Optio issues??

[Chunk]

Are there any known issues with the Pentax Optio line? My brother is considering an OptioWP ( http://www.pentaximaging.com/product...section--optio ) to use around wet enviroments but not underwater. There is no review for this camera in the reviews. It seems to be a decent camera with good shutter response but I've not paid any attention to the Optio cameras before.
Thanks for any advice.

[Michael Fanelli]

Are there any known issues with the Pentax Optio line? My brother is considering an OptioWP ( http://www.pentaximaging.com/product...section--optio ) to use around wet enviroments but not underwater. There is no review for this camera in the reviews. It seems to be a decent camera with good shutter response but I've not paid any attention to the Optio cameras before.
Thanks for any advice.

A quick look at Google gave a page with review excerpts from other sites:

http://www.livingroom.org.au/photolo...x_optio_wp.php

It is not the best camera in the world but definately not the worse. If I had the money, I'd get one for the outdoors having lost two other cameras to water and sand.

[another view]

I've been using one of their 35mm weatherproof cameras for about 4-5 years and it's been great. One of the button covers just came loose and I'll re-glue it with Aquaseal but that's the only problem I've ever had. They say not to shoot underwater with it, but it works just fine. It's been dropped, kept in a wet case all day - just short of completely abused - and held up very well.

Next year I'll probably replace it with some kind of digital (having some 35mm left to use up) for sea kayaking. I've been reading up on what's out there and two options look pretty good - the Olympus Stylus Verve and the Sony DSC-L1 (both with their waterproof housings). I think the Olympus in the housing is even supposed to float! The housings for these two are less than $100 and designed for depths of less than 10'.

These two cameras are smaller (out of the housing) and less expensive than the Pentax, but none of these cameras will have a very visible LCD display in bright sunlight. I've heard good things about the Pentax from paddling message boards but I think the other two would be more versatile for me. Like I say, I'm going to wait until next year and there will be a whole new crop out there.