Pentax Announced Affordable WG-10 Waterproof Camera

Pentax WG-10

PENTAX Releases the 14th Generation Adventure Proof Pentax WG-10, Expanding Image Capturing Possibilities Beyond the Traditional Point and Shoot Camera. WG-10 offers compact pocketability with advanced features suitable for almost any environment.

Press Release:

Denver, CO (January 29, 2013) — PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION (PENTAX) has today announced the availability of the compact and highly portable WG-10 adventureproof point and shoot camera, an ideal option for the on-the-go shooter who requires a capable yet sturdy image and video capturing device. Its durable assembly and robust feature-set makes the WG-10 the ideal companion camera for life’s explorers; striking the perfect balance between a point and shoot and PENTAX’s category defining adventure-ready features.

Waterproof to depths of 33 feet, the WG-10 can withstand the rough-and-tumble lifestyle of an active shooter.  The WG-10 bridges the gap between the common point and shoot and life’s more challenging photo opportunities that might require waterproofing or the ability to function in a very cold environment; like a trip to the waterpark or an impromptu snowball fight. The WG-10 offers a 14 megapixel backlit CMOS image sensor and a state-of-the-art imaging processing engine assuring rich and detailed imagery.

“The WG-10 is a compelling offering for the active family or dynamic shooter,” said John Carlson, Sr. Marketing Manager, PENTAX. “With the WG-10 you no longer need to sit on the edge of the pool at the waterpark or flinch when your six-year-old grabs the camera to take a picture. It is durable enough to withstand the elements, yet still capture vibrant images worthy of framing or sharing.”

Within its compact body, the WG-10 also features a 5X optical zoom lens with coverage from 5mm to 25mm (equivalent to approx. 28mm wide angle to approx. 140mm medium telephoto in the 35mm format). This versatile zoom lens comes in handy for a wide variety of scenes and subjects, from wide-angle snapshots, to telephoto images. Additionally, the WG-10 features PENTAX’s category defining LED Macro lights coupled and Digital Microscope mode enabling focusing as close as one centimeter from the subject producing shadow-free, evenly-lit images.

Pricing and Availability

The WG-10 will be available in mid-April in red for $179.95. Additional information including product specifications is available here: www.pentaximaging.com/news

Additional Information

About the WG-10
 Heavy-duty construction for waterproof, crushproof, coldproof, shockproof and dustproof shooting
The WG-10’s airtight body is not only waterproof to a depth 33 feet (equivalent to IPX8 or JIS Class 8 waterproof performance), but also shockproof from drops up to 4.9 feet,* dustproof,** coldproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit,*** and crushproof withstanding up to 220 foot pounds of force**** to perform demanding conditions.
* Measured under PENTAX-original testing standards (from a height of 1.5 meters, onto a surface of 5cm-thick plywood), conforming to Method 516.5-Shock of the MIL-Standard 810Fm.
** Measured under PENTAX-original testing standards, equivalent to IPX6 or JIS Class 6.
*** Measured under PENTAX-original testing standards, in which the camera is proven to withstand temperatures as low as –10°C.
**** Measured under PENTAX-original testing standards, in which the camera is loaded with weights up to 100 kgf, or kilogram force.

Digital Microscope mode for microscopic observation
The WG-10 features an innovative Digital Microscope mode, which magnifies the subject on the LCD monitor for the observation and photography of a microscopic world often unnoticeable with the naked eye. Thanks to five LED Macro Lights positioned around the circumference of the lens barrel, the subject is illuminated more brightly and uniformly than in ambient light to facilitate macro shooting. In order to minimize camera shake and subject shake, its instant illumination enhance function allows for the use of a higher shutter speed by automatically raising the illumination level of the Macro Lights at the moment of shutter release. A macro stand is also included as a standard accessory to maintain a minimum focusing distance of one centimeter to the subject during extended observation and shooting.
* When the Digital Microscope mode is selected, the recorded size is fixed at 2.0 megapixels (at 16:9 proportions).

High-quality images made possible by the latest super-resolution technology
In addition to super-high resolution assured by approximately 14.0 effective megapixels and a state-of-the-art imaging engine, the WG-10 also offers advanced image processing functions made possible by the latest super-resolution technology to deliver sharp, clear, high-resolution images. Because of this, the user can effortlessly produce sharp, high-resolution prints with well-depicted details, even when images are enlarged to poster size.

HD movie recording
The WG-10’s HD movie recording function captures high-quality movie clips (1280 x 720 pixels, 16:9 proportions, 30 frames per second) with ease. It also offers a variety of movie editing functions, such as extracting a still image from movie data, and inserting titles at the beginning and end of a movie clip. In addition, a micro-HDMI♦ terminal (Type D) is provided on the camera body for simultaneous output of HD movie clips and sound to external devices for effortless playback and sharing.

Triple anti-shake protection to compensate for camera shake and subject movement

  • Pixel Track SR mechanism – When recording still images, this sophisticated shake-reduction mechanism effectively compensates for camera shake by digitally processing affected images.
  • Digital SR mode*- When the camera detects low-lighting conditions in still-image shooting, it  automatically raises the sensitivity as high as ISO 6400, making it possible to use a higher shutter speed to effectively minimize the adverse effects of camera shake and subject shake under poor lighting conditions.
  • Movie SR mode**- During movie recording, this digital shake-reduction mode effectively compensates for the misalignment of images caused by camera shake through the use of exclusive software to produce beautiful, blur-free movie clips.

* When this mode is selected, the recorded size is fixed at 5.0 megapixels (2592 x 1944 pixels).
** When this mode is selected, the angle of view becomes narrower than normal shooting

Other features