w60 past 4 meter equals dead?

bunddysleeper · 04-14-2009, 04:48 AM

hi, just wondering if anyone knows if i was to bring the W60 past the recommended 4 meters will it start letting in water from the pressure or simply just not function?

i bought the camera to use windsurfing and snorkelling but have decided to do my open water dive course, so want to know if i bring along my Pantex will it survive.
i have no probs if it just doesn't work past that point but if its going to let in water then it'll have to go back onto the boat

thanks all

**Damn Brit** · 04-16-2009, 12:45 AM

I took my W30 down to about 20 feet a couple of times and it was ok. But this was only for a few seconds at a time. The W30 is rated for six feet I believe.
Pentax only guarantee the W60 for 12 feet but one has to assume that is conservative.
Good luck on the course, I wanted to take mine last year but I tore a disk in my back.

WerTicus · 09-11-2009, 02:12 AM

If the camera does fail its going to be because its either crushed by the water or the seals don't hold the water completely out... so it will most certainly be very broken afterwards.

Pressure increases underwater with movement so 4m will be conservative, It might well survive to 8m and I'm sure a sample of 100 cameras would be failing at all sorts of different depths.

*Jonson PL* · 09-11-2009, 03:07 AM

I think you can buy additional box protection, if you want to. Just like ordinary P&S's can be used underwater like that

bdery · 09-28-2009, 02:10 PM

A guaranteed specification means that every sample tested performed better than what you specify. Given that the seals are rubber and that there is probably much variation between "similar" seals (rubber is hard to make perfectly regular) there was probably a wide distribution in the test results.

Long story short, the camera will work deeper, but it might be 1 foot or 10 feet. It will NOT be 50 feet more.

*Leaf Fan* · 09-28-2009, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by bunddysleeper

if i bring along my Pantex will it survive.

What is that, like a cheap knockoff version of a PENTAX? I'd suspect that a Pantex shouldn't even be near the water. A Pentax on the other hand.......