Customer Reviews

Agfa CL30 1MP Digital Camera

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I thought it was a mistake when a friend told me about he features this camera had at this price. This is my second camera, my first being a Vivitar vivicam 2700 (which I paid $349. for) Which was very difficult to hook up and download pictures. This AGFA with its USB connection could not have been easier. And the picture quality! My Vivitar was 640x480 this is better than twice as good! Thanks

After searching fruitlessly for months for this camera's cheaper little brother, the ePhoto 780c, I decided to spend the extra $100 and get this one instead. I'm happy I made the choice-- this camera has MUCH higher resolution, a very nice in-camera user interface (it's remarkably easy to set the focus and flash and step through your pictures on the camera's LCD screen)and great connectivity features-- it handles CompactFlash memory nicely, and has both serial and USB (the BEST! ) connection options. I easily hooked it up to both my PC and my Mac; it's a snap.

There's only one problem, and it's a big one: this guy gobbles batteries like crazy. If you're using the flash and LCD viewfinder to frame your pictures, expect to burn through a set of 4 AA batteries in about 35 minutes. Using the optical viewfinder and remembering to use the flash judiciously (this camera handles low light well, even without the flash) will extend battery life, but even so, you'll only get about 3-4 hours of life out of each set of batteries, MAX. The solution is to get a set or three of NiMH (nickel metal hydride) batteries and a charger; particularly, if you're getting this camera as a gift, throw the batteries and charger in! Once you've got those, you've got one dynamite little camera.

I bought an $80 camera to start off with and the resolution was sooo bad that i returned it. I thought that i would never but a digital camera again. I found this one, read a few reviews and decided it couldnt hurt to try it out. Well the one and only picture i could take with the batteries that they sent me was awsome. The only 2 things i would sugjest purchasing with this camera would be 8 nickel metal hydride batteries(which are rechargable, so get a recharger also) and buy at least a 16 meg compactflash card so you can take more then 12 good pictures before downloading. Once you get these goods the camera really rock n rolls.

After my old Kodak at work gave up the ghost, I read some reviews, including yours, and decided on the Agfa CL30. Shortly after installing the software in the computer and connecting the camera, the batteries got very hot and it ceased working permanently. The first (and only) pictures I took were of far greater quality than my old digital camera. In other words, while it was working, I was very pleased. But obviously, there are some quality problems

"~I recieved this camera today and although it's my first venture into digital imagery, I was taking and viewing pictures in 15 minutes. The sofware is fun and easy to use. The camera takes wonderful pictures and the LCD is true to life. I especially like the USB hookup which is great for me since I am using this camera with a superslim laptop. and the batteries provided with the camera are dead. I am on my way tomorrow to get rechargeables and suggest you do the same before you receive this camera if you plan on using it for more than 12 pictures on the first day.

There is no doubt about it; this is a great camera to discover the virtues (and limitations) of digital photography. The interface, a menu system given via a LCD, is easy to understand and use, though in bright sun light the LCD can be nearly impossible to see. The camera's main problem, as many have mentioned, is battery use. The camera comes supplied with batteries (wow!) but since this camera is such a joy to use, you'll likely go through them on your way to the store to buy the NiMH rechargeables that you'll need. I purchased a 13hr charger and 8 AA NiMH batteries for $40.00 at Radio Shack.

The advantage of the digital is that I've been taking many many more "memory" shots of my life with this camera then I ever did using the traditional chemistry based system. Another advantage is that the LCD lets you review the pictures right after taking the image. This can be a great feature at parties and the like. When it comes to a traditional camera, the outlay of the many dollars and the amount of time between shot taken and shot realized was too costly for me to take many pictures.

The disadvantages of digital cameras, at least at this cost level, are resolution (you really cannot beat the old system yet) and image control (focus, f-stop, zoom, etc.) but maybe I just haven't discovered those aspects of the camera yet.

All in all, a great "new to digital" camera coupled with a great place to buy it. Amazon.com treated me very well when I had some problems with the order. I highly recommend them.

Pictures taken in High resolution are realy nice, although colors are shifted litle a bit to blue, but when you set to Low Res to spare some memory space, pictures get some unexpected and ugly artifacts on homogenous surfaces (like face for example).

That's not only due to lower resolution but rather to something wrong in software resizing in camera's firmware itself.

If you take HiRes and resize on you PC, everything is OK.

If you want to be able to store 30+ pictures on your digital camera (you'll have to use Low Res), don't buy CL30. If you don't care how many pictures you can store before download, for less then 300$ you'll have nice 1M pixel / USB digital camera.

I got this little camera yesterday as my Christmas present. This little camera has a really adorable looking. After playing it for about 3 hours. I got the idea of it. Both the advantage and defection are pretty obvious. The advantage is that it has lots of fancy features and can take really crisp pictures. And it is easy to use as well. The usb port is awesome, super fast and easy to get used to. The defections, huh, are kinda unreasonable. There is no cover on the lens. You have to take very good care of the lens. Other wise, you know... And it is a real batteries-eating dinosaur. You'd better get some rechargeable batteries or you gotta be buried by batteries. After all, it is a great camera for the price. You'll like it.

My husband and I received the AFGA CL30 digital camera as a Christmas gift and we have really enjoyed using it. It's a really great camera. The only negative thing I have to say about it is that the lithium batteries don't last that long when you're viewing the pictures on the screen. Other than that, the camera is great!

This camera was my first digital camera. It served the purpose at the time. You really need to fool around with the controls to get a good picture. I suggest that you get rechangeable battery unit as it eats battery life. I found the camera to be very heavy. People who have Windows ME operating system do not buy this camera. Afga at this times does not have drivers for the CL 30 for Windows Me. For the price, you can get a far better camera with higher resolution. (...) Digital cameras have come a long way in 2 years. (...)