Sony NEXVG10 Full HD Interchangeable Lens Camcorder (Black)

When I first read about this camera, I couldn't wait to get one. Interchangeable lenses, big sensor, tiny size, HD, 14MP stills and more for 2 grand. It sounded to good to be true, and it was.

I will say that the shot footage looks great, if there's adequate light. But if you shoot something with a busy, repeated texture, moire patterns show up very annoying. Other Sony camcorders in this price range show a very useful zebra pattern in areas of blown-out whites, Sony decided to omit that in this camera weird.

Another strange omission is in the still pictures yes it takes great stills BUT doesn't save them in RAW format, just JPEGs. The lesser cameras in the NEX line save in RAW. Why would Sony do this? It makes no sense. If this thing shot in RAW, Sony would have the hottest camera on the planet.

Controls -you can control most of the functions manually, but you have to go through an array of odd menu functions to do it. I understand that an upcoming firmware update will make this much easier, but for now it's just a pain. Another pain you have to leave the monitor door open all the time to access the controls you can turn the monitor off and just look through the viewfinder (thankfully).

Glass the included 18-200mm lens is very nice good quality glass with just enough drag on the zoom to keep it smooth-I don't miss a motor zoom at all. I bought the wide-angle 16mm lens-which I also like and it's a bit better than in low light than the included lens. I probably won't get the 18-55mm lens (it seems kind of redundant). Sony has promised more lenses in the E-mount line. Lens changing is fast and easy.

Mac Users

Sony and Apple what a sad story that is. You can import footage into Final Cut Pro with Log (Lag? and Transfer, but you won't like how it looks or performs. There are conversion and "wrapper" utilities out there that work, sorta. You're better off using Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 with files from this camera. I prefer FCP, but files from this camera look and work better in Premiere Pro. If you only use FCP, this camera is not for you until Apple and Sony can settle their differences and FCP is updated. Windows users have more options with Sony's own Vegas program, Avid and others.

Sound-The onboard mic is pretty good, and there is a mini jack for an external microphone (no XLR input) but Sony decided to omit manual level control only automatic levels for sound. Once again Sony omitted something that its other price-class camcorders have. If you have to use the onboard audio, everything sounds OK-until you hit a quiet spot then the auto gain pumps up and whatever room noise there is hits you at multi-decibels which means you'll spend a lot of time in post ducking room noise. If you're serious about sound, you'll have to use an external sound recorder. Zoom makes some good ones)

Camera Strap Holders The designers at Sony did not think this through. Really really bad placement. If you have a $2,000 camera in your hands, you have to put a neck strap on it. Sony put the strap holds in a place where your strap will cover the record button AND interfere with the open monitor door. It wouldn't be as big a deal if you didn't have to keep the monitor door open to access the controls. I've tried putting both strap clips on just the front holder-which is a little better, but still a pain. Why didn't Sony put the holders on the bottom of the camera, where they would not interfere with the controls? A mystery.

No memory card is included with this camera. If you order it, you'll need to buy cards so you can actually use the camera. Buy the fastest biggest cards you can afford. Memory is pretty cheap these days, and it's odd that Sony didn't include at least a 1 gig card. Not a big deal, but odd.

This unit has the potential to be a great camera for it's price. The annoying menus, the lack of RAW file storage, the auto-only audio levels, the moire patterns, no zebra pattern and the strap holders keep it average. Sony could fix many of these problems with firmware updates and perhaps they will. I'll add to this review after the upgrade comes out.

If you buy this camera for planned shoots (like indy films or web videos) and have an external audio recorder-you'll like this camera a lot. You can get beautiful work done on it. The glass and the big sensor can give you some of the best-looking footage possible in a camera in this price range.

If you're a live event shooter this probably isn't your camera, yet.

Event shooters would love to have a great hybrid video/still camera. No RAW files and the menu access to controls just won't make it for those who dream of the perfect camera.

One of these days, Sony or Cannon or Nikon or Panasonic or somebody will put it all together the right way and shooters will literally fight with tooth and nail to get their paws on that camera. The rest of the industry will then rush similar products to the market.

C'mon manufacturers! Which of you is willing sell us what we really want?

FIRMWARE UPDATE

All it does is provide auto-focus for Sony Alpha-mount lenses. Nothing more than that. I don't own any of those. Sony did provide a MAC version of the update, which is nice.

FURTHER THOUGHTS (after a month with the camera)

Another problem: the covers over the various ports (power, USB, etc...) are held on with plastic hinges, rather than the rubber "plugs" used on some other Sony camcorders. Not good. I'm really careful with my cameras, but still managed to rip off the one that covers the power supply port. On my older Sony cameras (some are more than 10 years old with heavy usage) this never happened.

This camera also has one of the loudest shutters I've ever heard (when you take a still shot). I've been informed (by rzero21) that it's a true mechanical shutter, so there's no way to turn off the sound. I hope that Sony can fix this in future cameras. Sometimes the photo/video guy doesn't want to be the loudest person in the room.

I really want to love this camera, I've shot many hours on it now, plus taken 100s of stills. For the most part, it all looks great. I've gotten used to the cranky menus (sorta) but I still don't like them. I use an external sound recorder, but I wish I didn't have to sometimes. If it shot RAW still files and had manual control over the audio, I'd buy another one. If Sony's lesser NEX cameras allowed longer shooting times, I'd buy one of those today. The NEX 3 and 5 also suffer the loud "shutter" problem.)

There are lots of folks out there writing Sony and asking (pleading, begging) them not to cripple their cameras. So far it hasn't been too effective. I'm guessing that some marketing genius decided that customers would be thrilled to pay more for an intentionally crippled camera.

TO SONY'S MARKETING DEPARTMENT:

Take a look at the NEX VG 10 user groups on Vimeo and other sites, plus take a look at the comments your own site. I know you've sold a lot of these cameras, but I guarantee that you won't be able keep them stocked if you just fix a few of the firmware issues that your customers are asking for. You could have the hottest camera in the world! Isn't that what you want? (Maybe you could release a few more e-mount lenses while you're at it?)

ONE YEAR LATER

I've grown more fond of this camera over the year but all of the things I mentioned above are still annoying. I see Sony will be releasing the NEX VG 20 in November, and it fixes my biggest beefs audio control and RAW stills. Plus it will have some manual controls that you can access without having to have the blasted monitor door open all the time. Interesting. When it comes out I'll either buy it or the costlier pro version of the same camera. The VG 10 will become my backup camera or a wide-angle camera for 2-camera shoots.

I read the other reviews and have to shake my head. Only one reviewer even mentioned, and only in passing, what makes this camera so remarkable. It has a huge sensor and creates fantastic images. If what matters to you is the arrangement of the shoulder strap or the layout of the menu, by all means stay away from this camera. If you want interchangeable lens, the ability to shoot shallow depth of field and to create great images, take a closer look. This camera is not for everyone, but it does shoot some amazing video.

Video cameras, because of their typically small image sensors, shoot footage that has a very deep depth of field and a limited color range. In recent years many videographers have taken to shooting on DSLRS which have much larger sensors and can produce footage which is far more "filmic" with shallow depth of field and richer colors. The problem is that DSLRs are much better still than video cameras. They are typically limited to shooting for about 12 minutes. They generally do not have auto-focus and sound can be problematical.

The NEX VG-10 is a DSLR that is designed to shoot video. It has the same sensor as the Sony NEX 5 DSLR. Unlike most DSLRs, it does have auto focus. The quad mike is quite good and it is much easier to shoot handheld than a DSLR rigged out for video. The steadyshot stabilization is really nice. The 18-200mm E-mount 11x Zoom is a very good lens that sells for around $800 on its own. I plan on buying the 16mm f/2.8 Wide-Angle lens as well.

The real magic in the camera is the 23.4 x 15.6mm Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor. There is simply nothing like it in a video camera in this price range. The shallow depth of field is beautiful. If you are used to a camcorder which is always in focus because the small sensor gives you a very deep depth of field, the VG-10 might take some getting use to. If on the other hand you want to be able to keep the subject of your shot in sharp focus with the background softly blurred, this camera can do it, whereas all the older pro and prosumer video cameras can not. The only video cameras out there now (or soon) with this sort of large sensor are the Panasonic PMW-F3 and the soon to be released Sony FS100 NXCAM Super 35mm, both of which cost over $6,000, without lenses.

I agree that I would like zebra stripes and more audio control would be nice, though I still can use my shotgun mikes with or without a Beachtek adapter. The menu system takes a bit of getting use to but isn't bad. I would like built in ND filters but can live with external filters. The camera shoots a native 30P. 24P would be good but I can do that in post. I am not convinced most viewers can tell the differences in most settings.

The VG-10 can also be used as a 14MP still camera, though it does not have a RAW setting. I was looking to buy a video camera, so having one that can double as a DSLR is a bonus.

Overall the NEX VG10 is a remarkable camera that shoots great video. It is not perfect and it is not for everyone. That being said, I am very happy with the camera and video I can shoot with it.

