SD-series (they're EXCELLENT). But if you need/want something more 'safe', get this camera. It's easily the best water/dust-proof camera on the market.

I bought this camera for my mom for Mother's Day this year. We both love it! It's easy to use (a big plus for us, as we're both "technology challenged") and it takes great pics! We haven't taken any underwater pics yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

Wonderful point and shoot with great options, including fireworks modes--can be used fully automatic to fully manual. Takes great videos that looked great even on a 52" HDTV! The battery life is great, I took over 300 photos (some with and others without flash) and 5+ minues of video and was still in the "green". I haven't tried the underwater or dust proof functions, but I am sure that they will be as great as all of the other features.

I have owned a lot of camera's but you can not beat this Pentax for the money. So many different settings even one for fireworks. Best of all it is waterproof. So when your on vacation and get caught in the rain no problem! My son has one and he is always dropping it in his drinks and freaking everyone out. This camera is Amazing.

I needed a waterproof camera for snorkeling and other water activities on a trip to Hawaii. I bought this camera since there were very few choices for product offerings in the waterproof & digital catagories. I am really impressed with this camera as this was my first time snorkeling and I had great pictures (see customer gallery). The camera does require good light, so it is better in shallow water and clear days. I also own a Sony DSC 5MP camera which works better on large scenic pictures for me, but as far as underwater, light, compact, and worry-free this camera totally exceeded my expectations. I normally do not write reviews, but for the first time I felt compelled to let people know that this camera works wonders for use around water.

I just got the camera 5 days ago and have used it on 2 different water occasions. Water gets behind the protection around the LCD screen so that you can't see what you are taking pictures of and view the pictures already taken. My camera has been out of the water for 12 hours now and water is still "behind" the screen. I don't know if mine is defective. I'm going to contact Pentax.

Needed small waterprood camera to take on sailing adventures where everything gets wet! Other colleagues had this camera and were very satisfied with it. Really simple to use, good pictures and battery lasts for many, many pictures.

Note that Consumer Reports really liked their software; the camera overall was middle of the pack.

Have owned this camera for about a month now and have take a few hundred pictures and at least 2 hours worth of video. Pictures are decent, but not even close to my Digital SLR. What I was amazed by was the quality of the video. On the highest setting the vids we have taken are fantastic in quality and clarity.

The camera also does very well underwater. We have used to film my son and his friends in the local pool and some of the vids I have taken underwater make this camera worth the price alone.

The makes a great 2nd camera for us and I think it's well worth the price.

I really like this camera so far. I do tons of white water rafting so a water proof camera was a must. I am very impressed with it's video capabilities. It takes 640x480 video at 30fps. That is very good for a still camera. Don't plan on using the zoom while in video mode, I believe it is only a digital zoom. The interface is simple and intuitive. The over all picture quality is good but not great. My old Nikon took a little better still images. The bottom line is; if you plan on doing a lot a activities where things will get wet, this is the camera for you, if not, you can get a camera in this price range with a little better image quality.

Very convient to carry in belt pouch while involved in adventure travel
Good quality pictures
Waterproof
Controls easy to manage
downside- uses different battery than previous Optiva waterproof camera

i consider myself a reasonably good prosumer digital photographer. bought a pentax w30 off ebay. paid with paypal. took it underwater in thigh deep water--camera was submerged at about 6-8 inches or so. the camera filled up with water and stopped working after a couple of clicks.

like several other consumers, very disappointed. contacted seller who told me contact pentax. have done so with no response from pentax. have also have disputed payment with paypal and intend to pursue this in a small claims court if necessary. but really, what a disappointment!

others with a similar experience, please contact me directly and may be we can pursue pentax to do something about it together. i am at sarosh_khan at ksg08 dot harvard dot edu.

to all those who are interested in a waterproof camera, go with the olympus stylus 770 sw Olympus Stylus 770 SW 7.1 Megapixel Waterproof Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom + Olympus M-2GB High Capacity xD-Picture Card + Olympus xD-Picture Card Reader/Writer + Spare Li-40B Battery + Digital Camera Case. i got mine from ritz camera with their extended service plan which covers water damage as well. free shipping and no sales tax makes the price competitive.

unlike the pentax, so far its working out very well. again, what a disappointment the pentax turned out to be!

The Optio W30 is a good investment for a basic point-and-shoot camera with the waterproof feature. But it isn't for the professional photographer that wants some of the other advancements you'll find in a straightforward digital. Frankly the lens is disappointing for anything you want larger than a 5x7 print of. Macro photography is out of the question... it takes the shots but you loose all quality.
Again, waterproof is great... but don't buy it for a replacement of your good digital.

Somebody else has also experienced this problem, i read that in review. But i ignored and bought it. When I testedi n mearly 1 or 2 feet of water.. thats it .. Water was there inbetween Camera LCD and the transparent hard plastic over that LCD. I thought it woud evaporate or drain out but after 2 days it was still like that!!
Otherwise camera is good with pretty good features & pictures. Bad quality with low light/ night pictures.
Waterproof feature was one which struck me but finally it was the one for which I ended up returning camera.

