Pentax WPi Review

The Pentax OptioWPi sits alongside the existing Optio WP in Pentax's lineup. Like that camera, the Pentax WPi is designed to handle what the real world has to throw at it, being is certified as a "JIS Class 8" water-proof camera - meaning it can actually be used to shoot photos up to three feet underwater for durations up to thirty minutes, without the need for a separate underwater housing. It is also certified as JIS Class 5 dustproof, which is the second highest-possible rating and indicates that while it is possible for some dust to enter the camera, it will not be able to do so in a quantity sufficient to interfere with satisfactory operation.

The Pentax Optio WPi fits a 2.0" LCD display with a resolution of 110,000 pixels into a compact body with softly rounded edges. Images are captured with the combination of a 1/2.5" six megapixel CCD imager, and a Pentax-branded 3x optical zoom lens that provides a fairly standard 35mm-equivalent focal range of 38 - 114mm. Other features include 10.5MB of built-in storage memory, NTSC / PAL video and USB 1.1 data connectivity (rather slower than the USB 2.0 High-Speed connections offered on many cameras these days), as well as a built-in flash and a macro mode that allows focusing as close as 1 centimeter. Power comed courtesy of a proprietary Lithium Ion rechargeable battery. The Pentax Optio WPi goes on sale from October 2005,with a list price of $350.