You'd think a company that's been around since 1915 could've come up with something a bit more exciting, but it looks like this is all Braun Phototechnik has to show for 91 years on the market. Their new lineup uniformly fails to perform, but we'll give you a rundown just in case you were on the market for a shoddy, Asian-manufactured German cam with
heritage. Up top we have the D800, which sports a 6.2 megapixel CCD, but interpolates up to 8 megapixels for no good reason. The camera also sports a 2.4-inch LCD, 3x optical zoome, 32MB of internal memory and video recording mode. Next up is the D600, which sports identical specs, but notches the LCD down to 2-inches. A greater oddity is the D504, which shoots 5.3 megapixel pics, but interpolates up to 10 megapixels. It also sports a 2-inch LCD, but a mere 16MB of memory. The D410 only manages a 1.5-inch LCD, 4 megapixel CCD, and 16MB of memory, but at least does away with that interpolation silliness. The D312 really takes the cake, with the most compact design of the bunch, but a mere 3.1 megapixel CCD that interpolates up to ludicrous 12 megapixels. The D310 completes the walk of shame with a 3.1 megapixel CCD, 5 megapixel interpolation, 1.4-inch LCD, zero zoom and 8MB of built-in memory. A few of these might pass for Happy Meal toys, or a decent camera maybe 91 years ago, but we think it's time Braun stepped into the new millennium and got some optical image stabilisation up in here. Keep reading to peep the rest of these dandies.
Read - Braun D800
Read - Braun D600
Read - Braun D504
Read - Braun D410
Read - Braun D312
Read - Braun D310
posted Oct 6th 2006 7:41AM
What does it mean, 'interpolates?' It stretches your image to meet those dimensions?
Doesn't that distort your image? O.o
You hit them pretty hard in this writeup but they deserve it. What a shoddy lineup. Camera makers, get a clue! People aren't falling for this interpolation crap!
Michael,
Interpolation is the same as resampling or resizing in a photo editor. It makes the photo bigger but adds no extra detail to the photo. It's a cheap gimmick manufacturers use to try to improve the spec sheet.
See, see?
This is where the stupid megapixel race leads you to. I wouldn't be surprised if the 3.1 MP camera had a big "12" on its front. Actually, it should be a "12*". Stupid megapixel race.
Well, to be fair, they do have the optical resolution shown on the camera bodies as seen in the photos above.
Am I the only one out there perfectly happy with a few megapizels for pictures? I mean, if I want a big ass luxurious shot, it's most likely going to involve the family, suits, and a woman squeezing a toy behind a Godzilla-camera with a beach backdrop.
The REAL thing they should be working on is image stabilization for low end cameras, as well as improving the somewhat poor battery life up to high end. Now if you can keep the image stable and clear for cheap, that's all people really want, something that won't fail to perform on the move.
Possibly the silliest camera I've seen, excluding some of the cheap chinese no-names on ebay. How does 8x digital zoom help you - 3 megapixels isn't much to play with anyway, so zooming in 8x, interpolating the resulting image (probably less than a megapixel by now) up to 12 megapixels - unless it uses amazing interpolation techniques, the resulting image will be a giant pixel!
When did "digital zoom" become "interpolation"?
Are they trying to make it sound decent?
Well, what do you expect from a company that makes electric shavers...
;-)
Come on, would ANYONE that reads engadget actually buy these? Why even report on all these generic rebranded crap cameras. I, for one, completely ignore these (ok except for this time I complained about it).
Mike D:
We enjoy making fun of them :)
This is a classic licensing deal - Braun hires crappy digital camera manufacturer to produce brandless camera with the well known Braun brand. GARBAGE!
I second Argelius.
I thought the Braun name was on shavers and toothbrushes - never knew they made crappy cameras too..
Braun used to make the fabulous Nizo range of super-8 cine cameras (ask yer dad!).
I've got the Nizo 480 and it's a wonderful piece of engineering. Shame these new cameras are shite though.
Despite the shaky review, I think the Samsung NV line has pretty much tolled the death bell for the brushed-silver point n' shoot.
Sure, the image quality may not be great. but what does the average consumer know? It looks good, it's thin, and it works. What else matters?