I got this camera primarily for its waterproof capability; it is not my primary camera. I've had opportunities to use it for movies in the rain, in a swimming pool, etc, and the movies are more than adequate. The sound is mono and the frame rate is o.k. It takes nice close-ups and has exposure override (+/- 2 ev) so nice HDR pictures are possible as long as the dynamic range isn't too great. It will use the new high capacity SD cards so one gets over 500 pictures on a 4 GB card. Battery life doesn't appear to be an issue; although carrying a spare is always smart.
I purchased the "camera condom" for it which reduces dings on the camera body when hiking or swimming.
It's a great second camera for active or clumsy people. ;-)

For the price this is a great camera. We got it and went on vacation to the lake right away. Took the camera in the water, took lots of photos and some short video. Pictures are great, video is pretty good, and it's so fun being fearless with your camera and photo taking. You get pictures from perspectives you never would otherwise.

On the cons is a slight shutter delay making action shots tougher but we still got plenty.

For the price it is great, it can be your solo vacation camera especially in wet or dusty areas.

While initially impressed with the camera, my enthusiasm waned when I took it snorkeling. 20 minutes later the camera was rendered inoperable as water had entered the battery compartment. I contacted Amazon who - to their credit - sent me a replacement camera immediately at no charge. Sadly the camera suffered the same fate as the first - except this time water found its way into the screen within the first minute of submersion. I again contacted Amazon who informed that
"As it seems that the problem with this item is more widespread than
we originally thought, we are not able to send another replacement.
We will gladly refund you in full for the return of this item.
please return the set." Fair enough. I then placed an order for the SeaLife ECOshot SL321

So, excellent customer service from Amazon, dissapointing product from Pentax.

I had a Canon sureshot for a year and a half before it broke after only a little use. The Pentax offers so much more. I have taken a few photos which have turned out nice. The video indoors - moderate lighting - have come out great. Extra features which the Canon did not have include showing the amount of memory remaining, amount of battery remaining, editing/splicing video, zoom features WHILE recording. And the fact that this camera is waterproof/dust proof is an added bonus. I mainly bought it for the dustproof feature - will probably never use it underwater but won't have to worry about rainy conditions.
I've only used the camera one weekend - mainly for video shots but so far I love it. Quality of the video is much better/clearer than the video I took with the Canon in similar lighting conditions.

After reading the reviews of the W30 and the Olympus SW770, I decided to go Pentax for the better picture quality, taking somewhat of a chance that the waterproofing would work reasonably well.

So far, so good! I use the camera mainly for surfing (tuck it inside of my wetsuit) and was worried about the waterproof-ness given the sometimes rough crashing waves and dunkings that mother ocean gives. I've taken it out 3 times now, and no problems yet. The LCD screen is hard to see when it gets wet (and nearly impossible underwater) but the pics are always much clearer in real life than they seem on the LCD.

This is a great camera. Originally I had the early version with the 6.0 megapixels. I lost it, so I bought this one. I use it for kayaking and climbing. It gets really beat up and abused and I haven't had any problems with it.

Bought this camera after reading reviews of the Option W20 and competing Olympus product. Went for the Optio because of reported better image quality and video capture capabilities.

The photo quality above water has been good and underwater has been great. I am used to the snappy response of a Canon Rebel XT SLR, so the Optio feels very slow in comparison! But the tradeoffs for compact size and most of all waterproofing make this a good second camera.

I bought this camera for it's waterproof features and have not been disappointed. I've taken pictures in torrential downpours and in dust storms and it still functions great. The different functions are very user friendly and I love the Green Button which allows the user to set easy access to several different functions like White Balance and EV Compensation so I can quickly make adjustments for my picture without having to navigate through all the menus every time. Overall an outstanding camera that will not disappoint.

This is my second Optio waterproof camera. It is a great point & shoot digital. As with most cameras in this price range, you will wish it could focus & shoot faster, especially since the natural reason to have this camera is for action shots at the beach. The only big negative is no viewfinder. Naturally, out in the bright sun it is nearly impossible to see the LCD screen. But hey, leave it at a short focal length and literally just point and shoot. There are plenty of pixels to crop later to frame the shot the way you want. I love going out in the water with my 6 year old daughter with the camera to shoot pictures of her swimming and diving, even under water. I don't know which the spectators are more concerned about, my daughter swimming out to sea with me, or the fact that I just dive in with my camera. Either way, it is fun.

I became very nervous about this product after reading some of the negative reviews concerning leakage. I took a leap of faith in the good reviews though and so far haven't been disappointed. I've plopped the camera in a glass of water several times and took pictures with it while submerged. No problems. I haven't been swimming with it yet but I did read an interesting piece of advice in the manual: avoid holding it in your hand while swimming as it may be momentarily subjected to water pressure beyond that covered in the guarantee and water may enter the interior of the camera. I take it this means wear it around your neck so that the motion of your hand doesn't cause undo extra water pressure on the camera. Beyond the question of watertightness, it takes great pictures. I've especially been impressed with the macro function which generally lacks on other point-and-shoots. I am not rating it as a five as I find the user interface to be too simple-minded for its own good. Yes, it is very easy to navigate, but I feel a little foolish scrolling through smiley faces, puppies and other over-sized, feel-good icons. I am also still wary about how it will preform while snorkeling, as by the time I get in the water I won't be in a position to return it if it malfunctions.

Why did I choose it over the Olympus? I disliked Olympus' proprietary USB connection and the xD-Picture Card it takes which is also proprietary. I also trust the reviews of other Amazon users who dislike the picture quality from such an expensive camera, while the Pentax's quality has so far been great.

