Hi. I am now confident enough on Ciao to write something. It can only get better from here !!
Hi. I am now confident enough on Ciao to write something. It can only get better from here !!
Member since:24.01.2003
Reviews:3
Hi I was going to write this opinion purely on the CONCORD EYE Q 3103, but I find myself making comparisons to my 1st digi camera which is a Jenoptik JDC 1.3 LCD which I have previously written an opinion on.
First of all the technical specs
3.1mp 16mb internal memory expandable by SD cards. 4 resolution settings :- 2048 x 1536 large, 1600 x 1200 medium 1, 1024 x 768 medium 2, 640 x 480 small. 3 quality settings:- fine, nomal, and economy. 3 x digital zoom Video mode set at 320 x 240 pixels Auto mode (automatic exposure and white balance) Manual mode (manual expoure and white balance allows you to adjust the exposure and the white balance to daylight, shade, tungsten light etc) Playback mode:- view single pics thumbnails or slideshow. Flash:- auto, red eye reduction, permanant on and off. Self timer:- 2 seconds and 10 seconds continuous shutter mode:- 3 pics in 2 seconds TV out facility to view images through your TV. 1.5 inch colour LCD view screen. (on and off facility for battery saving. Various power saving functions. powered by 2 x AA batteries or 3.3V AC adapter. System req:- Windows 98/98se/2000/ME/XP Min 32mb ram USB port CD-ROM drive Mac Power PC or higher Mac OS 9.0 - 10.0 Package contents:- camera, USB cable, Video cable, Strap, pouch, User guide, CD-ROM, 2 x AA batteries. Image capture:- High resolution - fine mode = 11 images. Low resolution - economy mode = 187 images.
Ease of use:-
All the buttons are easily accesible and easy to use and understand. The camera body is well designed and comfortable to hold. There is facility for tripod attachment.
Here we go then.
I bought this camera on a whim as I wanted to upgrade from my old 1.3mp camera and it was in the sales with £80 off !! So I couldn't resist it.
Whilst examining the camera at home I noticed it didn't have a macro facility. I should have noticed this before I bought it but I assumed that a camera with such a high spec would have it. (lesson learned:- never assume or presume) This was unfortunate as I take lots of extreme close up pics of plants and flowers. (I am a gardener and landscaper)
Never the less, I started taking snapshots at various resolutions and different modes including manual and auto mode.
Here's a quick tip if you already have camera software installed on your PC. I just plugged the new camera into the old USB cable from my old camera and it recognised the new hardware and opened the images for me. It is exactly the same software that was with my old camera. If you have CAM-IN 111 and PHOTSUITE SE installed this saves the hassle of unistalling the old software and loading the new.
I was anticipating looking at the magnificent high resolution images only to find very average results. The images were not particularly sharp and even slightly out of focus.
So I thought it must be my fault so I deleted the images and tried again, and hey presto... exactly the same.
Feeling slightly perplexed I tried again, this time taking pictures with both cameras (CONCORD & JENOPTIK).
Imagine my surprise to find that the images from my old 1.3mp camera were at least as good if not better than those of he CONCORD 3.1mp.
Call me a stickler but I ASSUMED that the images from a 3.1mp camera would be far superior than those of a 1.3mp camera. (there's that word again)
I then took a video clip with it and played it back on my media player, to be even more disappointed than I imagined. Although it is essentially a stills camera, if you put options such as video mode on the camera you would expect at least reasonably viewable images.
Overall I give credit to the look and feel of the camera along with the features and ease of use. It's just a shame about the end result.
I think I will stick to my old 1.3mp for the time being. Anybody want to buy a nearly new 3.1mp camera.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
A bit of a negative review on a camera that can produce amazing pictures, I have taken some pictures with that camera that were judged good enough to be included in Google Earth Panaramio.
callancool 15.08.2003 01:44
If you mailme a few 3mp shots i'll give you an opinion,. I have the brilliant Jenoptik 2.1 lcd read my review. Jenoptiks 2.1 and 1.3 cameras are sold by different makers with different fronts and lenses so it could be a brilluiant jenoptik lense vs a poor concord one.I agree you seem to get a raw deal. Funny but the Jenoptik JD 3.3 af (not the 3.3xz3) is the identical camera (jenoptik-camera.com or dixons photoshow magazine. ) Concord make cameras for lots of people (inc praktika and possibly Konica). If you'll mail me at callan_stevens@hotmail.com i'll mail you shots from my 2.1 jenoptik, plus advice on getting a refund from argos via trading standards and being unfit for the purpose. If you do jessops are stocking a new jenoptik 3mp camera with optical zoom for only £140. They'll demo and print a sample for you. One thing u could try is this from concords site. Your camera is an auftofocus model (the Jd C is a fixed focus) and has a green square in the middle of the screen /viewfinder. This is what the camera focuses to so try that to see if it improves things.
Fruity_Tart 15.07.2003 02:42
A nice op, but possibly a bit more opinion and less specs. Chris x
Jul 6th, 2003
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