MAXIMUMPC APRIL 2004
Quick Start
TechnoFile Quick takes on technology trends
What’s a camera gotta do to get some attention around here? A whole lot, apparently.
From design to increased functionality, today’s digicams are trying hard to distinguish
themselves in an ever-expanding market.THIS MONTH: Digital Cameras Evolve
Pentax Optio 33WR
Pentax’ 3.2-megapixel digicam is the Sporty Spice of the bunch. Water
resistant, equipped with rubber bumpers, and possessed of a “fun”
unconventional shape, it’s got moxie. But can it go the distance in the
great outdoors?
It’s not quite pocket-sized, and you have to purchase a wrist strap
separately, so right out of the box, you need to figure out a way to
transport it. On the other hand, the judicious placement of buttons and
the absence of any protruding parts make it firmly graspable from any
side or angle without risk of mishap.
As for its water resistance? We used the Optio in the rain without
incident, but more telling is Pentax’ own instruction manual: To clean
the Optio you’re advised to “rinse off the camera under slowly running
tap water...for two to three minutes.” Surely it can also withstand the
occasional snow flurry or spray of white water. $350, http://www.pentax.comKyocera Finecam SL300R
Kyocera launches a multi-pronged attack with its offering of
unusual goodies, a la the Finecam SL300R 3.2-megapixel digicam
(which received a 7 verdict in the March issue). In its rectangular
resting state the SL300R is sharp-looking, unobtrusive, and easy
to transport at just 15mm thick. But there’s a twist—literally. The
camera, which is actually made up of two distinct parts, assumes
a completely different shape for picture taking. The real hook,
though is the Finecam’s atypical speedy response time. With just a
.07 second lag between shots, it’s the only digicam here that we’d
trust with a spontaneous action shot. Add to that a continuous-
capture mode that lets you take 3.5 frames per second and you’ve
got a digicam that gets noticed. $400, http://www.kyoceraimaging.comDigital Dream JB 1
Touted as “the world’s first official 007 digital camera,” the sub-megapixel
JB 1 is for people who value stealth above all else. Its brushed-metal case
looks strikingly like a Zippo, but you’d better hope no one asks for a light;
flip open the lid and you expose the JB 1’s prying digital eye. Two-button
operation makes for minimal fumbling, theoretically, but we sometimes
had trouble just getting the bloody power on. The JB 1 offers all the fea-
tures you’d want for reconnaissance work—audio, video, and even a “James
Bond” mode that lets you set the camera to automatically take pictures at
intervals of up to 90 minutes. But we wouldn’t pin our hopes on JB 1-gath-
ered evidence —the tiny plastic body feels more like a toy than an effective
sleuthing tool. $100, http://www.jbcamera.com3“3“3.75“2.5“2.25“1.5“