Excellent camera to take snorlking. I bought this just for underwater use and it was great. Clear pictures and no problem with any leakage. It also takes wonderful pictures outside of water as well.
Well worth the money

Product is great for outdoor use, wonderful detail in the pictures, but I was surprised when screen changed to white on one side. The camera still works well -- do not like that I have to send to manufacturer and not deal with the people I purchased from

Great purchase! I really enjoy this camera for taking pictures in the rain or underwater. Very durable and good looking. I wish i could increase shutter speed to take pictures faster, but other than that this is a top notch camera for everday and outdoor use. Ive taken some really good pictures in swimming pools (completely submurged) and in the ocean. you wont regret buying one of these cameras. I would recommend buying a second battery. The battery life is amazing, but once the indicator goes below 3 bars it doesnt last very long, so a second battery is usefull since it doesnt take standard AA. The leather case is useful because it holds the second battery or extra SD cards in the little front pouch. A++++++ overall.

This camera is so much fun in the water! Takes beautiful shots outside. Not that happy with zoom pictures though. But if you want a camera for water pictures this one is it!! my pictures at a water park came out crystal clear.

The images taken by this camera were great.
I have no complaint about that.
But I had it done 1 time only under the water, not
even deep, taken from right beneath the surface of the water
for 10 minutes. There is water shown
right behind the LCD lense.

How do I get rid of it?

My first Optio W30 got water inside of LCD for the first time I used it under water. So, I exchanged it to a new one. My second one didn't get water inside yet. It's working fine so far. Auto focusing is rather slow but you get what you paid for.

Nice point and shoot camera! This camera produces nice, clear pictures and has numerous modes to help to get your pictures looking great in every setting. The underwater feature is incredibly cool, and it take really neat pictures underwater. Also, you can "wash" your camera off. When at the beach and you get sand all over your camera, just rinse off and it is good to go.

Great buy for a great price.

I am very happy with the camera. It arrived on time and in excellent condition. My only complaint was that a discount was offered on a SD card, and when I tried to apply the discount, Amazon would not accepted it. I emailed the store, and they replied promptly saying that the discount only applied to other stores. I went back to their webpage and could not find anything that indicated that. Therefore, I felt tricked.

I wanted a waterproof camera to take on my annual kayak trips to Maine. I chose the Pentax because I previously had a Pentax, and figured I would have an advantage using the new one because of familarity. The camera takes really good photos, I have not taken it on the water yet, but I am very happy with the quality of land photos I am getting. My first outing with it was a trip to the Washington D.C. area to visit my grandsons. I got some wonderful photos, and they took some good ones as well. They are not 6 years old yet! It is an easy camera. The large screen is helpful but I would love a view finder since my vision is not the best, still I am having fun with the camera, and generally getting great photos

I've had this camera for 6 months now. I like the waterproof aspect since I can take it boating or to the beach and not have to worry. My first battery failed within a week of getting the camera and it was a hassle getting a replacement battery from the company.

But, I think it just doesn't take very good pictures. At least 25% of the pictures I took on vacation this summer turned out blurry or out of focus, no matter what setting I put it on. It's also very slow to capture the picture, so I frequently miss shots. Finally, the flash doesn't reach very far, so anything I try to take in dim light doesn't come out very well.

I had the Pentax 43WR for a few years and loved it, so when it was time to upgrade, this seemed like the ideal camera to purchase. I'll be getting a new camera soon, which is a shame since I've had this one such a short time, but I just don't think it's a very good camera.

PREFACE/BACKGROUND:
I previous owned an early predecessor to this camera (the WR33). I * LOVED * it. It took wonderful pictures - quickly. I was very happy with it even though it was sort of
homely and had a tiny LCD. After a few years, the WR33 stopped working. I decide to get another newer water resistant Pentax that would be similar.

NOW (2007) - THE W30

I bought the W30 a few months ago.

Pros:
* Big high quality LCD view screen.
* Very sleek styling, slim camera, pocketable

Cons:
* WAY long shutter lag
* Noisier than all get out considering it's 7.1 MP. My older 3.1 MP Pentax took better pix than this with better color.

(I'm not picking on Pentax per se as I have noticed this trend in reviews of other camera brands. Somehow in the megapixel arms-race for prosumer cameras image quality has taken a hit.)

* No optical viewfinder. Which doesn't seem like a big deal with that gorgeous large LCD. However...I was at the beach in august and found that I couldn't see a blasted thing through the LCD. It was all washed out in the bright light. I found myself craving any kind of other point of reference, even a spartan optical viewfinder. (NOTE: This was an 80 degree day at the Oregon coast in late summer, not the mojave desert..).

* Overall processing lag due to too many modes/slow auto-focus.
This camera has SO many modes and seems hell bent on wasting a lot of precious time thinking / processing / delaying taking the actual damn picture! ahhaha. I'm NOT kidding. All digitals have this to some degree especially below $400 mark but GEEZ. My primary mission is to get a photograph within max 1 second of pressing on the shutter.

My solution? You'll laugh. The only way I can seem to get quick response is to: 1. Put it on basic program mode with manual "Pan Focus" and I'm always manually setting flash to full on or soft as needed. THEN I get an OK response. Sheesh! Also...the color and picture quality is "OK" - it ought to be great. Subjective opinion: I have the sense from reading the other reviews that for an everyday camera, the Canon's are doing a better job for color rendition in this price range. For a water resistant camera, you might look at the other company that deals in this market niche: Olympus. Only complaint about Olympus is they use a more non-standard memory (XD card) but that's not a total dealbreaker.

