optio wg1

Not a happy bunny...... got an optio wg1 and only use it for underwater pics on holidays.....used it 5 times was pleased with it.... until.... it would not fire up!!! only way to get it to work was to put slight pressure on the battery compartment... so sent it to johnsons photopia for repair... bearing in mind this camera is not yet 2 years old!!!! got a reply back... seals are all ok... but has water damage!!!!!!!!!!!no way!!!!and to add insult to injury they tell me the repair/ replacement would cost £158....seeing as I can buy a later model for less this really miffed me off.....is it too much to ask for a Pentax to last more than 2 years with such minimal use......I await a reply from The responsible department as they put it................watch this space.....

i would expect at least 5 years min.......
pentax says in add "Optio WG-1 definitely stands for the ideal choice for those active photographers who shoot pictures in demanding outdoor conditions, thanks to its tough construction" so would expect more use than 5 times..Waterproof to 10 meters so might you think pentax might think at some point it might get wet after all upto 10 meters in water .... Now here is the point claims" WATERPROOF " not weather resistant....
Shockproof to 1.5 meters coldproof to -10°C crushproof to 100kg..
Might think johnsons photopia would know that it is waterproof ... so there should be no
water damage .... I would speak to trading standards as well....

Welcome to the site. I hope you get a satisfactory resolution. It must be almost inevitable that some consumer-grade underwater cameras (in particular) will malfunction. However annoying, to the individual who has such a faulty camera, it may be just one of those things. If the camera has been treated well (as I'm sure yours has), you might reasonably hope for some understanding - though it's a puzzle that the seals are intact yet water got in. Col55.. suggests trading standards. that's extreme at this point.

Hello and welcome to the forum, hope you get your camera sorted soon

I would pursue it further. The only possible get-out clause is the one we all (me too) ignore that tells us that seals should be serviced every 12 months to guarantee the camera stays waterproof. This also applies to waterproof watches.

Just go back to JPS and/or Pentax and see what they will do. If the seals are OK, then any water damage must arguably be a fault.

Your experience may not be that unusual. I am on my third 'tough' waterproof shockproof compact (various brands - none of them Pentax). The longest any of them has managed was 3 years before becoming faulty and I don't think I treat them badly - just routine holiday use. I now view this type of camera as a disposable holiday accessory - use until it breaks then throw away.

Thanks all for comments,still waiting for Pentax to get back to me.....

Expect a good wait, i think they take there time...