Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I

I'm usually a digital SLR user, but I've been waiting for a camera like this to come out so I have something to put in my pocket. The features that really made me decide to buy this camera were:

1. AVCHD 1080i FULL QUALITY video. Check the bitrate -it's the same as the camcorders. Better than the flip or handheld 'HD' bitrates

2. Wide Picture Stitching. I am astounded by the quality of these pictures. Dumbfounded. Check out the ones I've posted.

3. GPS Tagging. Yepbeen waiting for this since iPhoto introduced the feature into its software.

4. Low-light performance. For a point-and-shoot, you're not going to beat this. Sure, it's no DSLR, but it's pretty great for the price.

5. Pricea zillion features and a totally reasonable price!!!

Mac Compatibility:

I tried out the camera with iMovie, and it worked seamlessly!!! I imported 2 minutes of low-light video footage AVCHD in about 30 seconds from an SDHC Class-6 card. Also used the camera with iPhoto and Aperture, and everything worked great.

Update: I've had time to play around with the different settings -you can see some of my results in the customer uploaded images. The panoramas today came out great! I am still awed by this feature (amazon's tiny photos don't do it justice). Shooting inside in the MOMA was excellent. Outside, I tried the HDR mode, with limited success (still need to experiment, but see what I got). The handheld twilight mode does what it is supposed to, impressively.

*****Pros: Clear, Crisp pictures & movies. Sound is accurate. HD is excellent. Auto mode allows an average user to take excellent pictures in all but very difficult conditions. Software converts AVCHD to data, standard and WMV formats.

*****Cons: Have to remove battery from camera to recharge it. Camera has no AC adapter.

**Summary: Highlights:

* Sonys smallest and thinnest AVCHD capable digital camera (1080i)

* 10x (25mm equivalent) professional-quality optical zoom G-Lens (same lens as professional DSLR)

* 10.2 megapixel back-illuminated ?Exmor R? CMOS image sensor combined with BIONZ image processor

* ISO: Auto/125/200/400/800/1600/3200, Panorama, Anti-Motion & moviesHD (1920 x 1080 pixels),

* High Speed Shooting ? 10 frames per second at 10 megapixel full resolution

* 3-inch (230K pixels) Clear Photo LCD display with a special anti-reflective coating

* Backlight Correction HDR and GPS + Compass and Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode technologies

*****Comparison Prior to purchase:

Review Data: I reviewed over 50 web sites, spoke to camera stores and had the specifications reviewed by photographic professionals.

*WEB Site Reviews: The web sites I reviewed gave mixed reviews but in general this camera came out one of the best point and shoot cameras. In fact many of the complaints I read were by people comparing the camera with high end SLR?s or DSLR?s clearly not an unbiased or practical test, in my opinion a device should be compared with products in the same class to be fair.

*Store and Professional Reviews:I spoke to most of the major and many other camera stores that carried various brands that were familiar with this camera all of them stated they did not have a point and shoot better than this camera. Some stated the camera was as good as some SLR?s and some pointed out the lens and the CMOS image sensor was the same as that found on high end DSLRs.

My Test Results:

*****Indoor Camera mode: Camera tested in the Auto mode, photographed people and pets ? Tested under natural light, incandescent and fluorescent lights all shots were clear and sharp. Camera Tested in a darkened room in Auto mode flash worked picture quality was excellent. Extreme test Camera tested in an almost completely dark room with light seeping through a window blind, picture blurry -camera had trouble adjusting due to streaks of light coming through blind. Repeated test without sunlight comming through blind in the dark camera worked excellent but I had to use "Easy" mode instead of Auto. It pays to try the cameras different modes.

*****Outdoor Camera Mode Camera tested in Auto mode; photographed people and pets pictures were clear and sharp. The camera compensated for my movements, people moving and animal movement even when using zoom at its maximum without a tripod. Photographed a man made waterfall you could actually see the water streaming down the rock. Photographed several high trees all came out straight, even a palm tree. Tested camera at sunset and at night to get the best results you need to learn the cameras mode.

*****Movie Mode: (Inside and Outside)

Photographed people and animals playing inside and outside, a man made waterfall, a television program. Camera adjusted to my movements and gave clear and crisp movies. Sounds were accurate and clear.

*****Viewing:

The camera has a 3 inch LCD display; I had no problem seeing what I photographed even in sunlight.

*****Software:

The camera includes software that allows you to save your pictures as data, WMV, HD and standard mode. All modes worked well.

Conclusion: As far as I am concerned this camera is better than any point and shoot on the market. I agree with a lot of the professionals that stated it was almost as good as a SLR or DSLR when used by the average user. Even in the Auto mode it excelled in many difficult situations both as a fixed camera and movie camera. Due to the camera size you have to be careful not to block the microphone on the top of the camera. If you are a professional photographer this camera is probably not for you though I did talk to one professional photographer that stated they used this camera as a backup at a wedding and the pictures came out as good as their high end cameras in many situations.

*****Cost: I managed to find the camera on sale at for $293.99 when buying 2 accessories @ 15% off.

*****Below are some of the camera specifications to see them all you can go to .

* Optical Zoom : 10x

* Total Zoom : Approximately 20x with Precision Digital Zoom Macro Mode : iAuto(W:Approx.5cm(0.16')

* Drive Mode : Normal / Hi-Speed Burst (High/Mid/Low) / Bracketing

* Shutter Speeds : iAuto(2" 1/1,600) / Program Auto(1" 1/1,600) /Manual(30"-1/1600)

* Aperture : iAuto(F3.5/F8.0(W)) / Program Auto(F3.5/F8.0(W)) / Manual(F3.5/F8.0(W)) (2 Steps with ND Filter)

* ISO : Auto / 125 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200

* Focal Length (35mm equivalent) : 4.25-42.5mm

* AF Modes : 9 points AF / Center Weighted AF / Spot AF

* Burst Mode : Approx 10 fps at 10.2MP (Maximum 10 shots)

* HD Output : HDMI / Component (1080i)

* Flash Modes : Auto / On / Slow Syncro / Off

* White Balance Mode: Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Fluorescent / Incandescent / Flash.

* Image Stabilization : Optical

* Imaging Sensor : 1/2.4" (7.59mm) "Exmor R" CMOS Sensor

* Processor : BIONZ?

* LCD Type : 3.0"1 Clear Photo LCD (230K pixels)

* Lens Type : Sony G-Lens (same as DSLR's)

* Scene Mode(s) : High Sensitivity / Twilight / Twilight Portrait / Soft Snap / Landscape / Beach / Snow / Fireworks / Advanced Sports / Gourmet / Pet

Buy Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I Now

I'm comparing this camera to my most recent camera: Canon SD1000 and Sony TX1. I'm just a casual photographer. The most surprising thing about this camera is the weight. If you've owned some high end Sony or Canon PowerShot cameras then holding this camera doesn't "feel" normal, it's way too light for it's size...but that's a good thing....sort of. They achieve this weight reduction by using plastic for many of the body parts (the SD1000 and TX1 are mostly, if not all metal). The back is definitely plastic, I'm not quite sure about the front. The mode dial (although very welcome) feels cheap.

That's about it for the bad news. The good news is the GPS locks FAST out of the box and the picture quality is very good, on par with 10-12 mega-pixel cameras. The Sony "extra" features such as panorama and 1080 HD video work as advertised and add value to the Sony versus the only current competitor (with GPS and a mega-zoom) the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 which has not been released yet. You can compare images between the two cameras on the Imaging Resource site as well as some others.

I'm was going to purchase both this camera and the Panasonic to see which one I liked better, however I'm going to be keeping the Sony. I'm very happy with the ease of use, picture quality and the Sony extra features (such as panorama).

For a case, I'm using the Case Logic TBC302. It fits the camera perfectly with barely enough room in the front pocket to hold a spare battery. The Case Logic TBC303 is much larger but not too useful, for example you can't put the battery charger with the camera. It could hold some credit cards or papers, though.

Update: Software

I usually never install the included software because it's so bloated or just not very good to use. However, the Sony PMB (which is on a CDROM or on the internal camera memory when plugged into your computer) is VERY good. Good in that it's not bloated and it just works. You can do everything you expect such as organize and edit your photos or even update/assign GPS data. Also you can download updated GPS data (which helps the camera lock to GPS faster). I would dare say the software is nicer than Picasa or iPhoto due to the speed and built in GPS features. Some other things you can do but I have not tried yet: you can burn a video DVD (either a normal DVD or a AVCHD DVD with 1080i quality, but you need a PS3 or compatible player to watch those).

Update: GPS

I'm happy to report the GPS function works very well. I took a drive while snapping pictures as a test and then examined the recorded locations. The location was being actively updated because it was able to differentiate my position between shots taken seconds apart going about 40 MPH. Very pleased.

Update: Picture Quality

On closer inspection, the picture quality is a bit soft..I wish I could have the camera automatically adjust the sharpening inside the camera (make it more sharp) but this is not a big deal as the PMB software has easy edit controls. You can also manually unsharp after you take the photograph. The low light performance is remarkable, especially the low-light modes that actively combine multiple images (hand-held twilight and back-light HDR modes do this). As long as you're steady and you're not shooting a moving subject you can get some pretty remarkable, low-noise images at night.

Other final comment: when you turn the camera off, there is a slight delay (fraction of a second) before the lens retracts. Not really an issue but just something I'm not used to with my previous cameras and something I just noticed as I'm usually taking quick impromptu photos, on..photo...off. The interface, although totally functional, is not as "refined" as on my Sony TX1 (with touch screen), the LCD resolution is noticeably lower but, again, totally functional.

The mode dial is still bugging me, I feel it's the first thing on this camera that will go...But only time will tell.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I Here

I have been looking for a new P&S for a while and compared the Sony hx5v v. Canon sx210is v. Panasonic zs3 (as a prelude to the zs7). The most important consideration was image quality followed closely by convenience, a well defined menu system, lens quality, fit and finish and pocketability. The Sony and Panny both had a gps function which was not important to me.

The panny zs3 had poor low light performance and no manual controls. Several bona fide review sites stated that the IQ for the zs7 was inferior to the zs3 so I quickly made a decision that the zs7 was not in contention.

