Because of serious spray I needed a waterproof camera with a wide angle lens for an August 11 trip to Niagara Falls ("Slowly I turned.."). I saw the Pentax Optio W60 on Amazon with an expected release date of August 5 so I was preparing to settle for the W30. Then, while surfing the site it came up as "in stock" on July 10. I immediately ordered it with Super Saver shipping and had it in my hands by noon on July 16. This was way faster than I had hoped for. I spent the next 11 hours studying it and the manual.
The manual is 240 pages, all in English, soI am not going to bore you with a list of features. You can see them for yourself on the Amazon and Pentax web sites. What I will say is that the pictures I took while learning the camera last night were excellent. If this camera does not meet all your needs in a point and shoot camera then its unlikely anything will. It definitely meets my needs. Its waterproof and shockproof and has a 5X zoom (28-140, 35mm equivalent) as well as 5.7X digital zoom and movie mode with zoom and sound.
My only suggestion, at this time, would be that the battery compartment door latch button could be a little more substantial. You will need an extra D-LI78 battery or its higher mah equivalent. The supplied battery is only 680mah.
I spoke with Paul at Pentax customer service. His recommendation was that there was no need to spend extra for class 4 or class 6 SD cards, class 2 cards would be fine. Because of built-in camera hardware limitations I would only gain minimal write speed with class 4 or 6 cards. I did as he suggested and the write speed is very fast with the class 2 (standard) Sandisk cards.
As a former photo retailer with over 20 years experience in camera sales I feel safe when I say "BUY THIS CAMERA!" You will not be disappointed.

Just got this camera. Had it out in the pool all day. Great pictures, I highly recommend.

I purchased the W60 primarily on the strength of it being a waterproof camera with 720p HD video.

The camera itself is pretty terrific, with a slew of features (face/smile detection, audio recorder, waterproof) that are nicely customizable. Still image quality is good, especially if you limit the Auto ISO to 50-400 to manage the noise.

However, the HD video is 15 fps, which makes it stutter. It'll work in a pinch for HD filmmakers who always want an HD device in their pocket, but indoors, it can be grainy and has artifacts. BUT more damning is if you actually want sound on your video, you MUST disable the AF, has it's always making a clicking noise while you're shooting. So, either you forget about having decent audio or you set the camera to manual focus prior to hitting "record." I've tried that on "Infinity" and that works for me.

I've been tempted to return it on the basis of these video limitations and exchange it for the Lumix FZ5a. However, the fact that this small camera is waterproof is just darn cool (particularly for those who like to kayak or hang out at the beach). There are few options otherwise (the Olympus, carrying around a waterproof case), and the W60's feature set is otherwsie great. So it really comes down to what compromises you're prepared to make.

I purchased the W60 primarily on the strength of it being a waterproof camera with 720p HD video. I have two Pentax DSLR's and generally like the brand.

The camera itself is pretty terrific, with a slew of features (face/smile detection, audio recorder, waterproof) that are nicely customizable. Still image quality is good, especially if you limit the Auto ISO to 50-400 to manage the noise. The camera is quick to focus, and the flash seems powerful enough. I've printed out a few of the images on a Canon Pro9000 printer and they look good.

Note, the HD video is 15 fps, which makes it stutter. It'll work in a pinch for HD filmmakers who always want an HD device in their pocket, but indoors, it can be grainy and has artifacts. If you actually want sound on your video, you MUST disable the AF, as it's always making a clicking noise while you're shooting. So, either you forget about having decent audio or you set the camera to manual, infinity or "pan" focus prior to hitting "record." I've tried that on "Infinity" and that works for me. To their credit, Pentax admits this sound issue a couple of times in the truly comprehensive manual.

I was briefly tempted to return the W60 on the basis of these video limitations and exchange it for the Lumix FZ5a, which has 30 fps 720p and a longer optical zoom.

However, the fact that this small camera is waterproof is just darn cool (particularly for those who like to kayak or hang out at the beach). There are few options otherwise (the Olympus, or carrying around a waterproof case), and the W60's feature set is otherwise great. So it really comes down to what compromises you're prepared to make. Frankly, I love the freedom to shoot underwater or in the rain with this camera. I'll live with the video limitations. It's a keeper!