Buy Sony NEXVG10 Full HD Interchangeable Lens Camcorder (Black) Now

I have used this camera over the course of the last month and I would have to say that in general I am quite disappointed with it. However to begin with I would have to say that there are a number of aspects that relate to this camera that are very pleasing. In relatively low light it has produced an excellent picture and the quality of the microphone is very good. If you use the camera on a tripod it is very good but its use in other contexts is feeling much more problematical.

I think that in some ways I am surprised at Sony. I have had great pleasure from a good number of Sony products and that makes me inclined to purchase more of the Sony range. At the same time I have a hard drive high definition recorder that is a pleasure to use from Sony but does not produce the quality of sound nor is it as versatile in low light.

With the camera you do get the Vegas premium software which is excellent, though I did purchase the Vegas pro which is a superb piece of software.

There are a number of issues with the camera that I cannot even vaguely understand. The balance in holding the camera is very poor and it is very heavy in the front. So that if you are filming and pointing forward and move towards the vertical the lens unwinds itself. Now I was trying to photograph some old photographs and had these on the ground and I had to physically hold the lens to prevent it from zooming out.

My other Sony has the pleasure of a touchscreen and this has an unbelievably awkward system of manipulation to try and get to the screen and activities you want.

The sound system does not allow you to control gain and this means that periodically you land up with other unpleasant noise that gets picked up when the microphone suddenly becomes very sensitive. This simply adds to editing hassle or no conceivable value.

It does not come with a strap and I made the mistake of buying one. It has to be the most awkward placement of any strap that you can imagine. It is right in front of the buttons and if you do have the camera on the strap it has to be the most awkward feel that you can imagine.

As a still camera I would have to say that it is excellent, but I do think that the designers that are very poor quality job in releasing this camera so prematurely. The battery housing in the back is so awkward, and there is a very tacky icky piece of plastic to cover the awkward back. My impression is that they want to produce a video camera did not have the courage to make it the same shape as a still camera. They still feel that people must have a video camera that looks like a video camera. However you now end up with this awkward system that is neither fish nor fowl. It is awkward to hold and not pleasant to use.

I first Sony still camera SLR was a similar premature release of a concept where it was not finished off properly.

Sony in many ways produces many outstanding products. At the same time it does do a number of inscrutable things with products that it does release. This camera has the feel of potential excellence, but has a serious lack of resolve from the developers to produce a proper finished product. My impression that they released a half baked concept that relies on the technology but fails on the industrial design and consumer test side.

For it to be a satisfactory camera it needs to have properly regulated sound, the balance needs to be sorted out and the lens cannot behave as it does. The battery needs to be easily accessible and the back needs to be sorted out. If it does need to look like a SLR, so be it! It must have touchscreen.

Read Best Reviews of Sony NEXVG10 Full HD Interchangeable Lens Camcorder (Black) Here

Recently, I went to Disneyland with relatives and shot with both the NEX-VG10 and the HDR-CX550V. While each has its unique advantages, I found I had more fun editing the NEX-VG10 footage. I actually want to watch it over and over, maybe because of the strong bokeh effect, I feel like my work is closer to what we see in movies and TV.

I wanted to support the reviewer before me, that this camcorder isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. Really wish I had this during my film school days... my dream camcorder is the upcoming NXCAM FS100, but not all of us can afford the $5850 retail price tag. Thanks to Sony though, for making the lenses compatible with both models.

Sound quality: I'm very satisfied with the NEX-VG10's microphone. The tiny fur cover is great, I can just leave it on, and the sound isn't muffled at all. One of my main gripes with the HDR-CX550V is that the microphone is too sensitive to wind. The NEX-VG10 doesn't have that problem.

My recommended accessories for the NEX-VG10: a high capacity battery (specifically, Opteka's cheaper NP-FV100), a spacious camera backpack (especially if you're going to get more lenses), 16GB SDHC memory card, 67mm polarizer filter, and quality lens cleaner supplies.

Some minor problems: in bright sunlight, it can be hard to see the LCD, which I prefer over the viewfinder. But if you attach a sunshade to the LCD, it blocks the side controls. Also, I find that the autofocus is a tad slow. Focusing manually is much more efficient. I encountered some moire in shooting rooftops and a chain link fence. Since I bought mine used, I had the misfortune of some weird residue on the sensor. Had to take it to Samy's Camera for a professional cleaning, but it was good as new afterwards (for only $35!).

If you look me up on YouTube, I have some sample videos that you can check out. I think one of the best ways to choose a camcorder is to see what it can do and if it fits your specific needs. For me, ultimately, it's storytelling. There are some NEX-VG10 videos out there that impressed me so much... the sheer emotion that you can evoke with its cinematic shots. Looking forward to making sweet, sweet art with this baby!

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i've had a mini dv for the last 10 years, it did a nice job. it finally died and gave me an excuse to buy a new video camera. i love shooting with a digital slr camera, exchanging lenses and so forth, so i love the idea of being able to do that as well on a video camera. i've taking video outdoors and the results are incredible. i recently shot video of my daughters birthday party at a skating rink, low light atmosphere. this camera still managed to take gorgeous video in low light. i've not played around with any of the manual settings, just left it on auto. i've not been disappointed at all so far, it's a huge improvement over my minidv camcorder. i'ts a bit pricey, but if it last me at least 10 yrs while my daughters growing up it's worth it.

Wansview Outdoor Waterproof Wifi Wireless/wired Ip Camera with Night Vision, Motion Detection Alarm

This cam is a Wansview NC543W.

UPDATE: 2.12.2013

Cam is still functional :) What I thought was wonky color balance is I believe due to no IR cut filter, the IR emitters are always on which screws up the color balance.

UPDATE: 3/15/2012

The cam still works! Yea! The color balance is still awful. Boo!

UPDATE: 4/19/2011

It took about five days of emailing back and forth to finally get ATC-whatever-LLC of Naperville, IL interested in sending me a new cam. Customer service after the sale with ATC-whatever-LLC of Naperville, IL is very poor. I would never buy another product from them ever again.

UPDATE: 3/30/2011

The cam stopped working about two or three weeks ago. If I power-cycled the cam, it would work for about five minutes and then become unresponsive. Wansview emailed me the firmware after I contacted them about the problem, loaded the firmware and then the cam seemed to work okay. After about an hour of operation, it was broken again. I'm done with this cam. I think (not sure though) this cam appears in different permutations Smarteye for one. Dealing with Chinese support via email was very cordial and they were responsive, but completely unproductive.

After reading the seller's (not Amazon unfortunately it was ATC-whatever-LLC) return policy, it was a bit convoluted and I'm not sure what the warranty policy is. After reading ATC's diatribe about returns, I think I'm going to throw the cam away and never buy a product from ATC-whatever-LLC again and probably never buy a Wansview cam or its other variation, the Smarteye (assuming I'm correct about the relationship.)

What a shame...

--End of update--

NOTE: All features and functions will work in Internet Explorer (like two way sound.) You can view the video in Firefox/Safari/Chrome/etc., but you will not have full features and functionality.

I have several webcams keeping an eye on our ranch and I do have a bit of experience with higher-end models (Toshiba/Panasonic) so this review will evaluate this cam relative to my experience.

Basically, you shouldn't expect a ~$90 cam to perform like a ~$900 dollar one. There are a lot of trade-offs with the low-end models a poor quality manual (in this case written in 'Chinglish') that assumes you already know most of what they are attempting to describe to you (they don't want to spend a penny more on a tech writer than absolutely necessary.)

The firmware might not be as fully developed as other higher-priced cams case in point with this one is there are no real color balance controls. You get 50 or 60 hertz or outdoor mode. In lower light conditions, the color balance is really, *really* bad. The color balance might be really bad in brighter light, but I don't know since that is not my application for this cam. And the image sensor might not be first quality and size of it makes a huge difference. This cam will display a max resolution of 640x480, not too bad and a useful size.

So what about this cam?

For about 90 bucks, it is a pretty good deal. Here are some caveats and features:

it is a good deal if you do not need detailed step-by-step instructions to set it up

it is a good deal if color balance isn't a big issue

it is a good deal if you can deal with a *very* incomplete manual it has no explanation about the audio out, audio in, alarm connections, or any API (application programming interface.) In fact, it is like Wanssview allocated xx dollars (Yen?) to the manual when that amount was reached, they pulled the plug on the tech writer. To be blunt, the user manual sucked big-time

the IR (infrared) night view was very good. I don't know about the range since my objective is to keep an eye on an automatic animal feeder which was only about eight feet away from the cam. In total darkness, I can plainly see the feeder in all detail. I was impressed!

it has no built-in microphone or speaker, but has the capability of both. The microphone feature does work I tried it!

in lower light the cam is not particularly fast you will get image blur on an alarm trigger

If you buy this cam, "OSD" means On Screen Display this is not mentioned anywhere in the manual. For "Motion Detect Armed" Motion Detect Sensibility [sic] 1 is the least sensitive and 10 is the most it took an email to China to figure this out. 7 seems to work the best for me.

