Pentax Optio W10, W20, W30... differences?

[Steven Johnson]

I've been using a W10 for the past year or so and been pretty happy with it, but it finally got partly smashed last weekend whilst caving.

It still works fine, but there's a big crack in the LCD and I rather suspect that it isn't waterproof anymore.

So I figure I'm going to replace it, but I'm not sure whether I should look for a used W10, or get a W20 or W30. The specs on Pentax's webpage make it seem like the main differences are increased depth and duration of submersion, which doesn't really matter to me much since I'm not diving with it...

It also looks like the W20 uses the same batteries as the W10 but the W30 uses some different kind, so I'd have to replace my spares.

Anyone have any input on how these models compare?

[YuccaPatrol]

I have the Optio W20 after being impressed with the water resistant nature of a W10 I saw on my first day of caving.

The W30 is a good bit better when it comes to waterproofing, but the new Olympus models have Pentax beat hands down!

The Olympus Stylus 770SW has an all metal case, can go down to 33 feet underwater, is shock resistant to withstand a 5 foot drop, and can resist 220 pounds of crushing force. Sounds like the perfect small camera for the cave environment.

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_secti ... oduct=1287


Wanna buy my Optio W20? It is in perfect condition and I'll use the money to get that sweet new Olympus!

[Steven Johnson]

The W30 is a good bit better when it comes to waterproofing, but the new Olympus models have Pentax beat hands down!

Well, after closer examination, it looks like the damage is mostly superficial... I thought the back LCD was cracked (all the way through), but after a careful washing it appears to merely be a bad scratch... annoying, but still functional and watertight! So at this point I'm not going to replace it.

A member of my grotto has the Olympus and brings it on the same caving trips. It's also a nice camera. The pics seem to be of similar quality to the Pentax, in general. It uses funky xD cards instead of more-readily-available SD cards, though.