In summary
Boasting JIS Class-7 waterproofing, the Pentax Optio 33WR is a good choice for bushwalkers, boating enthusiasts and anybody who enjoys outdoor activities. Small and solidly built, with rubberised corners for impact protection, the Optio 33WR is designed mainly for point-and-shoot photography but offers plenty of adjustments, which are quick to access thanks to a well-designed control system. The 2.8x zoom range is covered by moving lens elements within the camera body. Pressing the mode switch on the four-way controller opens a ‘virtual mode dial’ containing 11 shooting modes. . . [more]
Full review
Boasting JIS Class-7 waterproofing, the Pentax Optio 33WR is a good choice for bushwalkers, boating enthusiasts and anybody who enjoys outdoor activities. Small and solidly built, with rubberised corners for impact protection, the Optio 33WR is designed mainly for point-and-shoot photography but offers plenty of adjustments, which are quick to access thanks to a well-designed control system. The 2.8x zoom range is covered by moving lens elements within the camera body. Pressing the mode switch on the four-way controller opens a ‘virtual mode dial’ containing 11 shooting modes. The OK button lets you toggle through three display options, one of which includes a small (live) histogram. Ten ‘photo effects’ are provided, with ‘soft’ and ‘brightness’ settings added to the standard B&W, sepia and colour filter options.
The test camera’s imaging performance was generally good. Colours were accurately recorded and images were noise- and artefact-free, even in low light. The white balance performed best with the manual settings. Shutter lag averaged 0.8 seconds and start-up and shut-down were almost instantaneous. The Optio 33WR was fairly power-hungry so we advise purchasing a couple of sets of rechargeable NiMH batteries with this camera. The waterproofing performed very well in heavy rain.
Strengths
- Water resistant to 1 metre
- Lots of user adjustments
- High image quality for sensor resolution
Weaknesses
- Viewfinder very tight (75-86% coverage)
- Image noise in low light shots [BG05]
Specifications
Image sensor: 5.27 x 3.95mm interline transfer CCD with 3.34 million photosites (3.2 megapixels effective)
Lens: 5.7-16.0mm f2.8-3.9 Pentax power zoom lens (37-104mm in 35mm format)
Zoom ratio: 2.8x optical, 4x digital
Dimensions (wxhxd): 81.5 x 76 x 30.5mm
Weight: 160g (without battery and card)
Retailers
CamBuy
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Australian owned and run company based in Brisbane.
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Retailer of digital camera equipment and more.
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Camerastore.com.au
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Camera-Warehouse
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Comprehensive range of digital cameras and accessories online (www.camera-warehouse.com.au) and an online print service (www.royalexpress.com.au).
Digital Camera Warehouse
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174 Canterbury Road 367 High Street
Canterbury Northcote
NSW 2193 VIC 3070
Ph: 1300 365 220
Electronics Warehouse
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1300 801 885
Australian retailer of Vapex rechargeable batteries offering factory direct prices and fast, free shipping Australia wide.
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Ted’s Cameras
1800 186 895
Big range of cameras and photographic products with stores in most states and online.
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