If 90 bucks won't make a difference with your kids eating and having adequate clothing or not, buy this cam and play with it. If 90 bucks *is* a big deal to you, I would stick with Linksys, Dlink, Panasonic, etc.

Update 7/26/12:

All of these cameras seem to have the same "flashing" problem. It isn't clear if it is the "IR Cut" filter or some other problem. They also might as well be black-and-white given how terrible the color is. If something happened and video from this camera needed to be submitted to authoritiesit would be next to impossible to actually identify anyone in it.

The "flashing" problem seems to occur at a particular light level (much too bright for the "IR Cut" filter if it is working normally), so at least twice a day (or more often in changing weather conditions) the cameras brightness rapidly changes between light and dark for 30 minutes or more. This triggers both the camera's internal "motion detector", as well as the motion detection algorithms in security DVR software like Blue Iris or iSpy. In other wordsyour mailbox, FTP server, or DVR will fill up with completely useless images, very quickly.

Technical support via email says a "Factory Reset" will fix the problem. Not only doesn't it fix the problembut you then have to set everything up again from scratch, which is a problem if you are using them via WiFi in a not-easily-accessible location.

Alsomounting these cameras outdoors means you pretty much have to cut and splice the 5v power cord, and use a lot of tape or an outdoor box to keep the connectors in. They come with a short cable and a set of connectors that you would have to drill a 1.5" hole in the wall to route inside. The power supply is only indoor rated, and is too big to put in an "In-Use" covered GFCI box. Of courseyou can't return them without the factory-provided power supply...

Update 6/12/12:

I dropped my rating to two stars.

While probably still a good value for the money, these cameras have at least one serious issue. I returned one, but the replacement has the same problem. A friend of mine bought two cameras at the same time I did, and has the same issue with hers as-well. The cameras flip randomly between their "IR CUT" filter and normal in certain lighting conditions. This causes random light/dark flashing at various times throughout the day. This flashing, besides being extremely annoying, also trips the "motion alarm", sending hundreds (or in the case of one of my camerasthousands) of bogus motion alarm pictures out. If you use their software to record videoyou will get many-many hours of nothing but flashing video filling up your HDD.

One solution I found online is to either color-over or tape-over the light sensor on the camera. Tried thatdoesn't work. I requested support on Wansview's Web site a week ago, and have heard nothing. There also aren't any firmware updates available for these cameras. I guess we can keep returning them for new ones, but since this is happening on 4 out of 4 (actually 5 if I count the one I've already returned) it's pretty clear it is a manufacturing defect. All four came from different vendors (via Amazon) Wansview should just give one the option to turn the stupid filter OFF! They do seem to work quite well at night, but during the daythey are almost useless for hours at a time.

Leaving my old review here for reference...

I recently bought two of this most-recent version of Wansview outdoor security camera: NC543W. The camera has a solid aluminum housing and appears to be well-sealed from the elements. I bought three similar cameras last year. They are cheap and the picture quality definitely isn't HD, but they are very usable.

The camera's I bought last year came with terrible "Chinelish" manuals that were almost impossible to read. They also didn't come with any kind of viewing/recording software, forcing me to use marginally-implemented browser-based viewers or 3rd-party software. I'm very happy to say that this has changed for these two most-recent purchases. More effort was clearly put into the user's manual, and the included "multi-view" software works very well. The really big bonus with the viewer software is the ability to record video, as opposed to just still images.

As another bonusthe cameras will work with uPnP routers (or you can manually set up tunneling) and Wansview provides a DDNS server, making it very easy to set the cameras up for remote viewing. The manual does a decent job of describing the setup for this, but non-geeks may need to get a bit of help configuring their router if necessary.

The camera has an "automatic" software color filter that is supposed to just kick in when in IR nigh-vision mode. I suspect this may be causing problems for some. I've found the color during the day to be very acceptable. In low-light there is a definite color shift, mostly noticeable at dusk and dawn.

I really only have two issues with these cameras, preventing a 5-star rating:

I can't get the Internet Explorer version of their Web viewer to work. I've tried it on three computers. The plugin install seems to "blow up" and I get nothing but a blank view. It's possible this is due to over-zealous security settings on my part, but I'm not going to lower my standards to install a plugin. I don't get any kind of an error message or pop-up. The other browser version works just fine on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. It also works great on iPhone and iPad, although there are some great 3rd party camera viewers for them, as well as Android, that work fine with these cameras.

It is difficult to accomplish a good outdoor mount of them due to the length of the connector cable and the size of the network jack. If you want an inexpensive "clean" installyou pretty much have to drill a 1" hole to route the cables through to the inside. The power adapter and its cable are not outdoor rated, and it doesn't appear any of the other connectors will last long outdoors without some kind of protection. It's probably possible to cram everything into a water-tight exterior box, which is something I'm going to experiment with. I'd much rather drill a small hole for the power adapter cable (and network cable, if necessary) than a 1" one. Tacking things up under an eave seems to be the cheapest option, and I don't believe that will make it through winter. Power-over-Ethernet would make things easier, but would likely raise the price of the camera.

Like I saidit's a great camera for the price. If you want good color balance and a higher resolution with more featureslook at spending 3-10x as much. If you want a reliable (at least in my experience) security camera and don't have a lot of money to spendthis is a great deal.

One bit of adviceit is difficult to tweak the motion-sensor sensitivity, especially outdoors where things like trees and shrubs blowing in the wind can set it off. This isn't really the fault of the camerait's just the nature of such systems. These cameras can generate a LOT of email, so if you use that method of "alarm" notificationsget yourself another email account with a lot of space on one of the big providers. That way you won't flood your personal email account. If you use FTPyou will want to frequently audit the server's disk usage, or use an automated process to delete older uploads. If using the multi-view software to record videobe sure to enable the feature that automatically deletes older videos if you are running out of disk space. I recommend using a dedicated partition or external disk.

Buy Wansview Outdoor Waterproof Wifi Wireless/wired Ip Camera with Night Vision, Motion Detection Alarm Now

Review Update of 7/25/11

A NEW (replacement) Wansview NC543/W outdoor wireless IP camera arrived today! The seller honored their (3-year) warranty by returning a New camera, not a refurbished unit! Based on this experience, I highly recomment the (Chicago) seller and Wansview camreas! The other two cameras are still working Great on my wireless network!

Review Update of 7/23/11

I was just notified that the seller was sending me a new camera to replace the defective camera. If that's true, I'm impressed! I'll post a final review when it arrives.

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Review Update on Wansview Warranty Problem

Perhaps I was too hasty in my first review, so I have changed it. I finally received a RMA & address to return the camera, which was returned on 7/13/2011. I'll post another update when the camera is returned.

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This review is about a Wansview NC543W warranty problem.

I purchased three of these cameras in a popular auction Website in Nov.Dec. 2010. They have worked very well since installation (only about 6 7 months), until recently when one camera just "died". It has no power and you cannot communicate with the camera via a CAT5E cable nor wirelessly. Additionally, the camera does not show up with the "IP Camera Tool" that looks for any camera on the LAN, even when it's plugged directly into the router.

The problem I have is not so much with the camera, although I'm beginning to be concerned with the quality of Wansview products. My biggest concern and problem is with the Chicago, IL seller in trying to get warranty repair/replacement/RMA shipping instructions. At first they were very helpful in trying to understand the details of the problem. Although it took a little time & patience, when all the details were provided, the seller agreed to examine my defective camera, and replace it.

Read Best Reviews of Wansview Outdoor Waterproof Wifi Wireless/wired Ip Camera with Night Vision, Motion Detection Alarm Here

Product died within a few hours on being installed. No support by the company, nor will they exchange it under their 'warranty'.

Avoid this company and its products.

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This camera same as HooToo HT-IP212 Outdoor Wired/Wireless Surveillance Camera. Same problems:I am very disappointed with this camera. In the wireless mode camera works only within 10Ft. This is it.

I am Computer and Network Engineer with 17 years of experience. I am setting up a various PCs and computer based devises all day long. I know how network works very well. This camera is a POS.

Do Not Buy it unless you want to use it as a hard wired camera. You can connect RJ 45 directly to you Router. But if you have to run a wire, than you do not need the wireless component.

Software is not too bad, but camera sometimes loses its network settings and you will need to re-set it again.

Foscam FI8918W Wireless IP Camera, White (2-Pack)

We are first time parents and added a Summer Infant video baby monitor on our baby registry. We had to return it because of interference problems I detected with our wireless Internet. My wife and I work from home several days a week and unfortunately for me, the majority of my work calls are VOIP (voice over IP), which needs reliable Internet access and speeds.

This Foscam 8918W IP-based wireless camera was the only video solution I could find that was zero-interference, but also happened to still be the cheapest!

LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY:

========================

Every wireless video baby monitor I've researched runs at 2.4ghz. They may not put that in the description, but when I track down the manufacturer specs, it states 2.4ghz. Your wireless Internet/WIFI also transmit at 2.4ghz. Even the newest 802.11g and 802.11n transmit at 2.4ghz and 5.0ghz. My smartphone's WIFI as well as my wife's Netbook only works at 2.4ghz, not 5.0ghz. My Internet router also works at 2.4ghz and is not dual band.

WHY IS THAT A PROBLEM?

========================

After the baby, when I returned to work, I noticed strange lockup issues on my phone and horrible call quality for VOIP. I thought the Internet seemed slower and pages would sometimes lockup. After a lot of searching, I stumbled upon someone mentioning interference from their baby monitor, ding, ding, ding! Sure enough, I unplugged the video baby monitor and ran an Internet speed test, and I was getting 95-100% of my throughput rate. I plugged in the video monitor and the throughput rate plunged to 10-40%! I unscrewed the antenna on the baby monitor and throughput improved to about 40-60%. I unplugged again, and wah-lah, back to 95-100% again! It was quite clear that the 2.4ghz that these video baby monitors transmit on, also affect other 2.4ghz devices, such as my wireless Internet.

WELL, WHY ISN'T THE WIRELESS FOSCAM AN ISSUE??

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If the majority of all wireless Internet devices like your phone, laptop, tablet, router transmit at 2.4ghz, why isn't the wireless FOSCAM an issue??

Answer:

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The wireless FOSCAM *IS* an IP-based device that communicates through the IP standard to other wireless Internet devices like your phone, laptop, tablet and router. Basically, it plays well with alike 2.4ghz devices. The wireless video baby monitors that you buy at baby stores are standalone devices. They *transmit* over the 2.4ghz frequency any which way they can, they are not standards based on a common protocol, like IP is for Internet devices.

OTHER RESEARCH FINDINGS:

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We have a Philips Avent AUDIO-only monitor that runs on DECT wireless. DECT wireless transmits at 1.9ghz, which means there's zero interference with any 2.4ghz device. Repeating the same speed tests, there's no reduction in throughput with DECT.

Unfortunately, in all of my research, I could not find a DECT *video* baby monitor, only audio.

MY CHOICES:

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Option 1

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We could keep our 2.4ghz video baby monitor and switch all of our wireless devices to 5.0ghz. Well, that means I would have to buy a 5.0ghz router AND a 5.0ghz wireless network adapter for my wife's netbook and our phones could not use 5.0ghz WIFI in the house and we'd use our cellular data plans. In fact most of the consumer tablets and phones out there, likely do not use 5.0ghz wireless. That was definitely not an option.

Option 2

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Use a USB web cam; this was not feasible, because to use a USB web cam you need a computer and the baby's room does not have a computer, nor do we have any spares laying around.

Option 3

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Duhh, what about a wireless IP web cam?? Why didn't I think of that earlier? After a lot of research, I came upon the Foscam brand and while reviews were mixed, I filtered out the ones where technical-knowledge may have played a factor and decided to go with this. I'm a tech-geek and setting this up was not difficult. I did use uPnP for the first time on the Verizon FIOS router, after trying static port mapping and other methods to no avail. (You need this ONLY if you want to view your wireless IP web cam over the Internet, versus while you are only at home)

USAGE AS A VIDEO BABY MONITOR

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Awesome, simply awesome. Once you have this properly setup (and the supplied instructions were actually pretty decent), you can log into any web browser, specify the IP address of your wireless FOSCAM and control the camera (pan, tilt) and set 10-preset views. Even better, if your smartphone (Android, iPhone, Windows Phone) makes use of your WIFI and has an IP-camera app (all of the mentioned have several), you can use your phone to monitor and control the camera. If you make use of uPnP and allow the FOSCAM port through your home router, then you can watch (and control) your FOSCAM from anywhere you have Internet access. Yes that's right, at work, at Starbucks, etc. You will set-up various login account types and passwords for access.

For our baby's room, there's a preset view for the crib, the rocking chair, the changing table and the door to see if we closed it or not. I can press 1, 2, 3, 4, etc and switch views. Or I can manually move the camera to the right/left and up/down with my phone app or laptop's web browser. One time we weren't sure where we put the empty baby bottle and didn't want to disturb the baby. We used my phone to pan the camera and found where I had placed the baby bottle on the dresser! Sometimes if I am finishing up dinner and the wife has gone to soothe the baby, she can motion her arms for "more milk" without having to open the door to the bright open floor plan or yell anything to disturb a half-asleep baby.

My only slight gripe is that the night-time infrared lights do not seem to have a dawn/dusk option, meaning they are always on. For the past 5 months or so, they have been on 24/7 and still seem to work great in complete darkness, it's almost eery. Even in the daytime, the camera is smart enough to show color when there is enough light and in completely darkness, the picture is greyscale, but still very useful.

Some minor Caveats:

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1. The infrared lights glow red in complete darkness, but are not obtrusive and do not wake up the baby. We have noticed her staring at them a couple of times, but it hasn't affected her going to sleep at the same time. When I go and stare at them, they are not bright at all.

2. If you read the reviews, you can essentially dismiss using the audio portion of this camera. You may hear static on the audio if you do not move the antenna to touch the power cord yea I know that sounds crazy. You can remove the antenna completely and the static noise will go away too and likely you can still view the webcam. Besides all of that, I didn't deduct any stars because none of our phone apps support the audio portion anyways, they only transmit (and control) video. So we haven't lost anything we couldn't use to begin with.... Using a laptop web browser like IE, yes, you can hear the audio, but we use our phones as a monitor 99% of the time.

OVERALL:

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Best Price:

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Go into any baby store and the wireless video baby monitors (with pan/tilt and nightvision, etc) are $180-$300!! The total price of this 2-pack is about $154 as of this writing. This means each camera is only $77 ! I bought 2 for other uses, but you could buy a single FOSCAM wireless camera for $80-$85 total.

Convenience:

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Any device that can get to the Internet (phones, spare phones even without sim cards, tablets, etc) can be used to view your FOSCAM wireless camera (with the right account and password). (External internet viewing can be blocked easily, so that you can securely view it only within your personal WIFI network at your house)

Zero Interference:

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Becaused this is an IP-based wireless device, there is no interference with your Internet speeds that store-bought video baby monitors *will* affect.

Love this Kit works great with surveillance indoors and outdoors and i can see it all on my smartphone Love It

Buy Foscam FI8918W Wireless IP Camera, White (2-Pack) Now

These little cameras do everything you need and you will be amazed how well they work in total darkness. It comes with two sets of antennas but they didn't bother telling you why. I used the small ones and they work just fine.

Read Best Reviews of Foscam FI8918W Wireless IP Camera, White (2-Pack) Here

I've reviewed the outdoor Foscam FI8904W. My experience with that was great. These FI8918W indoor ones are awesome. They are indeed the 3.6mm wide angle view. The picture quality is pretty good, especially in natural daylight. They do produce a washed out image in low light once the IR LEDs come on or when you just have the house lights on. The ethernet connection works as it should and so does the wifi connection. The IR LED's come on automatically when they detect low light conditions. The panning and tilting is very quiet and not distracting at all. The browser software works as it should, but I use a 3rd party software to control multiple cameras. These pick up audio and can send audio, so 2-way communication is pretty good for what it is. The presets for the views is the best feature; I believe you can set up to 10. I like that the power indicator led is not on the unit, but rather on the AC adapter itself. The mounting hardware is ok, just use your own screws. The included screws strip easily and are of no use. The included 9dbi antennas work well when outside, providing a stronger signal overall. But I decided to use these inside the home, so the factory ones are sufficient. The 9dbi antennas are really big, so it can be unsightly if you mount the camera out in the open with these aftermarket antennas.

The only thing I don't like is the network LEDs. At night it flashes and draws attention to the cameras. I'd rather these camera be as discreet as possible. There is an option in the camera on the web browser to turn the network lamp off. I've checked that box for each camera I have, yet the network LEDs still flash away, so that is why this product gets 4 stars instead of 5. I've made sure to make all these changes via IE as these Foscams and other economical cameras were designed to be used with this particular browser.

As in my other review of the outdoor Foscam, I am using a Windows environment, so I have no issues thus far. Setup was very easy and all the functions worked. As soon as you plug in the camera to the outlet and connect the ethernet cable you are ready to begin. Install the camera finder software from the included CD-ROM. Run the program and it will show you the IP addresses of the Foscam cameras. Copy and paste that IP address into your web browser and you are will gain entry into the camera. Default user is "admin" and there is no password. Now you should be able to view the camera in your network and make whatever adjustments you need to make. You can go wireless if you want to, set motion detection, set alerts, etc.

