You've decided that it's time to get a new electronic gadget--but which one? A digital camera sounds exciting, but an MP3 player would be fun, too. Of course, having a Webcam for videoconferencing might be neat, and, if you're a student, a digital voice recorder would be useful for taping lectures. With so many options, which should you choose? Thanks to Pretec, your decision-making worries are over. With the DC-530, you get all four devices in one cute pocketsize package.
The instruction manual is quite thin, but the controls are intuitive and well arranged, so most users will probably never even glance at the directions. A power button, shutter release, and mode dial are located on the top of the unit, and there's a four-way rocker switch on the front, next to the LCD status display.
Judging by the "DC" in the model name, it seems that Pretec considers the digital camera to be the most important of the camera's functions. Its 640 x 480 CMOS sensor, fixed-focus lens, automatic built-in flash, and optical viewfinder are all pretty standard fare for entry-level digital cameras. Images can be stored either in the 2 MB of internal memory or on the included 32 MB Type I CompactFlash card (which also holds MP3 music files). At this price, you don't get an LCD display for previewing and reviewing your shots, but there is a small LCD panel that lets you know how many shots are remaining, flash status, etc. Strangely, this panel is placed on the front of the camera, so you'll have to point the camera at yourself each time you want to check if the flash is on or see how many shots you have left.
To share your photos with others, you can either view them on a TV (the connecting cable is included) or transfer them to your home computer. Image transfer is quick, thanks to the USB connection. Image quality is acceptable--not particularly detailed, but with reasonable color reproduction. The fixed-focus lens means you don't have to worry about blurry snapshots, though the lens doesn't deal well with close-ups. With a resolution of 640 x 480, the images will look OK as e-mailed pictures or Web-based photos, but even 4-by-6-inch prints will be unacceptably fuzzy. As with the Polaroid i-zone or a disposable camera, this is a camera you use to capture memories, not to become the next Ansel Adams. With the exception of the flash (which can be switched between "auto" and "off"), every other function on the camera is preset or automatic: just point and shoot.
Twist the mode knob to MP3, and you're ready to start listening to music. Depending upon recording quality, MP3 files require more or less 1 MB of memory per minute, so the camera's 32 MB card gives you around a half-hour of music. If you're hoping to bring more songs along, you can either record at a lower quality or purchase an additional memory card. The unit uses standard Type I CompactFlash cards, which are available in capacities of up to 256 MB. With the included software, song transfer was speedy and drag-and-drop simple. Though most of the other combination digital camera/MP3 players employ copy protection that forces owners to use proprietary software and cables to transfer files, the Pretec will also play CompactFlash cards that were recorded on a dedicated card reader/writer--there seems to be no copy protection at all, making it much easier for people to transfer files to and from the player.
Like the digital camera, the MP3 player is quite basic, letting listeners adjust the volume, play, pause, rewind, and fast forward. You won't find any advanced features like shuffle, repeat, or tone adjustment. In MP3 mode, even the LCD display is quite basic--information is limited to volume and battery condition.
When used as an audio recorder, the DC-530 saves sounds as an 8 kHz mono PCM "wav" file. Files take about 1 MB per minute of memory (unlike MP3 files, these aren't compressed). The recorder uses a built-in microphone, and you can play back your files through headphones or transfer them to your computer.
The DC-530 comes with a comprehensive software suite, including MGI PhotoSuite III SE, Siren Jukebox Xpress, and MGI VideoWave SE. The package includes a belt-loop carrying pouch, headphones, software, two AA batteries, and cables to connect the unit to your computer and TV.
Each of the four functions is pretty basic, but they work as advertised and are fun to use. For the same price as the DC-530, you could purchase a digital camera (or MP3 player, or Webcam) with more features, but taken as a whole, it's a reasonably priced and fun little gadget.
Pros:
- All-in-one design means fewer items to tote around.
- Compact, lightweight, and stylish.
- No proprietary file formats or copy protection on MP3 player.
Cons:
- LCD can't be seen when taking pictures.
- Minimal features in all modes.