Toshiba PDR-M71 3MP Digital Camera w/ 2.8x Optical Zoom

This is my first digital camera and not sure if I want to give up my 35mm yet. This camera's body is cheaper than most of the cameras I researched. I bought an Olympus 3020 and took it back because no hook up to TV, no sound on movie mode, and it cost too much to not have those things on it. The Olympus actually took clearer pictures and really good color. The Toshiba M71 is okay with pictures. It has a little pink tinting and not exactly right on pictures I have taken so far. The video is with sound and pretty good quality.I've only had it a couple of weeks. I am also using it at the highest resolution so I don't think I will be happy at the lower settings for picture taking. Remember also to take the lens cover off before turning on for picture taking or the lens will not come out. Easy hookup for downloading pictures to computer!

Bottom Line-You get what you pay for! I saved... by buying Toshiba.

The Toshiba PDR-M71 is a "jack of all trades--mater of none" sort of package. I got one fpr my workplace as I needed a relatively inexpensive unit that provided a wide array of features and provided at least decent performance on all counts.

The M71 certainly has the features, including:

· 3.2-megapixel CCD delivering image resolutions as large as 2,048 x 1,536 pixels.

· Real-image optical zoom viewfinder and 1.5-inch color LCD monitor.

· 2.8x, Canon 7.25 20.3mm zoom (equivalent to a 35 98mm lens on a 35mm camera).

· Full Automatic, Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and six Scene exposure modes.

· Adjustable White Balance with six modes.

·

· Built-in flash with four user-selectable modes.

· Twoand 10-second Self-Timer modes.

· Movie mode with sound.

· Images saved in JPEG format to SmartMedia cards (8MB card included).

· USB cable and interface software for quick connection to a computer.

· A/V cable for viewing images on a television set.

· Power from four AA batteries (set of four alkaline batteries included).

All of the features work well-none are spectacular. Picture quality is truly good only at the highest resolutions-but that sacrifices quantity. Photos at lower resolutions have a sort of pinkish tint to them. The Movie Mode and Sound feature is better than I expected. Zoom works well but is limited-action shots blur, but close in set shots come out well. Battery life is OK.

This works well for the purpose I obtained it-a general use business camera. I think this would be a good choice for the first time user-for a relatively modest price you can get, use and evaluate a wide array of features and decide what you'd really want in a "serious" camera. If you are a serious user looking for a really good unit, I would expect that this unit would frustrate and disappoint you.

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I have bought cameras for $800.00 that do not have the color range this camera captures consistently. If it only had higher resolution for enlarged prints. There is a third party USB cable that lets you connect the flash card to your computer because the cable is no longer supported. I have two other new cameras with disappointing and blah color. Buy one and see what I mean. I give it 5 stars for value!

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INTOVA Digital Waterproof Camera + Deluxe Kit

Great deal for the price. Easy set up. Takes good pictures and video. Control buttons are easy to use even with gloves on. I have recomended it already to other divers in our group. We've taken it on 4 shore dives to 40 ft with no problem, it is rated to go to 180 ft. so I can't see where it can't go anywhere a diver would want to go. Strap on the camera case makes it easy to move without holding onto it when your in the water. Wish I could post a few of the pictures and video that we've taken so you could see for yourself!

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Uniden UDWC25 Wireless Video Surveillance Accessory Outdoor Camera, black, one camera

This is first time with this camera. It is very cold and very windy ( here in Jacksonville Florida) at the time of this recording. The TV receiver is connected to a VCR Recording what you see and hear. The camera comes with a good recording software for the PC, BUT!!! the computer does NOT record the sound, that comes from the camera. Connect the receiver to a DVD recorder, will try that next, it will work. Picture quality is good, BUT! ( I know you wount like my but) The video is step motion, which is ok considering the total cost of this system. I will carry the TV receiver and Camera in my pocket,They both have their own rechargeable batteries, Hide camera, show receiver to friends, they will flip out when they see them selves.

Mrpete

I purchased this in the beginning of January, 2010, as the second camera in my outside video surveillance system so I could see who was at the door before opening it. Uniden characterizes the camera as "Wireless/Weatherproof", yet in the second page of their User Manual, they state: "This equipment is NOT waterproof. DO NOT expose it to rain or moisture."

Since Florida has its share of wet weather, I inquired from Uniden if I could use their camera outside under my soffet, and their answering E-Mail stated that it would be fine. After installing it and experiencing several storms in the three months it has been in action, I can report that the camera continues to function perfectly.

I am also satisfied with the camera's performance, but I never expected to get anywhere near the claimed range of 500 feet. My monitor is set up only about 25 feet from the front door camera and about 15 feet from the driveway camera. The pictures are very clear, and I can even move the monitor down another 30 feet or so to my bedroom to keep within range of the front door camera, although the driveway camera gives out at about 35 feet.