This review reflects the quality of the product and the integrated browser software. If you are having problems setting it up for viewing outside your network, that is an issue outside of the manufacturer's hands. Anyone with a good amount of networking knowledge can get this done in due time. If you think you are decent in networking, hire someone, because chances are you have no idea what you are talking about. Don't overestimate and overinflate you abilities and understandings because you will only confuse the professionals you are speaking with. Just pay someone and save yourself the aggravation and don't mislead the general populous with your negative reviews when you are the problem. Or actually make/buy dinner and get a 6-pack for that one guy everyone goes to for computer problems. He's willing to help only when you get your head out of your butt and stop blaming everyone for why you can't get it done. When you ask for professional help, check your ego at the door. I don't go in telling a mechanic I know all this and that about cars when I go in for an oil change; that's just crazy talk people. Oh. And I also fix cars... Please stop calling me unless you're willing to pay for my time. My wife wants me home eventually... :(

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I do like these cameras and have purchased 4 over the years. One has died on me and it was a lost cause trying to get it replaced. But while they work they work great. I use them with a Synology Disk Station and they work seamlessly with their software. My only complaint is that the night vision is very short. You basically have to walk within 10 feet of the camera for the motion sensor to pick you up.

Nikon D5200 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens (Red) with 55-200mm VR Lens + 6

Bought this bundle with the black camera body 2 week ago from Cameta. I am satisfied, everything as pictured arrived on time (which is note worthy as my shipping address is in California and Cameta is based in NY) and are brand new. I saved as buying the individual items clearly costs alot more.

Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera Body (Kit Box) No Lens Included

I got this to replace my D60. I really wanted the D5100 but couldn't afford it. It has all of the basic features I wanted but is missing the additional resolution of the D5100, 14.2 Meg vs 16.2 meg, and the adjustable screen which is OK. The most important thing to me is that it uses all of my lenses and attachments I had for the D60 and uses them as well or better than the D60. It's a very nice camera.

It takes very nice HD video. It is limited to 10 minutes but when you think about it thats a pretty long video.

I'm glad I bought it!

I already own a Nikon D5000 and ordered the D3100 because of it's lower light capability and better HD video capability. HOWEVER, I was disappointed that some of the features I loved about the D5000 have been omitted with the D3100. The D3100 has no "scene" mode ideal settings for beach, snow, autumn leaves, pets, etc. This mode was replaced with a "guide" mode... not needed if you refer to the manual and if you are familiar with the camera.

Also, regarding my order, Cameta Camera stated that the camera, (body only), "includes ALL original camera accessories (the Nikon USA Warranty Card, Batteries, Cords, Instruction Manuals, etc.)" but NO cords were shipped with the camera. I will contact Cameta Camera about this.

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I agree with the reviewer who indicates the features lacking on this camera, including the warranty card from Calumet; however, those features are not ones I care about, want or use anyway (except the warranty card), especially the folly of video in a still camera. What I wanted was exactly what I got: the new Expeed 2 image processing engine found in the top end Nikon D3S and D7000 cameras, a new 14.2 MP CMOS (not a CCD), a very small size and a very light weight, without being flimsy or junky.

My complaint on professional gear and I have some is that it is too big and too heavy and it scares small children and others in the Third World. However, I want the high end picture making capabilities and muscle of the top professional gear in a light weight and small walk around camera and lens. That is what the D3100 is all about, plus, for the body only, it is still tremendous bang for the buck, especially when then used with a super standard zoom lens like the Nikon 16-85mm (forget the 18-200mm with its problems which I have also reviewed here).

Read Best Reviews of Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera Body (Kit Box) No Lens Included Here

I am incredibly happy with this camera! First off, the ability to buy just the camera body was very helpful, as it saved me about $50 on the kit 18-55mm lens, which I was able to put towards a 18-105mm lens. The camera itself works really well in a number of conditions. It has a really high max ISO, so you can shoot inside without flash and with high enough shutter speeds to prevent blur. Outside I was able to capture some great shots of sports games, where the "series" option and high shutter speed proved very helpful. If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive digital SLR camera, and are willing to drop a couple more bucks for a better lens/already have other Nikon lenses you can use, this is the perfect choice.

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I got around to writing review after more than a year since buying this camera. It meets my needs perfectly because I was looking for light-weight camera that gives good results indoors and has low shutter-lag. Indoor photos don't washout the subjects with excessive flash allowing natural skin tones to show. Shutter lag is low enough for capturing fleeting smiles. Size and bulk is small enough to hang on the neck or carry in a backpack.

Most of my pictures are taken in Auto-mode but I love the results. Only once I fiddled around with manual focus, ISO and Aperture settings for 4th of July fireworks. Pictures I got were magazine-worthy.

Battery life is long enough for over 400 shots, 16GB card is sufficient for lasting over couple of trips. I use Picasa for organizing photos and Sony's PMB for importing.

I skipped buying the kit from Costco because I know I would not carry around two different lenses, let alone switch them. Instead I bought 18mm-105mm lens and thank my good judgment every time I use my camera. Lens is good enough for wide angles and perfect for portraits. Bokeh effect is as expected (can never get that from even high-end aim-and-shoots). I have taken shots of rainbows, closeups of kids, super close-ups of flowers, city-life, dance performances, beaches, sunsets and whatever else I fancy.

I have never felt buyer's remorse for owning this. I just thought it is worth the expense to capture priceless memories of my kids before they grow up. I only wish D3100 had adjustable LCD like D5100's for taking ground-level photos or other unusual angles.

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Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm VR + 55-200mm VR Lens with 8GB Card + Filters + Lowepr

From packaging to each of the elements included therein, the product was better than expected. The Nikon D3100 shows potential for those who are beginners in the world of photography, this team is excellent and the 55-200 lens can achieve great things. It is an excellent team, functional, lighter than I thought and therefore the transfer is done smoothly. If I can mention that in my opinion, the mode selection wheel can be quite sensitive and we recommend a flash diffuser or use an external flash to get good photos of interiors. I recommend this product widely.Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm VR + 55-200mm VR Lens with 8GB Card + Filters + Tamrac Case + Accessory Kit

HDV-G300 PS2 to HDMI Converter UP Scaler 1080P

This product was recieved and I hooked it up in hopes of it being a simple plug-and-play item just like my wii converter: not even close! I tried it as instructed, didn't work. Sent an e-mail to the company they suggested I go to the PbYr set up! My response, That's what I had without the HDMI converter only my new TV doesn't have RCA inputs! I told them it doesn't work and they told me to send it back, no address or instructions as to how. Told Amazon and they are supposed to refund my money with their A-Z guarentee. Watch the difference where you are getting the product from, overseas is a nightmare!

Great!!!!! Nice piece of hardware, works as instructed, no complains. PS2 games look sharp as if played in a PC.

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Plugged it into my PS2, connected the usb cable, connected the HDMI cable, turned on PS2. Sound was really poppy, fixed that by turning off Digital Optical in the settings. Kingdom Hearts looks good but its got black bars on the sides now. Mega Man X Collection wont play. I heard you have to use rf, composite, or svideo for that game though. Also if you use a digital optical cable it wont fit with this HDMI adapter plugged in. My whole reason for buying this and the Wii adapter was to remove cable clutter and theyve done that and do a good enough job videowise also.

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Professional Rain Cover for CANON EOS Digital SLR & NIKON D Series Camera small

First, this is exactly the same rain cover that Canon sells (I have the medium from Canon) but at a fraction of the cost. Second, it does the job of protecting the camera/lens in the rain/snow/whatever. However, it it not easy to use/figure out. The directions (whether for this or the Canon version) are not clear and it takes quite a bit of fiddling to figure it out thus I HIGHLY recommend practicing with it before going out. Sizing is a challenge, i.e. if you have any Canon lens at or below the 18-200mm zoom, get the small. I use the medium for my 150-500mm Sigma thus you should have an idea of how big these covers are. Unlike many covers, this cover easily works with a tripod.

I really like the rear window that enables me to see the back and top of the camera. The small version also has slits for putting your camera strap through and they work well. As you can see from the pictures of this cover, your hands go up from the bottom, thus, if you're hands are wet, the water flows downwards away from the camera/lens. The cover recommends using your lens shade and I heartily agree. The lens shade places the glass further away from the rain and makes for a better fit of the cover.

I spent a lot of money on Canon's brand of rain cover (the large for my 300mm f/2.8) I then purchased the JJC RI-8 Rain Cover for my smaller Canon 70-200mm f/2.8. I use both lenses on Canon 7Ds and 5Ds. I can tell no difference between Canon's rain cover and JJCs rain cover, except Canon has its logo plastered on the side of the rain cover at the lens barrel. Now some people like to show off their expensive cameras and lenses, but I really, really don't! I shoot in some pretty dodgy locations sometimes and I don't want to advertise what kind of gear I'm carrying. So logos are kind of useless to me. I did not give JJC five stars for only one reason: It comes with three replaceable eye pieces and there is no indication which eyepiece fits which camera. I eventually figured it out by trial and error, then marked the appropriate ones. One fits the 7D, one fits the 5D, and the third one fits nothing I own. But before I spend any more money on canon's rain covers, I'll try JJC's in the future.

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First off.

