Pentax Optio 43WR Review

By: Steve's Digicams

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Pentax Optio 43WR

Review posted 6/17/04



Click to take a QuickTime tour of the Optio 43WR


The Optio 43WR is a compact and durable 4.0 megapixel digital camera with a 2.8X zoom lens and a JIS Class 7 water resistance rating. The Optio 43WR remains watertight even when the camera is rinsed, splashed or submersed in water. The Optio 43WR is the perfect companion for outdoor photography in rain, snow or a day at the beach. It should not be operated underwater however.

A new high-speed CCD and innovative image processing circuitry allows the Optio 43WR to record VGA resolution movies (640x480 pixels) at 30fps with audio. Movies may be recorded to the full capacity of your chosen memory media (to record movies at 30fps, an SD card with a high transfer speed is required.) Recorded movies can be viewed using ACDSee for PENTAX (on systems with QuickTimeTM installed).

The compact and water-resistant Optio 43WR measures 3.2 x 3.0 x 1.2 inches and weighs only 7.3 ounces (including SD card and batteries). 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 43WR also features two new functions to ensure faster response especially for action shots. A Quick Start setting allows users to switch on the power within 0.9 seconds prior to shooting with the press of the shutter release button. In addition, a special Snap mode ensures sharp results from action shots with a release lag of just 0.05 seconds* from one shot to the next. Additionally, the Optio43WR makes it easy to change modes by requiring only a single touch to switch from shooting to playback or back to shooting mode.

The Optio 43WR 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: 16MB SD card, USB cable, audio/video cable, software (CD- ROM), wrist strap and two AA batteries.


Optio 43WR Features:

  • Compact and water-resistant camera body
  • 4.0-megapixel CCD for images up to 2288 x 1712 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
  • Time-lapse photography: Just select the start time, the duration of the interval between shots, and the number of frames
  • Multi-segment, Center-weighted or Spot-metering
  • Exposure Bracketing
  • Sharpness, Saturation and Contrast in three different levels
  • Movie mode 640x480 (30fps) 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
  • 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
  • PictBridge compatible





Physical Views



Pentax Optio 43WR

Pentax Optio 43WR

Pentax Optio 43WRPentax Optio 43WR

Pentax Optio 43WR

Pentax Optio 43WR





Pentax Optio 43WR

Pentax Optio 43WR and a standard CD for size comparison




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Features & Controls








Pentax Optio 43WR 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: 4.0 megapixels
Image Capture Device
Type: 1/2.7 inch interline transfer CCD with a primary color filter
Total Pixels: 4.23 megapixels
Color Depth: 10 bit x 3 colors
Recorded Pixels: Still - 2288x1712 pixels, 1600x1200 pixels, 1024x768 pixels, 640x480 pixels; Movie - 640x480 pixels, 320x240 pixels, 160x120 pixels @ 30fps
Focus System
Type: TTL contrast detection autofocus system
Autofocus: 5 point AF, Spot AF & Infinity Landscape Mode
Manual Focus: 0.033 ft. (0.01m) - infinity
Focusing Range: Normal: 0.98 ft (0.3m) - Infinity
Macro: 0.033 ft (0.01m) - 1.64 ft (0.5m) at 5.7mm (Wide)
0.66 ft (0.2 m) - 1.64 ft (0.5m) at 16mm (Telephoto)
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 (3 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, Movie, Panorama assist, Landscape, Night scene, Night scene portrait, Portrait, Surf, Snow, Flower, Firework, Snap
Exposure Compensation: ±2 EV (1/3 EV 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.
Operation Modes - Auto, Flash-Off, Flash-On, Auto + red-eye reduction, Flash-On + red-eye reduction.
Effective Range - Approx. 0.33ft - 9.5ft (0.1m - 2.9m) (5.7mm at ISO Auto), Approx. 1.64ft - 6.9ft (0.5m - 2.1m) (16mm 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: 30fps with sound, Shooting Time: from Approx. 1 Sec. to memory card capacity.
Color selectable: 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)
Alarm Clock: Displays image with alarm (maximum of three memory settings). Snooze function available
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), Print Image Matching II; Movie - MOV (Quick Time Motion JPEG) 30 or 15fps with sound; Sound - WAV (PCM), Monaural, Record time depends on the remaining capacity of the memory card
JPEG Compression Mode: Capacity with 16 MB card (Good, Better, Best)
2288x1712: 5 - 10 - 15
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. 85K pixels
LCD Function: Slide show, Movie Play, Histogram display, voice memo available
Magnification: 8X
In-camera Editing: Trimming, Resize, Digital Filter (Black & White, Sepia, Red, Pink, Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Soft, Brightness)
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 (monaural sound)
Power Supply: One Lithium battery CR-V3 (or RCR-V3 rechargeable), two AA batteries,(lithium, alkaline, nickel and rechargeable Ni-MH), AC adaptor kit K-AC5U (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: 40MB or more, Standard equipped USB port
Specifications as represented by the manufacturer



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Features & Controls




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