 • Buy this item from our featured Merchant - Featured Price: $299.99
 |
Product Reviews:
Toshiba PDR-4300 4MP Digital Camera w/ 2.8x Optical Zoom |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Still going!!
Comments: I actually purchased the PDR-3330 (3.1 MP) back in January 2004. It lasted through college and I continue to use it to this day!! I do not know how many times I have dropped it, yet it's continued to work just fine - even after quite a few hits to the lens housing!! Just got some crystal clear pictures of the aftereffects of the ice storm yesterday. I continue to be amazed at the quality of some of the pictures I get. The only drawback I notice besides battery life is lots of noise and shadow in low lighting - however this camera makes up for that by how well it performs in ample sunlight. Also, if you are an avid movie-taker this camera may disappoint - frames did not come out too clearly and it does not have audio capabilities. however I have used the video feature perhaps twice in nearly4years, so it did not bother me. I would definitely purchase from this Toshiba line again - with a Canon lens, knowledge that I can depend on this camera to hold up for years and the fact that this was my 1st "real" digital camera, I am too taken to want anything else for a loooong time :) |
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Summary: handy camera
Comments: this is great camera for the almost all part. just that at times there is a slight lag in pressing the howeverton and the picture being taken...also the picture comes out as if you were shaking sometimes...however the 3 sec timer and other features are excellent...also great quality of pics and ease of use |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: great digital camera
Comments: I purchased this camera I believe 3 years ago and have been satisified with it. I purchased it to take on trips not wanting to hassle with 35mm cameras and film. It takes great pictures in the daylight, nightime not so much however that is common with almost all digital photography. The camera does drain the batteries quickly however using rechargable batteries is a must with almost all digital cameras...turning off the digital display during photography does help this. I am overall pleased with this camera and I am not sorry I purchased it!! |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Best set of features and qualilty for the price
Comments: I had always used a manual 35mm camera, and wanted to get into digital however did not want my 1st digital camera to be a really expensive1(since I am learning the digital side and have not yet built enough knowledge to know exactly what I will need in my final, expensive camera yet). I chose this camera based on its price,mega pixel count, and ability to switch to a full manual mode. After getting3sets of NiMH batteries and a charger, I have been well pleased. With an ISO equiv of 100, 200, or 400 and a shutter speed of 1/1000 down to 1/2 and then extended as far as 30 secs with an internal processing stage, I was able to take a still life shot in alalmost all total darkness by setting the camera on a tripod and using f2.9, 30sec exposure. It does love daylight. The digital zoom comes out a bit grainy in low light situations, however with daylight you can zoom all the way out optical and digital and still get great crisp images. I found the flash to be a bit underpowered, which means that closeups are too harshly lit and distant shots do not get enough light. however there are tricks I have learned to use to get super quality flash pics: Back up from the subject and then zoom in a bit rather than zooming out and being physically close to the subject (at too close range, you get harsh flash with uneven flashlense lines on the subject). Also, holding a small piece of tissue over the flash will make really nice pictures because it softens and diffuses the light -- no more shiny spots on foreheads. I really like the ability to choose standard or vibrant color, and the choice of color, b&w, or sepia. The timer works well for eliminating shaky hands even on handheld shots because you are not pushing the shutter manually and can concentrate on a still handhold. The only manual feature it doesn't really do completely is focus. There are settings for 1m and 3m and infinity. The closeup macro and the AF are both autofocus and will need a bit of great lighting in order to lock on. I sometimes shine a bright light at the subject while going to the half-pressed shutter and then turn off the light to actually snap the picture (only works if setting exposure manually - otherwise the extra light will cause the autoexposure to choose the wrong settings). So if you want to experiment and have fun with digital photography and do not want to pay a lot, this is an excellent choice. If you are not that interested in the photography of it, and only want the "soccer mom's point-and-shoot weekender for occasional birthday parties etc" then there are other cameras that are quicker to start up, have bigger flash units, and use less battery power. however then they do not have all the settings that this1has for really creative photography on a budget. |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: Serves its purpose well enough however I could have done better
Comments: I desperately needed a new digital camera and for the price I jumped on this one. WIth a canon glass lens and decent firmware this camera does take great shots when the lighting and settings are synched. PROS: nice image quality, SSD cards are great, video is a nice bonus, menus are easy to use, has manual settings for experimenting, great power conservation. CONS: no sound on video (I did not think I'd miss this as much as I do), flimsy lens cover, autofocus can be finnicky especially when using zoom (just optical I turn off digital zoom). All in all it is a solid purchase and I have had great luck with toshiba products in general, however I still can not get the autofocus to work on closeup shots and really miss not having sound on my videos. |
