Cool I-Cam (Cool i-cam)

Member Name: lorelei

Product:	Cool i-cam
Date:	23/07/01 (838 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Small and lightweight, really easy to use, funky outer colouring.

Disadvantages: Limited battery time, bad quality pictures when not in full sunlight.

Yes, the name is off-putting, and it is very adolescent orientated. But this digital camera was a pleasant surprise to me. Given to me on my 18th by my boyfriend I was at first a bit dubious about the little camera, however, its durability and sheer usefullness have made it grow on me.

For starters, the camera is tiny, it fits easily into any size hand and can be put into a pocket with no fuss or squeezing. The one I have is made of a pleasant see-through greeny-blue plastic with silver edging, which is comfortable on the eye. There are only 3 buttons, so it's extremely easy to use, one to take the picture, one to change the setting and one to turn it on and off. It's that simple.

The reason why my boyfriend bought it for me was because of the fact that I was taking art A-level and wanted to do some photography for it. This camera takes 80 low-res shots and 20 high-res and even a 16 second low-res film, it's even a web-cam as well. With no fussing in a dark room or paying out hundreds of pounds on developing film I could take my pictures, plug it into the computer via a USB port and print out any good pictures (of which there was few, but that was more my fault than the camera's) on special paper.

In the world of digital cameras this one is relatively cheap, costing only £70-80, which is perfect for those who just want to have a bit of fun with their pictures. The quality isn't that great when the camera isn't in full sunlight, because it has no flash, and the battery life is only around 6 hours long. This means you have to keep a close eye on your battery, because if it runs out, your pictures are gone as well. But what do you expect for only £70?

Because of the smallness and hard casing on this camera, and its colouring, I would say that it is a perfect gift for older children and teenagers who want the freedom to take pictures but not the hassle of developing them. I would say that it isn'
t really the best choice for anyone wanting to take serious pictures, or very good quality pictures. I found it extremely useful for my art projects and taking pictures of friends on outings.

I would also say that it is useful for kids because it is so easy to use. The camera adjusts automatically to focus, direct the sunlight and reduce blur. With its huge collection of only three buttons, it would be difficult to get it wrong. A perfect present for the younger generation and even a nice toy for people in their twenties. It's fun and funky and not too serious.

Summary: