Pentax Optio WG-1 Rugged Waterproof Digital Camera

The Pentax Optio WG-1 digital camera is ready for the outdoors. Water-proof, shock-proof, dust-proof, and even crush-proof, this tough little 14-megapixel camera has a wide-angle lens and 5x optical zoom to make sure that it not only survives your next hiking, camping, biking, rafting … outdoor excursion, it brings back clear memories you can share with everyone who didn't go.


FEATURE :

• Rugged 12th-generation waterproof digital camera is adventure proof, and suitable for almost any environment.
• Waterproof to 33 feet; shockproof design protects from drops up to 5 feet; also crushproof, coldproof and dustproof.
• 14-megapixel resolution; wide-angle 5x internal optical zoom lens (28-140mm equivalent).
• Capture video in widescreen 720p HD at 30 frames per second.
• Compatible with SD, SDHC, SDXC memory cards (not included).

SOME OF THE SAMPLE CUSTOMER REVIEW FROM AMAZON :

1) GREAT underwater/MACRO camera - I bought this product for an upcoming trip to Hawaii and wanted a camera with underwater capability. I also bought the Panasonic Lumix TS3 to compare and ended up returning it. I am happy with my choice to keep the Pentax.

Here is what I liked:

The durability and the rugged feel of this camera right away impressed me. I felt like I was holding a camera that wouldn't break if I dropped it or tossed it into my purse. It was exactly what I needed for an outdoor/adventure trip. I was most excited to try out the Macro capabilities of this camera. They were among the first shots I took. All I can say is that they were amazing. Far and away, the quality was better than anything I have seen for a Point and Shoot camera. I could see individual bits of pollen when shooting a flower or individual pores on my finger. Even when I blew the images up and zoomed in, the clarity was amazing.

Once I got onto my trip, I used the camera underwater in various depths, from 3 feet of water to 250 (although I did not go down that far, this camera is only waterproof to 30 feet). The clarity of the images while zooming in in deep in water was great. I took a picture of a puffer fish that was close to 100 feet below me in 250 feet of water and the image turned out. I took pictures of sharks, dolphins, fish and coral. The pictures are clear and vibrant. The macro setting on some of the coral is to die for. I was so impressed with how these turned out. Had no problems with the camera being waterproof. After each underwater adventure (lasting from 20 minutes to two hours in the water, diving up to 20-25 feet deep for some pictures), I rinsed the camera with clean water and let it air dry before I opened any compartments. The color quality is spot on, no weird colors turning up. It is true to eye. The buttons are also easy to use and change to the best setting (outside, underwater, macro, auto, sport, etc). All of my pictures in daylight and soft light turned out great. The large screen on the back makes viewing pictures easy. The self-portrait assist was a cool idea and worked great.

Negatives:

The only thing that I was NOT impressed with on this camera was low light (nighttime, inside)/no light (nighttime, outside) conditions. Whenever it was dark out, the pictures often turned out blurry, even with the flash on. I may have had it on the wrong setting, because some of them turned out great, but others, not so great. Or it may have been user error (whenever I took the pictures, they generally turned out fine, the ones that are blurry tend to be when I asked random people to take a picture of me). I didn't play around with the settings at night too much mostly because I had a DSLR camera with me that I used in those conditions. I did take a lot of sunset pictures that turned out great on this camera. But once the sun was down....not so much. Also, I went for a night dive with this camera, the underwater camera is useless at night because the flash captures particles in the water and with no flash it's too blurry. However, the underwater video recorder worked great at night.

Overall, this is a great camera for it's price. The camera performs well under most conditions. I lugged it around on a dusty six mile hike, underwater, running, and everything else you can imagine. The camera is easy to wash off, waterproof and has a FANTASTIC macro ability that I have never seen on a point and shoot camera before. If you are expecting this to be a DSLR, remember that this is a POINT AND SHOOT camera. Even so, some of the pictures rivaled my DSLR camera. I highly recommend this camera.

