Old cheap digitals also need love

**ismaelg** · 07-24-2019, 05:35 PM - **2 Likes**

Hello,

This is more of a fun post than a serious thread.
Family and friends know I collect cameras. Some times, I get an occasional bag or box with the usual "I was going to throw this away but thought of you..." comment. Sometimes I get cool stuff like old SLRs, others, just cheap old cameras not even worth cleaning. I recently got a bag with a camcorder and this: A compact early digital camera.
It is a Kodak EasyShare CX3700. It was released in 2004 with a whopping 3.2 MILLION pixels! The housing was cracked open. I was going to throw it away but then, I started fiddling with it. It was un-responsive. I cleaned the battery contacts and it showed a glimpse of life. Cleaned the contacts, slightly bent them to improve pressure and removed some screws so the housing could be properly closed. Two new AAs and it is alive! Of course I cleaned it for the sake of its dignity. Quick test and it works!
Why bother in the first place? Well, not only I have fun tinkering with stuff, but this could be something that can be used as an almost disposable camera. Maybe to give a child to play with and spark the interest, or to take to school or a field day. Maybe to take to a rally or even a protest. Who knows?
Anyways, Here are some before and after shots plus some samples:

Before:

After:

Some unprocessed samples:

Even the flash works but don't expect it to be any good.

In conclusion this was a fun half an hour exercise.

Thanks,

victormeldrew · 07-25-2019, 04:14 AM

Somewhere in a box I have an old Texas Instruments digital camera with (drumroll) 0.9 megapickles. Yes, 900k. It was expensive too in maybe 2001-2 or so.

It never really worked properly in the first place...the voltage sag every time you took a picture meant that if the batteries weren't absolutely new, it would switch off every time you pressed the shutter.

And obviously the images looked like they were taken with a potato.

I won't be reviving that one, fun or no.

Dartmoor Dave · 07-25-2019, 05:28 AM

I can't resist snapping up an old compact whenever I see one going cheap. A lot of them are truly awful and are better left in the technological dustbin, but some of them turn out to be excellent little cameras. If you ever happen upon a Sony DSC-S40 or a Fuji E900, grab 'em quick.

jimr-pdx · 07-25-2019, 06:01 PM

I loaned my Casio p505 to my dad, it came back with no charger

Some day I must grab a charger and get it going again. I took some decent shots with it in 2006-8, an ugly 5Mpx cam with a few nice features.

Their ex-f1 had my interest briefly but dSLR cameras were available for the $999 retail price, so I moved on.

P505: poppy encased in proto-tumbleweed:

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

Last edited by jimr-pdx; 07-25-2019 at 11:57 PM.

07-24-2019, 05:35 PM - 2 Likes	#1
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681	Old cheap digitals also need love Hello, This is more of a fun post than a serious thread. Family and friends know I collect cameras. Some times, I get an occasional bag or box with the usual "I was going to throw this away but thought of you..." comment. Sometimes I get cool stuff like old SLRs, others, just cheap old cameras not even worth cleaning. I recently got a bag with a camcorder and this: A compact early digital camera. It is a Kodak EasyShare CX3700. It was released in 2004 with a whopping 3.2 MILLION pixels! The housing was cracked open. I was going to throw it away but then, I started fiddling with it. It was un-responsive. I cleaned the battery contacts and it showed a glimpse of life. Cleaned the contacts, slightly bent them to improve pressure and removed some screws so the housing could be properly closed. Two new AAs and it is alive! Of course I cleaned it for the sake of its dignity. Quick test and it works! Why bother in the first place? Well, not only I have fun tinkering with stuff, but this could be something that can be used as an almost disposable camera. Maybe to give a child to play with and spark the interest, or to take to school or a field day. Maybe to take to a rally or even a protest. Who knows? Anyways, Here are some before and after shots plus some samples: Before: After: Some unprocessed samples: Even the flash works but don't expect it to be any good. In conclusion this was a fun half an hour exercise. Thanks,

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07-25-2019, 04:14 AM	#2
victormeldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South West UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,493	Somewhere in a box I have an old Texas Instruments digital camera with (drumroll) 0.9 megapickles. Yes, 900k. It was expensive too in maybe 2001-2 or so. It never really worked properly in the first place...the voltage sag every time you took a picture meant that if the batteries weren't absolutely new, it would switch off every time you pressed the shutter. And obviously the images looked like they were taken with a potato. I won't be reviving that one, fun or no.

07-25-2019, 05:28 AM	#3
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	I can't resist snapping up an old compact whenever I see one going cheap. A lot of them are truly awful and are better left in the technological dustbin, but some of them turn out to be excellent little cameras. If you ever happen upon a Sony DSC-S40 or a Fuji E900, grab 'em quick.