Customer Reviews

Largan Chameleon Mega Digital Camera

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

 

 

I love my little digital camera! I have no idea why the other people who've reviewed it have had such a hard time with it. I was just on the site looking for it because I like it so much I want to buy one as a gift (I too got mine free with a Dell computer). We use it every day and have no trouble navigating the menu (it's a little complicated, but not so complicated that a person with a college education can't manage it--that is, no more complicated than the average VCR!) and have taken a lot of GREAT pictures with it. I should say that I don't print out my digital photos: I use them only on screen, and what we mainly use this camera for is e-mailing photos to distant relatives who can't be with us for milestones (or for that matter daily family events). But I have also taken some pretty artful shots with this little camera, and given its size (you can put it in your jeans pocket) and how easy it is to point and shoot and get a good snapshot, I think it's terrific (and I should also say that when I'm not using my little digital, I always use an old fully manual 35 mm camera, and develop and print my own B&W photos. So I'm fairly picky.

Fortunately, this camera was free from Dell. You get what you pay for. With forty years of photography experience with my Minolta SLR, I seldom take a bad picture. However before trashing this beast, I took 50 pictures in varying lighting conditions and got 49 totally unacceptable pictures. The problems were over-exposure and multiple images using the built-in flash, almost non-existent contrast range (at best only a couple of f-stops), horribly long 2 to 3 seconds shutter lag. The camera's only redeeming feature is the built-in memory holds a lot of pictures, at least 100.

. Poor video quality if used as a webcam
. If used as a Digital camera, it can take decent pictures only in sunlight long distance shots.
. If you got this free when you bought a Dell computer, do yourself a favour and give retirement for this camera.
. If you got this free, you can also give this camera to kids as a consolation play toy, if they are asking your costly digital camera to take pictures and you don't want to give it to them :-))

For webcams, I recommend Creative Labs PD1130 WebCam NX Pro ASIN: B00009V7MU
For digital camera, I recommend Canon PowerShot S400 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom ASIN: B00008OE6I

I highly discourage you to buy this!

It is small and compact but it can give you a very bad picture sometimes and a fairly good one other times. If you can afford something better, go for it!

Got this free from Dell, it's the worst I've ever used. Comes with useless stand and lousy software, picture quality is atrocious (pixelated and dark) and video frame rate is really slow. Don't ever buy this camera.

Like the other poster I got my camera free from Dell.
I do want to say I agree with both other reviews.
but I have taken some video's that have been pretty good.
They only turn out when sitting down. And since it is hard to use as the displays are hard to see and read as to what your doing. I don't know what I pushed to take them. Video's when your standing or walking really are had to see dark and lots of movement.
Outdoor photo's are great so far. Took some of a lake and mountains and they were really nice. Subjects are easy to center. But again very hard to learn to use. Since I have a new printer HP and computer I haven't gotten any photo's to print with out red lines. But my daughter in law and I are having fun posting pictures of our new grandson for family members to see.
Indoor photos don't come out very good. The web cam is fun. I do take the best indoor photos with it.

All I have to say is AMEN to the first review written. I'd like to add that the flash is way too bright and / or poorly timed. Most cameras will flash, then are timed to activate the shutter as the flash light decays. This camera's shutter captures images during the brightest moment of the flash's light lifetime, making pictures taken with the flash on mostly white. I've also had problems getting this flash to work at times, having to take out the batteries and replace them again to fix the problem. The software is horrible, the viewfinder aspect ratio does not match your pictures. I'd give this camera a rating of zero or less stars if I could.

I had a previous Largan Chameleon and it was great. Couldn't take a bad picture with it. This one is the Largan Chameleon Mega and silly me to think this would be the next one up in quality. It's WORSE and it cost more! I can't take a decent picture with this thing for anything and giving it to a young child to use is a joke too because the pictures all come out brown, orange, or just plain dark.

I received this camera free from Dell when I purchased my new computer. Typically this camera will run you $120. I am so glad it was free. I have gotten so agitated with this camera that I have thrown it.
The menus are near impossible to navigate. "Push the left button 3 times. When the camera flashes, push up, down, right, right, center 2 times." You get the point.
The picture quality is atrocious. Don't even bother taking a picture inside...even in a well lit room and with the flash. I tried taking pictures of some baby clothes I had bought. Every picture was extremely grainy and dark.
The camera does have a preview mode so you can hook it up to your TV and do a slide show...if you can get it to work. I DID get it to work several times. But I also TRIED to get it to work about 30.
The software is wretched. You can not use the camera while it's hooked to the usb cable. If you unplug it with the program open, you have to shut the program and reopen it. Many times the program will say I have 13 pictures. But it will only let me view 3, 7, 8...whatever it feels like.
This is a truly horrible camera. I wouldn't even feel right giving it to a friend and making them think they have a digital camera. My recommendation: DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA!

I owned a Chameleon while living in Hawaii. It was an older version and I just loved it! I love to take photos and have some of the most beautiful tropical photos produced from this little handy camera. In fact, they came out so good, (on an average printer), they were made into postcards! My little Chameleon was stolen & am looking to replace it, but see only used here. My contact info is below if anyone has a line on a new Chameleon.
One of the nicest features is the number of photos it takes without sacrificing quality at all. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to consistently take great quality photos with the greatest ease! No memory card needed and the batteries last a long time too! I just can't say a single bad thing about this little camera left behind! With todays editing software, one can make the Chameleon photos appear just as they wish and every bit as good as higher pixel cameras that cost many times more!
I'd highly recommend the Chameleon for a young person; an elderly person; anyone who may want or need a simple and efficient camera!
I have the Largan Software for the older Chameleon and will gladly mail it to anyone in need. [...] to make arrangements. Enjoy!