In an age when printers often act as copier, fax machine, and scanner and cell phones are not content to simply communicate, it would seem passe for a digital camera to rest on its laurels simply capturing and editing great images. With the challenge laid down, the digital camera has stepped up in the form of cross functional multimedia cameras.
First and foremost the multimedia camera offers great, high resolution still photography capabilities. The Samsung Digimax i6 and i70 as well as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M2 are examples which offer 6-7 megapixel resolution. Complete with sought after features such as optical zoom and a 2.5" - 3.0" LCD screen these cameras don't give up much to accommodate their added functionality.
In addition to shooting photos, a multimedia camera can record high quality MPEG-4 video complete with stereo sound in some instances. With the Digimax i6 providing optical zoom and automatic macro focus, the filming capabilities are impressive. The Cyber-Shot version also provides video-editing and DVD-writing software for users to get creative in producing memorable films. Certainly, the efficiency of having a combined camcorder and still camera device in one is evident but the cost savings in some instances could be significant as well.
In addition to capturing great video, the Digimax i6 can play videos transferred from computer with TV quality images. Further encroaching on the domain of MP3 players, multimedia cameras live up to their name by offering MP3 download and play functions rounding out the entertainment experience.
The evolution of photography for the average home shutterbug has been vastly changed by the digital camera in the last decade, adding greater control over image quality and composition. With the introduction of the multimedia camera, it is clear the influence of digital cameras will continue well into the future.
