Vivitar's 8MP flagship compact — 3x zoom 36-108mm equiv f/2.8-4.8, 2.5in LCD, SD, li-ion, 2005.
The Vivitar ViviCam 8300s was announced in May 2005 as one of the flagship models of Vivitar's ViviCam digital range, offering 8-megapixel resolution at a time when that figure was still headline-worthy in a budget brand. It sat above the mid-range 5000- and 6000-series ViviCams as the specification leader.
It combines an 8.1-megapixel CCD with a 3x optical zoom covering 7.5-22.5mm — a 36-108mm equivalent — at f/2.8-4.8, composed on a 2.5-inch LTPS TFT LCD or through a real-image optical zoom viewfinder. Top still resolution is 3296x2472 with fine-to-economy JPEG plus TIFF options, video records at 640x480, and storage is 32MB internal memory plus SD cards up to 1GB. Power comes from a 3.7V 1050mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
The 8300s is one of the more capable cameras to wear the ViviCam badge, with a bright-ish wide end, an optical viewfinder that helps in strong sun, and CCD colour that appeals to the retro-digicam audience. Operation remains simple point-and-shoot, so it suits everyday and travel snapshots rather than demanding photography.
Because it uses a proprietary lithium-ion pack rather than AAs, confirm a working battery and charger are present and that the battery still holds charge — dead packs are the commonest fault. The SD slot officially supports cards only up to 1GB, so test with a small card. Check the LCD, lens extension and flash, and expect slow write times with TIFF files.