Pentax to ship more affordable WG-10 waterproof camera

With the WG-10 Pentax has created a more affordable waterproof digital camera, one that still withstands depths of 33 feet, as well as the usual drops, dust, cold, and pressure. With a 14MP CCD sensor, Pentax says the camera can produce "poster size" images thanks to its new imaging engine, and can also capture 720p videos. Its 5x lens zooms from 28-140mm equivalent.

Expected to ship mid-April, the Pentax WG-10 will retail for $180.

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Press Release:

PENTAX Announces 14th Generation Adventure Proof WG-10, Expanding Image Capturing Possibilities Beyond the Traditional Point and Shoot Camera

WG-10 offers compact pocketability with advanced features suitable for almost any environment

Denver, CO (January 29, 2013) — PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION (PENTAX) has today announced the availability of the compact and highly portable WG-10 adventureproof point and shoot camera, an ideal option for the on-the-go shooter who requires a capable yet sturdy image and video capturing device. Its durable assembly and robust feature-set makes the WG-10 the ideal companion camera for life’s explorers; striking the perfect balance between a point and shoot and PENTAX’s category defining adventure-ready features.

Waterproof to depths of 33 feet, the WG-10 can withstand the rough-and-tumble lifestyle of an active shooter.  The WG-10 bridges the gap between the common point and shoot and life’s more challenging photo opportunities that might require waterproofing or the ability to function in a very cold environment; like a trip to the waterpark or an impromptu snowball fight. The WG-10 offers a 14 megapixel backlit CMOS image sensor and a state-of-the-art imaging processing engine assuring rich and detailed imagery.

“The WG-10 is a compelling offering for the active family or dynamic shooter,” said John Carlson, Sr. Marketing Manager, PENTAX. “With the WG-10 you no longer need to sit on the edge of the pool at the waterpark or flinch when your six-year-old grabs the camera to take a picture. It is durable enough to withstand the elements, yet still capture vibrant images worthy of framing or sharing.”

Within its compact body, the WG-10 also features a 5X optical zoom lens with coverage from 5mm to 25mm (equivalent to approx. 28mm wide angle to approx. 140mm medium telephoto in the 35mm format). This versatile zoom lens comes in handy for a wide variety of scenes and subjects, from wide-angle snapshots, to telephoto images. Additionally, the WG-10 features PENTAX’s category defining LED Macro lights coupled and Digital Microscope mode enabling focusing as close as one centimeter from the subject producing shadow-free, evenly-lit images.

Pricing and Availability

The WG-10 will be available in mid-April in red for $179.95. Additional information including product specifications is available here: www.pentaximaging.com/news  

Additional Information

About the WG-10
 Heavy-duty construction for waterproof, crushproof, coldproof, shockproof and dustproof shooting
The WG-10’s airtight body is not only waterproof to a depth 33 feet (equivalent to IPX8 or JIS Class 8 waterproof performance), but also shockproof from drops up to 4.9 feet,* dustproof,** coldproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit,*** and crushproof withstanding up to 220 foot pounds of force**** to perform demanding conditions.
* Measured under PENTAX-original testing standards (from a height of 1.5 meters, onto a surface of 5cm-thick plywood), conforming to Method 516.5-Shock of the MIL-Standard 810Fm.
** Measured under PENTAX-original testing standards, equivalent to IPX6 or JIS Class 6.
*** Measured under PENTAX-original testing standards, in which the camera is proven to withstand temperatures as low as –10°C.
**** Measured under PENTAX-original testing standards, in which the camera is loaded with weights up to 100 kgf, or kilogram force.

