May 27, 2001 02:48 AM
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The CL18 is Agfa's first digital camera that retails for less than £100. But although it is relatively cheap it boasts a number of features common to the more expensive models. The first thing that strikes you about this camera is its size. It is extremely compact and light, and comes in a choice of either a silver or blueberry casing. The control buttons are all located on the back, with a small display showing battery power, resolution and flash control.
Because the camera has no colour LCD screen, battery consumption is significantly reduced, but those used to viewing and deleting photos on a screen before downloading them will find its absence irritating - after all, 'pub cred' is a significant buying factor for digital camera users.
The camera is dual mode, which means that it can take video footage as well as still images. This means it can be used for videoconferencing, which can be carried out over the Internet or a local area network. Pictures can also be viewed through a television, which is a nice tool for home users. The CL18 has two power sources; either a pair of AA batteries or direct USB power, and it automatically switches off after a minute if not in use, which is a useful power-saving facility.
Downloading pictures is easy once the Corel Print Office software is installed. Pictures can be quickly transferred onto a PC via a USB lead. The camera can store up to 16 pictures in high resolution or 32 in low resolution mode, which makes it a bit unsuitable for long photo shoots, unless the user carries a laptop with them as well - the memory size is fixed, with no upgrade slots.
The picture quality is fairly good but the camera doesn't handle bright light very well. The camera also has a built-in flash for dark conditions, but this is not effective at close range.
Verdict
This camera has potential in the budget end of the market, but the lack of an LCD screen and memory slot will put off many of the gadget buying brigade, and the actual image quality is questionable in all but the best conditions.