In closing: Good pictures can be taken with this camera, but I have to "coax" them out of it. I shouldn't have to do this and I certainly didn't before.

Hope this helps. P.S. I have fantasized about writing Pentax to have them start making the WR33/43 again or to find the design team for that model and have them do their next one. I can't picture that the same design team produced this fussy mediocre picture quality camera.

A small and compact waterproof camera that takes very good pictures. It took some time to figure out all the features. I wish that it had an optical view finder as I use a lot in bright sun and the screen is hard to use in these conditons but that is a problem with all the newer generation of digital compact cameras. Overall, a good camera for what I will be using it for.

I was skeptical about this camera after a good friend and several other reviewers had problems with water getting in the unit. I bought it anyway (from amazon) with the intention of using my 30 day return period to test this sucker out. It performed well taking great pics underwater, being splashed, stuck under the faucet and even soaked in a glass of water for two hours. No water in the camera and it still works. The pics are good and the camera is easy to use but probably not the right digital for the avid photographer or someone that really knows what they're doing. I'd recommend this product to anyone along with one key piece of advice: buy it from a merchant that offers at least a 30 return policy, put it to the test and send it back to the merchant if it dies. You DO NOT want to get stuck dealing with Pentax directly as their customer service is, shall we say, less than satisfactory.

I've owned the WR43, the WP10 and now the W30. I loved the first two. I especially loved the optical viewfinder. Did I mention that an action camera NEEEEEEEDDs an optical viewfinder?

My first two met unfortunate demises, thus I sallied forth and got their successor.

My only complaint, other than the lack of optical viewfinder, is that it has a three minute battery life. What was wrong with the old battery that lasted for several hundred pictures? I've bought new batteries and chargers in hopes that they were the problem. I'm close to sending it back from whence it came.

I bought this camera for a holiday in the Caribbean. After using it for 20 minutes in shallow water, it failed. I returned it to Pentax who (eventually) claimed the warranty was void because it had sand on the battery cover which has compromised the waterproofing. This is nonsense. How it could have worked under water with sand on the battery cover was beyond the Pentax technicians ability to explain. Also, the possibility that any sand on the battery cover had lodged there after the camera failed was also too much for the Pentax customer service (an oxymoron if ever there was one) to explain.

So, lousy camera and even worse customer service.

I purchased this little camera as a replacement/upgrade for the Pentax Optio 33WR that I've been using on fishing/kayaking trips over the last 4 years. The W30 will do anything that the 33WR was able to do, but does it better.
It's a very user friendly camera, that one doesn't have to worry about getting wet. This little camera takes great photos in most situations.
Pros
small & light
takes great photos
does a good job when taking macro photos
is water-proof to 10'
Cons
it's a little noisy at ISO's over 200

We bought this camera a few months ago, prior to a recent Carribean vacation. It's definitely slower and noisier than I expected, but it has some decent features, so we could live with the camera's limitations. HOWEVER, the camera leaked badly the third time we took it snorkeling. It started with water noticeable behind the LCD, and by the time I got the camera cleaned up, it was a goner. Completely dead. Please understand, we're exceedingly careful with our cameras. We actually have an underwater housing for a Canon Powershot that we've used dozens of times. I peruse the manual every time I use it, and always use the product in accordance with the instructions and recommendations. Same with the Pentax Optio. I read the manual three times before using it. In other words: Not my fault. The camera was defective. So now I'm off to attempt an exchange - for a different camera.

My recommendation if you want an underwater camera - buy a good Canon or other make and shell out the big bucks for an underwater housing. If you use a housing carefully, and clean it properly before and after each use, it'll serve you well.

This is a awesome little camera, easy to use, well designed.
It takes awesome photos outdoors. Does great indoors with good lighting.
Best part is it water proof. We take it to the pool, kayaking, boating...
Nice size, fits in your pocket. We got lots of good photos since we always have it us!

I purchased this camera for my Dad, who loves to take pictures of family in some of the most interesting places -- like water rides, the beach, and the splash zone at Sea World. He brings along a ziploc baggie to quickly stash his camera into just before the water hits. He was totally thrilled to receive a waterproof camera. And once he started using it, he liked it even more -- with or without the water. The size is great, as it fits just about anywhere. And the picture quality is wonderful. It's nice and easy to use (which is a real plus for my Dad), but you can also "play around with it" if you want to get more creative. It was certainly one of the better gifts I've found for him.

Here's another one we purchased to evaluate for intentional abuse -- and has so far fulfilled expectations. The shock-proof, waterproof construction goes clubbing, boating, boarding, beaching or 3rd world safari with confidence. This camera is on its way to Africa, in fact, which has been totally unfriendly to any digital device!

The big pay-off are the high-quality extended movie captures QuickTime motion JPEG at 30fps. The video and audio is far superior to even some cameras advertised for this purpose! (see other reviews later) This camera also lets you fill a memory card with video, unlike others with an enforced time cut-off.

Picture quality is very good even in the medium resolution ranges. In RAW mode, under low light situations it performs very well, giving good, clear, well balanced shots. "Anti-Shake" features pay great premiums under demanding conditions.

Although they advertise this unit can be submerged down to ten feet for up to two hours -- we would not recommend it for other than 'light' pool or beach use. Get an underwater camera if you plan to use it for serious diving.

