Can a digital camera this cheap & cheerful actually work?
Written: Jan 02 '01 (Updated Apr 01 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good value for money, USB connectivity, great software.
Cons: Low resolution, cheap construction, ONLY works with Windows 98.
The Bottom Line: Fun & funky but don't expect particularly amazing pictures!
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| _Cassandra_'s Full Review: Aiptek Pencam Trio Webcam |
You betcha it can! I'd been thinking of buying a cheap digital camera just for fun after having access to several higher end models. It seems the little pocket sized Aiptek Pencam Trio digital camera has been a very popular Christmas present for 2000, having burst onto the international market with widespread distribution in the last few months.
I first saw mention of the Pencam Trio several months ago in the specials catalogue of my preferred discount computer retailer (Austin Computers, for those in Perth, Australia) and it had sold out before I could grab one. It turned up again at Myers and this time I decided to pick it up, after having done a bit of research on Epinions and elsewhere to assure myself that it was actually worth buying!
Choosing a cheapie digital camera can be as hard as choosing a more expensive one - there's quite alot on the market now and they vary widely with capacity and value for money. The Pencam in my opinion is great value for money and an excellent introduction to digital photography.
Initial Impressions & Things To Note...
The advertising claims are a little misleading - the "Trio" of still camera, camcorder and webcam is true enough for still camera and webcam, but the amount of memory available and image quality really doesn't qualify this camera to be called a "camcorder" by any stretch of the imagination. You can't take more than a minute of "video" footage when the camera is in camcorder mode - but it's nice to have the option anyways.
The Pencam is reasonably intuitive to use and the software was easy to install on my computer. Note: Your computer must have Windows 98 and powered USB support to use this camera. Batteries are AAA and will last for 2 hours of actual picture taking, with about 2 weeks on standby. TIP: Take the batteries out of the camera when you aren't using it or are downloading to your PC or using it as a webcam (it is powered by the USB port when connected to your computer).
Memory and Image Size.
The Aiptek Pencam is actually available in two editions, the only difference being the amount of memory offered. The lower memory model has 16Mbit of SDRAM memory, the higher one has 64Mbit. Check the side of the box or ask before buying to find out which one you are getting - you may be getting a better or worse deal! Now, the use of the term "Mbit" (Megabit) can be a bit misleading, as most RAM is described in MB (MegaByte) terms. 1 byte is 8 bits of data (a bit is either a 0 or 1, the very basic binary root) therefore 1 Megabyte = 8 Megabits. So when you read 64Mbit, you might be thinking it's quite alot - but actually, it's not. It's only 8MB. However, as this is a low end camera we are talking about, it's actually enough to store 80 images at high resolution (a whopping 352x288 pixels) or 320 images at low resolution (176x144 pixels, or 1/4 the high res size). This camera does not employ removable memory, the SDRAM is internal and cannot be upgraded or exchanged like Flash or Memory Stick utilizing cameras. Internal memory is standard for most cameras in this price range though - in fact, it's even standard for cameras in much hugher price ranges, and the Pencam should be quite acceptable at 80 high res pictures for the high memory model! Unfortunately, only the low memory model has been available in my city, so I have had to make do with taking 20 pictures at a time before downloading.
The body
Having seen pictures of the camera online, I found the real thing to be cheaper in construction than it had appeared in 2D. Silver plastic looks okay from a distance, but it's quite obvious when inspecting and using the 2 buttons and wobbly pocket clip that this camera has been made on the cheap. About the size of a wide highlighter pen, the camera really is pocket sized and the most conveniently sized & shaped digital camera on the market. Yeah it's a gimmick, but I really like it!
The LCD on the back of the camera displays two numerals or letters, overly large, but obviously very readable, and is used to display either the number of frames remaining or several options for different modes the camera can operate in (ie high/low res, camcorder or still mode) with one button just above the display to change modes. Tee shutter release is on the top of the camera, with a small viewfinder beside it and the recessed lens just below. I recommend investing in some kindof pouch to store the camera in (it doesn't come with one) as it may be subject to damage. The lens is very small and recessed, but, better safe than sorry!
The camera comes with a USB cable (sturdy) a small stand (heavy enough to hold the camera upright, I haven't had any problems), a software CD, manual & quick user guide (single b&w A5 sheet) and 2 AAA batteries included in the box, which was a pleasant surprise.
