BenQ, the company that produces a third of the LCD panels used all around the world, has just released a "new" camera product that's billeted to be molded for photography noobs, or old-time photographers who just want to go back to the "old" days. With the current reviews it is getting, it seems BenQ should focus more on manufacturing monitors.

The BenQ DC-C510 carries a 5 Megapixel image sensor with a fixed-focus lens and webcam functionality, and a measely 16MB memory (it would shrink in the presence of an iPod nano). It's also equipped with very simple camera settings without throwing away (much) of effective picture capturing. The camera is most likely forgotten to be inside the pocket because of its light 85-gram weight (or maybe because you just wouldn't want to use it). It'll be available starting the end of June 2006.

The stone-age (compared to current cameras anyway) features and hardware were allegedly geared to relieve the average gadgeteer of the complexities encountered during camera setups and actual photo taking. In short, this one's something that Dennis' Uncle Wilson will appreciate - easy to use, hard to lose (look at its size), with just the right amount of boring features that could get the job done. Although the said 'classic' camera is not exactly the type that could pump opious amount of blood to the younger generation, BenQ promises that the DC-C510 will have a very cheap price tag (perfect for the product). Here's a complete rundown of its features:

- 5 Megapixels effective
- JPEG format
- 2 inch LTPS LCD monitor
- Long exposure time of 2 seconds
- Fixed focus lens
- Webcam functionality
- 2x AA format batteries
- PictBridge support
- USB 1.1 interface
- QVGA video at 24 fps
- Secure Digital support

I want it slim! I want it sleek! These are usually the expressions i hear from gadget freaks like myself along with the release of BenQ's Ultra Slim 5 and 6 megapixel cameras streamlines X610, E520, E600,P500,C530 and C630 that would surely give buyers an arrays of super sleek and slim camera. The release of their X610 model highlights the arrival of the worlds slimmest megapixel with 3 inch LCD, a slim difference from its X600 predecessor. X610's extravagant feature will surely grabs novice and photography enthusiasts attention with its 3x optical zoom lens and equips with the largest LTPS LCD screen with 230k resolution plus 2 levels of brightness to choose from, a feature shared with X600. What caught my interest though is that BenQ boasts 680x480 pixels for movie recording, making clips large enough for a comfortable viewing experience, an experience I can't quite wait to have. It even can edit photos with just a few clicks of its button to give us a satisfactory results. Slim is cool. Sleek is nice. But multi-functionality is the best.

Is changing your digital camera’s batteries after every 100 shots on your list of the most annoying things in your life? Then the energy-efficient BenQ DC E520+ is the camera for you. Thanks to its long power lithium-ion battery, the camera can take up to 250 photos on a single charge. That’s 150 shots more than other digital cameras can take with one battery. The downside? It causes a little known, non-fatal condition called “Photographer’s Finger Fatigue.”

The BenQ DC X600 is ever so slightly different than the Pentax Optio S6 because it was licensed from Pentax. So if you're a fan of the Optio S6 you'll probably like the BenQ offering. Things stack up pretty closely between the two. If you can live without panorama stitching and IR remote functions, then you can rest easy going for the BenQ version. And you'll save yourself a few bucks along the way.

Even so, Go ahead and read a nice and lengthy, hands-on review of the BenQ X600. There's some nice shots of the camera itself, as well as examples using the camera.

First we heard about the Samsung GX-1L dSLR. Now there's the BenQ DC X600 pocket camera. Both are cameras licensed-out through Pentax Imaging for sale under other brands. Seems like a win-win situation. Pentax gets licensing fees for all their camera technology being sold under different companies, and the other companies trying to cash in on the digital photo boom have some quality without all the R&D.

I've had Pentax Optios for a a few years and they've been great cameras. Definitely worth a look, whether in the Pentax flavor, or a Samsung or BenQ flavor as well. I'm sure the latter two companies will do Pentax well.

Technorati Profile

BenQ released its Classic Series at the same time it did its Elegance and Performance Series.  There are various differences among the cameras released though. The BenQ C530 and C630 - both of the Classic Series - have 2.4-inch TFT LCD screens and a 3x optical zoom, compared to the X610's 3-inch LTPS LCD screen and the E520+'s 2.5-inch LTPS LCD screen, among others.

What's really impressive about these two models though is their PictBridge feature which allows it to be connected directly to a printer (yup, no need to pass through a computer) if you want to print it right away.

These new additions to the BenQ collection are definitely worth checking out, since another feature of these cameras is the Screen Mode which allows one to capture shake-free images.

BenQ’s X610 is a lot like a supermodel. It is the world’s slimmest 6-megapixel 3” LCD screen DSC camera in the market right now. It has an elegant, compact, sexy design. It offers a smart photo-editing function that includes trimming, resizing, rotation, color filter, movie editing, all with a touch of a few buttons. And it delivers high-quality true-to-life, crisp photos with pristine clarity and superb contrast without making your wallet choke...

This baby's not only affordable, it’s quite intelligent. Oh, wait, the X610 is nothing like a supermodel.