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| Agfa ePhoto CL50 |
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Hardware Reviews July 2000 • Vol.3 Issue 7 |
Agfa ePhoto CL50 | ||
 Our biggest complaint with the ePhoto CL50 from Agfa is the four buttons that are placed on top of the camera. None of the buttons are labeled with icons or identifiers. Thus, we continually had to reach for the users manual to identify their functions until we memorized what they were to be used for. Once we did memorize the unlabeled macro/self-timer, quick review, flash, and resolution buttons, operating the ePhoto CL50 was a fairly easy endeavor. Still, the icons used to set the resolution settings in the display panel are also vague and present a bit of an obstacle. It also took us awhile to get acclimated to the Information button that we had to continually press to get details about the snapshots we just took. When we put the camera to work, however, these small aggravations faded away quickly. The ePhoto CL50 uses a 1.3-million pixel CCD (charge-coupled device) and has a true image resolution of 1,280 x 960 pixels. This resolution can be boosted to 1,600 x 1,200 pixels using Agfa's PhotoGenie enhancement software. The camera also captures images at 640 x 480 pixels. A 3X optical zoom and 2X digital zoom are included, as is an 8MB (megabyte) SmartMedia memory card, which stores between 12 and 96 images. The images we shot with the camera were way above average compared to similar models we've used. Our shots featured excellent focus and detail in nearly every photo. The colors in both our indoor and outdoor photos were accurate and crisp, with the indoor photos being particularly impressive due to the fine contrast and a fine range of colors under varying light sources. The ePhoto CL50 has five focus settings, captures 360-degree panoramic snapshots, and features a burst mode that can take 10 continuous snapshots every 0.5 seconds at 640 x 480 pixels. It can record 10 seconds of sound to each image. Also, a SunCatcher with a built-in prism helps power the 2-inch LCD (liquid-crystal display), conserving the 2 AA alkaline batteries used to power the camera. The camera ships with an excellent quick startup guide and Agfa's PhotoWise software. This, along with its above-average image quality, advanced features, and reasonable price, lets us easily overlook the few gripes we had with the Agfa ePhoto CL50 and recommend it as a camera that deserves a strong look. by Blaine Flamig
$530 Agfa (800) 879-2432 (978) 658-5600 http://www.agfa.com
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