Q-See QSDT404C Digital Wireless Camera with Receiver

Bought this to keep an eye on our horse who was about to give birth. It's about 180 feet to the barn and it's works perfectly as long as I have a clear line of site from the barn to the house.

It's setup on our bedroom TV and we can keep an eye on our mare and new born colt without going out

to the barn. Setup was easy, pairing was done simply before I installed. No real complaints, except night vision is a bit hazy. It also has a one way mic, barn to the house. Wish It had a mic back to the barn. Wind noise on the mic is a problem, but we just mute the TV. Would buy this unit again.

I purchased a Q-See security system which included two of these cameras. Although they are color cameras, the colors they produce in the daylight are off (red is green, green is black, etc.). In addition, the cameras produce poor range (less than 20ft). With that said, night time performance is adequate, you get about 6ft of night vision in black and white of course.

A friend of mine purchased a Lorex security system with two wireless cameras which produce true colors during the day and give much better range.

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I bought 2 of these cameras. There isn't one thing good about them.

The main problem is reception. One camera was mounted above my garage door at the end of my driveway. The receiver was placed in a side window of my house at the front of the driveway. It is not line of sight because there is a bay window on the side of the house between the garage and the front window but the distance between the camera and the receiver is only about 60 feet through open air. Reception is sporadic even with the receiver right up against the window. If you approach or stand near the camera there is no reception at all. No reception when someone approaches the camera defeats the purpose of having a camera.

The other camera is located on the front of the house about 20 feet from the receiver. While I get full time reception from that camera I cannot move either the camera or receiver an inch or I lose the picture.

The audio pickup on the cameras is poor. They pick up random noises and voice but nothing consistently or reliably.

The video picture on both cameras is very choppy even at the highest setting.

Night vision is decent but what good is that if you're not getting reliable reception. Changing channels does not help.

I do not recommend these wireless cameras.

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the only thing I didn't like is the rf signal is line of sight and only about 100-150 ft

It seems to be doing well outside too

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Instructions not the best in the world.

The claims about usable distance seem to be way off base. Not much good if you can't get a signal from the camera. Looking for a way to extend the signal.

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Canon EOS 6.3MP Digital Rebel Camera with 18-55mm Lens

I went digital 5 years ago. My first was one of the very old Olypus digitals; no removable storage, just a cable to the computer, 120 low resolution or 30 medium resolution shots and then the memory was full. The colors were always off, there was no zoom, and it was amazing that it worked at all. No wonder I also bought a pocket 35mm camera to take "real" pictures since the Olympus' were so small, grainy, and colorless. At least the 35mm had a datestamp option. 3 years later I bought the Canon PowerShot S30, then when I lost it (or had it stolen?) I replaced it with the S40. The PowerShot S50 sold today is the same body style with more pixels and a couple of annoyances fixed.

This camera is NOTHING like those cameras. I had plenty of complaints about the S30 & S40. My biggest gripe was missing the shot. I take pictures of children, especially at school functions. I would line up a wonderful shot, push the button... and they would move! They'd get up and walk away, they'd turn around, they'd crowd into the subject, I was missing 80% of my shots. About a year later, the shutter would finally click. So my hard drive is filled with so-so shots that would have been winners if that annoying delay hadn't gotten me... again!

No problem with the Digital Rebel. Press the button, focus is lightning-fast, then click goes the shutter. You look through the viewfinder to frame your shot, not at the back on those hard-to-read LCD screens. Several modes allow multiple pictures, just in case, such as in Sports mode. I am seeing such an improvement in my pictures since I got this camera a few weeks ago. First of all, they are always framed properly, because I'm not dealing with sudden motion after shutter release, nor am I dealing with an LCD for a viewfinder, or a "viewfinder" that makes me correct for parallax. Next, the colors are amazing. Third, 6.3 megapixels... when would I ever want that much? When I want to crop 80% of the picture and still print what's left!

It is great to have a camera with some heft that still doesn't feel like a brick. As everyone else says, get the kit lens. It is 18 to 55mm, so a nice wide-angle lens for group shots, etc. I find 55mm not close enough for shooting children; the S30/S40 I mention above has an 11-55mm range which I already knew to be insufficient for shooting kids. Thus I bought the Canon 28-200mm zoom lens and keep that one on the camera, only switching to the kit lens when I do big groups or a lot of similar portraits (that big zoom lens weighs four times as much as the body!)

Yes, it is an amazing camera for "under" $1000. Truth be told, I spent more than that on accessories; the 28-200mm lens was almost $500, with 6.3 megapixels you might as well buy the biggest flashcard you can, and that's 2 GB these days; you'll need a case, you really ought to buy skylight filters to protect those lenses from getting scratched, an extra battery is a really good idea... well, you see what I mean.

Still an amazing camera, especially after dealing with those tiny toys for all these years.

I've owned three digital cameras before this (a very small Sony, a Canon G1, and an older Kodak), and have been impressed with instant feedback received by viewing your photo 2 seconds after you took it, but was always left with the feeling that I needed to be able to change lenses and have more control over the process.

What I really wanted was my old Canon EOS 650 (35mm) camera to work with a digital camara back so that I could make use of my existing investment in lenses. Well guess what, that is exactly what the Digital Rebel provides!

Much to my surprise, all of my old EOS EF lenses work very well with this camera and I am getting much better results than I expected. This is a huge improvement over my other digicams better resolution, color, overall quality, and I am in awe of what I get with my long telephoto lens.

A few notes. First, buy the kit lens (18-55mm EF-S); for $100 you'll use the lense and it is an incredible value (certinaly worth 2 to 3 times the cost). Second, if you take many indoor photos you'll want an external flash; I went with Canon's 420EX unti as it provides E-TTL exposure (essentially, the amount of flash is controlled by what the camera meters through the lens a pretty amazing capability). Third, get a good amount of memory, like 2 512K card; its relatively inexpensive and by taking lots of photos you'll learn more about the camera's abilities sooner.

I am getting very long battery life (well into many hundreds of photos per charge), so unless you are headed off into the woods you may be able to hold off on purchasing a spare battery.

In summary, if you are an old 35mm EOS photographer, this is a complete no brainer since you get to use your lens investment. If you aren't, I'd highly recommend this camera anyway (and look into the Canon 70-200mm/f4 telephoto lense its extremely high quality and a reasonable price). Now smile and say "Canon".

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canon's competitors must be scratching their collective heads wondering how canon has managed to deliver a true interchangeable-lens digital SLR for less than a thousand bucks. this is nothing short of a revolution in the d-SLRs world and it's hard not to get excited!

pros:

can't stress this enough: value, value, value a formidable d-SLR has landed south of the thousand dollar barrier.

6MP CMOS sensor.

excellent resolution matches canon's own EOS 10D.

seven manually selectable AF points fast and reliable.

2.5fps continuous shooting speed up to four images regardless of resolution.

accurate color reproduction.

images virtually noise free at ISO 800 and below.

very little redeye occurrence.

good metering, although no direct control of metering mode.

good manual preset white balance.

shooting priority play mode simply half-press the shutter during playback and you're ready to shoot.

supports RAW format.

excellent AF speeds, with virtually no shutter lag.

impressive shot to shot times basically you can shoot as fast as you can compose your shot.

good selection of exposure modes.

orientation sensor for automatic image rotation.

playback magnification up to 10x.

allows computer controlled shooting with included software.

feels solidly built despite the plastic body.

easy to use, integrated controls and displays.

bright, high resolution LCD.

fully compatible with canon extensive lens line.

excellent battery life (but i still recommend getting a spare).

excellent printed manual and supplied software bundle.

cons:

to minimize cannibalization of 10D sales, the 300D has been pre-programmed to have less flexibility (forced AI focus, forced evaluative metering, etc).

no spot metering.

low noise levels at ISO 1600.

no flash exposure compensation.

cannot fine-tune white balance.

make sure you don't open the memory door while the camera is writing into the flash memory or else you will lose everything that's left in the internal memory buffer.

plastic body with compartment doors that should be meatier.

LCD has no anti-reflective coating.

reduced continuous shooting rate and buffer size (2.5 fps for max 4 images) vs the 10D.

ISO sensitivity not displayed on viewfinder status bar while being changed.

no flash memory provided so add a few $$ to your budget to get at least 128MB.

proprietary battery again, a few more bucks for a spare.

there's nothing in the market that can touch this camera today. if you're shopping for a camera in the thousand dollar range, make sure you take a close look at the 300D.

i hope this helps you with your buying decision. peace.

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I've had the Rebel for about a month now, and it's been an amazing blast up the photography learning curve for me. It is my first SLR, though fortunately my third digicam, and ... well, wow, what a great camera to learn on.

I'd like to just run down the "cons" listed by a different reviewer below (or above? how do they order these things? ;-):

"to minimize cannibalization of 10D sales, the 300D has been pre-programmed to have less flexibility (forced AI focus, forced evaluative metering, etc)"

* This general point is true, but it is rarely an issue for me, at least. You can override evaluative metering, you can fool it into Servo AF mode (and the "sports mode" pushes it into Servo AF mode as well), etc. The only thing I miss is mirror lock-up, for long-exposure dusk shots ... but hey, that just isn't worth the $600 and .75 pound tax I'd pay for the 10D.

no spot metering.