This is an ideal camera to take into 3rd world, rugged, dirty or active sport uses like skateboarding or snowboarding. Shock-proof ratings and smooth, tough skin will protect it where others fail. The lens does NOT extend, and is sealed and covered. Drop it in the sand and just rinse it off. It is immediately usable with PC or Mac without complaint. (Does NOT come with a memory card!)

Bravo, Pentax

Fred Showker

DTG magazine

The Pentax Optio W-30 was a great buy for the price. The different modes are very easy to access and use. Two thumbs up!

I had it for almost a month now. It's a great little camera that does a decent job of capturing precious moments. Best part is the waterproof and dustproof body. Can use it at water parks without worrying about the water rides.
Camera's memory stick got loose in the camera after dropping it 6 inches from floor. Had to open the case to push the stick back in, and I didn't have any more problems with the memory stick. Has built in 24 MB memory. Accepts SDHC memory sticks which is a big plus. That means I can use standard SD and SDHC which can handle greater than 2GB memory stick size limit. Shake reduction works well in both still shots and video capture mode and it'll keep taking videos until the memory card is full (has a time capacity left indicator when recording). No problems viewing the 2.5" screen in bright lit places as it has a powerfull back light that comes on for a few seconds during picture playback. It has the ability to save previous settings, and four manual settings that are stored in "Green Mode," for easy quick access. Comes with built in 3 decorative frames to choose from for still shots (download and store up to 99 free frames or make your own), ACDsee 6 CD which has a free online upgrade to v9 for Pentax 3.0 (truly the best digital imaging software in the market!), AV cable to connect to the TV and pictBridge capable.

This underwater camera is an acceptable alternative to the drug store point and shoot underwater camera's. Well worth the money for the digital features. Todate has worked well and worth the money. Not great for telephoto shots.

As my wife and I are into long distance walking, we make a point of carrying a camera with us to photograph incredible sunrises, scenery, etc. On one of our recent walks, my last digital camera (another quality brand) picked up some moisture, and caused some significant electronic problems. We researched what was available for water/weather-proof cameras, and narrowed it down to the Olympus or Pentax products. As I own a Pentax K10d, I was already familiar with the quality of Pentax optics, and the Optio W30 lives up to the Pentax name. The battery holds a signficant charge, and lasted approximately 350 shots prior to recharging. I also like that the lens does not protrude from the camera. Overall, I rate it an A+

This has been a great camera for everyday use as well as for wet situations. It is actually my third one since I have lost two of them. Each time I looked at other models before replacing it with the same one again. I am very satisfied with this model.

Pentax: bad cameras + bad customer service = declining shareholder value
I bought a Pentax Optio W30 online. This is a waterproof camera submersible upto 10 feet for upto 2 hours. As part of testing it, I took it in thigh deep water on Waikiki beach on Oahu and took some pictures. The camera began to take water and ceased to function. Pentax would not honor the warranty even though the damage was covered under the policy.

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

This is a very bad camera!! The shutter release is very slow and the camera writes slowly to the card. The screen on the back is poor. I had to use the camera in manual to have my images correctly exposed. I also had to use the adjust the white balance manually. The lens is slow in regards to f-stop and the photos seem to be grainier even at an ISO of 64. The focus is slow also.

I'm a professional sports and travel photographer. I have several Canon professional SLR's and a Canon Power Shot SD1000. I bought the Pentax because it could be taken in the water. Although the Canon Power Shot is not waterproof it is a much better camera then the Pentax. It writes quicker to the card, the shutter release is quicker, the screen is more accurate as far as color and there is no need to manually adjust exposure or white balance. The prints from the SD1000 are wonderful. I can blow them up to 17X25 with very little noise. I'm very pickie about my prints and do many large prints for my own art shows.

Amazon screwed up with the delivery time for this camera and the extra batteries I order for this camera. I had to cancel my Amazon order and order directly from Amazon's reseller so I could have the camera in time for a photo trip. I had to pay the reseller extra so I could get the camera in time for my trip. I hope I can return this camera. Or maybe sell it back to Amazon. Leighton O'Connor

I bought one and have regretted that purchase over and over. IMHO the Pentax Optio W30 sucks big time. I sent the first camera back for repair because of the loud clicking sound the camera made while trying to focus in movie mode. It made so much noise that it would drown out any audio you were recording at the time. I asked if this was a problem they had heard of before and the tech on the phone said "No, you will have to send the camera back so we can check it out". Spent $34.17 sending the camera back overnight shipping because I was heading for the Grand Canyon in about 2 weeks and I bought this camera specifically for the trip. I found out later that this is a problem that goes back to the W10, continued through the W20 and is still a problem with the W30. A different tech I talked to later said "That was supposed to be fixed with the W30". They WILL lie to you. They will not reimburse you for shipping even though the problem is with their camera design. None of the techs would let me talk to a supervisor or anybody else in their food chain. There were many other issues I had trying to get the camera shipped back before I left on vacation. Made a bunch of phone calls and sent a bunch of emails trying to get my questions answered. Pentax has the worst customer service I have ever encountered in my life - period.

The camera ingested a large amount of water about halfway down the Grand Canyon run and quit working altogether thereby depriving me of the pictures I would have taken had I bought another camera.

