[Northern Soul]

Does the W90 has sensor based shake reduction or shake reduction by increasing the ISO? I read some reviews and i still cant figure this out.

"We were disappointed though that no optical or sensor shift image stabilisation is deployed when shooting in low light or at the extremity of the zoom, just the shutter speed and ISO boosting digital variety" - Pocket-lint.com

[raider]

Thanks for the info. Personally i would want a PnS with real shake reduction.

[unixrevolution]

Thanks for the info. Personally i would want a PnS with real shake reduction.

Sadly, the last one I know of with "Real" sensor shift SR is the discontinued Optio A40...which I have

[r0ckstarr]

"We were disappointed though that no optical or sensor shift image stabilisation is deployed when shooting in low light or at the extremity of the zoom, just the shutter speed and ISO boosting digital variety" - Pocket-lint.com

This is correct. It mentions boosting the ISO in the user manual.

Having owned this camera for a few months now, I can say this. If you want a P&S for indoors or low light, this is NOT the camera to get. Outdoors, it is great, but take it inside and the boosted ISO destroys image quality so much that I refuse to even bother with it indoors.

[Ratmagiclady]

This is correct. It mentions boosting the ISO in the user manual.

Having owned this camera for a few months now, I can say this. If you want a P&S for indoors or low light, this is NOT the camera to get. Outdoors, it is great, but take it inside and the boosted ISO destroys image quality so much that I refuse to even bother with it indoors.

So, for clarity, when it says 'SR' it just means 'Pushing ISO for higher shutter speeds?' (How is that decided? By sensing actual shakiness, or just whenever low speeds are otherwise called for? If so, btw, is there a tripod screw? ) And this is common to these types of compacts?

I ask cause, though it's out of budget right now, a W90 would seem to be *the perfect* thing to get for my botanical-scientist dear one, who presently carries my trusty Lumix FZ-7 sometimes, ...But most especially with those lights, that looks like just the thing.

(For the OP, btw, I do approve of Lumix P&Ses: very nice. I'm very fond of mine, and I've seen good things from later models. Good glass, sensible design, subtle color. Part of why I mostly do monochrome since film days, is is cause I got tired of engineers trying to blow my doors off, when I want like pastels. )

[Immunogirl]

I've had an optio w60 for almost 3 years now and keep it clipped to my pfd while sea kayaking. It's taken quite a few swims with me and rolls with me.

Over the years, it's probably gotten wet twice. I will say that salt water and sand are extremely tough on anything, even if it's supposed to be waterproof. I basically assume that my waterproof electronics are at some point going to fail, and most of them have (my waterproof gps and waterproof flashlights have also gotten water inside them and have kept working). The optio luckily has only gotten wet in fresh water, and it's always started working again after drying out. I can tell it's "wet" because it suddenly will just stop actually taking a pic - the lcd and the rest of that are still working fine, but it won't actually take a pic.

So be very careful with sand - it gets in the little cracks and crevices around the battery compartment and can interfere with seals. When you're changing batteries at the beach and your hands are wet and have sand on them, it causes issues.

I keep the gaskets of all my waterproof electronics coated with vacuum grease now - the grease is another layer that repels water. Since I've started doing that, I haven't had water get into any of my electronics.

I generally disregard or take it with a grain of salt when I read reviews that say "stopped working the first time I used it at the beach" or whatever - if you get hair or sand trapped in the gaskets, that's a way for water to get in.

[ve2vfd]

Were you looking for fish? I had the same idea.

Oops, a bit of an old thread I lost track of...but yeah I wanted to see what lives down there so I made a few videos!

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSnHBJDJHTk[/yt]

I've had an optio w60 for almost 3 years now and keep it clipped to my pfd while sea kayaking. It's taken quite a few swims with me and rolls with me.

I bought mine when it came out, and also use mine a lot in water. When not on vacation, I keep it my my fire gear pockets where it gets quite a beating and can tell you it's a tough little camera!

Those are pics I took last night with the W60 in very difficult conditions (water dripping everywhere, snowing and around -18 degrees and the camera was in my coat pocket while fighting the fire):






Of course all are high ISO, and the first one was shot without a flash.

I figure if my W60 survives that kind of treatment, then it's more than good enough for beach use!

Pat

[Immunogirl]

Putting rain-x on the lens helps a bit when you're trying to take photos in wet environments to keep the drops on the lens to a minimum.

My w60 goes with me skiing, biking, hiking, etc. It's unfortunately been dropped quite a few times. I keep it in a bento/fuel box on the top tube of my bike and I once hit a pothole at about 20 mph, had the optio fly out of the bento box and land on the road... Luckily the next 2 cars that drove by didn't run over it, and it survived fine.

I find mine takes much better pics if I keep the exposure at -0.7. The bf has the w80, which I think has more noise and does worse at low light - but that could be an operator difference (I haven't shot much with his, just have compared photos that we've both taken about the same time)

Doing video with the w60 took up too much battery and sd card space, so I got a little kodak playsport to take waterproof video with.

The entire strap attachment did break off mine kayaking this summer. It's currently epoxied back on:

[ve2vfd]

Rain-X!!!!

Why didn't I think of that! Wow, thanks, it's really a great idea!

Pat

[lesmore49]

I have...or will have a W90 as of Xmas. I wonder if the reason a number of individuals writing negative evaluations on the W90..usually referring to it's waterproofing not being successful are not closing the ports, following the directions in the manual to the letter, etc.

[skid2964]

I have...or will have a W90 as of Xmas. I wonder if the reason a number of individuals writing negative evaluations on the W90..usually referring to it's waterproofing not being successful are not closing the ports, following the directions in the manual to the letter, etc.

I wonder about this also, my W60 has ALWAYS functioned perfectly under water, even in the ocean.

I already now own a W90 but have read reviews about it on Amazon mentioning underwater failures.

This concerns me.
(I'm also keeping the W60!)

[Ratmagiclady]

Rain-X!!!!

Why didn't I think of that! Wow, thanks, it's really a great idea!

Pat

I'd be inclined to be cautious about that: I really don't know what it'd do to the lens coatings, or affect how they work, and I'd be careful about letting any of it touch any rubber seals while applying (Pretty evaporatey solvent, can't be good for rubber, though that'd just be a matter of care. )

I suppose I could experiment on a beater UV filter: I'm sure at least one is coated to some extent. (Well, without already being messed-up. )

As for waterproofing failures, I think with any model, you'd have to compare to others: if there's a lot more than usual it may be a manufacturing or design vulnerability, but few things of that sort are totally consumer-proof.

[skinnyhoskins]

just bought 2 w 90 cameras to replace my old under water cameras and both failed in less than 3 minutes under water.i was meticulas in keeping the cameras clean no sand or dust of anykind.having read the manuel it says in small print and i quote "do not swim with this camera as leakage may occur"

[eddie1960]

Next, I would...go hiking and play catch with it

[CqCasting]

I tested the Optio W80 by attaching it to my paddle and took some video in the

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out @ Sekiu. Other things like

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and surf have proven the camera is a sound investment. I would not recommend taking it diving as the water pressure may rupture the seal. Take care of the seals especially around sand.