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by Trish Roberts What if there was an alternative to this waiting game. What if you could share the moment with friends and family almost immediately? No, I'm not talking about video cameras, which do a very nice job of capturing an event for playback on your TV. I'm talking about digital cameras. Cameras that do not use film, but deliver the images digitally, directly to your computer; allowing you to send your pictures as e-mail attachments or post them on your Web page. Digital cameras store images on an internal memory chip or pop-out memory card. Transferring the pictures from the camera to your computer is very easy. You just connect the two devices with a serial or parallel cable, or remove the memory card from the camera and insert it into a computer's PC Card slot, then use the included image-access and-editing software to make the transfer to your hard drive. Just four short years ago, a digital camera would have set you back at least $11,000. Today, there are models well within the budgets of amateur shutterbugs and small-business owners. The digital cameras that I reviewed include one that costs just $179.95, two others for less than $500, and three between $500 and $1,000. The higher-end digital cameras are a bit more costly than "auto-everything" film cameras. But remember, with a digital camera, you don't pay for film and processing, or waste time and money developing bad pictures. The Canon PowerShot 100%: This is one of the most advanced, and expensive, consumer digital cameras. The PowerShot 100% (about $929) has the best resolution for less than $1,000, and boasts some extraordinary features. Although its 832-by-608 resolution will net you only twelve images, they'll be real beauties. If you want more shots, you can drop down to the still-impressive 640-by-480 standard mode to capture between eighteen and thirty-six images. The camera comes with a built-in flash, a self-timer and an included AC adapter. The PowerShot 100%'s expansion options are tremendous: It accommodates the new, higher-capacity Type III PC Cards, including Canon's optional 170-megabyte Type III hard drive to capture up to 900 high-resolution images. Get a 500-MB Type III hard drive and you'll shoot thousands of pictures without reloading. In the macro mode, the camera's high-quality autofocus lens lets you get as close as 4 inches to your subject; couple that with its B/W/Text setting, and the PowerShot 100% can produce a readable copy of a printed page. For wide-angle shots, Canon sells a $99 twist-on lens. Most digital cameras let you time- and date-stamp your pictures, but Canon goes one better: A built-in microphone lets you record comments about each photo on the spot. On the downside, unless you shut off the flash from the control panel, it automatically decides when to flash, whether or not you agree. One aggravating thing (a bad feature found on most digital cameras) is the fact that it can take up to 1.5 seconds for the camera to take a picture. Casio QV-100A plus, Casio QV-300A: Buy the QV-100A (about $500) or QV-300A (about $660) and you get two devices for the price of one. Each is a digital camera that captures and stores up to 64 pictures in high-resolution mode (192 in standard mode). Each camera is also a still video display device that shows your pictures, in real time, on a built-in color LCD screen or any TV. Aside from their prices, these cousins differ in two ways: The QV-300A's LCD screen is twice as large as the one on the QV-100A, and the QV-300A has an additional switch on the fixed-focus lens to toggle between telephoto and wide-angle shots. On both cameras, the LCD screen offers a color preview of the image in the lens. A switch on the side of the camera changes the lens from normal to macro mode; a switch below the lens lets you choose indoor (low) or outdoor (bright) light. The lens swivels up to 180 degrees, so you can even photograph yourself while looking at the viewfinder. Snap your picture, and it takes about six seconds for the image to be recorded. Hitting the Play button lets you view all the pictures stored in the camera's memory instantly. Each camera gives you the option to delete any picture in memory. A Protect button prevents the accidental deletion of a picture. In addition to using your computer to download and save the photos, you can hook up either camera to a TV, camcorder or VCR and view captured images. You can also load graphics files from your computer directly into either camera. If you want to take a presentation on the road, you can just plug one of these Casio cameras into a TV and let the show begin. You can save your 192/64 images at 640 by 480 or 320 by 240 pixels using the 4 MB of built-in memory. Each image will need to be compressed, and this means a loss in quality. Another problem