Pentax W90 Review

Name: Pentax Optio W90
Brand: Pentax

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Main Features

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens

2.70" Fixed Type Screen

1.0fps continuous shooting

164g. 108 x 59 x 25 mm

Weather Sealed Body

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Pentax W90 Overview

Launched in February 2010 , Pentax Optio W90 is a 12.0MP Waterproof camera with a 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor, weather sealed body and 5.0x zoom 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 lens.

Pentax W90 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Pentax W90 is a member of Pentax's Waterproof class cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this class and how their main specs have changed with each new model.

Pentax Waterproof Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Pentax WG-3 GPS Compare	2013	16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	fps	125 x 64 x 33mm	238g
Pentax WG-3 Compare	2013	16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	10.0 fps	124 x 64 x 33mm	230g
Pentax WG-10 Compare	2013	14.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	0.7 fps	116 x 59 x 29 mmmm	167g
Pentax WG-2 Compare	2012	16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	1.0 fps	122 x 61 x 30mm	192g
Pentax WG-2 GPS Compare	2012	16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	1.0 fps	122 x 61 x 30mm	198g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side by side:
Pentax WG-3 GPS vs WG-3 vs WG-10 vs WG-2 vs WG-2 GPS

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Pentax W90 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Pentax W90 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Water Proof

Shock Proof

Freeze Proof

164g Light Body

Manual Focusing

Environmental Sealing

26.7 MB Internal Storage

Timelapse Recording

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Buy Pentax W90 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No External Flash Shoe

No Full HD Video

No Touch Screen

No Built-in Viewfinder

No RAW Shooting

No Face Detection Focusing

Low Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP

Only 9 Focus Points

Small LCD Screen ( 2.70")

Low Screen Resolution ( 230kdots )

1/1500s Low Max Shutter Speed

Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps

No Manual Exposure

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.50

Slow Lens at Tele: f5.50

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Pentax W90 Physical Specs

Pentax W90 weighs 164 g (0.36 lb / 5.78 oz) and has external dimensions of 108 x 59 x 25 mm (4.25 x 2.32 x 0.98″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 25mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Pentax W90

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Pentax W90

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Pentax W90 with the dimensions:

Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Pentax W90 Camera Body

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Pentax W90, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Pentax W90 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Pentax W90 with its main competitors:

Pentax W90 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs W90	Thickness	vs W90
Pentax W60 Compare	165g	1g heavier	25mm	equal thickness
Pentax W80 Compare	156g	8g lighter	25mm	equal thickness
Olympus TG-6 Compare	253g	89g heavier	32mm	7mm thicker
Pentax WG-2 Compare	192g	28g heavier	30mm	5mm thicker
Pentax WG-3 Compare	230g	66g heavier	33mm	8mm thicker
Olympus TG-4 Compare	247g	83g heavier	31mm	6mm thicker
Pentax WG-1 Compare	157g	7g lighter	28mm	3mm thicker
Fujifilm X100F Compare	469g	305g heavier	52mm	27mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Pentax W90 has environmental sealings (waterproof, shockproof, dustproof, freezeproof)

Pentax W90 Lens

Pentax W90 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 28mm and 140mm reach on tele gives a lot of flexibility and satisfy most of your needs.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

W90

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

W90

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

With a max aperture of f3.50 at 28mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end and neither at tele end with its f5.50.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

W90

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

W90

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Pentax W90's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Pentax W90 Sensor and Photography Features

Pentax W90 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Prime processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4000 x 3000 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. W90 has a native ISO range of 80 - 6400 but unfortunately, Pentax W90 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider or in the same price range.

Pentax W90 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. GoPro Hero11 Black with its 27.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Pentax W90 vs GoPro Hero11 Black or take a look at Highest resolution Waterproof cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Pentax W90's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Pentax W90 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Pentax W90 LCD

Pentax W90 has a Fixed Type 2.70-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. At only 2.70", the screen is on the smaller side and 230kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

Unfortunately Pentax Optio W90 doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Waterproof Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.

W90 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder.

