Pentax Optio WG-2 Digital Camera Review

Features
Handling
Performance
Verdict
Specification


Pentax released the WG-2, their latest rugged outdoor camera, in February 2012. The camera comes in red, black, orange and white, either with or without GPS priced at £269 and £229 respectively. On test here is the non GPS version.

Pentax Optio WG-2 Features

The WG-2 GPS has a heavy-duty construction and is ideal for active photographers who shoot in tough and demanding conditions. It is waterproof to 12 metres, shockproof to 1.5 metres, freezeproof to -10°C and crushproof to 100kg. Packed with the camera is a Carabiner strap so it can be hooked to a backpack or other outdoor equipment.

The WG-2 has a new back-illuminated CMOS sensor, designed to offer less noise when shooting at higher sensitivities, with a highest speed setting of ISO 6400 available. There is 5x optical zoom, a 35mm equivalent of 28-140mm.

With Auto Picture, the WG-2 sets the most appropriate shooting mode, from 16 different scenes, and automatically choosing the correct settings. A new feature is Handheld Night Snap mode, which combines four images of the same scene and combines into a single picture.

One of the more unique features are the six LED macro lights placed around the circumference of the lens. By switching to the Digital Microscope mode you can take well lit macro images, with a minimum focusing distance of just 1cm. Other modes include high-speed face detection, smile capture, digital wide and 12 digital filters.

The WG-2 records videos at full 1080p HD at 30 fps as well as VGA (640 x 480) high-speed videos. The camera can be connected to a HD TV via the micro-HDMI terminal.

Key Features

• 16 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor
• 5x optical zoom lens (35mm equiv: 28-140mm)
• 3 inch 16:9 460,000 dots LCD screen
• Waterproof to 12m
• Shockproof to 1.5m
• Coldproof to -10°C
• Crushproof to 100Kg
• Full 1080p HD video recording
• ISO 125-6400
• 1cm minimum focusing distance
• Digital microscope with six LED macro lights
• Available in orange, red, black and white

Pentax Optio WG-2 Handling

The WG-2 body is made of plastic and, mainly around the edges, rubber. There is nothing uniform about the shape of the camera, which makes it very easy to grip, with chunky buttons on the rear, which makes it easier to use when wearing gloves. As with the WG-1, the WG-2 has a look which will appeal to some and not others, with the carabiner strap a very handy extra so you can hook the camera onto a bag or belt loop for easy access. It's also worth noting that the WG-2 is slightly bigger and weighs around 50g more than the WG-1. The tripod socket is poorly placed and is difficult to attach securely to a tripod.

The camera menus are typical of the Pentax Optio range of compact cameras and are simple to navigate. The buttons are easy to press, with a dedicated button which toggles between Face Detection, Smile Capture and Self Portrait Assist as well as a Green button which can be set to the users preference, choosing between a range of camera settings. When the camera is switched off you can press the playback button to view your images and videos.

The battery has a CIPA rating of 260 shots, while testing we managed over 900, which is impressive. We tested the cameras performance at focusing, shutter response, shot-to-shot time, continuous shooting etc. and have posted the results below. To test this we took 6 or more shots and calculated the average, so that consistent results were produced.

Shutter Response		0.1 secs
Wide - Focus / Shutter Response		0.35 secs
Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response		0.45 secs
Switch on Time to Taking a Photo		2.1 secs
Shot to Shot (without flash)		1.6 secs
Shot to Shot with Flash		2.6 secs
Continuous Shooting		1.1 fps
Burst Shooting		10 fps

Continuous shooting records at full 16 megapixel resolution, with burst shooting limited to with 5 or 4 megapixels. Interval shooting is also available where you can set the camera to delay its start-up, or commence immediately, asking it to take a picture (up to 1000) at a set interval, up to 99 mins. The camera switches on, refocuses, takes a picture and switches off again.

Pentax Optio WG-2 Performance

Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review and product ratings.

Pentax Optio WG-2 Sample Photos

Landscape | 1/640 sec | f/4.2 | 5.0 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Portrait | 1/80 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res
Underwater Macro | 1/125 sec | f/4.4 | 9.1 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Pet Mode | 1/125 sec | f/5.5 | 25.0 mm | ISO 500 High-Res

Sample Photos - landscapes have good blues and greens, with portrait mode giving good skin tones, with images free of red-eye.

