Digital Trends

Gateway DV-S20 October 29th, 2003 | by Jeff Fila

The Good, The Bad, and The Quirky

We liked the portability and ease of use of this unit. It can be carried around easily and stored in a pocket or purse. With the right settings and light, images were nice and videos were acceptable. Images and video were easy to transfer and the .asf video format made streaming over the web worthwhile. The menus and manual are easy to understand and a novice can be up and running in a matter of minutes. The included batteries and cables are a nice touch.

We didn't like the fact that images and video recorded with less-than-optimal lighting were low quality and often not useable. We also would have liked to see a lens cover of some sort. If you really do carry this pocket camera in your pocket or purse, getting dust on the lens is inevitable. Also as mentioned before, a red-eye reduction feature would also be nice.

There were a few quirky things with the DV-S20 that are worth mentioning. First, the camera stores images and videos in numeric order. This means if you take three pictures, two videos and then two more pictures, they will be named IMAG0001.jpg, IMAG0002.jpg, IMAG0003.jpg, ASF_0004.asf, ASF_0005.asf, IMAG0006.jpg, IMAG0007.jpg. This is not terrible but we thought it would be better if videos and images were on a separate numbering scheme. The problem arises when you transfer files to your computer. Once you transfer the media to your computer and erase them from your camera, it starts over back at IMAG0001.jpg or ASF_0001.asf. This means that you either have to rename the files every time you transfer to your computer or store them in a different folder so you don't over-write existing media or get confused. Most other digital cameras start the next batch of images at the next number, so you never have duplication of file names.

The manual was well-written and easy to understand until we got to the part about the different flash modes. It explains how to change flash modes (Intensive, Extensive and Flash Off) using the "OK" button. We found that there is a separate flash mode button (not the OK button) which is the "up" button used for menu navigation that is briefly mentioned in the beginning of the manual, but there was nothing that said what icon represented what mode. When we thought we figured out the icons for the Intensive and Extensive flash modes, it didn't flash when we expected it to.

Another strange quirk is that when you stop recording video, the LCD screen says "Recording!" It doesn't mean anything as far as the quality or usefulness goes, but we thought it was a bit odd.

The major quirk we found was with the included software. The DV-S20 includes Roxio Photosuite 4 SE (for image editing), iSee Media PhotoVista 2.02 (for panoramic 360 degree images) and Pinnacle Studio 8 SE (for video editing). The problem with this is, as far as we can tell, Pinnacle Studio 8 SE can not import or use .asf files. This means that for the Pocket Multi-Cam, this included video editing software is useless. We imagined some poor, unsuspecting first time buyer spending hours and hours trying to figure out why they couldn't see their videos with the included software. Windows Movie Maker, included with XP, will import and allow you to work with .asf files however. If you have Windows XP, you're in luck. Otherwise, you'd have to buy your own video editing software to do it. From what we can tell, Pinnacle Studio 8 SE is a fine program, but it won't do you any good if you own a DV-S20.

The DV-S20 Pocket Multi-Cam is not intended for super high quality photos, prints or videos. If you're in the market for the best imaging, this is not the device for you. However, this device is quite useful for someone who wants to have a still and video camera handy at all times. It's small, light, and under the right conditions, takes good images and videos. It's very easy to use and you can quickly get videos and images to your computer and on the Internet. Its use of AA batteries and included accessories are nice, and the extras included in the $39.99 accessory pack are useful. With the price of flash memory plummeting every week, it isn't too expensive to add extra storage to the device. At $199, it makes a great gift for a teen, college student or someone who wants to be able to capture life's moments at all times, without carrying bulky equipment. The price is about half as much as lower end true digital video cameras, putting it in its own category. We think that for the most part the DV-S20 achieves its intended purpose and the cost is reasonable.

Note: sample images and video can be found on the "Performance" page.