I highly recommend the system, and bought two of them for my daughters to use as nanny cams to watch over their infants. When visiting, each brings her own indoor camera, and I link it to the highly portable monitor (it can take up to 4 cameras), so she can keep watch on her baby in another room. Without having to go through exterior walls, the range in the house is easily 100 feet, through 3 plasterboard internal walls. Since the camera picks up sound, it easily alerts a parent to take a look at the monitor to see if their physical presence is necessary.

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This is my fourth purchase of these cameras. I started with another Uniden smaller set that has full portability (a major plus once you have that ability, take it to the bath, or basement, etc, and you can see the delivery person arrive.

Anyway, bought a second set with two more cameras, still no issues, and now this is my fourth as I continue to grow with my system.

Cameras are good. The receiver choices have small issues, but they do work fine. The bundle with the two outside cameras and a remote control does not have much range, maybe 40 feet from outside, through walls to the bedroom, not a good thing. However the smaller set, that has the flat indoor (baby cam style) has very good range, just small picture area. Trade offs.

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This camera is a fairly good product, excellent in daylight, fair in infared. The only complaint I have is the range. It said it's signal could be picked up 500 feet away but at 250 feet it's sometimes off, sometimes on. This is from a direct line of sight position. The sound is awesome. It picks up the slightest noise. I wish it had a wireless microphone to speaker in the camera, but overall I'm pleased with the product.

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Software for recording crashes daily. Cannot be used as a security system since it is not stable

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Nikon D5100 16.2 MP Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens with 55-200mm VR Lens +

This is a great package for the price. I am a new photographer and after spending countless hours researching all the different kits available this kit came with everything and more that I needed to start taking great pictures. Highly recommend for anyone just starting and looking for a kit that has it all.

This package is incredible and came in a timely fashion. The only issue I have had is with the remote. I could not get it to work with the D5100. In frustration I decided to read the fine print on the remote's box and saw though many other Nikon DSLR cameras were listed the D5100 was not on the list. Just a heads up. The remote is practically free with this package though and is still worth every penny. I am not too sure if they just put the wrong remote in my package or not, but again for 2 bucks I can purchase the correct remote. No biggie.

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Everything arrived nicely as stated description from the order. Everything was well packed. The camera worked amazingly well. I didn't even have to use the flashlight at night. As the new beginner for DSLR, I probably wouldn't be able to describe all the technical detail about the camera. All I can say is, I wish I switch to it sooner if it weren't so pricy! The color was so crisp. The action mode was smooth with 4 frames/sec. The effects mode was fun to work with. The combination package was great for the beginner like me and it's a good deal as well. The only thing is it gets bothersome sometimes to haul this camera on a hike especially when you have to climb, but I have to say, it worth every moment because my picture from Zion National Park and Grand Canyon was amazingly beautiful. Now I have to finish the book "Nikon D5100 for Dummies" so I know how to use other modes instead of the preset one. I would say even though you don't know how to use manual mode, the preset one still great!!

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This is the second camera that I have purchased from Cameta Camera. Both were the Nikon 5100 and they did an outstanding job on packaging and follow up with my purchase(s). My first camera package that I ordered was in great shape. The camera bag itself had a manufacturer defect in the stitching where the fabric had not been stitched to the bag itself. I notified Cameta via email and in just a few minutes they replied back and sent me a new bag. This camera is used for personal use and the second camera package that I bought (different from the first package) is used for work. I did a ton of research online and on Amazon.com about the 5100 and the 3100. If you can afford the extra 150 or so dollars I would highly recommend the 5100 for what it has to offer. I did not think that I would use the swivel screen on the back of the camera and I find my self using it more and more. Both cameras were delivered before the promise date. The tripod is okay but I probably will not use it as I have a few heavy duty tripods. I probably will not use the card reader as my computers have a card reader already installed. I think for the money this is a good starter package.

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This is my first DSLR so I have nothing to compare it to except my parade of PHD (Press Here Dummy) point-and-shoot cameras with barely adequate optics, etc.

First of all, look for a bundle when you can because there is no retailer that will come close to matching the prices.

I am very technical but still had to face the User's Manual because this camera is so sophisticated. I strongly recommend that new owners RTFM (Read The Fine Manual) before venturing out for a photo-shoot. I did and am glad to admit it.

I won't even try to comment of the technical specifications of this beauty, except to say it is far more camera than I will ever use, so I am happy to learn and grow into it slowly.

The loudest recommendation comes from my technophobe wife (the main user of the PHD point-and-shoot camera) because once I showed her a few of the D5100 features, she was out snapping away and composing some really beautiful shots (mostly while we vacationed in Napa Valley).

So if you can afford the step up from the D3100 and don't mind the slightly larger picture file size, this is an excellent choice in DSLR cameras.

