Customer Reviews

Vivitar Vivicam 3715 3MP Digital Camera

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

 

 

I have been using this model for over 16 months now, and I find it to be extremely well-made and it takes fantastic photos that print well at 8"x10".

I HAVE RECOMMENDED THIS MODEL TO A NUMBER OF FRIENDS, AND THOSE WHO OPTED FOR IT HAVE BEEN VERY SATISFIED.

SOLUTION TO SHORT BATTERY LIFE
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A number of other reviews reference short battery life. I found a rechargeable solution that fits hand-in-glove with this camera. Rayovac markets a 15-minute rechargeable system (the Rayovac I-C3 system) that charges the batteries in 15 minutes (really!) and I have used them with this camera exclusively since the first few sets of typical batteries drained after a few photos. Depending on the flash settings, I can get anywhere from a few hours to a full day of use. The most photos I took on a single charge (without the flash) was 279 (using an SD card for storage)! I keep two sets, but because they charge so fast, I can throw them in the charger before a party and need not worry about missing those picture-perfect moments!

THIS CAMERA'S MAJOR FLAW
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The one real pain in the butt with this camera is how it loses its date and time information every time you open the battery cover (to change batteries or insert/remove SD cards). After a few dozen times, setting the date becomes almost automatic, but it simply is a nuissance. It would have been relatively simple and inexpensive to add an internal battery and chip to maintain the time settings while the battery cover is open, and I would have paid a $10-$15 premium for that feature. DON'T LET THIS KEEP YOU FROM BUYING THIS CAMERA--I WOULD HAVE WANTED TO KNOW THIS BEFORE I MADE THE DECISION TO BUY, BUT I AM EXTREMELY SATISFIED WITH THE CAMERA OVERALL.

I received the Vivitar Vivicam 3715 camera as a Christmas gift last year. Since then it has proven to be a great camera for all around use. I've taken very detailed portraits which turned out with excellent clarity at 8" x 10". It's a great camera for close up or long range depending on how it's set up.

If you have Windows ME or later, the camera sets itself up when plugged into a USB port. With Windows XP the computer is already set up, and transferring pictures can be done easily in less than a minute.

I particularly like the small size of the camera and the zoom feature which is done internally without a lens sticking out from the camera.

The case which comes with the camera attaches easily, by the attached loop, to a pants belt which makes the camera easy to carry around all day.

The 8MB internal memory is adequate for easily taking more than 50 pictures with an M setting with one star (normal detail). The addition of a memory card increases that number substantially.

The video feature works fine. The one big drawback, however, is the lack of sound.

Yes, this camera will go through batteries as with most digital cameras. I have been able to take 75 to 100 pictures and load them into my computer on one set of batteries (approx 1/4 to one half with flash, 1/2 to 3/4 without). The batteries definitely last longer with outdoor use where using a flash is unnecessary.

When the batteries (2AA) don't have enough juice left in them to power the camera, DON'T throw them away! They can still be used for many hours yet to power small AM FM walkman type radios or small cassette/CD players.

Another weak point with this camera is that in bright sunlight it is very difficult ( if not impossible) to see anything on the viewing screen.

Overall, this camera is an excellent buy for the relatively inexpensive price.

Great camera for someone new to digital photography like myself. Lots of features and takes beautiful pictures. For everyone complaining that it drains your batteries in a few shots, I use rechargable memory-free NiMH batteries and on a full charge I can get 25+ high quality pictures with the flash and lcd screen on.

I received this camera as a birthday present & have been thrilled with what I can do with it! I was taking pictures and movies on the first day, which happened to be New Year's in Times Square, NY! I was able to take about 18 pictures & a 30 second movie clip without installing a memory card. I was then able to view and/or delete those pictures for the next week on the original batteries. It does eat batteries, I've gone through 3 sets in a month, but plan on getting the rechargeable ones. So its not the worst! One of the best features for me is that the camera zooms with a touch of a button and without the lens protruding from the camera. It is very easy to use & takes GREAT pictures! They are good enough for print, easy enough to e-mail & quickly download to the computer so I can save or e-mail them, or have a new screen saver!

I have just recently bought this little camera and I am generally satisfied. It takes really nice pictures in sunny days. It has very good flash and tw--star quality pictures look almost perfect on the computer screen. Good idea is to have rechargable batteries and the charger. They last really long (comparatively to the regular AA's that last max an hour with Vivitar).
I do not know which memory cards will fit this particular model.
I recommend every beginer to get this model. Very reasonable price ($140-150) and good features.

