Vivitar's 2004 4MP CCD digicam — 2x digital zoom, 1.4in LCD, SD cards to 512MB, runs on two AA batteries.
The Vivitar ViviCam 3815 was a 4-megapixel budget digital compact announced in May 2004, part of the numeric ViviCam series of inexpensive digicams Vivitar sold through mass-market retailers. It sat in the middle of the range above the 2MP models, offering CCD image quality at a low price during the peak of the consumer digicam boom.
It records 2304x1728 images from a 4.0-megapixel CCD sensor, with a 2x digital zoom but no optical zoom, framed on a small 1.4-inch LCD. Built-in flash memory is supplemented by an SD card slot accepting cards up to 512MB, and the camera also captures 320x240 video clips. Connectivity is USB, a 5- or 10-second self-timer is included, and power comes from two AA batteries, alkaline or NiMH.
It suits collectors of mid-2000s CCD compacts and casual experimenters; the CCD sensor gives the dense, contrasty colour rendering that draws digicam enthusiasts, while the lack of optical zoom and the tiny screen keep expectations firmly in snapshot territory. AA power makes it easy to run today.
Buy examples with a working SD slot, since the internal memory is small and card compatibility stops at 512MB SD — modern SDHC/SDXC cards will not work, so factor in sourcing an old low-capacity card. Check the LCD for bleed, confirm USB transfer works, and inspect the AA compartment for corrosion, the most common fault on these.