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.

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

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

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic HDC-HS100 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 60GB Hard Drive & 12x Optical Zoom Here

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!!!

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

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

Fujifilm A210 3.2 MP Digital Camera w/3x Optical Zoom

This camera is great as a starter digital camera, especially for people who are usually afraid of photography. The camera body is easy to hold and the buttons are laid out user-friendlily. It's the usual snap-and-go type, and anyone who half a brain can use the basic functions after picking it up. The memory cards have come down *a lot* in price so there's no reason to whine any more. BTW, speaking of price, the A210 can be had for under one-fifty if you shop around. For that price this is simply the best 3MP camera.

Image quality is excellent outdoors when light is aplenty. Night shots do tend to be dark and noisy (noise refers to the coarse-grained color dots you see in a poorly exposed picture). But after you read the manual you can do things to improve night shots. Besides, no camera takes great picures when there's insufficient light.

I like this camera because:

a) Its batteries last for more than just a few pics (so far the first set has taken more than 15 pics).

b) It's comfortable to use (nice size and shape) and nice looking.

c) It takes great pics. Color is rich and image is realistic.

d) It connects easily via USB and the software is simple if a bit more than what i need.

e) You can connect it directly to your video viewer (TV, another cam, or VCR) with the included video cable.

I don't like that:

a) The power switch slides instead of clicking off and on (could leave it on by mistake since its position is always the same).

b) You have to switch it to another mode to view pics easily (you CAN see them in the main view, but it's a pain).

Excellent buy at $200!

Buy Fujifilm A210 3.2 MP Digital Camera w/3x Optical Zoom Now

I've used a pretty wide range of digital cameras so I feel comfortable grading the Finepix 210 a solid 3, possibly a 3.5. I bypassed inexpensive 2MP cameras to make the jump to this, one of the least expensive 3MP ones around that had decent reviews.

After using it I can say that it is definitely lacking the sharpness of competitors like the Nikon Coolpix 3100. I only use it at the highest quality level and even closeups for portraits are obviously not razor sharp like I've become accustomed to with the 3MP Nikon and Sony products.

On the other hand this camera is at least $50-$70 less than the competitors and when accessories are factored in I was able to get the camera, a 128MB xd card and the handy USB cradle (with rechargeable battery) for $100 less than I could've with Nikon or Sony.

The bottom line: this is a decent camera that puts 3MP in reach of the average casual user but it is not very sharp.

Read Best Reviews of Fujifilm A210 3.2 MP Digital Camera w/3x Optical Zoom Here

Fuji 2600 sold very good in 2001 because it was cheap & solid camera (with below average build quality). They removed some features and downgraded its screen & lens speed to make 2650 in 2002 even cheaper. Come 2003 they have added video-out/3MP and futher downgraded it, made it uglier and zero innovation.

Basically its gotten thicker (well above 2 inches), poor night capability, grainy LCD, cheapo plastic body, expensive xD cards and average build quality. The picture quality in daylight is very good though. Battery life and user interface are also good.

Meanwhile cameras from Canon, Sony, Nikon and other companies have improved a lot, added many features and have gotten cheaper. Right now Canon A60/A70 is much better option.

Ofcourse first time users (who never had a digital camera before) will give it 5 stars and will be very happy.

Want Fujifilm A210 3.2 MP Digital Camera w/3x Optical Zoom Discount?

Great deal for the money. Other user's are right about buying a charger with rechargeable batteries, and a larger memory card. It comes with 2 alkaline batteries, they won't last long, especially if you play around with it like I did. I just got mine a few days ago. I noticed leaving the display off helps to save on batteries a little though. I love mine, I would recomend buying the power adapter for the camera too for when you download the pictures onto you're computer, I think that's also where the camera uses a extra battery power too. I just ordered a 128MB picture card and a charger with 4 batteries for mine.

SVAT PI1000 Covert MPEG4 DVR - Recording System with Built-in Color Pinhole Surveillance Camera Hid

Covert MPEG4 DVR Recording System with Built-in Color Pinhole Surveillance Camera Hidden in a Motion Sensor

This is a supper covert motion sensor little camera. Lots of modes, qualities and sensitivity to choose from in the menu. Stand alone with batteries or use supplied 12v adapter. I called Support to ask a couple of questions and the guy was unrushed and pleasant. You can paint or camouflage all but the lens, so concealment will be easy. The motion sensor is through the pinhole lens at the bottom. Plays on your TV or load to computer with card reader. The picture quality is very acceptable and in color. I'm tempted to spring for another one. Keep an eye on your vehicle or campsite while your off having fun.

Rob

This video recording does not work well when I put it in continuous mode.

I wanted it to record over the beginning when memory is filled.

What happened is it will record and play back properly untill the memory is filled up. After that the screen goes blank (black) every other second. This makes it very hard to view the video. It may miss some action when you need it. It is ashamed such a good product with a bad bug.

Buy SVAT PI1000 Covert MPEG4 DVR - Recording System with Built-in Color Pinhole Surveillance Camera Hid Now

At first I debated this product due to mixed reviews, but knew I had to at least try it. The installation is not difficult at all. If you're hands on and like tinkering with things then this is for you. The instruction book will make it seem harder to operate than it really is. One you plug it in and get it going you can easily navigate the menu screen and figure out how to get it working, but it works! As for lighting you will need to place this in a well lit area, so don't put it facing sunlight or bright light or it's pointless. At night time there is nothing but darkness because this is not a night vision ready camera. I love that it comes with an SD storage card that you can also view from your laptop computer and the quality is also clear. I tried it on Media Player on Windows Vistas and it worked, but you don't need a computer to playback. The video will play back on a t.v. if you have the audio video plug-ins, can be hooked up to the ones on a VCR, DVD, or DVR. As for batteries it's still working pretty well with standard energizer batteries that aren't lithium, but there is also an AC adapter included it can run off of. If you want to use that you need to mount the camera (mounting bracket included) close to a wall plug. The mounting bracket is not difficult to install, it has a a small circular mounting plate with three screws, plus and extended arm, which I left off and just used the swivel bracket which will tighten once you know the direction you want the camera pointing. I like the product it is on the pricey side, but well worth catching shady people, especially if you live in an apartment building where too many people from management to maintenance have keys to your place and you can't always know when they come. If the price ever goes down I would be quick to buy another one.

Read Best Reviews of SVAT PI1000 Covert MPEG4 DVR - Recording System with Built-in Color Pinhole Surveillance Camera Hid Here

SVAT Electronics Covert MPEG4 DVR With Built-In Color Pinhole Camera in PIR Sensor This Camera was easy to set up and takes just seconds however but you need a TV with digital hold in order to set it up. Which is easy if you have a TV less than 10 yrs old. I bought an old TV to try to monitor and set up several SVAT systems but it didn't work. As soon as I hooked it up to a newer TV it worked perfectly an was set up in seconds.

Want SVAT PI1000 Covert MPEG4 DVR - Recording System with Built-in Color Pinhole Surveillance Camera Hid Discount?

Bought this because someone was taking the bulbs out of garage light. Thought I knew... this proved it .. every bit from entering yard to taking bulb. Clear video, gets only the action when in motion mode. Small card holds days of video clips. Setting on next to least sensitive... it got a grasshopper who flew in front of it.. Can't say enough about the qualitiy of this camera. It also greatly impressed the deputy who saw it before suggesting the bulb stealer stay out of my yard. I had it plugged in electricity. The videos are extremely clear for at least 60 feet... and that is from inside building looking out. Can't say enough about the amazing quality.

