Bushnell Imageview 15-45x70mm 5MP Camera Spotting Scope

The Imageview is the only system of its class available as far as I can see. There are a few other scope/camera combos on the Web, but each fails at some point: some are discontinued or unavailable, some lack the essential zoom feature and are fixed magnification, the nearest is a Russian model that has a fixed screen which cannot be easily shielded from ambient light and a lower resolution camera...at well over twice the price for the Bushnell.

That said here's the quick overview:

Pros:

*One of a kind

*Inexpensive

*Light weight

*Good quality photos under optimum lighting conditions

*Takes inexpensive SD cards for unlimited photos per trip

*Includes cable release

Cons:

*Focus offset between camera and eyepiece cannot be corrected with diopter ring as manual suggests and may be distant dependent

*LCD screen required for a clear photo is almost impossible to see in sunlight (e.g. birding)

*Battery life can be measured in minutes, you can't get many shots from a set of AA batteries

*The included tripod is flimsy and cheap, if you use this scope in the field, you'll want a sturdier one

*Buttons, fit and finish are marginal at best

*It's difficult to remember to throw the switch from eyepiece to camera; you'll take some blank shots, especially at first

it doesn't not work like an SLR

*It's clearly not designed to be weather resistant

*The camera metering is particularly bad for birding. Birds are generally back-lit against the sky or a bright background. Spot metering helps take care of this, the Imageview seems to use an averaging algorithm which leads to dark birds on a bright background. Post-image work can recover some, but not all the data.

I have always been impressed with Bushnell products. O.K. they're NOT high end optics, but they're very very good, especially when you consider how economical they are. So, yeah, you could call me a Bushnell fanboy, that's fine with me! I'm not a wealthy man, and I'm not a purist, but I do appreciate quality. We own two different pairs of Bushnell binoculars, and are well pleased with the performance and longevity of both products.

I've owned this scope for less than six weeks, and I already feel like I've got my money's worth! Initially, I was looking to find an affordable spotting scope and the right accessories to use our old digital camera to do some digiscoping. I'm a budding bird-watcher, and I wanted a way to capture images of birds that I could not identify, so that I could study them at my leisure. This scope (along with an adequate tripod) came in UNDER BUDGET and FAR OUTPERFORMS what I could have done with our old digital camera!

Of course, there's no such thing as a free meal. There are SOME drawbacks to this scope, but I feel that they're FAR outweighed by the advantages. If you are looking to take high-end photos that you can sell to National Geographic, keep looking! If you're looking for a great spotting scope, with the built-in ability to take good quality photos as well as short videos (without audio) at an affordable price, then look no further!

A satisfied customer,

Brian Hart

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I bought this for the telescope not the tripod. Good thing because the tripod is almost useless. It's so flimsy that it's almost impossible to locate and lock onto a target. I purchased a good tripod and am now very happy with the telescope. The quality of the telescope is better than I expected in this price range. Through the lens the image is very sharp and clear. No as good through the camera. If you want high quality photos you'll have to spend more. They are fine for showing people the wildlife in my backyard.

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I have had this a while and it still works. The only down fall is that its old technology and memory chips/sticks are hard to find. This uses the old SD card max 2GB.

But for the money great spotting scope.

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A photo of the view through a spotting scope or binoculars has instant appeal. The scope can be adjusted to your eye so that the digital image will be in focus too. I focused on an advertisement with lettering,about 30 feet away, then turned the eyepiece so the lettering is in focus looking through the viewer and on the LCD screen. The only problem is the LCD is dark and grainy, so it's hard to see focus. I had to upload to the computer to see the actual result. It's hassle, but it works, and once you have it, you don't have to repeat the calibration.

The images you get are low resolution. I wish Bushnell would offer this scope a with higher resolution LCD and CCD chip. Still, for the money, it's great.

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PowerShot A2500 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 720p HD Video Recording (Black)

shutter speed is a little slower than i anticipated, however; it is a good working camera, very small. would buy again.

Bought this little camera at Wal-Mart for 99.00. Very pleased as a amateur photographer just wanting the occasional picture to put on my computer. Thanks to Canon. They make good products.

