MiniCam Everyone Should Own
Written: Nov 01 '02
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Pros: Superb Quality Pictures, LOW LOW PRICE, TRUE 1.3megapixel, super portable
Cons: no flash, annoying beep when buttons pressed, shutter button in an uncomfortable spot
The Bottom Line: Great camera. It is better than any other inexpensive 3in1 camera on the market. If you are planning to buy a digicam and you want to use it for fun.
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| cucface's Full Review: Aiptek Mini PenCam 1.3 Digital Camera |
This cam does it all! Webcam, Digicam, and even has a videocapture function. I think calling it a videocapture device is a bit misleading. It only captures maximum of 120seconds of video (no audio). But the real deal with this cam is that it can take pictures with high resolution. It has manual focus which can be a pain sometimes, because you have to estimate the distance for taking a photo. But once the focus is just right, you will have stunning photos that are crisp, even the low resolution (which is about the same size as a 4x3 photo) has good quality. The webcam feature is also a big hit. I use mine as a surveillance digicam, the picture quality is decent enough for a webcam this small.
Now for the cons. Lighting is an issue, there is no flash, so this cam is only good with a lot of lighting. Otherwise the photo will be dark or grainy. When this camera is first turned on, it makes this loud beeping sound, then everytime the button is pressed, it makes a loud beeping sound. It is possible to disable the beeping sound, but that would require opening the camera, which I do not recommend ;). The button is placed at the top, which makes it harder to hold the camera and take a picture at the same time, unless you have big hands. If it were placed on the side of the camera, taking pictures would be much easier. Aside from the digicam, the software needs some updating. First, you need to use Aiptek's software to upload pictures. Second, if you have other video capturing devices installed, you have to uninstall, or else there will be driver conflicts.Batteries is a big concern. I would highly recommend rechargable batteries. Because I have to recharge the batteries everyday because of my triggerhappy finger :). Apart from the cameras sleek design, the size of it makes it seem like a camera a pervert would use to take unmentioned photos. So I am ambarressed to hold this camera in public, unless I know them.
My first thought of this camera was, it was inexpensive, had the specifications I wanted (which are very high), and looked like a spy toy. Overall, all of my thoughts came true, and I still enjoy this camera.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 100
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
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Epinions.com ID:
cucface
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Reviews written: 41
Trusted by: 1 member
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