Konica Minolta X60 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

I've had this baby for a few days and have not fully tested it out yet but so far, its beautiful. It's tiny and, above all, really easy to use. Unlike my previous 5 MP digicam, the Sony DP-10, which had a gaggle of complicated features and was had a learning curve to take good pictures, the X60's operations are intuitive. The manual is available and really easy to understand too if you need to read it.

Pros:

Small, compact, truly a purse camera if you wanted. Others that claim to be small aren't really but this one is!

Fast start up. Just slide the cover and it's on.

Easy to operate

Good picture quality

Nice big LCD screen

Covered lens

Internal 15MB memory

Cons.

No viewfinder (Not like I use that anyway)

Zoom is only standard.

I've heard that the LCD in previous models in this line are fragile. I've had no problems so far but you're not supposed to drop a digicam anyway.

My first digicam was a minolta 3.2 MP which I lose in Kyoto and I'm glad I went back to a brand I like.

I had the Konica Minolta X50 (see my review on it), which ended up being defective after about 9 months of normal, delicate use. The battery cover wouldn't stay shut anymore, so back to Costco it went.

After researching the "ultra-compact" cameras in the 5.0mp and above class, I found that the minor improvements of the x60, coupled with the larger LCD display and lower price made it the most appealing digital "ultra" compact in the entire category. I mean I put it up against Sony's DSC T-1/T-7/and T-3, Kodak's new EasyShare V-50, Casio's Exilim Z750 and EX-S500, Fuji's FinePix Z1, Olympus, and Pentax Optio.

It came out the winner. I'll give it 1 year of use and revisit my review to give another update.

In the meantime, if compact is what you're looking for, this camera will meet those objectives plus take excellent snap shots in well lit close range situations.

The only thing that remains to be a weak point, is the poor flash range and the poor resolution of pictures in low-light situations. If you're taking night photos, you need to be within the 6 feet and in an area where you're picking up some light, otherwise your subject shot will come out blurry, out of focus, or over exposed.

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After purchased two little Canon SD200 cameras for my daughters, I decided to upgrade my own bulky first generation HP camera (2M, no optical zoom).

I wanted a 4M/5M ultra compact camera and had my eye set on newer Canon SD camera. However, I don't want to pay too much for the camera so I ended up looking for non Canon SD cameras.

One of the consideration I have is that I don't want a camera with proprietary memory (so Sony is out) or semi-proprietary memory (I considered xD a proprietary after reading that the panorama mode for some Olympus camera only works with Olympus's own xD card).

Finally, I settled on Minolta X60 after some research. I am quite happy with the camera it is very small, the 2.5" LCD is quite big (no viewfinder though), the control is quite logical, and the picture quality is pretty good. The battery life of about 150 pictures is not quite enough for a long trip but you can pick up non-OEM batteries for a few dollars.

The 15MB internal memory is not accessible when an external memory card is plug in. However, it may come handy when you forget your SD card.

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I only paid $230 from Amazon directly and know that it was the best deal ever. I love it. The zoom quality is great, large screen, fast start-up time, immediate shutter release, and time between photos is awesome. I like this camera better then the new $600 Kodak. This camera looks great and perfomrs great also.

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I had the Minolta Xg and the Minolta g400 before this camera. The x60 has a great design. Very easy to use and stylish. I really like the internal optical zoom. The size, weight, battery life, and scene modes are all pluses.

Cons: low light comes out eithe over exposed with the flash, or blurry. Hard to get good shots indoors. Screen quality is average and does not show the pictures very well.

Overall: great, stylish, compact camera with some limitations

Optex iVision Wireless 2-Way Video Door Intercom System

A previous reviewer stated, inaccurately, that the product descriptions for this unit are misleading. This is not the case. I am submitting this review to (hopefully) correct the misperceptions created by that review. (If said reviewer happens to see this, check the last part of my review to see how to correctly use your unit. I think you will be pleasantly surprised to see it will, in fact, very easily do exactly what you purchased it for, based on your stated needs.)

Here is the Amazon.com product description (my comments added):

"The new iVision achieves both by giving you the ability to not only know when somebody is outside your home, but to view and talk to them from the safety and comfort of any location in the house. The iVision package includes a convenient hand-held wireless receiver with 2.25" LCD monitor and battery operated doorbell/camera unit with over 300ft. transmission range. (Specifies that the door unit can be battery operated, which is accurate.) In addition, the doorbell/camera unit can be hardwired into existing doorbell power supply to allow the user to utilize a "browse" feature on the handheld unit. (Very clearly specifies that ***IF*** you wire the door unit to the existing doorbell power supply, ***THEN*** you can do more things with it. Note that this says nothing about wiring it directly to AC power this unit operates on low voltage only.) This feature allows the user to monitor the view from the doorbell/camera unit on the LCD display. (States what the addition capability is. Monitor simply means to be able to view the camera at will, versus interacting only as a two-way video intercom when the doorbell button on the door unit is pressed. It should be noted that this product is called a VIDEO INTERCOM, not a full-time surveillance camera. And it really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the ability to sit around viewing the camera whenever you want, for as long as you want, would require some additional power source at the camera besides the small batteries it uses. The manufacturer locked that function out when on battery only mode so people wouldn't sit around constantly running down the batteries in the camera unit.)