Pentax W90 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Pentax W90 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

Pentax W90 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Pentax W60 Compare	1280 x 720	shots	No	No	No
Pentax W80 Compare	1280 x 720	shots	No	No	No
Olympus TG-6 Compare	3840 x 2160	340shots	Yes	No	No
Pentax WG-2 Compare	1920 x 1080	260shots	No	No	No
Pentax WG-3 Compare	1920 x 1080	240shots	No	No	No
Olympus TG-4 Compare	1920 x 1080	380shots	Yes	No	No
Pentax WG-1 Compare	1280 x 720	260shots	No	No	No
Fujifilm X100F Compare	1920 x 1080	390shots	Yes	No	No

Pentax W90 Video Features

With Pentax W90, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1280 x 720 at 30,15 fps and save in and Motion JPEG formats. 1280 x 720 is a low video resolution by todays standards. If video quality is important for you, we recommend you to look at cameras with Full HD, even better 4K / Ultra-HD resolution .

Microphones, Speaker and Headphone Connections

Pentax Optio W90 has a built-in Mono microphone and a None speaker. On the other hand, Pentax W90 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider or in a similar price range.

Pentax W90 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Pentax W90 can shoot continuously at max speed of 1 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/1500 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately W90 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing

Pentax W90 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.

What type of Photography is Pentax W90 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Pentax W90 in 5 different photography areas.

Pentax W90 for Portrait Photography

Pentax W90 has a score of 15 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Waterproof Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theW90.

Manual Focus Mode

Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP

Read the details of how we scored Pentax W90 for Portrait Photography

Pentax W90 for Street Photography

Pentax W90 has a score of 36 for Street Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Street We strongly recommend you to check our Top Waterproof Cameras for Street Photography list and consider these alternatives over theW90.

Manual Focus Mode
Live-view

28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small Body

Read the details of how we scored Pentax W90 for Street Photography

Pentax W90 for Sports Photography

Pentax W90 has a score of 19 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Waterproof Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theW90.

Environmental Sealings
Manual Focus Mode

140 mm Tele Lens

Read the details of how we scored Pentax W90 for Sports Photography

Pentax W90 for Daily Photography

Pentax W90 has a score of 46 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Waterproof Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Compact Body
164g

Environmental Sealings
5.0X Optical Zoom

Read the details of how we scored Pentax W90 for Daily Photography

Pentax W90 for Landscape Photography

Pentax W90 has a score of 22 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Waterproof Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theW90.

Manual Focus Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

Environmental Sealings
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP

Read the details of how we scored Pentax W90 for Landscape Photography

Pentax W90 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Pentax W90 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Pentax W90 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Pentax W90

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Pentax W90 amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Pentax W90 Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Pentax W90 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Pentax W90's price range.

Pentax W90 Conclusion and Scores

Currently, Pentax W90 has an Overall Score of 36/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Pentax Optio W90 is ranked #250 out of 631 in Compact cameras (Top 20 Waterproof), and ranked #835 out of 1259 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

#835 out of 1259 in Top Ranking Cameras
#250 out of 631 in Top Ranking Waterproof Cameras
#63 out of 76 in Top Ranking Waterproof Cameras
#330 out of 740 in Top Ranking Small Sensor Sensor Cameras
#13 out of 76 in Lightest Waterproof Cameras with Small Sensor sensor(164g)
#512 out of 918 in Top Ranking Cameras with Fixed Type Screen
Geek Score: 0

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Frequently Asked Questions about Pentax W90

Does the Pentax W90 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Pentax W90 have RAW support?
Does the Pentax W90 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Pentax W90 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Pentax W90?
What is the Sensor Size of Pentax W90?
is the Pentax W90 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Pentax W90 have Touch Screen?
Does the Pentax W90 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Pentax W90?
What is the Weight of Pentax W90?
What are the Dimensions of Pentax W90?

Pentax Optio W90 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Pentax
Model	Pentax Optio W90
Announced	2010-02-24
Body Type	Compact
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Number of Lenses
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.5
Macro Focus Range	1cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	2.70"
Screen Resolution	230k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	4s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/1500s
Max Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	n/a
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.90 m
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Soft
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CCD
Sensor Size	1/2.3-inch
Sensor Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Sensor Area	28.07mm²
Sensor Resolution	12 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4000 x 3000
Max Native ISO	6,400
Min Native ISO	80
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1280 x 720 (30, 15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	164g
Physical Dimensions	108 x 59 x 25mm
Battery Model	D-LI68
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC card, Internal
Storage Slots	1