Pentax Espio W

The Pentax Espio W is a snapshot camera. It was manufactured by Pentax and presented in the 90s. The model was also available on the market under the name “Pentax IQZoom 28-W“.

A fixed lens is installed in the 35 mm camera. A zoom lens with a range of 28 mm – 56 mm was developed. The maximum aperture is f/4.5 (28 mm) or f/5.6 (56 mm). You don’t have to focus by hand with the Pentax Espio W. The camera has an autofocus. The minimum distance to the subject is 150 cm.

Photography is made easier by the built-in light meter. The exposure meter is designed for 35mm film from ISO 25 to ISO 3200. The camera reads the ISO value via the DX code on the cartridge. There are different exposure modes to choose from.

A bulb mode is available for long exposures. The shutter remains open as desired. The maximum exposure time in this mode is 10 minutes.

A built-in flash is available for low-light shooting. At ISO 100, the range is 0.5 meters – 2.5 meters. The Pentax Espio W has a self-timer and a tripod thread.

At a weight of 265 grams the size of the Pentax Espio W is 12,5 x 6,9 x 4 cm. The power supply comes from one CR 123A battery (eBay / Amazon*).

Films for the Pentax Espio W

The Pentax Espio W needs photo film, more precisely 35mm film. 35mm films are still being produced and are developed by most photo laboratories without any problems. A color film for 35mm camera is the Agfaphoto Vista 200*. A possible film for black-and-white images is the Kodak T-Max 100*.

The color film is processed in the C-41 development process. This is offered by almost every photo lab. The B/W film needs to be developed in a black and white developer.

The Pentax Espio W exposes an area of 24 mm x 36 mm. A 135-36 film can hold at least 36 shots. The film is automatically transported by the camera.

Today you can buy the Pentax Espio W only in used condition. The condition determine mainly the price for the camera today. The value should be around a couple of bucks.