There is an incredible amount of noise with the “longer” shutter speeds, which really only last a quarter of a second. The noise isn’t the only thing to ruin low light shots. Colors were already inaccurate in optimal lighting; it only gets worse as the light wanes. This is bad news for photographers who frequently take portraits and pictures indoors without the flash. Overall, photographing in low light will be tricky with the Pentax Optio W10. Users should either avoid it or use the built-in flash.
The W10’s unique benefits are its waterproofing, its simplicity and its styling. Its image quality is by no means outstanding. Still, there will be plenty of people who want a convenient, moderately-priced beach camera or even a snorkeling camera, and they will be pleased with the W10.
The 6-megapixel, 3x optical zoom Optio W10 offers a unique feature set at its price point, although users will have accept the sacrifice in image quality for the added durability and underwater functionality.