Gateway DC-M42 Digital Camera: any good?

SharkyTM

Platinum Member
Sep 26, 2002
2,075
0
0
anyone heard positive/negative things about this Gateway camera? I'm in the market for a cam, and this one seems to be an amazing price, 199.99... only a 3x optical zoom, but i can work with that.
Description


Get everything you want in a light-weight, easy-to-use digital camera - 4.1 megapixels, 3X optical zoom and movie mode. Now is the time to replace that old film camera with a high-resolution Gateway? DC-M42 digital camera.

Features:
? 4.1 Megapixel CCD for high quality, large prints up to 8"x10"
? 12X Zoom (3X Optical/4X Digital), 7.8 ? 23.4mm
? Digital photo and movie with Quickview
? 1.6" TFT LCD for preview and review
? Up to 2304 x 1728 pixel images
? 11MB Internal memory with SD/MMC expansion
? 12X Zoom (3X Optical/4X Digital) 7.8 ? 23.4mm

This digital camera delivers high quality, 2304 x 1728 resolution images using a 4.0 megapixel CCD sensor. Resolution and quality settings determine the pixel size (dimension), image file size, and compression ratio for your image. These settings affect the number of images that can be stored in the internal memory, or on an SD memory card. Higher resolution and higher quality images offer the best photographic results but take up more memory space.

The 12X Zoom (3X optical/4X digital) allows you to capture telephoto and wide-angle shots. By using the digital zoom, images can appear closer by pressing the telephoto button, or appear father away by pressing the wide-angle button.

Using either the optical viewfinder or the 1.6" TFT color image LCD monitor, you can compose images. Using the LCD monitor helps you confirm images while taking pictures, and to replay recorded images/video or adjusting menu settings.

The camera comes with 11MB of internal memory, allowing you to store images and video clips in the camera. However, you can expand the memory capacity by using the SD memory card so that you can store additional images and video clips.

An auto-flash sensor automatically detects the shooting (lighting) conditions and determines whether the flash should be used. This feature helps ensure that your images turn out right. The camera has four flash modes: Automatic Flash (default), Red-Eye Reduction, Fill Flash (on), and Flash Off. The modes appear cyclically when you press the button on the rear side of the camera.

Images you have taken can be downloaded to your computer using the USB cable. You can enhance and retouch your images on your computer by using the provided editing software. With PhotoSuite, you can easily retouch, compose and organize your images. It contains a variety of templates, such as photo frames, birthday cards, calendars, and more. With PhotoVista, you can create spectacular 3600 panoramic images in a snap. PhotoVista's quickly and automatically stitches images together, and its intuitive interface will let even a novice get great results in minutes.

You may share your images with your friends via e-mail, in a report, or on a Web site. DPOF functionality allows you to print your images on a DPOF compatible printer by simply inserting the memory card.

In addition to still images, you can record short videos using the movie function. The movie mode allows you to record video clips at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. You can share recorded images/video clips with your family or friends via e-mail or post them on the Web. Simply connect the camera to your computer by using the USB cable and then transfer the images/video clips.

In playback mode, you can view, magnify, delete images, play video clips, or run a slide show. Playback mode also provides a thumbnail image display, allowing you to quickly scan for the image you want. This function allows you to view nine thumbnail images on the LCD monitor simultaneously so that you can quickly scan for a particular image.

If the camera remains unused for a certain period of time while the camera is powered on, the camera will switch to an "idle" mode, and eventually turn itself off to conserve the power.