By qbc1899 on June 26, 2011

2) Very entertaining WG-1 - Check out my updating youtube videos. I am user: "PentaxWG1" The good the bad the ugly. The over all feel of this camera is strong and gripable. I love having metal and rubber on my electronics. I have dropped this camera. It was on my lap in the jeep and there was a hornet. I jumped out and it threw to the ground. No problems. The removable circle around the lens (macro stand) has threads. They are 46mm and can screw on filters and caps. I got a cap, uv filter, polorized filter, and flourecent filter on e-bay for $6. So other than the sony TX10, this is the only camera that can protect the lens. Can't wait to buy a telescopic lens. My camera has been underwater about 15 ft. I've seen no problems with leaking. It has two openeings; one for battery and sd card, and one for hd/av hook-up. Both seem strong and sturdy to me. Battery cover does move ever so slightly but seems fine. Ok, thats the construction. As you have already heard, the macro/super macro is awesome. If you can get your specimen to sit still, you can get some pretty great material. The movie macro is even pretty cool, but you have to stay at a consistant focal length or it gets blury. I recorded a wolf spider in pitch black and the l.e.d. lights around the lens made it look like a monster movie! One bad thing about the macro is that when set straight down on the subject it will focus and take the picture on something as flat as a leaf or picture.... if it protrudes as much as a dime width or more it won't stay focused. But when I pulled back just a hair the dime did look awsome. N-E-Wayz, It seems the closer you are to the subject with this camera the better it looks. A closer shot of two people, shoulders and up, look really good. But further away not so much. pictures of groups of people (full body) or the shot of a pond or a... cow...I say the camera is about par. Not bad but not great. I have tried the cybershot TX10 and if you strictly want waterproof picture quality go that way or panasonic. TX10 was beautiful but not as fun. Back to the WG-1. With par pics I do feel the camera is more consistant than its predesessor w90. Better with stand, free hand not as good..but always the same. Never a crappy picture out of nowhere. I also feel it does much better in lower light than the w90. It gets noisey but I was getting decent lighted shots (no flash) in areas that where very dim to the naked eye. The l.e.d. lights are handy, too. Optical zoom works pretty well for pictures. You'll want a steady hand or stand if zoomed all the way in. Digital zoom sucks. The panorama is not sweep. You take 3 pics and line them up, then the camera stitches them. Not as convinient as the TX10 but it looks good and you can do tricks...As for underwater. Pictures and video where pretty darn good. Anti shake or wudever made it pretty smooth. With video underwater or above the zoom works but it doesn't refocus very well. But over all regular video was better than I expected. Once again when things are close it seems very virbrant. I got about a foot from a cow's face and the fur on his head got very HiDef-ish. Battery life....sucks, but I got and extra generic one when I ordered mine for 6 bucks. Over-all I really love this camera. I've been totally entertained for 2 days and havn't even gotten to time lapse phtography yet. Although I do think of the pic quality of the TX10 now and then. I would have been bored with that camera after one dip in the lake. I can get a 10 mp zoom camera for less than a hundred and fill in anywhere the wg-1 lack.

By Dustin Geurts on April 20, 2011

Additional Accessories

DSTE® 2x D-Li109 Replacement Li-ion Battery for Pentax K-R K-30 K-50 K-500 KR K30 K50 K500 K-S1 K-S2 K-70 K-1 Camera

Fujifilm S9950W - 16MP Wi-Fi 50X Optical Zoom Full HD Video - (Certified Refurbished)

"You may kiss the bride." Your daughter's new life has just begun and you snapped a perfectly timed shot with this high-quality camera. Even better, you're able to share it immediately with, well ... everyone. Don't stop there. Zoom in for candid snapshots of the happy couple from across the room. Preserve the bouquet toss from start to finish in a burst of shots. When the moment's this magical, why wait to share your joy?

