Review: Sony Go!Cam for PSP

Sony's Go!Cam for its PlayStation Portable is one of those gadgets that leaves you asking yourself, 'Why'?

Why does a portable games console need a camera?

Why would owners of a games console want a camera on it?

Why does this product even exist?

It's not quite as bad as that last one, but you get the picture (no pun intended).

Sony is pitching the Go!Cam as a way to turn your PSP into a camera while you're on the move, but with only 1.3 megapixels we're talking mobile-phone quality photos.

I'd bet most people who have shelled out for a PSP already have a camera of this quality (if not better) on their mobile, which they already take around with them.

So it's a bit hard to see who this is meant for.

For what it is, though, Sony has done a good job with the Go!Cam.

It's supposed to be a cheap accessory for the PSP, and at $90, that's pretty good.

It does feel a bit cheap and plasticky because of this though.

The camera itself is easy to use.

Just plug it in the top of the PSP and you're away.

Taking photos is also a snap.

The top L and R buttons do most of the work.

The camera also records video with audio.

You can see photos easily enough, but there's no way to play movies in camera mode.

You have to exit and look in your movies folder.

Ironically, the PSP's fantastic LCD screen shows just how grainy the Go!Cam's photos are. You can easily pivot the lens to look forward, back or anywhere in between.

The lens has quite a wide angle, letting you take photos that fill up the wide screen of the PSP.

There are four quality settings, from 1280 x 960 down to 320 x 240 for photos.

How many photos and videos you can store depends on the size of your Memory Stick, but Sony says a 4GB stick will give you space for about 40,000 photos.

You can adjust the white balance and add some effects, but it's not much beyond what you'd find on a mobile.

The Go!Cam comes with software (available for download online) gives you more editing options and lets you upload photos directly to the Internet.

If you don't own a mobile with a camera and don't plan to get one, and do take your PSP around with you most of the time, then the Go!Cam is pretty good value and worth a look.

Otherwise there are better options.

The Go!Cam is $90 from Sony Style.

- © Fairfax NZ News