Canon PowerShot A70 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

this camera is perfect for people who are starting off their digital camera career. it will work as a point and shoot but this is a camera you can hone your creativity on. when you're ready to experiment, the A70 provides a high degree of manual control for a camera at this price point.

pros:

very nice resolution

3x optical zoom lens

amazing manual control for the price: manual focus, selectable ISO sensitivity, and exposure (aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual)

good metering and good tonal balance maintains shadow detail

good natural light white balance, strong and balanced colours

AF assist lamp helps auto-focus for low light situations

nice layout of controls and easy to understand

very nice build quality feels more expensive than what its price would suggest

bright, detailed LCD monitor

good shot-to-shot times, quick start-up time too

movie clip mode up to 3 minutes

low noise at ISO 50 (keep in mind that ISO 50 for this camera is actually ISO 100 for everyone else; likewise, ISO 100 is in reality closer to ISO 200, etc)

impressive battery life plus it uses non-proprietary AAs (but i'd recommend buying rechargeables)

excellent value no one else offers this feature set at this price level

cons:

slight chromatic aberrations visible

AF Assist lamp doesn't have enough power at telephoto zoom

moderately underexposed flash shots

RAW format not supported

no histogram available useful to see if photos have correct exposure

distracting mirror finish frame surrounds the LCD monitor

competition is lighter and smaller, but also does not give the same amount of manual control

the supplied 16MB CF card is not adequate be ready to shell out more $$ for more memory

i was surprised by this camera. at its price point, it has the most features among cameras available today. this camera will work well with beginners (but who'll want to spread their "creative" wings later) but will not disappoint more advanced photographers on a budget. definitely a camera to add to your short list.

This is my first digital camera purchase, so I did a lot of research to find the best camera for [the price]. I can say with certainty that this camera fits the bill! It is 3.2 Megapixels, which some may not feel is enough, but unless you are going to print out photos larger than 8x10 I don't see any reason you would need a higher resolution. In fact, most of the pictures we take aren't even at the highest resolution possible.

The 16MB CompactFlash card that comes with this camera is way too small. Look at getting at the very least a 128 MB card, or even a 256MB or 512MB card.

I don't have any complaints about this camera. In dark situations, the LCD becomes very grainy, but the pictures you take look great. Red eye reduction works wonders as I have yet to see any red eyes from pictures I've taken. In the sun, the LCD similarly gets sun circles, but those are not apparent in the final image when you take a picture. The shiny chrome finish around the LCD is a little hard to deal with in the sun, but it's easy enough to get used to.

I highly recommend this camera. It's geared toward the point-and-shoot consumer, but it has settings and the ability to add attachments for the more avid photographer.

Buy Canon PowerShot A70 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Now

This camera has features that are absolutely unheard of in its price range. It has full auto controls, full manual controls (i.e. Shutter-speed priority, Aperture priority, and manual focus), as well as a dozen or so photo effects. They use the same DIGIC processor and AiAF system (5-point) as higher end models, so pictures come out very crisp and clear. Night shots are great as well, thanks to the AF-assist lamp, which is not a standard in other brands. One minor problem with night pictures is the red-eye effect, even with the red-eye reduction mode. This is somewhat expected, seeing how close together the lens and the flash is. However, this can be easily corrected with the included software package.

Another deciding factor for me is their use of standard AA batteries instead of a proprietary battery pack, which can be fairly expensive. In a cram, I can just run to the store and grab batteries off a shelf, or have another set of NiMH rechargeables handy. I also love the body size. I was considering buying a Canon S230, which is one of the smallest digicams out there. However, the ELPH series do not have any manual controls, the flash is weak, has a lower power zoom (2x as oppose to 3x), and they use a proprietary battery pack. The A70 is only slightly large than the ELPH. I actually like the size and the right hand grip on the A70, which gives you better control and balance of the camera.

The A70 is a very quick camera. It takes about 2.5 seconds for the camera to power up and be ready to go. Focus takes about a second, and you only have to wait about 1.5 seconds in between pictures. In playback mode, it takes a little bit over a second to go between pictures in high res mode. There is a lot of information displayed for each picture, with the exception of a histogram. However, once the pictures are downloaded to the computer, you will have access to the histogram.

Other bonuses that I like about the A70 is the Stitch Assistant mode, which helps you make great panoramic shots. It also has a video capture mode (up to 3 min) as well as audio memos that you can add to each picture taken. This camera also supports some direct printing to some printers.

All in all, this is a great camera for a great price! The pictures turn out great, even for a novice. And for the adventurous, there are plenty of manual controls to play with. There is no other camera in this price range that has all these features, combined with the great optics known for in Canon cameras.

Read Best Reviews of Canon PowerShot A70 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Here

I received my Canon A70 about a week ago in the mail. This is my second digital cameramy first being an old Olympus D360-L point and shooter. Thus far, I love my new camera! I can go on and on about it, but I'll try to summarize what I like and don't quite like about it.

Likes

1. Lots of manual controls shutter speed, real manual focus, white balance

2. Great pre-sets these let me take great pictures for certain pre-set environments (fast action, portrait, panoramic, slow shutter, etc...) Easily accessible on dial at the top of camera

3. Nice size not too small and light, so my twitchy hands don't mess it up too much, but not bulky like some of the other cameras with manual controls

4. Battery life I still have not run out of a charge, during a day or two's use. (Note: I use 1600 mA LiMH batteries and charge them after every day or two)

5. Sharp screen hi-resolution screen, though not terribly bright in direct sunlight

6. Great looking pictures!

7. Video mode, with sound up to 640x480 for 30 secs, and lower resolutions for much longer.

8. Looks great!

9. Able to fit additional lenses as well as waterproof housing (Not that I'm planning on getting these yet, but its nice to know I have the choice to!)

Not Likes:

1. Takes a bit of time for the zoom lens to extend when turning the camera on.

2. Plastic tripod mount

I've printed my cropped 8x10" photos out on my Canon S600 printer on glossy paper and they look awesome!

Anyways, I really like this thing a lot, so I heartily recommend this to people who are looking for a point-and-shoot, as well as those who are trying to learn to dabble a little bit more with their camera's manual controls (like myself!)

Want Canon PowerShot A70 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Discount?

Besides the Canon name, the first thing that draws me to this camera is the way it fits in the hand with its right-hand grip, and its just-right size...not wafer thin, but not bulky, either. I've had the camera since August, and I'm going to start with its few problems, and then list all the things I like about it:

Problem 1: Maybe it's just this particular camera, but sometimes the macro lens just does not want to focus on the closeup object. I have had to turn the camera off and on a few times to get the macro to work. You know it's working when a little frame appears to show you what it's focusing on. It has a very hard time finding the object if it is similar to the background color. I discovered that sometimes the focus frame doesn't appear just because I'm trying to take the picture from too close, so I have to back it up a bit. Because I use the macro lens a lot for photographing items that I sell, it is not the absolute best for macro photography, but I have been able to get some spectacular photos with it, especially if I do some detailing in Photoshop Elements.

Problem 2: Bright red and blue come out too intense, and I often have to tone them down in Photoshop.