For a comparison between the Sony and Canon I spent lunchtime on a couple of days walking around town taking only photos with the Sony on the trip out...and with the Canon on the walk back to my office. With the same drill in the evening to compare low light performance. I accumulated several hundred photos. When taking the photos I would use whatever mode or camera setting was appropriate at the time. Specifically, I did not set the cameras on Auto and just shoot in that mode. I also took a fair amount of video. A couple of days later I loaded all photos and video onto my computer and began viewing and this is where the Sony fell down. The images were very soft. At a small size they looked fine in fact they looked very good. However, with any magnification, the in-camera noise removal processing was evident and very heavy handed. Other review sites stated this, but I had to see it for myself, and even at ISO 125 (the lowest Sony allows) the images were soft. At pixel peeping levels it was very bad. Details were lost and it all looked like plastic. And if the details aren't there, no amount of work in PS or LR will bring them back to life. The evidence of noise at magnification was low, but I'd rather have native noise and remove it with Neat Image than be stuck with an over processed image. Also, there is no manual mode at all...all auto function. There is no iris for f-stop control, so to limit light Sony has chosen to use a neutral density filter and you get only 2 f-stops. Therefore, you get one depth of field for all images. That is almost anti-camera to me.

Sony claims their CMOS sensor is superior to a CCD sensor. That is apparent in the ability to shoot full resolution images for 10 fps bursts, as well as the hand held twilight and anti blur modes. But, to my eye, I don't see any low light benefit of the CMOS over the CCD and image quality did not compare well, though I don't think that had much to do with the sensor as much as Sony's noise algorithm.

The white balance is inconsistent indoors. You can get a custom WB by shooting a white object, but the native AWB will leave you disappointed. Outdoors the colors are warm no problem there. And it is easy to use anti blur mode to get a quick snapshot anytime and have a good result.

I did not give the video an adequate review since the stills were so disappointing. However, the microphones are situated in the exact wrong location. It is difficult to keep from covering one or both of them as you are filming. It is a very poor design. The flash is weak and poorly located it is easy to block with your fingers. The light from the flash falls visibly off-centered in the image.

The Sony has some great technology. The 10 fps burst is great, the hand held twilight and anti blur are clever and practical. The menu system is well designed and intuitive. It is a good point and shoot camera for someone that wants only that without the need for printing beyond 4x6 or only for casual viewing on the computer.

The Sony was returned and the Canon sx210is won out. Far better image quality, it has a manual mode with up to 15 second exposure, very good HD video at 720p and good sound, superior low light performance, better flash power as well as being able to adjust the eV +/for flash photography, better color gamut, the 14x optical on the Canon is nice some vignetting at 14x, but that is fixable in post process. I do wish the Canon had a faster burst mode.

Want Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I Discount?

I've had the HX5V since I replaced my Canon SD800IS in March, '10 and have been very pleased with what it has to offer. It captures great images but with a caveat. It is not, strictly, a point and shoot. It has features such as the hand-held twilight, anti motion blur and iPanorama that take some knowledge and practice to make the most of. Most of the complaints I have read here relate to a misunderstanding of the camera features and not a failure in design. I'll address some of the the issues and how I have avoided or dealt with them.

Colors: Most compact digital cameras come with auto-ISO and auto white-balance as the defaults. I always over-ride the auto-ISO with the lowest ISO setting and adjust manually from there if needed. Auto WB is left on, but virtually no current camera will decipher the odd mix of light that compact fluorescent lighting puts out. That's why there is a custom WB setting. When custom white-balance is used properly, colors are rendered nicely. In daylight, I have had no problems and under incandescent outdoor lighting it seems to render colors quite well.

Distortion: Most P&S cameras don't start out at 24mm equivalent on the wide end (one of the reasons that I bought the camera). If you are not used to composing using a wider-angle lens, your shots can produce some perspective distortion. Buildings and interiors need to be shot carefully at wide angles to minimize the "leaning walls" effect caused by the exaggerated perspective of wide angle lenses that is often mistaken for lens distortion. The lens itself is remarkably free of distortion at both the wide and long end of the zoom range. BTW, people shot up close with a wide-angle lens will NOT like how they look!

Lack of detail: The HX5V is not a DSLR. Its 10MP files will never support the detail that you can get with a large APS-C sensor. If you are obsessed with detail and like to view your pictures in minute detail at 100% zoom with your nose 12 inches away from your monitor, this is not the camera for you. That said, it will fit in your pocket and produce sharp, detailed images suitable for 8x10 prints or even larger...if used properly. Auto-ISO will automatically boost ISO in low-light conditions. As stated before, this camera is a compact, not a DSLR. Though it does better at ISO 800 than most, it still has a tiny sensor that is susceptible to noise and the accompanying loss of detail from noise reduction processing at higher ISO. In low light, I have used the hand-held twilight function with excellent results. This mode isn't magic and if the camera moves too much during the multiple exposures, it won't do the job. If you choose your subject well and keep the camera steady, the images in this mode can be very impressive. Digital zoom can cause problems at the long end. Since this feature simply takes a smaller center section of the image and blows it up, resolution suffers. I'm happy with the 10x optical zoom and turning off the "digital zoom" option prevents its use and accidental image degradation.

iPanorama doesn't work: Nonsense. It is actually one of the best in-camera panorama solutions out there. Like everything else, there is no free lunch. You have to practice moving the camera steadily and smoothly across the scene and keep in mind that since it is using the video mode to capture the 100 or so image slices, you are limited to a 1080 pixel tall image (unless you trick it and use the vertical mode sideways to get a 1920 tall panorama).

In general, the HX5V will function as a point and shoot camera but to get the most out of its remarkable feature set, you need to take the time to learn the functions and how to best take advantage of what they have to offer. It is not a camera for everyone but it can be a great 24x7, take-anywhere tool with some class-leading features if use it well.

I have posted some images on my share site with examples of low-light, indoor, outdoor, panorama and extremes of the zoom range.

You can find them at: Well I guess you'll have to take my word for it. Whenever I post the link, Amazon moderators strip it out. Since there are no ads at the site I can't imagine they are fearing revenue loss to my humble competition. Look up the images gallery at Digital Photography Review for examples(a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon). I'd post the link...but it might be removed by a moderator that doesn't know that they own DPReview

You can run a full-screen slide show of the images there as well.

If you want a great compact camera with a load of useful features and are willing to do some of the homework necessary to get the most out of it, the HX5V is an excellent choice. Get one and enjoy it!

Happy shooting!

Dave

Sony Alpha SLT-A65 Translucent Mirror Technology Digital SLR Camera Body & 18-55mm Lens with 75

Wow, what a fast camera! But read reviews of the camera itself if you're wanting more on that topic :)

I just have some quick comments on this particular package. As of today the cost of this entire kit (even with $20 shipping) is less than the cost of buying just the camera and one lens from Amazon, so in some ways all the other components are "free," which makes it a great deal. That said, some of the components are better than others:

Sony Alpha SLT-A65 Translucent Mirror Technology Digital SLR Camera Body & 18-55mm Lens --> did I mention this camera was fast? I also find it more intuitive than either the Canon T4i or Nikon 5100

Sony Alpha 75-300mm Zoom Lens --> the lenses tend to vary the most from one package to another. This one is rated fairly well, and seems to work just fine

Sony LCS-SC8 DSLR Camera Case --> it's decent, and as of today it sells for $43ish on Amazon. The instructions warn that it will bleed onto your clothes if it gets wet, but it seems to have fairly sturdy construction and will hold one camera, a couple of lenses, and has a couple of side pouches for other things (one in front is solid and has a zipper, but the two side pouches are just mesh pockets). The interior pouch has (strong) velcro, so you can tweak the size of the internal compartments as needed

Transcend 32GB Class10 SD Card --> that's a slooooooooooow class 10, at 25 MB/s. The SanDisk class 10 is 45 MB/s

Spare NP-FM500H Battery --> not a Sony battery, but I haven't used it much so can't comment on it otherwise

Vivitar 55mm UV Glass Filter --> not much to say about this... I put it on and it seems to be fine

Additional Vivitar 55mm UV Glass Filter --> (same)

Zeikos Wireless Remote Control --> the really simple kind, with just a single button that you can press partway or all the way down. You have to aim it at the front of the camera (left side, if you're looking at the front). To make your camera "listen" for the remote, you have to press Function > Drive and then it's the last choice (this is the same place you go to turn on fast continuous-mode or slow continuous-mode shooting)

PD 2x Tele & .45x Wide Lens --> MISSING altogether! The receipt said it was back-ordered, and the seller mailed it to me maybe 3 weeks after everything else arrived. I haven't tested these at all.

Precision Design 57" Tripod --> the PD-58 PVTR, to be precise. Currently sells for $15ish on Amazon, and has a 3-star rating. I can't stand it--it's not sturdy enough to hold this camera and the 75-300mm lens in position--no matter how much you tighten the knobs, it slowly drifts downward, and ruins your shot. I wish they would have made the kit cost $4 more and included the Targus Digital TG-6660TR 66-Inch tripod instead--it's also cheap, but much better than this one :(

PD SDHC Memory Card Reader --> A simple one, for SD/SDHC/MMC cards (no micro or mini) on one end, and a USB port on the other... plus a USB extension cord in case the base is otherwise too chunky to plug into your computer (depending on how your computer's USB ports are positioned). Quite simple and works just fine.

PD 6pc Complete Cleaning Kit --> fairly basic, has a decent case to store everything in

PD Memory Card Storage Wallet --> it's tiny, maybe 2 inches by 2 inches, with three pouches that easily fit one memory card in each, though you could probably put 2 in and mayyyyybe three

LCD Monitor Screen Protectors --> cutting them to size is tricky and a bit annoying, though they do have 1-millimeter lines printed on them to help you cut straight lines. If you cut these in half, you can get 6 out of this set of 3 for the Alpha SLT-A65 camera. They do seem to add a tiny bit of glare, and those bubbles are really hard to work out, but the extra protection from scratches is probably worth it

Again: the camera is great, and since all of the above are basically "free" compared to the cost of buying the same camera with lenses elsewhere, it's fantastic. Just double-check your order for completeness when it arrives, and consider buying a separate SanDisk class 10 memory card if speed is important to you.

This model, like some other sony dslr cameras, uses the old Minolta 'A' lense mount. This means if you have any legacy Minolta Maxxum AF lens made since 1985, they will fit! Slick move on sony's part. I've had it since june and couldn't be happier. Handled Disney World with ease. No malfunctions, knock on wood. Cannon and Nikon are just now offering the resolution that is anywhere close to this camera. Action shots are no problem! This thing is rapid fire when you want to capture the action.

