|
|
To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu
-------------------------------------------------------------- This story was printed from ZDNet Australia. --------------------------------------------------------------
|
Point, shoot and save: 8 budget cameras tested By Alex Kidman, 0 March 28, 2003 URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/reviews/coolgear/cameras/soa/Point-shoot-and-save-8-budget-cameras-tested/0,139023377,120273223,00.htm
Want to get into digital photography, but find your funds lacking? We assess the best budget point-and-shoot cameras to sort the deals from the duds. The problem with making predictions in the IT consumer space is that you can relatively quickly be proven wrong. Take, for example, the statement in this commentary that budget digital cameras are, to a man, awful. That was true at the time, but, as we discovered testing eight different digital cameras in the sub-AU$500 space, it's not necessarily true any more. As digital cameras have become more mainstream, and as sales have picked up, it's become easier than ever to get into digital photography. Easy, however, doesn't automatically mean that it's simple to make the right investment; just because a digital camera looks like a good investment doesn't mean that it will be.
Having said that, there are still a number of very solid reasons to get into digital photography at the cheaper end of the market. If you're only an average photographer at the best of times, the shoot and delete nature of digital photography is not only very handy, it's also something of a money saver. While you won't get the kind of results a high-end photographer might insist upon, most budget digital cameras are quite well suited to normal everyday consumer tasks, especially if you don't need every last shot printed. Entering into digital photography also gives you entry into the world of digitally altering photographs, either for the purposes of enhancement or to change photographic subject matter altogether. All of the digital cameras we've reviewed here came in with one specific proviso; they had to be ready to go, out of the box, for less than AU$500. We've reviewed seven cameras ranging in price from AU$199 to AU$449 from a variety of vendors, although there are still other options open to you. FujiFilm Finepix A202
The A202 is a short and stubby little camera that bears a resemblance to most normal 35mm cameras. It's got an odd mixture of switches and dials; the on/off switch is on the top along with a dial for selecting picture, video and review modes that encircles the shutter button. On the back are buttons for accessing the menu, focus and zoom, as well as a relatively small preview LCD. The A202 works from 2 standard AA batteries. The A202 is relatively unremarkable in use, but that's pretty much par for the course at this price point. Novices might find the menu system a little confusing initially, as it mostly relies on symbols for its various settings. Given that the menu itself comes up in a specially coloured bubble, it wouldn't have taken much work to include text tags as well. The A202's test shots were decent but a little dark compared to the average. The camera handles motion about as well as any other in our roundup, but we did find that close shots tended towards the blurry more often with the A202. On a camera with no adjustable focus, of course, there's no way to manually fix that. The A202 only offers a 2.5x digital zoom capability. As we've noted before, digital zoom is next to useless unless you just want digital binoculars; you'll nearly always get better shots by not zooming in and just blowing up the shot in a decent photo editing package. There's no external dock possibility, although you can buy a battery recharger. Uploading of images is managed via a very standard USB cable. The A202 is a decent camera in a highly competitive field. At an RRP of AU$375, though, cheaper alternatives are available with just as much grunt and better picture-taking capability.
FujiFilm A202
FujiFilm Slimshot
The Slimshot is a concept camera designed more for the consumer who wants a nifty gadget than anyone who's actually keen on digital photography per se. Having said that, it is at least honest in its packaging; it carefully notes that the pictures taken with the Slimshot are only really suitable for email and web use; it even goes as far as saying that it's not suitable for photo prints. If all you want is the ability to take simple shots and impress people at the same time, the Slimshot does have a few tricks up its sleeve. Without a doubt, the main hook for the Slimshot is that it lives up to its title. It's the slimmest DSC we've ever seen; a logo on the front of the box proclaims it the world's thinnest. It's the size of a credit card, and not much thicker either. From a technical perspective, the Slimshot is the lowest powered of any of the cameras we've looked at here, although that's slightly mitigated by the fact that it's also the cheapest at AU$199. 640x480 is the best resolution you can expect from the Slimshot's 0.3 megapixel CCD, although that smaller size does mean you get more pictures from the internal 8MB of memory. Given its minute physical form factor, there's no way to expand the memory. We did like the fact that you don't have to rely on cell batteries for the Slimshot; it recharges via USB while images are uploading. From a software side, the Slimshot has a slim offering. Slimshot Photo Album runs the camera driver and ArcSoft PhotoImpression 3.0 allows you to tweak your tiny photos to an acceptable standard. Our test photos from the Slimshot weren't terribly impressive, although they were decent for what is, after all, a 0.3 Megapixel camera. To put that in perspective, the Kodak CX4300 has ten times the resolution of the Slimshot, so we weren't expecting miracles. If all you are ever going to want a camera for is to post images in email and on the web, then the Slimshot's acceptable. If your aspirations go further, however, you should look elsewhere.
