The Logitech Clicksmart 420: A Wonderful Middle of the Road Digital Camera

Author's Rating:

Pros: Ease of use, dual function, price for the quality, great for kids

Cons: Battery is mediocre, cannot expand the memory

The Bottom Line: 
A great second camera or beginner camera for the price.

Author's Review
Are you one of those people who purchased a webcam or a digital camera five years ago and considered yourself a leader? Have you upgraded that purchase since then? If not, you might be surprised to find what is out there and the functions that have been added to make the webcam experience and the digital camera experience more fun.

My fiance has long pushed me to purchase an "inexpensive" digital camera. One that we could on vacations or to the shore and not worry about it every second of the trip, yet one that still took decent photos. Sure, you can try the throw-away digital cameras, but the photo quality is still lacking. Hence, the smile on my face when I came upon the Logitech Clicksmart 420- solid digital camera that will not break the bank.

THE SPECIFICS:

* Up to 1.3 megapixel pictures
* 8 megabytes internal flash memory
* Storage for over 80 pictures and 70 seconds of video
* Video capture resolution of 320 x 240 as a digital camera
* Video capture resolution of 640 x 480 pixels as a webcam
* Built in microphone and tripod options
* Picture formats include jpeg and avi
* Four AAA batteries
* One touch flash, delete, and timer functions
* Wrist strap and lens cover

There are other specifics that are more important to the serious photographer, but I did not list them. The reason is that this is a not a digital camera for the serious photographer. The 420 is a solid digital camera that is probably not going to be the best camera that you own.

WHAT I LIKE:

1. Ease of use. The 420 is almost all one touch. You can delete pictures with one touch and set the flash and timer functions with just a touch. You can also take a photo and send an email with just a single touch. Heck, downloading the software is just a few steps more than a single touch. Anyone can learn and use this in a short period of time.

2. The price/quality debate. Like I mentioned, this is not a great camera, but for the price I would argue that it is pretty good. The photos and options are not going to be as good as what you get with your $1,000.00 digital camera, but they will be fairly good. From time to time I will find that I get a photo that is not of great quality. So what. With a digital camera you simply delete it and try again. Considering that you are paying less than $100 for the 420, I think you will agree that the quality is pretty good.

3. The ability to send photos over the internet. This has always been one of the more annoying aspects of the digital camera for me. I purchased my parents a $800 digital camera last Christmas and we still struggle with the picture sharing function. The 420 makes things fairly easy. You have the USB cable and the docking station and then the software. Then you simply take a photo or video as you would normally and save it. Finally, you put the camera in the docking station and select the picture or video you want to email and click the send button. That is it and the beauty of it is that it works. You can also send to a Mac or a PC.

4. The durability. Ok, this is the reason we bought the 420. The 420 has rounded edges that make a drop less painful and a rubber and plastic casing that make the drop harmless. The pieces are put together well enough that you can drop the camera on the beach and not suffer from sand ruining things. Now let me back up a second and mention that we have not tried these things, but you can feel the tautness of the design and the durability that the rubber provides.

5. We are not there yet, but a great camera for kids. First of all, the durability mentioned above makes the 420 a nice camera for kids. Secondly, the rounded edges mean less likelyhood of a nasty fall. Thirdly, the large buttons provide for ease of use. Finally, the one touch operation makes the 420 easy to learn. Hence, the 420 is truly a good camera for a child.

6. The dual function of webcam/digital camera. I do not use the webcam function all that often, but when I do I like a webcam that I can depend on. Oftentimes this will depend on what service you are using (AOL, MSN, Yahoo, Etc.), but it also often depends on the webcam itself. The 420 works with all the major IM platforms and provides video and audio options along with the standard chat. The webcam option provides a clear picture on both ends of the spectrum- a big change. No longer are you stuck with a webcam that needs a bright light in order for the other person to see you. Hallelujah and again the webcam function is very easy to use.

7. The memory is pretty good. You can save 80 pictures without downloading and that is more than I will ever have on a camera at a single time. Remember, if you do not like a photo you can delete it. Finding 80 pictures that you like, from say a single trip, is a lot. The same goes for the 70 seconds of video. While this is not a lot of time, it is enough to capture a video of something unexpected or special that you otherwise would have missed.

8. Customer service. I am not sure that is the right term for what I mean, but it will have to work. Logitech has always provided me with a good customer service option; the people people know what they are talking about and the wait is usually not too long. I also find that the two year product guarantee is a nice touch. I doubt I will need to use the customer service line or the guarantee, but it is nice to know that both are available and useful.

WHAT I DO NOT LIKE:

1. The batteries. The 420 runs on four AAA batteries. You can take a decent amount of pictures, but the video function is going to drain the battery quickly. Aside from keeping the cost down, I am not sure why Logitech did not go ahead and utilize a better battery.

2. The memory is "pretty" good. Aside from keeping the cost down, I am not sure why Logitech did not provide the option of a memory stick or something similar in order to expand the available memory. I will never go over the 80 pictures that can be saved, but you may. In this day and age, Logitech dropped the ball by not including this option with the 420.


THE BOTTOM LINE:

We purchased the Logitech Clicksmart 420 as a second digital camera/webcam and it has met our high expectations. We wanted something that we would not stress about while on vacation. We did not want to have to worry about it on the beach or fret over it falling out of the golf cart. We wanted a good camera that would do what we asked of it- take a decent picture, be trouble free, and easy to use. Finally, we did not want to spend a lot of money since this was going to be a second camera for us.

I would highly recommend the 420 for someone looking for a solid second camera, a starter digital camera, or a camera for a child. The 420 is easy to use, durable, and priced reasonably.