Digital Microscope mode for microscopic observation
The WG-10 features an innovative Digital Microscope mode, which magnifies the subject on the LCD monitor for the observation and photography of a microscopic world often unnoticeable with the naked eye. Thanks to five LED Macro Lights positioned around the circumference of the lens barrel, the subject is illuminated more brightly and uniformly than in ambient light to facilitate macro shooting. In order to minimize camera shake and subject shake, its instant illumination enhance function allows for the use of a higher shutter speed by automatically raising the illumination level of the Macro Lights at the moment of shutter release. A macro stand is also included as a standard accessory to maintain a minimum focusing distance of one centimeter to the subject during extended observation and shooting.
* When the Digital Microscope mode is selected, the recorded size is fixed at 2.0 megapixels (at 16:9 proportions).

High-quality images made possible by the latest super-resolution technology
In addition to super-high resolution assured by approximately 14.0 effective megapixels and a state-of-the-art imaging engine, the WG-10 also offers advanced image processing functions made possible by the latest super-resolution technology to deliver sharp, clear, high-resolution images. Because of this, the user can effortlessly produce sharp, high-resolution prints with well-depicted details, even when images are enlarged to poster size.

HD movie recording
The WG-10’s HD movie recording function captures high-quality movie clips (1280 x 720 pixels, 16:9 proportions, 30 frames per second) with ease. It also offers a variety of movie editing functions, such as extracting a still image from movie data, and inserting titles at the beginning and end of a movie clip. In addition, a micro-HDMI♦ terminal (Type D) is provided on the camera body for simultaneous output of HD movie clips and sound to external devices for effortless playback and sharing.

Triple anti-shake protection to compensate for camera shake and subject movement

• Pixel Track SR mechanism - When recording still images, this sophisticated shake-reduction mechanism effectively compensates for camera shake by digitally processing affected images.
• Digital SR mode*- When the camera detects low-lighting conditions in still-image shooting, it  automatically raises the sensitivity as high as ISO 6400, making it possible to use a higher shutter speed to effectively minimize the adverse effects of camera shake and subject shake under poor lighting conditions.
• Movie SR mode**- During movie recording, this digital shake-reduction mode effectively compensates for the misalignment of images caused by camera shake through the use of exclusive software to produce beautiful, blur-free movie clips.

* When this mode is selected, the recorded size is fixed at 5.0 megapixels (2592 x 1944 pixels).
** When this mode is selected, the angle of view becomes narrower than normal shooting 

Other features

• High-speed Face Detection function, with Self-Portrait Assist mode
• O-ST1352 Floating Strap to prevent the loss of the camera in the water (optional accessory)
• Auto Picture mode to automatically select the most appropriate shooting mode from 16 different scene modes
• 12 digital filters for heightened creative expression
• Digital Wide mode to compose an extra-wide-angle picture (equivalent to approx. 21mm wide angle in the 35mm format) from two separate images
• Image viewing, editing and filing software included: MediaImpression 3.6.1LE (Windows version compatible with Windows 8) and MediaImpression 2.2LE (Macintosh version compatible with Mac OS X 10.8)
• Compatibility with Eye-Fi wireless LAN SD memory cards

Pentax WG-10 specifications

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Comments

Total comments: 19

By Simon97 (4 months ago)

CCD or BSI CMOS? So which is it DPR? I hope it gets the BSI sensor. The camera feels great in the hand and is rugged (it is based on the same body as in 2011. Unfortunately the image quality is not much better than a cell phone, so hopefully things improved.

0 upvotes

By Dennis (4 months ago)

14th generation ? They must be counting each time they offered a model in some new color scheme as a new generation.

0 upvotes

By peevee1 (4 months ago)

Still n competition for TG-1. So the price will stay high. Arghhhh! :( :( :(

0 upvotes

By fz750 (4 months ago)

Shame they splashed "33ft" over the front of it, most of the planet won't understand what the hell they're talking about.. (Unless there's a metric version :-)

1 upvote

By Fox96 (4 months ago)

Does anyone know what the back of the camera looks like?????
I'm interested to see where the buttons are and what the layout is of them.

Comment edited 40 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

By david kohn (4 months ago)

the blurb says backlit cmos sensor and the specs say ccd. huh?