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Easy to use and review pics. Takes good pictures too for small, compact camera. My second Canon a good buy!

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As a long time Canon compact camera user my favorite new features on the A2500 are...

The Canon PowerShot A2500 does not just stop at taking images but is rather adept at handling videos as well. It is capable of producing 720p HD files at the touch of a button. One of the thoughtful things about this camera is the inclusion of the movie button. You do not have to fidget about with all sorts of controls in order to get the video going. Rather you go back to that simple button and the rest is history.

Another nice feature is that this product is newly minted with an ECO mode which is designed to reduce the power consumption on your camera.

The Canon brand has made cameras its specialty and the Canon PowerShot A2500 holds true to type. This model brings out all the features that you would expect of a camera of its class but has the added advantage of making it easier for the consumer to access those features. In other words you get the best of both worlds with a great camera and easy usage.

Verdict:

There are no major surprises with the Canon PowerShot A2500. It is a great camera that does what it says on the box.

If you are looking for the next model up check out the Canon SD330 as it has another level of features and quality.

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I give this camera a 4 out of 5 because its not to small and not to big. It is light and small enought to fit in you shirt pocket. It comes with a rechargeable battery which last pretty long and cuts out having to purchase disposable batteries that doesn't last very long after a few flashes. This camera is more than suitable for any Vacations or Special Occasions and I would recommend this to anyone who want to have a Vacation or Occasion they dont want to forget. The PowerShot A2500 16.0 MP DIGITAL CAMERA WITH 5x OPTICAL ZOOM AND 720p HD VIDEO RECORDING will freeze that moment, that beautiful memory in time for you in excellent picture quality.

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.

JVC GR-D396 MiniDV Camcorder

I have the Ultra Zoom version of this and it's just a pain. The little on/off knob that you twist to record or play constantly turns on when you put the camera in the bag, so you almost never have a battery that you can use when you need it. (you can't plan baby's first anything, so this is useless.)The only way to stop this is detaching the battery and keeping it in the front pocket so that you have to assemble the camera in those few seconds where your kid is crawling or walking for the first time. Sound aggrevated?? Yes I am.

The pictures that you can shoot are horrible. Unless you don't ever plan on printing them, then you're ok.

The lighting is useless since it doesn't light anything at all. Anything other than outdoor sunlight comes out grainy. I'd prefer "green" nite vision clear videos than poorly lit, grainy videos where you can not really tell who is who..

What a waste of money.

I've had this camcorder for quite some time now and so far so good. Tapes are easy to put in and take out, does use a lot of battery power, but you get two batteries so basically 2 hours worth or record.

You can also place a memory card in for taking pictures...the pictures when developed do NOT turn out well at all. But if you just want the pictures to put online or send to family then they are good. So if you are expecting to hit two birds with one stone with this camcorder you won't. It makes great videos but not great pictures.

It has lots of extra features: fade in and out, black and white, date, time stamp...pretty much everything you could want. It doesn't have nightshot though which is sad. But in nightshot everyone looks green and scary anyway, but it still would have been nice.

All in all i like this, small size and packs some heat. I'd recommend this one. It's the one i decided on after HOURS of research.

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Evertech CCTV Security Camera - 700 TVL, 36 IR, 2,8~12mm Wide Angle ZOOM Vari-focal Lens Metal Dome

This camera works really well and the wide angle is great for covering the entrance area. The IR works better than the Swann and Zmodo cameras I have. I would buy another one and probably will to replace one of my others. The other review stated the Zoom didn't cover things well. I zoomed it in and out but decided to leave it zoomed out in order to get the full coverage of the wide angle view of the area in question. It has a clear picture and works really well for the security of my business.

This is fundamentally a good vandal-resistant NTSC dome camera, but with two important limitations. First, it is quite difficult to adjust the field of view and focus unless you temporarily run a cable from the back of the camera to the front of the camera, and have a wrist mounted video monitor to obtain real-time feedback. Second, the documentation is poor, and written in "Chinglish". The one sheet of paper which comes with each camera has no installation instructions, and is pretty much useless. The one sheet "installation instructions" PDF available on the Evertech USA website is both misleading and incorrect. I had to call Evertech (NJ) for assistance. The camera is easy to disassemble, install, and adjust once you have done it once. A good price for a good quality NTSC camera, but you may need installation help.