One can certainly understand if, upon receipt of the product, the purchaser realizes he/she did not fully understand the product description and decides to return it. (My sympathies to the reviewer who apparently went through product return hell.) But to give the product a one star review because you didn't fully digest the words you read is unnecessary. I have used many Optex products over the past 15 years, and I say with complete confidence that they make uncommonly solid, reliable products.

HERE'S HOW TO WIRE THE DOORBELL/CAMERA UNIT, QUICKLY AND EASILY:

Note: This assumes the existing doorbell a) Exists, b) is functional and c) is a hardwired doorbell. The overwhelming majority of homes in the US have hardwired doorbells. Whether they are functional is obviously a matter of whether they have been maintained in working condition. If your existing doorbell system uses a wireless doorbell button (usually done as a quick, inexpensive fix when the hardwired unit malfunctions, rather than having it repaired), you will not be able to use the browse mode on the camera without wiring low voltage power to the doorbell/camera unit. If you don't know what that entails, find or hire someone who does.

Installation: Hardwired doorbells use a transformer inside the house to convert AC power to a low voltage power source that operates the doorbell system. Basically the same as all the bazillion transformers we all have plugged into our outlets to power various things, except this one is hardwired directly to your AC wiring instead of plugged into an outlet. That low voltage output powers two things the doorbell itself (the actual ding-donger), and the button by the door. ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO HARDWIRE EXISTING DOORBELL POWER TO YOUR NEW DOORBELL/CAMERA UNIT IS TO TAKE THE EXISTING DOORBELL BUTTON OFF THE WALL AND ADD A FEW INCHES OF TWO-CONDUCTOR WIRE, GOING FROM THE TERMINALS ON THE BACK OF THE BUTTON TO THE POWER INPUTS ON THE DOORBELL/CAMERA UNIT. REATTACH THE OLD BUTTON, SCREW THE NEW UNIT TO THE WALL, AND YOU ARE DONE.

If your original doorbell was working, then the new one should now be ready to go. Note that this means the unit is intended to be mounted next to the door (just like your existing doorbell button), not on the door directly. If you don't care about the extra capability gained when hardwiring, and just want to stick with battery operation, slap it right on the door if you want to. Keep in mind that if you choose not to wire it to the existing doorbell, the existing doorbell cannot activate the video intercom, as a previous reviewer noted. But that really shouldn't seem like rocket science to anyone smart enough to get online and order products. :-)

I am not affiliated with Optex in any way. I am self-employed in a service industry. I just ordered one of these units for my mother, who is about to have hip-replacement surgery. It's a brilliant design, easily installed and operated, and from a good, reputable manufacturer.

We purchased a device advertised as a two-way intercom security system. However, it only works if communication is issued from one-end thus not fully making it two ways. This did not suit our needs and we contacted Surveillent via phone four times over a period of three weeks to initiate a return authorization prior to the 30 day return window and received no response whatsoever. We then contacted the company via email through Amazon.com and finally received a response. They made no apology for lack of customer service in returning our initial phone calls and proceeded to tell us that it was our fault we purchased the wrong product even though the product description is very limited and reads as follows:

Technical Details

* 300ft transmission range, line of sight

* Two way Intercom 2.25" LCD Color Monitor

* Live browsing feature when door / camera unit is hardwired

* System can store up to 163 images

* Day/Night Operation

I explained that there was no way we could know how this works without seeing the product. What then ensued was the single worst online shopping experience I have ever had. Surveillent told us that we had abused them by "trying to using their products as our own research facility," mocked our "inability" to do proper research and subsequently harassed us through seven different emails. They threatened us with a "dream team of lawyers" that they had $30 million in sales and they were going to "teach us a legal lesson." Clearly at Surveillant not only is the customer not always right they are to be abused while shopping. If you want to by this product do so through a different Amazon seller in case it doesn't suit your needs.

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There is not too much to say that isn't already mentioned by Andrew. I took off 1 star because this is a half duplex system. Meaning that if the person outside is talking and you start talking from inside then you can not hear the person outside while your voice is transmitting to them. For 200+ bucks full duplex it should have been full duplex. Conversations are limited to 60 seconds. The device does store snapshots of the individuals that ring your doorbell so that you can see who may have stopped by while you were out. The camera works great in darkness but not very good when the suns brightness is reaching the camera.

I think some way of communicating with the person at your door without opening it is important to have. Being able to see them and automatically snapping a picture is a huge plus.

