paddling with a camera

There are many cameras to shoot pictures with ... Could you expect that a single camera is good for everything?

Pentax Optio line of compact waterproof digital cameras (WP, WPi, W10, W20) has many fans among paddlers, but some people are disappointed by these cameras: no viewfinder, poor image quality, sluggish.

I believe that Pentax Optio W10 or W20 is the best compact waterproof digital camera currently available. It has really no competition except more expensive Olympus Stylus SW 720. I wouldn't consider a wrist-mounted GoPro Hero digital camera to be in the same league. It works well for my paddling, training and racing, especially, if I like to play with a helmet camera or camera mounted on a kayak deck.

Is it the best point and shoot camera in general? No, it's not. It is somewhere in the middle of the pack. See my earlier post about 10 compact digital cameras or check some of on-line reviews, e,g. from Digital Camera Review or from Popular Photography and TrustedReviews.

Here is a summary of the quite critical CNET editors' review: 6/10 - good, average user rating: 6.7/10 - good.

The good: Waterproof; compact.

The bad: Sluggish performance; photos look soft when viewed at actual size.

The bottom line: If you can get past its poor performance, the waterproof Pentax Optio W10 can take some pretty good shots where others can't even go.

The users rating is an average of a couple of very low ratings (terrible - 2) and several high ratings (spectacular or excellent - 8 or 9). 7 or so reviewers do not provide any statistical credibility, but they confirm comments I am getting: You love this camera or you hate it.

More from the CNET editor's review:

The Optio W10's sluggish performance incurs some painful waits between shots. Start-up to first shot takes about 3.5 seconds, and you can expect a 3.6-second shot-to-shot time after that, even in bright light. Shutter lag runs an acceptable 0.7 second in good lighting, though it quickly balloons to 1.6 seconds in dim environments. Burst mode is mediocre, cranking out a bit more than 1.1 frames per second for 7 frames.

The Optio W10's photo quality disappoints on a few fronts as well. Exposures are generally accurate, even in harsh afternoon lighting or under the gloom of monsoon rains. Colors that are generally difficult to capture correctly reproduce well; red tulips and lavender phlox rendered red and lavender, respectively. However, images suffer from a few serious postprocessing artifacts that not only soften the edges but obscure details and make the photos look out of focus.

The Pentax Optio W10 is a good camera for extreme shooting. Its design lets it shrug off water and dirt that would destroy other cameras. Its performance and image quality leave a lot to be desired, though, and you might want to look for another camera if you're not planning to go swimming with it.

I have just started to print pictures with Epson R2400 printer. Prints up to 8x10" from the Pentax camera look fine to me. I am going to try even higher enlargments or prints from heavily cropped shots.

You can choose a better point and shoot camera and a waterproof housing for kayak photography. This may cost twice as much as Pentax Optio W10, but provide better image quality. However, these waterproof housing tens to be heavy and bulky. It may be not any more a pocket camera that you would like to strap to your helmet.

I do not have too high expectations for point and shoot cameras. I carry my DSLR camera with a tripod whenever I can, although, my period of "velvia photography" is over.

I should admit that my approach to photography is somewhat twisted. I love alternative techniques, enjoy shooting pinhole images and playing with Polaroid transfers. So, it is not too difficult for me to accept somewhat softer images from Pentax Optio W10 or shoot without a viewfinder.

If I go racing with my Sisson Nuclues kayak or Spencer X-treme canoe I usually carry Pentax Optio W10 in my pfd pocket. When I paddle Kruger's Sea Wind I may carry a tripod, DSLR camera, camcorder and ... the Pentax Optio W10 in my pocket. It was my photo and video gear during WaterTribe Ultimate Florida Challenge. I didn't count it but probably 90% of about 1500 pictures I shot during that journey came from Pentax.

My final point. Before buying a camera, evaluate your needs, style of paddling, your budget. Do your research, read reviews, ask questions. Keep in my mind that one camera may be not enough, especially, if you get more serious about photography.

And one more thing. Even the best and most expensive camera is fully capable of shooting crappy pictures.

What is your approach to paddling photography?

Related posts:

• Pentax Optio WP, WPi, W10 and W20 Wateproof Camera Comparison
• 7 Tips on Kayak Photography: How Did You Shoot It?
• Using Your Paddle to Steady the Camera - Video
• No Viewfinder? 10 Tips on Shooting Pictures without Viewfinder
• Pentax Optio WP/WPi - 10 Tips on Paddling and Shooting
• Can Pentax Optio waterproof cameras be used in the water?
• Pentax Optio W10 as a Helmet Cam - Inline Skating along the Poudre
• Shooting movies with Pentax Optio WP and W10 and Sisson Nucleus 100 kayak
• Waterproof Digital Cameras for Paddling by Canoe and Kayak Magazine
• compare prices for Pentax Optio W20 , W10 Olympus Stylus SW 720