Survey: 11 ultra flat cameras
by Vincent Alzieu
Published on July 6, 2005
Acer CR-8530
Acer is one of the latest manufacturers to come onto the scene. They started in this market with their usual ambition of getting a maximum of market shares in a minimum amount of time. If you don’t have any history or reputation behind you there is only one way to achieve this goal; slash prices. And this is what they do with the CR-8530. This 8 megapixel is a lot cheaper than the other 5 megapixels tested here.
On paper the CR-8530 price/specification’s are impressive: wide monitor, 64 MB of memory, VGA mode 30 fps, manual modes… The 8 megapixels doesn’t give it more accurate pictures, but uses them to keep up with other cameras in accuracy (see the CS-5530 below) and allows even easier reframing. Even if pictures in the previous pages don’t show it, this camera produces much more precise pictures that the other 5 megapixels of this survey. More precise, but not more accurate! All these characteristics can’t hide the problem of the choice in processors and it seems that Acer saved a few bucks here. It’s slow and comes in last place in terms of reaction time. It considerably reduces the camera’s ease in use, which is otherwise quite good even if it is slightly bigger than its competitors.
Acer CS-5530
Acer came onto the photo market with the CS-5530. The camera’s advantage was that it was very affordable. It is the least expensive (and by far) of all ultra thin 5 megapixels with a metal body. It is also one of the slower and less accurate of all. Noise is present from 50 ISO and so strong at 200 ISO that this mode is useless. Acer could have removed this mode. If the camera estimates that the flash is required don’t think that by not moving the picture will be nicer. Choose the 50 ISO sensitivity and let it use the flash.
Unless you have a great deal, we don’t advise buying this camera despite its low price. It is best to choose a more modest bigger camera with a plastic body. For example the Canon PowerShot A520 is sometimes at the same price and provides much better results even if it is “only” a four megapixel.
