Cons:
1) 4 AA Batteries won't last for 20 Still Pictures if you use the LCD , with the LCD turn off you could take up to 85 Pictures.
2) The Video movie look fuzzily like an old-time 8 millimeter Camera ( This only extra Bonus for still Camera ).
3) Picture little darken compare to expensive camera but it OK for me , I could fix this (Brighter) in 3 seconds with VuePro software or other software that included with the ViVitar 3745 Package .


Not a bad (first digital) camera   April 20, 2004
S. K. Hoo (Silicon ValleySan Jose, CA USA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

I bought this camera because it was marked down as an open-box item. This is my first digital camera. After I got home with my new purchase, I read the previous user reviews and my heart sunk.

This camera works best with a set of high capacity Ni-MH batteries. This is clearly stated in the Vivitar web site. So equipped, the camera takes fine pictures. The controls are simple to learn and use. The delay from power-on to "ready" is about 3 seconds, it takes about a second to focus and process a scene; both are short by digital camera standards. The software is easy to install and performed flawlessly on my Windows ME machine. When the batteries are low, the camera may hehave sluggishly or turn itself off unexpectedly. With good batteries, it performed flawlessly.

You do not -- repeat: NOT -- have to re-enter the date & time each time you change batteries. I don't know what the previous reviewer is talking about. The pictures are fine. There is a web site which has test shots from nearly every camera ever made. Go there and check out this camera's pictures. I don't want to keep harping on the previous reviews, but he/she definitely left erroneous impressions. Not only that, he/she also gave the same (erroneous) reviews at other sites, making me suspect a personal agenda.

Check out this camera for yourself. Vivitar has made decent and affordable cameras for decades. Vivitar may not have the cachet generated by expensive advertisements and endorsements, but its products are solid. This is a good camera for the money.


my first digital   April 11, 2004
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

with trepidation i took the step going from a 35mm cannon eos with multiple lenses to this.

the lcd screen washes out in bright daylight and the optical viewer is not totally accurate. you need to practice using it to establish the picture zone. holding such a small camera takes some getting use to. only a few times would the shutter not release and this may be to my inexperience and the camera's need to recycle for the next shot. so far, these are the only negatives i have.

battery life is excellent using 2300ma metal hydride rechargeables. at the highest resolution a 256mg sd card holds over 250 pictures. picture quality at the automatic setting has surprised me as being excellent. this is basically a point and shoot unit.although manual settings are available i have not even bothered to try them.

overall, this is a very good unity and will be handed down to a family member. this has convinced me digital photography is here to stay & now i want to get a camera with a 10x optical zoom lens.


Do Not Recommend this Camera   February 17, 2004
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

This is my 1st digital camera. After trying and using several at work, Cannon, Sony, Olympus, I thought I was a genius for getting similar specifications at a discount price. oooops!!
At times the camera is fine, turn on, let it buzz, point, wait, shoot. Other times, forget it. No picture. No way, nothing will let the shutter snap. In broad daylight. Useless for action pics. Useless for important shots, as you never know when it will function properly. Also, it will not recognize some media cards, and it randomly stores images on the built in or the card memeory. Again, no logic. I say pay a few more $ and get a Fuji, Olympus or Sony.


Not a good camera   January 26, 2004
dan (Bucharest, Romania)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

I am not happy at all with my new camera. Easy to use but the quality of the image is quite low. Sometimes the commands are not responding at the first push button.

Add more money and try something else.