Look what showed up today...

[Jason Dunn]

Well, well. I was hoping it would arrive soon...look in the top right corner to see why I'm a little excited about this product.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/pretec13teaser.jpg" /><br /><br />I'm going to try and have a review done in the next 24 hours, but I'm in the middle of a brutal deadline for a chapter in a new book I'm writing, so this is bad timing...bear with me! <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif" />

[Jimmy Dodd]

Pretec? What's so exciting about Pretec? :?:

[muaddip]

Nope, not the Pretec logo the little silver star under the Pretec logo.

[RickP in AZ]

What is so great is the "1.3Megapixels" that the camera is capable of. The head of our User Group was showing this off at our meeting last week. Really pretty cool with some neato features in the included software. Like, video email!?

All in all a pretty cool device for a mere $100.

RickP in AZ

[Bob Anderson]

Jason, I can't wait to see your review of the camera unit for the PocketPC.

HOWEVER: how many of you have heard the old saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none?"

I think it's applicable here. I'm the biggest fan of PocketPCs, but let's focus on a few things and then really polish them up for flawless "fit and finish" instead of constantly coming up with new stuff that has limited appeal. Create modems, cellular 3G modems, ethernet cards, and wireless ethernet cards that are small, elegant and affordable - with solid drivers, great functionality and low power use! Get GPS units and software that work together seamlessly (as contrasted to the different reviews that I read that say that model "x" is good at this and model "y" is good at that, and NO ONE seems to build the "killer" combo.)

Now maybe I'm jumping the gun here, maybe Pretec has created the "Killer" PocketPC camera, but it just seems a PDA is a PDA and a camera is a camera, and never the two shall meet. (In other words, there'll always be some compromise that just doesn't quite make the product that useful.

[Sven Johannsen]

What is so great is the "1.3Megapixels" that the camera is capable of. The head of our User Group was showing this off at our meeting last week. Really pretty cool with some neato features in the included software. Like, video email!?

All in all a pretty cool device for a mere $100.

RickP in AZ

What do mean $100, where do you get one for $100???? (I think $100 is the price for the low res one, not the 1.3M) Let us know if you have a source for this one at $100. But PM me first so I can get my order in before the rush :)

[JonathanWardRogers]

What do mean $100, where do you get one for $100???? (I think $100 is the price for the low res one, not the 1.3M) Let us know if you have a source for this one at $100. But PM me first so I can get my order in before the rush :)

I second that! I ordered mine from HandheldCanada a while back for around 150USD, but they haven't shipped yet, so I can still save. :-)

Jon

[spg]

I must say this is one sweet device. 8) It is really the first compact flash camera that can really be used to take good digital pictures. Nothing against the HP camera, but the resolution was just too low on it to really use the pictures for much. Looking forward to the review Jason.

[st63z]

What size stills does it take, 1280x960? How about the video capabilities? Any flash (for stills) or optical zoom by any chance?

[Eos]

I know it's a bit off topic, but I am still curiousto learn if Pretec driver's are good for the original HP cam on an IPAQ. The cam looks so much alike that one wonders..

[RickP in AZ]

:oops:
That's what I get for shooting my mouth off here... Dumb dumb dumb.... Where is my dunce cap anyway???????? He bought it at Mobilplanet I remember but maybe the waxy build up in my ears made it sound like $99 when he actually said $199.

Excuses:
1. See what happens when you post before your morning coffee?
2. Umm I was disrtracted by the chorus line which selected that precise moment to parade through my livingroom with 13 snow leopards in tow...
3. My wife... (Ok, *that* one I won't repeat. But it was the best of the bunch...)
4. Tiny clusters of tumors errupted in my cranium suddenly allowing me to see through time to the moment 1.7 years from now when the Pretec 1.3MP camera is on clearance at the local drugist for a mere $99...

Seriously though I can't seem to get into the MobilePlanet website in order to correct my error. And I don't even have my lastest Mobileplanet catalog handy.

RickP in AZ

[Sven Johannsen]

What size stills does it take, 1280x960? How about the video capabilities? Any flash (for stills) or optical zoom by any chance?

You can see about everything that exists until someone reviews one at
http://www.handheldcanada.com/docs/compactCamera.pdf

But anyway, 1280x1024,yes,no,no.

[Sven Johannsen]

:oops:
That's what I get for shooting my mouth off here... Dumb dumb dumb.... Where is my dunce cap anyway???????? He bought it at Mobilplanet I remember but maybe the waxy build up in my ears made it sound like $99 when he actually said $199.


