Digital-Camera Reviews

This camera is a perfect example of you pay for what you get. I bought this camera, because I thought it was a steal at the sale price. This camera has no real on-board memory. You cannot take 1 high-resolution picture with out a compact flash card. The pictures are grainy at best and forget about low light pictures, because you wont see a thing. This camera is o.k. For a young teen, but no adult who will want to use this camera to capture those precious moments of life will not be satisfied.

This camera is good for the money. It is good for the person who will mainly use it just for e-mail without very much zoom. You can print photos as long as you keep the photos not much larger than 5x7. Has built-in flash, LCD, and Compactflash Card slot.

Works quite well for the money. The pictures are bright and sharp and the little wheel on the back makes it easy to switch between camera mode and other modes. A nice feature is that you can turn the TFT back display on and off easily to save battery life. The downloads are quick on the USB cable. Battery life seems to be very good. Included software is nothing special but works okay. The camera only comes with 0.5 mb of memory built-in so you have to use it with a CompactFlash card. A 64mb CF card will hold 64 full resolution pictures and 936 pictures at the lowest of six resolution settings. Don't get the camera without also buying a CF card.

I received this camera for a Christmas present. My first digital camera, it's a snap to use. Good quality pictures, easy to use instruction booklet, and conveniently small size are it's best features. The limit of 4 or 8 MB memory cards is a little diassapointing unless one purchases several (they are rather inexpensive). The carrying case is handy and it is thoughtfuly included in the camera package, as is also the software to edit pictures and the serial cable and USB cable. The USB cable makes downloading go pretty fast. A fun, versatile, convenient camera.

I received this as a Christmas present, not to replace my "old" camera, but as another way to play with the computer and photos. It is very easy to use and to hook up to your computer is a breeze. It is very small however, and you need to hold it very steady. It only came with a 4MB memory card, and can only go up to 8MB, but as I said before it's great for quick fun and creativity with software like PhotoExpress etc.

i thought that it looked cool, but...

i couldn't get it to download, and now i can't review the photo's on my compact flash card

I just bought this camera today. At the time I thought I was getting a great deal, but now I realize that I probably paid a fair price accurate of its worth since it is no longer on the market. The picture quality of still photos and video clips of a maximum 10 sec. long is really below mediocre so far. The one I bought was obviously a store return, since it had some very blurry family photos stored on the internal memory when I got it. One thing that is confusing me - There was this one photo of a girl on the beach which was crystal clear. Maybe the camera came with that picture already on the memory as a sample, but I have been totally unable to get pictures anything like that on my camera. The camera was very easy to use once I read the owners manual and it does an excellent job on the sound recordings. It has some quirks on the way you do things which are easy once you figure them out, but if you have ever used another digi. camera then you might be confused. I have used digital cameras of friends and relatives, and since I'm not in a financial position to get a digital camera of any quality, I'm happy, but if you want good pictures or good digital video files and you can afford more, I would recommend something else. This camera is everything that it promises, but it is still "bottom rung".

After hearing the troubles of digital cameras from many different people. I am pleasantly surprised at the ease of use and the relatively good quality of pictures. The downloading to a PC is a snap and if any trouble comes up the camera can be re-downloaded without a hitch. I work in the computer software and hardware industry so I can say with confidence that this product has a great balance of price and power. Just having the ability to record movies AVI's (short ones) and sound - WAV files should put this product in a higher price bracket . thanks for keeping it affordable Argus

This 0.3 megapixel marvel is a toy. It is not meant for video or serious digital photography. It is a great entry-level camera for a kid, because he can 'shoot' his friend with it. Then, they can go back and see what they 'shot' without hurting anyone. It is a fun camera, but follow my advice, THIS IS NOT FOR SERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHY. It is great fun. Works with Windows 98 and Windows XP (Not as well as other digital cameras).

The Argus Photo Phazer is an excellent little camera especially for beginners expecially Kids. Not only does this little camera look like a ray gun, and interests little kids in digital photography, it is a crowd pleaser that functions as a standalone video camera (about a minute of video, works well with Windows Movie Maker), an internet video camera (works well with NetMeeting and Windows Messenger), it is a nifty little camera. It takes around 70 still pictures, it defaults to taking pictures outside, and you must navigate the nifty liquid crystal menu to activate the flash, it is great. It takes pictures at 800x600 and 1024x768. The cameras enclosed software works great, it comes with a belt case, a hand strap, a holder, a usb cable, and lots of fun. Just add a computer (works well with atleast 300mhz, 32mb ram, and 4 gig hd on Windows 98 [works with macs]). The photos are good enough to print. Once added to a PC, this great gift idea will provide months of fun. Very good for beginners, kids, parents, etcetera. I love mine.

Bought this for my 5 year old and he loves it! For the price, this camera cannot be beat. Once the batteries were inserted, he was taking pictures within minutes. He can snap photos of everything in sight and get instant feedback by transfering them to our PC. The size and configuration are perfect for small hands and the 'phazer' format appeals to the younger set. The included software is adequate for basic photo editing and manipulation, e.g., the ability to create a photo montage, calendar, etc. No problem installing the camera's driver or software on XP Pro. The quality of the images is good, especially given that the focus and exposure are fixed. With the exception of flash photos taken at close range (which are washed out), the color and resolution are fine. The fact that this camera has a flash was the deciding factor in selecting it over other makes/models in this price range. The camera doubles as a webcam and, again, gives acceptable performance. Two minor complaints: no WIA driver or USB mass storage compliance - the photos must be downloaded with the included software via the TWAIN driver; and activating the flash requires 6 button clicks. Overall, very satisfied with this purchase!