Problem 3: Screen hard to see in sunlight.

That's all for the problems!

Positives: Can take about 300 photos on rechargeable batteries. It has a lens cover that opens and closes automatically when you turn the camera on or off (NO CAP!) The buttons are placed in easy-to-find places and work easily. They are not itsy-bitsy so I don't accidentally hit the wrong one. No toggle buttons! It's easy to figure out how to do some photography besides just point and shoot. With a little time reading the manual, I learned how to turn off the automatic button, and take pictures on the manual switch, adjusting the amount of light allowed in the lens...easy. Crisp, clear photos. Takes short movies with sound. Sturdy, reliable, and once again... feels just right in the hands. I am not a professional photographer, but have found it a great, inexpensive digital camera to use in my business, and the photos sell my products! Great price for what you get!

Canon Powershot SD30 5MP Digital Elph Camera with 2.4x Optical Zoom (Rockstar Red)

I have used a few other digital cameras, and so I will compare

performance when I can.

Specific Observations

---------------------

I programmed the camera to use its lowest ISO setting (50), spot

metering, spot auto-focus, largest image file size, and highest image

compression quality. The rest of this post assumes these settings.

1. The camera is quite fast, faster than my old Canon SD10. Both

shutter button response time, and shot-to-shot delay have been

improved significantly. Nice going Canon!

2. With "spot" autofocus selected, the camera seems to do very well.

With my old SD10, I would regularly obtain photos that were

grossly out of focus. It does not seem to happen with the new

SD30. Thank you Canon!

3. The "deluxe" kit features a very nice soft case. It fits perfectly

and looks good. I consider this to be a "must" for a tiny,

carry-it-everywhere gadget. All of the stores I checked stocked

the "deluxe" kit, perhaps there is no other kit for sale. But I

suggest that you confirm that you are getting the Canon SD30 soft

case with your purchase.

4. The flash intensity cannot be adjusted, as far as I can tell. It

is therefore difficult to photograph certain shiny objects, such as

circuit boards and small machinery. This is giving me fits. The

available flash power is not much either. This is no shame for Canon

really, since the size of the tube must be small in a midget camera

like this. By comparison, the Casio Exilim EX-S500 can produce

significantly more light.

5. After some practice, I am very pleased with the image quality that

I am getting from this camera, at least when there is adequate

lighting. The SD30 produces what I have come to regard as the "Canon

look." I'm not sure if the photos are especially true to life, but

they are extremely pleasing. I see highly saturated colors, sharp

focus, low noise, and pleasant "warm" skin tones. I also detect this

"Canon Look" in photos coming out of the Sony Cybershot DSCP200. I

suspect that Sony and Canon use the same image sensors. I compared

photos of the same objects taken with the Canon SD10 and a Casio

Exilim EX-S500. The pictures coming out of the Casio are fuzzy by

comparison. The side-by-side comparison also makes the Casio pictures

look a bit washed out. The Casio pictures have much more chroma

noise too.

6. The macro capability is excellent. The camera has a feature which

puzzled me at first. Now I understand that it is pure genius: the

best macro performance occurs when the lens is zoomed to its maximum

(2.4x). With the zoom at maximum tele, I can reliably fill the image

frame with an object that is 5 cm across (left to right) or smaller.

Where does the genius come in? Most other cameras are engineered so

that the most extreme macro performance is achieved when the lens

is at its full wide angle setting. If the SD30 was designed this

way, then the camera would have to be positioned very close to its

subject matter. When this occurs, shadows from the camera and the

photographer's hands would interfere with the photogaraph. The

performance of the flash unit would also suffer. Good job Canon! I

have taken some really amazing macro shots of ears, for example. It

sounds disgusting, but I was able to discern incredible detail in

the subject matter and learn how to use the camera's macro mode.

It was almost like working with a microscope. My macro photos

were all "hand held," no tripod used. Nevertheless, most of them

turned out well. Many looked "razor sharp."

7. The camera feels solidly durable. The various buttons and other

controls are especially firm. I also like the Casio Exilim EX-S500

in this regard, but the Canon controls are more solid, with no

side-to-side play.

8. The SD30 is not as amazingly small as the old SD10. I would not

want to carry it in the breast pocket of a man's dress shirt, for

example.

9. You must use the (included) cradle to charge the camera's battery.

Although the cradle is reasonably small, it still sucks for

travelling light. There is probably an accessory you can purchase

that travels better than the cradle and power cable that is

included in the "deluxe" kit. I haven't shopped for such

accessories yet.

10. The camera retains a feature of the SD10 that I absolutely HATE:

it resets its metering mode to "evaluative" after every power cycle.

Like all other digital cameras, the only metering mode that works

worth a damn is "spot." At power-up, it takes me 8 button pushes to

get the camera to "spot" meter. The main value of a tiny camera is

that you can carry it everywhere, and capture unplanned events.

Those 8 extra button pushes really detract from the value of this

type of machine. (Sorry for venting).

11. When connected to a computer, the camera will NOT emulate a disk

drive, the way many other cameras do. It is still an easy matter

to transfer pictures to the PC, but I prefer the increased

flexibility of disk drive emulation.

12. The quality of the motion video in the SD30 is pretty bad. There

is a 320x240/20fps mode and a 640x480x15fps mode. The 320x mode

has bad spatial resolution. I don't like looking at the "movies"

produced in this mode. The 640x mode looks jerky, because of its

15fps rate. By comparison, the Casio Exilim EX-S500 does a bit

better.

Conclusion

----------

The Canon SD30 is one of the smallest digital cameras available today.

This type of camera, by its nature, must have compromises. I find it

interesting to compare the different approaches to design evident in

the Canon SD30 and the Casio Exilim EX-S500. I believe that these two

are the best of the tiny cameras, though in different ways.

Both cameras are fast (shutter lag and shot-to-shot delay). Both are

handsome and appear to be constructed nicely. Both cameras use SD cards

for storage, which I prefer. This card format is physicallly small, and

it is not controlled by a single vendor, like Sony and its Memory Sticks.

Canon offers excellent image quality. Like the old Canon SD10, the

photographs have a certain "Canon look" that is very appealing. I suspect

that this "look" is the result of high color saturation, sharp contrast,

and low noise. White balance is nicely done too.

The user interface of the Canon is spare. There are not a lot of features

for the user to play with. The simplicity will be a godsend for some

users. Personally, I would have preferred to have more control.

I believe that it is useful to compare the Canon SD30 to the Casio Exilim

EX-S500. The Casio offers a TON of features! It has more "scene" modes.

It can function as a sound (only) recorder. It can photograph documents

and force them to look rectangular (remove keystone effect). Best of

all, the Casio can be programmed to remember some of its settings, and

reset others, when it is powered off. The customer gets to choose which

settings are remembered. Too bad about the chroma noise and soft focus

though.

Before I obtained the Canon, I already had an EX-S500. I had planned to

keep one of these cameras and give away the other. But frankly, I don't

like the thought of parting with either of them. Comparing these two

cameras has made me appreciate both of them. A few monthes ago, I wrote

a review of the EX-S500 that was fairly negative, due to image quality

issues. Oddly enough, I respect Casio more now. This, in spite of the

fact that the Canon SD30 does produce superior photographs, as I expected.

