Epson PhotoPC 3000z

OVERVIEW
Epson 3000z seem to be the easiest to operate, full-featured digital camera. The camera is well designed and well implemented. But for me this camera is not a pocket camera, sure it is small with the size of 108 x 89 x 65 mm but the camera is a little chubby and the The shape and oversized handgrip for the right hand make it difficult to put in the camera to a small purse.

With the 16MB CompactFlash memory card the ...
...can print directly to an Epson printer without needing a computer. Simply remove the card from the camera and insert it into the printer. If you want to print only a few images, the camera has a dedicated Print button that can be used to mark images for printing.

SPEC
CCD Sensor: 1/1.8" color CCD with 3.34 mega pixels
Resolution Modes: 2544 x 1904 pixels, 640 x 480 pixels
Picture Modes: Macro, continuous shoot, ... more

OVERVIEW
Epson 3000z seem to be the easiest to operate, full-featured digital camera. The camera is well designed and well implemented. But for me this camera is not a pocket camera, sure it is small with the size of 108 x 89 x 65 mm but the camera is a little chubby and the The shape and oversized handgrip for the right hand make it difficult to put in the camera to a small purse.

With the 16MB CompactFlash memory card the camera can stores up to 155 standard resolution images. The LCD monitor is activated by the mode dial, and features a very efficient menu system. Instead of calling up settings menus and sifting through screen after screen of settings and options, this LCD menu works much more simply. When the LCD is in use, an information display lines the bottom and right sides of the LCD, with features corresponding to adjacent buttons. Through this setup, you can quickly change the white balance or ISO setting and resume shooting with practically no hassle.
Through the image playback menu, up to nine images can be displayed as thumbnails on the LCD monitor, images can be magnified and played back in a slide show.
Thus, the camera can be used as a presentation tool by combining the playback features with a multimedia projector. An internal program, called Print Mark, lets you set up images for printing on a DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) device.

The A 3x, 7 to 21 mm lens (equivalent to a 34 to 102 mm lens on a 35 mm camera) is built into the camera, with manually or automatically adjustable apertures ranging from f/2.0 to f/8.0. Focus is automatically controlled, although a small selection of preset focal distances is available when in Manual capture mode. In normal shooting mode, focus ranges from 20 inches (50 cm) to infinity, and in macro mode, from 2.36 to 20 inches (5.9 to 50 cm). Lens filter threads and an accompanying lens adapter accommodate a range of accessory lens kits from wide angle to macro.

When it comes to exposure, the 3000Z gives you as much or as little control as you need. The Program capture menu lets you select from a list of exposure presets for a variety of shooting conditions: Normal, Sports, Portrait and Landscape. The Full Automatic mode puts the camera in charge of everything, leaving you only in control of flash, zoom, macro mode, the self-timer, image quality and digital zoom. Finally, the Manual capture mode gives you three levels of exposure control: Auto Exposure, Aperture Priority or Manual Exposure. The built-in flash operates in five modes: Auto, Forced, Off, Red-Eye Reduction or Slow Synchronized (which features Leading or Trailing shutter options). When you need more flash power, a top mounted hot shoe lets you connect an external flash head, which automatically disables the internal flash.

This camera has a time-lapse mode that takes pictures at set intervals between 10 seconds and 24 hours. The time-lapse images can be put together as a movie with the QuickTime software. In addition to recording sound for movies, the 3000Z also lets you record short sound clips to accompany captured images. Image sounds can be played back and deleted through the Playback menu, without affecting the captured still image. Additionally, a "panoramic" mode allows you to capture wide/short images, great for landscapes.
The continuous shooting mode let you capture up to 37 37 images at up to two frames per second, depending on the image quality setting and the amount of CompactFlash space, in a burst for as long as the shutter button is depressed, and a video mode records a video clip of up to 25 seconds with or without audio, at approximately 15 frames per second, with the majority of the exposure controls available.The camera has a built-in microphone and speaker that handles audio admirably. Connectivity is achieved by either a serial or USB connection. The Sierra Imaging's Image Expert program bundled with the camera is excellent.
The 3100Z can print directly to an Epson printer without needing a computer. Simply remove the card from the camera and insert it into the printer. If you want to print only a few images, the camera has a dedicated Print button that can be used to mark images for printing.

