Home > Consumer Reviews > Archos AVCam 300 Digital Still Camera and Video Camcoder Module

I have an AV340 and this add-on product was one of the main reasons I purchased the Archos over the RCA Lyra A/V jukebox. Sure it takes ok pictures and videos in good light but...
- It is very slow to start up to take any type of picture. You need to boot the Archos, select camera or camcorder and wait for that function to boot - by then the moment may be gone...
- In the camera mode the annoying digital camera delay from when you press the shutter to when the picture is take is longer than on my 3.5 year old Canon Powershot S20. Shot to shot time is slow as it needs to write data to the drive, not to a solid state memory card like on a regular digital camera.
- In the camcorder mode, there doesn't appear to be a pause so each segment take is a separate file name. Again, if you stop and then want to start recording again right away, there is a major lag as the existing video file is closed before you can start recoring again.
- There is no tripod mount or shoe for a light
- There is no super low light mode
- The lens is directly exposed with no way to attach a filter or lens cap to protect it
- 3X optical zoom is adequate for a digital camera but pretty low compared to most camcorders
- The zoom is amazingly loud and will be recorded on your soundtrack unless you use the supplied external mic
- The combination is very large and cumbersome to hold

I thought this combined with the AV340 would be a great all-in-one device... I ended up buying a Kyocera SL300R Camera which boots in less than 1 second and can shoot 2.5 frames per second to the limits of the SD card (get 256MB) and does video to the limits of the card. Better, smaller, faster and not much more expensive.

All in all the Archos AV340 is a very cool device but the AVCam 300 attachment, while a great concept, leaves much to be desired.

The ARCHOS AVCam was a main factor in my purchasing of the base unit the AV340. I just recieved my Cam and I was impressed in some areas and not so impressed in others. First, it is a bit steep in price at around $200.00, but it is a camera and camcorder. I've taken probably 100 pictures already today, and when you hold it steady, and have the right lighting the pictures come out amazingly well. However, you shake the camera little bit or the lighting in the room isn't the greatest the pictures can turn out a little on the mediocre side. I was impressed with the camcorder part of the package though which you can switch to in seconds from the camera. It takes good videos unless it's really dark. You can make it lighter, but for the most part the videos turned out pretty good. A few of the downers besides price are it eats the batteries like crazy. I was actually kinda shocked at how fast the batteries drained. It's not instantaneous but be prepared to recharge the ARCHOS often if your taking alot of pictures or videos. Also, it does make the AV340 heavier, and the whole thing isn't that light anyways. Overall I would reccomend getting this if you have the ARCHOS AV300 series and the money to spend on it. Hopefully with future firmware updates and maybe a battery with a longer life this will become an even better camera than it already is.

Perhaps not as good as a dedicated Camera or a dedicated Camcorder, but as a combo device that adds very little weight to the AV300 series, it is an must-have option. Pictures are bright and clear. Video is clear sharp and very good frame rates (25 to 30 fps). Don't be misled by the negative reviews here. This is a great optional accessory for AV300 users. Not too mention that it comes with a vey nice travel case that fits the AV300 AND the AVCAM together. Nowadays it is kinda hard to find, but if you get a chance to get one, grab it. Alot of these were sold when they first came out and now very few are put up for sale, which should tell you alot about the quality of this unit.

This is like the vanilla webcam on your PC. Not dignified to be called a camcorder. The colour quality is terrible. Doesnt quickly adjust to changes in lighting, very poor image quality and the final file on the Archos is huge. As for the zoom its movements and sound (the microphone captures the loud noise) is so 1920's that people around us were wondering if the camera had broken. Since everything is software driven the limitations are very high. All in all leave camcorder technology to the pros the likes of Sony, Canon, etc.,who know their business.