I just got this camera the other day. So far it seems like a good compromise camera. I kayak a lot, and I don't want to risk my digital slr when I'm out on salt water. I've hesitated a lot before buying a waterproof camera because their quality for the price has always seemed less. I finally bit the bullet on this camera because of the 5x optical zoom and the ability to take macro pictures from 1 cm away. This camera is capable of taking beautiful photos, the 1 cm macro is fun - shove my camera into a flower and see what I get.

Negatives so far:
- Lots of noise in low light, especially when zoomed in
- I don't like that there's not a cover that closes over the lens when you turn off the camera. It means you should definitely have a dedicated case for it.
- As far as I can tell, there's no way to turn off the digital zoom, but I've only explored the menus and haven't read the manual yet.
- Optical image stabilization would have been a great addition to this camera.

[...]

I bought this camera for my husband, but after trying it out he discovered that that half of every photo was blurry. It may be that this is a problem of the particular camera we received but there were other problems as well. The screen is not viewable in bright day light conditions, the screen itself looked grainy, and many of the controls were not easy to access. If you want to change the EV you have to go through several steps each time you take a photo. And the manual focus sounds great but it really just gives you a distance choice that you choose and no real time focus display in the LCD monitor. There were other disappointments, too many to list. The concept of the camera is great but it just missed the mark in it's current form. Hopefully Pentax will work on this camera and release a much improved version in the future.
If you want to read the owners manual before purchasing, go to the Pentax Canadian web site; they have it available for PDF download. The US site did not have it available the last time I checked.

I wanted a camera that was good underwater, but also for everyday use (since I'm not in the water that often.) This one comes close, but not quite, hence the 4 stars.

The underwater picture was great, but you definitely need clear water, otherwise murky lake water yields fuzzy pictures.

It's not shockproof unlike the Olympus 840 SW I had which was water and shock proof. But the audio on the videos were better then the Olympus 840 SW. There is still some clicking on the Pentex Optio W60 even when I turned off Autofocus and set it to MF, PF or Infinity. To me, it's pretty minor compared to the 840 SW... but still occasionally annoying enough that I will need another camera to do videos.

The HD video is nice, but as someone else pointed out, the low 15 fps means that it isn't very smooth.

I also find the lack of cover on the lens annoying since fingerprints get on it.

Other then that, I do like that it can take pictures at very close distances, and the LCD viewer seems pretty clear to me. And the user interface pretty friendly.

I had really high hopes for the new Pentax waterproof, but have been sadly disappointed. The handling of the camera is really nice - all the functions work well, and it's really convenient to have the camera in the pocket of my PFD while kayaking. The problem is lousy image quality - I mean really lousy. All photos are extremely grainy, and I'm shooting at the highest quality the camera offers. The claim is 10MP, but the photos can't hold a candle to my old 4MP camera. There is not enough resolution to work with in cropping photos. The camera can't handle backlighting and burns out on highlights even with the sun in back of you. For low light situations it is useless. I love my Pentax digital SLR's, but this model is not ready for prime time - I'm returning it.

Aloha from Hawaii.

This is the place for snorkeling and underwater photography, among many other things. I bought the W60 specifically for this vacation to complement a Canon G7 + underwater housing for snorkeling and photo op events. I am trying to add some real perspective to the vast amount of very subjective reviews, this one being no different.

If this is your only camera for occasional underwater photos, it is a true companion. It beats by any strength of imagination all the remaining 35mm 400 ASA cheap plastic enclosed (and oversized) cameras available. You're already spending a fortune on air travel, accommodations, food, souvenirs, etc., so make the memories and last and don't mind the $300+ bucks for this camera. The Pentax is equally well positioned for all your holiday photos and it comes in a small handy package. It's the perfect travel companion in your back pockets. But that's it.

Underwater, the W60 has a decent quality to it. Photo quality is sharp but a little less low contrast (contrast, saturation settings can be changed). Close up images are superior, focusing is quick and easy. If you want quantities of decent photos, the camera get's you there very quickly. I would not expect high-gloss tourist guide book under water pics. For that you will need scuba gear and $5000 worth of photo gear anyway.