Heres how we installed the device on my house that has Vinyl siding. We removed the doorbell then removed the 2 wires that was hooked up to the doorbell. we then drilled a hold from the right of the doorbell (where the vinyl meets the lip thats next to the door frame) hole into the doorbell hole then attached those 2 wires to some wires in a flat telephone line. We then hid the flat phone line in the lip next to the door frame (where the vinyl meet the lip) and we mounted the intercom right next to the lip. Looks great but right now my intercom is only being held by the vinyl so its not as secure as I would like it to be. Perhaps I need longer screws or maybe needed to find a "stud" first. We are newbies at this kind of stuff.

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Product does as it represented. Communicates around 100 feet through an exterior wall, three interior walls and up to a second story in the house.

The only real draw back is if you mount the exterior unit to utilize an existing door bell connection the camera has no upward adjustment. At that mounting height you get a picture of a waist.

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This thing is great! After getting quotes from local alarm dealers I decided to look in to this because it was hundreds of dollars cheaper than what I was quoted for wired systems. I was a little unsure if this would work since I live in a 4 story row home but after getting it setup it works just fine. My only complaint is that when people press the button it only rings on the unit itself. It would be nice if it would also send a signal to the rest of the doorbells in my house as well.

What I did then is put my original doorbell button right below this unit, spliced in to the same doorbell wire. When people see this unit, most of the time they press the regular doorbell since it's not immediately noticeable on the unit where the button is. Using this setup all of my doorbells ring which alerts me to somebody outside. Then I just go to the remote viewer and press the answer button to activate the camera. The security this provides me and my wife is excellent because my front door does not have a viewing hole to see who's outside.

Setup was a cinch too! All you have to do is remove your old door bell, mount the bracket, and attach the wires to this unit. Then put the unit in to the bracket and lock it in via a screw on the bottom and you're set! If you want to plug in your original door bell like I did, just get any thin wire and attach the additional wire to the back of this unit and run the wire to your old door bell. Should work just fine. Since this works off of low voltage wiring, it's also nice that you don't have to mess around with fuses and such at your fuse box during installation.

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JVC Everio G series Camcorder 30GB HDD with 32x Optical/800x Digital Zoom (Includes Everio Dock)

I bought this camcorder JVC GZ-MG435 from Anisha International and they gave very good support. Camcorder is value for money. If you are looking for still images and optical zoom, this can satisfy a bit. 1 megapixel still images are okay at good sunlight conditions. video quality is good. Battery that comes along with camcorder does not last long. Only 1 hour for 1 recharge. Recommend buying another battery. Initially I was not satisfied with still image quality and i wanted to give this product back and Anisha Intnl gave support for that. But finally i decided to keep this. This is not so great camcorder but definitely worth for the money.

Pentax Optio E90 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Wine Red)

I got this for my daughters graduation gift. She wanted a $300 touch screen camera but it wasn't in the budget. She loves this one. The low light performance is good and it is great for the "extended arm self portrait." She took it on her senior trip (yes, I gave it to her early) and she took over 1000 photo's with it with better than average results. She also really likes the panoramic mode. Overall it's a good choice for a casual camera.

I bought this camera because it was inexpensive but still had most of the features I was looking for in a camera. It uses 2 AA batteries, but they do last quite a while. Overall, the camera is great. It takes great pictures and has a lot of options for settings. My favorite is a panoramic feature which I have had a little difficulty with but haven't read about it. It also comes with a CD which has great photoshopping features. The only problem I have noticed so far is the video capture. It does not take a good video by any means, the voice is okay but when playing videos back, it's extremely delayed and broken. So if you are looking for a camera for mostly video purposes, this camera isn't for you! Other than that, it's totally worth the price!

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Really great camera in this price range. I've been using it for over a year and I am completely satisfied. Changable batteries never worry about charging. Great features. So easy to use. Panoramic photos so much more. Love it.

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Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

I have to say, "Wow I love this lens."

I'd recommend this lens for three kinds of people:

1) People who want to get a taste of the L-series lenses who need a lens in the 70-200mm focal length relatively inexpensively;

2) People who already own the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens who have to lug that huge thing around for a long time;

3) People who want a L-series 70-200mm lens who don't NEED f/2.8 or IS.

Call me a wimp, but shooting 1000-2000 shots a day in the field with the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS gets tiring, especially if you're hand-holding. This lens is relatively inexpensive for being L-series glass, the difference in optical quality is almost imperceptible from the f/2.8, and it's sturdy and ergonomic enough to use all day long.

When I plan on shooting the whole day, especially over the course of several days, this is the lens I take with me, NOT the f/2.8 IS. It's shorter, narrower, and lighter. While you may not feel the difference when shooting for a couple of hours, take two people of equal endurance and strength and give them the f/4 and f/2.8 IS and send them out for a day and you know who is going to come back with the sore arms when the day is over.

