Pentax adds new Optio WS80 to its waterproof compact camera lineup

Pentax announced three new Optio point-and-shoots today, including a new junior sibling to its waterproof Optio W80, which started shipping just last month. The new Pentax Optio WS80 is a step-down model that will be priced about $50 less than the W80, and while not as rugged as its big brother, it is dustproof and waterproof to depths of up to 5 feet (vs. the W80’s 16 feet). I personally prefer the wider lens of the W80 (and the W60 before it) to the WS80’s 35-175mm (equivalent) lens, but some may appreciate the additional length. And while the camera itself is more compact than its predecessors, the WS80’s LCD is slightly bigger at 2.7 inches, which is a nice touch. Other features inherited from the W80 include 720p HD video recording at 30 fps, and features such as smile, blink, and face detection (for up to 32 faces and in as little as 0.03 of a second, according to Pentax).  The camera will ship in September and come in two color schemes, which the press release refers to as “his and hers.” I’m guessing the white with purple accents is supposed to be the hers, but I’m more of a black-and-orange kind of gal myself.

For a quick specs comparison of the new model, its step-up sibling, as well as the Olympus Stylus Tough-6000 (a similarly priced competitor):