Comparing the W60 image quality to my true and tried Canon G7 + housing, it's day, and somewhat night. The Pentax is not too far off. I have taken better pics with the Canon, but at the expense of a much bulkier setup and a slower response for focus and shutter release. When snorkeling, I take one or the other, both are producing satisfying results.

I have no second thoughts taking this camera anywhere, from the ocean beaches, mountain hiking, ski vacation, to the desert heat (last two are not tried, but I plan..)

Positives: smallest package for underwater snapshots. Lot's of options. Fast response. Fast shutter release. Good battery life (one charge is fine for a typical Hawaii day, including pool photos and review of the day's results). Goes anywhere without adding backpack real estate.

Negatives: (when compared to Canon G7). Low contrast. Slight blue tinge underwater (no surprise). Outdoor photos: less nuances, whites are washed out. Focuser makes noise when taking videos.

Overall it's a winner for point&shoot camera.

This camera is good for what it is, a point and shoot. It takes really good pictures outdoors and inside in good light but like other reviewers I agree that it take grainy pictures in low light. The 1 cm macro mode is great. I've taken it out tubing down the river and to a waterpark and it held up wonderful and took great picutes. Some of the downsides are that there is no cover for the lens, the grainy pictures in low light, and the LCD screen is poor quality. Overall I would recommond this camera if you are looking for a outdoor waterproof camera.

good quality, easy to use, takes great, clear pictures, small lightweight, water resistant feature is great having 2 small kids. only complaint would be that the battery dies after a few hours.

I am a self confessed camera freak. I have owned the Pentax WPi, W10, W30, and now, the W60. My other primary cameras are the Canon SD 870 (with waterproof housing for diving) and a Canon SLR system with L series lenses, etc. I live in Hawaii and I travel for a living and I can say that without a doubt, the Pentax W series have been my "go to" cameras for any activities that involve water, snow, sand, or dirt. They take A LOT of abuse even if they don't advertise that fact like Olympus. For optical quality in a "friendly" environment when I don't want to lug my SLR, I prefer my Canon SD 870.

Like many people who somehow trashed their previous W series camera, I have been waiting over a year for the W30 upgrade and I can report that all in all, the W60 is a worthy upgrade to the W30 if only for the 28mm lens. In addition, it's lighter, the screen is brighter, and it's got a couple of useful software upgrades. I've been using the camera for a month now.

Make no mistake, this is a "fun" outdoors camera. If you're not going to take your camera in the water, to the beach, or mountain biking stop reading now and find a camera with better optics. The W60 is just o.k. and certainly no worse than the W30. As for the barrel distortion at 28mm, it's probably just slightly worse than my Canon compact which means that it's there and noticeable, but for a group shot at the beach or trying to get the full length of a kayak AND the isle in the background, I'll live with it. You can always just click the lens down to 37mm and eliminate the distortion just like any other compact.

I'll also confess that I'm a Mac user and therefore don't know how to read manuals. Because of this, I find the "smile detect" and "blink detect' features amazingly annoying although they seem to work as long as your subjects are not wearing sunglasses. Fortunately, for illiterate and/or lazy idiots such as myself, you can ignore most features and easily find the important ones like underwater white balance.

Here's what I like and dislike about this particular model.

LIKES

1) Nothing beats not worrying about sand, water, dirt, or mud. I had the Olympus 1030SW for two days before sand screwed up the retractable lens cover (great idea, poor execution). Also, if you let your kids take photos like I do, you can worry less about camera damage when one of them inevitably throws your camera at the other one or tries to hit them over the head with it in the pool.

2) 28mm lens. It's an option I'd rather have than not. Also, there is a crazy "wide" feature that's a bit different than panoramic stitch that actually works pretty well. In a nutshell, two portrait shots are stitched in camera into a 5MP 21mm image. It's by no means "publish" quality, but I've actually been having quite a bit of fun with it.

