SiPix StyleCam DV100 Digital Video Camera

So what’s the catch? The big one is that without a memory card (and it does have a slot for either a MMC or SD card), the camera will be maxed out before you’ve even really started. How many photos and how much video the camera can hold depends on the level of quality you choose. At the lowest resolution (640x480), you can take a respectable 80 still shots, but at a more standard resolution level (1280x1024) that number is less than half, and if you take even two minutes of video, you won’t get more than ten or so shots off before the dreaded "Memory Full" message. Purely as a camcorder, it is not very useful without external memory since you won’t get much more than about ten minutes of footage. And the fidelity of the video, at 8-15 frames per second, is not exactly HDTV-ready (although we are actually kind of fond of the low-budget indie film look).

Another minor drawback that should be mentioned is that the shutter button is awkwardly positioned just to the right of the viewfinder so your index finger must bend nearly in half in order to reach it. A quick word about the software that comes with in the package, PhotoImpression and VideoImpression: It’s not junk (call us cynical, but we’ve come to expect this). The software’s big, friendly graphic interface let you do quickly and easily do all the basics: crop, adjust contrast, re-size, etc. Unlikely to be mistaken for Adobe PhotoShop, but perfectly usable nevertheless.

Sure, this camera has its limitations, but these must be weighed against its combination of price and size, which is nothing less than astonishing. --David Stoesz

Pros

• Easy to use
• Ultra compact
• Great value

Cons

• You are liable to get a cramp in your finger trying to reach the shutter
• Limited built-in memory
• Video fidelity likely to remind you of The Blair Witch Project