Both cameras are engineering marvels! The Canon produces beautiful

photographs and stunning macro images. The Casio is a "Swiss Army Knife"

of useful features that can be customized to match the tastes of the

owner. Also, the Casio has a superior shape for carrying everywhere.

Looking Forward

---------------

In the next few monthes, at least two new cameras will appear that are

in the same size class as the Canon SD30.

Sony will soon deliver its Cybershot T9. The reviews that I have seen

indicate that the previous "T" cameras had pretty bad image quality.

This includes the T7, which is probably the tiniest camera available.

The T9 will be somewhat larger. Perhaps Sony will do a better job with

it.

Casio will replace the 5 megapixel Exilim EX-S500 with a 6 megapixel

EX-S600. The feature set won't change much, but it is already superb,

as I have claimed above. Perhaps the new camera will offer better image

quality? Increasing the pixel count is not likely to solve any noise

problems. But until the camera is delivered, who knows?

In my opinion, it is reasonable to buy now, rather than wait for these

new cameras to arrive. Both the Canon SD30 and the Casio Exilim EX-S500

are great.

I received this camera as a gift to replace my older s200 Elph. My camera is the Vivacious Violet, which in spite of Amazons statement, is actually available for sale almost everwhere but here. (10/26/05)

The SD30 has been my constant companion for over a week now. I have used it to take all the shots the s200 could handle, and have tested it with all the shots the s200 just couldn't quite get. The SD30 has exceeded the performance of the s200 on ALL counts. Indoor shots no longer have that yellowish tint. The flash no longer over brightens the picture. I can take pictures of my quick moving 9 month old and no longer get crystal clear backgrounds and a blurred child. These are all made possible with the preset picture settings, something my s200 was lacking. I have not had to alter or correct even one image taken with this camera, beyond cropping or cutting.

This is a true point and shoot camera.

Positives

Remembers your last settings so you don't have to reset for the same conditions if the camera shuts itself off.

Takes SD or MMCard memory. I have the 1gig card in and at the highest settings it will store up to 370 pictures. Lowest settings 2000+. My peferred settings, 700+

Has cables to allow you to browse the pictures stored in your camera, on the television with the remote control via the docking station. You can delete with the remote control as well.

Controls seem more intuitive than the older ELPH's, but this is a personal preference.

Negatives

You must use the docking station (which must be plugged in) or a memory card reader to transfer pictures to your computer. The cord is about 3 feet to short for me to reach my computer from my chosen docking station location. I would have preferred an optional non-power required method of transfer. If you keep the docking station within 4 feet of your USB connector, you should have no problem.

Extras

I truly enjoy the sound schemes. My 9 month old loves that my camera barks when I take a picture, and the older boys find it amusing as well.

My camera was the deluxe edition and came with a matching leather case.

This camera is SMALL. It's about the size of 2 packs of Trident held together.

If you are a parent that needs a reliable and good looking camera to take to soccer games and just to document your children's lives without needing to carry a manual around to ensure quality photo's, this is the camera for you.

Buy Canon Powershot SD30 5MP Digital Elph Camera with 2.4x Optical Zoom (Rockstar Red) Now

Many reviewers have noted the quality of the pictures obtained with the SD-30, and I fully concur. This is a fast, quiet, and well designed digital camera. For someone with little previous experience in digital photography, I was able to get up and running with just a scan of the quick start guide. A high speed SD card like the Sandisk Ultra II is highly recommendeda quicker write speed improved the quality of my video captures.

My first outing to the ski slopes captured great pictures, even with fast moving targets. I tried to tinker with the various shooting modes, but still ended up on AUTO. Until I muster up enough interest to experiment with all the settings, I would recommend the AUTO setting to all beginners. My second session was indoors, and while the pictures came out clear, I found the flash inadequate beyond 10 feet.

I disagree with a previous reviewer about uploading to the PC. Once the software installed, I did not have to plug in the Dock's power adapter to upload my pictures. Just turned on the camera while it was in the Dock, with the switch in review position, and the software automatically launched.

The carrying case is very well designed as its edges are wider than the center. This means if you drop the camera case, the sides cushion the impact rather than the corner that lands first. I found that I preferred the built in belt loop rather than belt clip that comes with other camera cases. There's zero danger of the case sliding off your belt.

Highly recommended. If you hunger for more technical details, check out the SD30 review at dcresource dotcom

Read Best Reviews of Canon Powershot SD30 5MP Digital Elph Camera with 2.4x Optical Zoom (Rockstar Red) Here

I've already been the happy owner of a sd40 "big" camera for over a year, and still consider it perfect for my serious photographic needs.

However, precisely _because_ it is so big, it can be very inconvenient to bring along, and also very intimidating to potential picture subjects.

I didn't realize just how _much_ smaller, or more precisely, how much thinner it is than all other digital cameras until I saw it in person. It not only fits in a shirt pocket, it fits in a shirt pocket _along_with_ a Treo or an iPod. Because its 3x zoom lens is folded, it does not protrude at all when taking pictures, meaning most subjects won't even realize a camera is pointed at them, let alone that it is zoomed in and high resolution. This greatly easy getting natural expressions in informal photos.

Next, the specifications of the sd series is better than those of other similar Sony cameras such as the T1 and T33 in ways I care about, such as doubling the number of pixels in the 2.5" LCD screen, including an auto-focus assist lamp, and USB 2.0 support without needing driver software when used with Windows XP.

One of my pet peeves about digital cameras is that they are not protected from the elements. it helps this in two ways. First, its on/off switch is a solid lens cover. Second, the camera fits easily in the smallest size zip-loc sandwich bag, and can easily be operated while in the bag, providing serious dust and splash protection.

One further protection is needed, but easily handled. The LCD needs protection, which I provided by covering it with a sheet of screen protector plastic left over from an old PDA.

As you might expect from such a thin device, battery life is somewhat limited (about an hour of continuous use, set up for maximum brightness, continuous focus adjustment, and automatic flash. For that reason, I bought a spare battery, and since the charger is bigger than the camera, suggest other buyers do the same.

I bought this for my point and shoot wife to take on a week-long trip, and thereafter to have it with us whenever a shot might present itself, but not surely enough to carry the large camera, or in situations where keeping the large camera clean and dry might be an issue.

If you too are a serious hobbyist, do be aware of unavoidable limitations: 1) 5MP is good, but not as good as the 7MP of a few also (barely) pocketable cameras. I decided smaller size outweighed higher resolution, but you may feel differently. 2) F4 is 2 full stops dimmer than the F2 of my other camera, which matters quite a bit when the light is low, as does 3) the ASA maximum of 400, rather than 800. There's also 4) no place to attach a filter. For a second camera, these are all perfectly acceptable compromises, in my opinion.

Highly recommended as a second camera for hobbyists, or as a first camera for folks who want a very convenient and very high quality point and shoot camera.

Want Canon Powershot SD30 5MP Digital Elph Camera with 2.4x Optical Zoom (Rockstar Red) Discount?