Buy Sony Alpha SLT-A65 Translucent Mirror Technology Digital SLR Camera Body & 18-55mm Lens with 75 Now

JVC GR-D270 MiniDV Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom

I spent hours on-line trying to select a camcorder from an overwhelming multitude. The important considerations for me were:

PC connectivity

Price

At least decent video and audio quality

Battery life, size and everything else

This JVC is a success in all these parameters.

I had no trouble at all connecting to a wintel PC. I have a cheap no-name lash-up desktop box, a $15 firewire card, a generic $5 firewire cable, and XP. I am relieved to report it all worked first time, because connectivity problems are apparently common with all camera brands (including JVC).

This is one of the cheaper miniDV machines, so the price was right.

Video quality, for an uncritical amateur like me, is plenty good enough. And there is apparently wide-spread opinion that JVCs are better than average in low-light conditions.

Audio quality, again good enough. There is definitely some motor noise breakthrough with the built-in mike that interferes with quiet pastoral scenes.

Battery life with the supplied battery is approx 1 hour. Since JVC batteries are upwards of $80, I will be buying cheap generic knock-offs in the $30 range.

The supplied USB cable is for downloading pictures from the snapshot and webcam mode. It is worthless for transferring video. Snapshots are inferior to my aged Canon Elph.

If a buddy could have told me here was a camera that worked OK with my computer, and was otherwise decent and affordable, I could have saved hours of research.

EDIT 1: Still 4 stars, but I would have exchanged some of that 25x tele for some more wide-angle. Also, the zoom mechanism is a bit abrupt, it is difficult to get a smooth zooming action.

This camera has a lot going for it...especially for the price. The video quality is good, it interfaces well to a PC over firewire, small size, decent controls, etc., etc.

But, I am returning it.

The motor noise on the audio is a killer drawback.

I have been taking videos of my 4 month old son but during playback it sounds like there is a locust invasion preparing to bounce during any break in his cooing.

I was wondering if I was being too picky so I compared the audio with that of the Canon miniDV I bought in 1998 (yes, 1998) and the Canon was sooooooo much quieter.

Too bad....'cos this cam was otherwise very nice.

Buy JVC GR-D270 MiniDV Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom Now

This is my first Mini DV camera I was very exited intially but I found some of descripancies but overall it is good camera to begin

Pro :

1. Smallest possible

2. Picture quality excellant

3. Easy to Handle.

Cons :

1. Does not support download from Mini DV to PC by USB Note :This is very important drawback so IEEE is only option if you want to download movie from mini DV to Laptop or PC

2. Sound quality is not 100% I would say 60% good

3. No remote control feature

Read Best Reviews of JVC GR-D270 MiniDV Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom Here

We have been debating for a while whether or not to upgrade to a digital camera. Since we are expecting another child, we decided to go ahead and purchase this camera based on reviews and price. It all sounded so good. Luckily we tried it out in advance of our trip to the hospital. We were very disapointed. I was expecting a much higher quality picture, but instead it looked like your average webcam shots. Grainy/pixely (is that a word?) and the movement was mechanical. It seemed to be trying to focus constantly. We were inside with all the lights in the room and hall on and the camera light. Realistically, this is the environment the majority of our video will be shot. Pehaps it performs better outside in bright sunlight??? Regardless, it is making a trip back tomorrow. Now we are back to square one and have no idea what to buy! And this baby is NOT going to wait. PS the sound wasn't impressive either. And all the still shots were incredibly blurry. WHY???

Want JVC GR-D270 MiniDV Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom Discount?

This camcorder was bought in September 2005 and is still working well. I was talking a film class and didn't want to have the hassle of borrowing my school's $1000+ camcorder. Knowing full well that Canon and Sony, especially Sony, would be the best camcorder for people wanting their shots to look professional, I looked on Amazon and Circuit City to see reviews. I went into Stereo Advantage and well, walked out with a JVC due to the fact that it was a little less expensive then some of the other camcorders. So, the advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

1) It is pretty decent in low light. It does have a light on it and this does help.

2) I never noticed the motor noise mostly because when I film stuff and edit it on my Powerbook with Final Cut, I usually add music. I read reviews with motor noises but I guess that if there is complete silence in a room, you'll hear it.

3) Firewire cable and AV cables are easy to find and connect.

4) Easy to hold.

Disadvantages:

1) Firewire does NOT come with camcorder. You'll have to buy this separate. Best place to find firewire cables is online (Amazon, Ebay). You'll play way too much in stores.

**By the way, if you don't know what firewire is here is what it is. Mac computers almost always come with firewire outlet, just like PCs come with USB outlets. For PCs, you can buy a firewire card and insert it in your PC. The purpose of firewire is to transfer video from your camcorder onto your computer. USB plugs(which comes with this camcorder) just transfer photos.

2) Taking pictures on this camcorder does not turn out good at all. I would stick with a digital camera instead.

3) Battery is horrible. It lasts like 50 minutes fully charged. I plan on buying another one.

Optoma TH1060P, HD (1080p), 4500 ANSI Lumens, High-Definition Projector

I have extensive experience with both projectors and video production, so here's the straight scoop. This is a great tool for some things. If you need to project a clean bright image with good color balance in a room with some ambient light, there may currently not be a better projector for the money. It has sizzling brightness and a razor sharp picture, even on large screens. The blacks look deep and rich as long as there's a bright image next to them. Sporting events such as night baseball games look amazing. In darker scenes, shadow detail and blacks get murky as is to be expected with the stated contrast ratio. For this reason, it has limited use as a home theater projector. The high lumen output rocks and I would kill to have a home theater rig that puts out this much light and also has good blacks, but unfortunately this one can't do both. The fan is pretty noisy at the bright lamp setting, but reasonable (around 29db) with the standard setting which is still very bright. It has limited adjustments for color, and you can't really get a convincing color temp above 6500 or so. If you like to watch everything with a blue bias this may not work for you. I bought mine to do video presentations in small to medium size halls, it's great for that purpose.

Relativly new to the projector world. I have an InFocus X1 (OLD) for the kids to play their Wii on. In a dark room, it works fine. I wanted a BRIGHT HD projector to use during the football season. Primary use is in our den with alot of ambient light. No problem for the Optoma. I realize that there are alot of experts who review high dollar home theatre projectors, but I need LUMENS for my high ambient light situation. I compared the few reviews I could find on HD projectors with over 4000 lumen and under a budget of $1500. I am projecting onto a budget 135" diag screen with a throw distance of 18 feet. It works well with all of the recessed lights in our den on, even better when they are dimmed. Light from the next room is not a problem. I know that their are probably better "home theatre" projectors out there, but for the budget and high ambient light situation, this one has proved very worthy in my real world use. ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!!!!!!

Buy Optoma TH1060P, HD (1080p), 4500 ANSI Lumens, High-Definition Projector Now

I like this projector, it delivers in every way.

the high definition of 1080p is awesome and the wattage power is not affected by a bright room.

the only draw back for this devise is the keystoning only applies to the vertical mode and not the horizontal requiring the projector to be centered on your screen. Once that was understood the rest of setup was easy.

Read Best Reviews of Optoma TH1060P, HD (1080p), 4500 ANSI Lumens, High-Definition Projector Here

Still have only about 5 hours of use on this but I am blown away with the brightness and image quality of this projector. We are using it in a covered backyard patio area gets pretty dark at night but it is NOT a true light controlled environment as there are some lights from sources we can't fully control. Using a 100" diagonal Draper Luma Screen with Contrast Gray colored screen in there.

We also got a giant 120" portable Camp Chef portable outdoor movie theater screen for use around my sister-in-law's large backyard and pool area which overlooks a small lake. Last night (July 3) even some of the neighbors across the lake (over 200' away) were coming out to their backyards as we watched Independence Day in HD back there.

I have a 61" Samsung LED DLP TV in my main living room and the Optoma BLOWS AWAY it and anything I've ever seen before in any home environment. I thought this would look good, but I've been stunned at just how awesome the image quality is using either of the above screens. A big factor for me was the 4500 Lumens output and this thing is really bright. It is quite watchable as it gets dusk before full dark and once dark it rivals a movie theater to my and my families' and friend's laypersons eyes.

It has plenty of inputs and is compatible with basically all formats including 24P, but is not a 3D projector. I don't really care for the 3D stuff.

It does have 1/8" audio out jack as well. We can connect out back using a 35' HDMI cable using the audio out jack can output the audio (albeit only in stereo) to a good computer speaker setup (Logitech Z680) with a subwoofer which results in quick to set up for decent sound if one is not using this with a dedicated HT receiver and speaker system. The internal 3W speaker is not at all suitable for watching a movie, maybe OK for a small room business presentation though.

This thing does everything Optoma HD20 or Optoma HD23 (both marketed as "Home Theater" can do, but with a significantly brighter screen (albeit at a higher price). Neither of the other two Optoma's have the audio out jack so with those your audio options require a more expensive solution.

We are really looking forward to the summer Olympics and football this fall, and will likely use this every so often at tailgates.

When/if my Samsung 61" DLP dies, this will be its replacement inside the house. Would definitely buy this again.

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Projector was working ok, very bright and clear picture.

Suddenly It stops working, It doesn't start up and lamp's led turns red.

I'm trying on contact Optoma for RFA, still no answer from them.

I don't recommend this product, neither Optoma support.

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Varizoom VZSHOE Shoe Mount (Black)

Solid construction quality. I use this for my Zoom H4N mount on my L-bracket with my Canon 7D

The VariZoom adjustable swivel mount seems to be well constructed and is working out very nicely to support my new Marshall 7" camera-mounted LCD monitor. Traditionally a weak point on these swivel shoe mounts, the Varizoom seems to have a very positive fastener that holds the somewhat heavy Marshall monitor in the desired position firmly. I use and highly recommend the VariZoom Adjustable Swivel Shoe Mount accessory.

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... used to raise vid light above an obstructing microphone wind muff. Does the trick and easily adjustable.

Combine it with other straight or L brackets with flash mounts and easily, cheaply solve those 'special' requirements that always seem to materialize on a remote shoot.

