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Toshiba PDR-3300

By: Sandy Berger Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2002-09-23 10:04:34

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With the introduction of the PDR-3300, Toshiba has added functionality, increased resolution, and lowered the cost; resulting in a best buy for just about any amateur photographer, even the more advanced.

Although the boxy look of this camera will win no design awards, it has everything necessary for a positive digital photography experience. Features that I love include a Canon all-glass lens, a 2x optical zoom lens combined with a 3x digital zoom, automatic exposure, as well as, full manual adjustments, a built-in lens cover, and a wireless infrared remote control. The camera also has a thumbnail view, a slideshow, and the ability to resize images and to save them with a lower quality level. On top of that, it is small and lightweight and gets adequate battery life with standard AA type batteries.

The 3.2 million pixel CCD, which produces file sizes up to 2048 x 1536 pixels, took consistently good images. The automatic mode worked well in almost all cases. The five flash settings were adequate for all the lighting situations I encountered. For those who like to control their own settings, most everything can be adjusted manually.

What's not to like? The software installation was confusing. You are given choices with no on-screen information as to exactly what you need to install. The drivers were not automatically detected on several computers. The ACDSee software program was useful for transferring, saving, and displaying images; but no software for adjusting images was included. The camera uses a wonderfully small SD (SecureDigital) card, but only an 8 MB card is included. While I was happy to be able to fit 8 high-resolution photos on the card, for a 3-megapixel camera, Toshiba should include at least a 32MB card. While the camera does take videos, mine looked a little grainy and there is no sound. So if you are looking to take video clips, I would look elsewhere.

The camera controls can be somewhat confusing at first, but a quick look at the manual will explain the functionality. A fairly typical Mode Dial on the top of the camera controls the functions. The MENU button displays onscreen information. The DISP button controls the amount of information displayed on the LCD. A four-way joystick-like button makes selections. The small button in the middle of the joystick is used to accept the selections. I found the 1.6" color LCD somewhat small, but it is viewable even in full sun, and the brightness of the LCD is adjustable. The camera also allows you to enlarge any part of the image to see details of a photo. The controls are well-spaced, adequately labeled, and large enough even for those with large fingers.

The PDR-3300 has a suggested retail price of $349, but a quick look around the Internet revealed prices even lower. Software and driver installation aside, for the quality and the resolution, this camera is a bargain. It works with both PCs and Macs and would be a great way to start any foray into the world of digital photography.