Argus Bean camera

[Nalgene Ninja]

Hey I just wanted to get some opinions on this lil' cheapo camera I saw in Wally World last week. I've been wanting a cheap lil' camera that I can keep out while hiking and not have to baby it like my wife's Fuji S-100. This thing looks perfect for snapping to my shoulder strap D-ring.

http://www.walmart.com/ca...ct.do?product_id=10216835

[Nalgene Ninja]

Alright, you can atleast tell me the camera sucks, and I should double down and get a real one. 

[montysano]

Looks pretty sucky to me.  3.2MP is getting down in cellphone camera range.  But it has good reviews, and you can't beat the price.

I still drag one of these around, or sometimes one of these.  No babying required   

[JC785]

Honestly I dont know to much about cameras but I think it would be pretty good for backpacking! The megapix is 3.2 which is not that high but would be aight for general picture taking on the trail. Sorry for not much help.

[Joshua Szulecki]

For snapshots, fine.

For anything else, forget it.

[McDowra]

My camera took these and it is a Kodak DX6340 3.1 megapixel. Which while we are getting opinions, what do you guys think about the Kodak Z1015?

[auwesman]

3.2 MP can be ok if you don't plan on blowing it up past 5X4 or if you don't crop.

I just thought it was hilarious that all the review start with, "I bought this camera for my 7 year old...." 

[Joshua Szulecki]

Try to keep in mind that besides limiting how large of a print you can make, megapixels do not equal quality. Several of the original dSLR models were under 6MP, many in the 3MP range, and they still generate sharper, more colorful, and just generally better photographs than 90% of modern point and shoot cameras. There is a megapixel myth.

That said... This camera only has digital zoom (don't use digital zoom), and doesn't specify what kind of lens. That means it is probably fixed focus and plastic. Fixed focus lenses are "always" in focus, but you lose a lot for that compromise, including really deep DOF, usually a fixed aperture setting which means the only exposure control is via the shutter (which you definately don't control). Plastic lenses suck. Period. They make lenses out of glass, and very GOOD glass, for a reason.

For very basic snapshots it will be fine. I wouldn't let it get close to a birthday party, important hike, or anything else that you want to have a good photo of, but for proof-of-sight purposes (like going, hey, look what I found), it is fine. I carry a fairly crummy P&S camera for proof-of-sight purposes many times when I leave my camera gear at home.