Microtek Take-it S1

Microtek Take-it S1

Adrian Viegas, Nov 17, 2003 0000 hrs IST

The Take-it S1 has a 2.1 MP CMOS sensor and features a 4x digital zoom.

Light weight, 4x digital zoom, Video recording, Good battery life

Slow interface, Average image quality, Poor speaker

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EXPERT REVIEW

Digital cameras are becoming more common and more widely accepted by the masses than before. Today the market is flooded with low-end digital cameras in the range of 1 to 2 Megapixels with the price anywhere between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 8,000. With this much to choose from, it is becoming increasingly difficult to select a good camera. As prices and features are pretty similar in most cameras, performance is the only criteria left to select the winner. Whether this 2.1 Megapixel clicker from Microtek can beat the rest we?ll soon know.

The Package
The Take-it S1 digital camera came in a nice black box. Other than the camera the package included a USB cable, video cable, a wrist strap, carrying pouch, two AA alkaline batteries, a Quick Start Guide and a software CD that included the camera drive. The camera also comes with a one-year warranty.




The Features
Weighing around 100 grams (without batteries) and measuring 4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3" this ?U? shaped camera can fit into your pocket with easy. The Take-it S1 has a 2.1 MP CMOS sensor and features a 4x digital zoom. The camera comes with 8 MB of internal memory and has support for SD memory cards.

On the front of the camera is your lens, flash, viewfinder, microphone and self-timer indicator, while the speaker is on the curved side. The lens has a focal length of 35 mm equivalent. The lens aperture is set at f / 2.8 with a focal range of 3.2 ft (1m) to infinity. The batteries go on the opposite side along with the SD memory card slot. The panel on the top has the power and the shutter/OK buttons with the playback, photo and movie/audio mode switch in the center. The 1.5 LCD screen is at the back along with the display (DISP), delete and menu buttons. At the top left corner of the LCD is the power LED. Also present is a multifunction four-way button for Up/Zoom in, Down/Zoom out/Nine image display, Right/Flash, and Left. The flash button lets you select between the five flash modes (Auto, Auto with red-eye reduction, Forced Flash, Forced Flash with Red-Eye Reduction, and OFF). The USB and AV-output connectors are at the bottom.

The camera captures images in resolutions of 2048 x 1536 pixels (interpolated), 1600 x 1200 pixels, 1240 x 960 pixels and 640 x 320 pixels, which are stored in the JPEG format. It also offers three quality settings namely best, fine and normal. Apart from the quality settings the camera allows you to select the level of sharpness (low, normal, high), exposure compensation (Auto/-2 EV to +2EV in 1-step increments) and white balance (auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent).

Movie clips are captured at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels at 15 frames per second (fps). The clips are recorded in the AVI format. The camera also lets you record your voice as WAV files. Both the length of the movie clips and the audio files are only restricted to the size of the memory available.

Performance
So far, as 2 MP cameras go, the Kodak CX6200 rules the nest. And since we are talking about 2 MP cameras, one has to compare the Microtek Take-it S1 with the CX6200.

In terms of picture quality, the Take-it S1 delivers average image quality in the 2048 x 1536 pixels (interpolated) resolution, but the finer details of the images are blurred as can be seen in this sample image. Also as one zooms in, the image quality decreases with a lot of artifacts. Another negative factor is that the image background is unclear. In poor light conditions or at night only those objects within a range of 5 ft are illuminated and appear clear. In the lower resolutions the images are grainy with artifacts. The images are darker than the actual objects and even the colours are dull. The movie clips on the other hand are much better, but here the sound recording is not up to the mark. The microphone is powerful enough, but picks up a lot of disturbances, while the inbuilt speaker is weak.

As compared with the CX6200 the Take-it S1 is forced to take the second place. But this is not to say that it?s the worst. We have seen a number of 2.0 MP cameras, which lag far behind in terms of picture quality. A big drawback with this camera, however, is the slow interface. Moving between tasks in the menu takes time, especially in the playback mode. The five-second delay that exists between clicking the shutter and the image being captured is just too long.

Conclusion
It?s clear that the Take-it S1 is an outdoors camera, and is ideal for journalists and the like who need to take quick images, where quality is not a high priority. At a street price of around under Rs. 7,500, the camera seems to be a good deal. But with the Kodak CX6200 available for Rs. 8,000, the going will be tough for this camera unless Microtek make use of the price factor well.

Test Unit Sourced From: Rashi Peripherals Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai



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USER COMMENTS

WHY NO OPTICAL ZOOM???

Bharat | Mumbai | 29/05/06 11:41 PM | Report abuse Reply

how is the kodak c300 easy share cam and also what about hp digital cameras

nagasai | banglore | 08/01/06 08:12 PM | Report abuse Reply

They are all better than this.