On a 1.6x FOVCF body, the 70-200mm focal range makes this lens a little tight; but at 1.3x or 1.0x FOVCF, this focal length range is quite awesome. When I travel, I like to pair this lens with the 17-40mm f/4 and use my feet to fill the gap between 40 and 70mm (I also take along el-cheapo 50mm f/1.8 so I can shoot in low light, and the 1.4x teleconverter to give myself an effective 450mm reach) -all of this is a good, lightweight, relatively inexpensive package. Also, while being quite a chunk of pocket change, this lens is nowhere near as expensive as the f/2.8 versions, and so it's a lot less of something to worry about when traveling or shooting under adverse conditions.

As so far, I have found NOTHING that I do not like about this lens (well, except for the one-stop loss from f/2.8).

I have to say that if you are looking for a single lens to do General Purpose work, this is not it. This lens is for specfic purposes. This lens works best as one-half of a pair, taking the upper useful focal lengths, while you use something like the 17-40mm f/4L or the 24-70mm f/2.8L to handle lower range of focal lengths. If you're looking for a carry-everywhere never-change lens, try the 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens. It's a great value, the focal length range is in the sweet spot, and the optics are not bad.

Otherwise, if you fit into one of the three categories at the beginning of this post, I would highly recommend this lens to you.

In my opinion, this Canon lens provides the best value in Canon's entire line up of "L" glass (lenses). If you have never used an L lens before, this will open your eyes to what you have been missing. Very fast focusing, very sharp images, very little chromatic abberation, and consistent quality through the entire zoom and aperature range.

One note; with a widest aperature of f/4 and a long focal length, you will not be able to take indoor photos without excellent lighting or a flash. I've tried to take photos of ice hockey, where the rinks are notoriously poorly lit, and had very little success. Even with a tripod it is a challenge to maintain a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action of a kids game (yes, even with ISO at 800). But in good lighting or outdoors in the daytime, this lense rocks.

Great sports photos. Great nature photos. This lense is extremely versatile. I have even used it with flash indoors for portrait photography.

There is not too much to mention on the negative side. Its size and color do make it stand out a bit in public, and people may thing you are a professional photographer. I've also noted that the depth-of-field with a wide open aperature, especially at f4, is very narrow. As long as you've been careful to focus on your subject, the background will be blurry. But focus on something other than your subject and you may find your subject to be blurry.

All in all, this is one great lens that will let you take very sharp photos. And it is a bargain price compared to its f/2.8 and f/2.8IS sibliings.

Buy Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Now

Like many people my decision on a telephoto zoom lens came down to buying the Canon 70-200mm f/4L or the Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM. The trade offs seemed clear at first. The former performs slightly better (see Canon website for MTF data), is better designed & built, is faster and has the "L" lens status. User comments and ratings (at more than one site) are slightly more favorable for the L lens. The 70-300mm has an improved IS and of course a longer focal length. Both cost about the same so money was not a factor in my decision.

I eventually decided on the L lens and was initially disappointed. Photos ranged from wonderful to not very good at all. In fact, I almost returned the lens. Eventually I figured out the problem. My yard is heavily shaded so most of the initial photo's were taken in low light and I had selected shutter speeds that were too slow. To avoid camera shake you need to shoot at the reciprocal of the focal length or faster. Sounds simple but with the Digital Rebel XT (which I was using) you need to consider the camera's 1.6 multiplication factor. So at 200mm you need a shutter speed of 1/320 or faster not 1/200 like I initially thought. Once I made the speed adjustment things changed for the better.

Still I have some mixed feelings about my decision. When the light is good this is a fantastic lens but with the IS feature offered on the 70-300mm I would probably get photos that I will miss with this lens.

I can't fault the performance of this lens for its limitations and I have given it 5 stars. In other words it does what it is supposed to do very well but my message to other buyers is to consider where you are most likely to use the lens before buying. Remember IS becomes increasingly important as you extend the focal length. If your camera is already extending it by a factor of 1.6 you may find IS a very attractive feature.

(Note the 70-300mm has a recall on certain model numbers because of problems when using the lens in a portrait position.) By the way, I purchased from Amazon and it was a flawless transaction!

Read Best Reviews of Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Here

I love this lens! Every year, I shoot a two-day 4-on-4 flag football tournament. With this lens, I consistently capture better photos than the other photographers with longer lenses. At f/4, it's fast enough to give you all the flexability in the world. Since it's a constant aperature throughout the length of the zoom range, your focus remains almost constant, so that you can cheat and get away with changing the zoom after you've got a focus lock.

While it's true that this lense will never "grow up to be" the f/2.8 70-200, at half the wieght and half the cost, it's worth it if you're looking at lugging around your camera for hours on end.