Admittedly, this is one cool camera and everytime I use it, I get tons of "ooooohhhh's" and "aaaaahhhhh's". People are continually amazed by how small and sleek this camera is and the compact size has made it convenient to carry around with me in my purse everyday and everywhere I go. Like a previous reviewer, however, I have found that the auto-focus sometimes is lacking and I have to retake the same picture several times to get a focused picture, in ideal lighting situations and with a perfectly still subject! Additionally, the flash covers a fairly limited distance and, if there is not enough lighting, even in night mode, the picture will come out dark. Of course, these are all primarily due to the fact that a lot of the features of the camera are compromised due to the size. All complaints aside, this camera is easy to use and is perfect for point and shoot and casual picture-taking. In fact, this is the only camera that my little dog is not afraid of when I'm taking pictures of him, I think due to the unintimidating size and quiet operation. Hope this helps!

SIIG Wireless USB to HDMI with Audio Kit (JU-HM0211-S1)

HI,

First of all, I am trying to write a general review base on the users' point of view since most of the tech site already have all the tech info on the "Nitti gritty" testing of the chip spec and performance. I don't need to go there again and the key point is to look at the end product's total design integration and the easy use of the product + the impression of the video quality.

OK, Here we go

Package:

It is nicely packed in simple industrial type white box with a feature labels on it. I like it... didn't waste too much on the package and killing the tree.

It comes with

* The receiver unit

* The transmitter

* The HDMI cable (a plus since a lot of DVD player doesn't even include that anymore)

* AC adapter the power source

Overall the product is not bad looking besides that it doesn't feel or look like a cheap product.I am going to test it on different platform...

1> a HP Pavillion DV7t I7 2nd gen 8G system with ATI 1G video card... running win 7 HM Premium

2> an Older Toshiba M200 Centrino tablet pc (1.8G) with 785M + Win 7

3> a P4 desktop 2.8G / 1.5G M / Win XP HM sp2 (if I have time)

You can see that I am curious about trying to run the device at the older Laptop/Desktop and see if the PC's horse power is going to be a big factor on the device's performance. (if it is well designed that it should take away too much PC's CPU power)

I will test the SIIG device with the system 1 first

The product comes with a smart design by preloading the drivers onto the USB receiver (embedded a small memory in the USB with all the drivers loaded) so there's no CD included with the product. NEAT!

The installation is pretty easy... after plug the USB .. the Video Chip Display link driver is installed (not bad... on the market the most popular two Video chips for the external video is MCT and Display link, although the MCT is as good on paper but display has a little edge on the performance)

next I hook up the receiver... the BLUE LED power indicator light up and before I know it that the green led lit up... after few experiment I know the light is wireless connection status indicator).. Then the PC start installing the Alereon wireless USB software (this is also a top brand wireless USB chip set)

**NOTE on the light -

GREEN-As long as the LED light is green that you are is a high performance safe zone... that's about 12 feet away

Yellow/Amber This happened when I was about 15 feet away and put the laptop in another room, you can see that the movie start to have a tiny little bit delay that cause the movie to lost some of its smoothness in motion.

RED lost connection or it is not connected. This is usually due to the fact that the transmitter and receiver is too far away. Or the device is not properly synced.

Anyway, I setup the video in extended mode and let the power DVD player, play the transformer 2 I pick the action movie so that I can see if there's any pixilation. By the way, I am able to push the TV resolution up to 1080P, but it is only good if you distance is less than 10 feet away. The transmitter and receiver better in the same room. (According to my experiment)

Brief summary:

* Video playback: 5 nice and smooth, I didn't notice any pixilation yet. I can even surf the net while the movie is playing

* Ease of use : 5 (very easy to install and use... almost like plug and play device)

* ID design and quality: 4.5 (not the pretties unit but good enough for me and the material it use is pretty good)

* Manual: 3.5 (the QIG is nice and clear to get you started, but for most of the uer that the complete manual is needed on website and I have called SIIG that they will put the full menu on web site later, but not yet.. this is bad for the user who is not expert with the PC)

* Overall impression: 4.5 (so I have to give 5 star for now)

Please stay tune... I will update and give you the older Laptop's general test result.

Oh, before I go...

**NOTE on the Audio... on Win 7 that you open the control panel -->device manager---> sound-->click on WUSB audio --> set as default if you didn't hear the Audio coming out from your laptop instead the TV

Dr. T

***** UPDATE.... finally got time to try the P4 system.... it also worked well it looks like the products' internal memory and processor able to handle most of the job....

I won't test on the Toshiba since the laptop it self has some video problem recently so I can't make judgement base on that PC.

hope the review help your guys out...

I bought this device as part of my cut the (pay TV) cord strategy. I have two TVs on the same level of the house that share video using an HDMI over Ethernet solution. My goal was to display the laptop to either TV regardless of where I was on that level of the house. I figured if it didn't have the range I could at least use it for the living room where I would benefit the most. My hope was that it would work through walls but I never found anything definitive either way in my research of the product. Most products like this require a line of sight.

The unit I received was a Hardware version 1. I plugged the base unit directly into a TV. I connected the USB transmitter into my Windows 8 laptop. There was no problem loading the drivers. After a reboot of the laptop, I was ready to try displaying it on the TV. It showed up as a secondary monitor and I extended the display to the TV. It seemed pretty decent just poking around Windows. I played a video and it was very choppy when displaying on the TV. I tried duplicating the displays instead of extending them, the result was about the same. When running as duplicates, the fact that the TV and laptop were different resolutions made the picture not fill the entire TV screen. That wasn't a huge surprise, I had to adjust to the TV to use a zoom mode. More toying around and I realize that just putting my hand around the USB transmitter would make it cut out. When I put the base unit up higher, I got better results. A good line of sight is required, it doesn't work through hands, knees, walls, or anything. I couldn't leave the room but I was getting somewhere. The range claims up to 30 ft. I got about 20 ft. before it would begin to cut out. It has some fluff features in the software that were less than useful. One is "Fit to TV" which did nothing to help with the different resolutions. The other, "Optimize for video" appeared to make no difference on video playback. Being that the manual didn't mention Windows 8, I tried it on a Windows 7 laptop. The results were the same except I had to go to the internet to get the drivers loaded.

Overall it's not an awful product but it's practical use is limited. I ended up setting up an HTPC and using VNC and/or a media center remote to control it.

Buy SIIG Wireless USB to HDMI with Audio Kit (JU-HM0211-S1) Now

This thing did EXACTLY what it was advertised to do! Installation was a little tricky on an older XP laptop.

Read Best Reviews of SIIG Wireless USB to HDMI with Audio Kit (JU-HM0211-S1) Here

Really disappointed, the product is faulty and will not power. Have contact customer services and hopefully they will be able to replace it for us and then I can give a more positive review.

Want SIIG Wireless USB to HDMI with Audio Kit (JU-HM0211-S1) Discount?

This device was purchased to replace another wireless HDMI device from 2009 that worked fine for a stretch, but it ran very hot and would eventually overheat and lock the display on the TV. On installing the device I was surprised to find that this device uses the exact same software as the 4 year old device and would not install. After subsequently uninstalling the old software and reinstalling what is essentially the same thing I could still not get the display component to be recognized. It finds the internal storage component with the on-chip software installation but not the display adapter, at least according to the confirmation process outline in the 4 page instruction pamphlet that came with the device. It also ran hotter than the other device it was replacing for its heat issues. A frustrating 40 minutes of failure, avoid this thing.

Save 10% Off

Tripp Lite P502-010-RA 10ft SVGA / VGA Monitor Extension Cable with RGB Coax Gold HD15M / Right-ang

I needed this to hook old emachines to new flat screen tv which had pc plug on back. It was the correct pin number and long enough to reach . It works great.