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I bought this VariZoom swivel to mount a H4N to the top of a Canon 7D, (it seems that many people have used this mount with success, and it is much cheaper than other options available), however once the shoe mount arrived the bottom screw would not turn to fasten to the 7D, so it freely slid in and out of the camera's hot shoe plate... AKA the bottom screw was locked up and wouldn't fasten. I've only sent two items back to Amazon and this was one of them. Perhaps I just got a dud though since many people have said on here that they have used them with success. (I needed more security so I purchased the Manfrotto brand shoe mount, also on Amazon.)

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This is a great mount, I ordered it with my 60D and got this only a few days later. My 60D came 2 day shipping and this was 3-5.

As for the product, I had intended to use it to mount my Zoom H4n on top of my camera. The mount works well for this, but the built in mics on the H4n pic up any little handling noise on the camera, so if you pulling focus or touching the camera at all this would not be a good choice. Although the mount will still work to attach boom mics to the H4n so it is not a big problem. Plus I'm sure this will be great for a video monitor down the road. For now I will be looking for some sort of shock mount to attach my H4n.

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Nikon COOLPIX S8200 16.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 14x Optical Zoom NIKKOR ED Glass Lens and Full

I just received my Nikon Coolpix S8200 so my initial comments are admittedly based on just a couple of days playing with the camera, however I noticed how few comments there were, so I thought prospective buyers of this camera should have some additional feedback on which to base their purchase decision. First of all, the other reviewers are right about the placement of the flash mechanism. This is one of the few times that I have had a Nikon camera where so obvious an error in design was made. I have long fingers and you can learn over time, but it is difficult to hold the camera steady without overlapping the flash. I didn't however let this feature detract from the other excellent features. The quality of the pictures are exceptional indoors and out. I have a Nikon D7000 and the S8200 camera compares favorably in a lot of ways. The mode dial offers choices not on previous Coolpix cameras. The 14X optical zoom is a major improvement over previous cameras like the P300 and for a compact digital camera, the shutter speed is amazinging fast. I like that this model is slightly thicker and a little heavier than my old S3000. It feels better in my hand and I can hold it easier. I will have no problem traveling with this camera when it is not practical to take my D7000. I also like the design of the multi-selector putting functions like flash control, self-timer, macro and exposure adjustment convenient so I do not have to go into a menu to use these features. This camera is a little pricey, but if you put a premium on quality and flexibility versus the average compact digital camera, I would suggest you buy this camera. I don't think you will be disappointed.

June 2012 Update: One of the most impressive features of this camera is the quality of indoor shots it takes without a flash. Shots are bright, clear with no artificial light distortions that you see with other non-DSLR cameras. I now almost exclusively take low light shots without the flash unless it is outdoors at night with no additional lighting present. I recently attended an indoor graduation ceremony where flash would have been ineffective at the distance I was from the stage. I was concerned that the shutter speed would be so slow without flash that would result in blurred images. This wasn't the case. Almost all of the shots were clear and lighting was exceptional.

I received my Nikon S8200 a few days ago. It is wonderful; easy to use; fast; and did I say, fast. The CMOS screen is better than my Nikon SLR. Downloading the photos to my Nikon Capture NX2 software on my iMac 24" screen results in photos that are nearly as stunning as my Nikon SLR.

My only gripe is the flash. Whoever decided to put the pop-up flash where it is either never uses a point-and-shoot camera or has little bitty toddler-sized hands. The flash pops up out of the camera right where your left index finger rests. The first time I used it and the flash was required, the flash never came out fully as my left index finger blocked it. The photo was lost.

Warning for critical photo shoots: if you are hoping to get your child's first step indoors where the flash will be required, be careful, you may loose the shot. You must practice a new way of holding your camera.

Page 12 of the supplied manual shows an artist's drawing of the left and right hands properly holding the S8200 camera for flash operation. What Nikon has shown is physically impossible with normal sized hands and fingers on the 4" wide S8200.

My solution modification: I added a small 3/4" x 1/8" felt strip to the top of the flash to give me a tactile-feel reminder of the problem. This reminds me to reposition my fingers and thumbs before using flash photography. Now I position my left index finger on the middle of the top of the camera with the left thumb on the middle of the bottom being sure to not block my view of the rear screen with my left hand. Weird, but it can be done.

Someone at Nikon surely thought that the flash on the S8200 was real cool. No, it is not. Do the felt strip mod and you will remember to reposition from the norm.

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Just got my S8200 tonight and am still battling a bad cold, so I didn't really have a chance to take photos other than inside my house (primarily of my dogs, bedroom, and small christmas tree.) But I have to say, I'm pretty impressed.

As always, I despise my newest camera and am typically *sure* I'm sending it back for its first 1/2 hour in my hands, until I've had time to get to know it and discover its nuances. Same thing happened here, not surprisingly. But now I really love it.

I shoot with Nikon SLRs professionally, but I always carry a little 'snappy cam' as I call them, around with me, because you never know what you'll end up wanting or needing a photo of. I have an 'old' (2006) Nikon S7C which is certainly small enough and easily portable, but the quality is really lacking, especially with video which is the other reason I bought the s8200. Full 1080p video is lovely. Hardly any lens zoom noise or AF noise, which is quite different from the 'clickity click hummm' the S7C makes.

I PONDERED long and hard over getting this or the P300. While I love the idea of the P300s fast 1.8 lens, the P300s zoom range is around 24-100mm, whereas this camera's is 25-300mm, and I really need the zoom more than the fast lens. Not to mention that once you zoom in, that fast lens slows down considerably, anyway. And I don't plan to do a lot of night shots with any 'snappy' camera like this.

There is another major difference between the two, and that is the S8200 is 16.1MP and the P300 is only 12MP. You will see the difference in enlargements, especially any over 8x10.

I did a couple of test shots at the long end of the lens (I turned the defacto crappy digital zoom off which is a nice ability, by the way, so that means just the optical 300mm) and I am really wowed at how clear and sharp they came out. The VR really works well (another thing the old SC7 does have, but that has been clearly improved.)

As for all the other features, I believe they are the same on both models (the S8200 and the P300.) The only difference lies with P300s ability to shoot in program mode, aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual mode. You know what? I've been doing this for a long time now, and I don't know a lot of pros who would want or need that much control in a 'snappy' camera. I can't speak for all pros, but I know the reason many of us carry these is NOT to duplicate and downsize our SLRs, but for the same reason everyone else carries them: to take snapshots! So if I wanted that much control, I'd just stick with my DSLRs.

Took some video (which look great on the beautiful LCD) but haven't had a chance to see any of them on a TV yet. I can't seem to get them converted so I can view them on Apple TV (iTunes keeps crashing during conversion my netbook's fault I hope.) I'll have to convert it on my studio's desktop PC. The other option is direct plug-in, but I only have 1 HDMI input on my bedroom tv and don't feel like contorting myself to plug the camera in directly. So I'll have to wait and upate my review about the quality of the video once I'm well enough.

Things that I am surprised I like:

* the black and white copy (not sure why it's called 'copy' I will have to RTFM) Update: I did RTFM, and it turns out it's for making copies of print materials. Despite what it's intended use is, I liked the way some of the photos I took with is came out (that were not printed materials.)

* the high-contrast monochrome,

* the backlighting mode with the ability to choose 0, 1, 2, or 3 stops of HDR (it does the work of compositing in-camera, and you get one nicely-exposed HDR image.) Would love an HDR button on all my cameras, actually, LOL.

* the flash this little thing throws out a lot of light. I got excellent coverage on a Xmas tree ornament 10 feet away with the lens at 300mm.

Things I don't like:

* the cheap plasticky door for the HDMI/USB connection. I prefer rubbery ones. These don't make me feel like they'll last a lifetime.

* the lack of a manual. Yeah, can't believe I'm crabbing about it since I don't read them much, but apparently, I miss them. Thankfully, I have my PC handy.

* the fact that you cannot push the flash back in once it's been used. So let's say the first photo I take needs a flash but all the rest that follow do not. Thanks to Nikon I'll still have the stupid flash popped up and in my way. The only way to retract the flash is to turn off the camera and then turn the camera back on to start snapping again. Stupid design. I'm sure they'll fix it in some later model at which point my S8200 will appear on eBay. LOL.

* the fact that it doesn't come with any ANY carrying case. Even the S7C did. (not that I ever used it.)

If they remedied the above shortcomings, and if it had a tilt/swivel LCD for shooting at low/high angles, as well as the ability to shoot RAW for optional post-processing futzing*, it would be the perfect camera, IMO.

*While I said I don't want to miniaturize my DSLRs in a snappy cam, I do want the option of post-processing any excellent photo that I may grab while snapping. RAW is the best way to do that as the changes you make to the file are non-destructive...as opposed to JPEG.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon COOLPIX S8200 16.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 14x Optical Zoom NIKKOR ED Glass Lens and Full Here

After much research online, I chose this camera. Which unfortunately for me, was only 2 weeks before my vacation to Spain. I received my camera 1 week before my trip, which gave me no time to really practice with it beforehand. So I downloaded the 228 page manual and took it with me! Note to Nikon: Print a book! I would have paid more just to get it! I am in love with this camera! The low light performance is outstanding, as is the image stabilization and macro shooting. I only used the video a couple of times, but the shooting is easy,and something I will use in the future. I am a previous Nikon customer, so the controls were easy to figure out without having to study my manual.

As a previous user had stated, the flash design is awkward. It took a couple of days of using it before I stopped putting my finger on top of the flash. I started using one hand to take the photos, and they were still extremely sharp.I can't wait to choose my photos for enlarging & framing. At 16 MP, the sky's the limit!

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i liked the specs on paper for the S8200, while the images look good viewed on screen, inspecting them at 100% view reveals noise and heavy processing specially in dim/dark areas of the image.

The AF in bright light is very fast, but struggles in dimmer lighting, even with the AF assist. Many times, it just refused to lock.

I have an S8100 and the S8100's images are much cleaner even when viewed at 100% and the AF locks MUCH better even in low light (although in the S8100, there is an annoying delay after the AF lock which is very prevalent specially in low light)

Other weird items:

1. annoying pop-up flash that can't be pushed down manually, but can be disabled by turning flash off. problem is, to retract the

flash, you need to turn off the camera

2. unable to turn off image review

3. loud beep for button presses. you can turn it off or on but nothing in between

4. pet mode selection on dial? huh? night portrait should be more useful

good stuff:

1. the 25mm lens is nice, much better than the S8100 30mm wide.