* Not true. Locking exposure (holding the '*' button) yields spot metering in most modes, though the "spot" is about 9% of the FoV.

low noise levels at ISO 1600.

* The Rebel has the same sensor and image processing goo as the 10D, and the 10D reputatedly has some of the lowest noise at any given ISO. ISO 1600 is pretty darn fast, some noise is inevitable.

no flash exposure compensation.

* Yeah, this stinks a bit -but at least you can get it with one of the EX flashes.

cannot fine-tune white balance.

* Not sure what "fine tune" means here -you can set it to "Custom white balance" and read off of a white source (e.g. white card, paper), and it retains that custom setting (even through on/off cycles of the camera).

make sure you don't open the memory door while the camera is writing into the flash memory or else you will lose everything that's left in the internal memory buffer.

* Never have run into this being an issue -opening the memory door is quite an unnatural action, I can't really see it ever happening accidentally, and the big red flashing light would be a reminder not to do it intentionally.

plastic body with compartment doors that should be meatier.

* Metal (zinc) would be heavier, and the Rebel is plenty durable -I crashed my mountain bike at 20mph with this sucker on my hip. I rolled onto it and cracked the filter, bent the lens, but the body was only scratched a little, and continues to work perfectly.

LCD has no anti-reflective coating.

* My theory has always been that you can't see diddly on the LCD anyway. The real benefit on the 300D is that you can set the pic review mode to show the "info" screen, which includes the histogram -this is VERY useful for checking to see if you have the exposure right without having to squint at a tiny LCD screen and guessing.

reduced continuous shooting rate and buffer size (2.5 fps for max 4 images) vs the 10D.

* Again, another thing you get with the additional $600 ... but compared to the other digicams I've owned, this one feels like a rocket!

ISO sensitivity not displayed on viewfinder status bar while being changed.

* It is displayed on the external LCD, however. I do wish that it was always visible on the LCD (not just when changing), as it's a little too easy to set it to, say, 400 in some low light situation, and then forget it's there and only remember when you note, several days later, that "wow, that shutter speed sure is short ..."

no flash memory provided so add a few $$ to your budget to get at least 128MB.

* Included flash cards are virtually always too small and basically get tossed.

proprietary battery again, a few more bucks for a spare.

* Are there any "large" cameras that take, say, AA's? Not many ... the BP-512 that the Rebel uses is a SWEET battery, too, in terms of life.

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I have been intrigued by this camera since its release. My old camera is a Canon PowerShot S30 (3.2MP). I wanted to buy an SLR to advance my photography skills and capabilities. When this beauty came along bearing a price tag under $1,000 and received prestigious acclaim I knew I wanted one. But I decided to delay for a few months, waiting to see what competition would arise, and how quickly the price would drop. That competition presented itself as the Nikon D70. Ultimately, I decided to get the D-Rebel because the price-to-quality ratio is exceptional; the ~$300+ more for the Nikon doesn't seem justifiable for what I think are negligible factors. Besides, my PowerShot has served me well and I'm used to the Canon system.

I've played with mine in the field for two days. Last weekend was my introduction day and I made a lot of mistakes -camera shake, off-focus, underexposure. Today I went back to the same spots [in similar weather] and received much better results by using my tripod, setting the exposure compensation to +1/3 (most of the time) and sometimes forcing a longer shutter than 'auto' suggested. My photos went from dull to incredible with a few easy adjustments. If your photos come out poorly always exhaust the manual solutions before blaming faulty camera construction.

If you're moving up from a [Canon] SLR, many of the characteristics of the D-Rebel will be familiar. If, on the other hand, you're used to a P&S like myself some things will be awkward. For example, using the viewfinder instead of the LCD monitor to compose shots; using the Main Dial and LCD panel to implement settings; and manual focusing. My PowerShot allows manual tweaking, but it is usually easier to let the processor handle certain functions. The SLR is different -it invites you to play.

I have read complaints about the camera's construction. Indeed, it is an all-plastic body, whereas the D-Rebel's big brother, the 10D, is magnesium alloy. But I think this will be an insignificant point for most people; the plastic body is sturdy enough to handle a day's work. It has a nice firm rubber grip on the right side. A friend has an EOS Elan 7 (n or ne) and the weight is approximately the same.

I also know some people don't like the fact that the D-Rebel uses the flash as an AF-assist lamp -particularly because once the flash pops it will take a flash exposure. But the solution is simple enough: push the flash back down. The camera automatically re-evaluates the shutter speed, maintains focus and takes the shot. You will need to have it on a tripod for the shot to be successful, though.

After a lot of reading and searching for components to make up a great system, I ended up buying: Rebel with 18-55mm lens; EF 55-200mm II USM lens; 1 Gb Sandisk Ultra II CompactFlash; 420EX Speedlite flash; Sto-fen Omni-Bounce diffuser (for 420EX); Tiffen 58mm Deluxe Enhancing Filter Kit; Samsonite Worldproof 3.2 Download SLR bag; Tamrac Small Lens Case. (I wrote a review for the Samsonite bag. I think it's fantastic for carrying all my gear. I use the Tamrac bag when I want to travel light.)

Here's a stupid mistake I made that I'd like to enlighten others to, so that they may avoid doing the same. When I first tested the camera most of my shots were indoors and required the flash. In many of those shots I noticed a black blob. I thought maybe my flash was defective. The manual says there are certain conditions where the flash may be obstructed. My solution was simple enough: two of my fingers were in the way. With my PowerShot, I had become used to lifting my ring and pinky fingers away from the flash and lens so they would be out of the way... now doing it put them in the way of the flash. Sometimes the simplest answer is the right one.

Here are two things I feel quite fortunate to have learned (i.e., stumbled upon), as I did not read this in any review.

(1) When using a [Canon] digital SLR you need a "Type II" lens. Lenses have always induced aberrations of light, which would create 'ghosts' and other weird things. But 35mm film is produced with a coating that prevents them. When you use a D-SLR, however, that coating is not on your sensor, so those light artifacts appear again. So Canon created the "Type II" lens, where the aforementioned coating is on the glass. The only problem is that there are only a handful of these lenses at this point. Unfortunately, this dramatically weakens Canon's claim that you can use "over 50 lenses" on your D-Rebel. While technically true, you probably wouldn't like the results. (Popular Photography magazine ran an article about this, which is on their site.)

(2) Don't fall for tricky CompactFlash advertising. I bought several Viking Components CF cards for my PowerShot. They always worked well and I almost bought a big one for my D-Rebel. Then I considered the Lexar "40x" because they have a good reputation. "40x" sounds good, eh? The Sandisk Ultra II works at 60x! At the Large-Fine setting, this will save you one-third second of write-time. That is big when you think about action photography. The Sandisk card can write 3 images when the Lexar can only do 2. The Vikings are worse; they can't even write one image/second!

I am exceptionally pleased with my purchase -not with just the D-Rebel, but the whole system. It pays to do your research and decide what's right for you. Personally, I think I put together an excellent 'amateur SLR' package that will allow me to grow and explore for a long time. Hopefully you will feel the same with a D-Rebel over your shoulder.

Celestron Nexstar RS 232 PC Interface Cable

My laptop doesn't have an RS-232 port (as usual) so I had buy a USB to RS232 converter (on ebay). After installing the proper ASCOM driver, my Celestron NexStar 114 can nicely be controlled from SkyMap. Just click on a star on the chart and the telescope slews there. Position/time synchronization is also really easy.

NOTE: Before you buy this item, do find out what an RS-232 port is, and if your computer doesn't have one, buy an adapter first.

This interface cable was essential for updating the software on the hand control and scope motor. Required the purchase of an after market cable to connect the RS-232 cable to hand control base outlet(no need to connect to the outlet on the scope base with the SE).

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Just works, haven't had any issues with this product. Used a serial to usb adapter and this works great for controlling my cg5 via a computer.

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The cable does what it claims: It provides a 5' long link from the Celestron Nexstar hand controller to the RS-232 port of your computer. That few, if any laptops (or desktops) have an RS-232 port doesn't seem to matter to Celestron. You will need a serial port to USB adapter, meaning more expense and complication. If you want a lot of expense, Celestron will be happy to sell you one. I got this one.

Another comment. Five feet is quite short for use in the field. Some USB adapters add length, but you may also want to budget for another extension cable.

Finally, I control my mount with a Linux powered netbook running Debian Linux, and the program Cartes du Ciel. In addition I installed the package Indi-bin. The USB device that pops up on the computer is usually /dev/ttyUSB0. You will need to ensure your user is in the "dialout" group. Even then you may run into trouble "writing" to the USB device. The simplest workaround is to make /dev/ttyUSB0 universally writable by issuing the following command as root, or by prefacing the following command with "sudo":

chmod 666 /dev/ttyUSB0

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These cables while easy to make are still cheap enough that it would barely be worth my time. Since they are just about what I'd pay in parts and time I ordered it on Amazon and got it within a few days. With this cable you can upgrade the firmware(s) in your CG5 and likely other mounts using the same controller technology. It literally took minutes to upgrade the Controller, and the firmwares for each motor. Another added benefit of owning this cable is you can now use programs like Stellarium to control your mount.

