Creative Labs Dual-Mode PC-Cam 350 (WebCam & Digital Camera)

by Creative

Product Details

Product Manual [2.87mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00006I9T6
• Item model number: PD1060
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 29, 2002

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Creative PC-CAM 350 offers Webcam functionality and dual-cam features at an affordable price. Great for parents or those with smaller fingers, the Creative PC-CAM 350 offers durability within a compact package the way only Creative Labs can. Chat with the extended family via the built-in Webcam at your home PC. And when it’s time to go mobile, grab the PC-CAM 350 for portable convenience. Snap digital still pictures at up to 640 x 480 resolution during day or night, thanks to the strobe flash and 8 MB of protected memory. Instant download to your PC makes image transfer easy.

Use the bundle of accompanying software to make your PC-CAM 350 a powerhouse of functionality. Install Ulead Photo Express MCE and Microsoft NetMeeting and your PC-CAM 350 can edit photos and videoconference with just a few clicks. Send digital still shots via e-mail to friends and family, or use video e-mail to connect with online penpals.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WE LOVE OURS; HAVE PURCHASED SEVERAL AS GIFTS, May 28, 2005

By 

G. Balmes (westport, washington United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Creative Labs Dual-Mode PC-Cam 350 (WebCam & Digital Camera) (Personal Computers)

I respectfully disagree with the reviewer who gave this product 1 star. I have had mine for several years; been droped a couple of times and it keeps on going. Try doing that with a 2 or 3 megapixel camera. It comes with a lot of softwear, Ulead Photo; Adobe; and it's own PC-CAM CENTER; where you can download your pic's transfere them to an ALBUM create several albums. I use mine to download pic's on items I sell on ebay. The photos are good but not as good as higher priced camera. Other features I that I really like is that it doubles as a webcam which I use to talk to ppl online. Has a delayed shutter, auto/manual flash Hi/low density pic, which sounds like the 1 star reviewer wasn't aware of. Has a 30 second video feature to make a short movie. Another feature is it can take 5 or 6 pic's in rapid sucession; and all this for around 50 bux new!!!

I have bought several as gifts for children of friends and family who are going off to college and for relatives so we can all chat to each other online (does not come with a mic) which is a heck of a lot cheaper than a $60.00 phone bill each month; and everone loves their 350.

I don't understand the other reviewer's complaints, but you don't buy a Subaru (no offence to Subaru owners) and expect a to run or ride or have the amenities of a Lincoln Continental.

I base my ratings on the following

* initial cost
* features
* ease of use
* value for the amount spent
* Quality

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent entry-level digital camera, May 29, 2003

By 

TacoGuy (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creative Labs Dual-Mode PC-Cam 350 (WebCam & Digital Camera) (Personal Computers)

This device functions as a digital camera, web cam, and video recorder.

As a digital camera, I'd give it a "C-." Picture quality is only average. You can improve the picture quality somewhat with the included software, or use your own image correcting program. But don't expect professional quality images. There is also no zoom feature.

As a web cam, I'd give it a "B." It works fine on a Windows 98/ME computer, but frequently malfunctions on a XP machine. There is no built-in microphone, so you will need your own to record sound.

As a video recorder, I'd give it an "A-." Video is recorded in the .avi format, which is quite large, with no sound, up to about 35-40 seconds. Video quality is very nice.

In conclusion, this device should work well on a Windows 98/ME computer, but I cannot recommend it for a machine running Windows XP, even though Creative insists it's XP compatible. If you have XP and want a Creative PC-CAM, get a newer model than this one.

April 2004 update: the camera is malfunctioning. The power does not turn off unless I remove the batteries. When the power is running, I cannot take any photos or switch to different camera modes. I replaced the batteries with new ones, but that didn't fix anything. My 90-day warranty expired a long time ago, so now I'm going to get a better, more advanced, XP-compatible, (and of course more expensive) digital camera. And it definitely won't be a Creative digital camera.

1.0 out of 5 stars Knowlegable End User, August 6, 2006

By 

Living Wage Advocate "Fair Practice and Equal... (USA North East Corridor) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creative Labs Dual-Mode PC-Cam 350 (WebCam & Digital Camera) (Personal Computers)

I purchased this camera in December of 2005. I started using it in Janary of 2006. It started looking very strange (the camera image on the live video) by April of 2006 looked very poor.

Details: The image quality was fading, but it did not reach a level where the image had degraded. I compensated for the "fading" image by adding additional light. In other words, it was hard to see me as clearly. Always looked like a dim room.

It is now August of 2006. The color looks like a 1971 rock video. The image is purple, blue, green with many hotspots. The best example is to picture a photo negative (for those of you that remember film). I have upgraded firmware, drivers, programs. This did not help. I plugged, unplugged, use less USB, more USB etc.

I have configured by bypassing the white balance, image correction, gamma etc. I used to work as a videographer, so this was not something daunting and if there were adjustments that could be made , this would have fixed it.

My rating of 1 is that the camera worked fine for almost exactly three months (give a week). I did not describe June or July. I can only say that the colors went beserk (multi colors--eyes and shadows from light were "hot spots", sparkles appeared on different points of the live video.

The warranty from Creative is only for 3 months. This, for me, is mighty suspect. The camera is pristine, left in one spot since installation. I would recommend when buying these webcams, to look at ratings, durability, google, and decide between that balance of buying low cost (due to potential obsolescence) or paying more but still potentially owning the same problem. This was an average priced camera that should have lasted years. My previous Intel camera lasted over 6 years and would still be going but the drivers are unsupported by the company.

I would not recommend this camera (unless) Creative creates a 1 year warranty. (Ah yes my other criteria) Buy a camera but make sure it has a fair one year warranty. A three month warranty is hardly worth the price of admission.

Thanks,

Ralph