Samsung Digimax 35 MP3 Digital Camera

Richard Price
28 November 2000

Samsung's Digimax 35 MP3 is a three-in-one digital camera. It can be used to take pictures, play MP3 music files or as a web camera for basic video conferencing.

Wow, what technology convergence! Finally a movie camera and a record player!

It is a small and compact camera that features a 5.8 mm fixed focus lens, an automatic flash and a large optical viewfinder. The controls are straight forward and provided you have a steady hand the pictures are what you would expect.

The Digimax 35 reminds me a lot of those early instamatic cameras that everyone's auntie used at weddings. I suppose I could say it is the Box Brownie of digital cameras, but that wouldn't be a fair comparison The Brownie was an outstanding piece of design that actually did take incredible photographs.

Digital cameras are only as good as the CCD technology inside them and that technology comes at a price. The Digimax 35 with its maximum resolution of 640 x 480 is no top-of-the-range camera.

Images are stored on a 16MB Compact Flash Card. The card included with the camera should store about 200 "Hi" mode images. "Lo" mode on the other hand stores a lot more but uses 320 x 240 pixels.

Two AA alkaline batteries supply the power, although an AC adapter could also be used.

Taking pictures is simple enough, although a bit slower than I expected. After the button is pressed a single beep signals the image is captured. Then there is a pause of about 15 seconds while the image is transferred to the Flash Card.

Images are downloaded to a PC using the USB cable and software provided. I was disappointed to see the Digimax did not show up in Windows Explorer as another hard drive.

Images can not be dragged and dropped conveniently using Explorer. They have to be downloaded using Samsung's e-maxManager software. The interface is easy enough to use, though a little on the twee side.

The Digimax comes with imaging software that can be used to create panoramic (360 degree) images. Using MagicSuite panorama, it is possible to "stitch" a series of images taken from a scene or inside a room and merge them into a seamless panoramic view. Images can also be exported to the web.

Animation and 3D software for creating stereoscopic images is also included. The Digimax comes with a neat little calibrated tripod to help take the 3D images

To tell the truth, I felt stupid wearing the cardboard, red/green 3D glasses and couldn't create anything that appeared to "jump out the screen".

Although the camera stores and plays MP3 files, it is not possible to listen to files and take pictures simultaneously. Having MP3 files on the memory card also means less space for pictures. You need two or more memory cards.

Once the MP3 files have been created or downloaded, they are copied onto the Flash Card using e-maxManager. If there is an MP3 file on the Flash Card the camera automatically starts off in MP3 mode when it is switched on.

The small LCD display offers play, stop, select, delete and volume options. Personally I would have liked a bit more volume. Also, I also didn't like having to turn the volume up every time I changed modes.

A stereo headset is included. Just as well because my standard headphones did not fit the smaller-than-small jackplug hole.

The tripod is also handy when using the Digimax as a webcam - the rubber base helps balance it on top of a monitor. Unfortunately, I don't think the Digimax makes a good webcam. Live video conferencing may be popular, but the Digimax's frame rate (15 frames per sec) is disappointing and the resolution is not so hot.

Even cheap webcams offer a more acceptable 30 frames per second.

www.samsung.com
RRP AU$499

By Richard Price, Editor, EnergyME.com

For information on getting a product reviewed email richard@energyme.com