Review posted for Kyocera SL300R
By
Dave Etchells
(Thursday, June 3, 2004 - 16:24 EDT)
The SL300R is one of Kyocera's more recent digicam models, with a very slick, thin, swivel-body design and chic all-metal case.
It has good color and take generally pleasing photos under unchallenging conditions, but I had a hard time getting past its sluggish shutter response and cycle time, overly high image contrast, and very short battery life. (Note that more recent Kyocera models use Kyocera's "RTune" processor technology, which could speed performance quite a bit.)
I confess that it's hard for me to fairly evaluate a camera like the SL300R, with a proper view toward its intended audience. In the form-vs-function argument, I tend to come down pretty squarely on the side of function: If a gadget does what it should, I don't care too much what it looks like, but if it doesn't do what I want, it doesn't matter a bit how cool it looks.
There are plenty of folks who hold the other view though, and for them, the SL300R could be a fine camera. Its images are a bit on the contrasty side, but its color and resolution are both good, and for the casual snapshooter, the short battery life may not be that big an issue.
If you're looking for a cool-looking camera, and don't need long battery life to support extended picture-taking excursions, the SL300R could be just what you're looking for. Not my cup of tea, but it could well be yours. Check it out!
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