Vivitar ViviCam X60 - 10 megapixel compact digicam
By Marc Perton 
posted January 13th 2006 10:06AM
posted January 13th 2006 10:06AM
We generally don't pay a whole lot of attention to Vivitar's product announcements -- most of their digicams are just rebadged versions of cameras from OEMs like Taiwan's Premier -- but the recently announced ViviCam X60 certainly caught our attention. The camera, due out later this year, boasts a range of features not typically available in a compact, especially one expected to retail for under $500. Those features include a 10 megapixel CCD, 6x optical zoom and a 2.8-inch LCD. Right now, Vivitar's providing very little info about the X60 other than those specs -- and the only pictures they've released make it pretty clear that production probably hasn't even begun -- but it could be the start of a new wave of high-megapixel point-and-shoots, especially since we suspect that this one is made by Premier as well, which means we'll likely see more of these, under a range of brands, over the next few months.
Good tendency. We are going to see really powerful cameras in the budget sector of the market.
I am getting really frustrated at the MegaPixel race. 4 or 5 is plenty, the quality of the rest of the components needs to improve, ISO speed needs to improve and shotting feel needs to be improved. These little Prosumer camera's that sport 10 megapixels are a waste. Megapixels aren't the only factor in cameras, just like Horsepower isn't the only factor in Cars, or Hertz in CPU's.
vivitar recently released an 8 mp digicam (via woot-launch no less), which I acquired. (We had a nice Olympus 3 mp camera from 2000 stolen :( )
It's nice, but two hang ups for me. Propriatary battery pack (no buying extras at the market if you run out of juice on the road) and the flash seems to bright if the subject is closer than maybe 5-10 meters. Annoying!
Maybe the 10 megapixels on these cameras makes up for the fact that the image processor basically sucks. But otherwise, the word of the day is "why"...
I agree that megapixles is a sales gimmik, but its also nice to have them. 4 or 5 is low. 8 is OK
but that is deff not the deciding factor when buying a new camera.
If you are feeling the need of high ISO check out the fujifilm F10. the ISO is OK up to 1600.
Uh, yeah, well the cheap no-name Chinese brands have been boasting 6MP for some time now, and do you know what you get? 6MP of blurry, color-shifted crap! I'll wait to see the reviews and sample pictures...
i agree with the comments that these ridiculous 8 & 10 & 12 megapixels is wasted when they should be concentrating on the quality of the friggin photograph!
;))
i actually use an ancient Epson PhotoPC500 & the colours & natural skintones are unreal!
& the 640x480 Hi Res is perfect for emailing photos or viewing on a computer!!
of course Epson blew it when they came out with followup models like the 650 & 750Z & the photos were either Brown or the Flash washed people's faces out*
oh vell..........
;))
that Fuji V10 sounds interesting!
if it had an optical viewfinder i would buy it!!
I've never been impressed with offerings from Vivitar. Echoing everyone else, the lens is what's getting to be important here. More megapixels just means you're going to a) be able to make larger prints and b) waste more memory space. I doubt anyone makes prints over 8x10 on any regular basis, so really, people only *need* 4-5MP at most. Besides, who wants to blow up a photo with lens glare, chromatic abberations, purple fringing and all the other junk you get with inferior optics.