1 upvote

By Marty4650 (4 months ago)

Maybe the camera would be better looking if they put more writing on it in bright yellow lettering?

You think?

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

By Zvonimir Tosic (4 months ago)

Marty, your kitchen knife and one used by scuba divers are quite different. However, your kitchen knife with sleek edges and lovely contours is unusable underwater. To be usable underwater, a knife needs to be redesigned completely. Same goes for cameras.

2 upvotes

By CollBaxter (4 months ago)

Have to agree with Zvonimir Tosic . Underwater you need rough edges as you often have gloves on. The shape also give you an Idea of orientation without having to look at the camera. On the gloves thing sleek shiny small cameras feel like a bar of wet soap with gloves on. I like the shape of this camera. It screams I am a different.

0 upvotes

By Marty4650 (4 months ago)

Agreed..... but why how does any of this explain why the camera needs so many bright yellow slogans on it?

It actually makes sense to put the bright red stripes on it to make it more visible in dim light, but does the diver really need to read "adventure proof, cold-proof, waterproof, shockproof, crush proof" and all those other logos and slogans?

To me, it just seems like a lot of clutter... and distracting from the controls you need to see quickly.

0 upvotes

By BobTheLob (4 months ago)

At least you can get it in red...

0 upvotes

By bitboy (4 months ago)

Ugh. Pentax just unleashed a whole lotta ugly!

0 upvotes

By OldArrow (4 months ago)

Regardless of the fact that it is just another of tub & shower resistant frustration to divers which wait for some manufacturer to understand what waterproofing is all about, this model is an anatomically undefendable ugly piece of design. There is no ergometry that would require such form.

0 upvotes

By Gerard Hoffnung (4 months ago)

Waterproof to IPX8 33ft. I really want to see some images of your tub.
Regardless of style, this camera would be great for my kayaking and other outdoor pursuits.

1 upvote

By Zvonimir Tosic (4 months ago)

If you have ever submerged yourself under water with, say, real scuba diving equipment, you would highly appreciate such a camera design. It has no hard edges, it's easily grippable underwater, with lots of seemingly random textures and curved sides making it non-slippery for use even with gloves on hands.
Or should I better say: you have no idea what you're talking about, because you compare usual city slick camera design dangling on a neck strap with something that is used quite differently, in a quite different environment.

5 upvotes

By MarkInSF (4 months ago)

I doubt there is any need for an underwater camera to be as ugly as this. I could have been the same shape with attractive graphics.

0 upvotes

By OldArrow (4 months ago)

My point is, there's enough of shallow-water-proofed cameras around for water sports which do not include prfessure exerted on the camera, and divers are still waithing for something usable, at least in the range of Nikonos series of yore.
@Zvonimir... Yes I have, for 45+ years as an amateur and a pro, mainly taking photos (using cameras - photo and TV both). Thus, I know the problematics inside out, and that's the base for my rant(s). Of course these devices should be laid out for different ergonomical gripping. So you could say that I know what I'm talking about. :)
@MarkInSF... Sure, there is no reason at al for an u/w device to be either ugly, or embellished with surface features. The very heart of beauty usually is dictatet by the obviousness of functional ability, and the water / pressure ambient requires even more of such an approach. Look up the old Nikonos III and V models, you'll see what I mean.

Comment edited 5 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

By josephmikel05 (4 months ago)

Is this WG-10 is worth buying for waterproof camera even though it is red?

0 upvotes

By blue camera (3 months ago)

Can you say, "Marine paint?"
Actually, the shape of it looks good for well-held candid in-the-palm street shooting, working the shutter button with the thumb, the rounded end toward the wrist. And one could do a whole series taken from underwater in city fountains, too...

But really, I have always been intrigued by those LED lights for macro shots. Does anyone out there have any experience/examples?

0 upvotes

Total comments: 19