Gateway Digital Cameras

Well, finding out who's making the cameras for gateway might solve that problem. But I have no idea and that stuff is a pain to find on the web.

I doubt they'll be killer cameras but probably fine your average snap shot shootist. Can't say for sure though, they just came out.

you can watch sites like dpreview.com to see if they review it. I somewhat doubt they will.

Well a 4MP camera with a 3x optical zoom, video mode, voice recording and a 2-1/2000 shutter selling for $199 (with free shipping) has to be going to turn some heads. It uses a CF card and runs on AA batteries too.

Don't know who makes it or who makes the lens but if I were a consumer looking for digital P&S I'd be pretty psyched about this one!

Probably made by Hasbro.

I wouldn't be so dismissive. These things are far more computer than they are camera and 3x optical zooms are pretty much a commodity item these days with everyone from Canon to Leica selling lenses to non-traditional camera makers. I have a Casio with a Canon lens and it's pretty good. Remember when Casio only made watches and keyboards?

I still don't like casio watches. Timex lasts longer.

That's funny. Every casio watch I've owned has far outperformed the timexes.

Last September I bought a Samsung Digimax 340 (3.2MP)for £249 with hard case, strap, leads and a 2-year guarantee. My intention was to give digital a try and then move on to a DSLR. The results have been so good and after reading all the problems that people have had with DSLRs, I don't have the heart to upgrade.

This camera comes with all the goodies that the regular models have, including a German lens (I think), plus it feels a bit more chunky than most.

Details of photo attached: 1/91 sec f4.7 10.8mm ISO 100 White balance 'AUTO' (photo taken with two photofloods) Reduced to 127 KB

To John Bright: your Auto White Balance Test image, even reduced for Web posting, is a strong argument for the adage "it isn't so much the camera as it is the photographer." Great lighting!

A few random thoughts while not shaving:

1. I have a Casio watch I bought in the 1980's which is still going strong...same battery! The band has disintegrated, but I carry it in my pocket.

2. I keep reading about White Balance Tests...is everyone obsessed with white balance tests? What's the big deal? Please tell me! I just ignore it with my camera and take real photos.

3. On a serious note...I think there are now 3 categories of digital cameras:

1) Those that are truly amateur (and destined to be disappointing)...1.0 to 2.9mgp. I have a 1.0 and it's great for 3x5 photos or e-mails. These are the "P&S cameras."

2) Pro-comsumer compact digitals. I use an Olympus C-5050 primarily because of it's compact quality (much as I use my Leica IIIC). These range from 3.0 to 5.0 MGP by today's standards, and a 4.0 plus would be most recommended.

3) DSLR digitals (which don't always offer much more in mgp's) but do offer interchangable lenses. For me that's the only advantage, and I prefer using a smaller and more descrete camera.

A DSLR is NOT "better" than a Compact Digital camera of the same level of resolution...only a bit different. I can do pro quality portraits with my C-5050 with an external flash and other little tricks.

A 5mgp camera might be great or it might be a disaster. Check out the specs and the price compared to major brand units.

You can get a great Olympus C-750 (4mgp) with a 40-380mm optical lens for as low as $429. Do some research.

Todd, I must disagree about the DSLR not being better than a same resolution point and shoot. If you look at an example of a 6mp camera like the 10D or D60 and compare to some 5mp cameras, theres a huge difference. That 1mp isn't a big deal, but the pixel size and the lens options are a vast improvement.

For the average shooter theres a lot of truth in what you say but the DSLR is much faster, has much better AF and offers much better expandability to start with.

Todd, I agree with you about white balance tests being a bit of a pain and in fact I take most of my shots indoors or out with the white balance set on Auto, as you do. When I re-took the picture above (which is a bit warm) with the camera set on 'Tungsten' it came out a bit to cool. So it's probably best to use Auto most of the time and adjust when editing.

Carl, do you not feel that a camera with a lens specifically designed for it, which is attached to the camera in the factory (dust free) might not have it's own virtues? Just a thought!

I didn't say there wasn't. In many cases these optimized lenses can offer better resolution and image quality than a cheap lens for a DSLR. However not always is this the case because you're not using the edges of the lenses, the weakest part. Most often the lenses on these digtial P&S cameras are at least as fast as the consumer lenses one would use instead, and many times faster.

The other issue is no dust will be getting through and on to the sensor. Thats a real handy thing now aint it?

If one believes the need for totally perpendicular light rays hitting the sensor than many of the digital lenses could blow away a 10D/D100 with some cheap consumer zoom lens. Or a 1Ds especially, but that seems to not be the case. Possibly because of the micro lenses, but there are different ways to approach it and in a closed system optimizing the lens is a good way to go.

Two of the four are made by Skanhex

http://www.skanhex.com/Products.asp?Sub_ID=22&Language_ID=E

As for the bottom and top end, ?????

A DSLR is NOT "better" than a Compact Digital camera of the same level of resolution

Don't so-called "prosumer" cameras with their small sensors produce vastly more noise than the larger sensors of the DSLRs? Perhaps what you mean is "The lower cost of P&S cameras make overlooking their obvious flaws much easier." You may be willing to trade quality for cost, but that doesn't make non-DSLRs worse.

The coolest thing about Gateway camera can be seen here:

(link)

;-P

It appears Gateway is offering digital cameras on the cheap. I was attraced by the specs on paper. The M-50 boasted a 5mp CCD, 3x optical and media card. I headed to Gateway to have a look at the camera. The body is plastic (most are) and the controls are plastic as well. There was no power to the camera so I couldn't test drive it. I asked the two salesman who is the manufacturer of the Gateway digital cameras and they said nobody at Gateway would tell them. So I began to look around the internet and found these digital cameras are a Taiwan design, made in Taiwan and then the Gateway logo is silkscreened on. I have read reviews of these cameras, most of which are quite negative. Here is an article regarding the manufacturer of Gateway digital cameras....

http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1062088353.html

I know from experience that Gateway makes an excellent computer. However, it sure seems the Gateway digital cameras are best avoided.