Say Cheese! (Advent MP82)

Member Name: cazkins

Product:	Advent MP82
Date:	28/10/08 (352 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Neat & compact, quality images, easy to use, comes with memory card/case/usb cable

Disadvantages: Possibly battery life (see review)

I've always used the camera on my mobile if I wanted to take some pictures on the move. Because I had never really bothered with photography as such, I never saw the need for a digital camera. I was bought the Advent MP82 last Christmas as a gift and very quickly my phone's camera paled in comparison.

Advent may not be a brand you've heard much about before, or at all for that matter. Kodak, Cannon, Nikon etc all spring to mind as being top competitors in the field of digital photography and they're top choice usually because with a well-known brand you expect good quality. I was pleasantly surprised to find this camera to not only produce quality images, but it's compact, reliable & easy to use too.

The camera is approx. 8.5cm long, 6cm wide and 2.5cm in depth, according to my trusty ruler! So it's a neat little camera, perfect to pop in your bag. It comes with a black pouch to keep it protected, a USB cable & software, batteries and a 2GB SD memory card (the case I have is different to the one in the picture shown, it's a lightweight leather style with a loop on the back incase you want to attach it to your belt etc). This package will set you back around £79.99 (Currys) which is a good price in my opinion for a quality camera that comes with the storage you need so you probably wont need to purchase anything else.

The main features include a 3x optical zoom and image modes which provide you with a good range on photographic options, such as colour/flash settings, timer settings, video/voice options, text, frames etc. There's plenty of fun little options for you to flick through, but that doesn't distract from its main function. To take a photo is very simple by using the top button. The buttons on the back are relatively small to make way for a decent-sized view screen but are still easy to use. The strap on the side can be taken off if you wish, but is there to slip over your wrist to reduce the chance of dropping it (good for a clumbsy mere like myself!). There's a USB port on the size so you can upload your photos onto your computer and the software allows you to do this quickly and easily. I don't actually use the software CD if I want to view and save pictures anymore, I find it quicker to use a basic program already on my laptop. The camera requires 2 x AA batteries which are inserted at the bottom of the camera next to the memory card. The slot, along with the rest of the camera, is sturdy so you shouldn't have to worry about bits of plastic getting a knock and breaking off.

The great thing about digi cameras is that you can take as many pictures as you have memory for, delete those you don't want (very simple to do), upload onto your PC or take the memory card to a machine in Boots and select specific ones you want printed.

I would recommend this camera as I've so far found it produce good quality images and have had no problems using it or uploading photos. The only thing I've noticed is with the batteries. I'm now using rechargeable batteries as it's cheaper, but sometimes find that fresh batteries don't seem to last very long. Even if they've just been recharged, they may only last the camera being used a couple of times. I'm not entirely sure whether this is down to the camera or the batteries though, so don't take this as fact that the camera sucks batteries quickly. Just keep a spare two batteries handy just in case. I can't really comment on other cameras that are on the market, but I know there are a lot of sales with well-known branded cameras coming down in price quite dramatically. Therefore you may want to check out the bargains and compare reviews first. Other than that, a very neat, quality digi camera that's best of all quick & easy to use.

Summary: A sturdy but neat digital camera that will capture your memories quickly & easily

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