2. charging port is now on the side

3. tripod socket is closer to the center

bottom line is IQ is worse compared to the 12MP S8100.

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Peak PKC0RG Small Rearview Mirror with 3.5-Inch Backup Camera

I purchased this product for a 2006 Toyota Highlander.

What's included:

Camera & video cord

Transmitter & power cord

Mirror with LCD

2 bolts, nuts and washers

4 wire splicers (nice!)

2 velcro straps for mounting the mirror

2 power cords for the mirror (1 cigarette lighter and one to be hard wired into the existing wiring, whichever install you choose)

The Good:

1. The install was relatively easy and the product comes with every part you need to install it successfully on the vehicle

2. The camera is good quality

3. The instructions are straight forward and easy to follow

The Bad:

1. The wireless LCD mirror is a good idea, but gets interference as you're driving through neighborhoods, so the screen turns on randomly to a blue screen

2. The mirror is HEAVY, so every bump you hit in the road has the potential to swivel the mirror down

3. The mirror is pretty dark (that's the patented tinting they describe in their product overview), which makes it difficult to see anything at night and even in the day time

4. They don't offer any wiring tips in their instructions, so it's up to you to figure out which wire is the 'reverse light wire'.

Overall, due to the wireless interference and mirror issues, I wouldn't be able to recommend this product and will probably be returning mine for a model that is wired and has a mirror without tinting.

If you do decide to purchase this product for a similar vehicle, here's some pointers:

You may have to drill a 7/16" hole behind your license plate to feed the camera cord through. I tried to find a different location (license plate lights) to feed the wires through, but it would have ruined the weather stripping. After you feed the wire, you can use some epoxy, caulking or even hot glue (in cooler climates) to seal the hole.

To conceal the wires for the camera, remove the panel of the back door before you begin, this way you have more room to work with and can tape the camera wire to the existing wires running through the door.

The power for the reverse light on the Highlander (all Toyota's?) is the dark pink wire. The ground is the thicker white/black strip wire

On the Highlander, the wireless transmitter fits nicely next to the tail light housing inside the vehicle. Almost like it was built for it!

Initial worries I had before buying:-

1) Quality of video turned out acceptable

2) Wireless interference turned out acceptable

3) Installation 1 hour and no drilling, cutting needed on my 2010 corolla

4) Quality of rear-view mirror acceptable

Problems in usage now :-

1) On bright day, video brightness is very less. Definitely can't use sunglasses while backing up. Mostly can't use it in Sunny days

2) When there is alight source right behind you (street light or sun behind you) the display is all hazed-up and not usable.

Overall acceptable. Not returning.

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Install comments: Awkward using lighter power plug for mirror since it hangs down so I direct wired to compass power feed and works fine. Little tricky clipping the light gauge wiring of the transmitter to the automotive wiring of the backup light.

Works well and signal clear. Great for spotting and aligning to trailer hitch. Only one incident of radio interference triggering mirror view. At work a wireless security camera triggers camera interference, but when transmitter powers the signal is stronger and backup camera clears up.

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It's a great system. I rated it a 4 star only because it doesn't have night vision (but I knew that when I bought it), and the power wire could be a little longer had to splice 2 wires together. It took a bit more than a few minutes to install (took about an hour).All in all, I would recomend this to anybody that was looking for an enexpensive backup camera system.

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I installed this unit in a 2004 Subaru Forester for my wife. The mirror unit uses 4 clamps plus 2 Velcro straps to attach to the front of the factory mirror. The factory mirror does not droop with the additional weight of this mirror. There is a power connector at the top center of the mirror. You have a choice of 2 different power cords. One plugs into a standard 12v outlet. The other has leads to hard wire into the backup lighting circuit. I like the design of the mounting bracket that the camera is attached to. It allows you to remove the top 2 bolts from the rear license plate and slip the bracket behind the plate. The camera slips over the front of the plate and clicks into 4 or 5 different positions.

This paragraph is for anyone that might have this car. On the Subaru there is somewhat limited clearance between the camera and the hatch release. I bent the bracket down slightly and there is enough room to get your hand in and release the hatch. I was able to avoid drilling the 1/2 inch hole required to feed the wire inside. You need to remove the plastic trim inside the hatch and the plastic trim piece outside that has the Subaru letters across the back. The 2 lamps for the license plate feed through a molded rubber coupling to the inside. By unplugging the lighting connector and removing the wiring I was able to trim enough rubber away from the coupling to slip in the camera wire. The camera plugs into the wireless transmitter which I attached to the inside of the hatch using the supplied wire ties. The power wire to the wireless transmitter needs to be routed to one of the backup lamps. This took some doing as the wire had to be fished through the rubber accordion coupling from the hatch to the upper body of the car. I used the right tail lamp and partially removed trim along the top and right rear of the hatch area.

Initially I used the 12v outlet for the mirror assembly. As others have noted the wireless receiver can pick up stray wireless signals as you drive around. Not too bad in the burbs but when I was driving around Queens, N.Y. the unit was flashing the parking guidelines on every block. I was amused to see images from wireless security cameras but after a while it gets distracting. You would really need to tap the power button and turn off the unit in congested surroundings. The image is decent and clear most of the time. I don't see a lot of static although I could certainly envision situations where the wireless might have interference. You do have to wait a few seconds after putting the car in reverse for the image to appear.

In the end I decided to hard wire the mirror unit to the backup lighting circuit so it would be fully automated like a factory unit. I was unable to locate the wire up front for the backup lighting so I extended the wire they supplied and ran it back to the same tail light. Definitely a lot more work. It also negates the advantage of the wireless setup as I had to run a wire the length of the car anyhow. If you don't mind turning the power on and off at the mirror or if you are in wide open spaces this is probably a non-issue.

My wife is satisfied with the unit. It's definitely an add-on safety feature and not really a substitute for looking behind you. For us, the mirror tint is OK for both daytime and nighttime driving. I think that given the low cost the manufacturer has done a pretty good job of assembling this package. The camera bracket design, the mirror clamp, the wire splices and wire wraps pretty much take care of it. A longer power wire to the mirror would have been nice and they might consider a fully wired unit as well where power and camera are integrated in a single long cable.

Update: 4-30-12. Water must have gotten in the camera as it stopped working. Now all I get is red-blue-green splotches on the screen. Will try to get a replacement. What a pain. Have lowered rating.

Update: 11-2-12. Since replacing camera it has been working just fine with no further issues. Added back star.

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Kodak DC280 2MP Digital Camera w/ 2x Optical Zoom

I am a photographic and computer enthusiast and having these two elements come together is a delight for me. So, I have all the very expensive stuff, including KODAK's $20m commercial digital cameras. So, I know what quality is and how much it costs. Bottom-Line as starters, the DC280 makes great color shots with very suprising Hi-detail. The Advertisments say "good" for 8x10 photos, however, as a very picky guy, when you get past 5x7 print sizes, the pictures start to turn fuzzy. But the 5x7 prints are shockingly clear with brilliant colors. But, so what, how many prints does one make larger than 5x7 anyway. This camera is easy to use & small, and I carry it on vacation locations, when I don't want to carry my larger and heavier commercial camera. I was truly shocked at the excellent picture quality of the 280. ALSO, KODAK includes great software, so after a picture taking day/nite, one can easily connect to the yellow video plug on your TV (or Hotel TV) for a slide show of the days activities. I would recommend purchasing a 64MB memory card with the camera purchase, so you'll get plenty of picture opportunities (75+ shots) without having to worry about using up memory. In other words, since you can erase shots you don't like, take MANY, MANY shots and pick the best ones you like for printing or e-mailing. I bring my laptop with me on trips, so in the evening, I can copy the photo-files to the hard disk, and erase the camera memory card, in preparation for the next days photo activities. KODAK provides serial, USB cables, and software to accomplish this simply. Definitely do NOT buy a digital camera with less than 2,000,000 pixels. (The older models, presently having good sale prices, are technology of 2/3 years ago, and you'll wish you spent the extra money for this camera). Since KODAK has been the color business for 100 years, (well...50+years) its no surprise that they have created an electronic imager (the CCD Chip) with the BEST Color quality and detail. This is a must have, you'll not be dissappointed. If you have another few hundred dollars, check out the SONY or OLYMPUS dye-sublimation printers, which produce actual photo quality continuous tone prints up to 4x5 sizes; These printers are not dot-matrix's with all the little dots. The camera and the printer makes for a great combo family gift for under $2m, that anyone in the family can use without having to even turn on a computer, as the printer prints directly off the camera memory card. SO that you don't make yourself craze, and since its slightly different than a typical film point and shoot camera, be sure to read the instruciton booklet, before pushing all the buttons. The documentation KODAK gives you is very easy to understand, so take it slow when you open the Box for the first time. It's so intuitive to use, after the first 2 outings, you NOT need to keep going back to the booklets. JLW/991203.

For the money you just simply will not beat the performance of the Kodak DC280. I have had mine for a couple of months now, and it has literaly replaced my regular 35 mm camera. I love the convience of taking pictures then making any edits i need from my computer. The software is easy to install, and only has about a one hour learning curve to master. Very good and fast usb connection. With a fully charged set of NI-MH, AA batteries it gets fantastic long life. And the 2.0 Megapixel image is nothing less than photo film perfect, must be seen to belive. I also like the smart card memory media included, I have upgraded the 8 mb, to a 24 mb card, and on the 24 mb, I can snap over 100 photos in the best quality mode on the lower size setting, and 34 of the highest quality photos in the huge mega resolution setting. Another great feature is that this camera is very easy to use compared to the other brands I have tried. I did not even have to read the instructions, (though I would read them if I were a beginer). Try the Kodak DC280 out if your in the market for a fantastic digital camera!

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Although it sometimes feels like we're all still beta testing various digital imaging technologies, including digital cameras, products like the Kodak DC280 make me believe the "dark ages" might be coming to an end.

This is a good mid-range digital camera, perfect for those who want to capture images that will look very good on the Web. The biggest plus of the camera is image quality; this is the best camera in this price range that I tested, with two-megapixel resolution. Having quite a bit of hands-on experience with various Sony cameras, I and my partner were actually stunned by how clear the DC280's images were in a variety of lighting conditions.

