Gateway DC-T50: Today’s Best Buy Consumer Digital Camera

Gateway, a company better known for computers than cameras, has broken new ground with the Gateway DC-T50. While not so long ago a decent five-megapixel camera was hard to find for less than five or six hundred dollars, at $299 this 5.25 megapixel camera cements Gateway’s reputation for aggressive pricing and high value in its rapidly expanding consumer electronics business. The same company that marketed a 43” plasma display for $2,999 while the competition was hovering around $5000 has now turned its attention to digital photography.

The DC-T50 is a much finer product than its price suggests. While it may not be a serious “big” photographer’s camera, it is a genuine “shirt pocket rocket”. This stylish little gem with its sleek metallic look sports a 3-times zoom that retracts into the camera body when not in use, rendering it slightly larger than a pack of playing cards. But don’t be dazzled by the size and price alone, the real story is in the remarkably crisp, clear pictures the little Gateway produces. At 100 ISO grain is virtually indiscernible, and while it does creep up at higher speeds, it is no real cause for concern.

The DC-T50 uses the small SD cards for recording its images, rather than the larger CF cards used in bigger cameras. Easy to operate – with automatic everything – there are additional playback, recording, and menu functions that allow plenty of opportunities to customize the camera to the user’s needs.

Summary: The DC-T50 hits the nail on the head in many ways. Well made, well designed, and easy to use, it takes excellent pictures and is loaded with features usually found on more expensive cameras. While other compact (and not so compact) five megapixel digital cameras have pushed the price/performance envelope, this little Gateway bursts right through it. A “Best Buy”. www.gateway.com