Grant Glazer <grantglazer_at_clear.net.nz> wrote: >> I am looking at getting a waterproof digital camera. One that takes my eye is the Pentax Optio 33WR http://www.dpreview.com/news/0309/03090301pentax33wr.asp At face value it looks like an ideal camera for paddling, but has anybody else used one? I would like to hear an independent review from a kayaking perspective. >> No experience with it. But, the rating is the same one for "waterproof" VHF's (some failures noted in some models of VHF's), I believe. About as good as you'll get, short of a full-on dive camera. Same rating as Pentax's discontinued Zoom 90-WR (see below) No price mentioned in the review, but bundled with ACDSee (easy to use, quick editing/image manipulation software) could be a good value for someone wanting to dive into digital with a paddling focus [yerk yerk]. As a comparison, I've been using an Olympus D-520 Zoom (2 megapixels) which uses an f 2.8 - 4.9 zoom lens, but is not waterproof. I carry it inside a Pelican Micro Case (Model 1020) which just fits the camera. [Note: the seals on these small boxes are subject to compression: store the box open and check its integrity with am immersion event sans camera.] Clipped to a deck line, it's pretty quick, but not as quick as a camera that can sit naked on the deck. Picture quality on my Olympus seems limited by the number of pixels, and/or camera shake inherent to taking pictures from a bobbing kayak, not the lens. But, at 3.2 megapixels, could be the lens becomes limiting in image quality. No connection to Pentax (or any merchandising of camera gear), but this looks like a good choice: very compact, decent zoom, and ACDSee bundled with it. I love my old Pentax Zoom 90-WR, which is a better choice for better-quality photos (lens limited, definitely), but the Optio 33WR would be a much better snapshot choice, in digital, anyway. Buy it, Grant, and report back (I'll chip in twenty bucks!). -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Oct 31 2003 - 08:23:47 PST
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