Digital cameras are becoming more and more popular as prices fall, ease of use rises and people start to use digital images for web pages, personal publishing and other computer-related projects.
The Kiiro Pocket Camera CJ-100 is a next-generation personal digital camera with good design, plenty of functions, a useful software suite and ease of use on its side.
The camera functions as a digital still camera, a video camera and webcam. It comes with software for image management, creating video emails, applying special effects to images, and for designing greetings cards complete with your own photos.
The camera itself is extremely small and light. Its unusual shape makes it easy to drop into a top pocket and it's small enough to carry alongside a standard camera.
It is also extremely easy to use. Designed with the non-technical user in mind, you really do just point and click, and the controls are clearly labelled. There is even an LCD to frame images and view them afterwards.
Power comes from two AA batteries, while the PC link is USB, so image transfer is fast. If you aren't near a computer but want to view images, a TV-out cable is supplied.
All this is good stuff, but there are some negative points to consider. The LCD is pretty small. At less than one centimetre square, it is difficult to use, especially when framing more detailed shots.
Storage capacity is limited to the 8Mb of flash memory on board. This will store up to 127 images at the highest compression setting and 64 at the lowest.
Image resolution is fixed at 640 x 480 and it's a shame you can't go lower and cram more in.
The Kiiro Pocket Camera CJ-100 is aimed at newcomers to digital imaging or those whose requirements are relatively low-level. But you can take a lot of images on it, it is extremely easy to use, and the software suite means that at least until you get more experienced and demanding, you can have plenty of fun with it.
Contact
Kiiro: 01992 710770 www.kiiro.co.ukALSO CONSIDER
Agfa ePhoto CL20
Cheap digital camera for fun rather than serious photography
£152 *****
See also:
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