I think he did say $99, but that is what Mobileplanet wants for the 640x480 version, not the hi-res one. I can't get to the site either, but I have the catalog open, and when you can get to the site it is MP970839. I haven't seen the hi res one anywhere but HandheldCanada.

[Steven Cedrone]

I think he did say $99, but that is what Mobileplanet wants for the 640x480 version, not the hi-res one. I can't get to the site either, but I have the catalog open, and when you can get to the site it is MP970839. I haven't seen the hi res one anywhere but HandheldCanada.

Correct, here it is from the Mobile Planet Web site:

VGA CompactCamera
The CompactCamera is a full featured digital camera card that can be used with any Pocket PC or Pocket PC 2002 device with a Type I CompactFlash slot. It's capable of taking photos up to a .35 Megapixel (350,00 pixels) resolution and features a 2x digital zoom with an 180 degree swivel head design.
MP #: MP970839
Mfr #: OCCAV
Usually Ships:
Same Day
$99.95

They don't have the Hi-res model (at least, not yet) :cry:

[ntractv]

I'm really excited about this one. I bought the Nexicam and it was a bit disappointing. It would work for a few shots and then just get the hebby jebbys (sic)

[bijansan]

Looks like a very well designed and capable product. I was reading the product info and I noticed it saying the pictures will be saved to the "main memory" of the pocket PC. There was no mention of saving the photos to the memory card. This could be a huge drawback! I hope They did not forget about the memory card!

Bijan. :?:

[MultiMatt]

I also received a Pretec Camera for review - though it is the low-rez (300K) version.
I have been using the HP Camera in my ipAQ for about a month (with mmVISION's iPictures software), and while it has been okay, I was dissapointed in the iris flakiness (which I think, is all software-related). Auto mode just plain sucks. The image darkens up WAY too much at the slightest bit of light! I have learned how to manipulate Manual mode to get some decent shots.

The Pretec, on the other hand, is considerably better. Their software install was quick and painless. When you insert the camera, the imaging software starts right up (I assume this is what the hp camera does in a Jornada).
The images are noticeably clearer and sharper, and the light adjustment is much more normal. Out in the bright sunlight, I did have to play with the settings a bit to get decent exposure, but the shots are really good.
One thing I see missing - if you make a small video with the Pretec, there appears to be no way to export it to another format other than the proprietary Pretec format... drag... The iPictures software with the hp camera lets you do that.

FYI - I am mainly using this camera for work purposes. I do site surveys at locations all around the country. I do the "checklist" in Excel and shoot pictures with the CF camera. Very handy having it all on my iPAQ!

Matt

[Gordo]

I am looking for a low end (picture quality) camera that I can use for taking shots of white boards at work. I then run them through WhiteBoardPhoto from Pixid www.pixid.com. The software recommends "A digital camera with at least 1280 by 960 resolution". What I would like to know is if the 1.3 Meg camrea is interpolated, and will the photos work through the above mentioned software.

[email protected]

[Skoobouy]

My order has been backordered for a long time now. Pretec told me they would ship by mid-july, and, well, here we are on the 27th, still waiting. How big can the demand for one of these be, anyway?

[Sven Johannsen]

Where's that review Jason? You've had it for a week :wink:

[Sven Johannsen]

I am looking for a low end (picture quality) camera that I can use for taking shots of white boards at work.

I've actually done this on a 3x5 whiteboard with my HP camera. It doesn't turn out to bad and is a whole lot better than someone trying to recreate it on paper and then re-recreate it on a drawing package.

Don't know about the software you mentioned. Seems a bit pricey. I would think a lit effort with Paint Shop Pro would clean up any issues. I just sent my pictures out as is.

[cpoole]

Hi

I have been waiting a long time for this camera to show up. Have you used it yet? Can you give us a review?

Chris

[vodochic]

I'm very much looking forward to your review as well....I had the old Jornada camera and though was rather disappointed in it's limitations (though it worked much much better with the 560 series than the 520s)...I'm looking to perchase a new one since so many have become avaiable and affordable...especially looking forward to the video capacities! I'm trying to find a review comparing the VGA CompactCamera from Pretec with the FlyCAM CompactFlash Digital Camera as they seem pretty close in both pricee and features....does anyone have any comments when comparing these two items...how is each with still pictures vs video? Best buy?
Thanks!



:evilbat:

[enemy2k2]

This looks like it will become one of my first accessories I buy when I receive my Dell Axim, after a memory card though :D Might just end up getting a SD card now because of this exciting news. This is just sweet, none of the other camera add-ons I've seen would even count I would say, more like puny little web-cam like toys - and on top of that they're rip-offs. This will turn a PPC into an actual half-way decent digital camera...SWEET!!!