Sony Cybershot DSCP200/R 7.2MP Digital Camera 3x Optical Zoom (Red)

I just purchased this as a replacement from my Sony P-100 5 mega pixel camera. WOW! This camera is definitely a sleek improvement from past models. Aside from the 7.2 megapixel count, this camera excels in almost every conceivable area relevant to compacts.

First off, this camera starts up in less than a second or so--truly fast compared to other similarly priced cameras. This feature is essential when attempting to capture that oh so special kodak...er...sony moment in a blink.

Secondly, the camera is beautiful. Sony got it right this time when designing a sturdy, compact and lightweight technological masterpiece. True, it's not as small as its even lighter cousin--the T-33, or the Pentax Optio S5n and Casio Exlim models, but it passes the pants pocket test with flying colors. Additionally, when compared to the T-33, this camera uses the regular memory stick size and not the smaller duo like the T-33. Sooooo, if you already own a sony, this is a natural upgrade.

Some other excellent features on the P-200 are the manual overides. You can adjust the shutter speed and aperature which, for a camera in this class, is a true rarity.

I also am enjoying the extremely high quality video mode; although not the most important selling point, having the ability to take camcorder like videos with sound for unlimited amounts of time (unlike 30 second segments from many other cams) is handy.

Another amazing feature is the battery life. I remember my first sony digital camera--the DSC-P50 2.1 mega pixel. It's battery life was dismal. My P-72 was slightly improved, but still suffered from chronic battery munchies. The P-200 fully charged can take pictures for over 200 minutes! If you're on the display modes, it can last almost double that--another breathtaking accomplishment. The info lithium works well in calculating the remaining battery life--a major complaint from owners of other cameras like Canon that lack this feature. Lastly, it is a proprietary battery, so purchasing an additional one is recommended.

Needless to say, the 2" lcd is gorgeous, just like the past sony cameras I've had. It's extremely hi-res and I have no difficulty seeing it in sunlight. The lcd's navigation is similar to earlier sony cams with a few new additions. Sony finally placed a protective screen over the actual lcd to prevent damage...took them long enough, but it's much appreciated.

Overall, I'm tremendously pleased with the picture quality from this puppy. I envision this camera lasting well into early-mid 2006 when Sony will release yet another improvement. Until then, I highly recommend this for most anybody who appreciates quality and functionality incorporated into a lightweight package.

I thought my old Olympus C50 was going to be my last digital camera for a while, but then the P200 was released as an update to the already-excellent P150 and I convinced myself to buy it.

I think Sony did a great job on this camera. It is perfect for those who are tech savvy but really appreciates technology when it is used to make something better without making it cumbersome to use.

The Sony DSC-P200 is first and foremost a point and shoot camera designed to capture every-day life images and the occasional video. To best serve that purpose, it is compact, easy to use, and have an exceptionally quick turn-on time. It's not the smallest camera, but it is compact enough to fit inside small pockets, and substantial enough to be easy to hold. Sony cameras, like most Sony brand products, have excellent user interfaces that are logically laid out and easy to comprehend. I figured out out to use my P200 without reading the manual. I will probably refer to it to see exactly what the scene modes are but that's about it. The large 2 inch LCD on the P200 also makes it much more user friendly than smaller 1.5 or 1.8 inch displays. The turn on time for this camera is one of the best, probably somewhere around a second between pressing the power button to being able to snap a picture. My old Olympus C50 took 3-4 seconds and it was a real bother.

Ease-of-use points aside, this is a 7.2 Megapixel camera and it packs a picture-quality punch that is surpassed only by high end cameras such as the SLR variety. Untill full reviews come out on one of the well known digital camera review sites, I think it is adequate to use reviews for the P150 as a guage. Those reviews have all been very positive on the P150 and the P200 is at least as good as the P150 in terms of picture quality.

Some words about blurrness...

I've heard/read about Sony digital cameras taking blurry pictures and all expert opinion attribute the blurrness to two things: image processor, shaky hand/mount.