Image Quality
If you've seen or read anything about this camera, you'll know it's a toy on the low end of the digital camera market. This is entirely true. But the Pencam does manage to take surprisingly good photographs under the right conditions, especially close ups - long distance shots however emphasise the circular "blurring" effect around the edges which is an inherent effect of the cheap CMOS censor which processes the images. You can set the camera for either high or low res image mode, a self timer is included which is a nice bonus, and using the camcorder mode is straightforward.
TIP: The camera will beep if there is insufficient light - but sometimes you can still take recognizable photos with low light. You can invoke the continuous mode of the camera and just press the shutter for a few frames - continuous ("camcorder") mode overrides the light sensor (it doens't beep when disabled, by the way). Also, if in webcam mode in an indoor environment, be prepared to have a reasonably bright light shining on yourself if you want to be at all visible!
More than anything, it reminds me of the pinhole camera experiments I did in high school photography - only in colour instead of black and white! I've always been of the school that you don't need a fancy camera to get good results - the real talent of taking good photographs is in the eye of the photographer, not the equipment. So I actually would highly recommend the Pencam if you're interested in experimenting with a new medium or just want a cheap camera to take cheezy holiday snaps, as it is quite adequate for that purpose. The images produced by the Pencam are not really appropriate for print though - the resolution is really only suited to screen display - great for websites and sending email attachments to friends & family.
Note: you can only remove images from the memory by clearing all images at once, you can't take them off one at a time. Bit annoying for the low memory edition as 20 pics get used up fast.
Downloading & Image Processing
Here's one area that the Pencam really does shine. The software included with the camera is really quite exceptional for such a cheap package! The basic camera manager installs easily and is all you need to get images from your Pencam to your hard drive. My only complaints are that the software installs directly into the C:\ drive and does not allow you to install it where you want to, or even in the standard "Program Files" folder as most software does by default. Also it seems to interfere with my TV Tuner Card settings and that is frustrating to change back and forth when I want to use one or the other. The other bundled software includes Video eMail (which streamlines the process of recording and sending video via email), Microsoft NetMeeting (for online video conferencing) Ulead Cool 360 (makes panoramas from successive panoramic frames, and works incredibly well - this is a great piece of software and I can see myself using it alot. It can create executable files for others to view the panoramas, much like Quicktime VR), Ulead Photo Explorer (a visual file management system) and Ulead Photo Express 3.0 (an image editing tool - don't bother installing if you already have something like Photoshop of Paint Shop Pro.). There's also a .pdf version of the manual on the CD if you'd rather see the manual in full blazing colour on your PC. What a great bundle!
Value for Money.
At $150 Australian or $70 - $80 US, this camera is among the cheapest available on the market, and certainly has the most features for the price. We don't seem to get all models available in the USA, so there may be some others worth looking at over there.
Pluses and minues in my book are as follows:
Best Features:
USB Interface - quick downloads of images & power from PC whilst in use
Excellent Software Bundle
Adequate image quality - interesting to try and get unusual results.
Reasonably good battery life
Drawbacks:
Cheap construction
Only works with Windows 98
All images must be erased to clear memory, not just one at a time.
No preview window (but at this price, there aren't any digicams with this feature, and remember even the most expensive traditional cameras don't have this option either!)
Low resolution.
No flash, works only in good light.
Final Thoughts
I think this camera is a bundle of fun. It's a great conversation piece (I've had many comments about it!) and for the price, it's a great deal. If you are looking for something a little more expensive but still under $200 US/ $300 Australian, I'd go for a Polaroid Fun Flash. But for the under $100 US market, the Pencam really is a nice little camera and is certainly my pick.
UPDATE I've been informed that the Polaroid Fun Flash now sells at Walmart for $79!!! With this new price, I'd recommend that over the Pencam for features by a long shot, but the Pencam is still cute for looks and novelty value.
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A wee note to non-members: I've noticed this review is getting a phenomenal number of hits from people who are not members of Epinions. Hello there if that means you! I hope this review has been useful to ya. If you've particularly liked my writing and you are thinking of maybe joining, or would just like to know more about the site, you can follow the link below to go straight to the sign-up page from my partner site:
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Cheers!
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Also, an Easter Egg for those interested: I've been busy designing Operator Logos for my new mobile phone, the Siemens SL45, and I have designed a logo featuring the Aiptek PenCam to tie in with this review!
To download the logo, go to the following URL:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~prophecy/sl45/s1982m.htm
If you have any technical queries or would like to see all my logo designs, take a lookie here:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~prophecy/sl45/sl45operatorlogos.htm
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
_Cassandra_
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Location: Perth, Western Australia
Reviews written: 35
Trusted by: 30 members
About Me:
Designer and Filmmaker - and an artist in many guises.
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