Kyocera SL400R 4MP Digital Camera with 3X Optical Zoom

Rating:
Summary: Good for it's size, good video quality
Review: The best thing about the Kyocera sl400r is the size. To get a camera this small results in some compromises, so image quality and ease of use are compromised. That's true of all cameras in this size class. In terms of volume, the Pentax Optio S4i is smaller, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 and Konica Minolta DiMAGE Xt are slightly larger. The Kyocera sl400r offers 640 x 480 30fps video quality until the card is full, which is as good or better than any of the other cameras (though the quality of sound from the built in mic isn't great). The menu lay-out is intuitive and you won't need to refer to the manual very often. Start-up and shot-to-shot time are best in the class as well. If you buy a fast Secure Data card (I got a 1Gb Kingmax 60x SD card for a little over $100 that works great), the Kyocera can shoot at 3.5 frames/second until the card is full, far beyond the capabilities of other cameras in this class. On the down side, low light performance is poor, there is no optical viewfinder, battery life is short (extra Kyocera batteries are $75, though you can fine generic replacement batteries for $25) and the lack of a lens cover makes the lens a fingerprint magnet. I find I use mine mostly for video. My 1Gb Kingmax card will give me 7 and half minutes of video at 640 x 480 30 fps, or 30 minutes at the 320x240 30fps setting. It's a great gadget that fits easily in your pocket, but it won't replace your slr.

Rating:
Summary: MAJOR FLAW - LOW BATTERY LIFE
Review: This camera is fun..I throw it in my pocket and have it handy whenever I need it, but it has a major problem. YOU CAN ONLY TAKE ABOUT 20 PICTURES ON A FRESHLY CHARGED BATTERY BEFORE IT DIES. You MUST charge the camera battery EVERY TIME YOU USE THE CAMERA. Many times the camera stopped working during great pic moments, like XMAS, parties, on vacation.
The compact sleek design and ease of use almost makes you forget about this problem. Picture quality is great.
Make sure when you buy a digital camera you find out exactly how long the batteries last.
If you only take very few pictures this camera might be for you. Don't be seduced by it's great features and design. Considering the cost, IT SHOULD PERFORM BETTER. Look around before you buy.


Rating:
Summary: Fast and so easy to use
Review: This camera is great - so much faster and much more intuitive to use than my previous digital camera - which I vowed to replace after missing several shots at a family wedding! The size is great, very thin, but still easy to hold steadily.

Rating:
Summary: Low battery life vs. small package
Review: This is my first digital camera that my wife and I bought to take on our honeymoon. We wanted something really, really small that had enough battery life to go for a few days without charging. Well, we got the small part, but the battery life on this camera is horrible! It will loose all it's charge overnight, and even then we could only take about 20 pictures before it was dead again. I'm purchasing another battery to see if that makes a difference, but I'm kind of disappointed already.

The pictures are fine, and it has all the bells and whistles to adjust exposure time, sharpness, etc. The only thing I noticed is that you have to hold the camera very, very still or the pictures will come out blurry even on the fast "shutter" speeds. It's difficult to clean the lens without removing the tiny plastic lens cap, and unless you keep the camera in it's case, you'll have to clean it often since there is no other lens cover when you power off.

Overall, an okay camera, but I'd see if there was anything else better out there.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent machine, with one terrible glitch, its the case
Review: This is really a great little camera, very fast, easy menu access, great instruction manual, and above all produces just beautiful photographs, they are extremely sharp and the color is sensational., I am very satisfied ,and would recommend it to anyone, great price, small and does it ever work.
Its only real technical weakness is the flash, it is very puny and sometimes does not go on, you can get around this very easily, what I do is pick up the EV value by +.7 EV, my living room is 21 feet long, and with previous procedure, it makes a big difference, can shoot from one end to the other, sometimes you will not get a conformation beep, shoot anyway, shots come out almost perfect.
This is hard camera to beat in anyway shape or form.
And now for the stupidest thing that any camera manufacturer ever did with an included accessory, with the 400 you get a very nice looking case for the camera, problem is it is too small and you can barely close the velcro.

Today I went and promised to shoot some scenes for an attorney friend of mine, when I readhed the location, I pulled out the camera from the case, and found that the battery was fully discharged, very embarassing for me, I was ripping mad.
Upon furthur examination, I discovered that the case cover came down on the power button and discharged the battery, even though I set it for 1 minute power off, when I removed the camera from the case, it was hot as blazes, recharged it now, its ok, threw away the Kyocera case and bought a cheepie at staples.
SHAME ON YOU KYOCERA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still,I love this beautiful machine and will never return it.
Kyocera, get your act together, I am sure no one even realized what just happened to me , just shameful, but, I still rate it a solid 5, this goof just fell thru the cracks.

Brooklyn Photographer

Rating:
Summary: Compact, yet Full of Features
Review: When purchasing a compact digital camera (fits in your pocket, without the case), I expected to forfeit some quality. To my surprise, this camera contained all that I needed and more. It's also quite adaptable - transition quickly from taking poster-size prints to smaller file sizes used mainly for internet sharing. Zoom in on any picture you've already taken, making your own thumbnail right on the camera - no fancy program necessary! The video and sound quality is excellent - the length of video limited only to the size of your memory card. Scene modes (portrait, sports, night shots, macro and more...) make taking quality pictures simple for those who don't want to sort through a bunch of different settings.

I definitely recommend this product for any digital camera user - even those not particularly interested in a lightweight.