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Logitech Pocket Digital Review

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the don't-accidentally-run-it-through-the-laundry dept.

randomErr writes "Earthweb/Internet.com has this article about a new ultra slim camera for $130. It has no flash, zoom, or LCD monitor, and takes snapshots instead of spectacular pictures. The advertised resolution is 1.3 megapixels with and actual resolution of 640 by 480. But it's the size of a credit card, half an inch thin, with all-day battery and image capacity."

6 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. Hmmm. by ranulf · · Score: 1, Interesting
    Doesn't sound that impressive.

    The Canon's are really small, and let's face it - nobody really wants 640x480 pictures any more, as they look terrible when printed and nowhere near fill a monitor nowadays.

  2. Logitech digital cameras: buyer beware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting
    We were given a similar model (nearly-identical specs except it was "normal" size) from my brother, who got it free for signing up for DSL service. And even at free, I feel like I was ripped off.

    As the article points out, you can't mount the camera as a drive like with most cameras; you have to either go through TWAIN or the bundled camera app. Both the TWAIN driver and the camera app built around it are the single most clumsy and bug-ridden pieces of software I've used in recent years; even on a "lowly" Athlon 750, a USB device shouldn't be eating up 80% of the CPU! And when it wasn't dropping the connection mysteriously or sending back blank pictures, it was crashing left and right; keeping the camera app open for more than 30 minutes at a time called for a reboot.

    The camera itself isn't much better. Outdoor pictures are alright, but don't even bother if you have florescent lighting. Pictures of people taken from about 10 feet away were almost unidentifiable.

    Overall, I'd say it's more like a Webcam with the added bonus of snapping stills than a digital camera. It might be a good toy to give to kids, but I wouldn't pay more than $30 or so for it. The newer model's small size might seem intriguing, but a tiny piece of garbage is still garbage.

  3. Re:Got Linux or OS X drivers? by SquadBoy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Looks like support in gphoto is up and coming.

    http://www.gphoto.org/cameras.html

    This is true of many camera makers they will not do anything official but generally they will release enough info that the gphoto people can make it work.

    --

    Cypherpunks: Civil Liberty Through Complex Mathematics. Those who live by the sword die by the arrow.
  4. Ok, i know you all dont care.. by xtermz · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...But I just got to rant. Sorry, cameras do not 'take good pictures'. Its the person behind the viewfinder that takes the pictures. Some really awesome exposures have been taken with cheap plastic cameras.

    Equipment can help you, sure, if youre trying to catch images of the rare south african pocket fox in his native environment, but what makes or breaks a picture is the composition. If you really want to say your camera 'takes good pictures', then start studying composition and the artistry of photography. Heres some obligatory links:

    Photo.net
    Apogee Photo Magazine

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    I lost my concept of community when my community lost all concept of me.
  5. Re:Compare to AIPTEK? -- almost by Charlie+Bill · · Score: 2, Interesting

    That's a stupid form factor anyways this is a much better one...

  6. My Che-ez SPYZ is smaller! by Slef · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It's the size of a zippo lighter, just the perfect crappy camera to carry around in your shirt pocket just in case. It's cheap too: I got mine for 7000 Yen, about US$70. Holds 26 640x480 or 106 320x200. Can also take short movies. Connects via USB and works for PC and Macs (also OS X).
    Bad point: refuses to take pictures if the light is too low. Otherwise, quality is quite impressive, considering. I love it.
    http://che-ez.com/english/spyz/

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    -- Slef