Product ReviewsDigital cameras
Agfa's ePhoto 307 is at the lower end of the crop of the digital cameras currently on the market. At first glance it is reasonably well-endowed for picture storage, with 2Mb of internal flash memory as standard. You can fit 36 of the higher, 640 by 480 pixel resolution images and 72 of the lower 320 by 240 pixel resolution images onto the camera before needing to download. But there isn't any provision for an upgrade or any form of removable storage. As such, using the Agfa is a bit like having a one film per trip limit for your 35mm camera. The built-in lens is equivalent to a fixed 43mm on an ordinary camera - a standard lens which ties it to portrait and scenery shots. Focus is automatic, and ranges from 0.6m to infinity. The problem is there's no zoom, macro, or wide angle built in, and no option to add any of these, so the ePhoto 307 is definitely not a camera aimed at the professional photographer. The camera controls are also somewhat minimal. There's an LCD read-out telling you how many pictures you've taken and how many are left at the current resolution. You can set the built-in flash to four different settings: on, off, auto, or red-eye (for preventing that annoying flash-reflection in people's eyes). You can switch between high and low resolution, initiate a 10 second self-timer, or clear the memory using the recessed erase button. And that's it. Common to all the current sub-£1000 bunch (see Low-end digital cameras, MacUser, 8 November 1996, p160), there's no full manual control. In this particular case, there's not even a pseudo f-stop in the form of exposure control. Of course, having everything automatic makes the Agfa extremely easy to use. All you have to do is point and click. It's even easier to use than some instamatics, to which it bears an uncanny physical
At its highest resolution, the ePhoto 307 achieves quite reasonable results. The CCD has a resolution of 350,000 pixels, about equivalent to a top-of-the-range camcorder, so the quality is certainly good enough for images to be reproduced in a publication at around 4in by 3in. At this size, the image will be indistinguishable from a 150dpi scan. Any larger, however, and you'll start to see artefacts. The lower resolution isn't really up to print publication at a useful size, but it's ideal for use on the Web. This is where cameras like the Agfa are strongest, when top quality is less paramount and ease of use a considerable boon. If you want to do some serious image manipulation, however, neither resolution is really up to the job. Although the images are 24-bit, the small number of pixels just can't match the resolutions you can get from Photo CD or a cheap flatbed scanner. The ePhoto 307 comes bundled with cabling for attaching to a Mac or PC, and both standalone software and a Photoshop plug-in to receive incoming images. A carrying case and external power supply will cost you extra. Agfa's own standalone software, PhotoWise, is a simple little tool for getting images easily off your camera and doing a little cropping and retouching before including them in a newsletter or Web page. The Photoshop plug-in offers the same image downloading capabilities without having to run a separate application. As the Agfa's photos are at too low a resolution for printing or displaying in large format, however, you won't be able to perform really elaborate Photoshop work. The degradation entailed by using multiple filters requires much higher resolutions than the camera can achieve. I haven't yet seen a digital camera which really offers everything you need at a reasonable price. If the Agfa was retailing for £100 less ( at a street price of around £200), it would be just on the cusp of consumer pricing. But it isn't, and there's nothing else to place it above the pack. The lack of a removable storage slot or any built-in or optional wide angle, macro or telephoto lenses makes the ePhoto 307 a camera for the consumer at a price for the professional. By James Morris
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