Monday August 4, 2003

A single-use digital camera designed to appeal to those curious about making the change to digital photography has been launched at a cost of US$11.

The 2 megapixel Dakota Digital Single-Use Camera represents a small outlay for anyone considering the switch but with reservations about digital image quality. Because both prints and a CD are provided when the unit is returned to the store for processing, the product also aims to cater for those who are uncomfortable in the absence of hard copies.

The device features a fully automatic flash, metered exposure control, a self-timer and the ability to delete unwanted pictures. However the lack of an LCD screen for direct viewing, plus the fact that you can't directly transfer images from the camera to your computer means that the delete function has its limitations.

The second benefit the company sees in exploring this market is that it encourages people to retain the traditional methods of getting prints through camera outlets (rather than storing most images only in electronic format).

Processing is faster than with film and the 4 x 6 "DigiPrints" can be available in minutes along with a photo CD.

Currently available form Ritz Camera Stores in the US, each single-use digital camera is returned to the manufacturer and fully recycled after processing.