Let me say that I was a bit concerned after reading the other reviews. While they almost all said that it was hard to figure out, the ONLY trouble I had was fitting the rubber eye piece inside the eye piece frame. (it's a bit like putting a bike tire on a rim..you have to work your way around while holding it in place)

The white material is soft, flexible, and LOOKS like it will repel water (I have not tried it out yet). After the above assembly, the eye piece is an open hole, allowing you to see your subject clearly. (no looking through vinyl material like some others) The only vinyl material is around the eye piece, which allows you to see the various buttons, top of camera, and LCD view finder on your body.

There is PLENTY of space for just about any type of tripod head (I use a ballhead). In fact, the only problem I can see is if you use your camera "off tripod", where the extra material might get in your way. Still. There is enough Velcro pieces on this where I'm sure you can tuck it all in and secure it just fine, while still leaving room for your hands. I would not use this off tripod because I would worry about rain running down the camera straps. But that's me.

There are instructions included, but I didn't even see them (still in the handy carry bag) until I was re-packing the rain cover (shows you how easy it was to figure out). I might not have had the set up exactly like they said, but I can see there are several ways you can make this work depending on your set up (again, plenty of Velcro).

They supply a total of three rubber eye pieces (in case you drop one). Not just the small rubber piece that you insert, but these are actual eye pieces that slide down over your body's viewer (you have to remove your makers eye piece to use it, so put it in your pocket or some place safe while you use the other)

While I bought the SMALL size, It measured 17 inches from the back of the camera to the end of the tube your lens goes in. I also tried it with a couple other lenses, a shorter prime lens (35mm), and an 11-16mm zoom. The fit is fine so long as you tuck in the extra material before you Velcro everything down. Just use a bit of fore thought when tucking extra material in so you dont channel water back INTO your camera.

I've posted some photos that I took of the set up, to show the various parts of this cover. (I had to use my point & shoot, so please excuse the quality)

One piece of advice....put everything together at home a time or two before trying it in the field. When in the field, put it together in the car BEFORE going out in the rain. Just makes sence to me.

There is no doubt that I would advise a friend to buy this, as I will do just that (every shooter I know lives in Oregon and Oregon is WET!)

One reviewer said this is the same rain cover that has the 'Canon" logo on it. If this is the case, I can see no reason to pay the extra money for the logo only.

Read Best Reviews of Professional Rain Cover for CANON EOS Digital SLR & NIKON D Series Camera small Here

Perhaps it is my lack of experience with rain covers, but this thing is a pain in the rear! Solid material, would trust it to keep water off the equipment. Eye part is hard to put on and figure out. JJC sells a cheap cover for a buck or two that works fine if you are in light rain, with the bonus of being able to use a flash.

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Love the quality and material.

Definitely good accessory for bad shooting conditions.

Love the way your hands are covered too.

Do i use it ? No, not really. In fact i try not to shoot in bad weather condition just to avoid having to deploy protective gear.

Jet Black VG Laurel DSLR Camera Carrying Bag with Removable Shoulder Strap for Leica V-Lux 4 Digita

I just got a new Leica camera and this was the only camera bag available for it. Love the smaller size, but could be a little bigger so that once the strap is added to the camera it would have more room. With the strap attached to the camera, it's quite tight and really have to manuever the strap around in order to zip up the bag.

Fits the camera and is easy to use. Works as advertised and protects the camera when travelling. Has room for minimal assessories as expected.

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a perfect carrying bag, with no unnecessary bulk yet space for camera necessities and room for additional travel items, e.g., passport, money.

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This is a great product; however, I am returning it because I am returning the camera. It is too much camera for me.

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The bag is just the right size for the V Lux 4 camera even with the strap attached. The strap fits behind the pouch for the camera. The back exterior pockets are roomy enough for an extra battery, charger, memory card, etc. I would recommend this bag for anyone who owns a Leica V Lux 4.

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Cmple Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable (6 ft)

Bought my first Blu-Ray player and a new Yamaha receiver from Amazon to hook up to my big Mitsu DLP TV, and ordered a couple of this inexpensive cables with my order.

They work great, but the one old cable I already had (another brand) was lossy, I guess, and didn't work.

Didn't particularly want to wait a couple days, so I went to a local Radio Shack, where they wanted $80 for a similar cable! Then to Staples next door, where they wanted $40. Then to Walmart on the way home where even they wanted $30!

So, I decided to order another one of these!

I got this cable and mini dp to hdmi adapter for the new mid 2010 mac book pro cause i didn't want to use two cables. One video one audio in order to watch hulu on tv. This cable works great 6 ft is perfect if you go any loger your signal will cut out fro time to time. It carries video and audio but you need to buy mdp to hdmi cable. Dont pay $40 at apple, it much cheaper here for the same quality here is the link

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HU629E/ref=oss_product

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Great cable and feels solid. It's a joke that people think an $20+ 6-foot cable is better than this (when in reality they are not). It's even more of a joke to see stores (cough, cough Best Buy) to sell them at $60+.

This version category is well suited for almost everyone (unless your expecting the next-generation of high-def) and is properly priced. Too bad that it's no longer stocked (at the time of this review). I got 2 a few weeks back and they work perfectly.

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As HDMI cables go, these seem great and the price is killer. I am not a technophile but seems they connect everything up just fine without any noticeable loss of clarity or signal. At this price, bought a bunch and now won't be rooting around or making a trip to town.

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I use this wire for connection from the the HD cable box and the TV and the picture quality is great,would recommend this cable.

Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens with 32GB Card + .45x Wide Angl

It is a nice camera, and don't get me wrong, it can take some amazing pictures, but not right out of the box. I was comparing it to a Nikon Coolpix L810 auto mode to auto mode, and the L810 actually takes much sharper photos than the D3100! I was using the same subject, at the same location and at the same time. The only variable was the camera. Again, this was on auto mode, and I know that DSLR users warn against auto mode, but this is an entry level DSLR, so I would think Nikon would be paying more attention to the fact that the beginner is likely to expect auto mode to be "beginner proof".

Once I gave up on the auto setting, I used the settings recommended on kenrockwell.com, and I began to see some sharp photos. I have since began to have a better understanding of what the different settings mean, and I am no longer frustrated with the camera, but I recommend that you understand what the manual is telling you (it's pretty good), and don't expect great photos on the first use if you are a DSLR beginner.

The video mode should only be used in manual focus. The sound of the auto focus motor will dominate any audio you might be capturing with the video, but that may improve with other lenses. ...but again, the video mode on the Coolpix L810 was much better. Even though the resolution was not as good, the video (using auto focus) was at least a usable video with the L810.

F.Y.I. I am using the lens provided in the kit, and I know that I will be replacing it later, but that is another day.

I only give four stars because there isn't a four and a half, and I feel that a $500.00 camera should outperform a $200.00 one on any setting, especially when they are the same brand.

Pentax Optio S50 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

Bought this camera about 6mo ago. After ~2GB of pictures:

1. Decent quality you gotta understand that it is not SLR so for a compact it is OK. Viewing 100% size shows no visible defects.

2. Really small important since what good is your camera if it stays at home most of the time. That one fits in the pocket, but you'll feel it there.

3. Takes AA batteries good thing just in case

4. Has multiple modes and settings not too useful, but it doesn't hurt either.

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Now for what could be better:

1. Slow as you would not believe shooting @5MP and best resolution. When this red light is blinking (writing to card) you can't do anything and it lasts forever.

2. Slow in general takes too long between you push the button and the picture being actually taken. Pple turn around, move out of frame and so on.

3. Buttons are tiny well, the camera is tiny too, but still...

If you plan to use gloves or just have large hands forget about it.

4. Battery usage I use rechargable 2400mAh ones and they don't last too long. Indoor shots almost always use a flash so battery indicator goes yellow after about 20-30 shots no matter how you recharge your batteries (there are different ways to do it)

Conclusion: It is worth the price if you need really small camera to take anywhere and want to stick with the combination of SD storage and regular AA batteries

I bought this camera after looking at several other cameras. I liked the size of the camera, Pentax name and claimed battery life. I think the color reproduction is ok, but not great, and the picture clarity is ok, but not great. Using 2400 mAh recharageble batteries made this camera almost useless. Since almost every shot requires a flash, I only would get 30 or so pictures before needing to switch batteries. And since NiMH batteries loose charge when not in use, I would find the batteried dead if I left the camera a few day. I have since purchased some 1400 mAh, Li-ion CRV3 rechargeble batteries. These are a must for anyone with this camera. I can't tell you how many pictures it gets per charge, because after 2 weeks it is still on the first charge, and has not even dropped from the full charge indicator! This is several hundred pictures, viewing and deleting pictures on the camera and transfering the picutes to a computer. As a bonus, since the CRV3 battery supplies a full 3V, the flash charges about twice as fast. (NiNM AA batteries are only 1.3 V each)

The main problem with the camera is how incredibly slow it is. This camera is mostly used to take pictures of our kids, and kids do not sit still enough for this camera. Every aspect of shooting a picture is very slow. The other draw back is that this camera needs a lot of light, and the flash doesn't help for anything more than a few feet (about 10 or so) away. Outside shots are usually fine if the sun is at least partially out.