There are only a few Sony digital cameras that suffer from blurry pictures caused by an image processor that is too agressive in performing noise reduction. The DSC-W1 is probably the best and most recent example. However, the DSC-P150 does not have this problem, and neither does the P200 according to what I've seen and the pictures I've taken. I tried a DSC-W1 for 2 weeks before returning it so I know first hand what the image processor induced blurryness looks like.

The second cause of blurryness is a classic case of shaky hands. The newer generation of Sony Cameras seem to be programed to prefer a longer shutter open time rather than increase ISO or turn on the flash. It tries to make the most out of available ambient light before making use of adjustments that compromise picture quality. What this results in are shutter speeds as slow as 1/30th of a second before the camera will start using the flash in full auto mode. This combined with 7.2MP of resolution will result in blurry pictures if the hand holding the camera isn't absolutely still. In trying to maximize the picture quality of the camera, Sony has traded off some real-world usability. Whenever I use my P200 to take a picture and see that the shutter speed is 1/40 or slower, I will make a mental note to brace myself when taking the picture, or at least use both hands.

All things considered, it's hard to imagine a more perfect combination of everyday usability and performance. The P200 is perfectly at home snapping birth-day party pictures for 4x6 prints, or mounted on a tripod to get that perfect shot for a 8x10 blow-up.

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The DSC-P200 is an amazing piece of technology that demonstrates how far digital photography has come. With a 7.2 MP resolution, 3X zoom, lithium ion battery and a 2" LCD screen squeezed into a tiny package, this camera is truly amazing. The output is no less impressive with quality superior to that of any other camera I have seen.

One of the advantages of a camera this small is its ability to be carried in your clothing without relying on an external carrying case. While this is a great attribute that allows you to bring it to parties for impromptu photos, its apparent fragility is a cause for concern. It would be nice if Sony provided a glove-like camera case or entirely different, ruggedized housing. Of course, many third-party camera cases are available along with what Sony offers, but even the smallest of these will be too large to fit in a shirt or inside sport coat pocket.

In addition to its diminutive size, the camera's portability is also fostered by the lithium ion battery which lasts for nearly two hours. Moreover, with a larger memory chip, you will have everything necessary for a day or more worth of shooting. At the full seven megapixel resolution, photos average about three (3) megabytes each. This means you can store only about ten photos on the included 32 MB Memory Stick, making memory a necessary upgrade. By comparison, my 512 MB Memory Stick allows me to take over 150 maximum resolution 7.2 MP photos. Fortunately, it can be purchased for approximately $55 at Amazon.

Even though I am not a professional photographer or artist, I can definitely appreciate the picture quality. I had the opportunity to directly compare the Sony DSC-P200's quality to that of a Minolta 5 MP camera taking the exact same photo at the same distance. The pictures of a friend and me were taken by a waiter in an upscale restaurant with relatively low lighting. At first glance, they appeared to be of comparable quality. After closer inspection, however, it was clear that the Sony image was superior. In one striking example, the shades of my burgundy shirt were more accurate with less pixilation.

For the amateur photographer, be aware there are many features to be deciphered. As a former engineer and gadget enthusiast, I consider myself a quick study. Yet, I had to spend a couple of hours reading the manual and still have some learning to do. So, don't buy this camera on the way to your daughter's wedding and expect to use it (besides, the battery will be dead anyway).

Many casual photographers may question the need for seven megapixels as this exceeds the resolution of even the largest monitors. For example, a high-end WUXGA (1900 x 1200) wide format monitor only has 2.3 megapixels. However, the camera's superior resolution provides a hidden benefit. Even if you don't want to create large format photos or posters, it does allow for a convenient "off-line" zooming. So if you are at sporting event or show, you can take photos of scenes even too far with 3X magnification. When editing the images on your computer, you can crop the part of the photo desired to effectively zoom into the image you wish to save or share with you friends.

