problem with W10?

I have one too

Yes it is normal it is the sound of the zooming motor.

Someone else also mention the same thing.

I also am checking out the Optio W10. The sensitivity/coverage of the W10 microphone seems very low both on video recording and sound only recording file playback, both from the camera and from my laptop. As noted my W10 microphone does pick up camera noises all too well. I did not find yet a way to adjust the microphone sensitivity on the camera in its manual.

I may be spoiled by the excellent audio (stereo) from my canon 2S IS. The W10 does have a lot the of canon 2S IS features, e.g. zooming during videos, image capature during a video, long audio recordings, etc.

Please relate your experiences re W10 microphone performance, before I try out another W10 in the store.

Thanks, Tom

no......that's a normal issue..... that's why many major brand's compact dc doesn't even allow optical zoom while movie recording... such as Sony's, Canon's, Nikon's.....

the only 3 dcs that can kinda zoom with silcent so far are Casio P505, Canon S1/S2/S3 IS and the new Panasonic TZ1

but i think those sounds not really annoying...compare to when u want to zoom in but it wont' allow ; P

Tom Matty wrote:

Well that is disappointing. I'm sure they must have noticed
something like this during testing. They should have done
something to fix it. At least I know that my camera is normal.

Tom

That's a problem that has existed since day one of recording with built-in microphones. I had it with my first Sony recording Walkman, it picked up the tape motor. I had it with a Panasonic VHS camcorder where the microphone picked up the tape motor (hm, sounds familiar this problem). I'm not surprised that the W10 has it too, the thing that do surprises me is that it allows for zooming during filming. This should be disabled!

Take care*
R

using the optical zoom or not, simply can enable or disable @ the menu, i do think its a great functions..... better than when u want to use zoom but its not even available...

Roland Mabo wrote:

That's a problem that has existed since day one of recording with
built-in microphones. I had it with my first Sony recording
Walkman, it picked up the tape motor. I had it with a Panasonic VHS
camcorder where the microphone picked up the tape motor (hm, sounds
familiar this problem). I'm not surprised that the W10 has it too,
the thing that do surprises me is that it allows for zooming during
filming. This should be disabled!

Take care*
R

I have experienced the problem with noise on videos and on the three cameras I've tested, the noise from within the camera is louder than any sounds recorded which makes the video function unusable.

I've alerted Pentax to this problem on all three cameras where the loud clicking noise was heard as soon as the camera was used for the first time. Pentax's response has been to request I send it back for repair under warranty (surely this shouldn't be necessary on three brand new cameras when the fault is identified within seconds of using them for the first time?!) but this would leave me without a camera for several weeks/months at best - and it has to be returned at my own expense which I do not find acceptable.

In despair, I have now given the third camera to a technician who observed that the clicking noise originates within the camera and that it can be heard as soon as the camera is switched into video or underwater video mode regardless of whether the shutter released is pressed to actually start filming. The noise is not related to any focussing mechanisms and, although there is an expected noise associated with optical zoom, the clicking noise is unrelated and should not be present.

Without actually opening up the camera, he felt the noise originated from a short circuit on a defective circuit board and this causes the 'popping' noise which can be heard when the camera is switched to video mode and held against a user's ear. The microphone then picks up this clicking/creaking/grating noise almost obliterating any sound associated with the video clips being recorded.

Having previously owned the earlier Pentax Optio WPi camera I have been in a position to compare the two cameras. The video facility on the Optio WPi is exactly as expected with no clicking, creaking or grinding. Because I need to use video regularly I sold my WPi in order to buy the newer with its 'enhanced' features including 640 resolution and image stabiliser. Needless to say, I have been very dismayed to encounter this fault on the newer model and am disappointed that Pentax haven't spotted it and don't seem very interested in acting upon it despite receiving video clips with the loud clicking.

I have alerted them to the problem with the Optio W10 (but not made any headway yet) but I hope they will investigate the problem or even consider a recall if the problem is found to originate on the circuit board and that these will be replaced.

Initially I thought I'd simply been unlucky enough to buy a one-off faulty camera but the two replacements, bought in France and the UK with unrelated serial numbers (72994 and 99404656) suggest to me that possibly a large number of cameras are affected.

My first two faulty cameras have been returned to their retailers, who have agreed they appear defective, for return to Pentax and I am hoping Pentax will investigate the issue thoroughly.

What are the experiences of other users?

Have you had circuit boards tested?

What has been the response of Pentax and your experience of dealing with the company?

I've may have foudn the cause from teh poping/clicking noice in movie mode.

It's the focusing mechanism.

I just received the W10 today (an insurance replacement for my stolen MX) and thought I'll see if it has the saem problem. Straight to movie mode and played around with it. The noise was there and I noticed the timing was when I move the camera around.

When I set the focus mode to MF, it was gone!!! I then proceed to put it back on AF and it came back!! Putting it back on MF and changing the focus setting confirmed the noise as I manually adjust the focus settings.

The only solution I could find was to put it into infintiy focue mode. Absolute silence after that. I acutally prefer the movie mode to use this focus setting actually. On AF it seems to hunt/lock to random objects as you film. With infinity, as least everything is kinda in focus if not perfectly sharp.

Hope that helps.

If you use the zoom then don't worry about the clicks & pops. The zoom motor generate way more noise than the focusing mechanism. All you'll be able to hear is the noise of the lens

Yes, I have had the same problem as Karen mentioned above. I can hear rather audible sound as I turn the camera in movie mode; and this unpleasant noise persists even when the zoom function is off. I asked Pentax for it and the service representative there told me that 'some' customers have already expressed the same problem. Pentax has not yet gone so far as to recall this product but I assume it's a matter of time. I am exchanging this camera today at Beach Camera. I hope the second one works properly.
best,

Maybe it has to do with the processing load on the processor but it seems a lot better than dealing with the mechanical noises.

Most of these things don't do video all that well and I think I used it maybe a handful of times just to see how it did on my Fuji S602. I'm really firmly in the use a video camera for video camp still.

As a follow up to my earlier message - the loud clicking noise on the video is caused by the focus mechanism trying to lock onto the subject.

The manual states that the default setting for video focus is PF (pan focus) but actually it isn't! Instead, the W10 defaults to AF (auto-focus - hence the focus lock noise) but on comparing it with the earlier Optio WP and Optio WPi, these do default to the PF setting. I suspect this is an oversight by Pentax in a hurry to launch the new model - although they won't admit to it!

So, to use the video feature noiselessly, remember to switch the focus to PF (or MF) and you'll enjoy good quality videos.

Having cracked this little bug, it's a superb little camera - lightweight, compact and produces clean, sharp images.