[ NOTE :  This Item is Certified Refurbished

This Certified Refurbished product is tested and certified by the manufacturer or by a third-party refurbisher to look and work like new, with limited to no signs of wear. The refurbishing process includes functionality testing, inspection, reconditioning and repackaging. The product ships with all relevant accessories, a minimum 90-day warranty, and may arrive in a generic white or brown box. Only select sellers who maintain a high performance bar may offer Certified Refurbished products on Amazon.]


FEATURE :

• This Certified Refurbished product is manufacturer refurbished, shows limited or no wear, and includes all original accessories plus a 90-day warranty.
• Quickly share photos and movies with smartphones or tablets - Upload photos to your computer with no cable required.
• 16.2MP CMOS sensor captures rich, vivid, high-resolution stills suitable for cropping or enlargement without sacrificing image quality or detail.
• 50X optical zoom lens captures incredible close-up detail - Shoot from a distance without losing track of your subject.
• Record HD video up to 720p/1080i - High-speed continuous shooting.

SOME OF THE SAMPLE CUSTOMER REVIEW FROM AMAZON :

1) I love this camera - I love this camera.. my husband bought me the 32 zoom one and it wasn't so great I returned it.. I saw a lot of great reviews on this one and I decided to give it a try.. I am very happy with the purchase and know that my children will have lots of great memories of them growing up because it has a few filters and great zoom the pictures come out very clear.

By Elsa E. on November 29, 2015

2) Love the camera - Love the camera. I would never have known it was refurbished. My only quibble is that the description said it came with all factory accessories, but it did not. I really regret that they didn't see fit to go the extra twenty-five cents and make sure all the accessories were included. Camera, yay! Fujifilm refurbishment packers, boo!

By Carla Pendergrass on December 19, 2015

Additional Accessories

BM Premium 2-Pack Of NP-FW50 Batteries & Charger for Sony DSC-RX10/B, DSC-RX10 II, DSC-RX10 III, Alpha A6300, Alpha 7, A7R, A7R II, A7S, A7S II, A7II, A3000, A5000, A5100, A6000, NEX-3, NEX-C3, NEX-F3K, NEX5, NEX5K, NEX5N, NEX5T, NEX6, NEX7, SLT-A33, SLT-A35, SLT-A37, SLT-A55, ILCE-QX1 Digital Camera

FUJIFILM FINEPIX S9950W 16.2MP Wi-Fi 50X OPTICAL ZOOM HD DIGITAL CAMERA S9900W

Comes with the original Fujifilm Certified Refurbished Box With Fuji's Original 90 Days Limited Warranty. Refurbished by the Manufacture themselves, by Fuji, not by seller or any other company Latest model (from the S9900W Series) SAME DAY SHIPPING !!! (or next business day if purchase after working hours.) 100% AUTHENTIC & GENUINE !!! What You Get: Camera Shoulder strap USB cable Software CD-ROM with Owners Manual on CD. FujiFilm Product Registration Form Manufacturer's 90 Days limited warranty. Wi-Fi sharing Quickly share photos and movies with smartphones or tablets, without the need for an ID or password Upload photos to your computer with no cable required Simply download the free Fujifilm Camera Application to your device Save photos and movies automatically from camera to computer with PC AutoSave 16.2MP CMOS sensor Capture rich, vivid, high-resolution stills suitable for cropping or enlargement without sacrificing image quality or detail 50X optical zoom lens Capture incredible close-up detail Shoot from a distance without losing track of your subject Record high-definition video Capture HD video up to 720p/1080i High-speed continuous shooting Capture up to 10 frames per second (for up to 10 shots) 5-axis image stabilization Helps minimize blur caused by camera shake or subject movement Combines two-axis optical image stabilization and three-axis electronics image stabilization ISO sensitivity up to 12,800 Offers improved image quality in low-light situations Motion Panorama 360 Capture breathtaking panorama shots up to 360 degrees Super Macro mode Capture extraordinarily close-up images in brilliant detail as close as 1cm from the lens More Features 920k-dot electronic viewfinder 460k-dot LCD screen High dynamic range capture 11 Advanced Filter effects.