As a Sony Vaio owner, I have the added benefit of being able to slip the Memory Stick directly into my laptop without having to worry about cables or additional drivers. It would be even nicer, though, if Sony provided some sort of wireless connectivity, such as Bluetooth or WiFi. I can see why Sony would skip this feature as current wireless technology would not be sufficient for transfer of several high-resolution photos.

The video capability is a nice frill even though it would not be a key reason for purchasing this camera. I was quite surprised that it produced quality video AND sound recordings. The latter was far crisper than I ever expected. With two gigabyte chips available in 2005, you could record full motion video for nearly 80 minutes. This sounds great, but the camera doesn't record moving scenes very well. Presumably, this is due to internal bandwidth limitations. On this note, it would be nice to provide HDTV video recording, even at a lower frame rate. This would be quite a stretch due to bandwidth limitations/data write speed as HDTV cameras, geared for the professional market, are very expensive.

In summary, the Sony DSC-P200 is an incredible piece of technology that provides tremendous picture quality in a small package. I can't imagine wanting more out of a camera other than a ruggedized housing or high resolution HDTV video, which is quite unrealistic given its size and cost. Given the camera's intended purpose, Sony has done an amazing job. For still photos, the DSC-P200 should be good for a decade or so.

Pros

7.2 MP

Incredible picture quality

Lithium Ion battery

Compact

Cons

No glove-like case

A bit complicated for recreational photographers

Delicate (potentially)

32 MB of standard memory

No Bluetooth

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I resisted "going digital" for a long time. When I finally took the plunge and compared cameras, the Sony DSC-P200 was the standout. Consider this:

The P200 has a metal case -not plastic.

The lens is a Carl Zeiss -the same German optical firm that makes lenses for Hasselblad and Leica.

The P200 is made in Japan by the same Sony subsidiary that makes the professional digital Betacams used in Hollywood.

The design of this camera deserves an award the placement of the buttons, shifting of the lens to the extreme left side the result is a camera that "feels right" -never do I touch the wrong button, or have to search around for the right function.

The photos? I shot Macro, fluorescent, incandescent, cloudy, and bright sunshine -exposures were excellent and the 7.2 Megapixel Super HAD sensor produced images that did not pixelate until I had enlarged them to 200X!

I bought the Sony DSC-P200 (and I recommend getting a 512MB memory stick -you can get 130 images at the highest quality setting) and the two of us have been inseparable.

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We spent a long time researching the purchase of a new digital camera. My Nikon Coolpix 880 was great when I bought it in 2000, but it's been dropped a few times, and it was a bit heavy/big. I wanted a camera that took great pictures, was light weight and small enough that I could comfortably carry it in my pants pocket.

The Sony Cybershot 7.2 has everything I wanted. It's small, easy to carry in a small purse or pocket, and it takes amazing photographs. The image quality is excellent. I do a lot of scrapbooking and crop a lot of pictures before I print them, so it was important to me to have 7.2 megapixels for enlargement.

The camera is easy to hold I have fairly small hands, and it doesn't feel awkward or big.

As far as construction goes, the Sony Cybershot 7.2 is user friendly. The battery, memory card and charging outlet are behind the same "door". The buttons are aligned so that, for a right-handed person, it's possible to hold the camera and manipulate the image (ie. zoom, change menu options, etc.) with one hand but do use the wrist strap! The LCD resolution is very good, definitely better than my old Nikon, and I was thrilled to find that the pictures look even sharper on the computer! One major problem with my Nikon was that the on/off button could easily be triggered by putting it in the case, so the camera would stay on and eat the battery up. On my new camera, the on/off button is slightly recessed, so it won't turn on accidentally, and the battery life is exceptional 300+ minutes. The turn on speed and the time between shots is very quick about a second. The zoom is excellent as well and gives me a lot of detail.

