Pentax Optio W60 Waterproof 10MP Digital Camera [Compact Underwater Camera with 720p HD Resolution Video Capabilities]

Pentax have unveiled their latest waterproof compact digital camera, the Pentax Optio W60, which, apart from sporting 10 megapixel resolution paired with 5x optical zoom and 720p HD video capture capabilities, also boasts JIS Class 8 waterproofing allowing the Optio W60 to also operate underwater at depths of up to 13 feet (30% deeper than Pentax’s previous waterproof camera models) for up to two hours.

Whilst the Optio W60’s underwater capabilities are undoubtedly the camera’s main selling point – along with its 720p HD 1280 x 720 video capture capabilities – as a direct consequence of the camera’s waterproofing the W60 also offers extreme resistance to dust as well as offering reliable operation in extreme temperatures as cold as 14ºF (-10ºC).

As you would expect from a compact, the Optio W60 is very much a point and shoot device offering seven scene modes paired with scene-recognition technology which allows the W60 to automatically determine the optimum scene mode based on the shooting conditions as well as face detection technology – capable of detecting and locking onto up to 32 faces in a mere 0.03 seconds – smile detection complete with blink detection, which will warn the user should the subject blink at the point of intended capture, and digital shake reduction which automatically adjusts sensitivity up to a maximum of ISO 6400 to reduce blurring should your hand prove unsteady.

The Optio W60 also offers 5X optical zoom – no mean feat allowing for the fact that the lens does not protrude from the camera’s body - offering focal lengths from 5mm to 25mm (approximately 28mm to 140mm in 35mm format) which can be extended to 28.5x zoom when combined with the camera’s digital zoom and comes complete with a 2.5 inch high-resolution LCD monitor with anti-reflection coating offering viewing angles of around 170º both horizontally and vertically.

Pentax Optio W60 Additional Features:

• Macro focusing can focus on subjects as close as a centimeter (less than one inch) for stunning close-up shots
• PENTAX proprietary SP (Super Protect) coating adds superior water repellency and scratch resistance to the lens’s front protective glass to prevent water droplets from forming
• Panorama mode stitches a series of up to three shots into one wide photo
• Intelligent zoom function extends the zoom range without compromising the optical zoom’s image quality
• Supports SD memory cards and SDHC memory cards
• Approximately 36.4 MB of built-in memory
• Frame composite function allows photographers to shoot and create images with decorative frames; 80 styles to choose from
• Date and Time imprint function for easy image categorizing
• Includes the ACDSee for PENTAX 3.0 image viewer/image management software, that supports Windows VistaTM
• Supports PictBridge, DPOF printing, Exif Print, and PRINT Image Matching

The Pentax Optio W60 (which is somewhat more capable than the previously featured, though still rather cool Digital Camera Swim Mask) will be offered in either Ocean Blue or silver and should become available sometime in July for $329.95.

Pentax [via press release]