cehwiedel: Factual Reports: Digital Photography: Taking Stock: Epson PC 850Z

The main drawback to the Epson PC 850Z is simply that it’s five or six years old, and digital cameras are a whole lot better now, particularly in terms of the maximum resolution (expressed in megapixels) of photographs.

The Epson’s maximum resolution is 2 megapixels. When it was purchased, that was way cool but that resolution now scrapes along at the bottom of the acceptable range for a hobbyist, barely escaping from ignominious dismissal as merely point-and-shoot quality.

Considering its other abundant and flexible features, were there some way to upgrade its photographic resolution, the Epson PC 850Z would still be a fine serious-hobbyist digital camera.

As it is, the Epson can be used for low-cost low-resolution stock photography that does not require the higher-end photographic resolution (at least 6 megapixels) that it cannot deliver.

So the verdict is in: the Epson can be used as a beginner’s camera for the application in mind.

Once the stock photography micro-revenue stream provides enough money to upgrade to a better camera, the Epson can be retired to taking family photos, or given to someone just getting serious about photography.