At first it seemed ok, despite bad indoor color, blurry images, etc. It was good enough for web thumbnail images, and what do you expect this [cost]? Then a month or so later it started going haywire. Sometimes it would not even turn on. Other times it would turn on, but then shut down as soon as you tried to take a picture. At least I got a USB cable out of the deal. Based on this experience, Argus is the Yugo of digital cameras. Don't waste your time on this...plastic junk.

This is the first digital camera I've even used, let alone bought. I looked around for one for a very long time. I was quite surprized when I got it. I just popped in the batteries and clicked away! Close up pictures aren't good, but it's a nice little camera. EXCELLENT for the beginner!!!
It arrived sooner than I was told it would, sot that was a nice suprize, too. It didn't come with the "CF Flash Card" or the batteries, but so far I haven't needed the flash card. You're supposed to be able to change the settings to enable the camera to store more photos, but I haven't been able to make it change from the "Fine" setting, but so far it hasn't been a problem.
All in all, I'm VERY happy with this camera! It also fits nicely in an old camera case I have. I don't see myself using my old camera, which requires film. For the price, and the quality, you can't go wrong with this camera!!!

For the money, you won't do much better. For me, the selling point was the 10-second timer (OK, call me a narcissus, but I like to have the whole group, including myself, in one photo). My one frustration (which I should have researched before purchase, but at this price, I can live with it) is the lack of preview screen. I get around this by taking extra shots of everything, and it stores enough "fine" -resolution (640X480) images to let me get back to my PC to download just before the batteries run out. And when they do run low, it's kind enough to let you know, and will refuse to flash so you don't lose the stored images. Nice idiot-proofing! Then, once you plug it into your PC by the included USB cable, your computer gives it just enough extra power to download the memory. I can't be bothered to spend the extra money on a memory card; besides, you'll need to save your pennies to keep it fed with batteries, as with any digital camera. The highest resolution is still a little grainy to enlarge beyond 4X6, but that's what your film cameras and higher-priced digitals are for. Argus also includes a cable to plug your images into the TV, which is a hoot to view; just remember not to take "portrait" shots (by holding the camera sideways) if you want to give a slide show. And the 2X Zoom gives you a half-size image; you're better off just taking a larger picture and editing out the background. The included software allows you to edit your pictures, but you can't do that on TV. My favorite application is to print thank-you cards featuring my rugrat displaying her latest clothes or toys, so friends and relatives can see their gifts in action within a few days. Sure beats having to use up a roll of 35mm film and pay top dollar for a bunch of goofy faces to get one good photo. The printed manual is a little hard to follow, and the Instruction Manual on disc prints out to 25 pages, but their online help is pretty prompt and helpful. It's small, it's lightweight, it comes with a lot of neat tricks, and if I accidentally shut it in the car door, I won't have to spend a week's salary to replace it.

I have taken pictures with this camera several times. Each time I attempt to download them I am told that there are no pictures in the camera. This camera was a waste of money.

I had a feeling this camera was going to take horrible pictures from the moment I opened the package. It's a light plastic thing with no flash. I definitely recommend it for children who are just starting to take pictures - who don't care about the quality. I spent about an hour trying to make my pictures look good with the software they provide. It still didn't help. If you're looking to get a digital camera for pictures that you wish to look at often and show to other people, don't waste your money on this one.

The camera has given me no problems. For the Price it's a great deal. It serves its purpose. Looks attractive too!

The others who said great for kids where right. This camera sucks. It was cool at first, I was excited about having a webcam/digital camera. Well, the webcam is better than the camera. Though it shows the video way too close up, and there is nothing to mount it to. And the usb link cord is way too short. The digital camera, oh my, that't not good at all. There is no flash, even in light, it's still dark. It takes tiny pictures. After a little while, the only way you can use the camera is to keep it hooked to the computer, which means you can't go far. I thought my batteries were dead, but that wasn't it, it just doesn't work. The webcam still works but it sucks.
So I don't even recommend spending $20 on it. Save your money and get something better.

I just purchased the camera from Office Max in Ann Arbor MI for about $26.00. I bought the camera for my 4 and 2 year old daughters, since we are going to Disney World this coming weekend. It is perfect for my 4 year old daughter and she is very excited about it. The quality of the pictures, of course, is not the best, but for the price I was expecting worse. The camera description on the outside of the package it came in does not say for outdoor use only. You quickly discover that it cannot take pictures inside unless you have a lot of light. It works perfectly with Windows 98 or 98 Sec. Ed.. I was surprised to see that it came with a 9 pin serial connection , which is used on the 95 and NT OS, and a USB connection. It is very easy to use and my 4 year old can use it without any problems. This will save us a lot of money instead of her using or 35 mm camera and then paying for the film developing and purchasing more film so she can take more pictures. It is a great way for her to learn about the digital cameras and more on the computer. It is a great camera for your kids and if they break it you are only out the 26 dollars or so. Well worth the money if you have kids that like to take pictures outside. This will save you a lot of money on film processing. Hope you find this useful.

I bought this for my son last year. Its a great "toy"! The quality of the pictures are not very good. But try telling that
to a six year old who is in awe looking at the pictures he captured. Its affordable and durable. He once left it in the yard
and because it rained I was certain It was a goner. Once it dried. It still works! So for that I give it 5 stars!!