Kodak MC3 64 MB Portable Digital Camera/Camcorder and MP3 Player

by Kodak

Product Details

Product Manual [8.38mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 1.5 x 2.6 x 4.1 inches ; 5.3 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005AR3I
• Item model number: 1356872
• Batteries: 3 AAA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,574 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Think of Kodak's MC3 as the Swiss Army knife of electronic gadgets. This sleek handheld unit functions as a portable video camera, digital still camera, and MP3 player. We found the device to be well designed, easy to use, and, most importantly, a lot of fun.

As a video camera, the MC3 captures QuickTime format movies with sound at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. Users choose from two settings--a high-quality 20 frames per second (fps) mode captures more detail, but fills the CompactFlash memory card at a rate of 15 MB per minute. A more e-mail friendly mode shoots at 10 fps and uses greater compression. This mode makes movies a bit choppier, but still looks fine for most applications and only consumes around 2 MB of memory per minute.

A 1.6-inch color LCD screen on the back of the camera lets you see exactly what you're filming and can also play back footage you've recorded. While most manufacturers use illuminated LCDs, Kodak has opted to use a reflective display instead. In a reflective display, the traditional backlight is replaced with a mirror. This arrangement is thinner, uses less energy, and is less expensive. It's also easier to see when you're outdoors. Unfortunately, it's more difficult to see in low-light situations--seeing what you're shooting in a restaurant will be a challenge.

The videos you create aren't as detailed as those from a camcorder, but the MC3 isn't designed to replace those traditional tape-based devices. Although the movies can be viewed on your TV (with an optional connecting cable), they're really designed to be seen on a computer screen, saved on your hard drive or CD-R, and shared with friends via e-mail.

Though it's not designed primarily as an MP3 player, the MC3's musical abilities are quite good. You get the full set of standard controls (including cue and review within a song), plus several equalizer settings, shuffle mode, and repeat. In addition, the LCD shows artist and title information, plus system settings. The built-in speaker (included primarily for audio playback of your movies) can also be used to play music, though sound quality is much better with headphones. Standard MP3 song files are transferred from your computer to the MC3 via a USB cable, using included software. There's no copy protection, so if you have a dedicated CompactFlash card reader, you can even transfer files directly to and from the memory card.

As a still camera, the MC3 is just OK. Resolution is 640 x 480 (0.3 megapixels), which looks fine on a computer monitor but lacks enough detail to create photo-quality prints, even at snapshot sizes. Photo capabilities are simple to the point of crudeness--there's no flash, the lens is fixed focus, and everything is completely automatic. Still, it works fine for outdoor snapshots, which is where Kodak thinks you'll be using the device most often.

Kodak's software suite that comes with the MC3 adds a whole new dimension to your creativity. The simple-to-use VideoImpression program lets users blend footage and stills with their favorite songs, letting even absolute amateurs create professional-looking productions in a matter of minutes.

Instructions come with the MC3, but it's so well designed that they aren't really necessary. Using the device is as easy as sliding the four-position switch on the back to the appropriate mode (MP3, movie, still, or playback) and turning on the power. When you're ready to try the more advanced features, a screen-based menu system makes it easy to find your way around. Battery life was good, allowing us several hours of MP3 playback and lots of video recording and playback before we needed to replace the three AAA cells. The use of three batteries is a bit odd--most batteries and chargers are sold in twos or fours, so you'll either need to get your batteries 6 or 12 at a time, or use rechargeables and find a charger that lets you charge just three cells.

The MC3 uses standard Type I CompactFlash cards--the same type of cards used by many digital cameras and some PDAs and MP3 players. The device comes with either a 16 or 64 MB card, depending upon price, and cards are currently available from a number of manufacturers in capacities up to 256 MB. Our sample unit came with a 64 MB card, which gave us around 27 minutes of lower-quality video, 4 minutes of high-quality video, 65 minutes of high-quality MP3 music, 500 still pictures, or any combination in between. For our tests, 64 MB was ample, letting us store a dozen songs and leaving enough room for about 12 minutes of lower-quality video. When we started to run out of space for movies, we just deleted our least-favorite songs and started shooting again.

Public reaction to the MC3 has been incredible. Whenever we took it out for a test, strangers stopped us to find out more about it and try it for themselves. Something about the design--its sheer simplicity or its friendly design, perhaps--brings out users' creative sides. We found ourselves compensating for the lack of zoom by thrusting the camera closer to the action and shooting videos of scenes we'd never captured with a camcorder. Sure, the MC3 is more of a toy than a tool, but it's an extremely fun toy. It's not much more expensive than an ordinary MP3 player, but the added fun is immeasurable. Kodak has a hit on its hands.

Pros:

• For about the same price as an ordinary MP3 player, you also get a video camera and digital camera
• Well designed, with quality construction and simple controls
• Lots of fun to use

Cons:

• Reflective LCD panel hard to see in dimly lit areas
• Power choice of 3 AAA batteries is a bit awkward

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars When it's good, it's very good... But when it's bad..., May 9, 2001

By 

Chris (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kodak MC3 64 MB Portable Digital Camera/Camcorder and MP3 Player (Electronics)

I've had my Kodak MC3 for about 2 weeks now, and I've got mixed opinions. On the positive side:

1) Music performace: The MC3 does an excellent job of playing MP3's, especially if you upgrade to a 128 MB card so you can store lots of 'em!

