Pentax unveils Optio WS80 waterproof camera

HOYA CORPORATION PENTAX Imaging Systems Division is pleased to announce the launch of the PENTAX Optio WS80 digital compact camera. The combination of a compact, lightweight body and outstanding waterproof and dustproof capabilities makes the new Optio WS80 an ideal choice for casual, day-to-day applications, including a variety of outdoor activities.

Within its compact body, the Optio WS80 offers a number of advanced, user-friendly features. These include: the assurance of high-quality, high-resolution image reproduction thanks to 10.0 effective megapixels; an optical 5X zoom lens; a large 2.7 inch LCD monitor; HDTV-proportioned movie recording; and a state-of-the-art Face Recognition function. Its airtight body also allows underwater photography to a depth of 1.5 meters for up to two hours continuously. This eliminates worries in situations where water or dirt can be a concern, such as outdoor events, in the garden or kitchen, or on a rainy day.

Other features

• Interval shooting mode, convenient for fixed-point observation of starry skies, flowers and plants
• High-speed AF system, with Auto-Tracking function, to maintain constant focus on a moving subject
• Auto Picture mode, to automatically select one of the eight shooting modes for the optimum result
• A variety of digital filters, including Toy Camera and Retro, to add distinctive visual effects to recorded images
• D-Range setting, to prevent whitewashed (overexposed) and blacked-out (underexposed) areas in images
• Digital Wide function, to create a panoramic, extra-wide-angle image (equivalent to an image taken with an approx. 25.4mm lens in 35mm format) from two images
• Digital Panorama mode, to create a single panoramic picture from as many as three images
• Style Watch function, to display the time with pushbutton operation, even when the camera’s power is turned off
• Image recovery function, to recover accidentally erased images
• Frame composite function (with 90 frames stored in the camera) to shoot or compose images with decorative photo frames