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Kodak Easyshare C360 5 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Zoom

When I read the the other reviews it sounds like they're talking about another camera!

This camera is great.

I haven't had any of the exposure problems that the others talk about.

It takes great pics and great video. I hardly use my digital cam corder anymore because I usually have this camera in my pocket with a 1 Gig Memory Card, ready to go.

All video captures are not made equal. This camera has no limit on the video length, like most do.

Also, go to the Kodak site and compare the Video Size and Frames Per Second (fps) with other cameras and you'll see they don't compare.

For the price, I think you'd have a hard time finding a 5 MP camera as good as this one.

I don't know what the other reviewers are talking about. I bought this from Costco and it is awesome, I love it! There are so many modes to take pictures in!

It works pretty well under low light conditions, and the viewfinder is bright and easy to see. The controls are intuitive and easy to use. I just bought it for snapshots, but you could really get some wonderful shots with this camera! Much more than I expected. It's really small and compact. Mine came with a camera dock which is pretty cool to use. It also came with rechargeable battery so I am set! I love my new camera and will post some pics I took soon!

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Kodak C360 ($129+)This camera is very easy to use because it has automatic popup text messages that tells you what each setting is, the battery life is good (you should buy rechargeable batteries and 1GB of memory), and the picture quality is good even under low light conditions. (Night/close-ups You need to try different settings so your images do not look grainy or dark.) The unlimited movie play/record mode (depending on your memory card) is awesome. The playback is loud and clear. Other cameras did not do as well. And I really like the flashing green light when the camera is turned on/off just like a cell phone.

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This camera has all I expect...and more, great zoom, excellent resolution. And very easy to use no matter how your level of knowledge is in photography. The only thing I recommend to have in mind is the cost of batteries. Is better to buy rechargeable bateries (Niquel Metal).

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I received this camera/printer dock setup as a Christmas gift. I am always randomly taking pictures, and end up paying to develop film with pictures that either don't turn out well, or I didn't really want... So finally, I own a digital camera.

Although this is my first experience with any digital camera, I have to say that I have had ZERO problems with it. All the pictures look great; I love the autofocus feature (beware that when this is activated, it does drain battery power); the printer dock prints beautiful pictures just like having film professionally developed (this is a huge plus for me as well). I like that this runs independently from the computer I haven't even hooked it up to my computer yet because I haven't needed/wanted to share pictures. I like the small size, portability, ease of use for the camera and printer, the quality of prints, the quality of the stills and video, and the variety of preferences/options for use.

This would be a great camera for people who aren't highly computer literate, who don't require expensive high tech gear for professional photography, and who want good quality pictures without much hassle.

JVC GR-SXM730U Super VHS Palm Sized Camcorder with LCD Monitor

When I decided to start shopping for a camcorder, not even fully intent on buying one yet, I ran across this particular one early on and, somewhat to my surprise, never found another one that offered as much as this one did. When I think of videorecorders and video cameras, I first think of Sony, but Sony didn't really offer a product with all of the features I found in this JVC camcorder. When I began my search, it didn't take long for me to decide that I wanted a VHS-C camcorder: I wanted to play my videos in a VCR, and I could not really afford a digital camcorder, anyway. Next, I decided I wanted a color LCD screen that was at least three inches. While zoom capability wasn't really that important to me, it also did play a factor in my decision-making process. Finally, if possible, I wanted something that could also serve as a digital camera.

This camcorder has all I wanted and more. In terms of recording modes, it offers S-VHS, S-VHS ET, and VHS. I'm not a photographic expert, but the S-VHS video playback of my tapes was much sharper and clearer than I expected; as far as I am concerned, digital video could not look much better than this and certainly offers no advantages for me to justify the extra expense. I should say that the camcorder is very light and comfortable in my hand no matter how much time I spend recording. As for the LCD screen, it is very nice. The colors, especially depending on the angle from which you are viewing it, often seem too bright, but the picture on the tape itself is perfect. One thing this model does not offer is a color viewfinder, but I don't plan on using the viewfinder much at all anyway. The black and white image on the viewfinder is very good, but using the viewfinder only serves to make you stumble around with your eyes pointed down. With the LCD screen, you can remain a part of the action as you record rather than come off as "some guy with a stupid camcorder" terrorizing your family and friends. The display rotates 270 degrees, as well, so you can record from almost any angle. One important feature of this camcorder is digital stabilization; it's hard to walk around and maintain a steady shot, and this features helps keep the jerky movements to a minimum. When it comes to zooming in, this camera really outdoes most of the competition, offering 400x . While anything at the maximum zoom is naturally going to be pretty grainy, the video quality is excellent until you get close to that maximum. Recording in darkness is also not a problem for this camcorder; besides having its own light source, it also comes with a "Night Alive" feature that increases light sensitivity and allows you to get color video in dark environments.

This is a dual camcorder, serving as a digital camera as well as a video recorder. Certainly, the quality of digital photos is not quite as good as true digital cameras offer, but they look really good to me. With 2 MB of flash memory, it can hold up to 30 digital images at one time. Other cameras offer a higher capacity for digital photos, but this is enough for me. The video capabilites come first in my mind, and the digital picture feature is just icing on the cake. The software that comes with this product is really good (at least for an amateur like myself), and I had no trouble hooking the cable up to my COM 2 port and downloading images.

There are a myriad of other features, many of which I am still just exploring. There are many combinations of screen fades/wipes and special effects. You can film your video as an old, black and white movie, really annoy your friends by stretching the width of the picture and making them look fat, add a strobe effect to jazz up the action, add a fog element for that touch of fantasy, or--my favorite--use video echo to make everything look ghostly and weird. There are more features than I can discuss here in this review.

Returning to simpler matters, I must say that the documentation that comes with this product is excellent. While it does take some time to figure out all of the many things the camcorder can do, there is no problem getting the thing up and recording almost right out of the box. On a final note, I must add that the sound quality is also very good. Since there is no way to use an external microphone with this product, I worried that I would have a hard time hearing people's conversations on tape. This is not a problem. Not only does it pick up the sounds you want to hear, it also picks up a lot of ambient sound as well. All in all, this JVC product offered me everything I really wanted in a camcorder, and I am more than happy with it. Now all I need is something interesting to record.

first of all the battery and the charger were the wrong ones, so i didnt get to record my grandson's graudation. i was so disappointed about the video camara. so right now it is in a box put away. No battery that fits. No charger either. So I rate this video camara a big ZERO

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Sony Professional HVR-Z1U 3CCD High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom

The HVR-Z1U seems too good to be true. And it is.

It promises a camera with full HD resolution and outstanding features for a reasonable price. In many ways, it delivers. The video quality is superior to the JVC HDV camera. Unlike the JVC, the camera offers full manual control and is a pleasure to shoot with professionally.

Alas for someone who expects and needs full HD resolution, the Sony is a disappointment. Pointing the camera at a resolution chart while viewing the output on a high resolution monitor (or on a computer after rendering to 1080i or 1080p) quickly reveals that the horizontal resolution is about 1200 lines, and vertical resolution is a little over 500.

The pixel count is thus about twice that of standard video, not four times, as we perhaps hoped. The 1200 lines of horizontal resolution is pretty good just about the same as 720p. But the vertical resolution is not very good at all.

A little math tells the story. Sony advertizes 1.1M pixels for each sensor, and 1440 lines horizontal. 1.1M/1440 gives a maximum of 770 lines vertical, not 1080 as promised. The measured vertical and horizontal resolution is distinctly lower.

An extensive web search revealed that the sensor has 1080 vertical lines, but only about 990 lines horizontal. To achive something closer to 1440 lines horizontal the green sensor is offset by half a pixel, and image processing is used to give a possible maximum resolution of 1440 on a black and white image. The problem is that the edge contrast beyond 900 lines horizontal becomes quite poor.

To make matters worse, (or to degrade the vertical resolution to match the horizontal) the vertical lines are read out of the sensor in pairs, so that each field is a mixture of two adjacent lines. This gives the vertical the same poor edge contrast as the horizontal.

It is possible by using the unsharp mask tool in Sony Vegas (or other editors) to improve the edge contrast. I use the maximum effect with the minimum radius in the Sony tool setting the radius slider to .001 pixels. You must do the sharpening operation using a properties setting of 1440x1080. Slightly better results can be obtained by putting an additional unsharp mask in series with the first, set to half-effect.

A major problem is deinterlace. Most editors (and most display devices) deinterlace by averaging fields, which reduces the maximum vertical resolution to 540 lines. You can add Mike Crash's excellent deinterlacer to the sharpening masks, and remove this limitation. Crash's smart deinterlace for Vegas can be downloaded for free with patience and persistence.