FEATURE :

• This Certified Refurbished product is tested and certified by Fuji to look and work like new.
• 50X optical zoom lens, Capture incredible close-up detail, Shoot from a distance without losing track of your subject.
• High-speed continuous shooting Capture up to 10 frames per second (for up to 10 shots).
• 16.2MP CMOS sensor Capture rich, vivid, high-resolution stills suitable for cropping or enlargement without sacrificing image quality or detail.
• Wi-Fi sharing Quickly share photos and movies with smartphones or tablets, without the need for an ID or password Upload photos to your computer with no cable required . See details on pictures.

SOME OF THE SAMPLE CUSTOMER REVIEW FROM AMAZON :

1) GET ONE BEFORE THEY'RE GONE! - These Fujifilm FinePix cameras are all tried and true. I have been using them for years, this is my fourth upgrade of virtually the same camera. The WiFi compatibility feature is just icing on the cake. RUN don't walk to get one at this price while they're still available!

By Amazon Customer on March 28, 2016

2) It will do what I want. - Camera is smarter than I am. I have learned to take good photo's with it. Very satisfied with it.

By Rocky on July 18, 2016

Additional Accessories

ACMAXX 3.0" HARD LCD Screen ARMOR PROTECTOR for Sony cyber-shot DSC-RX10M3 RX10-III Mark3 camera

Samsung NX2000 20.3MP CMOS Smart WiFi Mirrorless Digital Camera with 20-50mm Lens and 3.7" Touch Screen LCD (White) (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

With the Samsung SMART CAMERA NX2000 you’re telling stories, not just taking pictures. Its ultra-sensitive 20.3MP APS-C CMOS Sensor allows you to create images full of detail with colors that fire up the imagination. The spacious 3.7” (93.8mm) WVGA touch screen gives you plenty of room to hone your craftsmanship, and variety of Smart Modes and manual controls make it ideal for photography enthusiasts like you.


FEATURE :

• 20.3MP CMOS Sensor.
• SMART features - Social Media Upload, E-mail, Direct Link, Mobile Link, PC Auto-backup, Remote Viewfinder, All share, Cloud Service.
• Hybrid Autofocus System.

SOME OF THE SAMPLE CUSTOMER REVIEW FROM AMAZON :

1) A very good mirrorless DSLR like compact camera - I have tested my new Samsung NX2000 for 2 weeks and its overall performance and picture quality is not bad, actually very good. I was shopping a DSLR like mirrorless compact camera that provide light weight, changeable lens and good picture quality camera. I have two choices either Sony NEX5T (just released this month) or the Samsung NX2000. Believe me, you won't find too much reviews and details info on the website because both cameras are new. Some info and spec I found on line actually was incorrect and the reviewers did not really done a hand on review. Most of them were just review the camera spec sheet and criticize its good and bad. I concluded Sony NEX5T is a better mirror less camera than NX2000 but its price tag still consider steep when adding up the optional lens, accessory flashlight. It will cost more than a grand. If budget is also a factor of consideration, the NX2000 can fit in perfectly. The NX bundle lens kit cost less than $800.

So far the operation and picture quality of the NX2000 are pretty good. Its APS-C sensor definitely can react to more lights. The high ISO performance is very good below 6400 without noise. It is still tolerable if higher than 6400. The noise reduction from this camera is very good. The contrast AF is not bad, believe me it is not fast but really not bad. The 8fps continue shoot was surprising fast and perfect for motion sport. 20-50mm kit lens without image stabilization performs pretty well and the 50-200mm zoom lens with OIS is excellent.
Pro:
Price fits budget buyer who wants good quality picture and changeable lens compact camera.
Easy and clear in camera menu and touch screen with less button (I consider less button is a pro but some user don't)
Fast 8fps continue shooting with high accuracy to catch the perfect moment.
Big APS-C sensor gives better quality pictures. Combines with the high ISO low noise reduction, this camera can shoot without flash.
Many optional Samsung lens to choose ( I prefer buying the 16mm wide angle lens too)
Con:
Contrast AF not Phase detection (the speed is still acceptable to me)
No optional EVF, it is very difficult to see the screen under sun light. Samsung, how can we take a good photo under the sun light when the LCD screen is totally invisible by the reflection. I think Samsung needs to consider an option EVF that can be attached to the hot shoe like Sony did on the NEX.
Battery life is also unacceptable. I highly suggest purchase 2 or 4 for back up and you need a aftermarket wall charger.