FujiFilm Slimshot
HP PhotoSmart 320
Like the more expensive PhotoSmart 620, the PhotoSmart 320 has dropped in price since we first reviewed it, although it would have (just) made it into our sub-AU$500 category at its original price of AU$499. Like the PhotoSmart 620, it's a 2.1 Megapixel camera that runs off 4 AA batteries or via rechargeable batteries that come with the HP PhotoSmart Camera dock (AU$179), and it shares the same layout of buttons and slightly odd menu selection processes. Like the PhotoSmart 620, the PhotoSmart 320 runs via HP's supplied Director application, which provides simple access to printing and previewing functions; again a more robust photo editing package would be needed for anything more complex. For what it's worth, the PhotoSmart 320 is a touch smaller than the bulky 620, making it a more attractive proposition if you need to quickly stow it for travelling purposes. While it shares the same 2.1 megapixel resolution with its more expensive brethren, we found that shot quality on the PhotoSmart 320 was markedly worse, especially in lower quality modes where a lot of digital artefacts showed up. At higher quality settings this problem does lessen remarkably. In our tests, though, we had fewer flash problems with indoor shots than with the PhotoSmart 620. The PhotoSmart 320 isn't a bad camera for the money; it's the second cheapest of our full size cameras, behind the Kodak CX4200 and the very small gadgety FujiFilm Slimshot. It is, however, beaten out by the cheaper Kodak, which has the same specifications and twice the memory on board.
HP PhotoSmart 320
HP Photosmart 620
HP's Photosmart 620 is a solid digital camera that's had an equally solid price drop since we initially reviewed it back in September last year. It's a solid contender in the pack of digital cameras we've reviewed here, but ongoing battery issues and a price that's still a touch high keep it just clear of the awards pack. Like much of HP's digital imaging technology, the PhotoSmart 620 is controlled via HP's Director application, and it's that that you must install prior to setting up the PhotoSmart 620. Like Kodak's very similar EasyShare software, the accent is on photo printing more than on real photo manipulation; we'd recommend a package along the lines of Photoshop Elements for anyone looking to do some proper photo manipulation. Still, if all you want is to lay out some photos on an A4 sheet, Director does a good job. From a technical perspective, the PhotoSmart 620 is similar to the cheaper PhotoSmart 320; it's also a 2.1 megapixel camera with only 8MB of onboard memory that runs off AA batteries. If you want to use approved rechargeables, you'll need to lay out an additional AU$179 for the HP Photosmart Camera dock. Given that the Photosmart 620 runs off a whopping four AA batteries, that may not be a bad step; the price of going through AA batteries is likely to rise quickly the more you use this particular camera. The factor that sets the 620 apart from the 320 is the 3x optical zoom. The Photosmart 620 is one of only two cameras we tested to have any kind of optical zoom. There's also an additional 4x digital zoom, although as with every other camera, we'd skip that in favour of post-production zooming in most cases. Zoomed shots with the Photosmart 620 looked good, although as we noted in our original review, we tended to get better outdoor shots with the camera than indoor ones. Photos taken with the Photosmart 620 were generally very good, with outdoor shots performing the most admirably. The flash is quite bright and tended to overexpose some indoor shots in our testing. The PhotoSmart 620 is certainly a more compelling camera at its new lower price than it originally was, but a few minor factors do nudge it just out of the winner's podium. The somewhat limited and unituitive controls make it a little tougher to learn, the use of four AA batteries raise our hackles over the longer-term cost of the camera, and it's also the most expensive camera in our roundup at AU$449. That's a good saving from its launch price, but does fail to make it a compelling option given the lower priced competition in the budget digital camera space.