I am currenly looking for a faster digital camera, with a bigger lens to help in low light situations.

Buy Pentax Optio S50 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Now

I bought this camera as my first digital camera. its simplistic design and 5mp are what turned me on to this product. when i got it home and started to play with is i realized it had an abundance of features that i didn't notice at the store. it can take point and shoot pictures easily, it has a manual focus override, and you are able to take black and white or my personal favorite black, white and red! these are just a few of the features on this relatively inexpensive camera. to top it all off it takes really really good high resolution pictures that you'll think were taken by a professional.

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I bought the Pentax S50 last December. I already own a Nikon 5700 but I was looking for a camera that I could:

a) take anywhere, and

b) take scuba diving

With its compact size and available underwater housing (and even supported "marine" modes) the Pentax seemed to fit the bill. I was actually undecided between the S50 and the Casio Exilim, so I actually ran a side-by-side comparison of the two. The S50 lost out in almost every discipline, the most important being picture quality (even though I was comparing to a 3MP Z30!), which I actually found to be quite poor on the S50. Apart from this, I was disappointed by the LCD screen, which was smaller and far less sharp than the Casio's, the larger size (although not by much) and the general build quality the buttons, flaps and doors just felt cheap compared to other cameras.

On the positive side, I did like the idea of being able to use standard AA's, but when you consider the amazing battery life of today's ultracompacts, it's really not an advantage. I was also impressed by the incredible array of features and options that the S50 packs in unfortunately, these don't make up for the poor picture quality. My advice would be to choose a Casio Exilim. If price is an issue, get the Z30 or Z40 you will still get better pictures.

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this is a great little camera. i bought it because of its size. it has some great features like being able to reduce the file size photos stored on it. panoramic assist is good and its very easy to use. it has some drawbacks too. red eye reduction always has to be used. the pictures are quite dark in low light settings and my biggest problem, low battery life. it uses 2 AA batteries. the rechargable batteries that came with it were charged for 12 hrs as recommended. i only got about 90 pictures out of them (16 were with

flash). it also takes a while to write the images to the disk( even with the enhanced SD II card)

but i still think its a great camera.

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Panasonic HDC-HS100 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 60GB Hard Drive & 12x Optical Zoom

The marketing is a bit deceiving. It states that it is full 1920x1080 HD. While it is true that it records in this resolution, the sensors' native resolution is not even close to 1920x1080, so the recording is up scaled. It's not even 1280x720. If you read the specifications on the Panasonic web site, each sensor is only 610k (1280x720 is 900k and 1920x1080 is 2025k). The x3 they advertize does not mean that the total resolution is 610k*3, because each sensor is for a separate color channel. Even if it was 610k*3, it still falls short of 1920x1080. The color contrast is really impressive, but the low native resolution produces an image that is grainy (even with sufficient light levels) when compared to other HD content on my 1920x1080 Samsung television. I have since returned the unit.

For the price I suppose it's a quality HD video camera you can get. Image quality is solid and the built in 60 gig storage is awesome.

If you have a mac, it will easily sync with any version of iMovie after iMovie '08. I had iMovie HD on my 3 year old mac and was disappointed when I found out I had to purchase a new version of iLife to unload the video files.

Another horrible design is in how you have to hook it up to the computer or TV. Apparently the designers are chronic crack heads because all ports are behind the battery. You have to remove the battery, use the charging cord to plug the camera into an outlet, then plug in the video cables or USB cable where the battery was. It's quite possibly the worst design ever because it makes it impossible to sync the camera with battery power.

If not for this horrible design flaw I'd love this camera. Every other aspect has made me happy. Well, the built in microphone isn't great, but it is okay. Due to the battery issue I do wish I had done a little more research to see if there's an alternative HD video camera.

*UPDATE (July 19, 2010): I originally rated this with 4 stars. I paid around $600 for this camera about a year ago. Now that I see it costs up around $1000 I'm dropping my rating to 3 stars. This is nowhere close to being a $1000 camera. Actually, due to the fact that all the ports are behind the battery I'm not 100% sure it's worth $600.

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This camera has a good options and very good for a home use. Great lenses and compact size make this camera very handy

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This camcorder is packed with features and is very easy to use. Being full HD the image quality is absolutely amazing. I was considering buying an SD camcorder and was so glad I decided to spring the extra cash for HD. Optical zoom is fantastic & it fits in the hand easily. Favorite feature would have to be its' easy compatibility with my Panasonic BD-60 Blu-Ray player. You won't be dissapointed with this one!!!

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I go from shooting video on the beach with my boy's to YouTube 1280x720 6000 b/s effortless using Pinnacle 12 Studio. With one click I either make MP4 or write to DVD or Blue ray. Now all that for 550US for the cam and 100US for Pinnacle.

I for one am verry happy

GTMax 15FT Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable (Red / Black) + 10Ft Micro USB Cable + Micro USB (Car + Travel)

This GTMax Micro HDMI to HDMI cable is a one-stop-shop kit for your SAMSUNG Droid Charge SCH i510 smartphone. I bought it for the HMDI cable, but the wall charger, the car charger and USB cable were a bonus that would have been worth the price of the package alone. Though I'm careful not to "overcharge" the phone with these included chargers (can you even do that?), they're a great "spare" set that I can keep next to my easy chair and in my car for emergencies. The HDMI cable fits tightly and seems to do what it is supposed to. Overall, I give this four stars. I knocked off one star for the cheesiness of the car adapter. If you're after the HDMI cable, this is the way to go.

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Fujifilm FinePix AV200 14 MP Digital Camera with Fujinon 3x Optical Zoom Lens (Silver)

I bought this camera because it was the cheapest at my large local Japanese electronics store, it runs on AA batteries, and as well as loads of pixels in the still camera mode, it takes high definition videos. High definition videos are important even, or especially, on Youtube to get a crisp result.

I tried a competing Canon product, the A495, but it was more plasticy, thicker, the picture quality was no better, and it takes only SD movies.

The picture quality is fine. It is easy to use. The AA batteries are brilliant because I can always put in new ones without waiting to charge. The only other way to ensure that your camera is ready is to purchase a spare chargeable and a charger but that puts 30% on the cost of the camera.

My more expensive cameras (Canon D40, Sanyo Xacti HD2000) are both in for repair. I needed a stop-gap camera. And at this price you can't go wrong, quite.

The only problems are it is a little slow between photos (the time taken to save the last photo before allowing the next one to be taken is about a second or so and very far from instantaneous), and when strongly over exposed there are purple lines below and above the over exposed portion of the photo. That may be a problem of the particular camera that I have, which was an ex-display model. It is not that thin like more expensive models but who wants really thin? The bulbous right hand side, that contains the AA batteries, allows for a grip. The zoom isn't much at three times, but I hate zooming anyway. There is no way to switch between movie and still camera mode wihtout using a menu. I would have prefered a switch.

Recommended camera.

Decent camera with good features and price. However Folks (especially if you own this), mine had a major defect that does NOT seem to be an isolated case. When shooting video at 640 resolution, the audio and video will go severely out of sync and start to phase and echo in really weird ways at about 1:15 minutes (does NOT happen at 720 res). I repeatedly tested this to make sure it was not a one time accident, and the weird sync echo phasing problem happened every time, and will show on both the camera playback, and as an uploaded video on your computer. Coincidentally, one day while looking at video tests of this camera on YouTube, I found 2 comments stating this very same problem, so it is NOT isolated and perhaps deserves a recall. I suspect that most people who own this will shoot video at the max 720 resolution, so they may not be aware of this defect. I encourage owners to test this and will be curious to see the results. Luckily I discovered this defect before the Amazon return period expired and got a refund. It's a shame, because otherwise, it would be a pretty good deal. Cheers.

Buy Fujifilm FinePix AV200 14 MP Digital Camera with Fujinon 3x Optical Zoom Lens (Silver) Now

As a first digital camera the Fuji FinePix AV200 is a good choice, it is economical, has plenty of features however the user manual has much to be desired in terms of simple step by step instructions. Being my first camera in many years I still hold it up to my eye when lining up to take a picture... I guess a view finder would be useful for me :)

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Very nice camera for the price. Very disapointed that I could not use it right away. Fugi technical support said it has no internal memory for storing pictures of any amount. It does say that a memory card is not included, but I've had other cameras that allow you to store some pictures on its own internal memory.I cannot find anywhere writen on the box or product discription that you MUST have a memory card to save pictures of any amount!

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after years of trying to buy a camera i settle on this one and i think i made the right choice excelent photos great purchase

Cisco-Linksys WVC54GC Wireless-G Internet Video Camera

With a long history of many failed attempts at IP wireless cams, Linksys creates what others could not; one that works.

Configuration with WEP was pretty easy. It's a little temperamental with distance compared to the tolerances of other G devices, but it works. It does not react well to low light levels and tries to compensate via its own gain. If you are using this in a home without AMPLE light, expect a grainy picture.

