Pentax is going for broke with its take on the rugged camera,
the W90, which is unlikely to ever be confused for a svelte and stylish point-and-shoot. What it loses in looks, it gains in usability, however, as the 12.1 megapixel shooter can withstand shocks from a height of four feet, go nearly 20 feet under water,
and withstand temperatures as slow as -10 degrees Celsius. The dustproofing is just topping on that rugged cake, though it still offers things like 720p / 30fps video recording and 5x optical zoom that are now considered standard camera specs. There are also three forms of shake reduction: one is post-processing of affected images, the second is by automatically increasing the ISO in low light conditions, and the third is the use of "exclusive software" during movie mode. We can't say any one of those will be as good as a well-implemented optical image stabilization, but at least they're there and might offer some assistance. As to the X90, it joins a
growing band of 26x and above optical
superzoomers, while adding the W90's 720p video mode and anti-shake plus its own sensor-shift stabilizer for good measure. Both shooters are expected in April, priced at $330 for the W90 and $400 for the X90, though we've noticed the former will show up a month earlier in the UK with a £270 ($417) price tag.
posted February 25th 2010 8:53AM
And they aren't even covered in diarrhea!
Dear Pentax:
Why no optical/mechanical image stabilization on the W90? I won't buy a camera without it.
@photoguy622 While I'm guessing here, it might have been one of the parts dropped to make it more shock proof. Image stabilisation sounds like it could be one of the first things to break should you lose a camera.
@Sarig True enough, but there are plenty of shock and waterproof cameras from Olympus, Panasonic, Canon, and Sony that have optical or mechanical image stabilizers.
@photoguy622 Then I suppose there's a chance that Pentax is just being cheap, because I've run out of other logical arguments :)
@Sarig See the panasonic TS2. OIS and 50% deeper waterproofing. it is, however, more expensive.
i ended up buying a W80 last year because it was cheaper.
why do they make such inactractive gadgets? i wouldnt even sleep near that!
Sony tx5 I'm thinking is much nicer
Oly makes some great hardware. I have an ancient D40z from 2001. It's been dropped many many times, covered with fine sand from a trip through the Atacama desert, and rained on. Still works perfectly.
@Ed T
I don't want to be mean, but this is a Pentax post :-)
-10C is a pretty slow temperature....
Pentax, if the X90 is what the big secret from a couple weeks ago, I am disappointed.
but you can still spend the night...if you want..
Taking a second look at the Big Pentax Teaser Site, the big reveal is still another body, so....stay tuned.
FF DSLR with magic Swiss Army mount that takes K+M42+645+LX!
I am also hoping for a new high end DSLR. I don't think it will be full frame. I just want better high iso performance. I have a feeling that the teaser site is just for the 645D that has been talked about for ages, and unless it has a revolutionary price, not going to be in the market for that.
@Atkins
Yes but have you seen what Fuji Film offers you for the same price in the superzoom/bridge camera category?