is that neither camera includes a flash, so pictures can be dark and muddy in low-light or backlit situations. The included PhotoDeluxe software may help you to correct some of the loss of quality problems. Epson PhotoPC500: Though it's as large as a conventional 35mm rangefinder camera, the PhotoPC is surprisingly light (at 11oz), and the rubber non-slip grip makes it easy to handle. It has a large, bright viewfinder, its on/off switch is strategically placed at the bottom (so you don't accidentally turn the power off during a shot) and the LCD control panel is conveniently positioned right on top, next to the shutter. The PhotoPC500 comes with four AA alkaline batteries, but it will also accept 1.5-volt lithium batteries, which have the greatest staying power, or nickel-cadmium rechargeables, which cost less on a per-shot basis. There is also an optional AC adapter and built-in flash. The camera captures 30 high-resolution images at 640 by 480 pixels. Epson sells 2-MB memory modules to get you up to 48 high-resolution or 96 standard images, and 4-MB modules to increase the capacity to 80 and 160 pictures, respectively. The expansion capability is nice, but it's still not as flexible as using a PC Card, which you can swap on the fly. The PhotoPC500's fixed-focus lens captures everything from two feet on, and Tiffen makes a line of accessories for the PhotoPC500 to enable macro shots, wide-angle shots and more. (Epson includes order forms in the box.) In bright light, the camera can capture action at up to 1/10,000 of a second, great for shooting action shots such as kids playing, or sporting events. All these features, as well as the aptly named EasyPhoto software, and a low price of about $469, makes the PhotoPC500 a good buy for your money. The Kodak DC50: < BR> For around $649, the DC50 is a rugged model that's both easy to use and packed with features. It's the only camera I reviewed that comes with an auto focus 3X power zoom lens, which goes from a wide angle to telephoto. The lens uses optically superior glass, and you get a variety of options, including center focus, off-camera focus (for a sharp view of both the main subject and the background) and a macro capability that lets you get within 19 inches of a subject. The lens is relatively fast enough that you can take candid shots indoors without a flash. The DC50's built-in flash offers very good control. In addition, when you turn the camera on and expose the lens, the flash scoots over by an inch; this off-camera angle gives you better coverage and fewer harsh shadows than other cameras that have a static flash. The camera can capture seven pictures at a maximum resolution of 756 by 504 pixels, or 11 standard or 22 low-resolution images; you can expand the number of high-resolution shots to 24, 48 or 80 with a standard Type I or Type II PC Card. The DC50 is a good choice if you have a home business and need images for professional applications, such as real estate photos. It is well worth the $649 price; it was priced at $900 last summer. The Kodak DC20: This is the least expensive of the cameras I reviewed (around $179), smallest (it fits in a shirt pocket) and lightest (4.2oz). This camera is the equivalent of the point and click film cameras that everyone seems to have these days. To operate it, you just push the power button, line up your shot in the viewfinder and hit the shutter. Simplicity requires some trade-offs; for instance, there's no built-in flash (though there is an optional one you can purchase). But the CCD chip's sensitivity, built-in light sensor and automatic white balance feature accurately adjust your picture for most lighting situations. However, you can't delete any single image; pressing Erase wipes out all pictures in memory. The DC20 lets you take eight shots at 493-by-373 high-resolution mode. If you're more interested in capturing a moment than producing a high-quality image, this is the one for you. There's a great many more digital cameras on the market than the six reviewed here. I suggest that you shop around in camera stores and on the Web for the best deal. One site I visited on the Web, Micro Direct International (http://www.mdiusa.com), had comparison charts for ten cameras, six of which I reviewed here. Trish Roberts works as a Web site designer for TCCM Design in Phoenix Arizona. Canon PowerShot 100%: $929 CANON USA INC. 15955 Alton Parkway Irvine, CA 92718 714-753-40001 or 800-OK-CANON Casio QV-300A: $660 Casio QV-100A plus: $500 CASIO 181 Metro Drive, Suite 400 San Jose, CA 95110 800-962-2746 Kodak DC50: $649 Kodak DC20: $179 Eastman Kodak Company 343 State Street Rochester, NY 14650-1139 800-235-6325 or 716-726-7260 Epson PhotoPC500: $469 Epson America Inc. 20770 Madrona Avenue Torrance, CA 90503 310-782-0770 Fax: 310-782-5220 |
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