If you remove (temporarily), the thumb screws from the right angle end, the connector will fit through spaces that a normal VGA end will not. I used this cable to run the VGA signal to my TV that is hanging on an articulated arm that has a space about two inches in diameter to run cables through. I now have this cable, the power cord, one RG6 cable, all of the Wii (original, not U) cables, and four right angle HDMI cables all neatly routed through the bracket.

Buy Tripp Lite P502-010-RA 10ft SVGA / VGA Monitor Extension Cable with RGB Coax Gold HD15M / Right-ang Now

I needed a VGA cable that would fit through a cable hole that a conventional connector would not fit through. This one went through perfectly and performs perfectly. It connects my ASUS laptop PC to our 60" Sharp video conference TV.

Read Best Reviews of Tripp Lite P502-010-RA 10ft SVGA / VGA Monitor Extension Cable with RGB Coax Gold HD15M / Right-ang Here

Seems to be very well built. I used this to mount a TV monitor on the wall, and the 90 degree connector allowed this. However, the cylindrical bulges near both ends stick out too much, and kept the monitor from mounting flush to the wall, so I had to trim them a little with a knife blade (which worked OK, and was quick; to make it 1/4 inch thinner).

Want Tripp Lite P502-010-RA 10ft SVGA / VGA Monitor Extension Cable with RGB Coax Gold HD15M / Right-ang Discount?

It works like a Charm. I am kind of xtreme with the order of my computer cables, hate the hanging cables, stuff like that, my laptop does not receive a docking so I have to buy angled wires. Thumbs up.

Save 23% Off

25 ft NEW HDMI to HDMI High Quality Cable (25 feet) for PS3, TV, HDTV, LCD, LED, DVD

Price is very good and its very easy to hook up with my TV, it is good you can compare with expensive HDMI cable , why spend more if the job is done with this good price HDMI cable Iam very satisfied

Last year we re-wired our home entertainment system with hidden cables behind walls, etc. My husband bought the same product for around $100 retail.

A little preparation goes a long way. I love having this cable available to stream movies from my PC to my flat screen or just to watch the videos downloaded from my flip. If you need an HDMI cable, you cannot go wrong.

Buy 25 ft NEW HDMI to HDMI High Quality Cable (25 feet) for PS3, TV, HDTV, LCD, LED, DVD Now

Panasonic AG-HVX200 1/3" 3CCD 16:9 HD/DVCPRO/DV Cinema P2 Camera

We just received an AG-HVX200 and I tell you, it's got more menus than a powerhouse Chinese restaurant. It's not for people who enjoy the pyro-friendly camera; there are menus with the depth of a 15-layer cake. The reason is because the camera can be configured into over 100 different ways of shooting.

The HVX200 gives the new user a challenge to sink or swim, because it thrusts you into deep water. If you've ever shot with the DVX100, you'll adapt to the HVX quite well, from other reviews I've read. I'm a still shooter for a major city daily newspaper, and we're moving towards high definition gear to shoot movie clips and pull frames for news print. With this in mind, the camera's color retention are quality. But I wish the configs were a bit simpler. It will take time to learn a new format of news-gathering, but I see the potential with this gear.

One big drawback that I see is that the menu buttons are on top of the camera, beside and beneath the handle. Try shooting in the field and change your recording format, and it's an awkward feat to accomplish, since you're looking through the viewfinder (or watching the fold-out screen) as you scroll through the layers to figure which is the best recording format.

Would I consider giving this camera up? Hail, no. It's a powerful tool, and the result is what the image quality is about. The color shift with reds and greens and blues are minimal, unlike other samples from competing cameras that I have seen. This, coupled with the ability to drop files into a PowerBook with Final Cut Pro makes it a fast and efficient companion to get files changed to .mov format to drop them into ftp for web publication.

Delete unwanted files as you record. Drop the files onto a hard drive and wipe your P2 card to shoot some more. But you'd better have your software and hardware in order before you plunk down $6,000 retail,, just for the camera (and no mounted boom microphone sold as an acc). A 4gb card sells $600, the optional 100gb Firestore costs $2,000 (which is about the same price as a couple 8gb P2 cards), Final Cut Pro 5 costs $1,000, and you aren't even talking about the need for a GOOD fluid head tripod ($500), wireless microphone system ($500), blue ray DVD burner (for the multitude of gigs of recording files), extra batteries and perhaps a large external drive to store clips as you figure how to keep all the hundreds of gigs of files from overloading all your open drive space. The HVX eats drive space like a great white eats people. It doesn't think, it just does, and at up to a gigabyte per minute.

Even with working for a newspaper, we still have to adjust our budget royally to get what's needed for one HVX camera. Add filters or a 4x4 filter system and, yeesh. Or, kerching. It's bling bling for the developers, while you've just spent the same amount for your camera, just to get it up, and running.

**Rule of thumb, boys and girls: plan to spend double the camera's cost to outfit a system; aka, you'll have to fork out over $11,000 to effectively shoot in the field and edit in-house.**

For those in the pro field, it's probably worth it. For the casual user, or someone just getting into indie film making or trying to make money off the business, it might be worth it to wait. The HVX200 is a groundbreaking camera, like digital cameras revolutionized photography. Tapeless production will be adopted and will change the face of video production in the coming years. The price will drop as others compete for market share.

Being a professional videographer/producer.... I anxiously awaited the release of the HVX200. Having rented the 100Kplus Varicam for 1500 per day plus 600 per day for the deck.... I was head over heals when I read about the HVX coming out. It's DVCPRO HD codec is Professional. Not HDV consumer quality codec.. but real big boy stuff here. Sure, it doesn't have interchangeable lense, and a 2/3 chip... but man it's Sexy. Man it delivers the goods for a very reasonable price. One week or more of renting the Varicam and this baby is mine. It's my daily shooter.. my hammer and it's allowing me to deliver broadcast quality results without breaking the bank. Great for indi filmmakers and those looking to up their quality without killing their savings. It's also REVOLUTIONARY. Truly Tapeless and that's a God send. Tape is DEAD. Film is nearly dead and this camera is the harbinger of good things to come. It's not a pick up and shoot cold kind of cam. There's a learning curve... there some post considerations.. but all in all it's a 16mm film killer. Quality on par with 500 dollar for 10 minutes of Film kind of quality. It's variable speeds and timelapse is un-parralled. Ask anyone shooting tape to compare their Post affected slow motion with your real 60fps slow motion. It's just glorious.. as well is the 4:2:2 color. A must for green screen and high end work.

Best piece of technology that I've ever bought.... and I'm sure it'll be serving me well for more to come. Already had it for a year and still excited about shooting wtih it... been a while since I could say that...

Buy Panasonic AG-HVX200 1/3" 3CCD 16:9 HD/DVCPRO/DV Cinema P2 Camera Now

Our company has purchased four of these HVX200's and we're very happy with their performance thus far. We're shooting a half a dozen HD (720P at 24fps) shows and all of our users seem happy and impressed. Be warned, however, that this camera is BIG and is not easy to use as a hand-held, particularly if you're using it with an external monitor with related battery.

