Che-ez Snap digital camera review

15 December 2003 16:33 GMT / By Stuart Miles

At only the size of a 50 pence piece and coming in a variety of colours perhaps beautiful things really do come in small packages.

The camera produced by Che-ez! is aimed purely at the fun market. The camera features little with only a power and shutter button to content with. Images are framed by the optical viewfinder as there is no LCD back display. Images are transferred to the PC via a USB connection. Those looking to replace the battery or memory card will be hard pushed as the snap carries both inside and out of harms reach. Charged by the USB this camera is as basic as it gets.

Images are saved at one setting and are akin to camera phone quality. Installation came in the form of CD drivers and Windows XP did not automatically detect the drivers from it vast built in array as it does with most other manufacturers.

Producing a maximum resolution of 640x480 pixels images are really only good enough for illustration purposes. Foreground detail was okay, but background detail gave the impression a watercolour filter had been applied.

Verdict

For a bit of cheap fun this camera was okay. However, with the mobile camera phone surging its way into most people's pockets we can't help but feel this camera is going to lose its market fast. Likewise saving up your pocket money for a little longer would get you a whole lot more features and one from the major camera manufacturers.

Okay, so they won't give you the size or the James bond feel, but they will give you pictures you can print or keep rather than discarding the moment you've downloaded them.

Score

Review Recap

Made by: Che-ez
Price as reviewed: £35
The good: Fun; standard plug and play in spite of size
The bad: Size limits resolution.
Quick verdict: At any other time than Xmas you wouldn’t bother with this camera, so save up for something decent instead.
Score