After leaving the Grand Canyon, I was heading to northern Colorado to do some paddling so I called Pentax and told them that I was on the way to their headquarters in Golden and I wanted my money back. They could keep this water filled hunk of junk and use it for a fish sinker. I called them again while I was in their parking lot to let them know that I was there. I sat in their reception area for nearly an hour before anybody, besides the receptionist, would talk to me. I thought about getting arrested while I was there, then decided against it. Finally, two guys came out with a new W30 and after a half hour of talking I finally figured out that there was no way I was ever going to get my money out of these jerks - so - like a moron I took the new camera. It has the same problem as the first camera with the video.

As to the ability to see the screen, nothing you can do will make it were you can see the screen in bright sunlight. You will be reduced to pointing the camera in the general direction of what you want to photograph and pushing the shutter button.

If you own a Pentax, I wish you the best of luck. If you don't, I would recommend that you keep it that way. I don't like the camera and I really don't like the people that work for Pentax. There is a lot more to the story but I don't need to sit here and type up another couple of pages, just let me reemphasize - the worst customer service I have ever encountered. As a matter of fact - I think I'll take another stab at getting my money back today. I'll let you know how it works out.
As it turns out - the second W30 was as big a hunk-O-junk as the first one. After three months of trying I finally got my money back from Pentax. Lousy camera and a lousy company to do business with. One more time; The worst customer service I have ever encountered in my life and that's saying something.

The Pentax Opto W30 is a compact and versatile camera. I have taken under water in a pool and lake and it works, but you need a very bright day to really see anything in the photo. It is compact enough to fit in a jacket pocket, so I use it skiing, kayaking, and for other outdoor sports without worry. Image quality is good, but not great. The image stabilizer works in low light, but with the flash in low light, images are dark and shutter lag is long. Movie mode is good.

The automatic face finder focus seems to work, but is very slow. I switched to the center weighted focus and that is reasonably quick.

The lens has no folding cover, just a glass protector, so the magnetic closing case by Pentax is a must. That works great!

Battery life is just OK. Buy a spare battery. The one Amazon sold was the wrong size, so I returned it, no problem. I got a much less expensive battery elsewhere on the web that also fits Olympus, LI-40/42B, which works great and has a little high capacity.

The LCD viewfinder is decent, but nearly invisible in bright light (like most small digital cameras), so its hard to see what you are shooting when skiiing or at the beach.

Although the waterproof feature is fun, and it's really nice to be able to take both stills and videos on the same camera, the shutter lag on the Optio is obscenely slow. This camera is really only useful for landscapes, portraits, and videos. When you snap the shutter to catch that once-in-a-lifetime shot, you end up with a picture that's a good 2 seconds AFTER that irreplaceable moment. I tried my best to make this camera work for me (the quality of the photos is really quite good), but I've got 8 & 10 year old daughters, and I finally got sick and tired of my photos showing the top of their heads instead of their beautiful smiles, or their feet on the ground when I actually snapped the shot with their feet in the air during a perfect cartwheel! The software Pentax sends with the camera is pretty much worthless, too. Needless to say, the camera is already packed up to return.

This is a decent waterproof camera while it lasts, which isn't very long. I bought this almost a year ago. After half a year it stopped working and pentax fixed it. I didn't use it much over the winter, and the next time I used it in water, it did not work afterwards.

It was used in a swimming pool and did not come close to exceeding the 5 foot depth limit, it did not suffer any impacts, and the seal was locked the entire time and for quite a while afterwards.

When I sent it in for repair they would not honor the warranty. My best guess is that they figure this is the second repair and they are losing money on a defective unit, so they decided to just blow me off.

Buy this camera at your own risk, the company does not stand by its products.

The W30's Owner's Manual shows that the K-AC63U AC Adapter is an optional, extra-cost item and is not included with the camera.

3 stars rating because I don't have the camera (yet), and Amazon doesn't allow a (none) rating, so rather than give it a 1 or 5 star rating, 3 stars for neither good nor bad. Just pointing out that the camera does not include the AC adapter.

I bought this camera for my sister who loves the water. However, when the camera is taking photos on a normal basis, the pictures are terrible and grainy. I looked at all the sample photos from other people and they look wonderful, so perhaps it is just a defective camera. Who knows, but beware poor picture quality.

I wanted a camera that I could take on sea kayaking trips without having to worry about it getting wet. I've taken this camera on two trips so far, and it certainly seems to be waterproof. Sometimes I'll even hold it underwater to photograph sea critters in shallow water. The underwater pictures aren't great, but the camera doesn't seem to mind the immersion.

The pictures--for the most part--are brilliant and sharp. In its default mode, the camera just works, which is fortunate since I'll probably never get around to learning all its many modes of operation. It's small enough that I can cram it into the pocket on my PFD.

There are the usual digital camera shortcomings: shutter delay, which sometimes makes action shots problematic; and the LCD monitor washes out even on cloudy days--forget about using it in sunny weather. The latter is a particular problem, as the camera lacks an optical viewfinder. I usually leave it on wideangle, and just point and pray, cropping out what I don't want later.

One very useful accessory is the Pentax Optio W30 Skin. With this on the camera, I have no trouble gripping it, even while wearing neoprene gloves.

This camera is wonderful! We used it on our honeymoon to take pictures of our snorkeling adventures, and it worked like a charm. The only negative thing I can say is that it doesn't have a view finder and sometimes people have problems taking a picture for you because the screen goes dark. This is remedied by telling them to push the button once quickly to view the image.

