Very easy and convenient to use. Good weight and balance in the hand. Well-placed controls.

Severe unevenness of illumination at shortes focal length. Noticeable linear distortion at shortest focal lengths.

Took my new Pentax 105WR on vacation and returned with around 200 exposed frames. In examining the prints (developed and printed by three different shops) I noticed that many were quite dark in the corners and at the ends. The problem appeared only on pictures taken with with the lens at its wider settings. These were outdoor shots mostly taken under overcast skies; the original scene illumination was very even, but the negs looked like the corners got about a full f/stop less light than the centers. I ran off some test shots of a uniformly colored blank wall - and they came out dark at the sides and corners and bright in the center. I took the evidence back to the store and they gave me another 105WR to shoot a test roll on the spot. Same results. The problem seems worst in low light conditions but is noticeable even in bright light situations. [Also, the falloff in density across the negative is exacerbated by the print process - the 1 f/stop gradient on the negative looks 2 stops in the print and there's color shift, too. Strictly speaking that's not a problem with the camera itself - but if you're mainly getting prints it's a problem you're going to be stuck with....]

At the shortest focal lengths straight lines at the edges of the frame have a noticeable curvature. This can occur in zoom lenses costing as much as this whole camera, so I'm not too surprised and wouldn't reject the camera just for that - but the level of distortion is on the margin of what I'd consider acceptable.

Customer Service

Kudos to Ritz Camera in Colonie NY who let me shoot a test roll on another 105WR and politely gave me a refund.

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Usually use SLRs, but have owned and used point-and-shoot zooms from Olympus and Minolta,

The camera has been very durable and waterproof while using it boating.

None

We've been very pleased with the waterskiing pictures we've taken. The camera is easy to use for quick point and shoot activities. It does seem a bit large compared to the Olympus weather resistant model, but this is a minor point compared to the quality of pictures we get. I think the camera is perfect for outdoor activities such as boating and mountain biking and can still function reasonably for casual snapshots around the house.

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None

water tight and quit

size, bad focus and meter. No exposure comp.
No spot modes.
Real bad fill flash.

Not worth it..three different rolls of 200 Fuji,
varity of situation., not one picture came out..
My aps cameras are perfect compared to this.
Maybe my expectations are to high...

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samsung 145QD
Pentax 38-105

Takes good photos.

Not always weatherproof. Size is a large.

Two friends and I each bought one of these cameras together to take on a week long rafting trip in Idaho. My camera failed the very first day when it got splashed while rafting. The camera and photos were ruined. Both of my friends cameras survived the whole trip without a problem (with much more exposure to splashes than mine).

I returned my camera since I had purchased a 5-year extended warranty card from Pentax. They sent me a new camera in about 4 weeks (although it took over nine months to get the warranty card mailed to me originally).

The bottom line is I have very few photos from the once in a lifetime trip because the camera didn't live up to it's splashproof advertising. Fortunately my two friends had cameras that did work as advertised or I'd have no photos at all of the trip.

Customer Service

They replaced my camera in about 4 weeks since I had an extended warranty. It took over 9 months to get the extended warranty card though.

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Olympus Stylus Zoom 115

Weather Resistance
Pentax Quality and Attention to Detail.
Straight Forward Design and Layout.
Remote Control Function.

Size and Weight.
Too easy to take great photos...your film usage and processing cost doubles (not really a weakness). : )

The 105WR is a tough camera w/ just the right amount of features which makes it easy to live w/ on a daily basis. Whether you are rafting down a river or shooting group photos at the local watering hole, this camera does it well. I have taken mine hiking and rafting here in the Northwest...rain and dirt hasn't fazed this camera. I would strongly recommend upgrading to the date/time model. Before purchasing the 105WR ask yourself some questions...How are you going to use the camera?...Do you really need the weather resistance feature? There are many Point and Shoot cameras out there with similiar features that lack the weather resistance features for a lot less money. Don't get me wrong.. the 105WR is a great camera, but you can save some coin if you know what you really need. Also...do your research and shop around, the difference in prices for the same camera is amazing.

Customer Service

Haven't needed it yet. Hopefully I am not jinx-ing myself.

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Pentax 90WR

Lots of 'pro' / SLR features, like bulb, the REALLY USEFUL IR REMOTE (NOT a gimmick!), the fact it's H2O-splashproof (I bought it for kayaking & skiing)

size, weight...

Has anyone out there had problems with water entry (leading to electronic malfunction)...? I heard rumors that people have acutally used these UNDER WATER (i.e. not far, maybe a foot or so under the surface, i.e. fun taking snaps under water at a swimming pool...) Mine ONLY got sloshed around a little (and then in a bag) in my kayak a time or two but about 6 months ago stopped autofocusing; the repair cost about US$200. I figured I couldn't find a better camera (plus newer ones have MORE zoom BUT more complex = fussier/more igress for water entry...) so I went with it. Other than this, I've used it professionally in the field in really weird 'blind' macro shots (i.e. inside equipment being disassembled/inspected) and I swear it reads my mind - pics come out that have no business coming out. The only thing is I'm still not used to the lateral offest when using macro, but that's a question of shooting a roll or two taking notes and then it's a done deal.

Customer Service

See Bottom line...

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I've been a fan of Pentax since the 70's...

All the "pluses" of a good AF point and shoot - in addition to a rugged, very splash-proof design. Very good image quality. Accurate autofocus with spot and wide field focus selection.

All the typical "problems" of an AF point and shoot - slow lens at maximum focal length, red eye with flash, etc. A bit bulky - to be expected for it's capabilities. Zoom from wide to tele could be quicker.

A very good, tough, no nonsense 35mm point and shoot. Got mine to take kayaking and has proven to be a fine performer for less than $200. Also considered the Olympus Stylus' (Styli?) which are very compact - but seem to be more fragile, and I believe, less water resistant. The 105WR just feels more substantial. Short of a true submersible camera, which are generally less suited to all around shooting, the Pentax is an fine choice when there's a good chance it'll get wet.

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None

Versatile with lots of whistles and bells.

Bulky and heavy. The zoom circuit required $80 repairs twice. Slow lens. High-priced

Good handy family camera when one does not like to tote along extra gears. The zoom circuit malfunctioned one last time during a trip last year. I would probably get the newer weather-resistant version or its 928(smaller camera with less range) counterpart.

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Various other point-n-shoots.

- Easy to use
- Durable
- Water Resistant

- A bit heavy for lightweight outdoor travel
- Did not come with a case.

This is a great camera for the outdoors. I've taken it on numerous backpacking and camping trips. It's held up well to the abuse I've given it. It's been dropped in a river twice and still takes great pictures.

Customer Service

none needed

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various mid-range point and shoot cameras

Sharp + contrasty lens, excellent metering.

A little large, slow lens.

I originally tested this camera with slide film on an assignment expecting only to get one or two usable images. Was I shocked when the meter and the camera got the whole assignment on one roll! I immeadiately bought the camera and have been thrilled with the results ever since. I wish Pentax would do the same thing with a wider lens though. And the front scratch resistant glass element is the lens cap, it says so in the specs.

Customer Service

Excellent

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None that are weatherproof!