...P>One Warning: If you've never shot with a Canon Professional lens ('L' series lenses), you're in for a real treat. You'll have a very difficult time justifying buying anything for your Canon's in the future that's not an 'L' lens, and that can get VERY expensive.

Want Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Discount?

Like many aspiring amateur photographers I've "climbed the ladder" of Canon lenses in search of the lens (or set of lenses) that best fit my shooting needs. I've been leaning toward sports and nature, with only a sprinkling of portrait and macro photos, thus I've bought and used the range of Canon's telephoto zoom lenses. You can almost compare them as if you were shopping for a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), where type of use, speed, price, and durability will be your deciding factors. Here are my summarized thoughts on three of the more popular telephoto zoom lenses:

70-300 IS (Ford Explorer) Big zoom, least expensive of the bunch, handy Image stabilization, great for outdoor sports, but slower AF than the rest. May be "sharp" enough for your needs, though discernibly less so than an L series lens.

70-200 F/4 (Honda Pilot) Pro grade build and optics, fast and quiet AF, lighter and much cheaper than the F/2.8. Great all purpose lens that is light enough to be a carry-around lens for trips and hikes.

70-200 F/2.8 (Porsche Cayenne) Impressively sharp and fast. Can handle lower light conditions such as indoor sports, but heavier and more expensive than those above. My left bicep is discernibly larger thanks to hoisting this lens.

Advantages In the 70-200 F/4 Canon has created a harmony of features making it the all purpose middle of the line lens that is almost as affordable as the 70-300 IS, yet with the weather-proofing, durable build, optical performance, and tack sharpness close to the 70-200 f/2.8.

The 70-200 F/4 focuses very fast, very quietly and very accurately thanks to Canon's excellent Ring USM (Ultrasonic Motor). FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing is enabled. The focus and zoom rings are very nicely sized and turn very smoothly. The lens does not extend during zooming and thanks to its inner focusing system the front element does not rotate allowing easy use of a polarized filter.

Drawbacks If you're shooting indoors without a flash (concerts, some sports), the F/4 may not be fast enough for your needs. Also, the F/4 does NOT come with a dedicated tripod mount but it is available as an option ($60+) either in black or white.

Overall This is the affordable all purpose stud of the Canon Telephoto zoom lens line that should find a nice home in most photographers' bags. Unless you have low light or specialized uses, this lens should be high on your list of "To Buy" items. Highly Recommended!

RND High Speed CERTIFIED HDMI Cable (10 feet/Gold-Plated)

I didn't want to break the bank on a cable the guy at the store was pushing me; I did that on the TV. I searched amazon for a good hdmi solution and got really impressed for the price on this solution I was a little skeptical with its low price, but it turns out that it works great.

I broke the original GE HDMI cable while moving furniture so bought this as a replacement for our Magnavox Blu-Ray player. The player would not work, even tried changing several inputs on the TV. We then thought it was our blu-ray player so we then connected this cable to our Verizon Fios cable box. Nope, that didn't work either, even after changing inputs too. Plus the strange thing is it would power off our Westinghouse LCD TV as well! Thought we accidentally loosened the TV plug, but we turned on & off 4 times & every time I'd turn on the TV, it would turn itself off immediately! This only happened while using the RND HDMI cable between the cable box & the TV, didn't happen with the blu-ray player. So we put back our original HDMI cable between the cable box & TV and everything worked flawlessly. Tried using the cable box's HDMI cable between our Blu-Ray player & TV, both worked perfectly well, therefore it's obvious this cable is the problem. I'm disappointed and sending it back.

Buy RND High Speed CERTIFIED HDMI Cable (10 feet/Gold-Plated) Now

Canon PowerShot A1400 Black 16MP Digital Camera 8GB Bundle - Includes camera, 8GB Secure Digital SD

The camera is nice. Don't bother buying the bundle though the bag is pretty junky. We use these in the field on jobs and the case would never hold up.

Wound up buying this case http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CJTQJM/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. That one we like.

Samsung HMX-W200 Waterproof HD Recording with 2.4-inch LCD Screen (Red)

I purchased the Samsung HMX-W200 camera to take better video than my cell phone of my 2yr old son. I needed something small, rugged, and quick to turn on so as not to miss anything, and light enough to carry in a pocket with me most of the time.

So far this is a great little video camera. I took several video's with it, and they turned out great. A few things to note though. It uses a Micro SD, or Micro SDHC size card for storage, which you have to purchase separately. It will record 4 hours at 720 or 2 hours at 1080 on a 16GB card. One of the reviews I read on a marketing site said that you could adjust the frame rate, if you can, I have not found out how. The menu gives only 2 options 1080 and 720, both at 30fps. It only takes 1.5 seconds from when you press the power button, to being able to shoot video. When you plug the camera into your computer, it sets itself up as 2 drives, one with the data, and the other with the intelli-studio Light software. I found this to be very easy to use to do basic editing, cutting out little parts of the video that I did not want, etc... I also love the feature that allows me to pause the recording and then start it again without creating a separate file.