Sharpening and deinterlacing the image is very compute intensive. It takes me a good fraction of a week to do a two hour movie on a 3GHz pentium 4. But the result can be stunning. With the sharpening the Sony camera can give you a result that is close to a professional HD camera. I render to WMV9 rather than to MPEG2 remember to keep the properties at 1440x1080. After the render is complete, you can re-render to 720p, adding an additional bit of sharpening to compensate for the re-interpolation.

For best results always use a shutter speed of 60 frames/sec or higher. I have had mixed results with the steady shot option. Keep the camera as steady as possible, and try not to use more video gain than absolutely necessary.

Bottom line this camera produces video that is MUCH better than standard video, and significantly better than DV. But it would be awfully nice to have a camera that delivered the advertized resolution, and did it with a flat video frequency response.

I've used my Sony HVR-Z1U HDV camcorder in some very extreme conditions, and it it comes through on a regular basis. I shot Hurricane Katrina video footage during the storm (for StormStock) in driving 100 mph rain. At that time, I had purchased and was using a rain coat for the camera. It never failed. Previously, in Hurricane Dennis, the unit failed in the rain, without the coat. The screen went black. I dried it off with a hand dryer and it came back to life to be called back into action with Katrina.

My HVR-Z1U has shot hurricane video, tornadoes, lightning, and other storm footage, often in the rain and dust. And, it keeps on going.

The unit prefers mid-range lighting. It can shoot good footage if you give it that.

Sony can improve this unit by adding SDI to output to HDCAM. I'd also like to see true 24P added and maybe variable frame rates.

This camera is just a couple options away from being a professional system.

Martin Lisius

Prairie Pictures, Inc.

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I've chosen this camera for my short film after viewing some rough footage at a local studio. The colors that this camera can capture in DV mode are jaw-dropping! It comes with all of the manual controls you could hope for and they're very intuitive. I highly recommend this to independent filmmakers if you're able to rent them in your area. It does not offer the 'truest' cinematic feel but if you do some research on the web you'll find resources for things you can do in pre & post production to get the feel you're looking for regardless of the camera you use.

For more filmmaking resources & sample footage of the z1, visit my website and click 'resources'.

And for more updates on using this camera for my short film, visit my website and click 'films'.

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Indie Filmmaker here, always looking out for a better camera!

The Sony HDV series is an astonishing technology

Don't let people tell you that the footage is "too compressed" ---technically, it is, but once it gets on screen, it looks stunning!

I haven't done much filming with this camera ---but I have seen its footage and edited its footage

Both on television and the computer monitor, I was impressed with its 'look' ---very detailed and extremely clear

Editing was a BREEEEEZE with this footage! I edited on Final Cut Pro and could composite 5 layers all above each other, each with a different opacity, and FCP's real time engine kept up without having to render! Thus, the compressed footage makes editing EASY but Sony has managed to make a beautiful picture out of this stuff too

For the Indie Filmmakers out there ---test one out before purchasing..... I find the Sony HDV to be the most clear look out there --emulating a beautifully shot NFL game on HD..... but for cinematic looks, I still may stick with the Panasonic DVX100, as there is a more cinema feel to that one

hope that helps

HAPPY BUYING!!!!

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I have filmed and edited with this camera for 3 years and it is still the top of the line and current professional standard for HDV cameras. Its professional XLR sound capabilities set it apart from all the other camera in its price range.

The versatile aspect ratios and shooting abilities in any condition make this camera a must have for any professional and amateur indie filmmaker.

Very durable and strong construction with lots of manual control buttons quickly accessible to the cameraman. The menu is easy and intuitive.

Great for weddings and events of any kind! I cant tell you how many times over this camera has paid for itself and given me the competitive edge in a highly technical and fast paced job.

Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0

If you're looking for a pocketable camera that has reasonably high quality images, lets you control aperture, speed and focus and shoot in RAW format, this is it. I bought mine as an upgrade from a previous small but versatile camera, a Canon Powershot S70.

The Powershot S95 was introduced in August 2010 as a slight upgrade to the S90, which was widely praised for its image quality and excellent interface but criticized for being hard to hold ("like a bar of soap in the shower") and for having a control dial that turned too easily. The S95 fixes both problems and adds a couple of other features in a package that fits in the pocket of your jeans (if they're not super tight). The case is metal, and although there are no finger grips on the body, it's not slippery at all. It feels like it's covered with super-fine sandpaper (like 1000 or 1500 grit, for those you who know what that feels like).

The second major complaint about the S-90 was that the function selection ring on the rear moved too easily. The ring on the S-95 has a slight click when you move it, and it doesn't move unless you want it to.

There are a couple of other cameras of this type, including the Panasonic LX-3 and LX-5 and the Samsung TL500. They all have let you control camera functions, and like the S95 they have 10 MP sensors that are almost twice as large as a typical pocket camera, so the pixels on the sensor are larger. That lets them gather light more efficiently, which reduces digital "noise" when you shoot in dim light. Image quality is noticeably better than photos from typical pocket cameras. You can make an 8 x 10 or perhaps 11x14 enlargement, although a digital SLR will be significantly better for larger prints. They also have f/2.0 lenses at their widest angle, although the aperture closes down as you zoom in.

The Canon has two advantages over the Panasonic LX-3 & LX-5. First, you really can put it in your pocket or in a belt case no bigger than the one you use for a mobile phone. Second, the interface is a brilliant re-thinking of how a very small camera with a full set of controls should work. There's not much room for buttons on the small surface, but you don't have to get into a multi-level menu on the LCD, and yet changing settings is fast and intuitive.

For example, there's a ring around the lens that you can grip easily to control zoom, or, shutter speed, or aperture, change ISO, or manually focus. You select what you want it to do by pressing a button on the top, and when you look at the LCD screen you can see what it's programmed for. There's a selection wheel on the back for other functions, and when you move it, a clear set of choices appears on the screen. The selections are context-appropriate, so they change depending on whether you've set the camera for aperture control, "Program" control, etc.

The two Panasonics have the same sensor as their Canon equivalents, but they offer a slightly wider lens (24mm vs. 28 for the S95). The LX-3 has a much shorter telephoto only 60 mm. The LX-5, which was introduced a couple of weeks before the S95, has a 90mm telephoto, and you can buy an add-on optical viewfinder. It also has a flash shoe in addition to the pop-up flash, although you can buy a dedicated add-on flash for the S-95 to supplement its pop-up flash The LX-5 is about 25% more expensive than the Canon S95 (and 60% more with the optional viewfinder) and while it would fit in a coat pocket, you can't stuff it into a trouser pocket.

If you want a truly pocketable camera that gives you good image quality and full control over your photography, the S95 is an excellent choice.

I own both the S90 and S95 (G10 and G11 also, as well as F-1 and numerous Nikons including the D90).

Hands down, I took more photos on a daily basis with the S90 since I took it EVERYWHERE.

As they say, the absolute best camera is the one you have when you need to take a photograph.

The picture quality of the S90 is superb and the S95 is at least as good.

Often the biggest limiter to picture quality is the skill of the photographer.

Time spent mastering a particular camera is well spent and paper specs often can mislead.

Discussing subtle nuances over comparable cameras is often more academic than practical.

The S95 gives the serious photographer tremendous flexibility from full auto to full manual and superb features that are packaged in a truly pocketable high performing camera that is arguably best in class.

So what has improved:

Body finish...more tactile and grippy

Selection wheel on back has click stops....hurray!

On/off button is where it should be.

720p movie mode added (24 fps vs 30 for lx5) with stereo recording.

More scenes including High Dynamic Range (very cool)

Numerous technical innovations that result in more stable, sharper pictures.

Button feel on back is more positive.

Ring on front has more friction and feels more positive.

Body even smaller and more pocketable.

Menu system updated but if you can drive a S90, G10 or G11 you will be off and running.

Improved hand lanyard placement.

Improved shutter release.

Slightly rounded corners...looks feels better.

What stayed the same:

Battery door and card slot.

Same cables and connectors.

Lack of grip....no denying it would add weight but...

Build quality...as good as it will get.

What got worse:

This part is highly subjective because different people see the same change differently (I see the size reduction as good, while others have said it's bad....so be wary and know if you agree with peoples reasons).

Thumb rest no longer there...I missed it.

So there you have my first impressions and if I had to choose between the S90 and S95, the S95 is the clear winner!

Buy Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0 Now

I spent two or three months doing tons of research to replace my old Canon SD870. Finally a month ago I decided to buy the S90 despite the fact that it didn't have 720 HD video, it was a one-year old model, and many reviewers disliked the looseness of the control dial. My S90 arrived in the middle of August and over the course of many days I learned how to use all the functions and was very pleased with the results.

And then on August 19 Canon announced the upcoming release of the Canon S95. I immediately returned my S90 and anxiously awaited the arrival of its successor. Earlier today it was delivered and I've been using it all day.