There is very little to complain about in terms of interface and usability. I scanned the manual, and then just started using the DC280. The menu system and buttons are quite intuitive. One minor quibble is that one is pretty much forced to use the DC280's viewfinder left-eyed; otherwise the LCD screen smudge factor so common to digital camera will rear its ugly head. However, I use the LCD for the majority of my shooting, so this isn't a huge factor.

The DC280 uses a USB connection to transfer images to your computer. The camera mounts as if it were a hard drive, and one can preview large thumbnails of images before copying them over to your hard drive. While I was able to open the images directly into Photoshop, Fireworks couldn't get into the camera; this may have been a problem with how I have my file associations set up, however.

The camera comes with a number of features and extras. The bundled software, Adobe's PhotoDeluxe and Pagemill, are more than adequate for editing images and creating Web pages. Various simple visual effects and borders can be applied in-camera, and you can run a slide-show right out of the camera using the supplied video cable.

The DC280 includes four rechargeable AA batteries, a recharger, and four AA alkaline batteries. You can get started right out of the box. My camera sucked the alkalines dry after about 50 photos and a couple of downloads; I would suggest buying an extra set of rechargeables to carry around with you, and an AC adaptor.

This is not the perfect camera for all applications. For one thing, there are few manual controls on the camera for focus, aperture or shutter priority, and the optical zoom limited to 2X. This will mean that photo enthusiasts might want to look at something the next step up, such as the wacky-looking Nikon Coolpix 950. As others have reported, low-light shooting is not at the quality that one would hope for from a camera at this level.

All-in-all, the DC280 is an excellent camera for the price, perfect for Web photos.

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With this camera, you will get great colors on your screen. I tryed the same picture with the three different qualities and with all I got excellent pictures. It has all the basic features you might need in any camera. It has a good zoom, the 'physical zoom' is not that good, then I discovered the digital zoom which is great.

It consumes a lot of batteries, but you have more than enough with the rechargable batteries and of course, the battery charger included in the camera. I bought an additional charger because I never found that the camera came with its own, so don't buy another charger.

I'm more than satisfied with the 8MB flash card. It is true that you can only take 12 pictures with the highest resolution (1800x1600) and higest quality, but with standard resolution(800x600) and the medium quality you still have very good pictures and can get about 52 pictures, which is good for a weekend. If you have a long trip and don't have a pc to download the pictures, then you might consider another flash card.

BAD THINGS: It weights a little bit more than a traditional camera of the same size, but still, it's much better that other big cameras. It doesn't come with a camera bag. You have to buy it appart.

In summary, a great camera.

Want Kodak DC280 2MP Digital Camera w/ 2x Optical Zoom Discount?

I finally upgraded from my original 2 year old Digital Camera a Casio 5000SX that was great except for a poorly designed battery door. The Kodak DC280 Zoom is better in every category clarity, features, memory capability, analog zoom, except for one the delay in the time from pressing the shutter until it snaps the picture. Keep in mind, that the processing time is quite fast the Kodak is ready to take your next picture quite quickly, thanks to some in-memory processing, but the delay from when you click the button until the action is captured is quite lengthy. I find it nearly impossible to get good action shots with this camera. For example, I take quite a few pictures of sand volleyball on my weekends. Only the highest flyers the guys that can jump out of the sand and hang like Vince Carter were captured in the air, and only with me clicking the shutter button at least 2-3 seconds *before* they jumped. However, if you don't have to take a lot of action shots, well this this is an excellent camera for the money for both amateur and professional alike.

Pentax K-r 12.4 MP Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (White)

After extensive research, I bought this camera as my first DSLR. This camera is great. I could go on and on, but I'll just say that I am very happy with this purchase. It takes great pictures and is easy to use.

I would also like to point out that Pentax technical support is amazing. They are not just a bunch of yahoos in a call center reading off of the screen. They employ their own call center staff and have offices in North America so you won't run into the language barrier that many other electronics manufacturers have.

I've had this camera for about a year and I have no complaints. I am able to take professional looking pictures without knowing much about SLR Cameras. This camera is also very well made, heavy and expensive looking. Everywhere I go I get compliments on this camera and people with more expensive cameras want to look at it and compare the features. Most of the time they walk away knowing that they spent way too much for their camera. I had a film Pentax SLR for years and loved it, so this digital SLR was a perfect upgrade for me and I was able to use my lenses from my film camera with no problems. This camera will even take video which is a nice feature to have on a DSLR. I take thousands of pictures and do not baby my camera at all and this one has held up nicely with no problems. My 8 year old and 15 year old use this camera often and without any problems. I love the white body on the camera and get many compliments on it, not to mention that I can spot my camera easily when it is left on a table with other cameras at karate class or in my child's classroom. The high speed continuous mode is wonderful for sporting events and I have been able to capture a lot of perfect shots with this camera because it is so dependable and easy to use!

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I bought this camera about three weeks ago and it has blown past my expectations! Out of the box, it just feels good in my hand. The pictures taken with the 18-55mm and older 80-320mm were sharp and well exposed. Even an old Sima soft-focus lens that I've had for 30 years works perfectly. It's too bad that Pentax doesn't advertise it's cameras because this is a gem!

Read Best Reviews of Pentax K-r 12.4 MP Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (White) Here

I've always disliked DSLR cameras because I was not satisfied with the quality of the images, specifically in regards to color and contrast. However, the newer DSLR have rectified this issue and have a much more film-like quality to the images. It has been very easy to adjust to this camera after using Pentax SLR cameras for many years. I'm sure the next generation will be even better, but I'm very happy with the quality I'm getting from this new camera.

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I wasn't planning on giving this camera a five star review. In fact, I wasn't planning on reviewing it at all. However, Pentax has just really been impressing me!

This is their entry level DSLR…yet it is so professional. I bought it as a back-up to my other camera. My first impression as of just having received it (3 hrs ago) is that it is the fastest camera I have ever held!

I have extensive photography experience and this is an excellent entry level DSLR. I can go from nill to turning it on, auto-focusing and getting the shot, in 3 seconds. No start up delay, auto focus is phase detection, and I'm pretty good, but I can't get 3 seconds with my other cameras. I can't wait for Pentax to enter the pro-DSLR market!!!

ANYONE looking to buy this its light weight, easy to use and did I mention it's FAST?!?

Love it!

Canon XA10 Professional Camcorder with 64GB Internal Flash Memory and Full Manual Control

OVERVIEW

There's no doubt that this is a great, well built camera. It is pretty much a five star item with only a few areas of improvement needed. The main question you should ask yourself is if this is the right piece of gear for you. Not only in terms of choosing between camcorders, but also whether you should get a DSLR over a Camcorder. This is something I will address under a separate paragraph below.

IS THIS A PRO CAMERA?

The first thing I would like to shed some light on is the "professional" aspect of the camera. As someone commented earlier, as long as you are making a living with something, you are a pro. Now would this camera be the filming tool of a professional? The answer is yes and no. Yes if you are starting your business, you are on a budget, you are filming mostly events, and you don't mind the few extra steps this camera demands for achieving high end results. If you are filming everyday and you have a real production budget, then you should look into something more robust and flexible.

While it can be used by pros, the camera squarely does not meet broadcast standards, which includes 4:2:2 color spacing, 50 mps codec, and interchangeable lenses (among other things).

That been said, this camera is absolutely not for beginners. It DOES possess all the functions and features of a professional camera, esp. for sound. So if you just want to film your kids at Christmas, your holiday at a resort, Disneyworld or some other stuff like that, this camera is not for you because you would waste your money for advanced capabilities you will never use. And you will find it way too complicated too for what you want to film. There are now plenty of affordable and rather excellent cameras out there for the consumer who wants to shoot in HD. The Vixia line or your mid-range DSLRs will do the job great. If you want a camera that meets broadcast standards and remains small and cheap, the XF100 is the way to go.

WHO IS THIS CAMERA FOR?

I think that this camera is a perfect tool for a few specific groups of people:

1) Serious and professional cinematographers who need to haul gear on their back to film an adventure movie in a remote jungle or a mountain area, or any kind of hardcore expedition demanding extreme portability;

2) Serious and professional cinematographers who are making a travel documentary with a lot of interviews and are traveling for multiple months, backpacking or on a bike or something, and want to have something portable and discreet;

3) Professional video makers starting their business and running on a budget;

4) Serious and intermediate to advanced video makers who shoot various short movies during their free time as a hobby. The learning curve for proper image and sound at the highest level is pretty steep. Once you have mastered all the functions and controls on the camera, you will definitely be able to produce images that will blow everybody away. The sound quality is as good as the microphones you will connect, and there's no limit there.

WHY I GOT THE XA10

I got the XA10 to film a documentary on carpentry in Pakistan. I have a full time job so I can only shoot during the week-end. I am still learning how to make proper videos so I could not justify spending too much on upgrading my gear to broadcast levels which would be at least $10,000-$15,000. When you do a documentary, sound is just as important as images, so XLR inputs were really critical for me. Because I travel a lot and also do mountaineering videos, the 2.2 pound ultra compact camera was also a key factor. The fact that you can even remove the handle makes it ideal.

ALTERNATIVES

The XF100, the XA10's big brother, is the obvious upgrade. If you want to shoot in HD near pro/broadcast level ("close" would mean different things to different people) but you are not too worried about sound yet, I suggest you look into the Sony NEX-VG line: they have large sensors and interchangeable lenses. Sony recently unveiled the NEX-VG900 which will have a full frame sensor. It will cost more, of course, but the full frame sensor is an exciting feature. They don't have XLR inputs but you can equip them later with add-on parts and modules. Also, DSLRs offer amazing image capabilities, but are limited on sound, although upcoming new models should address that, like the Sony a99, Canon 5D, 6D and the Nikon 600/800.

THE IMAGE

The image quality is very good. It is almost like when you walk into the TV section of a Best Buy store and you look at those crazy good images from a Blu-Ray disc and you go WOW. It is that clear. Keep in mind that the sensor in the camera is the same that you find in the broadcast level XF100. The colors are bright and vivid. The contrasts are sharp. The details of every shot are clean. The lens on the camera is pretty good, so what you film comes out clean.