Firstly, let me just say that I LOVE this camera. It is relatively inexpensive for a brand name digital camera... plan on paying $150-$175 depending on where you get it, it has a lot of different features such as a timer so you can take pics of yourself, redeye reduction so you can take pics of your dog at night, a decent zoom even if it is only digital, etc... It is super easy to use (I had mine out of the box and took my first pic before I even opened the manual)... It is small enough to fit in a decent sized pocket but not so small that it feels like a toy when you use it... And best of all it takes great pictures. Now comes that bad part... battery use. I sincerely hope that every other camera out there takes more than mine does on a set of batteries. On the smallest resolution with a minimum of flashes, I am still getting less than half a dozen pictures per battery change. I am still planning on experimenting with turning off the LCD monitor and simply sighting to save energy but the flashy screen is half of what makes a digital camera so fun.

This camera was a gift, and seems to be a great little thing. It's as simple as a point and shoot, but has a good range of capabilities. It's light and small and gives good quality photos. The price seems to be quite good...while mine was a gift, I think it cost about 100$ on sale at Target. As for the power consumption, I've found that it uses a pair of rechargeable batteries every 15-30 photos. It probably lasts longer if you don't use the screen (I've been experimenting with this), but the screen must be manually turned off every time you turn the camera on, and you might as well just take the photo and turn the camera off if you're only shooting one photo at a time. Each time you put in new batteries, the camera puts you through a startup mode in which the screen is on and you have to set the date (or just click through it); it would be convenient if the date was somehow recorded in memory with a backup internal battery (maybe a watch battery?). The camera can take up to 5 seconds to record a photo to memory, but usually takes photos easily. Indoor/evening photos often come out poorly without using fill flash.

First, I have to say that I love this little camera. I got it for my birthday. The pictures are awesome and I can even print them out from my computer and they look decent. I prefer to take my memory card, which was also given to me for my birthday, to our local CVS Pharmacy and print the pictures out. Unfortunately, just like everyone else has said, it certainly drains the batteries. I even got rechargable batteries as part of my birthday gifts and they just get drained in a matter of about 10 - 15 pictures with the lcd screen on. I, too, am experimenting with different settings.

Hope this helps. God Bless!

The camera takes very good pictures but you will use up a lot of batteries in taking those pictures. It takes 2 double A's and I thought that they would last you at least a day of regular use but not so. You take a few pictures and before you know it you need 2 new batteries. Alright enough about the one bad thing & on to the pros about this camera. The pictures you take turn out very clear and good looking. It will also take movies without sound. Without a card and no pictures the camera will hold a 50 second video. With pictures on the camera the movie time will be cut down to 30 seconds or so depending on how many pictures you taken. It says on the Amazon review that it will work as a web cam, that is untrue. It does not do web cam. I bought it to take pictures at family gatherings, at work and on vacations and other then the use of batteries it serves it purpose just fine.

Yes, this camera eats batteries quickly. However, rechargables help remedy this issue dramatically. The best feature of this camera is the price; you def get a lot for what you pay for. The worst feature of this camera is either the flash taking 15 - 45 seconds to recharge (due to batteries and poor design) or having to reset the time/date AND personal camera settings every time you open the battery compartment (including to swap SD cards).

The video function is far better than other point & shoot cameras in that it does not have a time limit on the recording length. However, the film is email-quality at best and there is no recorded audio, which you will find in some cases is annoying. I have never been able to use this camera as a webcam as stated by Amazon.com. Also, the camera only has a digital zoom, which is completely worthless in my opinion. Optical zoom is the way to go. Digital zooming can be done with ANY photo editing software later at home. Yes, optical zoom lenses protrude from the camera as stated in earlier reviews, however, in most cameras the lens retracts once the camera is shut down.

Lastly, there are two versions of this camera, A & B (Check Vivitar website for more info). From my experience, the A version does not offer the digital zoom feature. There may be other limitations as well. The only way to tell which version you have is to check the serial number on the bottom of the camera. If it begins with A than it's an A-version, with B, it's a B-version.

Overall, I highly recommend this camera to anyone on a budget and those only interested in a simple point & shoot. Serious photographers should invest in a better-designed camera with optical zoom and an internal battery that saves the camera's settings.