2) Video Quality: When set on best (30 fps) quality, the video is great- very smooth and clear, provided you have good lighting (more on this in a minute). While it does take up a large amount of memory, it's worth it.

3) Outdoor Daylight Pictures: The picture quality in excellent lighting (ie outdoors on a sunny day, etc) is fantastic 4) Ease of Use: The MC3 is idiot proof- very simple to use, install, etc...

But the negatives:

1) Pictures in less than perfect light: If you want to take pictures indoors without bright lights, at night, or in any other situation where the lighting is a bit dim, get another camera. This is my biggest dissapointment with the camera. There's no flash, so trying to capture anything that's a bit dark or unevenly lit is an exercise in futility.

2) LCD Screen: While it is often sufficient, the screen can be difficult to see alot of the time.

Overall, this is a great little toy for taking outdoor pictures while listening to music, and even making the occaisional video clips. Just make sure you can live with the limitations caused by the lack of a flash.

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars mc3: Buy It! It's Worth the $$$, May 4, 2001

By 

spencer jones (rochester ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kodak MC3 64 MB Portable Digital Camera/Camcorder and MP3 Player (Electronics)

Kodak mc3: Versatile and Inexpensive Gadget

It's small, light, and rugged -- I take it everywhere -- school, the mall, vacation, hiking.

I've used it for: mp3s on a airplane, videos of fish while waist deep in the ocean, videos while sledding/snowboarding -- even duct taped it to a friends model airplane and flew it around -- (cool movie)!

Pictures: they look good if taken outdoors, or with some daylight -- (the lack of a flash is a clue to use mc3 mostly outdoors).

Video: it got two quality settings -- one is great if you've got a lot of motion and detail. The other is if you want small files (for email) or you want LONG (minutes) movies. The length of a movie clip is limited to the amount of free space on the card. Files are QuickTime -- but the software can change them to .avi. (HINT: buy the video cable -- and recorded your videos to VHS tape.)

mp3: has played 8 to 256 kbps mp3s; it has equalizer/repeat/shuffle; it displays title/artist/album info. Comes with a ripper and player software (RealJukebox for PCs; MusicMatch for Mac). Nice that it doesn't encrypt the mp3 file. (Comes w/ earbuds -- but I like the speaker. (Earbuds are nice for mp3s on the pc.))

Software: I've got both mac and pcs -- it was easy to install on both. Was able to get stuff on/off easy -- but I like the explorer window more than the mac. The picture and video editing programs are very cool! Go google search for "allan harris 1180 WHAM" for some videos a radio station has done using the mc3 product.

Three Comments: 1st -- you're going to use this A LOT -- go buy rechargeable batteries (two sets). (Although alkalines are handy when away from the charger.) 2nd -- Compact Flash Cards -- Big cards hold more, but cost more. What I do for a day is carry a 32MB card (w/ music) and three 8MB cards (for videos/pictures). Upload often. Or buy more cards. 3rd -- No light comes from the display, it is just a reflection. The display quality is like a good color display PDA. Pluses -- It's MUCH easier to see the display outdoors in direct sun light vs other camera displays -- and it's MUCH easier on the batteries. Minus -- It's harder to see it indoors -- but I think it is useable. (FYI: I've noticed that indoor pictures look better on the pc, than on the mc3 display.)

Summary: I love it! Simple controls -- my five year old uses it to take pictures and play music ("Sesame Street" on the airplane). I carry with me in a pack or by the wrist strap listening to mp3s all the time. When I want a picture or video, mc3 is there. Expensive cameras and video equipment are for special occasions -- the mc3 is for my every day stuff.

Punch Line: Simple, fun, easy, rugged, versatile, and inexpensive. Simple Elegance.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jack of all trades, master of none, but a lot of fun anyway, April 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Kodak MC3 64 MB Portable Digital Camera/Camcorder and MP3 Player (Electronics)

The emphasis here is that the MC3 is a toy - it's a lot of fun to play with, but it's not the sort of tool to use if you're planning on doing any serious publishing (online or on paper) or video work.

That said, this camera is fine for taking lots of fair quality VGA-resolution photos for e-mailing or sticking on your webpage (for what it's worth, the photo quality is notably better than other bottom-of-the-line dedicated digital cameras). The quality of the videos is at least comparable (if not slightly better) than the first generation Sony Cybershot cameras, although the MC3 doesn't limit the length of the video clips to 15 seconds like the Sony (a definite plus). The MP3 player component seems to handle various CBR-encoded MP3 files (I've tried 64, 128, 160, and 192Kbps with success), although it doesn't seem to support WMA. Finally, the USB cable allows for surprisingly fast file transfer, slightly slower than a dedicated card reader.

For $200 (which is how much this camera costs if you supply your own CF card), the MC3 is a fine gadget. If you want a good digital camera, video camera, or digital music player, you'll probably have to resort to getting three separate devices.