I must say that I wanted to love the S90, but the smoothness of the body annoyed me. I figured I'd just have to get used to the slipperiness. But now that I have the S95 in my hands, I can't believe what a difference the matte finish makes regarding secure handling. There's no way you can appreciate the difference if you haven't handled both models yourself. Honestly, that feature alone is worth the slightly higher price.

Control dial issues? No longer! Subtle click-stops have solved that problem.

Finger missing the shutter button on the S90? Well, the geniuses at Canon took care of that, also. You won't mistake the shutter button on the S95 for any other button due to the distinct and secure feel.

I'm in love with this camera. I won't go into details about picture quality because it's as good as its predecessor; there are examples all over the Internet. And of course the S95's 720 HD video is a big improvement over the standard video of the S90.

Only one "con" I can think of: The new, smooth, elegant display on the back is no longer recessed therefore you'll have to be careful if you place the camera face up on a flat surface. In that position it appears the screen will come in direct contact with the table's surface.

Read Best Reviews of Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0 Here

This is my 5th Canon (G2, S30, A530, XSi) and is supposedly Canon's best ever P&S. I bought this for its compactness, low light performance, and image quality. In these regards I would say it is excellent! But for its price I would expect something that is top of the line on most aspect which I found out not true.

What I don't like and wish the Canon Guy take note (most serious come first):

1. Most people complained about the flash design which is true and very very annoying. I have gone through 2 trips and 3000 photos. I still get surprised whenever the flash turns active and push my left index finger out. The camera has safeguard measure so that whenever it detects that the flash movement is blocked it will stop and issue a warning signal. The only way to reset it is to switch the camera OFF and then ON again. I have gone through this procedure around 10 times a day during my trips. Because of this I expect the first thing to fail for my S95 would be the flash. And I would not expect it to last as long as my G2 (9 years and still going strong). CANON GUY, PLEASE MAKE THE CAMERA A LITTLE TALLER AND PUT THE FLASH FIXED IN YOUR NEXT VERSION !!!

2. The internal micro-processor is too slow and the firmware design cannot handle real time event. In layman terms, S95 responded too slow in every aspect. One example is after I finished a shot and then quickly turn the front wheel to change exposure compensation and prepare taking another shot, I found out the camera did not respond to my front wheel adjustment at all. It had to wait until it finished rounding up the previous job (and it took a while to finish!) before it has time to register any change on the wheels and buttons. So if you acted too soon it will totally disregard it. The killing part is the processing usually take long. So beware user: don't think you can shoot like a professional fast and quick between photos, you have to pace yourself and make sure u don't press buttons and adjust wheels too fast. CANON FIRMWARE GUYS: PLEASE SET UP AN EVENT QUEUE AND USE INTERRUPT TRIGGER TO RECORD ALL USER'S INPUT, SO THAT THEY CAN BE PROCESSED LATER, MY PANASONIC ELECTRONIC RICE COOKER DO A BETTER JOB THAN S95 IN THIS REGARD!!!

3. This one is the deal breaker. It cannot auto focus during video recording! This make the video feature seriously handicapped. Althought S95 has small lens and a deep depth of field, you still find the video constantly out of focus when your kids are running around you while u r shooting them. I thought I would have spent $400 and get something that can at least do good photos and video. Well, it can only do half of it and I guess I have to wait for something better in the near future. Just for reference my $100 Samsung can autofocus during video recording!!!

4. WB and some other adjustments not allowed to work in most SCN modes, which make the SCN shooting modes seriously handicapped.

5. My favorite Stitch Assist Mode (for taking panoramic-view picture) works only in landscape, not portrait mode.

6. The rear dial is much improved over the S90 (not as loose) but still easy to turn by mistake. I have many occasions of changing the ISO from AUTO to 3200 by mistake. When I find out it is already too late and I got a dozen grainy photos!

7. Battery last only 100-150 photos in practical use and so need at least 2 batteries for a day's photo. If you are doing video, expect to bring half a dozen !!!

8. The image stabilization (IS) is not very effective. I closely examined the LCD screen images when IS is both engaged and not engaged. The difference is very subtle and nothing compared with Rebel XSi (SLR) in which the image motion is obviously smooth out and slowed down. The salesperson told me don't expect any serious IS capability from P&S' I wonder if that's true.

9. The lens is fast (F2.0) at wide end only. But at zoom end it is very slow (F4.9). My G2 has F2-F2.5 throughout the whole zoom range. I can understand it's a limitation imposed by the size of the lens, not Canon's fault. Coupled with an ineffective IS, I got a lot of blurry pictures at max zoom under cloudy sky outdoor. I have very steady hands and I hold my breath when I press shutter, and my wife could do much worse. I wish Canon would put a better but little bigger lens in the next version. F2.0-3.5 would be a good compromize.

In summary, you would think the S95 is wonderful when you play with it shortly at Best Buy. The picture quality and LCD's display quality are superb too. But when you bought it home and put it to use in real life, you will find out a lot more to be wanted and that it's too far from being perfect at all. Some shortcomings like the video focusing are in my opinion a design fault, others are inconvenience and annoyance. The Canon Guys should have done much more than just a touch-up of S90. I waited a long time and paid $400 for a camera like S95 and thought this would be the ultimate pocket P&S that will last me a long long time. Well definitely it is not simply for reason like the half-cooked video recording capability. FORTUNATELY OR UNFORTUNATELY, ALTHOUGH WITH ALL THOSE SHORTCOMINGS, IT IS STILL THE BEST POCKET P&S ON MARKET, NO OTHER BETTER CHOICE YET.

In my opinion Canon still makes the best digital P&S and I might stay a Canon buyer in the future. But my advise to Canon is to stop abusing loyalty of fans like me. And make products that really live up to its name. For those who already got a decent P&S, I would recommend hold your purchase until S99, S100 or whatever which at least solve the flash and video fault.

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

Update 8/1/2011

After 10 months and 5800 shoots, the lens stuck midway while power on. Manufacturer replaced the optical module. This is my first Canon that needed service within 1st year of purchase. A little disappointed and worried.

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Let me begin by saying that I think many of the "negative" reviews here are from people with unrealistic expectations. I have had the s95 for a couple of months now (and I see it has come down in price) and think it is a great little camera. Some people may think it is supposed to be a "wonder camera" that will turn you into an amazing photographer that produces professional quality DSLR images and will still fit in your pocket! Well, it's not that.

It is a camera that is just a little too big to fit comfortably into the pocket of my jeans, but that is alright because I would rather keep it in a case that I can clip to my belt or that my wife can easily throw into her purse. It does fit very easily into a loose shirt pocket of a side pocket of some cargo pants.

It is a camera that is capable of producing uncompressed RAW images (not too many choices in this size that can do that), and/or compressed JPEGs. For most people the JPEGs are fine, for some the RAW is a major draw to the s95. Even in JPEG mode the images are great. I am coming from a several year old point and shoot and this thing is better by far. Some people argue that this or that camera/phone takes images of equal quality when shooting JPEGs... this might be true (phone cameras have come a long way) but can your phone shoot in RAW? No? okay then quit your whining.

Does the s95 make me a GREAT photographer? NO. I am still as good (or bad) as ever, but the s95 does give me several tools to use that go a long way to help me become a better photographer.

Movies: good quality. Far better than I expected and stereo sound.

Part of the reason I got this camera is to take pictures of my daughter as she grows. Right now she is 9 months old. If you set it on "kids/pets" it is nice and fast but you give up creative control for the shot. If you are using some of the great and plentiful manual features there is sufficient lag to be a little frustrating if you are trying to catch a fleeting smile. Not anything that would make me want to return the camera, and certainly due to my abilities as a photographer... like choosing a faster ISO, or a wider aperture setting, or using the flash.

Battery life is fine. I actually thought it is quite good. I guess I am not one of those people who has to check every shot and watch ever little movie over and over again while it is still in the camera. I am more of a "sort it all out later" kind of a guy. I give a quick check to see if I got a decent shot or not, and my wife will look at the pictures we took at the end of the day (the s95s display is awesome for this), but that's it. The battery lasted a couple of days for us with fairly heavy use. We did buy a second battery, and I am glad that we did but only because it is really convenient and pretty cheap (if you buy an off brand). Certainly the battery life shouldn't be an issue for anyone.

I gave serious consideration to the Panasonic/Lumix for this purchase but thought that if I was going to spend that much I should be getting into the micro 4/3rds realm. That will probably be my next camera purchase once the tech evolves a bit more, and prices are a little lower.

Bottom line for the Cannon s95:

Great (semi)small point and shoot camera!

Not a miracle worker, not a revelation, just a solid performer with a lot of manual controls not found on most other point and shoots.

Value: Pretty good

I don't feel cheated having paid $399, now with the price at $366 you can get a spare battery, a SD card and a case and still get out the door for under $400! Not bad.