DISLIKES

1) HD movie clips. I was very disappointed that the 720p movie clips are only 15fps. My old Canon S80 had the same specs and I find the jerkiness too distracting. The initial press release (specs since updated) didn't disclose this. Oh well. I'd still buy it. 640 movie clips are as expected and the shake reduction works fairly well.

2) Noticeable barrel distortion at 28mm. Like I said earlier, better to have the option available and zoom in when able. Even at 28mm, your shot won't be ruined. Also, if you have a mother-in-law you can cleverly position her at the end of the frame and the distortion will make her look slightly thinner (in case she accuses your SLR of making her look fat).

3) Still no travel charger included or officially available (which I find inexcusable) although inelegant third party solutions exist online (and the multi battery use ones still work even though they've changed the battery model).

4) No external user replaceable lens protecter. Come on Pentax engineers. How hard would it be to design an exterior casing that allowed for a user replaceable transparent protective "filter" like an SLR. There's a reason I've bought four models. I trash them.

Now for the important feature: Underwater Imaging

If you want a camera for scuba diving stop reading now and go buy yourself a Canon with any of their factory built cases. This is not a diving camera.

If you want a camera for snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, or kiteboarding; or if you plan to take your camera to the beach; or if you like hiking in the rain or mountain biking, you will be stoked with this camera. (Previous models I owned worked fine in the snow and cold whereas my compact Canons sometimes freeze) The Olympus 1030SW is a close second for me for the following reasons. 1) I like the rectangle form factor of the Pentax a tad more; 2) I find SD cards more convenient than XD cards (plus I own a bunch and my computer has a slot for them); 3) a personal bad experience with the 1030SW retractable lens cover; and 4) the Pentax is lighter. I think there's also some merit to the fact that this is Pentax's sixth generation of W series cameras. They've learned a lot. Also, I should mention that I used to use a Sony with a waterproof "Sport" case and besides being just a tad large, the picture quality suffered greatly.

Underwater videos of kids in the pool rock. Videos of them surfing are priceless (buy yourself a neckstrap). Being able to wash your camera off at the end of the day is amazing. It's also kind of fun to drop it in a mug of beer at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich and freak your friends out.

I highly recommend the Pentax W60 for anyone that has an outdoor lifestyle and likes to record memories. It's a great secondary camera when paired with something a bit more serious like an SLR. It is not the best camera for going out for a night on the town and it's not the best camera if you're going on the vacation of a lifetime that doesn't involve a lot of water or dirt. Have fun!

If you need a water proof camera and don't need to take it below a few feet and want the look of a regular camera this is a good choice.

However, when you cpr. this unit to other non-water proof units of the same price it comes up a bit short. There is a LOT of shutter lag, focus lag, and the camera is challenged by all but bright light conditions.

Image quality in sun light is good but when you shoot indoors, low light, or anytime you need a flash you start to see really long shutter times. If you allow the ISO to move up to reduce the shutter times so you don't blur the images you start to get a LOT of noise/grain in the photos. Don't expect to shoot underwater photos of any quality, IMO.

All in all, this is a good choice for a water proof digital that does not look water proof; just understand that you are going to be giving up function and photo quality.

The audio in movie mode is useless due to the fact that it picks up the autofocus noise from the camera. Sounds like a woodpecker is in all your movies. A VERY loud woodpecker. You can eliminate some of this by turning off the AF in movies. This works as long as your subject stays at the same distance for the whole movie.
That said, I didn't buy this camera to take movies. As a small point and shoot it works fairly good. Don't be fooled by the 10 megapixels, though. Pictures are no where near that good. Lots of noise and a weak flash.
But, for a waterproof camera and pictures in the 4x5 range it is the best out there.

I recently got this camera, and it is my third waterproof Pentax camera (had the WPI, W10, and now W60). The first got lost or stolen, and the second I broke some rules in the instruction manual and had it slowly stop working. None of them held up poorly to a heck of a lot of use by me.

I have recommended these cameras to so many people. My life revolves around the water, so a waterproof camera is almost necessary. I must say, though, that even if I didn't need a waterproof camera I would still look at this camera. The user interface is by far the easiest I've seen, and again, I'm comparing to all cameras and not just waterproof ones. This camera takes great pictures and video.