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[Evertech CCTV Security Camera 700 TVL, 36 IR, 2,8~12mm Wide Angle ZOOM Vari-focal Lens Metal Dome Camera for Indoor & Outdoor 36 Ir LED Color Home Security Surveillance Dome Camera]

I purchased this camera from Maxvision CCTV in Sept 2012. Right out of the box (the very day i received it) I noticed an interesting problem with the camera. With the lens set (via the zoom dial) at the widest view angle of 2.8mm focal, the camera image would simply NOT focus ! The image was **COMPLETELY** blurry at this wide angle setting and adjusting the focus over the entire range of the focus dial would not fix (focus) the image. The image could only be focused after I zoomed IN well past the camera's widest angle setting. This essentially means that to use the camera, one has to give up the widest view angles advertised for the product.

It may be that I simply received a defective unit. I can't say for sure at this time -Sept 10. I have contacted the Seller and will post an update after getting closure. If the issue is addressed and/or my experience with the camera is improved, i will re-rate this product accordingly.

9/15/2012 Update: Seller (MaxVision) offered apology and replacement but I opted for a refund since i was spooked. A camera with issues right out of the box might just be a simple stroke of bad luck or a sign of poor quality product. I wasnt interested in finding out so i returned the camera. My rating of the product stands at 1 star.

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Ikelite 6328.02 PRO-2800 LED Video Lite Complete Package with Flex Arm

For me, the product works great...thanks again Ikelite. However, the seller did a very poor job at packaging this item. The item was quoted as "NEW", but I must have been sent a very old display copy. The dial knob that switches light brightness settings was severely scratched, and there was thick dust everywhere. One of the charger pins was also bent. I'd expect something a little more new out of the box if I'm going to spend so much money on this. Please choose a different seller.

I was looking for a good video light not very expensive, then I realize that if you expend no much money, the result must of the time are poor also no always spending too much guarantees great result. I think the Ikelite pro 2800 is from the best light the must affordable one.

Durable light burning time, great angle of illumination and different power light setting, simply great!

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TRENDnet SecurView Wireless Pan/Tilt/Zoom Internet Surveillance Camera TV-IP410W (White)

This is a pretty good camera for the price. My requirements were that I was looking for a camera to access remotely to check my home from time to time and to e-mail snapshots based on motion detection.

First, let me list the pros:

1. Initial setup is pretty good. Sets up quickly and is functioning in about 10 minutes.

2. Picture quality is impressive.

3. Camera has a multitude of setup options that allow for some serious fine tuning.

4. Accessing the camera remotely is easy even with dynamic ip addresses.

Now the one and only con:

1. Motion detect e-mail capability is non-existent, unless you're running your own SMTP server.

While the setup went well, I spent roughly a week configuring the camera excatly the way I wanted it to work. Trying different configurations and settings to see what the best combination was. Much of this time was spent trying to configure the motion detect e-mail alerting system to work. After going back and forth with tech support they verified that virtually all e-mail providers require secure authentication which the IP410W is not capable of. So after setting up my own local SMTP server, it's now working just not the way I had envisioned it when I purchase the camera. Thus I had to drop one star and give it only 4 of 5 stars.

Just a warning to anyone contemplating mixing this camera with the older Trendnet cameras (IP-100W or IP-400W). In investigating this, it turns out that the newer cameras use a new "chip", and require different software to monitor the cameras on your PC.

I have two Trendnet cameras, the IP-100W (fixed), and IP-400W (moveable) set up at my house. I wanted to add a third camera, and thought that the IP-410W (newer design) would be a good option.

I verified with tech support at the company, that the new software (SecureView) works only on the new cameras, and the old software (IPview) only works on the old cameras.

They do sell other software that can work for both, but that will cost $300-$400.

Thought others should know.