I didn't buy this camera for the video, but I played around with it to see what it was like, and would seriously consider leaving my other video camera at home now! The microphone is located where you would put your thumb if you held the camera with two hands (unless you were paying attention) and sound quality isn't exceptional, but it definitely works well. If you wanted to narrate, I'd suggest speaking close to the camera.

Drawbacks: Personally, I need to hold the camera with two hands to keep it steady. This is not a big problem at all, but I thought I'd mention it unless I'm trying to catch something on the fly, I don't have a problem keeping the camera steady.

In scene mode, when you bring up the menu, your setting choices (snow, candlelight, portrait, etc.) are represented only by icons, and I find it difficult to remember what each is.

Neither of these problems are (in my opinion) significant, but I thought I'd bring them up in case they are for you. Overall, I couldn't be happier with my purchase.

Yukon Digital NV Ranger Pro Binocular

I recently purchased the Yukon Digital Ranger Pro monocular with the intention of using it to glass and stalk feral pigs on family land. After using it three times there are some areas in which this tool REALLY performs well and others where it is not a replacement for low-or-zero magnification NV. THE GOOD: Once you figure out how to focus the monocular, you can resolve a VERY sharp and VERY detailed image from quite a long distance. For example, you can easily identify a feral pig from a calf at a distance of about 300 yards and you can pick out the shape of a license plate (not read it, though) on a vehicle from 400-500 yards. Both examples were on overcast nights without visible stars or moon, some ambient light from the sky but not much. The IR beam that the Ranger Pro casts is very powerful and can be used to BRIGHTLY illuminate a target for a hunting partner with a Gen 1 rifle scope on a dark night, which I think is VERY cool. I also like that you can connect this device to your digital video camera and record what you are doing, but that isn't practical unless you are hunting out of a blind or from a hide. So, in short, you get a very sharp picture with 5x magnification, an excellent IR illuminator (I can confirm that the beam is invisible to pigs), the ability to record to the digital camera you already have and a relatively small pricetag for the image quality (have to go over $2k for conventional phosphor tube NV to get the same quality). If you don't need to see a REALLY SHARP image beyond about 200 yards, you get the same thing out of the regular Yukon Digital Ranger for about 1/3 the cost. THE BAD: It would be very difficult to use this device while moving. You have to stalk, stop, glass, resume stalking. If you want continuous visibility in low/no light conditions, you need something other than this device. It eats batteries although you can stretch it's effectiveness by intermittent use, don't count on more than two hunts out of a set of batteries (leave the 12v charger plugged in when not in use because it disconnects the battery pack otherwise the small IR illuminator continually draws a small charge). I recommend feeding this thing with rechargeables. The LCD display in the eyepiece will blind you for a moment in the eye you use it on, I can see this being a major problem in some situations. This device has trouble quickly acquiring targets at different ranges if you have a set of targets at 50 yards and another at 100, it takes both hands and a few seconds to examine both. I really wish this device had a set or auto-focus and/or a push-button zoom capability like many digital cameras do either would make it a much better product.

All-in-all, I am happy with this product. It suits my needs and offers some unique advantages, HOWEVER, for

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OPTOMA TECHNOLOGY SVGA 2800 LMS 3500:1 CONTRAST HDMI 2XVGA-IN VGA-OUT AUDIO-IN AUDIO-OUT 2

i set this up as soon as i got it, being super psyched! before this i had purchased the shift3 lightblast entertainment projector and was sorely disappointed. therefore, i decided to up my price range a little. i bought this for around 200$ and it was worth it. currently i have this set up approximately 12 feet from my screen. my screen is 5' across & tall.

pros

it has most any hook-up you could want.

it projects well enough even with a couple lights on, but projects amazingly in a dark room. it has better picture quality (both sharpness and color) than my old TV and my laptop combined!

it's easily set-up and you barely have to do a thing.

the warranty is amusing to read (the projector isn't covered if it is wrecked in a casualty... =P ).

the bulb is easily replaced.

it has both focus & zoom and both are easy and work very well.

it looks good.

it's pretty quite.

it has a remote.

cons

it kicks the fans on immediately and constantly runs hot, although this is a trend i've seen with every projector.

the sound output port is rather pathetic and insufficient to hook up to something such as surround sound, but there are ways around this (don't put sound into it and run the sound directly to your speakers)

it says it has a built in speaker system, it has a volume control, but the speakers don't work the best...

it needs time to cool down after using it (the fans run for an extra 2-3 min. after it's off).