I do use this in the water and underwater very often. Underwater pictures are solid, and video is incredible (you should see my shark cage video!) The only complaint I've had with this camera, which I was not a problem with the previous two, is water on the lens. When I pull the camera out of the water, there is one spot on the lens where a big drop of water always sticks. I've found that I can do a good job of wiping it off, but it's simply not as easy as I'd like. Definitely not a reason to not get this camera, though.

I can't imagine anybody not loving this camera.

I was looking for a new point and shoot camera, I came across the Pentax W60 before it was released. I was sold on it's specs, not too mention it is waterproof.
After receiving the camera and trying it out, I became quite disappointed rather quickly.
Poor indoor picture quality.
No zoom buttons on top of the camera, they are on the back.
The flash is too close to where your finger rests, therefore, when the flash fires it can reflect red light off your finger; and since the lens does not extend it captures that reflection.
5x optical zoom was nice, but the autofocus did not keep up with far away action shots.
Thanks Amazon for the easy return procedure.

I researched both the Olympus and Pentax waterproof cameras, and am so glad I went with the Pentax Optio W60. It is a wonderful camera.

It has lots of modes you can shoot in: Underwater (awesome shots in the swimming pool and at the lake), Macro (I got great pictures as close as an inch away),Fireworks (It took excellent pictures of the fireworks), Sports (The pictures I took of people diving off of rocks at the lake were very clear).

I bought it for it's underwater capabilities, ie. it can be submerged for two hours at a time (I've only had it under for 30 minutes so far) and it is waterproof up to 10'. But it is a wonderful 10 mp digital camera with an optical zoom of 5x. I would purchase this camera even if I did not need it for underwater filming.

Clearly, this is not a camera for everybody. It's designed for those outdoor enthusiasts who's willing to trade the picture quality for the taking anywhere feature. I wish I could have a compact camera that can be used anywhere but still has DSLR picture quality -- but that camera doesn't exist!

If the underwater capability is important to you, then there are not so many choices out there -- and the only two get head to head are Olympus 1030 and the Pentax W60. Both are 10M pixels which I don't think it's really needed -- you can't fully use the 10M capability because of the lens quality. Some important difference:
- Olympus can go 30 ft deep, Pentax 10 ft.
- Olympus is crash proof, Pentax is not
- Olympus's lens is 28-105, Pentax is 28-140
- Both can take video of 640x480, up to the size of the flash card (Olympus may need a firmware upgrade), but Pentax can take 1280x720 in 15 fps.
- Olympus can't use zoom during video taking, Pentax can, but records the zoom sound as well.
- Pentax has slightly better picture quality, but little noisier.
- Pentax uses SD/SDHC card, Olympus uses xdpicture card, which is more expensive.

Finally I decided to go with the Pentax.

Things I like besides the under water capability:
- Feature rich. There are 24 different scene mode, a good fit to novice users, and there are also face detection, blink detection, smile detection and some on-camera editing capability. You can also do the slide-show on camera.
- Easy to follow interface. I learned to use more than 90% of the functions without even reading the manual.
- Macro that closes up to 1cm, not so many cameras are capable of that.
- Picture color is normally good.
- Live histogram view

Things I don't like:
- Poor low light performance, very noisy
- The so-called image stabilizing is just to bump up the ISO, which cause noisier image
- Below average image quality (comparing other point and shoot)
- Metering/White Balance/EV Adjustment only available in the P mode! This is my biggest complaint. I don't know what's in Pentax engineer's mind. I can live with no AP/SP/manual mode, but I still need these adjustments!
- No lens cover. Even though there is a protective layer in the front, so one can't touch the real lens, but that layer can still get dirty and I'm also afraid to simply put the camera in my pocket with other stuff.

With all that said, am I returning the camera? The hell no! I have my DSLR for better image quality, but I still need a compact one that I can bring with me on trips to ski, beach, or even snorkeling!

