Pentax Optio 33WR Review

By: Steve's Digicams

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Pentax Optio 33WR

Review posted 10/13/03



Click to take a QuickTime tour of the Optio 33WR


The Optio 33WR is a compact and durable 3.2 megapixel digital camera with a 2.8X zoom lens and a JIS Class 7 water resistance rating. The Optio 33WR remains watertight even when the camera is rinsed, splashed or submersed in water. The Optio 33WR is the perfect companion for outdoor photography in rain, snow or a day at the beach. It should not be operated underwater however.

The compact and water-resistant Optio 33WR measures 3.2 x 3.0 x 1.2 inches and weighs 7.3 ounces. It hosts a variety of impressive features also found on other PENTAX Optio digital products including: movie mode with sound and voice memo, built-in flash, a high-precision 1.6 inch LCD monitor, an optical viewfinder, and a diverse range of shooting modes including program, landscape, night scene, night scene portrait, surf and snow, portrait, sunset, flower, fireworks, snap (automatic pan) and macro modes.

Other advanced features: White Balance settings for Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten Light, Fluorescent Light and manual preset. Exposure metering can be selected according to your subject. Choose from Multi-segment, Center-weighted, and Spot metering. Sensitivity to light can be automatic, or manually set to 50, 100, 200 or 400 equivalent. Exposure compensation can be adjusted with a range of +/-2EV in 1/3EV steps. A choice of color, black & white, sepia and a host of Digital Filter modes allow further creative freedom. Sharpness, saturation and contrast can be also be set in 3 different levels to produce the desired results.

The Optio 33WR operates with an SD memory card or MultiMediaCard (MMC) and power sources include two AA alkaline batteries or optional CR-V3 lithium batteries and AC adapter. The camera outfit includes the latest version of ACDSee™ 5.0 software to allow users to retrieve, view, manage, print, enhance and share your digital photos.


Optio 33WR Features:

  • Compact and water-resistant camera body
  • 3.2-megapixel CCD for images up to 2048 x 1536 pixels
  • 2.8x optical zoom (37-104mm) with 4x digital zoom
  • Macro mode focuses as close as 3.93"
  • 1.6-inch color LCD monitor
  • Shooting modes: Program AE, Night Scene Portrait, Movie, Panorama Assist, Landscape, Flower, Portrait, Surf & Snow and Sunset
  • Multi-segment, Center-weighted or Spot-metering
  • Exposure, White Balance, Saturation, Sharpness and Contrast Bracketing
  • Sharpness, Saturation and Contrast in three different levels
  • Movie mode 320x240 w/audio, length limited only by available memory
  • Built-in flash with Auto, Fill and Red-eye Reduction modes
  • Digital Filters: B&W, sepia, red, pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, soft, and brightness
  • White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent and Manual
  • Adjustable ISO speeds: 50, 100, 200, 400
  • USB Mass Storage compatible for PC and Mac OS
  • Exif Print and PRINT Image Matching II compatible
  • Secure Digital or MultiMedia memory cards
  • World Time function displays the time in 62 cities
  • Powered by two AA or one CR-V3 type battery
  • Audio-Video Out for connection and replay on TV

The Optio 33WR includes the following: 16MB SD card, USB cable, audio-video cable, ACDSee™ 5.0 software, wrist strap and two AA batteries. The retail price is $450 with an estimated street price of $349.95 USD and will be available around the end of October.




Physical Views



Pentax Optio 33WR

Pentax Optio 33WR

Pentax Optio 33WRPentax Optio 33WR

Pentax Optio 33WR

Pentax Optio 33WR





Pentax Optio 33WR

Pentax Optio 33WR and a standard CD for size comparison





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Pentax Optio 33WR Specifications

Camera Type: Compact-type digital still camera with built-in zoom lens, autofocus, auto exposure, auto flash and water resistant design (JIS class 7)
Effective Pixels: 3.2 megapixels
Image Capture Device
Type: 1/2.7 inch interline transfer CCD with a primary color filter
Total Pixels: 3.34 megapixels
Color Depth: 10 bit x 3 colors
Recorded Pixels: Still -2048x1536 pixels, 1600x1200 pixels, 1024x768 pixels, 640x480 pixels

