GE-A835 8MP Digital Camera with 3X Optical Zoom (Black)
July 3, 2009 by Digital Master
Filed under Digital Camera Reviews
The GE A835 is loaded with the features beginning photographers want most. Like, a simple, intuitive user interface to reduce the user’s learning curve. A 3X optical zoom and 4.5X digital zoom, combined 13.5x zoom, capture every detail. A vibrant 2.5 inch LCD screen makes it easy to frame your subject and review your images. The A835 provides great extras such as auto-brightness, in-camera panoramic stitching, red-eye removal, face-tracking, smile detection, blink detection, electr (more…)
I am so pleased with this camera. Be sure to read every page of the manual and go through the features. The manual is well written and easy, but if you don’t learn what the camera can do you will miss out. Fantastic price. Obviously GE wanted to sell some cameras at this point in time so they put a real goodie on the market for a good price. I’m so happy with this. I originally wanted the silver tone, but right now they are doing all the best sales on the black tone which is beautiful; it’s only that I feared that the black my eventually scratch. So what. I am so happy with this camera and all the flexible features it has to take photos under different circumstances. Its body is a just tad lightweight if you pick up a pricier similar sized camera in the other hand, but the camera is functioning very smoothly and does not feel chintzy. We’ll see how it wears over time, but it’s worth if it serves for even only two years. I’m going to take good care of it and count on getting five years. Very happy. (added note: five months later and I’m still very happy with this camera).
I chose this camera over a Kodak only because of the price. When I first got the cam, it already had an issue—it wouldn’t turn on with the rechargeable batteries I had. I tried some disposable ones just to see if the camera even worked and sure enough it did, but it drank ‘em up in about 5 minutes. I thought to myself, “surely this cannot be right.” So eventually, I checked on the [...] site and I came to find that the A835 and one other model has battery issues that could supposedly be corrected with a firmware update. I followed the instructions to fix the cam but it didn’t work. After getting completely fed up with it, I contacted GE and all they could tell me was to use different batteries, some of the name brand ones. I had nearly given up on the camera altogether until something told me that I hadn’t done the firmware update correctly….I was right. The file that needed to go on the SD card was apparently in the wrong place because after moving it around, I got the cam to FINALLY work! (*phew*)
Now, I only gave this product 3 stars because of the headache I’ve had for the past week trying to fix it and the scare it gave me initially that I had bought a c-h-e-a-p camera. Otherwise, the features are great, pictures and video are of decent quality (for the price) and the battery usage is….MUCH better, now that I have it working like it should. Still haven’t used it an extended amount of time to see its true endurance, but it lasts longer than 5 minutes now, so I’m a happy camper.
To the potential buyers: consider my experience as a heads-up for what you can possibly go through if you purchase this camera. I don’t know if every A835 has the battery issue but if there’s a bulletin on the general-imaging website, chances are that you’re going to be facing this problem too. Buy at your own risk.
As someone mentioned, the batteries tend to run out of juice quickly while using the camera. I called the company because I only had 23 pictures and a very short video and I was on my second set of AA Duracells. Apparently, there was a problem with the “firmware upgrade”. I was told what to do online to resolve the problem and also told to use Energizer AA lithium batteries for longer life. I was told that the upgrade would be quite simple. My son did it for me and said that it was easy to do. I don’t know yet if the problem is fixed but I am glad that a solution was offered by the company.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great camera
We gave these cameras to our kids for an Easter/Spring break gift. The pictures they took were great and they are very simple to use and download.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good first digital camera
These cameras, I purchased two for my Grandsons, were just what they needed. The camera uses AA batteries which are easily replaced or replaced with rechargeable Ni-Mh as I have…
3.0 out of 5 stars
good price
it is a nice camera but had a problem with holding the charge on the battery so i called GE and they help me download a firmware for it and the problem is solve.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good little camera for the money
This is quite a nice little camera, particularly for the price you pay. It isn’t incredibly feature rich, doesn’t have all the manual options and bells and whistles, and the zoom…
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice camera
Very nice camera with lots of features. Easy to work, even for a beginner. Enjoyed using this camera.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Even a dummy can use it!
This camera is very easy to use, even for a dummy like me who has never had good luck with a camera.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Does the job, just not quickly.
This camera is fine. It takes nice pictures. It’s cheap and easy to use. The only thing that disappoints me is how slow it is with the review.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great little camera
It is a great camera for its price ($70). It is light and easy to use. The LCD screen is big and bright. I bought it for my father and he loves it.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good product
I bought this as a Christmas gift for a good friend who is not real camera savvy and had no experience with a digital camera. She loves it!
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good camera… many functions
This camera was great for the money. My friend and I took pictures of each other all afternoon. There are a lot of features whose purposes elude me, but it has all the functions I…