Pictures are worth 1.3 megapixels with the Vivitar ViviCam 3330 Digital Camera

Author's Rating:

Pros: Many, many features and functions, good quality pictures

Cons: Two step shutter operation, hard if not impossible to take action shots

The Bottom Line: 
For the size, price, (under $100.00) quality, and features that this little camera include make it a great gift for anyone new to digital camera technology.

Author's Review
My Vivitar digital camera works just fine, takes pictures that are what you would expect for a 1.3 megapixel device, USB interfaces excellently with windows ME, XP, (and others) and has many features that are easy to use. I’m actually going to prove, (or let you decide for yourself) the picture quality of this camera later by giving you some (cut and pasteable) links to photos I’ve taken that I’ve stored online.

First some technical details on the operation of the unit and my experience using the device.
What initially drew me to the apparatus was the size, (width 3.6 in. depth 1.4 in. height 2.28 in)and a sale tag. I had been using a tiny Argus digital camera that took good quality pictures for download, but had no extras whatsoever, not even a flash. Well I was really sold when I turned the unit around and there was this cool little 1.5 in LCD display so I treated myself.

Getting the camera home I open up the package contents, CD-ROM with the drivers installed like nobody’s business, USB and a TV out cable a nice velcro pouch that has a belt loop making it highly portable, a wristrap, 2 AA batteries and users manual I initially skipped the manual and dove right into set-up from the mode dial on the back of the camera. I set the date and time (hovering your PCs cursor above your saved images displays time and date photo was taken) In the set-up mode you can also set the resolution to either 1600x1200, 1280x1024, or 640x480 (I use the lowest resolution as it allows me to store the most images with 8MB on board memory, it does have an SD [Multi Media Card compatible] Card Slot that supports up to a 128MB memory card but I haven’t bothered with one yet, the 640x480 resolution allows 65 images stored internally as opposed to 20 for Med res. and 15 for fine .

There’s a lot more in the set-up mode:
OSD Languages, English, traditional Chinese, Japanese, German and Spanish
Self-timer (up to ten seconds)
White Balance
EV compensation
Preset Settings
Format Media, and TV out items (NTSC or PAL)
Frequency, 60HZ, or 50HZ
Quality: Fine and Normal
Exposure Value: Set shutter speed from 1/4 sec to 1/2000

There are four other modes on the dial.
Movie Mode: Shoot video, maximum recording time depends on available memory (no microphone)
PC Mode: choice of mass storage in your PC, or you can use the camera as a webcam, I’ve used that feature often with instant messaging.
Play Mode: View the pictures you have taken individually, on slideshow, or watch the video you recorded. (This is where I use TV out a lot.)
Record: Take a picture already (hit the enter menu button to scroll through and set for timer, resolution, lighting (sunlight, fluorescent, bulb, and auto) before each picture if you like.

There’s a tiny mode display button next to the LCD screen that activates on screen display icons of:
Image resolution, image quality, current working mode (record or movie) Memory card loaded symbol (mines blank), current number of shots taken, self timer photography , white balance display morning afternoon , time, date, battery power, zoom level, all displayed on the LCD, and I can actually see and read every one of them.

More Features:
Red Eye Reduction
Auto flash
Micro and Macro button

If the camera is left on more than one minute (by default) it automatically shuts off, simply push the Mode Display button to reactivate.

Menu Navigation:
The multi-select and enter buttons are located directly above the mode dial and are easy to use with Up Down Left and Right arrows, the enter button in the center.

My major complaint is the two-step shutter operation, press the shutter button halfway until a [] focus symbol appears then press all the way down and 3 seconds later the beep, blink and your picture, the whole process takes more than three seconds. A quick picture won’t be taken on anything that won’t sit still too long.

Now for a few shots taken with the Vivitar Vivicam 3330 Digital Camera
For this shot of a jet taking off I had to move the camera at the same speed of the plane and time the two step shutter operation, a very very lucky shot (I think you might agree)
http://yellowbrickpontiff.741.com/_webimages/takeoff.jpg

People were paying big bucks to ride in this B-17 (I think) preparing for take off, it’s odd how the propellers were captured, I can’t explain it. http://yellowbrickpontiff.741.com/_webimages/rubber_prop.jpg

This is a close up picture of one of my chess sets, obviously the camera can’t photograph well very close up, but it does have a digital 2x zoom (note the camera’s pouch)
http://yellowbrickpontiff.741.com/_webimages/the8immortals.JPG

I should mention that an Arcsoft photo editing program is included that I use for enhancing and editing my images, here's a shot of my wife's cat.
http://yellowbrickpontiff.741.com/_webimages/Lizzys_glamour.JPG

And last but not least, (used the timer on this one) http://yellowbrickpontiff.741.com/_webimages/Triple Irons.JPG

Recommendation
For the price (under $100.00) quality, and easy to use features that this little camera includes make it a great gift for anyone new to digital camera technology, (1.3 megapixels isn’t much at all and if you want action shots you’ll have to try what I do, not good but I still give the camera three stars, I've been using it for nearly three years without a problem).


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