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This cam is a sort of stripped down model of the Trendnet IP422W.

The IP410 supports only a wired 10/100Mbit Ethernet connection (No WiFi) and doesn't feature audio recording or MPEG4 compression. Additionally there are no IR LEDs so there is no night vision mode as in the IP422 (Both are indoor cams). However it's cheaper and if you're running a wired camera network (which is more reliable than WiFi) this is a better option that the IP422, assuming you don't need the additional features (although I think they should have left in the MPEG4 feature since it's standard in most new IP cams). The capture resolution can be as high as 640x480 up to 30FPS (just like the IP422). See my review of the Trendnet IP422 for additional details.

JAN2012 UPDATE: The IP410/422 is now an older model, see my review of the TRENDnet TV-IP602WN ProView Wireless Pan/Tilt/Zoom Internet Surveillance Camera

FEB2012 UPDATE: If you have a TV-IP410 hardware revision 1.x your camera may have a critical firmware bug allowing live images to be viewed BYPASSING AUTHENTICATION. If you have a TV-IP410 with firmware lower than V1.1.1 build 50 your camera is INSECURE! There is a firmware update on Trendnet's support site to fix the problem (which affects many Trendnet cameras).

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Camera fairly easy to set up and use. The image clarity is not as sharp as I had hoped for.

Two major issues. First, after a couple of weeks issues developed with the camera dropping the wireless signal. After dropping the signal the camera needs to be rebooted. No problem if you are at home with the camera but if you are away and viewing remotely and the camera needs to be rebooted you're out of luck until you return home. After researching the problem I found that this is a common issue experienced by other users.

Secondly, after six weeks, the camera would not capture any image at all.....there was only a pure white screen. Tried rebooting, clean install, clean hardwired install on another computer, replaced cables, etc. Finally, submitted a help ticket to Trendnet.....waited a week, no answer. Submitted another ticket. After another week, still no answer. I'm afraid to send the camera back to Trendnet due to their lack of response so I'm getting ready to pack it up and send it back to Amazon. They can deal with Trendnet.

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I installed the camera in my livingroom as a security device. I tested all the functions including motion detection and automatic emailing and it works without a glitch. I even found how to make it work with Zoneminder.

The only minor issue is that you have to use IE to activate some functions like recording on demand, which don't work in Firefox.

Besides that, great little camera for the price.

Eleqtronics4U Premier HDMI Cable - 2 Meter (6.6 Feet), 24k Gold contacts, V1.3, Ferrite Cores: Blu-

What a great cable. Fast shipping and it works beautifully. My big screen TV has never looked better. The shipping was quick, the seller provided great service. I am going to buy 5 more since these cables are better quality than what my cable service provided for me. Eleqtronics4u, great job!

Eleqtronics4U's HDMI Cables work great! I recently purchased one for my Apple TV, and was amazed by the clarity of the picture and sound. I have been forced to purchase much more expensive cables in the past, only because I did not know any better but I will never spend $50-100 on HDMI cables again. You will never be able to tell a difference between this cable and a more expensive HDMI cable purchased at a home theater store. I would highly recommend this product for any application needing an HDMI cable

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I still can't believe retail stores want 70 to 100 bucks for this!!

I have never used one until this one and when it came, it was easy to figure out what to do. Plug it in and play.

I use it to connect my laptop to my HDtv and watch movies/ listen to Pandora/ use the computer from the comfort of my sofa!

If you are older, this is a great way to use a laptop without having the tiny screen issue.

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I have purchased many HDMI cables over the years, and often succumb to the $70-100 price tags of the Monster Cables available at Best Buy and other retail stores. I recently purchased an Apple Tv, a Playstation 3 and got a new HD DVR cable box to hook up to my 60" Pioneer Elite Plasma TV. Expressing my disinterest in wanting to spend another $300 in video cables, I was referred to Eleqtronics4U by a friend. I reviewed Eleqtronics4U's product description and they seemed to have all of the same features as a monster cable, but I was still skeptical about the price. I went ahead and ordered three cables anyway, and hooked up my components. When I fired up my Blu Ray player the Picture was amazing, and I had the same experience with all of my components!!!!! Compared to a Monster cable, I could not tell any difference whatsoever. I have since spread the word to all of my friends who are investing in Home theater equipment. I will never pay outrageous store prices for HDMI cables again. I would highly recommend these cables, they are identical in performance to a monster cable but they are the best deal you'll find!!