The images we're capturing with the HVX200 are great. (Lighting, of course, is vital. These are not low-light cameras.) Learning how to shoot tapeless onto the P2 cards is a bit daunting at first, but, once you catch on, it's not difficult and has been reliable. We set up a laptop on location and use it to import the footage into Final Cut. Shooting at 720P/24fps, we can get about 20 minutes of video on each of the 2 P2 cards. So, it is optimum to have 4 of the cards for EACH camera. (So you can be loading the media onto the hard drives while shooting on the other two cards. It takes about 15 minutes to load one full card's media onto a hard drive.) At $1500 apiece just for the P2 cards, setting up one of these cameras is expensive. Check out Zacuto at

We're pleased.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic AG-HVX200 1/3" 3CCD 16:9 HD/DVCPRO/DV Cinema P2 Camera Here

Don't get me wrong, the video quality of this camera gets a five all the way, as do the functions of the camera. My disappointment with this camera is just the fact that it is an extremely pricey camera to operate. My point is, with a 32GB p2 card being over $1,000 (which will give you roughly 30 minutes at the highest quality of footage), you could purchase a firestore device with 100GB (or more maybe now, I have not looked at options in awhile) which will give you much more recording capability. I have used this camera for recording graduations, amateur band performances, and just about everything possible, and if you are a professional who knows what you are getting in to with the purchase of this camera, by all means, you should have already bought it. BUT, if you are an amateur film maker who lacks training with this or a similar camera, look elsewhere and work your way up, or have a professional show you the ropes of this camera.

I also recommend "The HVX Book" By fiercely Independent Films. It comes with a cd-rom showing you how to operate the menus, and a very nice 200-some page booklet.

Want Panasonic AG-HVX200 1/3" 3CCD 16:9 HD/DVCPRO/DV Cinema P2 Camera Discount?

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LC

The HX10V is a solidly built and solidly performing camera. Is it perfect? No. As one reviewer remarks, the color accuracy is not entirely accurate. To my eye, over saturated and having difficulty with gradations of blue and red. Reminds me a bit of Fuji Velvia. Color can be adjusted, though it is a minor hassle. I find the camera also has a bit of trouble with a yellow/green shift in indoor lighting-less than ideal white balance in tungsten and fluorescent light. Using flash or fill flash eliminates the issue. Flash exposure is decent in low light. Fill flash is very good in bright light. The camera's flash has quite a bit of punch for a P&S. The camera has a bit more noise reduction than I prefer. In fact, the noise reduction reduces the effective sharpness of the lens. The lens on the 10V is quite impressive, especially when considering it is 16x. It is resistant to straight on flare, but tangential flare is an issue. If only the lens had a provision for a lens hood... The distortion in the lens is well controlled. It isn't up to full on architectural work, but who would use a P&S for architecture? All in all, an impressive and ambitious optic. The i modes of the 10V are the real deal. They slow down some of the responsiveness of the camera, but they deliver superior results in specialized situations. Personally, I love the background blur mode. Excellent pseudo-bokeh. The AF system is very speedy and tracks very well for a P&S. Facial recognition is excellent. The camera's video modes are quite competent. I am not a video expert, but the image stabilization, sound, and resolution are excellent considering it is a P&S. When looked at as a complete package, the 10V is well worth the price of admission.

Addition 8/2012: After using the camera for a few months, I have found more quibbles: difficult getting a good sunset exposure, wishing there was more manual over rides, AVCHD eats up hard drive space on a Mac. On the plus side, I really have to praise the optics on the camera again. Great optic for the zoom range. The camera is quite fun to use and competent with a very high percentage of shooting conditions.

Watched the C-net reviews and read the Amazon reviews and there was quite a few mentions of simplicity. Simple for so many features? Yes. But for the average guy like me who never takes the time to read a manual and does things through trial and error. I'd recommend spending a little time understanding the different functions. It will make for a better experience with less errors. Camera is great, took some difficult shot while moving. I was amazed that the camera got the pics. Took pictures from a moving seaplane and bobbing boat with hardly any blurred shots. The camera works great. Panoramic function is awesome. Haven't seen any of the issues with colors not being true as some people mention.

I gave four stars mostly for the design. The flash on the top pops up when you are holding the camera. Of course my finger is always over it. The big screen on the back is nice, but if you drop the camera on the corner just right there is nothing that is going to protect it from cracking. And lastly, although all Cyber-shots have the same dial, my finger struggles to hit the middle button just right.

Other than that. Great camera!

UPDATE-12-5-12 Camera display stopped working. The very concern I mentioned above regarding the screen cracking and being to close to corner has proven to be a worthy concern. Camera was in protective Caselogic case and never dropped. Screen just went blank. Had to send it back to Sony for repair. Waiting for repairs. I'll keep you posted on costs.

Conclusion 1-15-12 Camera back and fixed. Sony didn't charge me for repair. Took two weeks. I had to pay for shipping to Sony. Camera works great. Only problem with repairs is a hair on the screen in the casing. Drives me nuts but doesn't seem to effect camera. Plus I don't want to be without it for another 2 weeks. Just live with it. Sony was very responsive. Positive customer service experience.

Buy Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LC Now

It's a Sony. The HX10 is a great point and shoot camera. It is impressive and feature packed. The specs are well documented. This takes Great Pictures! You will love this camera.

The 16x optical zoom can go to 32x with digital zoom. You get 18.2 megapixel sensor. High def 1080i videos look awesome. This is why you want this over a cell phone camera.

The Ion Lithium battery can take 320 pics. Great battery life but I recommend a spare battery and charger available on Amazon. Note: The battery can also be charged in the camera with supplied cable.

The camera is well built and solid made in Japan by Sony.

This camera will make you forget about buying a DLSR.

You won't go wrong purchasing this camera. It is a good value.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LC Here

I have had a steady shot before and I loved it! But this one is so much better! It recognizes when I am taking a picture of an infant. Its playback options are so fun. The shutter speed is so fast! And no blurring. I Love the option of taking video and it is great quality! I baught this to replac emy video camera and my old digital camera and I am so pleased! So easy to use! The zoom is amazing and so clear when used to take a picture! Its screen is a great size and I like that the button in the back turns like a wheel to scroll through pictures. You can turn the volume up and down and I like that it has a help guide on the camera so you dont always need your book to troubleshoot. I cant say enough nice things! Love sony and I love this camera I just cant stop playing with it!!!

Want Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LC Discount?

NOTE: Right before my 30 days was up, the on/off button quit working, but I love this model so much I'm getting a replacement. Hopefully, just a fluke with the camera I had. Update: Received my replacement today, I decided to order a different color instead of the white like I had before. Apparently, it depends on which color you choose where the camera is made. The white camera I returned was made in China, the black and red cameras are made in Japan, not sure where the silver cameras are made.

*****************************

This is my second Sony camera, the first Sony I tried 2 years ago got LOUSY pet shots on the Pet scene setting, but was a good camera otherwise. I returned it since shooting pictures of my cats is the reason I purchased it Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-WX9 16.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Still Camera with Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 5x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080/60i Video (Black).

Let me tell you this HX10V runs rings around the WX9 (all these model numbers get confusing after awhile!). The camera feels solidly built. Several camera blog/review sites say it's metal, but it feels like plastic to me, although sometimes aluminum feels plastic-like so I will give them the benefit of the doubt. The tripod mount is metal, and the battery/SD card door feels a little flimsy like most do, just be careful with it and you should be OK.

