written by neiko. on 14/11/2002
Good Points
well, it's cheap
Bad Points
errrm, how long have you got?
General Comments
With this world full of multi function devices, I suppose it makes sense to but a digital camera what can also be used as a webcam. With this in mind I purchased one of the SiPIx Web3. Expecting to be slightly impressed for getting a camera at what appears to be good value I put it use as soon as I got it out the box. Oh dear. All down hill from now me think. The pictures it takes are, well to be honest, poor. The focus can be moved from wide to macro, although if you're taking wide shots, doesn't really make any difference what the lense is set to. The photos it produces are like stills from a bad analogue video tape camera. Indoor shots are even worse, due to its lack of white balance. Strip lighting has a strong yellow hue (which can be corrected by boosting the blue brightness). With all this taken into account, perhaps its worst feature is its stutter speed. In a word, bad. If you want to take action shots, forget it. Anything over about 8Mph is a blur, and this really becomes apparent in its webcam mode. All I have to compare this to is my trusty Kodak DVC 325, which absolutely wipes the floor with it. There again the 325 wipes the floor with all webcams, easily making the look like cheap toys. In closing, if you're looking for a digital camera for the kids at Christmas that they can have fun with, the Sipix web 3 is definitely the one. Easy to use, takes loads of photos, cam be used as a webcam. If you're an adult looking for an entry level digital cameras, my advice would be to read reviews, and most importantly find unedited sample photos if the camera you interested in, and don't go off what the thing looks like, the price, what it claims to do or anything else This is really a camera for the kids. Don't be fooled