JamCam 3.0 0.3MP Digital Camera, Blue

I got the camera the day before my two week vacation in Europe. After the first day, I tried to download the photos via the USB to my computer. It did not work and subsequently erased my photos. I then had to use the serial port which takes forever. After a check to see if it works, I took about 70 pictures. It took about an hour to download, but then would freeze my computer when I went to save them. So I had to redownload them over three times. After I finally got them on my computer I realized that the camera did not take all of the photos that I took. Infact it lost some of my most important ones. It would appear as a blank white/empty photo. The rest of the photos are very grainy or black even with the flash being used. I was and am furious. Before you go thinking that this is just someone who has no clue and created these problems himself, realize that I am an IT professional and very competent on my computer and systems. This is a waste of your money and time. Do not spend your money on a cheap camera because you will regret it.

Bought this as a gift for a teenager. It seems to work, but has limited memory space (8 pictures) and a slow serial connection to download pictures (as opposed to faster USB). But what can you expect for the bargain basement price. Good introduction to digital photographer for younger folk.

This is a nice little camera for the money. It looks like a real camera, not a toy. The menu-based controls on the back of the camera are easy to use (one criticism is that it is fairly easy to accidentally clear the camera's memory if you're not careful.) The camera is very sensitive to slight jiggling and will give blurry pictures if you don't hold it extremely still. My biggest complaint is that the viewfinder is poor and gives a very inaccurate preview of what you're shooting. I like the fact that it uses a single 9-volt battery for ease of loading, instead of 4 AAs. The battery wears out quickly, although the camera complains that the battery is dead when there is enough juice left for several more pictures. Use a rechargeable if you have one. The camera's built-in light sensor sometimes allows you to get good pictures and low light situations--other times you will need to use the built-in flash. Fortunately, experimenting with a digital camera is cheap. The pictures are somewhat inferior in quality to a digital camera that was included with an Internet service provider subscription, but the Jamcam's built-in flash is more reliable--the other camera's flash stopped functioning after a few pix. The choice of two resolution modes seems like a nice added feature, but the lower resolution is of such poor quality as to be almost unusable for anything but quick emails. A nice feature is the upgradeability with an expansion card. The best thing about the JamCam is it is one of only a very few starter cameras that works with a Mac. The downloading software is not bare bones and works nicely. The included Adobe PhotoDeluxe editing software is a capable addition and adds considerable value to this camera, if you don't already have a similar program. The Jamcam software connects you to the Jamcam website, which has worked out agreements with Shutterfly.com to print your pictures and a free web host to post them for the world to see. Sometimes you will be very disappointed with the way this camera's pictures turn out, other times you will be pleasantly surprised--if you don't have unrealistic expectations to begin with.

You've read the other reviews; from joy to contempt. A year after purchasing a JamCam 3 - these are a bargain at Amazon's $49.99 price. A great intro to digital photography. Few sub-$100 cams have built-in flash, and PC as well as *Mac* USB support. Here's my best tips after owning one of these the past year:Steady Freddie! A steady hand, a gentle push of the button will improve sharpness. Digital image sensors are slow compared to chemical film.Quality 9V batteries (Duracell or Energizer) make all the difference. _Rechargable_ NiMh (not NiCAD!) will quickly pay for the battery and charger _if you look carefully and get one that outputs 8+ volts_ (Eveready Ultra) rather than most other "9v" models which only output an inadequate 7.2v.The supplied Jam app's default sharpening setting best; leave it alone, but do experiment with the lighting settings _before_ importing your pics. The Flash/Indoor/Outdoor/Etc buttons DO affect the image brightness _as it is imported_. Use the Jam supplied app ONLY to transfer - find a better 3rd party graphics app for more control over the final image.San-Disk is the only recommended MMC card brand. You cannot use a USB card-reader (as some reviewers imply) because the JamCam does not store pics in a standard 'disk-like format'. Choose a 16mb or less module for faster writes and better battery life than a large one. Don't be tempted to get more pics with the lo-res 320x240 setting. You'll only grab more dissapointment. Stick with the hi-res setting.Teach yourself or your kids the basics of good photography. Not a point and shoot mentality - but Point. STOP. LOOK. ADJUST, LOOK AGAIN - then Shoot. Compose your image, move in on your subject, analyze lighting for shadows and highlights. I spent 30 minutes with a 10 y.o. neighbor kid and his JamCam; 15 with the camera, 15 with the software trying this and that - and totally changed his perception of the cam, and vastly improved his results.