Pentax Optio WG-2 Lens test images

Wide Angle | 1/800 sec | f/4.2 | 5.0 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Full Optical Zoom | 1/500 sec | f/6.6 | 25.0 mm | ISO 125 High-Res
Digital Zoom | 1/500 sec | f/6.6 | 25.0 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Macro | 1/8 sec | f/4.2 | 7.5 mm | ISO 125 High-Res

Lens Performance - images are well exposed with excellent colour reproduction. Detail is decent when shooting at either end of the lens, with purple fringing well controlled in contrasting areas. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of just 1cm, which allows the camera to get really close and take a good macro picture.

Pentax Optio WG-2 ISO test images

ISO125 | 1/8 sec | f/5.0 | 16.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	ISO200 | 1/15 sec | f/5.0 | 16.7 mm | ISO 200 High-Res	ISO400 | 1/25 sec | f/5.0 | 16.7 mm | ISO 400 High-Res	ISO800 | 1/60 sec | f/5.0 | 16.7 mm | ISO 800 High-Res
ISO1600 | 1/100 sec | f/5.0 | 16.7 mm | ISO 1600 High-Res	ISO3200 | 1/200 sec | f/5.0 | 16.7 mm | ISO 3200 High-Res	ISO6400 | 1/320 sec | f/6.0 | 16.7 mm | ISO 6400 High-Res

ISO Noise Performance - A sharp, noise free image is produced at ISO 125, but there is a significant increase when shooting at ISO 200. Again, there is an increase in noise at ISO 400, with noise at ISO 800 causing images to become softer. As well as sharpness, images lose detail at ISO 1600, with black dots appearing. Noise is pretty bad at ISO 1600 and ISO 3200, with these two settings best used if needed, for images which are to be resized for web sharing.

Pentax Optio WG-2 White-balance test images

AWB preset - incandescent lighting | 1/13 sec | f/4.2 | 7.5 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Incandescent lighting - incandescent preset | 1/13 sec | f/4.2 | 7.5 mm | ISO 125 High-Res
AWB preset - fluorescent lighting | 1/5 sec | f/4.2 | 7.5 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Fluorescent preset - fluorescent lighting | 1/5 sec | f/4.2 | 7.5 mm | ISO 125 High-Res

White Balance Performance - Under the incandescent lights in our studio, the AWB preset has taken an image with an orange cast, with the incandescent preset handling the lights much better. The AWB preset has taken a good picture under the fluorescent lights, with the fluorescent preset taking an image with a strong orange cast.

(Above) Digital Microscope | 1/4 sec | f/3.8 | 6.1 mm | ISO 125 (Right) Underwater Mode | 1/6 sec | f/4.6 | 11.1 mm | ISO 1600

The Digital Microscope mode is unique and takes impressive pictures. The LED lights can also be used when shooting underwater.

Pentax Optio WG-2 Digital filters

Image Tone - Bright | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Image Tone - Natural | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Image Tone - Monochrome | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Digital Filter - Colour | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res
Digital Filter - Extract Colour | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Digital Filter - Fisheye | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Digital Filter - High Contrast | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Digital Filter - Ink Rubbing | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res
Digital Filter - Retro | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Digital Filter - Sepia | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Digital Filter - Soft | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Digital Filter - Starburst | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res
Digital Filter - Toy Camera | 1/5 sec | f/4.8 | 13.7 mm | ISO 125 High-Res	Collage High-Res

Digital Filters - There are no digital filters as such when shooting, although you can change the colour tone from either bright, natural or monochrome. If you want to be more creative with your pictures, you can edit them in playback mode, with a number of digital filters available, with examples above. You can also create a collage in camera with the shots you have taken.

Video - The WG-2 records at full 1080p HD resolution, although it doesn't allow the use of optical zoom. There is a high-speed recording mode, an example of which can be seen on the ePHOTOzine Youtube Page.

Value For Money

The Pentax Optio WG-2 is available for around £229.00 or £269.00 with GPS. It is one of the more expensive waterproof cameras, but has the maximum amount of underwater depth available on a camera at the moment. The Olympus Tough TG-1 has highest in all three categories, as do the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3 and FT4.

