Kenko Tokina Turns Back the Clock with $125 Waterproof Point-and-Shoot

Jul 17, 2023

Kenko Tokina is bringing back the affordable point-and-shoot with its new, $125, underwater KC-WP06 camera. It combines classic features like a 25.5mm equivalent lens and an 8-megapixel sensor with a more modern front-facing LCD.

The compact camera is a blast from the past and is marketed for use both indoors and outdoors. Outside of the aforementioned front-facing LCD for selfies and a few built-in software features, the camera sports hardware that would have been state-of-the-art almost two decades ago.

The Kenko Tokina KC-WP06 features a wide-angle 25.5mm f/2.2 prime lens (equivalent to a 35mm camera) in front of a paltry 8-megapixel sensor (a Type 1/3.2 CMOS) that’s good enough for HD video capture but is well below the standard found in modern smartphones. It does bring some weather resistance to the table, however, and is rated IP58 — good enough for moderate dust protection and water resistance that allows for full submersion as deep as three meters for up to 30 minutes.

The camera also sports some level of close-focusing and is able to shoot subjects that are as close as 10 centimeters away (about 3.9 inches).

Kenko Tokina point and shoot

The LCD display on the rear of the camera measures 2.8 inches across while the front-facing display is a smaller 1.5-inch monitor. The camera captures JPEGs and MJPEG (AVI) video to a microSD card and the KC-WP06 supports up to 128GB capacity. It features shutter speeds as fast as 1/8000 second and ISO sensitivity of 100, 200, and 400. The camera has electronic stabilization as well (likely at the cost of what little resolution is available).

From a features standpoint, Kenko Tokina promises autofocus that can track moving subjects, timelapse functionalitiy, slow motion video capability, and of course, underwater photography. The KC-WP06 can also be used as a webcam and connects to a computer via a USB2.0 cable.

Photo that is marketed as though it were captured with the WC-WP06. Of note, it is not in focus, has blown highlights, and was — perhaps most importantly — not captured with the KC-WP06. Kenko Tokina does note that the images aren’t supposed to be indicative of what the camera can capture.

While the camera is incredibly affordable at 17,490 yen (about $125), outside of the front-facing LCD, timelapse and stabilization features, and the use of a CMOS sensor, most of what the KC-WP06 offers looks remarkably similar to what was common to find in cameras from the early 2000s, such as the Pentax Optio W10 or WP cameras. That is to say, it’s not a camera that is breaking new ground.

Additionally, while browsing Kenko Tokina’s product page, be aware that the photos therein aren’t indicative of actual results — Kenko Tokina says as much on the product page. The images are designed to be for reference.

Kenko Tokina’s KC-WP06 point-and-shoot camera appears to only be available in Japan at the time of publication.

Image credits: Kenko Tokina