Print
Discuss
Send to friend
Without doubt, the iCam is a cool looking combo digital camera and webcam, but does £80 get you a toy or a really worthy gizmo? Not if you've got a webcam and a digital camera on your shopping list, it doesn't. Enter the Cool-iCam - a combined unit that works well and shouldn't bring your bank manager out in a cold sweat.
As translucent plastic cameras go, it looks respectable - if a little cheap - and fits nicely in your hand. Images can be stored at low or high resolutions and the onboard memory is enough for 80 low-resolution snaps. Image quality isn't that great but it's no worse than most other webcams we've seen.
Pictures are a little grainy and blurred around the edges but they're ideal for web use and should be adequate for most other purposes too. In fact, the copy of iPhoto Express that comes in the box will have you making posters, cards and flyers with the best of them. You'll also be pleased to learn that transferring files between the camera and your PC is child's play.
As a webcam, the unit also succeeds, although the stand is not particularly good. It's also worth pointing out that WWL isn't the only firm to work out that the cheaper lens used in a webcam could easily be turned into a digital camera given the right form factor.
The WebCam Go Plus from Creative Labs we reviewed boasts a higher 640 x 480 pixel resolution but also costs about £50 more. The choice is yours; but on price alone, this combined unit is hard to beat.
Contact:
WWL UK: 0161 633 9800
See also:
A budget introduction to digital photography that you can also use for video conferencing. 20 Jul 2000
If quality is more important to you than price, then the Nikon CoolPIX 990 is definitely the digital camera to go for. With its 3.34 megapixel CCD and an amazing range of features, it can't be beaten. 13 Jul 2000
Webcam Go Plus ventures further into the realms of video conferencing, or should that be digital photography? 13 Jul 2000All Digital Cameras
del.icio.us
Digg this
reddit!
