Sipix Blink

The SytleCam Blink is a very basic 640x480 focus free non-zooming Micro-digicam. The unit is very inexpensive at a street price of $39.95(as of August, 2002) and can't be expected to yield high quality images and it doesn't. When tethered to the computer via the USB cable and operated through the supplied Twain driver was a lot of fun to play with and could function well as a web-cam in a brightly lit area. Obviously, SiPix designed this camera at the entry level youth market and web-cam fans. It does produce almost always recognizable imagery.

One of the most limiting factors in its use as a still camera is the fact that it lacks an LCD to see if you captured what you thought you did as the viewfinder is pretty tough to gauge if your subject was completely in the picture if you frame it tightly. A built-in LCD would certainly change pricing and would take the camera out of budget of SiPix's target market so no intention to be too critical here.

As for outdoor picture quality, well, see the samples above. White balance, color balance and exposure is often way off the mark. The Blink's fixed-focus lens and imager produce a less than detailed image that exhibits severe barrel distortion and chromatic aberration all over the place. These pictures are barely useable for email and then only if they're color and brightness corrected first. I wouldn't want to try to make photo-quality prints any bigger than wallet-size. But what do you want for $39.95?

The reality of this camera is not to compete with "real" digicams, it's to snap, have fun and get some images the kids can Email there friends. Even better, if I get my friend's 11 year old daughter one of these maybe she'll leave his 'good" digicams alone...maybe. SiPix designed it to be simple and fun for the kids and at that they have a winner. It should be a hot stocking stuffer this Holiday season purely based on price.