HP PhotoSmart 620
Kodak EasyShare CX4200
While it shares a number of similarities with the CX4230 and CX4300, the CX4200 is Kodak's absolute entry level model, and it shows.
The body of the CX4200 is essentially identical to those of the 4230 and 4300 cameras; the unit switches on via a stiff switch underneath the lens, the shutter buttonsits alone on top of the camera and a variety of buttons control the action on the preview LCD on the back of the camera. The CX4200 uses Kodak's easy to use menu system, where individual options are represented both in text and symbolically superimposed on the preview LCD. Like its brethren, it comes with a decent 16MB of internal memory, with the option to upgrade via standard SD/MMC cards. It's a 2.0 Megapixel camera, and the 16MB of memory is good for 17 shots at best quality (1632x1232 Resolution). We've said it before and we'll say it again; digital zoom isn't worth having. The CX4200 offers a 2X digital zoom that jumps forward into the image, which can be particularly unsettling. Power is supplied via standard AA batteries or a lithium battery, although the supplied battery isn't rechargeable; you'll need to purchase Kodak's Camera Dock (AU$149) in order to gain battery recharging capability. The single biggest appeal of the CX4200 comes from its price; at AU$299 it's the second-cheapest camera in our roundup, and given its feature set it does represent good value for money. If your budget does stretch to it, however, we'd recommend its CX4230/4300 brethren, which come with optical zoom and greater resolution respectively. At the lower end of the market, though, it's harder to do better than the CX4200.
Kodak CX4200
Kodak Easyshare CX4230
At first glance you could mistake the CX4230 for its cheaper cousin, the Kodak CX4200. There are slight differences in where Kodak's placed the handgrip plastic, but otherwise they seem fairly similar. Same 2.0 Megapixel CCD, same 16MB internal capacity, same capacity to work with Kodak's optional (AU$149) dock. The big difference between the two cameras however is that the CX4230 comes with an optical zoom, one of only two cameras in our roundup to have such a feature (the other is the HP Photosmart 620). Setup of the CX4230 is identical to the other Kodak cameras, and, indeed, pretty much identical to all of the USB-connected cameras we've looked at here. Install Kodak's reasonably friendly EasyShare software, connect the camera with the provided USB cable, reboot and you're ready to go. The CX4230 uses either a supplied non-rechargeable Lithium battery or standard AA cells. Kodak rates the supplied Lithium battery as being good for up to 425 pictures. If you want to go into Kodak approved rechargeable batteries though, you'd need the Kodak camera dock, which will set you back a further AU$149. Photos taken with the CX4230 were amongst the best in our tests, although we did have the all-too-common problem of improper flash timing leading to over-dark or overlit pictures in certain circumstances. The big point of appeal for the CX4230 is the 3x optical zoom that works very smoothly and allows for a greater range of pictures to be taken. There's also a 2x digital zoom facility, although as with all of the other cameras we've tested, we give very little notice to digital zoom. At AU$399 the CX4230 represents good value for money, and just manages to edge out the very similar CX4300 to gain our Editor's Choice award for Budget Digital Cameras.