This is a KEEPER! On the Pet setting, it takes excellent photos and the default setting keeps the flash and also the focus assist button turned off these usually will bother your pet's eyes if left on so this is an excellent decision on Sony's part...for instance: I'm a Panasonic camera lover usually and Panasonic's Pet setting leaves the default flash on auto and the red-lamp (focus assist) is also turned on and it's hard to get a photo where my cats' eyes aren't shut. Sony put some thought into the set-up here.

And me being a Panasonic lover (in the not too distant past) I was never satisifed with the softness of a Panasonic camera photo. I always had to tweek them in Picasa to sharpen them up a bit, as well as make the colors a little brighter. Not with this Sony. I have done no post-processing other than cropping.

PROS:

> Photos almost always turn out PERFECT! Just the right amount of color and sharpness!

> BEST VIDEO of any point & shoot camera, even expensive $600.00+ cameras I have tried! In fact, if you set the HD to the highest setting on this camera, it gives you a warning that if you are burning to a DVD, you need to make it Blu-Ray it's so good.

> Solid build, although mine was made in China. I think some are made in Japan, some China.

> LCD screen is amazing, 921,000 dots, the reviews of the pictures looking at it on the camera almost look better than on your PC monitor.

> Sony G Lens...an excellent lens used on their more expensive cameras.

> Easy user-interface on the menus. I have only had to look at the manual once (looking for the macro setting).

> Background Defocus...No need for a full manual camera to achieve the blurred backgrounds; this does a great job but you have to be around 30cm (approx. 12 inches) from subject for it to turn out well.

> Battery life is excellent.

> For those of you who don't want to fuss with a bunch of different settings, you can set this camera to EASY SHOOTING mode, it gives you all the "basics" to get great photos, but the wording on the LCD screen is in larger print, making it easier to read, and since you don't have many shooting options, very easy to take a photo and still have it turn out exceptional. The EASY SHOOTING mode is PERFECT for anyone new to digital cameras (there may still be a few!)

CONS:

> I don't like having to charge the battery inside the camera, but that is remedied by buying a separate battery charger.

> LCD screen glare is a little iffy outdoors, I may pick up a matte screen protector to help.

> 18 MegaPixels! Really, this is a con with a sensor this size, you don't need over 12 MP in a camera, more is not better in this case; but I will have to say, it doesn't seem to affect quality much on this camera.

THE ZOOM: This camera has 16X optical, it will show on the screen when it starts becoming digital (digital is known for being horrible quality)...with either optical or digital, to look good you will need a tripod. The digital goes to 32X but photo quality will be poor with digital. (You can disable the digital zoom in the Tools Menu).

GPS: Once you take your camera outdoors or near a door/window, that will trigger the GPS to initialize. Personally I don't care if I have GPS, whenever I upload a photo online, I don't want people to gather even MORE information about me, like my latitude/longitude coordinates. So I disabled this feature in the Tools Menu.

RE: SUPERIOR AUTO VS. INTELLIGENT AUTO (on the Mode Dial). You have more settings to choose from on Superior, but I have noticed the camera processes more slowly between shots. On Intelligent Auto I get better results and the camera processes between shots seconds faster, almost instantly.

SOFTWARE: There is no CD in the box; the software is stored inside the camera. Once you plug the camera into your PC for the first time, it will download and also get the latest updates off the web. PlayMemories is the name of the software and I like it almost as much as Photoshop Elements.

For good quality video and fast camera processing I recommend a Class 10 SDHC card:

Sony SF16NX/TQM 16GB SDHC Class 10 Memory Card

If you're looking for a well-made case and don't want to pay the high price for a Sony OEM case:

Case Logic TBC-312 Pocket Video Camcorder Case with Storage (Black)

Keep checking back, I'm in the process of uploading photos, but it takes awhile for Amazon to approve them.

Save 9% Off

Professional Monitor Lilliput 9.7'' 969 A/o/p Color LCD Monitor with Hdmi, Ypbpr, Dual Audio Input

This is a good choice for a "big enough" portable monitor. We've had plenty of trouble from smaller and larger monitors, and unless you're willing to pony-up at least three times the price of this unit, there's really little reason for complaint. So far I get about 2 hrs of continuous use with Sony F970 batteries.

So, the downsides first...

This is a 4:3 panel.

16:9 is fairly easily set, but only after accessing the menu. (no shortcut)

Advanced features work, but only in 4:3 mode. (16:9 must be manually reset)

This unit requires a sturdy arm for tripod attachment.

Less intuitive menu.

No Sharpness adjustment.

No VESA mount.

Good stuff...

Big enough to focus with. 1:1 pixel zoom is nice.

Pass-through HDMI is lag-free. Very nice when viewing on another monitor.

Sturdy stand.

Lots of inputs.

Works with DSLR.

Overscan toggle.

Works with common batteries.

Folding shade is very snappy.

Hi

I baught

Lilliput 9.7'' 969 A/o/p

I want to ask you wiche kind of battery I use for this screen

thanks alot

Buy Professional Monitor Lilliput 9.7'' 969 A/o/p Color LCD Monitor with Hdmi, Ypbpr, Dual Audio Input Now

t is unfortunate that a company that has good presence in the audiovisual market, have such poor judgment in the development of their products, this monitor could be one of the best but it was because you have so marked and inconceivable mistakes: if you have the screen in 16:9 and want to use some of the functions F1 to F4 for example false color, peaking focus, zebra, and other setting, it automatically jumps to 4:3 which is unacceptable and unprofessional, besides annoying to the extreme

Read Best Reviews of Professional Monitor Lilliput 9.7'' 969 A/o/p Color LCD Monitor with Hdmi, Ypbpr, Dual Audio Input Here

Datacolor Spyder Studio S4SSR100

I spent the weekend setting up my new spyder4 studio bundle, and I must say I am very very happy with my purchase. I'm a visual effects student who does photography on the side, and after school ate into my budget I found myself unable to afford a calibration solution for my monitors. It got really irritating trying to explain to my teachers that it looked right on MY monitor. Anyway, I got my tax return and bought a spyder4 studio with it. Initially I was aggravated because nothing worked. Every time I tried to run the Spyder4Elite software it locked up to the point that I would have to reboot the computer. Eventually I found that the software was clashing with my amd graphics cards Catalyst Control Center software. I uninstalled all of my amd software and drivers, downloaded the newest drivers and reinstalled without the catalyst control software. So far I haven't had any problems with the lack of that software, and unless you like to overdrive your gpu for gaming I don't see any reason why you would have problems not having it. After that the spyder ran perfectly, and it's made an amazing difference. I've also been able to try out the spyderprint, which also works very well. Overall I'm stunned with how well it worked. If you want to work professionally in any kind of visual field you're taking a big risk not owning something like this.

I found that the display calibrator worked great, however the SpyderPrint generated ICC profiles that were very off in color. The ICC profiles provided with my printer (Epson Stylus Pro 4900 produce far better results. Even letting printer manage color was better.

Buy Datacolor Spyder Studio S4SSR100 Now

Recommended by a photo pro and does what I want. Have installed on three of my computers. Generates a consistent color profile on each machine.

Read Best Reviews of Datacolor Spyder Studio S4SSR100 Here

It does the job, but the printer calibration is very difficult. I am sorry I did not pay more for equipment that would be easier to use.

Want Datacolor Spyder Studio S4SSR100 Discount?