Digital Home Thoughts: Pentax Introduces Rugged Option WG-1 and Special Edition K-5

Pentax has announced a new camera rugged Optio line, the Optio WG-1. The WG-1 has two models, one with GPS and one without, but are otherwise the same camera. The WG-1 has by now a pretty basic set of features, including a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, 28-140mm equivalent zoom lens with no stated aperture range, 2.7" QVGA LCD, 720p video at 30 FPS, and of course, a body that is waterproof to 33 feet/100m, shockproof from 5 feet/1.5m, crushproof to 220 lbs/100kg, freezeproof to 14F/-10C, and dustproof to boot. Oh, and see those white spots around the lens? Those are LEDs to light up the subject when in macro mode. The WG-1 will be available in April, with the GPS version priced at US$400, and the non-GPS version priced at US$349.

Also announced is a special K-5 edition, clad in a silver colour, and ships with a special edition of the 40mm f/2.8 DA Limited lens. Is it me or is Pentax starting to go down the Leica route with all these funny special editions? Picture of the K-5 after the break.