Kodak EasyShare CX4230
Kodak Easyshare CX4300
The CX4300 offers a professional looking camera and the most pure megapixel grunt of any camera we've looked at in this roundup. If you're after a camera that's capable of more than simple photo prints at a sub-AU$500 price point, the CX4300 should be right up your alley. The CX4300 also has a number of stylistic differences from its other CX brethren; it has a removable lens cap rather than a shutter, so its on/off button is purely single-function. Setup of the CX4300 is identical to the other Kodak cameras, and, indeed, pretty much identical to all of the USB-connected cameras we've looked at here. Install Kodak's reasonably friendly EasyShare software, connect the camera with the provided USB cable, reboot and you're ready to go. The CX4300 uses either a supplied non-rechargeable Lithium battery or standard AA cells. Kodak rates the supplied Lithium battery as being good for up to 425 pictures. If you want to go into Kodak approved rechargeable batteries though, you'd need the Kodak camera dock, which will set you back a further AU$149. The CX4300 also shares the same menu setups as the other Kodak cameras we've reviewed in this roundup, including the star system to select image quality. In the CX4300's case, a three-star picture measures in at a relatively whopping 2080x1544. That added resolution doesn't entirely come for free, though; the 16MB of onboard memory is only good for around 11 shots, compared to the 20+ that the other two Kodak cameras were able to muster up. The CX4300 met our testing photographic challenges with aplomb, delivering crisp and clear shots and bypassing the flash problems of its similar Kodak brethren. Although it (like every other camera in this roundup) is fixed-focus, it also managed to avoid too many blurry shots. If Kodak included an optical zoom on the CX4300, we'd have an absolute clear winner for Editor's Choice. As it is, the choice is left up to the consumer; either have a larger-resolution camera, or one with optical zoom.
Kodak CX4300
Logitech ClickSmart 510
Is it a digital camera? Is it a webcam? Actually, it's both, a hybrid approach that brings as many problems to the table as it does advantages for Logitech's entry into the budget digicam world. From a technical perspective, the ClickSmart 510 sits at near the bottom of our budget digicam pile. It's a 1.3 megapixel camera with no preview LCD, a fault shared with the technically inferior FujiFilm Slimshot. At least the ClickSmart has upgradeable memory, although it uses the aging SmartMedia format rather than the more common SD/MMC format cards. An 8MB card is provided with the ClickSmart camera. Installation of the ClickSmart camera can be rather more convoluted than most of the cameras we've reviewed here, but that's primarily because in its dual webcam/digicam mode, the ClickSmart comes with more software than the average camera. Aside from Logitech's QuickCam software, you also get copies of MGI's Photosuite 4.0 SE and VideoWave 4.0 SE. The ClickSmart 510 itself is a pretty chunky unit, even when removed from its webcam base. As mentioned, there's no preview LCD; a fairly run-of-the-mill LED is kept quite busy tracking shot quality, flash and battery charge level. The ClickSmart 510 runs off four AAA batteries, which could make it an expensive proposition to run as a standalone camera. The other problem with the ClickSmart is the price. Logitech lists the ClickSmart 510 at an RRP of AU$349.95, which puts it in the middle of the field of our cameras. At that price you could have either the HP Photosmart 320 or Kodak CX4200 and still have some pocket change left over. It is worth noting, though, that some very quick web searches did reveal a number of outlets selling the ClickSmart 510 for much less than retail price.
Logitech ClickSmart 510
Editor's Choice: Budget Digital CamerasKodak CX4230 The difference between the CX4230 and CX4300 comes down to a question of resolution vs zoom. We ultimately came down in favour of the zoom capability of the CX4230, although only by the closest of margins. For most consumers looking at a budget digital camera, you're more likely to want to take quick opportunity shots, and a zoom can play a large part in that. Shooting on a budget?Want to save even more money on digital photography? Some simple guidelines can set you on the right path. Batteries, Batteries, Batteries The first tip here might seem a little obvious, but it has to be said in any case. When you're not using the camera, take the batteries out. The drain on batteries when the camera isn't on is quite minimal, but if you're going to leave the camera in a cupboard for a month, it'll add up pretty quickly. There's also the added complication that an aging battery (especially a cheap battery) may leak, damaging your digital photography investment beyond repair. Your other rechargeable option aside from a dock is to invest in some standard rechargeables in whatever form your camera requires and a recharging kit. This is almost always cheaper than the comparable dock, although you obviously don't get the benefits of easy uploading and you may run into warranty issues if the camera gets damaged by faulty batteries. Memory planning Print it Another budgetary printing option may not seem so obvious; the use of professional photo finishers. While you'll pay more per print for a photo lab to process your photo prints, you also don't have to cover the cost of ink printing, misprints or any other errors in the printing process. This is especially true of larger photo prints, where the cost of media rises sharply.
Copyright © 2009 CBS Interactive, a CBS Company. All Rights Reserved. |
