Oddity Archive: Episode 282.3 - Ben’s Junk: JamC@m Digital Camera

[@JL-sm6cg]

I was the one who sent the JamCam in. He has me by my FB name. I'm actually Jonathan Lentz, one of the Patreon donors. I sent two only because I forgot I sent him one already, but clearly it turned out for the best. Yes this thing is as grainy as I remember. I bought one new when I was 23 or 24 for about $79.95 because it was all I could afford at the time. (At the time the top of the line was the Sony Mavica, which cost in the high hundreds of dollars back then. Hell, in reality, I technically couldn't afford the JamCam at the time, as I was on the precipice of my eventual filing for bankruptcy in early 2002.) I remember one of its "wonderful" features was the ability to film an up to 8 second movie (which was nothing more than holding the shutter button down for as long), so I do question only being able to take 6 pictures, but you're the one with the camera, my friend. Lol UPDATE: This goes right up there with my Epson Stylus Color IIs color inkjet printer I bought in 1996 at $169. It was the cheapest color inkjet printer at the time...and IT showed. lol

[@mikebell2112]

I got the WWF version at Big Lots. Minor cosmetic differences and maybe some virtual stickers to use on photos on the CD.

[@rwdplz1]

Great example of why people thought digital cameras were a joke, and we still used disposable film cameras until iPhones became ubiquitous.

[@veganguy74]

I wish I had even the simplest of digital camera back when I was growing up as I would have taken far more pictures of stuff that was important to me than I ever did with film cameras.

[@mightyfilm]

While I have NO love for the late 90's XTREEEEEEEEEEEEME phase, I do love the 90's product artwork with everyone making grotesque, twisted, psychotic faces while holding said products. Something that even Ren and Stimpy would say "Chill the hell out! It's just a pack of Lunchables" (or whatever they're selling). Certainly livens up this cheap kiddy camera.

[@pacmancdi]

It's crazy how influential Ren and Stimpy was and still is. Shows are still trying to copy It's style and humor now!

[@edwardburek1717]

Wow, that connection plug - it's just screaming "someone hurry up and invent USB, already!!!!"

[@benjaminedwards9751]

My brother and I had 2 of these growing up. They were Christmas gifts in 2000 I believe. I was 12 at the time. I remember being disappointed with the quality but realized that it was a toy for kids and that it would be many years before I could afford a "real" digital camera like my mom had. Incidentally, her Olympus camera was only 1.3 mega pixels, which was only barely just good enough for family photography. It's amazing how quickly so many people gravitated towards early digital when the quality was still not up to snuff yet. As a result, most of our family photos from 1999 to about 2003 have aged terribly.

[@suedenim]

This video was so EXTREME!!1!1!! that it blew out my tablet!

[@pacmancdi]

Most kids would have rather owned a Gameboy camera I'm sure

[@brianknoblock8873]

Art Collaging With Benny should be the new KLAK late night staple.

[@JackMcSomeone]

Is it just me, or does the music at 8:51 sound a lot like "Weather with You" by Crowded House?

[@newmedia2862]

This is the type of stuff that DankPods would be all over, especially since he previously reviewed the JamP3 (or Jampy as he refers it to :P ).

[@ViegasSilva]

Game Boy Camera eat you heart out

[@orincat10]

the sounds are giving "kid pix for adults" vibes.

[@neilforbes416]

For computer software of that vintage, quite often the CD-ROM disc *HAD TO BE* in the CD drive of the period-correct computer.

[@MrBillmcminn]

I bought the JamCam 2.0 around 2001 that actually a flash, both serial and USB and a memory card slot that accepted MultiMediaCard, a numerical LCD display that showed how many pictures you can store on camera memory or MMC card. Still the same cruddy 640 x 480 resolution. No Microsoft PictureIt, had it’s own cruddy software that was a complete dog’s breakfast

[@reap_25]

Wow my $60 Galaxy phone can take better pictures than that. 😂 I remember those early days of digital cameras and all their low quality, noisy pictures they took.

[@soundminedd]

"i believe in transparency"😂❤

[@sutorippuwebmaster8783]

I recall getting a new printer during my very first year of college around this time that came with a "free" digital camera/webcam. It ran on 4 AAs on top of needing to be plugged in to a USB port. The thing lasted about 6 months before it quit working altogether, but it was still better than this thing while it lasted.

[@snesfan8935]

I remember that time, a dawn of digital cameras and all that. Pioneering time with high cost and worst quality (by today standards).

[@j0hnf_uk]

Those, 'sound effects', would get old really quickly with me. Obviously directed toward a young person who knew little to nothing about photo manipulation. At least they wouldn't be entirely disappointed. Not for 5 minutes, anyway.

[@TheH454]

I wouldn't be surprised if this "camera" has almost the same internals as the Barbie or WWE cameras that came out around the same time. Those used the same serial connection too.

[@soundminedd]

Look forward to receiving the party invite!🎉❤❤❤

[@tartarughaninja4]

i had a creative webcam similar to this... it had a "photo"button on itself, but all it did was start the software and take a photo inside it - it was not standalone as some other cheap brands from the time. and oh, video was 640x480 @15 fps if on a fast pc. on my pentium 2 it ran well only at 320x240. silly times. but still have a bunch of funny videos made with it, that i prefer over the static but HQ photos taken with a film camera.

[@user-xs7iu1tg9f]

That 'album cover' had me dying the whole way, rofl!

[@sf-dn8rh]

Ben's new LP cover