Update Oct 1 2013: After continue usage of this camera, I found out the LCD screen under the bright sun light is really a problem. Although I can adjust the LCD brighter to make it easier to see, it will drain the battery faster. Samsung really needs to make an optional EVF to attach it on the hotshoe as soon as possible. I don't mind to spend couple hundreds to buy an optional EVF for this camera but seems Samsung is not listening to the feedback of the consumers. No tilting LCD panel + no optional EVF made the outdoor bright light shooting not too much fun.

Update Dec 4 2014: When I keep using this camera everyday on street, indoor, outdoor sport and car show, this camera continues give me the good quality result. I have no idea why some people gave one or two stars on the review. Some said the price on Amazon is more expensive than Costco then gave one star to the product. It seems it is not fair to this product. Some complained the auto focus is slow, I know this camera doesn't have a super fast AF focus with phase detection, but the speed is not too bad at all. The point & shot cameras are no way to compare. Remember this camera is not P&S, it is a DSLR like mirrorless camera. If you don't know how to use the M,A,S,P mode and its setting, you either don't buy this camera or go to take a photography lesson. Because I am sure if you can't take good pictures with this camera, it is either your skill or haven't learned the full function of this camera.

By cutie19 on September 23, 2013

2) Samsung NX2000 20.3MP - I started with a Minolta SLR back in the early 70's, graduated to a Nikon SLR and a complete dark room. Did a lot of neat stuff "push-processing" film to increase the speed, then to color. Last 8 - 10 years a lot of digital gear, printing software and that was huge in terms of flexibility.

The Samsung NX2000 has exceeded my expectations, which is loaded with features you might expect to pay a much higher price for a much larger and heavier body. Some basic software (included in this purchase) and I was off and running. Very user friendly. 20 to 30 minutes with the manual and I was uploading to my iPad, Facebook and into files for storage. 15 year old grandson was able to do same with this camera.
Can not say enough about how user friendly this camera is.

By Paul R. (roadblock) on January 3, 2014

Additional Accessories

Must Have Accessory Kit For Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V, DSC-TF1, DSC-TX30 Waterproof Digital Camera Includes Replacement NP-BN1 Battery + Ac/Dc Charger + Micro HDMI Cable + Float Strap + Case + More

Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 16.3MP CMOS with 21x Optical Zoom and 4.8" Touch Screen LCD (WiFi and NFC- White) (Certified Refurbished)

The white Samsung GC200 Galaxy Camera 2 is a Wi-Fi enabled 16.3 megapixel digital camera that runs the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system. This provides the ability to utilize Android apps available through Google Play. The camera also features a 21x optical zoom f/2.8-5.9 lens with a 35mm equivalent focal length of 23-483mm and optical image stabilization The Galaxy Camera 2 also has the ability to capture full HD 1920 x 1080 video at up to 30 frames per second with a variety of effects. All of this processing is handled by a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM. This allows the camera to run apps and process images smoothly. For changing settings and shooting there is a 4.8" Super Clear Touch LCD screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720. This gives it a similar interface to those commonly found on smartphones, ideal for working with the Android operating system and running applications. This information is stored within the 8GB of internal memory, which is capable of being expanded up to 64GB with the use of a microSDXC card. Taking pictures can be supplemented by the use of a built-in pop-up Xenon flash. This features numerous red-eye reduction and automatic firing modes for the best shot in any condition. Additionally, this camera has a wide range of connectivity features, including Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, and NFC for ensuring fast and secure connections to your other devices.