Cheers

Sony Alpha NEX-7 Digital Camera Body and E 18-55mm OSS Lens -Black with E 55-210mm Lens , 32GB Card

VERY PLEASED: I purchased the NEX-7 kit after reading the review by Damian Gadal on Amazon.com. I test ran the camera before I purchased it online. My purposes were: LIGHTWEIGHT and tack sharp. Those needs were met. I had to wait a couple of months to purchase the expensive, 3rd party, adapter by Metabones that will allow me to use my Canon system of lenses with the NEX-7 camera, saving me a lot of money. The downside of the adapter is that manual focusing of the non-Sony lenses is required. Small inconvenience. Metabones was so sold out that I had to get on a waiting list for the $400 item. It became available yesterday. There is an excellent demo of the NEX-7 by Michael Reichmann on his "Luminous Landscape" web site that shows the relative size and weight of the body and the set of lenses, in comparison to other cameras.

A bonus is all the in-camera things that the NEX-7 can do,--it does HDR in-camera, it stitches together a panorama after you have "waved" the camera in a semicircle, it will take a "partial color" picture, eg. showing the red in red roses in front of a Victorian house that it desaturates into a black/white background, it will create a sepia-toned image in-camera, and lots of other fun effects.

One reviewer carped that he did not like the Menu setup and expected something more like the Canon and Nikon menus which I find to be a burden. I love what Sony has done with their menu. The entire camera is a hybrid between a heavy high end camera and a lightweight pocket camera. I have both and now PREFER the lightweight camera that does all the same things, plus some neat effects. The only niddly thing, if forced to find something negative, that I can say is that the focusing of the liveview NEX-7 is a tad slower than my Canon lenses. I can live with that. It is not as slow as a pocket camera which hesitates while it takes an exposure reading.

Delivery of the camera from Cameta was prompt. Well-packed (actually Sony over-designed the packaging and it's a bit like taking an origami apart)

Have had this camera for about 8 months now and love it! Amazing photos--I tend to use the intelligent auto function the most but plan to take a class so that I can use the camera to its full potential.

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This camera is a great one and replaces my Canon AE-1 perfectly. So wonderful to have a digital camera that produces images that are as good as film. The variety of different effects is astounding. The package includes all of the accessories that are needed. The tripod is not good however, so plan on getting a good one separately.

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Delkin Devices DU3.0-M BLK Universal Pop-Up Shade for 3.0-Inch LCDs (Black)

I bought one of these for a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3. It attaches to the screen with adhesive and, provided the screen is clean to start with, seems quite positive. The screen is fully visible when it is applied correctly but one has to be careful with positioning it initially, since removing it and applying it a second time seriously weakens the adhesive.

The actual shade clicks off and I have found that it will do so in my pocket from time to time, so it is not a very positive fixing. It adds about 5mm to the depth of the camera.

I have found it to be less useful as a shade than I expected. Viewing of the screen is still difficult if (a) the sun is directly behind one or (b) if the sun is lighting one's face. This is a problem, however, with all cameras which have no optical viewfinder and is not really related to the use of a shade.

The Delkin Pop-Up Shade is a fairly clever device designed to block the sun and the other bright lights that can make it hard to see the LCD display. The shade's bracket attaches around the LCD screen and the actual pop-up shade part can be attached and removed without much effort.

My main problem with the Pop-Up Shade is that it is cumbersome when deployed. It works fairly well when shooting straight on or for viewing pictures after they have been captured, but taking a picture at an odd angle with it open requires you to move your head around since the flaps will block the display, or be reflected on the screen.

Over time, I found myself detaching the shade from the bracket more and more, until I just ended up removing the whole thing. It was a good idea and it might work better for others who shoot more static shots.

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I'd prefer having an eye-level viewfinder when taking pictures outside in the sun but most cameras no longer have them so this is the best solution I've found. I did not want the plastic lens that comes with this offsetting the high resolution of my Panasonic TZ5 LCD screen so simply & carefully popped the plastic lens out of Delkin's shade frame before affixing to my camera. Adhesive strips are on the edges of the metal frame so Delkin's plastic lens is NOT needed. Be sure to carefully line up the frame with the edges of your freshly cleaned LCD to get it right the 1st time. The pop-up portion CAN be slid over to one side a bit then lifted from the frame which is good when you want to clean your LCD but can be somewhat annoying if it slips out by itself. Mine sometimes does this if I quickly remove the camera from it's carrying case, however it is really easy to pop back into place so no big deal. Note these come in several sizes including 2.5", 2.7" & 3" to match the size of your LCD. Is the Delkin sunshade perfect? No. Does it help? Definitely. Would I buy one again? In a heartbeat.

Read Best Reviews of Delkin Devices DU3.0-M BLK Universal Pop-Up Shade for 3.0-Inch LCDs (Black) Here

You need to remove the Shade's clear cover for the LCD screen before installing this device. The problem is that the plastic cover is very glossy and reflective. If you leave it in, all you will see is your face when you look at the LCD screen. The plastic is relatively thick, and very hard, so you can't cut it. Take a very small screwdriver or pocketknife and pry up one corner, then pull it out. If you don't, you'll have to do it later because the camera will be almost unusable. Gluing on the screen and then pulling it off to remove the plastic cover will damage the glue strips....so take out the plastic ahead of time. When I installed the Delkin shade for my wife, she told me her camera was ruined. Checking it out, I had to agree with her. After removing the plasic there was much less reflection from the LCD screen. The shade functions fairly well and it protects the LCD screen when folded.

Gene Tuck

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Easy to install but the built in plastic screen would work better if it were a matte plastic screen. You can see your own reflection in it in bright sunlight.

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Nikon D7000 16.2 MP Digital SLR Camera & 18-105mm VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens with 16GB Card + Filter

I've wanted to upgrade my photographic experience from a point and click for a while now but I was just a little frazzled by all of the options and brands on the market these days. After some serious research (about 5 wks worth) I decided to take a major leap and went with the D7000. Honestly I expected to be a deer in the head lights with a camera of this level but my experience thus far has been great! I love this camera! Out of the package this camera is ready for a novice to take command. It has more features than I know what to do with right now but I feel great about the fact that I'll be able to grow into it and I wont be needing to upgrade for a long long time... if ever. Kudos to Nikon for producing this heavy hitter at an affordable price! And thanks to Cameta Camera for the quick shipping and top notch packing!

This is the best investment for any young family. The quality of the photos are phenomenal! It's a great camera for any level photographer. Thanks to the auto mode, you get professional photos even if you have absolutely no photography background. I couldn't be happier with this purchase. My husband and I reviewed many different products and researched for 6 months before making our decision to purchase our NIKON. We are both 100% satisfied and would recommend this camera to anyone!

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In three months this D7000 has been purchased by me for the third time.

Facts/Reasons: Dad = A 50+ year pro studio photographer wished it (and got it) after countless hours of research. (i asked him why not CANON? and he simply replied: what was my first camera when you were 7 years old? (besides that HASSELBLAD 500c)

Brother = Also with dad in the same business, so as a gift, purchase number 2 went to him.

Final purchase went to me after researching and comparing especially with CANON, though good not great as this D7000 beast!

I am not so intense into still photography but rather video and having said that, video results with this NIKON is truly impressive! I shoot about NAVY ships, the action is intense during operations so trust me when i say that if you are looking for a rugged, dependable piece that can give you perfection then i say look no more..here is what it will come down to when that final choice will take you back to this NIKON D7000 beast..Just read the manual and adapt.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon D7000 16.2 MP Digital SLR Camera & 18-105mm VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens with 16GB Card + Filter Here

Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5

I got mine on Saturday from a camera store here in Austin. The camera is nice and small but feels very solid. I was interested in the EP1 but could never get my mind around the practice of viewing and focusing on the back LCD screen. I was interested in this product segment because I have a collection of the Pen F half frame film cameras that this one is based on. I was very happy to learn that several people are making adapters that will allow me to use those old Pen F lenses on the EP2. I am looking forward to using two of my old favorites, the 60mm f1.5 and the 70mm f2.

I took the EP2 and the kit zoom lens out for a three hour spin yesterday morning. It was 30 degrees outside and the first thing I discovered is that this is not a camera with an interface you can use with gloves on. The buttons are too small and require too much pressure with gloves.

In daylight I didn't notice any real problem with focusing. It was not as slow as I was led to believe. BUT, it does do this little "focus on either side of sharp" and then lock and shoot that takes a few tenths of a second each time you autofocus. The cure is to switch the focus on control to the fn button or the ael button and then you can focus once and shoot until the subject/camera distance changes. It's definitely not bad. I also tried a bunch of low light focusing later in the evening and, with 60 watt household lights in various fixtures the focus locked pretty well.

You would be unwise to buy this camera without the EVF (electronic viewfinder). In my opinion this is what makes this camera and cameras like the Panasonic GF1 special. It's a great finder. Almost as clear and clean as a great optical finder. Better than the optical finders on the Olympus e300 and e520 cameras that I also own.

