Model Design / Appearance (8.5)
The Pentax Optio W30 has an attractive, unique design. Like Captain Planet’s planeteer Gi, this waterproof, dustproof camera is petite, cute, and apt for water activities such as surfacing or sunbathing. Not only is it easy on the eyes, the Pentax W30’s aluminum alloy body is durable enough to survive the natural wear-and-tear that goes along with bringing a digital camera outdoors. Updated with a redesigned locking battery compartment and secure port system, the Pentax W30 was built so that users need not worry about water damaging the camera’s fragile insides.
Size / Portability (7.75)
The Optio W30 isn’t the thinnest or lightest camera around, but it’s still small enough to fit in an average-sized pants pocket. The camera measures 4.23 x 0.92 x 2.12 inches, akin to the clamshell cell phones. The Pentax camera weighs 4.91 ounces without a battery or memory card. With the additional accessories, the W30 weighs about half a pound (5.62 ounces); it’s a sturdy camera. The W30 will sink in water, so users should beware the 10 feet submergence limit that the manufacturer recommends.
Handling Ability (7.75)
There are really two criteria for evaluating handling the Pentax W30 – one for when it’s dry and one for when it’s wet. On land, the camera handles pretty average for a point-and-shoot. Like other cameras in this category, the flash’s placement isn’t ideal. The location of the front and back thumb grips allow for a secure hold with the right hand.
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When wet, the camera handled better than expected. The Braille-like thumb grip which seemed only mediocre above water actually aided in underwater handling. The front grip is also very helpful in controlling the camera underwater. To ensure the tide doesn’t pull the camera from your hands, it is recommended users hold on to it with both hands or utilize the included wrist strap.
Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (6.75)
The Pentax W30’s button controls are well-labeled, well-positioned, and evenly spaced. However, they did seem a bit too small in comparison to the rest of the camera. The buttons do not take full advantage of the extra spacing on the back though - a shame when you're fumbling underwater to capture the fleeting trail of an exotic sea creature.
The camera lacks a mode dial, and instead offers a Mode button on the four-way controller which engages automatic shooting and scene modes (Portrait, Underwater, Landscape, etc.). Other functions on the four-way controller include access to the self-timer, flash control, and macro modes, which are likely to be the most frequently used settings. Other functions on the button control panel include the zoom toggle for wide and close-up shooting, the playback button, menu button, and the Green Mode button which doubles as the Trash button. This is a logical control layout for casual point-and-shooters, though the design doesn't completely play into the camera’s underwater element, where a chunky mode dial would complement the camera’s oversized shutter release and help users access features when submerged.
Menu (7.0)
The menu system on the Pentax Optio W30 left us with mixed sentiments. The involved menu system is thorough, with options to change everything from picture size to shutter sounds. However, the expansive menus may be overwhelming to beginners.
The bright side is that users can customize the menu structure so that the most commonly used features are at the top of the list.
The main menu is divided into two sections: (1) Record, and (2) Setting. The Pentax W30 would benefit from having four sections: Record, Setting, Movie, and Green Mode, but instead, Movie and Green Mode functions are buried in a menu within a menu. The Record menu is as follows:
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Record
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Recorded Pixels
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7M, 5M, 4M, 3M, 2M, 1024, 640
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Quality Level
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*** (Best), ** (Better), * (Good)
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White Balance
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Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Shutter Adjust,
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AE Metering
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Multi-pattern, Center-weighted, Spot
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Sensitivity
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Auto (400), 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
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EV Compensation
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+/- 2.0, +/-1.7, +/-1.3, +/-1.0, +/-0.7, +/-0.3, 0.0
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AF Setting
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Focusing Area, Focus Limiter
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Movie *
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(Movie Menu is accessed through the Main Rec Mode Menu Screen – refer below for detailed Movie Menu)
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Interval Shoot
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Interval Shoot, Number of Shot, Start Delay
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Digital Zoom
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(check or uncheck)
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Instant Review
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5 sec, 3 sec, 2 sec, 1 sec, 0.5 sec, Off
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Memory
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Flash Mode, Drive Mode, Focus Mode, Zoom Position, MF Position, White Balance, Sensitivity, EV Compensation, AE Metering, Digital Zoom, Display, File No. (check or uncheck)
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Sharpness
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-, 0, +
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Saturation
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-, 0, +
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Contrast
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-, 0, +
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The Setting menu allows users to set camera functions such as LCD brightness, the alarm clock, and sounds. Some menu functions also offer live preview. For example, a user who wants to change monitor brightness can preview brighter or darker screens before setting it.
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Setting
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Format
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Format, Cancel
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Sound
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Volume, Start-up Sound, Shutter Sound, Operation Sound, Self-timer Sound
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Date Adjust
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Date Style, Date, Time
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Alarm
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Alarm On/Off, Time
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World Time
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Destination, Hometown
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Language
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English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Russian, Thai, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese
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Folder Name
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Standard, Date
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USB Connection
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PC, PictBridge
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Video Out
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NTSC, PAL
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Brightness
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-, 0, +
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Power Saving
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2 min, 1 min, 30 sec, 15 sec, 5 sec, Off
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Auto Power Off
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5 min, 3 min, Off
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Quick Zoom
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Check, uncheck
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Green Button *
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(Green Button Menu is accessed through the Main Setting Menu Screen – refer below for detailed Green Button Menu)
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Guide Display
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Check, uncheck
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Reset
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Reset Menu Setting, Reset Menu Item Order, Cancel
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To access the Green mode, users must go through the Setting menu. The Green Button allows users to customize four settings and then access those settings with one dedicated button. For instance, if a user frequently takes pictures of her child outdoors that she wants to post on the Web, she could set the Green Button to a smaller file size with a low ISO sensitivity, Daylight white balance, and Focusing Area AF.
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* Green Button (Accessed in Setting Menu)
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1
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Green Mode, Recorded Pixels, Quality Level, White Balance, AE Metering, Sensitivity, EV Compensation, Focusing Area, Sharpness, Saturation, Contrast, Off
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2
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Green Mode, Recorded Pixels, Quality Level, White Balance, AE Metering, Sensitivity, EV Compensation, Focusing Area, Sharpness, Saturation, Contrast, Off
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3
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Green Mode, Recorded Pixels, Quality Level, White Balance, AE Metering, Sensitivity, EV Compensation, Focusing Area, Sharpness, Saturation, Contrast, Off
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4
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Green Mode, Recorded Pixels, Quality Level, White Balance, AE Metering, Sensitivity, EV Compensation, Focusing Area, Sharpness, Saturation, Contrast, Off
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Ease of Use (7.0)
Overall the Pentax W30 is pretty intuitive with the right amount of external controls and well-placed hand grips. The Green Button is a great escape, helping users to quickly return to an automatic setup if they've accidentally strayed into the more manual aspects of the W30's menu design. Internally, the Optio W30 could use a little work. The menus offer so many choices to the point of confusion. The upside is that users have the option to customize their W30, with the ability to change around the menu priority and even set the date stamp to their hometown time zone. It might take a new user an hour or two to fully customize the menus to their liking, but after that, the camera should be well-suited to the user.
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