FEATURE :

• This Certified Refurbished product is tested and certified to look and work like new. The product ships with all relevant accessories, a minimum 90-day warranty. Only select sellers who maintain a high performance bar may offer Certified Refurbished products on Amazon.com
• Wi-Fi with Android 4.3 (Jellybean) for access to Apps and sharing on the go.
• SMART features - Social Media Upload, E-mail, Photo beam, Direct Link, Mobile Link, PC Auto-backup, Remote Viewfinder, All Share.
• 4.8" HD Super Clear Display - Huge Screen for crisp and beautiful previews and playback.
• 21x Optical Zoom for great shots up front or from a distance 1080p HD Video.

Additional Accessories

rooCASE EVA Hard Shell (Black) Carrying Case with Memory Foam for Samsung ST700 DualView Digital Camera

Lytro Light Field Camera, 16GB, Red Hot

The Lytro camera is the first consumer camera that records the entire light field-all the rays of light traveling in every direction through a scene-instead of a flat 2D image. Shoot first, focus later By capturing the light field, you can do incredible things. Like refocus pictures after you take them. This also means that the Lytro camera has no autofocus-and none of the shutter delay that comes with it. Do more than tell a story. Recreate it. Refocus to discover new elements within the scene and move the picture in any direction to change your point of view with Perspective Shift. Use Living Filters to create a unique look. Now every picture you take is a chance to tell a new kind of story. Grip Made from precision-tooled silicone, the grip is easy to hold. Shutter Button The Lytro camera has no auto-focus - and none of the shutter delay that comes with it. Lens An 8x optical zoom lens with a constant f/2 aperture offers a wide range of creative shots. Touchscreen You control most of the camera functions with a tap or a swipe. And the backlit display lets you compose, review, and refocus your pictures. Light field sensor We joined a micro-lens array to a digital image sensor to capture the color, intensity, and direction of light entering the camera - 11 million light rays to be precise. Light field engine The light field engine processes the light rays captured by the sensor, so you can view pictures on the screen and refocus them with a tap. Battery Long-life Li-Ion internal battery lets you continue shooting without having to stop for a charge. Shop Amazon - Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo


FEATURE :

• 16GB storage captures 750 living pictures.
• 8x optical zoom lens with constant f/2 aperture offers a wide range of creative shots.
• Unique micro-lens array with digital image sensor captures the color, intensity, and direction of light entering the camera.
• Light field engine processes the four-dimensional data captured by the sensor, so you can view it on the screen and refocus with a tap.
• 1.52" back-lit LCD glass touchscreen display allows you to control most of the camera functions with a tap or a swipe.

SOME OF THE SAMPLE CUSTOMER REVIEW FROM AMAZON :

1) A great new photo technology, but not for everyone! So do your research! - I've owned a Lytro for about 5-6 months now, after eagerly pre-ordering it last October. I am big into taking pictures of my 2 kids (4 and 6) and am starting to do more photos of insects, birds, nature stuff I notice... I am not anywhere near a "professional" photographer, or even a very proficient. I take a lof of pictures with Canon sx230HS, but I got very impressed with the new opportunities when I read about LYTRO technology. The ability to refocus, hence have "multiple pictures in one", the possibility to unlock new possibilities with the future software releases (like 3D, "allinfocus"), as well as adding functionality to the camera with firmware updates, like just added manual settings mode - the technology seemed very exciting. This is something that has never been done before.

