SiPix StyleCam

A sleek digital camera and webcam in one.

Price: £60

Manufacturer: SiPix

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Verdict

Good points:

Handy pocket size; can be used as a webcam; cheap.
Bad points: Needs a PC to view pictures; low resolution.

Jananie Nadarajah, Computeract!ve 22 Mar 2002

Digital cameras are popular with PC enthusiasts and photographers keen to experiment with new technologies. The main obstacle to going digital is price. Good digital cameras are expensive but SiPix endeavours to offer some cheaper alternatives. The latest to hit the streets is the SiPix StyleCam.

The StyleCam sets out to be a stylish and affordable camera. It comes in a handy pocket size with a sleek, black carry case. The accompanying manual is brief and adequate, although a little more detail would help novices get to grips with it.

There is 8Mb of memory built-in, but this is disappointing. With no memory card slot, you're stuck with a set amount of memory and will need to download pictures on to your PC before freeing up space to take more.

With a maximum resolution of 640 x 480 though, the memory taken up by each image is small, allowing up to 65 pictures to be stored at its highest quality, with up to 180 at the lowest.

With no TFT screen to view images as they are taken, there are limitations in editing your shots. The pictures taken will have to be loaded onto a PC before you can make decisions over which to ditch and which to keep. Unless you take a notebook with you everywhere you go, this is not a great holiday option.

The StyleCam includes focus settings for near and distant shots, a continuous capture mode and a separate mode for indoor photos. The 10-second timer is useful if you want to get yourself in shot.

Transferring the pictures to a PC is straightforward through a USB connection and supplied software. Through the same connection, the StyleCam can also be used as a webcam and has a small stand to screw it into place.

When used away from a PC, it operates on two AAA batteries. These lasted well, automatically switching off after 60 seconds on standby.

Although relatively cheap, the StyleCam compromises useful features unique to digital cameras. It's stylish, but it works better as a webcam than a digital camera, and the low-resolution images are better suited to web publishing than serious photographic work.

Contact: SiPix 020 8899 6026 www.sipix.co.uk

Also consider: Creative PC-CAM 300
A reasonable performer but awkwardly designed.
£110 Computeractive Issue 99.

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