Ive got to say, i was a tad skeptical at buying this projector. for a little under 400 bucks, i didnt know what i really was getting. I was getting mixed details about the projector, saying it was a xvga, then it says its a 720p projector. I didnt know if the 720p was a lie. Well, the truth is, natively this projector is a 4:3 aspect ratio xvga projector. But boy does it know how to push its limits! I attached a blue ray player via hdmi to this bad boy and it looked GREAT! The quality of the projector is really really nice in my opinion. not only does it have the hdmi port but it has vga, and a composite, and a sound in and out port too. I love this projector and watch all my movies on it.

It says its a 70in projector but im telling you with the 2800 lumens it has, you can go larger and STILL have a great image! i was projecting onto a 80in screen and it looked great and it could keep getting larger if i only had a larger screen!

i say, get this, you dont need the 600 dollar 720p projectors, i think this one does just fine!!!!!

The zoom lens helps a tad, but its hard to get a large picture when the screen is close. You would need to tape on a wide angle lens to do that, which i have done :) HAPPY SCREENING!

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I ordered my OPTOMA projector because it offered high quality and versatility in terms of brightness (2800 lumens), and input formats. A nice bonus that I hadn't seen before is the VGA out, which I will use to string together multiple displays for my installations.

HOWEVER, What is sorely missing is a lens cover. Many other manufacturers' designs include a slider that opens/closes a lens cover or at least includes a removable lens cover. This had neither. It must be an oversight, because the TS551 comes with a travel bag which suggests that it is meant for portability.

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El producto cumplió con mis expectativas. Excelente imagen, muy brillante, lo uso aun a plena luz del dia y se ve muy bien, lo uso para ver películas y para jugar con el wii. Muy contento con este producto, lo recomiendo

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I use this projector everyday for my PS3, Wii, Computer (movies and games), and Digital HiDef cable and it looks awesome on everything. Bright at night and during the day, and it goes past the 70 inch size. We have it mounted to the ceiling about 14-15 feet from the wall and it goes up to 130 inches without distortion. You don't have to look at it dead on either to see it you can see it from all angles clearly. The only bad thing I have noticed about it was that the audio out plug is bad it sounds all crackly and distorted but if you have your own surround sound system and you just hook up the video signal cords you will be fine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sony Handycam HDR-CX380 16GB 1080p HD Video Camera Camcorder (Black) with 64GB Card + Battery + 2 C

The camera turned out to work much better than I expected in both quality and performance. The accessory package had every thing you need to operate the camera.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Full HD Camera with Sharp Shooter Kit - Package includes

I bought this for my daughter to 'keep up' with the moves of the grandaughter, we have the 7D and for the costs of this camera its almost a better deal (so close the difference in money for the other) is not justified!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nikon Coolpix S710 14.5MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom

I purchased this camera in five months ago. The picture quality is very good but it started developing problems after 3 months. It will not retain the time and date. It started to freeze up nd could only be turned off or on by removing batteries.

I sent it for repair at Nikon authorized center and was quickly told that this defect is not covered under warranty and will cost $99.00 to repair.

I strongly advise against the purchase of this series since I spoke to many coolpix owners and found out they have problems as well.