VIDEO:

The 1080p looks great. It also looked great on my 50in. HDTV. For the price this camcorder is well worth it. Everything Samsung claims about this camcorder is true. I have been using it for a month now. So far so good. However I have not even thought about putting it in water. But I have used it in the rain and it still worked great.

PHOTOS:

I only give the 4 stars because there is no timer for taking pictures. It's not a big deal when I'm shooting video. But I do like they way photos look on this thing. It requires the most steady hand in the world. I have used a tripod and it helps a little. I just wish I could set a timer to guarantee a still shot. The camera impressively utilizes all natural light. I understand the selling point for this camera is the 1080p video, but I don't always want to carry both my Canon EOS and my Samsung HMX when attending a public event.

OVERALL:

If you're in the market for a pocket camcorder go with this one and not the Flip. It is rugged, waterproof, and ready to record 2 seconds after you turn it on.

Buy Samsung HMX-W200 Waterproof HD Recording with 2.4-inch LCD Screen (Red) Now

Okay, so first off, it's almost impossible to find a perfect pocket cam, price-wise and quality-wise. I did rigorous amounts of research to find that all of them have their share of problems.

All scenes were shot in 1080p/30fps handheld, with Anti-Shake On. The other two options that the camera has, Face Detection and Back Light were off. The underwater shot could've been better but it's winter here and a bucket of water is the best I could do for the time being. I imagine with greater lighting and the camcorder being further away from the subject, the results will be better.

Overall I would rate the camera 3/5. Video is pretty good and it takes decent pictures as well with it's 5mp camera. The underwater mode is really cool, it allows me to really play around with some shots. It is also shockproof which extends my experimentation. I had a problems with some of it's hardware/software, for example, you press record and sometimes it takes a while for it to start/stop recording. Or when you think you press the record button and you don't. It records on an mp4 format but for some reason it has issues in Final Cut Pro. I am still an amateur at FCP but here are some the problems I have with it:

Can't Log and Transfer (SD adapter maybe?)

Sequence Playback (stops numerous times in between clips, hadn't had this problem until now)

Never Before Seen Error Messages (causes FCP to crash! Doesn't go away until I cut the clips)

Some stuff I didn't discuss in the video: The LCD screen is amazing, but some stuff that I capture, which is clearly visible on the screen, isn't when I watch it on my computer screen. Does that mean that my computer screen isn't as nice as the camera screen? Perhaps. Also, I've had a couple moments where the screen flickers and gets dim, and doesn't go back to its normal brightness until I hit a button. Also, the microphone on the camera is surprisingly good. However, it gives you little wiggle room to move your hands while holding the camera, as any movement (rubbing fingers, bumping) will cause high audio surges.

So in closing, overall video quality of the camera is good. Good not great, but come one, for what it is, what are you expecting? Like any video camera, better lighting equals better results. Microphone is really good. Pictures are fairly good, but not good at taking pictures while moving, easily blurs. So far, it seems like it's well-built, no problems aside from the flickering of the screen, which has only happened twice. The main problem, like I've said, is of the footage in post. I have tried using a 7200 rpm drive, and still I'm having issues.

Search thekingkhan13 on youtube to find my full uncompressed review with more shots. Hope this was helpful. -Thanks

Read Best Reviews of Samsung HMX-W200 Waterproof HD Recording with 2.4-inch LCD Screen (Red) Here

I purchased this Samsung HMX-W200 to use on our Caribbean cruise. I really like the waterproof feature and used it a lot. It takes pretty good pictures, but my Cannon PowerShot takes MUCH better pictures. As for the "Full HD" capabilities... this is where I was the most disappointed. In bright light with very little action, it does do a pretty good job at HD. However, if there is a lot of movement in the shot (like splashing water or when using in a moving vehicle or boat), the resolution is pretty poor. I wouldn't even call it HD, let alone 1080p as advertised. If it weren't for the waterproof feature, I would be looking to return it. But I will probably still get a good amount of use out of it since my family is involved in lots of activities in or near water. So in summary, I would have to say I'm pretty disappointed in this camera, but still find that it will serve a purpose.

Want Samsung HMX-W200 Waterproof HD Recording with 2.4-inch LCD Screen (Red) Discount?

I bought this after a very bad experience with a JVC Picsio (otherwise known as garbage). It comes on quickly, records very good quality (grainy in low light conditions, but that's expected) video and stores very easily for quick access for those little moments you want to capture. It's easy to unload the video, easy to edit and easy to own. Got this for my wife who HATES overly complicated devices, which this is not. I think that if your looking for something that is really waterproof, rugged and still takes high quality video, then buy this and you wont be disappointed.

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