Movie - 320x240 / 160x120 pixels @ 15 fps

Focus System
Type: TTL contrast detection autofocus system
Autofocus: 5 point AF, Spot AF switchable & Infinity Landscape Mode
Manual Focus: 3.93 inches (0.01m) to Infinity
Focusing Range: Normal: 0.98ft (0.3m) to Infinity
Macro: 3.93 inches (0.01m) to 1.64ft (0.5m)
Lens
Type: Pentax power zoom - internal
Focal Length: 5.7mm - 16.0mm
35mm Equivalent: 37mm - 104mm
Aperture Range: F2.8 - F3.9
Construction: 10 elements in 7 groups (three aspherical elements)
Optical Zoom: 2.8X
Digital Zoom: 4X
Exposure Control
Light Metering Method: TTL metering with choice of: Multi-segment, Center-weighted & Spot meter
Sensitivity: Auto, or user select ISO 50, 100, 200, 400
Exposure Control Method: Program AE
Exposure Modes: Program, Landscape, Night Scene, Portrait (Night), Portrait, Surf & Snow, Flower, Sunset, Firework, Snap, Movie, Panorama assist
Exposure Compensation: +/-2 EV (1/3 steps)
Shutter: Type - Programmed AE electronic lens shutter with CCD electronic shutter Shutter Speed - approx. 1/2000 - 4 seconds
White Balance: White Balance Control - TTL Auto, Pre-set, Custom White Balance; Available Settings - Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten Light, Fluorescent Light, Manual
Flash: Built-in series-control auto flash, Auto discharge under low light and backlit conditions in auto mode; Operation Modes - Auto, Flash-Off, Flash-On, Auto + red-eye reduction, Flash-On + red-eye reduction

Range - approx. 0.66ft(0.2m) - 16ft (5.0m) 5.8mm at ISO auto, approx. 0.33ft(0.1m) - 8.9f ft(2.7m) 17.4mm at ISO auto

Shooting Specifications
Shooting Modes: Program, Landscape, Night Scene, Portrait (Night), Portrait, Surf & Snow, Flower, Sunset, Firework, Snap, Movie, Panorama assist
Digital Filter: Black & White, Sepia, Red, Pink, Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Soft, Brightness
Drive Modes: One shot, Continuous, Multiple Continuous, Self-timer, Interval Shooting
Movie Mode: 15fps with sound, Shooting time: until available memory is used Color mode: full color, sepia, or black and white
Time
Modes: dd/mm/yy, mm/dd/yy, yy/mm/dd
World Time: Display of the time in 62 cities (28 time zones)
Image Storage
Storage Media: SD memory card/MMC - removable
File Formats: Still - JPEG (Exif 2.2), DCF (Design rule for Camera File system), DPOF (Digital Print Order Format); Movie - MOV(Quick Time Movie Format) 15fps with sound; Voice - WAV (ADCPCM)
JPEG Compression Mode: Capacity with 16 MB card (Good, Better, Best)
2048x1536: 7 - 12 - 18
1600x1200: 11 - 20 - 27
1024x768: 25 - 45 - 56
640x480: 53 - 82 - 100
Viewfinder: Optical Viewfinder - Actual Image zoom viewfinder
LCD Specifications
LCD Monitor: 1.6 inch, TFT color LCD with Histogram Display
LCD Coverage: 100%
LCD Resolution: Approx. 86K pixels
LCD Function: One-frame, Nine-image, Scroll, Slide show, Movie display, Histogram display, Trimming, Resize, Message mode, Digital filter
Magnification: 8X
Erasing Specifications
Erase Modes: Single, All
Image Protect: Single, All
Interfaces
Type: AV output terminal, USB terminal, DC input terminal
Video Output: Compatible with NTSC and PAL formats
Power Supply: CR-V3 lithium ( aprox.540 shots*) or two AA(Lithium, alkaline, nickel and rechargeable Ni-MH) batteries, AC adaptor kit (optional)
Physical Specifications
Operating Temperatures: 32 - 104F (0 - 40 Celsius)
Camera Casing: Plastic
Dimensions: (W x H x D) 3.2 x 3 x 1.2 inches (81.5 x 76 x 30.5 mm) excluding protrusions
Weight: 7.3oz (208g) loaded and ready; 5.6 oz (160g) without battery and SD memory card
Computer System Requirements
Mac Requirements: OS: Mac OS 8.6 or later ( QuickTime 4.0 or later to view movies ), CPU: Power PC 266MHz or higher, Memory: 8MB or more, Hard disk space: 6MB or more, Standard equipped USB port
PC Requirements: OS: Windows 98,98 second edition, 2000, Me, XP Home edition / Professional, CPU: Pentium or later recommended, Memory: 64MB or more, Hard disk space: 15MB or more, Standard equipped USB port

Specifications as represented by the manufacturer




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