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I am always socked at the price of HDMI cables in the stores. I have bought several different "price points" over the years and still cannot see or hear a difference. This cable connects my Roku to a large HD TV with no issues at all !

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Panasonic SVAV100 D-Snap MPEG4 Digital Video Recorder w/10x Optical Zoom

(...) I purchased my Panasonic SVAV100 D-Snap tapeless video recorder three days ago from a retail store within the first six hours (six hours in a car without Internet access) I was ready to return it. I could not get the MPEG2 video to play outside the camera. The supplied software, as it has been aptly described by others in the above reviews, is one of the worst applications I have seen in recent years as one reviewer put it "what were they thinking?" I was ready to return the camera really I was making plans to go back to the store then finally got to the Internet and I read the oh-so-simple comments on the this review board about renaming the .MOD to .MPG and I completely changed my mind about the camera the results are spectacular!

"What an engineering marvel" we all said upon seeing the results on the PC. With the camera producing native MPEG2 files it was doing what I expected it should do files that can be edited with any desktop video editor. I still can not believe the no other word for it `blunder' on the part of Panasonic's marketing and software groups. This is the only tapeless video recorder under $800 (I paid $600 with a mfg. rebate coupon) that produces native DVD quality MPEG2 files period. Why don't they just say that? Why don't they suggest renaming the .MOD to .MPG and call it a short cut for advanced users? It's just weird.... My impressions point-by-point:

First Light Setup 10/10 (out of the box and shooting video as fast as I could unwrap the plastic very easy PC software on the other hand ... read-on below...)

Ergonomics 9/10 (minor same points made by others no tripod screw, buttons though not needed for most functions while capturing images require a bit getting used to located under and behind the flip screen)

Camera menus usability 10/10 (what you need for each mode where you need it)

Convenience (read: size) 10/10 (you will always take it with you you will find yourself taking video and capturing moments like never before)

Image quality 9/10 (Carl Zeis was a genius no CZ lens here; white balance quite sensitive, but good though there is a manual mode and this videographer needs to master it for low light, contrast-y, indoor shooting)

Image stability 10/10 (as good as my image stabilized binoculars even with the optical zoom extended)

Accessories 9/10 (comes with all you'll need but why is the charging system brick and tray assembly larger than the camera itself? Charging batteries separately in a small form-factor unit is a must out-of-the-box, Panasonic requires batteries to be charged in the camera apparently there is a third-party external charger available separately. I'll be buying one soon!)

Recording Capacity 10/10 (this may surprise you I use the NORM MPEG2 that's 22 minutes good but not quite DVD quality on the supplied 512M chip and over 40 minutes on a 1G chip how much video do you need to shoot anyway? For family and activities I've not had a problem plus I can dump the chip to hard drive in a few minutes. At $60/Gig buy a couple chips. The 2G chips are soon to be sold and 4G chips are on their way that will be three hours of video on one chip!)

PC Software 0.0001/10 (total utter failure on Panasonic's part. Fortunately it is not required at all as I came to find out. Simply take the chip out, plug it into your SD chip reader desktop or laptop unit copy and rename the files there is even a freeware utility available on the Internet)

Did I mention convenience `-) 10/10 !

When I first looked into this product I was in a quandary I worried about cutting edge: "high wow factor low performance" "sounds too good to be true" I took a chance anyway I am happy I did. For more info excellent source: Do a Web search on "SVAV100" and "Jack Brown" you'll find an excellent "SVAV100 Forum" Panasonic should give this group part of their marketing budget they are far more competent.