I do get frustrated sometimes with the light glare on the LCD, and the inability to really evaluate the images on the camera due to the small LCD. Also the processing time required on a PC can be annoying at times... but this is a new way of thinking and an opportunity to be a part of something groundbreaking.
The quality of pictures, as compared to digital photography of even point-and-shoot cameras, is certainly not there, as you can only get a static image of 1080x1080.. but that is NOT the point of LYTRO.. The point of it is to "tell a story in a different way". Once you get over that and actually think in the way Lytro enables you too, the fact that the images can be shared only through Lytro's website (which you get access to, and storage on, when you get the camera), as well as the "insufficient" megapixels, and noticeable grain in the images when lighting is not perfect... that all dissolves when you adjust your thinking - but only then. It's really not even about the initial "wow" effect of the abilities of the camera.. it's more about the "image revolution" that this device may create in the photography world.
I am actually learning about photography and becoming more interested in it because of this camera.
Being able to take part in few Beta evaluations for Lytro was quite an experience as well.. and simply keeps showing me that comparing it to, or attempting to replace a current camera with this one, is not the goal here.. Which seems to confuse a lot of users who were considering or even ordered the camera and then decided to return it due to image quality or just not meeting their expectations...
Also realize you HAVE to have a MAC with certain level of OS or a Windows7 64bit PC to use the software. The memory is not expandable, the battery not replaceable... cannot attach filters and lenses "as is". There are more and more accessories, like a tripod mount, wall charger, people have made "LED lights" for it... so the market "around it" is growing.
So make sure and look through Lytro's web site - support forums, knowledge articles, how tos, galleries, whether Lytro is right for you! But, if you decide you want to try it, you will probably not be disappointed. If however the photo size and the quality are huge for you - hold off till the future hardware releases - in case they do manage to put a larger CCD in there and add other hardware improvements.
Definitely DO NOT buy it blindly only reading the Amazon description and specs.. that will not give you the full picture of what you are getting and may skewed your expectations big time!
Oh, and if you get it, prepare for a relatively high learning curve.. that goes for the way of thinking even more than the actual skill to use the camera in a "technical" sense of the world... although, that is a part of it too ;)
I hope this review is helpful to you, and that if you do get the camera - you will enjoy it!
Happy decision making and have fun if you get it!

By Grzegorz Tokarski on October 10, 2012

2) Amazing, but with one small problem - When I read about the Lytro its coolness factor made it a "must have" addition to my hobbiest photo bag. As another reviewer pointed out, when you point this red rectangle at subjects in public you attract attention. The non-photographers glaze over quickly -- it's often difficult to see the refocusing effect on the viewfinder, and they just don't get it. But I've also heard "you mean the light field camera exists? I thought it was just theory!" and "you've got one! Can I see it?"

The Lytro is not an easy camera to be successful with. Go skim the public gallery at [...] and be amazed at the depth-of-field tricks. Then try to duplicate those fantastic images. Keep trying. Try different subjects. As someone else said, you have to change your composition thought process for this camera. You have to look at everything, and look for contrasts. My impulse is to shoot rows of similar things -- a row of terra cotta warrior statues, a bush covered in flowers. But many of the more striking images are of contrast -- the thing in the foreground provides commentary on the surprising thing in the distance, once you refocus. That kind of composition is much harder. Also, what about the lighting conditions? When it's bright, the Lytro can capture everything in sharp focus at once -- at least that's my experience.

Originally in this review I had said that you can't export your images to a common, "flat" format. It turns out you can: In the desktop software (not on the Lytro web site), pick a focal point in an image, return to the library view, and right click to select Export JPG. Unfortunately, the resulting image is not very big -- about 3.5 x 3.5 inches at 300 dpi. You won't be able to make a big, beautiful print to frame. But it's suitable for social media and email.

So what's the problem? You're going to lose the lens cap. It's this totally cool magnetized rubber square that falls off at the slightest nudge. An A+ for sleek design. An F for utility. Check the support forums -- you'll see that so many early buyers complained of this, Lytro sent out free replacements. Lytro says they'll do a redesign, but we early buyers can try a piece of duct tape along the bottom edge of the cap folded onto the camera. Then it can flap down for shooting. Effective, if ugly. Or put a lens cap leash on it (and use some extra strong glue, because the stick-um comes detached from the rubber).

That negativity out of the way, I'll conclude that I love this thing for making me look at things differently. It's always with me, even when I leave the big Nikon behind.

By S. M. McCroskey on October 26, 2012

Additional Accessories

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III High Grade Multi-Coated, Multi-Threaded, 3 Piece Lens Filter Kit (72mm) Made By Optics + Nw Direct Microfiber Cleaning Cloth.