Creative PC-Cam 750

A top-of-the-range webcam from Creative that doubles up as a digital camera.

Most of Creative Labs' digital cameras and webcams are cheap and cheerful products - fairly basic but they do the job at a low price.

However, the firm has moved more upmarket with the PC-Cam 750. Costing £130, it is more expensive than its other cameras but it provides higher quality and a wider range of features.

The PC-Cam 750 functions as both a webcam for capturing live video and as a portable digital camera for still photography.

When taking photographs, it has a standard resolution of 1024 by 768, and this can be improved by using 'interpolation' so that it approximates to 1600 x 1200.

Admittedly, the PC-Cam can't match the quality of more expensive digital cameras that have 1600 x 1200 as their standard resolution, but it's certainly an improvement over the meagre 640 x 480 resolution of Creative's cheaper cameras.

There's a healthy 16MB of memory built in allowing you to store 85 pictures at 1024 x 768 or 20 images at the interpolated 1600 x 1200.

Unlike many low-cost digital cameras, the PC-Cam 750 also has a built-in flash so you can use it at night or in darkened interiors.

It can also record audio and its big memory lets you store up to 75 seconds of combined audio and video.

You can even use it to record audio only, storing up to an hour's worth of recordings, but don't expect studio quality.

When used as a webcam, the maximum resolution for live video capture is 640 x 480.

Image quality here is good, although not outstanding, but you don't really need higher quality from a webcam unless you've got a high-speed broadband internet connection.

The only real gripe is that the PC-Cam has an annoying installer program that forces you to install the various software components one at a time.

But that's minor and the PC-Cam 750 is well worth considering if you're looking for dual-purpose digital camera/webcam.

It might cost more than some of its rivals, but its built-in flash, higher resolution, and 16MB of memory are useful extras.

DETAILS
Contact:
Creative - no UK number
www.uk.europe.creative.com