This Christmas season, the sweet spot in digital cameras, and the place where the most competition is taking place, is in the 3 megapixel arena.
And it's with this in mind that Creative has launched its first 3.2 megapixel camera - and at the very competitive price of only $399. Creative is not best known for its digital cameras, yet the DC-CAM 3000Z is a surprisingly well rounded package. The 3.2 megapixel CCD produces images up to 2,048 x 1,536, which is enough to get a good quality 5x4 print at 150dpi, and the built in 16MB of RAM allows you to fit a reasonable number of shots in. There's also an SD slot for memory expansion. Unusual for a camera this price, there is a 3x optical zoom in addition to the 2x digital.

The 1.5in LCD display is good for a camera this price, with a fairly fast response rate and brightness. Settings are adjusted through a wheel at the top to change modes, and then a menu on the LCD. There are not a great number of settings, but if you want some extra control over your shots you can set manual exposure, ISO, white balance and you can also do long(ish) exposures of up to 8 seconds.

In addition to stills, the 3000Z can take short 320 x 240 AVIs, but the quality is not surprisingly fairly average.

The 3000Z eats AA batteries, especially when using the flash, so either carry a few long-life spares, or invest in some quality rechargables.
Overall, not a bad package for under $400, and a good choice for those looking for a good starting package.