Published February 2001

Evaluation brings to light cameras’ benefits, quirks

By John Wolcott
Herald Business Journal Editor

Three distinctly different digital cameras evaluated by The Herald Business Journal proved that sharp photos are easy, but there are a lot of important differences in design and usefulness.

Casio QV-2300UX
The palm-sized Casio QV-2300UX ($700) has a swivel lens for flexible picture-taking, producing sharp 2.1-megapixel photos.

There is no viewfinder, only an LCD screen, which requires focusing at arm’s length. Its 3x optical zoom is very effective, about like a 41mm-128mm zoom lens on a 35mm camera.

Casio’s USB cable connection downloads pictures from the camera to a computer much faster than serial cables. The QV-2300UX doesn’t work with Windows NT, though it does with Windows 2000/98 or USB-equipped Apple computers. Check out compatibility issues with all digital cameras.

Storage space for photos is important, too, whether it’s CompactFlash cards, Memory Sticks or IBM’s 340-megabyte MicroDrive, used by the QV-2300UX. The more memory the better if you’re taking a lot of photos or storing high-resolution pictures.

Nikon Coolpix 990
The Nikon Coolpix 990 ($1,000) is a slim 3.34-megapixel camera that produces extra-sharp photos, composed through a viewfinder and reviewed on a very sharp LCD screen. With a swivel lens for flexibility in picture taking and a 3x zoom, the 990 is easy to use, with a fast-action shutter and memory cards with varying storage space.

The 990’s download software proved to be a problem, since it doesn’t work with Windows NT, only with Windows 98. But it worked fine on an Apple iBook with a USB cable.

Here’s a caution for all digital cameras: Buy an AC adapter and rechargeable AA batteries or it may cost you more for batteries than you used to pay for film and processing.

Sony CD-1000
For a totally different technology, try Sony’s CD-1000 ($1,300), capable of recording hundreds of images on a 3-inch mini-CD that transfers photos to computers through any CD drive, eliminating cable hassles.

The CD-1000 design includes a powerful 10x optical zoom lens, similar to a 35mm-350mm lens on a 35mm film camera.

It’s a fun camera to use but the CD technology demands a few seconds of delay between photos while the last image is being saved on the spinning disc. Also, the disc can lock up from time to time if the camera is bumped while the CD is in motion.

Once again, Sony has come up with a unique camera that offers versatility and sharp pictures, bundled with impressive picture-management software programs.

Related: Digital cameras are becoming part
of the business environment

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