I recently moved up to the W30 from the 20 and am more then pleased. As with both cameras the ease of use is second to none. Very intuitive. The turn on time and time between pictures is extremely fast. The movie mode is great as well as all of the "scene" modes. I was especially pleased with the colors in the still images. It is important to do a color calibration for your monitor. This will make your pictures match the real color as well as the printer being able to match colors on your monitor. I highly recommend this camera to anyone. Being waterproof and dust proof is icing on the cake!

This camera failed on the very first test I gave it - fish tank. Once submerged it started letting air bubles out from the microphone holes and in 20 seconds the LCD screen was filled with water.
Pentax replaced my purchase for free.

Second camera worked in the fresh water, but failed in the sea.
Pentax replaced the second camera as well, but with $20 shipping fee.

The third Optio W30 works fine, but I really hesitate now to give it underwater experience beyond "splish and splash" near the fountain type of thing.

Other cons:
Sound - very dull (compared with similar model from Sony - Cybershot)
Movies - Quick Time format - I hate QT because it is impossible to edit in main stream free video editing software, unless you own Mac. Movies are huge! (another one in favor of Olympus - they have DiVX format, nice and small)
Autofocus - if you turn on autofocus in Movie Settings which is very neat option speaking of the concept, you are going to have a constant noise from focusing lenses while recording. You will find out about it only during preview of your material. Very annoying and, pretty much, makes this option useless.

So, if I was in the market for underwater cameras, I would go for Olympus underwater model.

Don't take this camera deeper than indicated or it will explode. Otherwise takes decent photos.

This camera is very similiar to the last Pentax that I owned, which stopped working after a trip to the beach. I figured I would try out the waterproof/sandproof variety. The camera worked fine initially, but then refused to link with my computer to download pictures. I'm not sure why. I was most disappointed that there is no lens protector. So I ended up returning the camera within the ten day period allowed by Amazon.

We bought this camera and were impressed with both above and below water pictures. However, on our second snorkeling trip the camera would turn itself on and take continuous pictures. We had to take the battery out until the camera dried out. When we returned the camera to Pentax, after just three months, they replied that we "exceeded the waterproof capabilities." So don't take it snorkeling.

Too many gadgets as I just wanted quality pictures. Really wanted SLR but none were available. I wouldn't want to use it under water even if it claims to have this feature. I go kayaking and thought if I ever fell overboard that it might be prudent.But why did it get all fog up after a rain (humidity?)? Movie clips and recording are not features that I care for. And adjusting picture quality without downloading is nearly impossible to really see the results. Best to download and fix at that time. You can't record at the same time as taking the picture...so what's the point? Pictures seem to be lighter and I must adjust color and tint to most pictures to reflect what I saw. Expensive camera and a little disappointed.

I have had this camera for almost a year now. It has gone on a couple trips with us, the major test being the trip to Mexico. No sand or water problems with this camera. The picture quality is good when I manage a decent shot. We are very happy with this camera.

I'm a wildlife/wetland ecologist who also does some photography on the side. When I heard about this camera, I was very excited to get one and try it out. Overall, it takes nice quality photos, if you can get the autofocus to cooperate with you. My best photos with this camera are in sunlight. There have been some good indoor photos, but overall, outside is much better. The waterproofing is FABULOUS. It takes pretty good photos in clear water and surprisingly good photos in slightly murky water. I've taken it places where I wouldn't dare take my Cannon XTI and was pleased with the quality of the photos I took. I think it's a little overpriced for the photos you get, but overall, it's a great investment as a second point and shoot to a fancy SLR.

I pre-ordered this camera over a year ago. It is still great. I have a Canon SLR and didnt want to ruin it with the watersports that we do. This was the perfect option. The only issue I have is taking underwater pictures, at times I cant see what I'm trying to take a picutre of. (probably user failure!)Most times, I just aim in that direction and hope for the best. My camera has been in fresh water springs, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, pools and always with me while kayaking. I've never had any leaking, sand issues, etc.

This camera was purchased for snapshots at the beach and around the pool, and fortunately it lives up to the waterproof claim. Unfortunately the image quality is disappointing.
Auto focus is slow and inaccurate - expect lots of blurry pics and missed shots (especially of fast moving subjects like kids or fish.)
Exposure controls offer many options, none of which seem to work very well. Expect lots of blown highlights and dark shadows.
Low light performance is very lacking. Images are very grainy at high ISO in available light. Images are prone to "purple fringe" artifacts.
The flash is also inadequate. If the subject is close enough to be within range the flash is likely to blow out highlights.
The battery charger requires a separate power cord - a very bulky design. The camera is compact, but you'll need a big case to fit the charger and cords in.
Watch the latches for opening the battery/card and AV/power ports. They are easy to open accidentally - a disaster if it happens under water. I place a piece of electrical tape over them to keep them secure.
If you plan to use this for snorkeling, be aware - the bright shinny finish looks just like an injured mackrel to that barricuda behind you.
In summary, this camera is just ok for snapshots around the pool or a day at the beach, but don't expect any great image quality. At 7 MP you can make some nice enlargements, but you probably will not want to.

