The Pentax Optio W60 is a ruggedized, waterproof model meant for the ski slopes, the pool and other spots where digital cameras ordinarily fear to tread. The W60 is small and attractive, available with a silver finish or a distinctive turquoise front panel we far prefer. Although it doesn't impress much from a purely photographic perspective, with a fairly pedestrian set of features, the W60 does effectively tackle situations you’d ordinarily never get to photograph, and the $250 price seems reasonable for a waterproof camera.

The W60 is easy to hold with one or both hands. The shutter button sits on the top but, unlike most cameras, there's no zoom control nearby. Instead, the zoom controls are found on the camera back and are a bit fiddly to use, consisting of two small buttons at the top right. Below the zoom buttons are a typical 4-way control and some surrounding buttons. There's no convenient mode dial on the W60, so you'll have to use the  menu system to change between camera functions. In fact, a journey through the menu system is required to make almost any adjustment on this camera, an annoyance for those who like to mess around with the settings (though steadfast point-and-shooters will appreciate the simple control layout). To the left of the controls is a typical 2.5-inch LCD display.

The Optio W60 offers users three different automatic modes. One works by analyzing the scene and trying to match it up with an appropriate scene mode (portrait, landscape, sport, etc.). There is also what Pentax calls “Green Mode,” which is basically the typical full auto setting found on most point-and-shoots. There is also Program mode, which has the camera set aperture and shutter speed automatically but lets the user adjust image size, flash mode and other settings manually. The W60 does not offer any advanced manual controls like aperture-priority or shutter-priority mode. There are twenty-two scene modes, though, including a couple of underwater modes, where the user chooses a preset that matches the situation at hand and the camera applies appropriate settings,
 
The Pentax Optio W60's lens offers a 5x zoom, which is a nice range for a small point-and-shoot camera. We were less impressed with the maximum aperture of f/3.5, high enough to reduce shutter speeds when shooting at medium illumination levels and encourage motion blur. ISO, which controls the camera’s light sensitivity, ranges from an unusually low ISO 50 (handy for shooting in bright sunshine) up to 1600. There are a typical set of white balance presets and also the option to set a manual white balance for more precise control. The W60 can also capture video, with a high-def option at 720p, although this setting has a disappointingly low frame rate of fifteen frames per second.

The Optio W60's signature feature, of course, is the waterproofing and rugged build. The W60 can take photos up to 24 feet underwater and can certainly shrug off rain and snow. It is also able to handle temperatures down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it a good choice for taking out on the slopes. Finally it's protected against dirt, sand and dust.

Performance (read in-depth lab performance at Digitalcamerainfo.com)
The Pentax Optio W60 did a solid, if at times unspectacular, job in our tests. Color accuracy was adequate, but could have been better, particularly in reproducing shades of blue. Resolution was about average for a camera in this price range. Dynamic range, which measures how well a camera can handle a scene with both very bright and very dark areas, was reasonable at lower ISO settings, but fell off rapidly as ISO increased. This is a concern, as we found that in automatic ISO mode the camera consistently choose very high settings. We were very happy with image  noise performance. Noise is the small random speckling that occurs in digital photos, particularly in solid-color areas and significant enlargements, and the W60 kept this phenomenon under control at a range of ISO settings. White balance performance was generally good, especially when you pick the appropriate white balance preset from the menu. In automatic mode the W60 struggled with incandescent and fluorescent lighting, not uncommon with small point and shoot cameras.

Comparisons (read in-depth comparisons at Digitalcamerainfo.com)
The Pentax Optio W60 is targeted at users who want to take a camera into challenging situations like the beach or the ski slopes. For this audience the W60 is probably a solid choice as it offers reasonable image quality while living up to its rugged promises. That said, the relatively shallow 13-foot depth of the underwater features means it's not a good choice for divers, who should consider the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW, which can handle depths up to 33 feet. Those who take their cameras into particularly dangerous situations may also want to opt for the latter camera as it can handle drops of about six feet and 220 pounds of pressure as well. For the typical weekend warrior, however, the W60 offers better image quality and greater portability at a lower price.