SPEC
CCD Sensor: 1/1.8" color CCD with 3.34 mega pixels
Resolution Modes: 2544 x 1904 pixels, 640 x 480 pixels
Picture Modes: Macro, continuous shoot, interval shooting, 2X digital zoom, and panorama
Color Modes: 24-bit color and monochrome
File Format: JPEG, TIFF uncompressed, DCF, DPOF
Audio File Format: WAV (PC), AIFF (Mac)
Microphone & Speaker Built-in: Capable of recording a voice message (3,5 or 10 secs.). Listen to the message on the camera.
Audio Video Clip: 15 frames (320 x 240) per second up to 25 seconds: motion JPEG file
LCD Monitor: 1.8" color LCD monitor; 1/30 sec. refresh rate; view 98% of image being captured; instant preview, playback, delete and power-save mode
Storage Capacity: 16MB USB CompactFlash card stores: Standard (155 images) - TIFF uncompressed (1 image)
Focal Length / Optical Viewfinder: 7 - 21 mm (equivalent to 34 - 102 mm lens on 35mm camera)
Aperture Settings: f2, f4, f5.6, f11
Lens Type: 8 elements in 7 groups, 2 aspherical glass lenses
Auto Focus Range: Macro mode: 2.36" to 20" (0.06 to 0.5m) - Adjustable to: 3", 10", 50"
Normal mode: 20" to infinity (0.5m to infinity)
Shutter Speed: Auto iris electronic control shutter and mechanical shutter. Flash on: 1/30 - 1/750 sec.; Slowsynch & Flash off: 1/2 - 1/750 sec.; Manual exposure: 8 - 1/750 sec. up to 1/500 sec. with aperture open; Automatic & Manual
Exposure Control: Program auto exposure with manual 2.0 exposure value adjustment
White Balance: Auto/fixed 5200 K/custom
Built-in Flash: Normal Mode: 20" to 8' (.5m - 2.4m); Macro Mode: 8" to 20" (.2m - .5m);
Modes: Auto flash, Flash On/Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow synchronized
Self-timer: 10 seconds
Tripod Mount: Built-in
Interface: USB, Serial
Video Output: NTSC or PAL (user selectable)
Power Supply: 4 AA batteries (alkaline, lithium, Ni-Cd, NiHM), Optional AC adapter
Size: 108 x 89 x 65 mm
Weight: 365 grams without batteries
Package Included: Camera, neck strap, soft case, lens cap, lens adapter, 16MB USB CompactFlash card, serial cable, USB cable, video cable, 4 AA batteries, battery charger, user guide, Software on CD-ROM: Sierra Imaging - Image Expert, Epson Photo! 3 Twain driver and standalone utility driver, Epson file converter, Epson Photo! Print 2

Well, base on all that I decided to get this camera and after 2 years enjoying the features, one fine day it fell down (not heavy falling) and the lens got off from the body, but the lens was not broken or scratched.
Then I gave it to the Epson service, after quite long waiting finally they came back to me and telling me that it is not possible to fix it unless I buy a new lens, even the lens is still fine only the clip to the body is broken.
I check the price for new lens, and I found it is too much expensive and by adding a little more I could buy another new camera *smile*
Yes, the biggest problem with Epson's PhotoPC 3000Z is its price, I found it out after done some research in order to get good price for the lens or new camera. The range of resolutions is impressive for a consumer model, but the images that camera produced were just better than average compared to other 3-megapixel cameras I've checked that cost as much as $100 less than the Epson 3000Z.
So finally I decided to buy another Digital Camera (Not Epson) and I am really satisfied with my decision.
 

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