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Digital Camera Buyer's GuideAn error occurred. Please try later. |
Not all that long ago consumer digital cameras were little more than novelties. The first one I ever encountered was well made, but the picture quality was awful. The images captured by this camera were so small that enlarging them just a bit made them unusable. Making matters worse was the fact that you could not "photoshop" them. Theoretically you could alter them, but the images were so small doing so became a lesson in futility. No matter what you did the pictures were just not detailed enough to really do much with on any level. While these small JPG images were great for low resolution Web pages, they were hardly of sufficient quality to be printed. All of that has changed now.
For end users that want digital pictures that they can actually use, manipulate and realistically print, the choices are plentiful. What is even better is that you can actually find affordable 3 Megapixel cameras that won't wreck havoc on your budget. Even though the much higher end 5 and 6 megapixel cameras are coming down in price points, the 3 megapixel arena should be sufficient for most uses. In fact, I was surprised at the overall quality the Toshiba PDR-3320 digital camera offered at 3.2 megapixels.
In the world of digital photography, pixels do matter. In the gap between 2 and 3 megapixel cameras the difference in quality is just a tad noticeable depending of course on what cameras you are comparing. Even with that in mind, it is always better to go for the higher number of pixels whenever possible.
For those that simply want to point and shoot, the PDR-3320 functions well in totally automatic modes. On the other hand, enthusiasts who wish more control have those options. Right out of the box the unit is set for casual users more interested in capturing a moment than composing a shot. The configurability is pretty broad for a camera in this category. This is a camera that could conceivably grow with the needs of photographers that want to have greater control over the camera and resulting photographs.
Samples taken with Toshiba PDF-3320 
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In many cases what separates one camera from another are its features and overall quality. In my tests, as informal as they were, the picture quality was actually excellent. Shooting under less than ideal situations, the camera managed to capture detail and subtleties with very little distortion. In point and shoot situations like this, the standard settings are actually on target. Again, for the user that does not want to adjust complex settings, the PDR-3320 takes the pain and hassle out of obtaining the best possible shot.
The first part of becoming comfortable with any camera is adjusting to its look and feel. While the PDR-3320 camera body lacks some of the design sophistication of the more visually impressive offerings on the market, it does have a solid feel. As small as this camera is, the dimensions are 4.13" X 2.68" X 2.17", it possesses a solid feel that gives something of a box like demeanor to its exterior. Although small enough to take on the fly, the body has a slightly bulky feel to it that may make it just a bit snug placed in most shirt pockets.
One feature that took me a while to become accustomed to was the small view finder. Having spent time with 35 millimeter film cameras, the view finder is indeed diminutive. In all fairness to Toshiba, most cameras in this class offer similarly sized viewers. For me, it just took some getting used to viewing through a small opening so different from my Nikon. If you are coming to digital from the traditional camera world, be ready to adjust to smaller viewers.
The 1.5 inch LCD viewfinder on the camera worked well enough. In many cases, you will want to use it in lieu of the view finder. Composing is actually easy utilizing the LCD monitor once you become comfortable with it, however it will appreciably lessen battery life. In certain modes, such as the macro mode, the LCD monitor will be turned on automatically. In this setting you cannot turn it off, and may not want to do so. I can hardly imagine a moment when you would not want the LCD display available. Another facet of this LCD viewer is that it may not accurately reflect what you have captured. In many cases, you may wish to bracket. The differences can be large, so do consider taking more than one photo of an event to be on the safe side. In one instance a picture I thought over exposed was actually not. So do take into consideration that there may be discrepancy between what you see on the LCD screen and what you have actually captured.
Using the standard menu system common to camcorders and digital cameras, the layout and options are logically arranged without too much confusion. An additional display placed on the top of the camera also allows for functions such as timer settings, picture quality and the like that can be adjusted. Another knob adjacent to it creates the settings from camera shooting mode to display mode allowing you to see what you have captured.
As with any new device, it is strongly suggested that you read the enclosed manual. Unlike other instruction booklets, the one Toshiba enclosed is surprisingly concise. This is one of the few I have seen that is pretty clear cut without being too confusing. What this means for end users is little complication.
Now, your experiences may differ from mine regarding operating the camera. When I began working with the PDR-3320, I did find it a bit disconcerting trying to figure out what icons do what. For me, I would have liked a menu based system as central, rather than two displays, but that is just me. This is more a preference, so do become familiar with the unit to discern if the layout of controls are to your particular liking. I did discover after a bit of time the menus and buttons are a bit more intuitive than some I have used before.
Going back to image quality, which is the essence of any camera, the PDR-3320 has your proverbial back. The resolutions go from a high 2048 by 1538 pixels to a low 1024 by 768 pixels. Even though these options exist, I recommend never setting the unit below its highest settings. Considering software and the manipulations an image can take, there is little reason to shoot in the lower setting. But, if space and size are issues, then you have this option of adjustable resolution settings.
In addition to USB connections for connecting the camera to your PC, this unit includes a cable and connection to set up the camera to your television. If you are in a situation where you wish to share your work with friends, colleagues or family, now you can just plug the camera into your TV or VCR for instant photography on a screen larger than a PC monitor.
Some of the standard features found in the unit are multiple language settings (English, French, Spanish, German and Japanese), multi image (this is where you can combine 16 separate pictures into one image), built-in flash, auto flash settings, red eye removal setting for the flash, adjustable LCD settings, a self timer for timed shots and an optical 3X zoom. All in all a rather complete feature set comes with this unit.
Included with the camera are such niceties as a soft carrying case, a USB cable, a video cable to connect the camera to a television, 4 alkaline AA size batteries, one 8 MB Smart Media Card, a wrist strap, a lens cap with strap and a CD-ROM that includes drivers and software, in this case ACD Systems software.
My only wish list for the camera would be the inclusion of an AC power cord and a better software suite. For Windows XP users the included software is not essential. In fact, it would have been better had Toshiba included something like Ulead Photoimpact or even Adobe Essentials if it felt the need to include free software. The drivers are not really necessary for XP users either. The camera worked seamlessly when connected to my PC and worked without issue. Also of note, the camera does have drivers for OS 9 and later. So Mac users are not left out in the cold here.
The lack of an AC power cord is something I find rather odd. While you can purchase one, as well as optional lenses, which is a configurability option not frequently offered for end user digital cameras in these price points, the lack of some way to connect it to a wall outlet means greater expense. Sadly, digital cameras eat batteries quickly.
Operating with the flash on I was able to shoot about 15 pictures before I ran out of power. So do consider the AC power cord as a viable expense. Naturally the camera has to be powered up to download photos. So do factor that in when considering the purchase of this camera.
Another area that needs addressing is the storage device that comes with the camera. While smart media is great, the meager enclosed 8 MB card means you are somewhat limited in your range. So do consider the optional 128 MB card for serious storage needs between downloading.
Overlooking the omission of an AC power cord, small 8 MB SmartMedia card and the limited included software, the PDR-3320 is a solid performer. There is much here to recommend it as an all purpose point and shoot camera for those that want full important features, but not useless bells and irritating whistles. Plus, if you can obtain one for the lowest price, do not hesitate to purchase.
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