A great camera - but only with lithium or rechargables
Written: Aug 23 '03 (Updated Nov 20 '03)
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Pros: Easy control set; very inexpensive; good pic quality
Cons: Monstrous battery hog with alkalines - you simply MUST use lithiums or rechargables
The Bottom Line: Buy only if you can afford lithium batteries or rechargables.
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| denverbrian's Full Review: Visioneer MX230 Digital Camera |
We purchased this camera for our business to use in documenting quality issues around our locations. We didn't want to spend a great deal, and because we weren't planning to enlarge photos (we'd primarly be attaching photos to e-mails to various managers, who would view them on screen only), we thought that 2 megapixels would be more than adequate.
And indeed, the Visioneer MX230's picture quality is quite good for its price. The menus and controls on the camera back are reasonably intuitive and it took very little time with the manual to learn all of the camera's functions. It's primarily a point and shoot camera, but there are enough flash, picture quality and other options to take care of the occasional special shot.
The internal memory allows for about 27 pictures in 800x600 "fine" mode, which is the setting I used on the camera's first outing. Only about 11 pics are available in the full 2MP mode using the internal memory. A slot for a Secure Digital card allows for great expansion.
Having said all that...I was flabbergasted when the camera's batteries went dead after only 7 pictures (some with flash, some without). Thinking it was the fault of the batteries that were included with the camera, I replaced them with fresh Duracells...which promptly died after about 8 additional pictures.
Other reviewers have suggested rechargables, but I'm guessing that would no more than double the life - and as a consumer, I expect to be able to take several dozen pics on a set of batteries.
This baby is getting returned to OfficeMax where we purchased it. We may try a direct exchange once, in case our camera is a fluke in its incredible battery use; otherwise, the constant changeout of batteries would make this camera, despite its ease of use and quality pictures, a very poor value in the long term.
Update: We did exchange for another of the same model, with the same frustrating battery life on regular alkalines. I decided to try lithium AA batteries as a last-ditch effort, and wonder of wonders, it'll easily take 100 or more shots on two lithiums! This discovery has rescued the camera for us, and I'm changing my stance to recommend the camera. Visioneer should really note this in their literature, however...and they should certainly include lithium, NOT alkaline, batteries in the package.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 129
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
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Epinions.com ID:
denverbrian
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Reviews written: 12
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