eK-gadgets info

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Pentax — one of the originators of the underwater digital camera — has released their new Optio W80, which is water, dust, cold, and shockproof. I’m hoping to get one soon so I can throw it in with the Canon, Olympus, and Panasonic equivalents for a rugged camera mega-review. For now, here are the Optio W80’s highlights:

Optio W80

• 12.1 Megapixel CCD
• F3.3-5.5, 5X optical zoom lens, equivalent to 28 - 140 mm
• Compact body is waterproof (to 16 ft/5 m), cold resistant (to 14F/-10C), and can be dropped from up to 3.3 ft / 1 m
• 2.5″ LCD display with 230,000 pixels
• Auto Picture mode selects one of eight scene modes for you
• “Pixel Track Shake Reduction” promises blur-free images without high ISO noise (we’ll see about that)
• Fast face detection feature finds up to 32 faces in the frame in 0.03 seconds; also features smile and blink detection
• AF-assist “spot beam projector”
• Adjustable dynamic range
• “Digital wide” feature combines two images to create a 21mm-equivalent photo
• HD movie mode records at 1280 x 720 (30 fps)
• 33.7MB onboard memory + SD/SDHC slot
• No word on battery life yet
• Ships next month for $300; available in red, blue, and gray

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