Here's why I really love the camera. I spent years and years shooting with a Hasselblad and I love composing images as squares. Several DSLR's with "LIve View" are available that can be configured to shoot different aspect ratios in Jpeg. Including the square. But when shooting portraits those cameras go through too much time consuming labor to use it effectively and the effect can only be seen on the rear LCD screen. On the EP2 this is not the case. The exposure is relatively instantaneous. And the camera can be used in a square format which you can view through the EVF.. You basically wind up with a 6x6 camera that shoots 9 megapixel files (the crop of the 12 megapixel sensor to square) at three frames per second.

The color and sharpness, even with the kit lens, is superb. Out of camera jpegs are something Olympus is famous for and this camera is even better than it's predecessors. I've also processed a few raw files with Capture One 5.01 and they are great but not that much better than a well exposed Jpeg.

I wrote a little review of the shooting experience on my blog.

At the end of the first paragraph is a link to a gallery of images. The image at the top of the blog is full size. Click on it to see just how sharp the files are.

The only unhappy note I have about the camera is that the BLS battery was "only" good for around 300 images. I always buy a spare battery when I buy a new camera so I had one in my pocket when the first battery became depleted. Keep in mind that it never got about 35degrees (f) while I was shooting and cold really messes with batteries. I presume you might be able to hit the 500 shot mark with warmer weather.

Finally, I am excited to shoot HD video with this camera. With adapters I'll be able to use some of the great lenses I've bought for my regular Olympus cameras.

Here is my con list:

1. The batteries could last longer....

2. The EVF plugs into a port under the hot shoe. It also takes over the hotshoe. This means that you can't use the hot shoe or even trigger a flash if the EVF is plugged in. This is a big deal. I wish the camera had a little pc terminal somewhere. Then I could use the EVF and still be able to trigger studio flashes.

3. Same thing for microphones. If you want to use an outboard mic for recording sound you'll need to use the same connection port. So you get to choose between EVF and microphone.

4. I wish there were more dedicated Olympus lenses for this format. I'd love a 20 or 25mm prime lens with a fast aperture. I think that would be sooooo cool. Maybe that's down the road.

All in all this is the camera I've wanted for a while. I am happy with it. It gets only four stars because of the multi-function port. On image quality it's five star. If they drop in price after the launch I will try to buy a second body. Have fun deciding between this and the Panasonic GF-1.

Bottom line: this camera represents a fantastic compromise between price, portability and picture quality. For those who can't take their big DSLRs everywhere they want to take pictures, this is the best camera I've found. Folks who are moving up from point and shoots should get a "real" DSLR as their move-up camera; this thing is really for those who already have DSLRs and looking for a great 2nd camera.

Likes:

Image quality, feel, size, weight. Really, you get great pictures up to ISO 400 (and I'm picky), and ISO 800 is completely usable. This is my replacement for a Canon G9, and this camera is just a little bit bigger and TONS better.

This is a system with multiple manufacturers. I'll be able to upgrade bodies and lenses from different companies without worrying about compatibility. Panasonic may make a better body a year or two from now -no worries, I'll just buy it and know my lenses will just work.

The 14-42 lens is really sharp. I've ordered the 45-200 and pre-ordered the super-wide 7-14 zoom. They all weigh about a pound. I also have a Gitzo Traveler. My travel photo kit will be quite nice, small and light. Ahhhhh!

I synch external 3rd-party strobes at 1/320th of a second. Very, very nice.

The electronic viewfinder is bright and clear. I really like the diopter correction.

Just OK:

The autofocus isn't as good as my prime DSLR (a Canon 1ds iii, so you know from whence I speak!), but is a heck of a lot better than normal point & shoots. The autozoom function while manual focusing is a nice touch, but in moderated-to-low light is too noisy to get tack-sharp focus. A "preview" button would be a nice workaround, but only if it was just used to temporarily freeze the zoomed view and show a quick focus check.

Dislikes:

As *everyone* says, you have your choice of one option at a time: strobe, electronic viewfinder, or external microphone connection. Arghhh!

The USB connector is some darned combo AV / USB thing. It is NOT compatible with standard USB cables. My suggestion: don't take the cable with you on the road, but instead use a separate card reader to download pictures.

The battery it came with is lame. Get a higher capacity battery for $9. In fact, get two! Maximal Power DB OLY BLS-1 Replacement Battery for Olympus Digital Camera/Camcorder (Black)

I really wish they made a very little strobe for this other than the Olympus FL-14 Flash for Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera. The FL-14 is lame (no tilt or swivel, low power), but the FL-36R is too big. The ideal setup would be to just use a wireless trigger and move the strobe off-axis.

The user interface is a little weird. I actually had to read the manual. I suspect this is just because I'm a Canon-head, but be warned. I'm getting used to it, which mostly means going into the secret setup menu (you have to turn on the detailed setup menu) and customizing things. One strong suggestion: set Auto-ISO to 100-400. No real penalty in picture quality at ISO 400, and you won't mind if the camera swings between 100 and 400 as it pleases.

The user interface requires you to use the wheel often, e.g. to change the f-stop/shutter tradeoff in "P" mode. It's way too easy to push on the ring and accidentally change a setting (e.g. ISO 100 --> 6400!). This has happened to me a few times.

The bracketing feature is useless for HDRs. You only get to change by 1 EV; you need two or three.

(In response to an excellent comment, here's a follow-up...)

I agree that ISO 1600 is "really good," but in my opinion 400 is the highest ISO that maintains the best quality. In fact, there's really no noise to clean up -even in solid red areas of the picture. 800 and above, you're trading off quality for sensitivity. I suspect we're really agreeing with each other, but I could have been more explicit. So, here goes: this thing has near-DSLR image quality in a very small, nice package. If you make huge prints, stick to 400 or lower (advice that's also relevant for all but the highest-end DSLRs); judicious use of Noise Ninja, et al, may allow you to push a bit past 400, but you're literally pushing your luck. ISO 1600 is fine for smaller prints, and more than fine for web pages, etc.

For the numerically inclined, here's the noise index from Noise Ninja:

ISO 100 11

ISO 200 14

ISO 400 20

ISO 800 28

ISO 1600 46

ISO 3200 99

ISO 6400 148

My rule of thumb: 20 and under is near-perfect, 20-30 is quite usable, and 40+ has issues.

And since I've written my original review, I've come to appreciate the auto-tracking continuous focus mode. I have my Fn key mapped to MF (manual focus), so I can bounce back and forth easily. I sure wish the camera had a few more mappable buttons, though. I'd really like to also get access to the white balance set command as well as the depth of field preview. Oh, well.

Also, I built a dual-illuminant DNG Color Profile for my E-P2. Amazing improvement! I was able to take a picture of the target on my LCD, bring the pic into Lightroom (where the profile is automatically applied), and then see that the colors of my displayed image exactly match the original. Nice stuff. Just google "dng color dual illuminant" to see how to do it.

As you can tell from the above, I also built some Noise Ninja profiles. Feel free to get them at

Finally, the nice guy who runs epaperpress made ptlens work with the E-P2 about an hour after I asked him to. I highly suggest using ptlens from Photoshop to correct barrel distortion, etc.

Buy Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5 Now

I've been shooting with SLR's for years now. The quality for me has always overridden the fact that the systems were bulky and cumbersome to shoot with. But I had felt that the "fun" had sort of been sucked out of my photography. It's hard to be spontaneous with a large SLR and large lenses. Luckily for me, those days are over. The fun is back.

The Olympus E-P2 is simply fantastic. You've got SLR quality in a near pocketable package, and the result has opened up avenues of photography that haven't been available to me in years.

I've missed countless opportunities to take pictures because of the sheer mass of my SLR system and not wanting to lug it around. This little camera will stay with me more frequently and just begs to be used. You get the convenience of the point and shoot, but the quality you crave in your pictures.

Pros of this camera:

High ISO is really good. Pretty clean all the way up to 3200, and certainly printable.

Movie mode is of very high quality. Somebody with good lenses and a creative mind can make some magic here.

Ability to use old lenses with an adapter. Very nice feature, and the manual focus mode is especially nice because it magifies what you are trying to focus on automatically.

Picture quality has amazing detail and color. Olympus color is in full force here.

Portability. (I recommend getting the nice Panasonic 20mm 1.7 lens. It takes the quality and portability up a notch, and gives you a top notch low light system)

Viewfinder is really top notch and large and bright. This allows for viewing of pictures and movies out in the sun(something you couldn't really do with any camera before now).

Built in image stabilization, which will work on even old lenses up to 4 stops.

Negatives:

Slightly slower focus than an SLR(and even the panny GF1). Not bad though and for a live view system it's pretty peppy.

No built in flash. Not a negative for me. Built in flash results are atrocious. I got the little FL-14 for flash in a pinch.

Cost. A little pricey for everyone, but it's actually worth the money for everything you get.

