Digital camera for electrophoresis

[100067.2335 at compuserve.com]

I am strongly considering buying a digital camera to record gel
electrophoresis pictures instead of using expensive Polaroid film. 

The one commercial system I am aware of is the Kodak Digital Science
EDAS System, which comprises of a DC40 camera, filters, hood and
software and sells for close to $4000 (according to Kodak, one needs
their software to override the auto exposure function of the DC40). 

It seems to me that one can set up a cheaper system. For example, the
MVC-FD7 Sony Mavica can record up to 20 640x480dpi images on a floppy
(ideal for shared use). This resolution is comparable to the 756 x 504
pixel resolution of the Kodak DC40. The MVC-FD7 also appears to
provide manual focusing and macro capabilities and only sells for
about $650. The stored JPEG images can be manipulated by most software
package (e.g. NIH image). Am I missing something?

Has anybody set up their own digital imaging systems based on
point-and-shoot digital cameras? Or would it be better to concentrate
on a CCD camera and frame-grabber board?

Bill