I did a bit of researching on the internet trying to compare the Pentax w60 and the Olympus 1030SWOlympus Stylus 1030SW 10.1MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Optical Wide Angle Zoom (Black). I was rather torn on what to do. I was determined to find a camera that can go out into the wild and survive. Sadly, the only cameras that are compact and have a rugged design have refracting lenses, which tend to not have the best picture quality. The big push i had that made me order the Pentax is that my friend had a Olympus stylus 1000 and it took rather poor pictures and had even worse movie quality. Furthermore, i know Pentax and Casio have done a few deals with regards to lenses - i had a Casio Exilim Z600 that took amazing pictures so i gave the w60 a shot

So here is why i'm considering keeping it:
-its water proof up to 13 feet! and it can stay underwater for over 2 hours
-its stylish. Its nothing compared to my older casio exilim, but it has a nice body casing thats sleek looking
-it has a 5x optical zoom and 28mm wide-angle lens
-it takes 1280x720 video, a rare camera function. even though it is only 15fps, still this is a very valuable and uncommon feature.
-outside it takes nice pictures, full of vibrant color
-i like the green button that sets everything to auto/default

Here's why i'm considering returning it
-the camera has a cheap feel to it, it feels like a aluminum box filled with packing peanuts (don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a light camera, but it just feels like it isn't made well)
-the picture quality in low lighting conditions is poor - i expected this in this style of camera, but it takes forever to focus, makes a lot of noise while focusing and then takes a severely poor and grainy picture
-the camera claims that it has an image stabilizer, but it just manipulates the iso rating so you get a poor quality picture
-the user interface is a joke! it is one of the most complicated menu systems i have ever encountered.
-furthermore, the menu system (i.e. the icons and sounds) just seem foreign, as if Pentax decided to market its cameras in the US by slapping on English language text.
-This is just a personal preference, but a camera should never meow. you can set the shutter sound, icon change sound, and power-up sound to mimic that of a cat's meowing - uh, no thank you.
-there is no lens cover! There is no protection for the most import part of the camera - if you leave it face up in the sun, good luck on taking a picture. also the lack of a cover allows the lens to be easily scratched. I have a case for it, but this severely reduces its rugged like nature.
-the battery feels just as cheap as the camera housing. it charged super fast (a good thing), its light (a good thing), and it discharges quickly (not a good thing)
-the flash is poorly placed. its right below the spot where you hold your finger. the lens catches some of the reflection off of your finger. also it takes a bit of training to simply not cover the flash.

I've traveled to Bestbuy to look at the olympus 1030sw and i like it better. i am afraid that it will have poorer picture quality. But i plan to buy my girl friend a nice camera that will take high quality pictures, so it might be in my best interest to buy a camera that can be dropped from 6 feet and stepped on, like the 1030sw. I'm disappointed that the olympus can only take 640x320, but i think its features overcome this flaw. Also the buttons to navigate the menu and options are laid out in a nicer orientation.

I like the W60, its a nice camera with decent features. but when i spend that much money for the camera, i want a camera that i love.

Bought this for a vacation in hawaii. Beaches, water, snorkeling, makes sense right?

First the good news:
* It works well as a underwater camera. We went to Hanauma Bay and took some good photos of fish and turtles.
* Shots for the most part are good--colors are a bit more vivid than the canon
* Shutter lag is noticeable
* No image stabilization--could really be used on this camera

Now the not so good news:
* There was a strange blip where it would appear to be working and then not take the photo. The camera would focus and then as long as I held the shutter down, it would still not take the photo. I recharged the battery, switched SD cards, reformatted the SD cards, nothing. After I tried everything I could think of, including writing to Pentax support, I gave up. My wife tried it about a week later and it was working again. Sigh.
* Battery life is not very good. I got about 3 to 4 hours.
* The construction feels plasticy and not well built
* No autorotation of images

Not one or the other:
* I'm an avid Canon user and had some difficulty getting used to the controls and settings, they're not as intuitive for me on the Pentax.
* It has face recognition and smile detection, but I'm not sure if they are more than just a gimmick

I'm returning this camera as it not as well built and stopped working for me randomly and the one thing that I need is reliability over features in a camera even if it is a point and shoot.