This is really a nice camera. If you have legacy 4/3 lenses you can attach and autofocus them. If you have other system lenses you can use them with an adapter and they work well. The obvious competitor, the Panny GF1 is also a nice camera. Both have strengths and weaknesses but in the end I'm really happy I got the Olympus E-P2. It's stylish, uber powerful, portable, and just downright cool. I still can't believe how small it is. Quite an amazing achievement to fit this technology in this small of a body.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5 Here

I bought this camera for its light weight and high ISO performance. No disapointment in either area. My main camera is a Sony a700 with 18-250 zoom as my walkaround lens. I have a nine month old dgthr and the two together can be a bit much to carry. I am very happy with the portability of this camera the color and image quality is great. The autofocus is tricky and too slow in dim light. The manual focus has a 7x magnifier that activates when you turn the focus ring. I do a lot of night shooting and got great results with manual focus. The spot meter is REALLY touchy. I am getting pretty good at spot metering and then using exposure lock so I don't have to reset in manual. The camera is so good looking I can't put it down. The Olympus raw converter is adequate. I do not own photoshop. Occasionally I have to adjust white balance. That's it.

The video in this camera is terrific. I have a sony mini DVD camcorder which I will proobably never use again now that I have this camera.

This camera has a steep learning curve but if you love photography, you will love the ride. I started shooting my own 35 mm with a Honeywell Pentax in 1974. A teacher loaned my his Oly Pen in 1973. This camera brings back a lot of precious memories in incredible color and image quality.

It is NOT a point shoot. It is a real camera. I recommend it highly

Want Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5 Discount?

We're lucky when we shop for something and our choice is limited to two options. Such is the case with micro fourth-thirds cameras. The format has been around for at least 40 years, but digital micro four-thirds is new. The format appeals to photobugs because it represents a good compromise between the image quality of consumer SLRs and the size of compact cameras. The image sensor is only a third smaller than that of an SLR, but nine times the size of a typical compact camera. Since sensor size is intimately correlated with goodies like background blur ("bokeh") and lower color noise, along with the fact that pictures taken with bigger sensors are deeper and more accurate, micro four-thirds is a boon. With a compact prime ("pancake") lens attached, it's not too big for a coat pocket. Add to this that the lenses are interchangeable and the format is friendly (via adapter) to every imaginable lens mount --including legacy manual-focus classics often available inexpensively on eBay or molding away on your old film SLR body. This all adds up to an irresistible proposition for the early adopter whose neck hurts from hauling around a big hunk of metal and glass.

But as mentioned, there are two: The Olympus Pen (in this case we'll look at the E-P2) and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1. Which is better? Like so many things in a competitive economy, it's a set of trade-offs--the two cameras excel at different things. The best choice likely depends on your picture-taking. Let's compare the two, feature for feature.

1) Looks. When I first saw the Olympus E-P1 in silver, I fell in love with it. It's a beautiful camera. Soon the E-P2 came along and, though it's a far better camera, until recently it came only in black. Okay, it's not exactly black but more of a metallic dark grey in the body and black in the extremities. Personally, I don't like grey and black together. You might. Notheless, I thought the black Pen looked better than the Lumix so I bought it. Later, I got a closer look at the Lumix. Now I believe the Lumix is every bit as retro and handsome as the Olympus, but in a more Leica-ish, rangefinder-y way. This only makes sense since Lumix is a sister company to Leica. For looks, I'd say if you like silver the Olympus wins, if you like black the Lumix wins.

2) Fit and finish. The Lumix is built like a brick shithouse. You can squeeze it hard and there's no "give." Not that the Olympus is chintzy, it's just not as solid. Lumix wins.

3) Autofocus. This is critical. If you shoot action or have any other reason to use faster AF, the Panny wins hands down. If you use old manual lenses it couldn't matter less, but if your primary goal is to shoot kid soccer games using modern kit lenses, the faster AF is a decisive advantage for the Lumix.

4) High ISO. The Olympus measures at significantly lower noise in lowlit, high ISO situations (which is a good thing because the camera has no built-in flash). If you're allergic to flash photography and like indoor portraiture, this could be a significant factor in favor of the Olympus Pen.

5) Flash. The Panasonic has a built-in flash and, as mentioned, the Olympus doesn't. The outboard flash designed for the Pen system (FL-14) will set you back an extra hundy, and though it looks very cool and retro, it tends to blare a bit. It also can't be tilted to "bounce," off ceilings, and only has limited exposure compensation. If you need flash for parties and bad Facebook shots, Lumix wins.

6) Electronic viewfinder (EVF). The Pen balances out the flash disadvantage here. The base kit ships with an outboard viewfinder. The Lumix requires you to to buy one for more than a hundred bucks. More importantly (since this is photography so money ain't a thing) the Olympus viewfinder is better, brighter, and more adjustable than the Lumix. You may not even think you need a viewfinder until you try an EVF on a micro four-thirds camera. If you want to use manual lenses it's absolutely crucial. Both the Lumix and the Pen have manual focus assist so if, like me, your eyesight sucks, a press of a button will temporarily zoom you in so you can manually adjust focus on, say, the subject's eyelashes. It then pops back to normal so you can compose the shot. The keystrokes to accomplish this are more involved when you use old manual lenses. In the case of the Olympus, you have to put the camera in a specific mode to make MF assist engage with one keystroke. It then stays zoomed until you repeat the same keystroke, which can be awkward. The Lumix zooms itself back out automatically, even with legacy glass, but it requires two keystrokes to zoom in, so there's the same amount of button pushing. To me it seems more intuitive to have the MF assist self-cancel (unless I'm still struggling with finding focus when it does). In spite of this slight advantage, and that the Lumix has a higher-resolution LCD, the viewfinder on the Oly is included, and it spanks the finder on the Lumix. And no, they don't work mounted on each other's bodies. Olympus wins

7) Menu system. The Pen takes a lot of heat for having convoluted menus. To my mind these complaints rendered invalid by a simple setting whereby virtually every menu item is available in a single screen-view that you can navigate to with the touch of a convenient scroll wheel whereupon you can change any setting pretty much instantly. You almost never need to navigate the formal menus. I'm not sure if a similar feature exists on the Lumix, but it seems likely that if you have a Leica D-Lux 3 or 4 (Panasonic LX-2 or 3) you'll like the Panasonic better for its familiar menu system. In truth, this is likely a tie.

8) Kit lens. I prefer prime lenses and to date the finest prime created for the digital micro four-thirds format is the Panasonic Lumix 20mm f/2. It's a jewel, and works on both cameras. Even if you have the Pen you'll want to buy it. Yet it ships in the Panny prime-lens kit. On the other hand, if you like or need zoom lenses, the Oly zoom lens that ships with their zoom kit is better than the zoom that comes in the optional Panasonic kit, if only because it's retractable, making the camera pretty compact for having a fairly long focal range. Keep in mind that the micro four-thirds "crop factor" means that the effective length of a lens in this format is twice the actual (1:1) length of a lens. So the Lumix kit's prime 20mm is actually equivalent to an old-school "normal" lens. As a side note, not only is lens shopping cheaper in micro four-thirds thanks to old manual lenses (just don't develop a jones for Leica M-glass) but the 200% comparable focal length means you can get by with fewer specialty lenses. That 400mm white-ass golf lens that sets you back $8 grand and gets you punched by Sean Penn, in four-thirds format is accomplished by a little 200mm brand-x lens. But if you like prime lenses: Advantage Lumix. If you like zoom lenses: Advantage Pen.

9) Image stabilizer. Now this was the overwhelmingly decisive factor for me. I take natural light photos in some pretty dark places. Great legacy lenses and even the better optics in the modern world tend not to have their own internal image stabilizers. The Olympus has great in-body image stabilization. The Lumix doesn't. This means that any lens, no matter how old, is image stabilized on the Pen body. You not only don't have to buy stabilized lenses (which in many cases can be a $1K upgrade), but you can buy slower lenses. Combined with the strong high ISO performance, instead of a maximum aperture of f/1.4, you might be able to get away with a max aperture f/2 or even f/4. Look up Leica 50mm lenses and compare the price of the f/4 with the f/2.8 and the f/1.8 and finally the f/.90. Opening the aperture a few steps can add thousands faster than Nancy Pelosi's bar tab. And in the case of most manufacturers, at its most open aperture settings, the lens with the smaller maximum aperture outperforms the more expensive lens (that is, at f/5.6, the Canon 50mm f/1.4 beats the Canon 50mm f/1.2 in term of sharpness and distortion, and for less than a tenth of the cost). What this means in practice is that you should always buy a fast lens for the way it renders at its widest setting. If an in-body stabilizer effectively widens that widest setting by allowing you to increase your shutter speed in low light, it may very well negate the need for extravagant glass (or better yet, allow you to buy slower glass from an extravagant manufacturer). Big win: Olympus.

Which brings us to the skinny: The Olympus E-P2 and the Panasonic Lumix GF1 test as indistinguishable in image quality. They both take great pictures, share the same lenses, and are fun as hell.

If your thing is portraits, flowers (ugh), still-lifes, pets (ugh) and landscapes, and you don't shoot a lot of action, the Olympus wins for its in-body stabilization and high iso performance.

If your thing is action, hyper kids, sports, and other chaos, and you're hard on your cameras, the Lumix is better. It's also better if you need a flash--for instance if you bring cameras to dark parties or tend to shoot in Auto Mode.

You really can't go wrong either way.

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