This is a great little camcorder for having with you at all times to take short videos. You will have to download often to your computer since the SD card cannot hold much. These .MOD files for MPEG2 take up a lot of room. Most people don't like to watch long videos anyway. You will have this camcorder with you when the bigger one will be at home or in the car. The supplied software is not worth a dime. It cannot keep up with your files if you need to move them. Get Moonlight El-ecard MPEG2 Player software from the Internet. You can also transfer the videos to VHS, 8mm or DV tape. Actually, they look better doing this (then watching on your TV) than by viewing them on your computer.

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Even after reading about all the 'problems' with the SVAV100 I decided I still had to have one. I wanted a way to capture video of my daughter without looking like the proverbial "dorky-dad-with-a-video-camera." This camera lets me do that.

But, surprisingly, I've either not experienced these problems or found very simple workarounds for them. Here are some examples:

Software: there are numerous, high-quality editing programs that handle the task of editing MPEG2 video with aplomb. Most offer free demos so you can decide which works best for you at no cost.

.MOD file format: simply change the files extension to .MPG and nearly any video tool (Windows Media Player included) can read the MPEG2 files produced by the SVAV100

CODECS: I have WinXP running on a fairly new PC I didn't need to install anything to get up and running.

SD Card: the camera records 10 minutes of MPEG2-fine on the included 512M card (I get just over 20 minutes from a new 1G card). Between the two cards, 30 minutes of storage covers all the video situations I've encountered.

Battery-life: I have found replacement batteries for less than $15 each. I carry a couple of fully-charged backups which provide all the battery life I could possibly need (certainly more than enough juice to fill both SD cards, and then some).

Anyhow, this has been my experience to date; YMMV. Overall, I am very pleased with the quality of the camera and it's output.

Finally, I'd like to give kudos to Jack Brown for establishing an extremely useful SVAV100 users' forum (see URL in his review here). It contains a wealth of information and is definitely worth checking out.

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The advantage is that it is small and light, even smaller and

lighter than my cannon power shot camera. The biggst problem is

battery life, it claimed that it would be capable shoot about

60 minutes continuously, but in my experience, the battery is

gone before I finish all 20 minutes SD capacity (in Mpeg2 normal

mode).

Want Panasonic SVAV100 D-Snap MPEG4 Digital Video Recorder w/10x Optical Zoom Discount?

While the Pansonic D-SNAP has the potential for usable video quality, you need to realize that it is going to take atleast an additional $799 card to make it functional. To reach a useful quality, the D-SNAP uses a high speed Panasonic version of the SD card, which is now available as a special version 32x SD card by other sources. Today, people try to get the best price for a 30 60 minute DV tape at $5. With the D-SNAP, you'll be shopping for a $799 32x SD card, with 1 gig of storage, so you can move from 10 minutes of video to a whopping 20 minutes (which really is the bare minimum) at $799. Also, beware that the manual is clear that the high speed write times will wear down the card, and you need to run special procedures to help reduce the errors which will start occurring.

The goal with compact devices is to make recording on the road possible. So if you can avoid 2 devices, one for STILLS and one for videos, this goal is possible. However, while most cameras today consider anything less than 2 megapixels (2 million pixels) for STILLS bare minimum, the D-SNAP can only do .3 megapixel (330 thousand pixels). You can't even print a high quality wallet size.

The quality of the video is there with the D-SNAP. But the STILLs are completely unacceptable and you will be paying thousands of dollars to get 30 60 minutes of video.

The Sanyo Fisher is equally as compact, very solid construction, provides 3 megapixels for STILLS, and provides the resolution (30 frames per second) and size (640*480) required for TV. It also comes with a 512kb card, BUT it achieves 20 minutes of DVD-like quality or 45 minutes of VHS-like quality (which is very good), out of the box. It uses more recent compression technology to write at multi-mb speeds on a normal SD card. You even get 30 frames per second to meet your 360*240 PC requirements, which provides more than an hour of video. The interface is much better thought out on the Sanyo (everything is there at your finger tips, whereas the Pansonic makes you want to rip off the LCD at times because the controls are at the side). The focus is 6x zoom optical on the Sanyo, instead of 10x like the Panasonic, which is still excellent. And the ISO levels and features are exceptional. Bottom line, you can live with any downside of the SANYO. You can't live with the downsides of the Panasonic.