Frame rate is about 20FPS and is annoying. The security feature works. It senses movement and mails a captured video file. With only 4 seconds at the medium setting, the video images were over 500Kb. This is not for a dial-up AOL user.

There is a remote viewing option that lets you use their web servers to hit your cam from anywhere. Of course expect to pay about $40 for two years access.

Update: 28 March 2005: Comparing two web cameras. I originally bought the Linksys WVC54G and now have the Hawkings NC320W. Both are very good for senior monitoring purposes. I now prefer web cameras which use Java applets (NC320W) instead of ActiveX (WVC54G). There are situations and browsers that simply can't use ActiveX and thus can't display images. The quality of both web cams is suitable for senior monitoring. Expect image quality to fall off in low light. The WVC54G has a wider field of view. This can be important in situations where you'll have to buy two NC320W to see everything whereas only one WVC54G is needed. I am now using three NC320W and viewing using Firefox browser. Warning: setting up a router to handle multiple web cameras needs a near router expert. The NC320W may soon become obsoleted by the newer and cheaper HNC230G (not released as of this date). I recommend setting up the cameras using static IP addresses so power outages won't cause new addresses to be reassigned.

True Story. Everyday I check on mom to make sure she's ok. While on vacation in Australia, I tuned in at the very moment she fell off the couch in Chicago. Using Skype, I called the senior home to have someone help her get up. Although she could have slid over to the phone and called for assistance, the important thing is that I learned she falls and can't get up by herself, and she hasn't been telling us. The WVC54G works well for this application. I can even see which DVD she's watching. I had to open port 1024 to get it working so it's not plug and play. Once running, it has never gone down, very important. My only complaint is that the auto white balance isn't true. Colors and lighting are somewhat off.

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[EDIT]

Ok, 3 weeks after setting these cameras up, I do have a few negative comments. The cameras will sometimes spontaneously stop working. I haven't been able to figure out why. I'm on the other side of the country from them now so I can't physically see them. Eventually they come back online. All 3 are just sitting there plugged in, in an empty house.

The video is fairly choppy if sound is enabled, even at 320x240.

The lighting plays a huge role in the quality of the image bright sunlight in a window makes the image almost unusable. The image is very poor in dim lighting as well.

The field of view is pretty narrow and there's nothing you can do about it I wish there was a wide-angle option.

I wish the interface to the camera was editable, and that you could show multiple cameras on the same page.

Other than that, they cameras basically work as advertised, but I couldn't recommend them for anything other than a novelty because of the image quality concerns and the reliability issues. It's fairly cheap and is good for casual monitoring.

[/EDIT]

I just set up 3 of these for my father-in-law (all the kids gave them to him) in his vacation home. He wants to be able to check on the house when he's not there. They worked fine, as advertised, as long as I was careful and made sure I had the right firmware. This is how I did it, without using the setup CD (which is confusing and was unnecessary for my setup).

If you've got a Linksys router and you haven't messed with the IP ranges like someone else who posted has, it's really easy to do the most important thing to do is set it up WIRED first! I plugged the included ethernet cable into the router and into the camera. Then I powered on the camera. It booted up and showed 192.168.1.115 or something as the IP address in the little LCD window. I opened up an Internet Explorer window on my PC. Went to The configuration utility for the camera came up. Clicked on "View Video", installed the ActiveX Control I was prompted for, and up it came the camera worked. Clicked on "Setup". Default username and password are admin and admin. Under "LAN Settings" I chose "Fixed IP Address", and assigned it the value I wanted. For my 3 cameras, the IP address I chose were 192.168.1.150, 192.168.1.151, 192.168.1.152. Subnet mask was always 255.255.255.0. Gateway, Primary DNS, and Secondary DNS were all always 192.168.1.1 (the router's IP). Tested each of those by opening Internet Explorer and going to the IP address for the camera (i.e. ) and made sure they worked under the fixed IP address.

If you have a non-Linksys router, or have messed with your routers' IP range, it's more complicated. D-Link and Netgear use the 192.168.0.xxx range (0 instead of 1), and I presume to get these working you'll have to plug the ethernet cable from your pc into the camera, use IE to go to the address it shows in the LCD window of the camera. The you should be able to change the IP address of the camera to an acceptable value (like 192.168.0.150) Gateway, Primary DNS, and Secondary DNS would be the router's IP address (i.e. 192.168.0.1). Then you plug the camera into the router and you should be able to access it through IE on your PC at that new address.

Once I was sure that worked, I set up the wireless settings. Typed in the SSID the router uses, chose Infrastructure, clicked "Enable", and hit "Apply". If you forget to hit Apply it won't take. Then I hit "Edit Security Settings" and in the popup window chose the Default Transmit key from the router, and the key from the router. Kept it on "Open System". Then hit Apply and exit.

Now I unplug the power from the camera. Then unplug the ethernet cable from the camera. Then plug the camera power back in. The lights will flash and the indicator for wireless should come up, along with the IP address I chose. Open up Internet Explorer again, type in the address again ( and it works.

Did this with all 3, then placed them in the house where I wanted them, and tested them again. All worked.

Then I went into their configuration utilities and set up the Email Alert feature. This is the only part that gave me trouble. Basically what I figured out is that the 2 cameras that had Firmware version 2.07 worked fine, and the one that had 2.11 never worked. I downloaded the 2.07 bios at ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pub/network/ (the file is called WVC54G_fw2.07.zip) and flashed the 2.11 camera back to 2.07. Then the email notification worked fine.

Oh and another confusing part was the "Outgoing Mail SMTP Server". Turns out you pretty much have to use your internet provider's mail server, which I was able to find on their website. He uses Charter Cable, and I found out on charter.net that the server is smtp.charter.net. I also just set up a new GMail account specifically for these cameras.

To make it easy to view the cameras from the internet, Linksys included this SoloLink DDNS thing which they charge for. I opted for a free option, and made a new dynamic DNS account at dyndns.org. I set up port forwarding on the router to forward alternate ports (I chose 2000 and 3000 and set up the cameras "Alternate Port" to these values) to two of the cameras. So now he can get to the three cameras by going toThat's it works great and I'm happy with them. I give it a 4 because the fact that I had to flash backward to an older bios in order to used an advertised feature is stupid. Other than that, it's great and no more difficult to set up than most other wireless networking devices.

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Hi, I noticed that a lot of people are having difficulty setting this product up. I just wanted to offer 4 pointers.

1: Configuring your router: In your router's configuration, you should assign this device a fixed IP outside of the range of DHCP addresses. This is so that, the next time you reboot your router or cable modem, DHCP doesn't assign the camera a different IP. Remember, DHCP hands out IPs on a first-come, first-serve basis unless you tell it otherwise. So, if you defined your router's DHCP to start with, let's say, 100, when you set up the camera, you can give it a fixed IP of 192.168.1.99 (or whatever) and know that it will persist.

2. Opening your port: Be sure to choose a port number greater than 1024. Also, check your port forwarding page before deciding so that you don't conflict with other applications/services you have installed. When you pick your port, enable it to forward TCP requests to the IP you've specified, in my example 192.168.1.99.

3. Accessing from outside: You will need the external IP address, which you can get from your router's status page. DON'T FORGET TO APPEND THE PORT NUMBER TO THE URL! That's a common mistake. If your public IP is 60.99.60.100, then your camera's URL would be ://60.99.60.100:9999. NOTE: If, when you look at your router's status page, you're confused because your WAN (external) IP begins with 192.168, then the next step probably applies to you...

4. IF YOU USE VONAGE or some other VoIP, there's an EXTRA STEP! Don't forget that the Vonage box sits between your cable modem and your router, acting as its own little firewall. Not only do you need to open the port here too, but also this is where you'd go to obtain your external IP! For Vonage subscribers, the configuration tool is accessible via > Advanced Configuration. In this menu, forward TCP requests to the desired port number at your ROUTER's IP address (Vonage customers: 192.168.102.100), NOT your camera's. Your router will then proxy the request to the camera, so it's like this:

-> Internet -> your VoIP -> your ROUTER -> your camera

alright, that's all I got. Good luck to you all, happy WebCamming!

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If you don't know too much about computer network, it could be difficult. Been using little more than 3 month so far, no problem. Used D-Link, Hawking, Axis, and Panasonic, but based on my experience, linksys had more funtions that was availabe than any other camera, plus, image quality is good if set it as best quailty picture, with best pixel. (Default is not set as best). I was able to remotely access my camera from Korea, Camera was in U.S., had about 3 seconds of delay on still images, but 3 second is good enough with today's technology. I'm not using Sololink to remotely access my camera (since it requires membership). Currently using 6 cameras in my C-Store in U.S., and all are viewalble at the sametime remotely, without any chopping or losing frame actions. People could complain due to customer serivce issues, and installation issues, but if you check on Linksys Forum, other users are far knowlodgeble than customer service, and their response is faster than customer serivce. BTW, WPA is possible if you upgrade the factory firmware to european firmware version.