Mustek GSM@RT D35 review

The Mustek GSM@RT D35 camera is one of the cheapest digital cameras available.

The lightweight body holds a sensor capable of two megapixels, although hardware processing increases this to a recorded 3.2 megapixels in the highest detail setting. With no viewfinder, all picture framing takes place on the grainy but functional 1.5" LCD screen.

There is no optical zoom as the D35 is a fixed lens device, while the 4x digital zoom is of limited use. Macro and normal focus modes have been implemented but seem to offer little flexibility.

There are three detail settings, the maximum of which gives an output resolution of 2,144x1,608. This is theoretically good enough for a decent 6x4" print but in this instance image quality is lacking. As the output is generated from a 1,600x1,200 image, there is just not enough detail to give good prints.

Auto and manual colour balance struggles to get whites perfect, although both the sepia and black-and-white shooting modes produce more pleasing results.

The video mode shoots in 320x240 at 20fps. This is good enough for email messages, but don't expect your creative potential to be unleashed. The D35 can also record sound as .WAV files only.

The USB camera comes with a small carry case and PC interface software, as well as a basic image-editing suite. The SD/MMC slot is empty on arrival but the camera has 16MB of internal flash memory.

If you are serious about getting on the first rung of the digital photography ladder you'd be better off spending an extra £50 or £100 on a camera with a higher-resolution CCD and a better-quality lens. For those who want an inexpensive way to take digital pictures, the D35 will fit the bill.

Author: David McKinnon