Bharat | Mumbai | 29/05/06 11:38 PM | Report abuse

you please also attach the price of that product which you are publishing.

nagasai | banglore | 08/01/06 08:09 PM | Report abuse Reply

we would like to become your distributors. LEt us know the systems and procedures to be followed

Mannu k. Gossai | Secunderabad | 01/11/04 09:46 PM | Report abuse Reply

INTEL D-LINK DSC-350 IS CAPABLE OF RECORDING UNLIMITED VIDEO AT 640X480 RES (WITH PC) AND TAKING CRISP PICTURES AT 1.3 MP. THE COST IS A MERE Rs.5,600

S.VENKATESH | CHENNAI | 23/11/03 12:52 PM | Report abuse Reply

we are discussing digital camera upto 3 Megapixels wihch microtek S1 supports and 1.3 MP is not at all comparable with any of the digicam's. 1.3 Mp is gone technology.

friend | mumbai | 13/12/03 05:11 PM | Report abuse

To but this camera contact us on microtek@rptechindia.com

sanjay aggarwal | mumbai | 19/11/03 11:10 AM | Report abuse Reply

demo nagpur ?

mustafa | nagpur | 23/11/03 08:03 PM | Report abuse

What More do you want from a camera.....? Brilliant Features, Aggressive Price and Brand like Microtek. Its Beneficial to Use, Profitable to Sell, Ideal for Gifting & Functional to Work with. Great Gadjet Indeed.......!

Ajit Sharma | Mumbai | 22/11/03 10:28 AM | Report abuse Reply

Is techtree expecting a 5.1 surround sound speaker from a small digicam ??? I have bought S1 camera 2 days back and the features provided with it is fab. compared to even kodak...You may please note that image quality can even go to 3 MPixels as in kodak it is 2.1 max. with 4x Digital zoom, variable flash with red eye, audio/video rec., and even Audio rec. it should have been rated no.1 camera. Also it comes in shock proof packing with pouch and fantastic software to edit image and even make photo cd/dvd.....which is not even with kodak !!!

nilesh | Mumbai | 21/11/03 04:40 PM | Report abuse Reply

Is techtree expecting a 5.1 surround sound speaker from a small digicam ??? I have bought S1 camera 2 days back and the features provided with it is fab. compared to even kodak...You may please note that image quality can even go to 3 MPixels as in kodak it is 2.1 max. with 4x Digital zoom,variable flash with red eye, audio/video rec., and even Audio rec. it shaould have been rated no.1 camera. Also it comes in shock proof packing with pouch and fantastic software to edit image and even make photo cd/dvd.....which is not even with kodak !!!

Shahrukh khan | Mumbai | 21/11/03 03:12 PM | Report abuse Reply

This is one totally COOL digicam. I lurve this it. Yeah baby!

Cool Doodh | Mumbai | 20/11/03 12:39 PM | Report abuse Reply

Hey guys...I also discovered one more extra feature of Microtek,like to share ith you. Kodak 6200 can't be used as web camera where Microtek can be. Good features. I am also using Microtek scanner and it is also great in performance.

Arvind Malpani | New Delhi | 20/11/03 11:38 AM | Report abuse Reply

I got one of these as a gift, and I'm quite happy with it. The S1 is hassle-free, works well with my PC, and gives good pics...

Sameer | Mumbai | 19/11/03 04:19 PM | Report abuse Reply

I agree with you Mr. Sameer. At this price is a very good buy for me.

Shantanu | Indore | 19/11/03 08:03 PM | Report abuse

This is nothing check out HP Photosmart 320 $150, 3.2 MegaPixels, 5x zoom, 16MB

Vishal | Mumbai | 18/11/03 12:48 PM | Report abuse Reply

In India we understand Rupee billing not $. Also there is 52% custom duty on Digital Cameras....HP comes out to be very expensive

Shantanu | Indore | 19/11/03 08:02 PM | Report abuse

I liked the feature of recording Digital Audio or Audio/Video which is not there in any camera available in market. I checked Kodak also before buying Microtek S1 but the features ava in Microtek is not there in Kodak.

Shantanu | Indore | 19/11/03 07:56 PM | Report abuse Reply

Please send the price list for "Microtek Take-it S1". Would you like to supply through curier or by post on order?

KK Dutta | Shillong | 18/11/03 11:29 PM | Report abuse Reply

Yes we can support you to supply this camera from our Kolkata or Guwahati branch.We can also provide after sales support from these branches.Please ocnfirm your order on microtek@rptechindia.com

sanjay aggarwal | mumbai | 19/11/03 11:08 AM | Report abuse

Superb product with superb prices.

Nishant Mathur | Chennai | 18/11/03 10:43 AM | Report abuse Reply

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