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Kiiro CJ-100 Pocket Photo

It's small, it's different, and it certainly looks intriguing. But does it have what it takes to compete in the competitive digital camera market?

  • Paul Rowlingson
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Our verdict
Despite the various criticisms levelled at this camera, given its price and variety of features, it should provide those looking for a versatile and fun camera with everything they need. With its small size, it's ideal for slipping into a pocket when out on the town, and should provide some amusement. Just don't expect too much from it.
Rating:
Price:

£ 159.99

Manufacturer:

Kiiro

As a digital camera, the CJ-100 doesn't fare too badly given its size and simplicity of use. With a maximum image resolution of 640 x 480, the 8Mb internal Flash memory can hold up to 60 images at normal quality and up to 130 at high quality.

Printed at a decent dpi, the photographs are impressive for something so small.

The lack of flash is disappointing and makes this camera useless in poor lighting (indoors or outdoors), limiting you pretty much to using it outside during the day only. Some nice effects can be obtained when used in low lighting, although they are by no means intended.

Viewing images

With such a small LCD screen, it can be difficult to see the image you wish to photograph easily, let alone read the information displayed on-screen. Even if you pull out the extendable magnifier over the screen, it is still smaller than your thumbnail.

Being able to rotate the lens over a 90-degree angle is a nice feature that allows for some interesting shots and helps you to obtain some that would otherwise be difficult.

Bizarrely, it is possible to view your snapshots on the camera itself, a feature made rather redundant by the fact that it is impossible to see any detail on such a tiny LCD screen.

Transferring images to your PC

With USB chosen as the connection method to your PC, the transferral of images to your PC is relatively simple, although it is hampered somewhat by the low-end software bundled with the camera. Add to this the rather weak instruction manual, which appears to have been translated into English by someone with a poor grasp of the language, and some shine is taken off the product.

We did experience a few problems installing the software bundle, with it refusing to co-operate on several PCs before installing on another with absolutely no problems.

We have been assured that this problem is unique to us, however, and with the simplicity of the final install, it is more likely to be a PC-related problem.

World in motion

`The software can be a little confusing to begin with, but once you've become accustomed, you should be whizzing around. If you don't expect great interfaces or nice graphics, you won't be disappointed.

With the Pocket Photo's ability to act both as a movie camera and a webcam when connected to your PC, you can create and send video email and use the unit as a motion-sensing camera.

Other features of the software allow the compiling and saving of albums, and the editing of photographs.

Battery blow

The most disappointing aspect of this camera is the extraordinarily short battery life, and when it costs around £4 for a set of two AA batteries, this can become quite costly.

We managed to get through two sets in just short of two days, and frustratingly, the camera still relies on its batteries when plugged into a PC.

Contact
Kiiro website: www.kiiro.co.uk
Stockist info line: 01992 710 770

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