I used the camera in a number of situations and what strikes me is how incredibly crisp and sharp the images are, along with contrasts and colors. It is very sports like, very vivid and bright. If you saw BBC's Planet Earth documentary, I would say the image is similar in clarity (but of course does not have its depth and color!) It is so sharp that in some cases it has the look of the image in the movie "3 Kings" with George Clooney. That is not a flaw in any way: this is just the style of the camera and it might please some but annoy others. For example, folks who love the smooth, flat-ish, velvety, and brushed up look of the 5D Mark II might find the image overwhelming. I like it and there's ways in post to edit the image to your liking. You could also manually adjust the camera to get more toned-down images.

I use Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 for editing the camera's footage and the program' s analysis reveal that there usually is minor accuracy issues with the luma (or Y/C) curves: it seems that there could be deeper blacks and more uniformity for the whites (they don't top nicely along the 100 mark). The inaccuracy is very subtle and can be easily adjusted in post. With regards to the RGB curves, I found that the spreads are nicely and accurately laid out. The skin tone line is also neatly where it should be, especially if you manually adjusted the white balance correctly when filming. So overall the image is good and accurate.

THE CODEC

The XA10 records the footage in the AVCHD codec, which has both advantages and shortfalls. AVCHD codec is a compressed version of your images (like JPEG compresses photos) which will result in some quality loss not much, but still there is some quality loss, the most visible aspect being some distortion at the far sides of the image when the footage was taken when the camera was oscillating both vertically and horizontally when the subject had a lot of movements or details. The solution is simply to film on tripod or with any form of stabilization. AVCHD is also one of the most efficient compression codec out there (at the moment) so while some quality loss is going to occur, as with any compression, it is less bad than others. If you want to record non-compressed or RAW footage, you'd have to look into a whole different and muc more expensive setup than this. AVCDH is also known as MPEG-4 or H.264, making it the most commonly used codec on web-based video communities and editing software, so you will not have to buy super high-end editing programmes.

THE RATTLE (NON) ISSUE

The handle DOES rattle if you shake the camera but the mics you will plug into the XLR jacks will not pick up the sound (esp. if unidirectional) and in over 70 hours of filming I have not noticed the sound. The only way to hear the rattle would be by using only the camera's built-in mic, keep the XLR handle on, and literally jump or run around with the camera, which is a shooting setup that makes no sense and would result in unusable footage anyway. Also, why would you use the built-in mic if you have XLR inputs? If you do want to do that, you can remove the handle, and the problem is solved. So the rattle thing is really not an issue and I think that people who complain about it have yet to understand how to use the camera.

DEPTH OF FIELD

Crazy shallow depth of field (DOF) is extremely popular at the moment (There's f/0.95 lense coming out at photokina!) but achieving shallow DOF with the XA10 is difficult. The aperture can be set at a maximum of 1.8, which is plenty for shallow DOF, but because the zoom control is electronic, it can be a bit difficult to control the DOF when moving the camera in a hand held situation. Also, the out of focus areas / background is not blurred with the same smoothness that you could get with a 1.8 lens on a DSLR with a larger sensor. But with some fiddling of the camera settings and practice, you should figure it out, but it will remain difficult to achieve.

FEATURES THAT MATTER 1: IMAGE

There are many advanced features that will allow you to get really good images: Zebra lines for zoom / exposure levels, automatic exposure gain control, manual exposure, manual shutter speed, manual aperture, manual white balance, peaking, auto gain control, backlight correction and a y/c vector scope (luma curves). I found that the image transmitted to the LCD is a correct representation of what is filmed and reliable enough to use for adjusting your filming setup.

Believe it or not, the infrared function is great. At first I ignored it as a gadget for attracting consumers but I tried it a few times out of curiosity and it produces very interesting footage and the quality is not bad at all. Try filming someone smoking a cigarette in the dark: you can see everything clearly and the cigarette will light up in a beautiful flare.

FEATURES THAT MATTER 2: SOUND

The two XLR inputs and controls will provide you with the opportunity to record sound at professional/broadcast levels, depending on what microphone you use. I like to have one mic (channel 1) one the camera with another one (channel 2) near the sound source (a 25 foot xlr cable is good enough I think).

The built-in mic is ok and has advanced features for quite a lot of control, but it is not to be used if you're aiming for broadcast sound standards. It can work pretty well if your sound source is close to the camera and if there is very little sound interference around it, but the sound is not amazing.

There is also a mic jack you could use for a 3.5mm mic or wireless mic. This 3.5mm jack input is very useful and it can be manually adjusted with the camera's equalizer settings (boosting of low, high or mid level frequencies, depending on what you are recording). You can also mount both XLR mics and a 3.5mm mic on the camera and by the press of a button on the handle you can switch from one sound recording system to another. So sound is a major strength of this camera.

OTHER CARACTERISTICS

The camera is very small, lightweight, compact, easy to carry, easy to mount on a tri or monopod, easy to set up, and easy to activate. On top of this, it is solidly built and feels sturdy. If you plan to climb a big, remote mountain, this is the camera to buy. Or if you want to use it for travel documentaries, you can easily carry it around and not freak people out when pulling it out from your bag it does look like a handycam, which is great for not attracting attention. If you don't need XLR sound, remove the handle and you have a tiny device (then it becomes pretty much the same as the Vixia HF G10).

You can store 64GB on the camera's hard drive and some more on two SD cards. That's almost 9 hours of filming at the highest quality level. Plus it is all flash data so importing the footage to your computer is fast and does not require transcoding or anything. Plug and Play. MiniDVs are now a thing of the past.

The LCD screen is good and accessing the menu for all the functions and control is not perfect but with practice it becomes a straightforward thing. There is an HDMI OUT output option so you could use a separate screen if you need a bigger reference monitor.

This is great value for money. As far as I am concerned this is a small revolution. When you think how much capability this little beast packs up, it is impressive. I mean, XLR inputs, full HD, full manual controls, good codec, huge storage, super compact, etc.

If you film for television, you can record at 60 frames per second interlaced, which is good, although I would assume that people buying this camera will use the internet for distribution, so the 30 fps progressive will be preferred.

MAIN NEGATIVE POINTS

The recording speed is set at a maximum of 30 frames per second (progressive) so there's no slow motion capacity here. That is really too bad. Also, the camera is region locked, so the US model is set at 24p/30p/60i and the Europe+Asia model at 24p/25p/50i.

The image can be a little noisy when shooting in very low light (I mean, dark places) but you could manually adjust that or add a spotlight or two. Now low light can mean different things to different people. This camera will do well in most low light condition but is definitely no match for 5 digit ISO settings now available on some DSLRs. In any case, my opinion on low light capacity is that a camera is a device that captures light so if there is no light, you should either not shoot or add light.

The headphone jack is not conveniently located on the camera and its output is not loud enough, making using headphone difficult. To deal with that, the audio levels can be monitored on the LCD screen. The good thing about the internal mic and the 3.5mm mic input is that you can manually set the maximum audio levels to your desired recording input (for example you can set it to -12db and it will never record louder than that). Unfortunately, and this is a bit of a bummer, you can't set the maximum audio levels for the XLR input and you have to use the "minimum" to "maximum" control dials on the handle, which is ok if your sound source is stable but difficult to manage if sound goes quiet then loud and quiet again. This is kind of annoying.

Below are areas where improvement would be welcome. None are real deal breakers because you can find your way around them with practice.

The auto focus is bad. This is the cameras' main flaw. What happens is that the auto focus will slightly change from parts of a scene to another during certain filming situation: when you are zooming in a lot on a subject that moves or when a certain scene has a lot of details (like a Persian tapestry or something). It confuses the camera easily. This can be overcome by using the manual focus or with some of the auto-focus assistance features like face detection (which works well) and focus tracking (you can lock the focus on a moving object and the camera will keep focusing on it while the object moves this also works pretty well). The focus assistance feature in manual mode is good. You can also pre-set your focusing for scripted scenes.

Zooming. There are three ways to zoom: a small lever on the handle; a bigger lever on the camera's body (which has also variable speed control) and the remote control. All three can be customized in how they zoom. It takes practice but you will end up being able to have relatively smooth zooming but it will never replace the good old, manual, efficient and easy way to focus with a lens's ring, and that sucks. But again, you will learn how to get around it.

Pretty much all functions and controls are only accessible from the LCD screen. You have to go through the menu to find what you need and then adjust everything on the screen. It is really annoying in the beginning but with practice it become fast and easy.

DSLR or XA-10?

It depends. If you are going to do lots of run and gun, if you need extreme portability, if sound is important, if you are making a travel documentary (with sound), if you want to film longer scenes, if you are a one man show and if you want to just open the camera and within a minute start filming, get an XA-10.

If you don't mind rigging your DSLR with a mountain of add-ons, are going to film heavily scripted material, if you want every shot to be artsy following careful planning of every scene, if you want to shoot in low light, if your shoots are going to be short, if sound is not going to be critical, then you might want to get a DSLR. There is no doubt that a quality DSLR + lense will achieve an overall better picture. The problem is that you will spend way more money on gear and also way more time setting your stuff up than just using the camcorder.

To be honest, the ideal is to have both. It is does not make much sense to say that a camcorder is better than a DSRL or the other way around because they are two different systems doing different things. The best device will be the one that best meets your filming needs. I am going to use my XA-10 as my primary filming tool then add a DSLR to get my creative, artsy shots that will be integrated into various parts of the documentary. This means I will need to grow an extra pair of arms or something. The more gear you have, the more work and time you need to rig your stuff for a given shot.

WHAT OTHER STUFF YOU WILL NEED

Computer: You will need a powerful computer to edit the footage and also a blu-ray disc writer. The quality of the footage is so good that it won't fit on a DVD unless you reduce the quality. Be sure to have the appropriate video card, for example an Nvidia if you are going to use Premiere Pro. Files are huge so get an extra large hard drive and external hard drives for backup. A computer screen capable of 1080 HD will be pretty much essential that's at least a 24" screen. I recommend two screens: one for editing and one for full screen playback.

Battery: The battery that is included lasts a bit less than 2 hours. You should get the 819 battery for about 60$ on Amazon and that will give you about 3-4 hours of filming. There's number of third party batteries available on Amazon but have not tried them.

Mics: get two (or more!!!) XLR mics. You can mount one on the camera and have the other attached to a 20-25 foot cable that you can put near your subject or sound source. Sky is the limit with mics so choose wisely. You might also want to get the Canon WM-V1 or the Sony ECM-AW3 wireless Microphones; they are not perfect but they help to film a person talking and walking around while you shoot.

