Slowly but surely, Trust's range of digital cameras is playing host to a flirtatious relationship between value and quality. Truth be told, value has been at the altar for some time, simply awaiting the arrival of more quality before the two meet up and wedlock ensues. Don't ask where these analogies come from. They're a puzzle to us, too.
Still, the fact remains that if you had a bit of money to spend on a digital camera, Trust probably wouldn't be at the top of your list. But the company's new 1210K Powerc@m Optical Zoom deserves to be noticed. While not without flaws, it's a unit that finds the firm addressing some of the problems that have been highlighted in previous releases, putting together a package that rightly earns praise for its value.
A sturdier unit than we've come to expect from Trust, one of the big selling points this time is a 3x optical zoom. Sure, the company still tries - as do many others - to exaggerate the zoom potential by factoring in the far less effective digital method, but that doesn't detract from the quality of the optical side of things.
The 4-megapixel supported resolution would lead you to think that there are some fine quality prints to be had from the camera. It'd be true too; while professionals and dedicated amateurs will look for more, as a quality unit for the less demanding user, the 1210K Powerc@m Optical Zoom really does tick a lot of the right boxes.
The built-in LCD is sufficiently clear and workable, the user interface is easy to get around and - thank goodness - the camera doesn't eat batteries too greedily. You even get a pair of Duracells to get you started, although rechargeables will be more sensible in the long run. Thought has gone into the flash, which has a red-eye reduction setting, and a decent selection of Ulead software is provided.
The camera's not without its faults, though. For instance, it's hard to get a non-blurry image out of the unit when full zoom is employed. This points to imperfections with the autofocus and the lack of any mechanism to counter camera shake. Our guess would be that the latter must shoulder the brunt of the blame. Trust does try to make amends with the inclusion of a small tripod, but it's not really enough.
Furthermore, the camera does lack advanced features, which may trouble some people, and the trumpeted video mode really isn't much compensation. Plus the 15MB of built-in memory won't get you very far. All these are admittedly niggles of varying importance, but with Trust charging over £200 for the 1210K Powerc@m Optical Zoom, it's moved this camera against some strong-branded competition.
And yet the 1210K Powerc@m Optical Zoom is ultimately a good package. It's easy to use. It produces good, if not spectacular pictures. And it finds Trust slowly but surely earning itself an improved reputation in the digital photography arena.
