Pentax's Optio W80 point-and-shoot shrugs off water, haters

While Canon's PowerShot D10 has been hogging the spotlight in the waterproof point-and-shoot arena, Pentax is dropping in a formidable opponent this evening with the Optio W80. Said shooter measures in at just one inch thick and features a 12.1 megapixel sensor, a 5x internal optical zoom, a wide-angle 28mm lens and a SuperProtect coating that helps repel water, grime and finger marks from the len's crystal cover. The chassis is built to handle submersion in water up to 16 feet deep, not to mention extreme cold, dust and drops of one meter or less. There's also a 2.5-inch rear LCD, a 720p movie mode, face detection and shake reduction. It's slated to ship next month for $299.95; now you've just got to decide between Cardinal Red, Azure Blue and Gunmetal Gray. Tough call, right? The full release is just past the break.

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PENTAX ANNOUNCES ITS MOST SHOCK AND WATERPROOF DIGITAL COMPACT CAMERA EVER: THE OPTIO W80

GOLDEN, CO (June 24, 2009)...The manufacturer that builds digital cameras to go boldly where none have gone before has announced the PENTAX Optio W80. More adventure-proof than ever, this latest PENTAX digital camera is waterproof, dustproof, coldproof, and now shockproof enough to withstand impact from a fall of more than three feet (one meter).
PENTAX first introduced dunkable digital cameras in 2003 to the delight of outdoor enthusiasts, travelers and families everywhere. Today, the PENTAX Optio W80's waterproof design withstands depths of up to 16 feet (5 meters) to protect from rain and spills, as well as allowing full underwater photos and video for up to two hours. On dry land, the rugged, shockproof design protects against drops of up to 3.3 feet to protect the camera from hard use and occasional spills. Also featuring 12.1 megapixels, a 5X internal optical zoom (equivalent to 28-140mm), a slim one inch body, and a wide angle 28mm lens, the Optio W80 offers an expanded perspective that is ideal for landscape, group and more confined shots. With a PENTAX-developed imaging engine and a high-performance PENTAX zoom lens, the Optio W80 delivers brilliant, high-quality images with well-defined details. A Super Protect (SP) coating applied to the mineral crystal cover of the internal zoom lens helps repel water, grime and finger marks.
Other important features in the Optio W80 include a:

• Coldproof design that allows the camera to be used in sub-freezing temperatures of 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 degrees Celsius), ideal for cold weather activities such as skiing and snowmobiling.
• 2.5 inch LCD monitor that features anti-reflective coating, making it easy to view, even in bright sunlight.
• Widescreen, HD movie capture that records resolutions up to 1280x720 pixels at full-speed 30 frames per second.
• Fast Face Detection technology that sees up to 32 faces in 0.03 seconds, with Smile Capture and Blink Detection, for perfect portrait shots.
• Pixel Track Shake Reduction (SR) that ensures sharp images in any lighting condition, without adding high ISO noise. Digital SR and Movie SR are also available.
• Close focusing, Super Macro mode that brings out the details in even the smallest subjects as close as 1 cm (less than one inch).

Available in Cardinal Red, Azure Blue and Gunmetal Gray, the Optio W80 will be available in July 2009 for $299.95 USD. To help keep the Optio W80 fresh and at hand, PENTAX offers a custom designed clear protective skin ($16.95 USD) and a comfortable floating wrist strap ($19.95 USD). More information about the Optio W80 and these accessories is available at: www.pentaximaging.com *and preorders may be placed now at www.pentaxwebstore.com .

KEY FEATURES

• 12.1 Megapixels for detailed images that can be printed in large sizes.
• 5X internal optical zoom in a slim 1 inch body is equivalent to 28-140mm.
• Wide angle 28mm lens gives an expanded perspective to images, ideal for indoor, landscape, or group shots.
• 2.5 inch LCD monitor features anti-reflective coating, making it easy to view, even in bright sunlight.
• Waterproof design withstands depths up to 16 feet (5 meters) to protect from rain and spills, as well as allowing full underwater photos and video.
• Rugged Shockproof design protects against drops of 3.3 feet, ensuring the camera is protected from hard use and the occasional "spills" on dry land.
• Coldproof design allows the camera to be used in sub-zero temperatures of -10° Celsius (14° Fahrenheit), ideal for cold weather activities such as skiing and snowmobiling.
• Widescreen, HD movie capture records resolutions up to 1280x720 pixels at full-speed 30 frames per second.
• Fast Face Detection technology sees up to 32 faces in 0.03 seconds, with Smile Capture and Blink Detection, for perfect portrait shots.
• Pixel Track Shake Reduction (SR) ensures sharp images in any lighting condition, without adding high ISO noise. Digital SR and Movie SR are also available.
• Close focusing, Super Macro mode brings out the details in even the smallest subjects as close as 1 cm.