	Waterproof	Shockproof	Freezeproof	Price
Kodak Easyshare Sport C123	3m	-	-	£50.00
Nikon Coolpix S30	3m	0.8m	-	£84.99
Olympus Tough TG-320	3m	1.5m	-10°C	£119.00
Fujifilm FinePix XP50	5m	1.5m	-10°C	£129.00
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT20	5m	1.5m	-10°C	£149.00
Pentax Optio WG-1 / (GPS)	10m	1.5m	-10°C	£164.00 / (199.00)
Fujifilm FinePix XP150 GPS	10m	2m	-10°C	£189.00
Olympus Tough TG-620	5m	1.5m	-10°C	£199.00
Canon PowerShot D10	10m	1.2m	-10°C	£214.00
Olympus Tough TG-820	10m	2m	-10°C	£229.00
Nikon Coolpix AW100	10m	1.5m	-10°C	£229.99
Pentax Optio WG-2 / (GPS)	12m	1.5m	-10°C	£229.00 / (£269.00)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3	12m	2m	-10°C	£254.00
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT4	12m	2m	-10°C	£299.00
Sony Cyber-shot TX20	5m	1.5m	-10°C	£299.00
Canon PowerShot D20	10m	1.5m	-10°C	£309.00
Olympus Tough TG-1	12m	2m	-10°C	£359.00
Ricoh G700	5m	2m	-10°C	£449.00

You'll also need to buy a memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.

Pentax Optio WG-2 Verdict

When the WG-1 was released last year we were impressed with Pentax's first rugged digital camera, although we don't think much has changed with this upgrade. The sensor has been upgraded from 14 megapixels to 16, with the LCD screen now 3 inch, up from 2.7 inch. Issues we would have like to have seen addressed are the poor noise performance above ISO 200, poor tripod socket and optical zoom when recording videos, although it is good to see that videos are now full 1080p HD.

If you are looking for your first rugged camera, the WG-2 offers good image quality and a couple of unique features, if you are a current WG-1 user, you'd be better off keeping your cash in your wallet.

Pentax Optio WG-2 Pros

Full 1080p HD video recording
Waterproof to 12m
Shockproof to 1.5m
Freezeproof to -10°C
Good image quality
Excellent colour reproduction
Digital microscope and 1cm minimum focus distance
Available in a range of different colours
Comes with a Carabiner strap

Pentax Optio WG-2 Cons

Poor noise performance throughout ISO range
Tripod socket is poorly placed
New model doesn't offer much of an upgrade

FEATURES
HANDLING
PERFORMANCE
VALUE FOR MONEY
VERDICT

Pentax Optio WG-2 Specifications

Manufacturer	Pentax
Lens
	Max Aperture	No Data
	35mm equivalent	28mm - 140mm
	Optical Zoom	5x
Image Sensor
	CCD pixels	16Mp (Megapixels)
	Pixels (W)	4608
	Pixels (H)	3456
	Sensor Type	CMOS
	Sensor Size	1/2.3 inch
	Sensor Size (width)	No Data
	Sensor Size (height)	No Data
	Aspect Ratio	4:3 16:9 1:1
LCD Monitor
	LCD Monitor	3in
	Screen resolution	460,000 dots
	Touch Screen	No
Focusing
	Min Focus	1cm
	Focusing modes	Autofocus
Exposure Control
	Shutter speeds shortest	1/4000sec
	Shutter speeds longest	1/4sec
	Exp modes	Program Scene modes A
	Metering	Centre-weighted - Average Multi Pattern Spot
	ISO sensitivity	125 - 6400
	White balance	Auto Manual Outdoors/Daylight Incandescent Fluorescent Shade
	Exposure Comp	+/-2
Shooting Options
	Continuous shooting	1fps
Video
	Movie mode	Yes
	Video Resolution	1920x1080 1280x720 720p 640x480 VGA
	Video FPS	30
	Stereo Sound	No
	Optical Zoom with Video	No
Other Features
	Image Stabilisation	Yes
Interface
	HDMI	Yes
	USB	USB 2
	Wi-Fi	No
Storage
	Card Type	SD SDHC SDXC
	File Type	JPG
Power Source
	Battery Type	Rechargeable D-LI92 Lithium-Ion battery
	CIPA Rating	260
Box Contents
	Box Contents	USB cable, AC cable, Li-ion battery, Battery charger, Carabiner strap, Strap, Macro stand and Software
Dimensions
	Weight	194g
	Width	122.5mm
	Height	61.5mm
	Depth	29.5mm

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