Kodak's PalmPix for Palm m500-series handheld computers will please you more if you think of it as a handy add-on for your PDA rather than a digital camera substitute. That's because the PalmPix, provides a convenient way for owners of Palm m500 to convert their PDA into a basic digital image capture device for occasional use, but lacks sophisticated optics and features of a dedicated digital camera.
The 75mm by 28mm by 80mm PalmPix plugs into the Palm 500's synchronisation interface, and lies flush with the back of the device. During camera operation mode, the Palm m500's screen becomes a viewfinder and one of its buttons is used as a shutter release.
We wish that Kodak had thought to make a lens cover for the PalmPix, however. When switching back and forth between, say, finding an address and shooting a photo, it's easy to put your hand over the lens or scratch it against something.
The PalmPix simple set of controls couldn't be easier to use but picture quality suffers. Three preset focus settings on the PalmPix lens allow the user to choose three focal lengths distances from 10cm to infinity. The PalmPix also has a 2X digital zoom. We tested the PalmPix and found the image hard to see clearly on the monochrome viewfinder. It's not the speediest performer, either. For instance, at the camera's highest resolution setting of 800x600, the Palm m500 required slightly more than 20 seconds to process and save JPEG images.
Little more than imaging convenience
As digital camera prices creep below AU$500, the PalmPix lack of features and its mediocre images will satisfy few seeking more than imaging convenience. While it captured reasonably sharp and detailed SVGA images in favourable lighting conditions, the PalmPix had a hard time tackling more challenging scenarios. It failed to capture colours accurately in bright, midday summer sunlight; for instance, bright yellows washed out to off-white. Outdoor pictures with a mixture of shade and bright light also befuddled the PalmPix, with shadow areas appearing murkily dark and light areas looking faded or blown out. The camera offers no exposure compensation to manage tricky lighting conditions, and its lack of a flash limits the PalmPix's usefulness indoors.
The m500's standard 8M of onboard RAM can store about 30 images at the PalmPix's highest resolution in addition to the PDA's standard applications. However, using all the available memory for images makes it unavailable to other applications. Investing in a removable Secure Digital card or a MultiMediaCard is the only feasible option.
For many, this PalmPix model will be a useful handheld add-on for occasional business purposes. Similar PalmPix products are also available for Palm m100-series and Palm III-series handhelds. However, even m500 owners who want to take the occasional snapshot will prefer to spend an extra AU$100-$300 for a dedicated digital camera.
Kodak PalmPix m500
Company: Kodak
Price: AU$319
Distributor: Kodak Australasia
Phone: 1800 147 701
Pros
Light, easy to carry
Easy to use
Inexpensive
Cons
Mediocre image quality
Few image controls
Slow
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