Pentax pushes super sturdy snapper
GPS-equipped Optio WG-2 pumps iron
Pentax pushed rugged photography into new terrains this week, launching a pair of 16Mp compact cameras that promise to perform under the most demanding of outdoor conditions.
The Pentax Optio WG-2 and WG-2 GPS may look like Optimus Prime's caboose, but they're built to pull through even the harshest of Decepticon onslaughts.
Along with surviving dives of up to 12 metres, the WG-2s can be dropped from 1.5m, frozen to temperatures as low as -10 degrees C and crushed with a force of up to 100kg. Bear Grylls, eat your heart out.
Both snappers contain 16Mp back-illuminated Cmos sensors that stretch to an ISO of 6400, as well as a 28mm wide-angle lens with 5x optical zoom.
They also handle HD video at 1920 x 1080 pixels with a 30fps frame-rate.
On the rear there's a 3in, 460,000-dot LCD monitor with anti-glare coating, from where user's can access the cameras features such as 16 scene modes, a high-speed face detection function and various digital filters.
As the name suggests, the Optio WG-2 GPS also rocks up with GPS functionality.
The Pentax Optio WG2 series will be available from mid-March 2012 starting at $349 (£220) ®
COMMENTS
-10c
My Fuji S9500's have both been down to that in the UK on group dog walks and survived.
The only thing I had to do was store the NiMh AA batteries in a pocket when not in use
as they "froze". Sticking the batts in my pocket next to a warmer allowed me to use themin the camera. Usage them meant they generated enough heat to keep working...
I stopped using my camera bag at those temps as the lens would condense then freeze and normal wipes failed miserably at -5 or lower.
More modern cameras that used deicated batts (including a ~500UKP Canon SLR) died a death on the same walk.
Looks nice
Looks nice, ok survival spec though 1.5m drop is nothing these days and I would of felt byt the looks of it that it could indure more of a height drop. The temp aspect does seem nothing special and no mention humidity limits. But it looks the part.
It also looks like it can double up as a belt buckle, which would be different and allows you to say "say hello to my little friend" with great confidence I suspect.
Also no mention of battery life - camera's should at least have a listing of how many shots you can take with a full charge/fresh battery's and the resolution. Also something thats an adventure camera should also IMHO be able to shoot at night with some infrared mode which isn't hard to do on a camera from my understandings.
Bit wimpy
I was expecting something seriously rugged from the looks of it. 12m diving is okay, if nothing to write home about and the 1.5m drop is underwhelming at best. But -10C is positively pathetic. We've beaten that in parts of the UK twice in the last week whilst your average continental skiing holiday is going to go way below that. Having spent a bit of time in Norway, Finland and Northern Canada -10 would be considered a bit average. I would say -25C would be a minimum spec for something marketing itself to adventure sports people.
It is kinda tempting, I just wish it had an optical viewfinder.
Also, is there a lens cover built in?
