VuPoint DC-M30P-VP 0.3 Megapixel

I bought this little digital for fun. It was cheap and I was curious to see if it would even work. Here's the scoop on the feature laden VuPoint pen-sized DC-M30P-VP:

SPECIFICATIONS
(Taken from the VuPoint website at: http://www.vupointsolutions.com/DC-M30PR-VP.asp)
Image Sensor
300K Pixels CMOS Sensor
Still Image Size: 640 x 480 Pixels (VGA), 320 x 240 Pixels (QVGA)
Movie Mode: N/A
Shoot Mode: Single, Continuous Shoot, Self-Timer, PC cam
Image Display: N/A
Viewfinder: Built-in
Lens Aperture: F2.7 (56?)
Zoom: Optical: N/A Digital: N/A
Shutter Speed: 1/6 -1/15000 sec.
Focus Range: 0.5m - infinity
Sensitivity: Automatic
Flash Mode: N/A
Flash Distance: N/A
Self-Timer: 10 sec.
White Balance: Automatic
Exposure Control: Automatic
Internal Memory: 64Mb SDRAM memory; Pictures: 32(VGA), 117 (QVGA)
External Storage: N/A
Image File Format : JPEG
Transmission Interface : USB 1.1
Video Output : N/A
Battery Type : AAA (2), USB 5V
Dimension
5.0” x 1.2” x 1.0”
Weight
1.3 oz. (without battery)
System Requirement
Windows 98SE, 2000, ME, XP
Software Application : Arcsoft PhotoImpression

FEATURES and WHAT YOU GET
Accessories included in the box are a software CD, USB Cable, Camera Base, and User's Manual. If you glance through the above list of specifications, you will see that this little camera has some worthwhile features such as a self-timer, and more surprisingly, a continuous and burst mode. These are fun to play with, and incredible to find on such a cheap camera.

QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE
With 300K resolution and 640 x 480 Pixels (VGA), 320 x 240 Pixels (QVGA) picture quality, this is not a high photo-quality camera. There is no flash, and low light photos are pretty poor in terms of clarity. That being said, the daylight still photo quality is visually as good as most cell phone cameras.
The VuPoint DC-M30P-VP Digital Camera can also be used as a PC camera. By using the included Arcsoft PhotoImpression 4 software, there are several functions and options that you can select when using the PC camera. I have not used any other webcameras, and cannot make a fair comparison to any other product. The quality of the VuPoint DC-M30P-VP Digital Camera however, is fine for basic videoconferencing and web-chats.

EASE OF USE
The owner's manual and included software is self-explanatory and should be easily installed by a user with little or no experience. The software provides basic photo imaging solutions, and basic PC camera/video options.

BATTERY LIFE
The VuPoint DC-M30P-VP Digital Camera takes 2- triple A batteries, and you would be well advised to use rechargeables. I get around 300 pictures before the batteries run out, but as the camera is not fueled by power from the PC thru the USB, you also eat batteries by dumping photos and most especially by using the PC webcamera.

BOTTOM LINE
This is a fun little camera. I use a 'real' digital camera for serious photos, but the VuPoint DC-M30P-VP Digital Camera is perfect for use as a webcam, and lots of fun as a little digital... I know some who use it as a 'Spy Camera' due to it's discreet size. This is also a fun and economical alternative to disposable cameras. Great bang for your buck.