Don't buy this camera if you are buying it for it's waterproof capability. I had one and it took good photos, but the first time I took it near the water-- not even under water mind you, just to the beach playing in the surf, it leaked and got water behind the LCD. Upon inspection it had a small hairline crack, which I don't know where it came from because it had never been dropped, etc. I literally ended up throwing away $300. I now have the Olympus 1030SW and it's great! Go with the Olympus instead, it's tougher, takes awesome photos, can go deeper and for longer and takes great terrestrial and underwater photos. Don't waste your money on this one!

I used this camera once in the water. The entire screen is water logged and the camera is broken. I don't know how Pentax can claim this camera is waterproof as it clearly is NOT. If you are looking for a waterproof camera, get the one by Olympus. I had that one and it was just amazing (until it was stolen). This camea also takes horrible photos at night, day time shots were just fine, but you could get much, much more for the price.

I have owned 2 Pentax W30 and I regret purchasing both. In the sun the LCD disappears. Your can't tell if your close up or tele. Whoever thought doing away with the viewfinder in a camera of this type is serving profits not the public. As of now, and I have done the research unless you want to use a camera housing and they don't work much better, there is not a digital camera on the market which will give good to great results under wet conditions. Incidentially, I caved in on this one but regret it. I need a "wet" camera I can store in a pocket in my life jacket to access quickly while sea kayaking. "Water animals and birds" to not wait for you to focus or mess around with digital junk. A DSLR which is water resistant/proof would be ideal. But the mfg. are more interested in profits than serving their customers. I suspect if one did, and it was reliable and produced quality pics without problem, like our current DSLR do, it would be an immediate hit. I tlooks like the new Pentax W?? is not much better. And, I have heard similar complaints from other camera owners (different mfg.) whose camera has only an LCD

This was the first waterproof camera I ever used, and I loved it! The flexibility of being able to take my camera into the water was great. The pentax is easy to use, takes decent pictures and I have never had any problems when using it for snorkeling, even for longer time periods than recommended. Since then, though, I purchased a waterproof Olympus and like the quality of the pictures better and the larger screen size is nice.

I bought the W30 as an upgrade for the Pentax WPi which I have had for about three years. That camera gave good service and met its waterproof claims. It was used extensively for kayaking, skiing and snorkelling and eventually failed after being taken too deep.
The W30 is now about 15 months old and has been used for skiing trips and travel in Oman but had not been used in water. I have been very happy with image quality and ease of use. I take mostly landscape photos so tend not to use a lot of the alternative settings. Reading other reviews I see a lot of comments about problems with use in water and I want to concentrate mainly on this area, especially as it is the distinguishing feature of the camera.
Last week I took it snorkelling and clipped it onto the diver flag bouy I was towing. This put it about about six inches below the surface. after swimming out to the reef I unclipped the camera and found the LCD screen was half full of water. Returning to the shore I found the battery compartment was wet as was the USB compartment. I had carefully checked both were closed correctly before starting into the water.
After drying out the camera was still not functional so I took it apart and did not find any obvious damage to the seals although water was still present in the main body of the camera. A check with a magnifying glass found no faults with the seals. It was not apparant where the water had initially got into the camera. I reassembled it making sure that the seals were installed correctly and took it back into the sea. This time the camera flooded before I even had my mask in place, again the camera was clipped on to the float. Water had penetrated battery compartment, screen and the main body of the camera. Again on strip the seals were in place properly.
At this point I conclude that assembly is correct, the design limitations were not exceeded. It would appear that there is either a manufacturing issue that results in some cameras with good seals and some with bad ones or the seals have degraded since new. As the camera is now useless I plan to carry out some more tests using additional sealing to see if I can determine the origin of the failure and to explore whether temperature is possibly an issue (hot camera going into colder water for example). I am buying a W60 to replace this one but I think it will be treated as a 'splashproof' camera rather than a waterproof one. It is a shame because this is a very nice camera in general use and reliable waterproofing would make it a great camera for so many people.

I used the Pentax W30 for 3 weeks and it already died. It won't turn on. Seems to be moister in the screen. Even when I did use it the picture quality in movie mode was poor. Underwater movies and normal movies were grainy and jerky, even though I set for max resolution. Thank goodness Amazon will allow me to return it - then I'll order an Olympus, which get better reviews online. And this from a lifelong Pentax camera user.

This camera works quite well and 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 and overall camera are superior in my mind. However, the loss of picture quality and minor things I don't like about the Pentax are not enough to make me regret the purchase. I have used it several times in and/or under water with no issues and reasonable picture and film results.

I read a review from someone who added a closed cell foam type floating keychain to make the camera float. I did the same and it works very well. The keychain was around $1 at Wal-Mart. It seems like this could be a good feature to build into the camera. A thin closed cell foam covering in a few areas would serve the float the camea and provide some protection from bumps and drops. It doesn't take a whole lot to 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.

I bought this camera a while ago. This week I gave it to my 16 yr old daughter because she fell in love with it. It's a great idea but for me, I was a little disappointed for 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 to 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 and I can pick and choose. But many times an important shot that looked good on the LCD turned out blurry and unusable on my Mac's screen at 4x6". This however is more the fault of being 61 and with the lightness of most P&Ss. However, I would LOVE to 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 and 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 to 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 to mention that being able to take the camera underwater and into dusty or sandy areas is so cool. I'm going to buy a small bean bag to use as a rest for the camera, which should eliminate the effects of my shakes. I also have a padded case for it to protect it from rough seas or whatever.

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

Difficult to say what happened. It was a phenomenon. I took pictures of my child learning to swim at 1 year of age and 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 to do?

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

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

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