Digital Cameras

[Ernest Perez]

Libraries considering purchase of a digital camera might consider what
seems to me to be a generally more practical and useful alternative. 
Look at the new "Snappy" product, a PC interface and software for
grabbing frames from standard VCRs. 

It's cheap at around $200, and since VHS cameras are "ubiquitous", you
don't have to pay for expensive, limited-purpose, image-capturing
equipment. Among other things, you won't have to select from single-shot
or a limited number of images; you can use your VCR to get from seconds
to hours of footage, then select frames from that galaxy of separate
images.

We haven't had occasion to get one at our library, but one of our
computer support techs owns Snappy, loves it, and praises the high
quality of the images produced.  He reports it uses an easy parallel
port connection to your VCR. You can view videotape, stop and grab
frames, etc. You can choose # of colors, resolution, and he says you can
fine-tune good quality images to suit your exact purpose.

Snappy appears to me to be a more practical choice than a digital
camera, for most Web-type purposes.

> Steven M. Jones wrote:
> ..
> >We're planning a photo archive web resource and are considering the
> >feasibility of buying a digital camera in the $500-1000 range to capture
> >color photos.
> >
> >1.  Any good Web sites dealing with digital cameras and related
> >technical issues?


-ernest

Ernest Perez, Ph.D.//Oregon State Library//perez at opac.state.or.us
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Library:  Like a software house, except the software's free.
It's not vaporware.  And if it breaks, they help you fix it.
Quickly.  Without a toll call.