Editing: You should be able to edit footage without too much problem on Apple Imovie or Microsoft's Windows Live Movie Maker. However, I recommend you look into Premiere Pro, Final Cut or other high-end editing software for advanced image and sound control.

Get a polarized lens for sunny outdoor shoots and also a couple ND filters.

I strongly recommend this book that you can buy on Amazon for like 25$: "Professional Results with Canon Vixia Camcorders: A Field Guide to Canon G10 and XA10 [Paperback]" by Warren Bass. The book is hugely informative and you will learn very important film making skills on pretty much every single page.

BOTTOM LINE

The pros far outweigh the cons. The value for money is awesome. Could be the dream camera for certain people for certain situation. I suggest you check out this video where a professional reviews the camera. I find the review pretty accurate and objective:

Have fun!

Even coming from the prosumer Canon HV30 camcorder, the professional XA10 is a huge improvement. The camera is easy to hold, the buttons are all in good locations, and the camera just feels easy to use. Compared to some other HD camcorders I used in film school, the XA10 feels much easier to control.

The difference is even more dramatic comparing it to my old HV30 rig. It's much nicer to not have the added awkwardness of a battery-powered XLR adapter. Honestly, the XA10 must look much more professional to clients as well.

Image quality is simply stunning. There is a slight look of shallow depth of field that is very pleasing to the eye. It's subtle, but noticeable. I've heard it has something to do with the 8-blade iris, but I won't pretend to know what that really means. All I know is the video quality is the best I've personally ever held in my hands.

The XA10 also gives much greater control over the image than the more consumer-focused HV20 and HV30. Now that I've used the XA10's manual focus ring, I really don't know how I made movies without it. The assignable control where you can adjust the exposure, shutter, aperture, and so on is also a great feature for an HD camcorder this inexpensive.

I haven't experienced the rattle problem with the handle that some users have mentioned, maybe there was a bad batch produced? The XA10's production seems to have taken place in different sections, so they may have corrected some of the bugs at various times. I'm not sure, YMMV. I haven't had to deal with customer service from Canon except once to order an XH-A1 hood a few years ago, so I can't comment on that either.

No problems at all importing the AVCHD footage into Final Cut or iMovie. I haven't tried with any Windows editors yet, but I'll update this review when I do.

With typical shooting (no IR), the stock battery lasts about as long as you'd expect, maybe a bit more. Not mind-blowing, but most importantly not too short. I'd recommend getting a high capacity battery like the BP-827 if you're planning to shoot for extended periods (I think the stock battery is a BP-819).

I haven't tested the infrared (IR) function yet, but the camera gives superb low-light performance even without it. Search or Vimeo 'XA10 low light' and you'll see what I mean by this.

The only thing it's missing that I'd like to see is a built-in neutral density function. I can always just use ND filters on the front of the lens -used to doing that from the HV20/HV30 days -but it's less convenient than a switch on the side. Oh well.

Overall, I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to upgrade to a pro-quality HD camcorder with a cinema-quality picture, who doesn't want to spend a ton of money on the more expensive options out there. If money isn't as much of a concern, I'm sure some of the cameras that cost thousands more offer more options, but I'm more than happy with the quality this camera provides.

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The good:

I'm a backpack videographer. I shoot a lot of industrial and training videos. I grew weary of trying to find an easy way to get great audio from a DSLR too many additional and unnecessary steps -so I sold mine and picked this up. Best. Move. Ever. Now, I put a Rode NT3 on a boom, plug into the XLR and my audio is warm as a summer day. Video quality is stunning. Focus assist is fantastic. I'm very pleased to get pro-level processor and lens in a camera this small. Surprise: it shoots great stills too. Very very good in lower light scenarios.

Down sides:

The cinema mode feels sort of amateurish/consumer level. Not much there you couldn't do better in post, so, I don't use it. My only other complaint is I wish there were a few other on camera buttons to reduce menu diving, but it's really not hard.

Read Best Reviews of Canon XA10 Professional Camcorder with 64GB Internal Flash Memory and Full Manual Control Here

I hate to rate this one star but I want to get Canon's attention. The handle with XLR inputs on the copy I got rattles terribly (audible across a large room in a normal-i.e., not quiet-environment). I'd heard this was occasionally a problem but from the reviews it seemed like a bad batch had gotten through but was now corrected. I can say definitively this is not the case.

Canon cannot sell a semi-professional camcorder (I paid $1869) with a defect like this, and it IS a defect. (This is for AUDIO INPUTS, for goodness sake-WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?)

Again, by all accounts the video quality is superb, and yes, you can "get around" the problem by putting tape across the buttons, but for $1869? I don't think so. Canon said they would evaluate the handle if I sent it in, but I am not going to wait 30 days for the return period to elapse only to have them say there is no problem or send me another faulty one.

I will say that I am not dissatisfied with Canon's customer support; the man I spoke with was very helpful and said he would escalate my complaint, but he is of course limited by Canon's own procedures, which unfortunately do not recognize this as a special case due to a manufacturing defect on their part. I will wait a few days to see if they are willing to immediately ship me a (verified) non-defective handle, otherwise it will go back unused.

I am a long-time Nikon still photographer and can say with certainty that they would NEVER let a product like this be sold. If Canon continues down this road they will give Nikon a real advantage in entering high-end dedicated video should they so choose.

UPDATE 12/22:

I made a support request by phone and by email when I received the item last Thursday; no response. I called Canon tech support again to follow up today. The person I spoke with was familiar with the issue but considerably less helpful.

First, he blamed the XLR connectors for the rattle (i.e., stuff I connected to it). Not quite. You hear it regardless whether anything is plugged in, and the jacks themselves are rock solid. Further, if you put tape over the buttons to stop them from moving, surprise, the rattle goes away. Honestly, if they would just read comments people are making, or even LOOK at their own product, they would see that this explanation is ludicrous.

Next, he said that they rattle only when you shake the handle violently, but in normal usage it's fine. Again, not quite. True, when shaken, it sounds rather like a maraca, as my wife said, but even in normal panning they add a distinct occasional click to your audio. Maybe have somebody use the camera before coming up with the corporate response, guys.

The only way to get rid of it is to put tape over the buttons, and for some people that's fine, but I refuse to spend this kind of money on something with a manufacturing defect, particularly given the level of "support" Canon offers.

I told the support rep I'm returning it, and repeatedly asked that he convey this higher up so that they take the issue seriously and fix it. I'm not holding out hope on either outcome.

12/23:

I called customer support one more time, to see whether they believed this affected only a certain batch of handles. Finally got someone familiar with the product; she said they all do it, and I certainly appreciated the honesty. I asked whether they would correct the problem in a later release but she said she wouldn't know in advance. At $2000 I can't conscience this kind of flaw; maybe if it's price drops to around that of the G10....

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I received my XA10 two (2) days ago and I must say that I really love this little guy! There are a couple things that surprised me right out of the box:

1. The camera body feels really sturdy and rugged. I expected it to feel a little cheap.

2. It feels heavier than it looks. This is great when you're trying to get a good moving and hand-held shot.

Lets get the "bad" stuff out of the way first.

Cons:

1. The handle buttons DO rattle a bit, but I haven't had an issue with them interfering with the sound as of yet. If they do, I'll just put a Velcro strap over them. Problem solved for 10 cents.

2. The menus are difficult at first, but with a little practice and use of Canon's shortcuts at the bottom these can be overcome.

3. The touch screen isn't as responsive as I'd like, but it's only a minor annoyance. I plan on getting a stylus to operate it a little easier. I don't like getting fingerprints on the beautiful LCD.

4. The stock battery leaves something to be desired, but that's not an expensive fix either.

Now for the good (awesome) stuff:

Pros:

1. The handle is a GREAT feature! Even if it didn't have XLR inputs on the handle, I'd get the camera just for that. It makes lower angled shots a joy not to mention carrying the thing.

2. Are you kidding me with this LCD? It's bright and helps a lot with focusing. I can hardly wait to get a hood on it to make the viewfinder obsolete.

3. Depth of field. I know this is only a 1/3" chip, but it looks fantastic when you want to throw your background out of focus so your audience is drawn in to the emotion of the scene. Don't get me wrong, it's not as great as a DSLR (because size does matter), but for a camera of this size and cost, I don't think it's matched (yes I know the VG20 just came out, but it doesn't have XLR or built-in memory so there :-p).

4. Built-in memory! 64GB is PLENTY for your average day (and well above-average day too). I can shoot for a week on that without having to dump anything to a computer. What does this mean for me? I DON'T have to take a laptop to Africa or wherever I'm shooting. Try getting that out of any other camera for less than $2500.

5. Dual SD slots. Instant backups are nice when you're on a film. People lose stuff. I lose stuff. It's the way of life. I'd rather have 2 (or 3) of something and lose 1 than the alternative.

6. The lens is awesome too. Sure it's only a 10x zoom, but what does that mean really? It's a 30-300mm 35mm equivalent which gets me pretty close to most action. I shoot football games on the sideline for a local high school. I WAS using a Sony DSR-250 with a 12x zoom (about the same magnification, ~25-300mm 35mm equivalent) and that reached where I needed it to 99% of the time. Plus the trade-off here is that you get a constant f-stop throughout the zoom. Not many cameras can boast that.

7. Great low-light performance for a single-chip. At low light the noise is visible, but I can live with that. It's not like I shoot in a room with no lights on all the time. "Slumdog Millionaire" won best cinematography and had A LOT more noise in some of their shots... just sayin'.

8. This one goes without saying, but professional XLR inputs with dials and phantom power! 'Nuf said.

Anyway. I could go on, but this review is getting long. Bottom line is: I think that the complaints about this camera are valid ones, but they're easily dealt with. If you're on a budget (like myself), you have to be mobile, and you need XLR inputs, this is the camera for you.

(3/27/2012 edit)

A few new thoughts about this camera:

I STILL haven't had a problem with the buttons rattling and I shoot mostly handheld and following action.

One thing that does bother me (so minor for me that I don't really care but some might) is the headphone jack is under the LCD screen. This seems like an odd place if you're going to use the viewfinder. Solution: Use the LCD, and if sun is a problem, get or make a hood for it.