SiPix StyleCam Snap

Mini digital cameras are not tools for serious photographers, but as fun stocking fillers they are ideal.

At 5cm x 5cm, the Snap is both small and light. It comes with a stand, USB lead, neck strap and an AAA battery, so it's ready to take pictures straight out of the box.

The camera itself is finished in two-tone cream and silver and has just two buttons. These are for taking pictures and changing modes. Other than that, there is just a USB port and an LCD display.

Despite its diminutive size, the StyleCam feels robust enough to be carried in a coat pocket without damage.

Turning the camera on results in a high-pitched beep and the screen shows how many pictures you've taken and what settings you are using.

Changing modes is fiddly, pressing the Mode button until you reach your selection and then pressing the Shoot button to select.

Two quality settings are offered and a choice of indoor or outdoor modes.

You can even take short videos, though recording is accompanied with a series of irritating beeps.

The StyleCam operates at a maximum resolution of 640 x 480, which is fine for simple images for fun.

Connecting the StyleCam to a computer is perhaps not as straightforward as it could be. Unlike some other cameras, the StyleCam requires you to install some simple image-editing software before linking it to the PC.

Initially our camera refused to download its images to our Windows XP computer but a driver update fixed this. Once it had been set up, viewing, copying and browsing the images was easy.

Pictures were quite dark and not particularly sharp. It was a similar story with videos and a low frame rate resulted in rather jerky footage.

However, for quick snapshots and clips the quality is fine, and the files are small enough to email easily to friends and family.

Like many budget digital cameras, the StyleCam can also function as a webcam.

DETAILS

Contact: SiPix Digital (no UK number)