I have read a lot of mixed reviews about the Casio QV7000SX. SOme say it's a great camera, but some say the images are not that good.

I'm planning on buying this digital camera because of its extensive features.However, I need to know if the images that the camera produces are sub-par. I read that the camera compresses images at a very high compression level and does not include an option for an uncompressed format.

Based on sample images that I download from the web, the quality leaves much to be desired. Images lack detail. However, it may just be due to user intervention -- like cropping down and resaving to jpeg (which naturally results in some degree of quality loss) and the like.

As such, I need to get some more feedback from our friends who have used the camera already.

Is the image-quality trade-off something that I can live with? I plan to print 5x7 photos.

Thanks in advance!!

Al

-- Al Dimalanta (axe@vasia.com), August 12, 1999

Answers

I have used this camera professionally for 9 months and am very pleased with it. At 5X7 your shots will look good. Like any other camera, you have use it right to get the best from it. Common sources of image quality problems with this camera are:

Hand-held shots. This camera happily goes to very slow shutter speeds to suit the lighting. It is also easy to forget that the shutter trips .2 sec after you trigger it; so stay still. Nothing beats a tripod with the 2 sec delay option however.

Softness setting. The default setting adds a little softness to the image. Set this control to hard. Even Dave missed this one in his testing.

Image compression. This could be better but it's not really that bad. Minimum compression factor is about a 6 (on a 100 scale); that's not very much. I have deduced that the camera is actively controlling moire potential by averaging high frequency content across the x and y axis when the values for the two axes are different. In English, this means that it turns a pattern of very closely spaced lines into a checkerboard pattern. This suppresses moire effects (that's good) but looks bad on Dave's lens test card. That is not a typical subject however. I am shooting jewelry with very fine embossed crosshatching with good results for example.

Cleanliness. These things have tiny optics. A little grease on the lens can really hurt. Get some ROR (Residual Oil Remover) and keep the lens clean.

Bottom line. This thing is rugged, dependable, takes great pictures and is a well thought out package. Add a 64MB CF memory and some NiMH batteries and you will be happy with it.

-- Rick Griffen (rgriffen@vabch.com), August 16, 1999.

For a non-technical answer...yes, it produces great photos. I've found I don't use the highest resolution since the other modes are fine. I've used it as a "general camera" for vacation photos, as well as real estate photos, and for copying an old photo album, page by page (it was too fragile to photocopy.) I find it VERY easy to use. ONLY drawback is lack of a viewfinder. In bright light it is very difficult to see your subject. It's a major flaw in my opinion. If you'd like, I'd be happy to e-mail you examples if you contact me. See examples of it here, too. 1 set of Nimh batteries lasts about 30 shots on a 15 mb card....the other drawback. But I love the camera!

-- Jan McNeill (jan@sellingcharlotte.com), August 19, 1999.

I am rather suprised at your only getting 30 shots from NiMH batteries. The other day I shot 65 indoor forced-flash shots over a two hour period with the camera locked "on" (30 sec sleep mode, no autoshutoff). The batteries still recovered to an indicated 2/3 charge. I often don't bother to carry spare batteries any more! I am using 1350mAh NexCells and a Radio Shack 23-410 charger. I believe your experience is not normal.

-- Rick Griffen (rgriffen@vabch.com), August 19, 1999.

I know it's a bit off-topic, but I have to agree that Nexcell NiMHs are great(Nope, I don't own stock...). I have a Toshiba PDR-M1 and can easily get 200+ shots with flash and LCD turned on with one set of fully charged 1350 ma. Nexcells. I also use a Radio Shack (#23-406, in my case) charger and an $8 Maha slow charger from Thomas Distributing.

The Radio Shack unit is a relatively cheap($18), simple, TIMED charger that delivers a good charge even in NiCD mode. NiMH mode will charge NiMH's in about 5 hours. Since it's a simple timed charger, switching it to NiCD mode simply lowers the current output a bit and extends the time period to compensate, so it takes about 8hrs. for a full charge of NiMHs in this mode. The reason I use the slower mode is that the batteries are less likely to heat up and I believe that this helps them attain a fuller charge while lessening the chance of damage to he batteries. After they finish in the fast charger I leave them in the Maha trickle charger so they're fresh and ready to go when I need them. Simple, and I can charge one set and trickle another at the same time for the cost of the cheapest of the negative slope fast chargers on the market.

-- Gerald Payne (gmp@francorp.francomm.com), August 19, 1999.