I am a pro photographer specializing in scenic imaging that is sold at the National Parks in the American Southwest. My products feature 360 degree VR photography in Flash and Quicktime. I often volunteer to take pictures of families and other groups of people at the Parks with their cameras so they can all be in a picture. So I have been handling these cool little point and shoot cameras, and I have seen the great pictures they take when my friends come back from trips and put on slide shows. So I decided the mini point and shoots have evolved enough so I should get one and experiment with using it for my work sometimes. I bought a top of the line, 12.5 mp Fujifilm FinePix F100fd. I returned it after one week. The pictures were muddy and had to be downsized to about 5 mp before they were sharp enough to use. And the "manual" controls just didn't cut it.

So I ordered the Nikon S710 in deep red to try next. It is a great little camera! The design is brilliant. It is a tiny work of art. I love it and you will too! I use Nikon SLR and DSLR cameras all the time, and the controls on this tiny point and shoot S710 work exactly the same as the controls on my expensive DSLR Nikons. The color out of this little camera is spot on, and the images are sharp and very much usable at the highest resolution, 14.5 mp! I like the lens. It can't match full size Nikon lenses for regular FX (35 mm) cameras, but it's pretty close. The high iso capabilities of the S710 are good. The vibration filtering works great and you can get some beautiful photos in low light situations with no tripod. I bought a mini tripod with the camera for $5 that works fine and got a nice, two tone burgundy and black case from LowePro for $15 that holds the camera, an extra battery and SDHC card, and the tiny tripod carries great slid through the belt loop, so I have a pretty complete kit that weighs less than a pound and fits in a pocket!

The ergonomics are superior and the camera feels natural in my big hands and its comfortable to hold and keeping my fingers away from the flash is just automatic. The buttons and select wheel work and feel just right and the menus in icon mode make sense and work intuitively.

The only thing I would suggest Nikon do to improve the camera is to provide a firmware update that allows you to save images in RAW format.

Some reviewers have complained about the camera being slow. It seems plenty fast to me and I have not found its speed an issue. The case is stainless steel and the finish has proved very durable so far and looks great! I love this camera and take it with me everywhere I go. I am flying to Chicago in a couple of weeks to see Etta James and go to a Cubs game and this kit is the only camera I am taking along.

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I have a D-SLR that I use on a regular basis since photography is my hobby. I wanted a small camera that I could put in my pocket or purse instead of carrying my backpack of camera & lens around when I was just out & about. This camera takes as nice of pictures as my Canon and I am able to adjust the f/stop & shutter speed as well. There are around 16 pre-set modes that are helpful. The 14.5 mp is an added bonus if I want to enlarge my photographs. The case is sturdy and it does come with a ac charger & USB cable. I used a SDHC class 6 memory card to remove any lag time between pictures and for good video footage. You will not be disappointed.

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As many of those providing poor to bad reviews, I had this camera about 3 to 4 months before I had the problem with the lens error as many have described. I had to always make certain the camera was well charged so this problem did not occur regularly. In addition, I have also experienced the problem where the camera does not maintain the time and every time I go to use it I have to set the date and time before I can take a picture with the camera. I also agree that it is not structurally sound.

I am very disappointed with this Nikon camera!!!

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My sister and I bought two Nikon Coolpix S710 cameras and they were both a great disappointment. My camera's lens broke before I even started using it. I turned it on for my trip to Washington D.C. but the screen said there was a lens error that couldn't be fixed. I tried turning it on/off, taking out the battery, shaking it, but nothing worked. In the end, I had to ship it back for a new one and I only had it for two days!

My sister's camera worked once before it had problems turning on/off. She would need to remove the battery and reinsert it every time. She will also be returning her camera.

I definitely do not recommend this camera to anyone.

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

My husband got this for me as a replacement to my aging Nikon D70. First the color, I love it. It is a true red, and not a pinkish color. The camera has a good weight to it and feels very sturdy without being to heavy. The attached lens works well and produces good images. I am a hobby/enthusiast and am starting to study photography, this camera more then does the job. Best thing is that the anti-shake technology is built into the camera, and that makes the lenses much cheaper. Having come from Nikon, where the anti-shake is in the lens, this is a huge relief. the same lenses are considerably less expensive. It will also take any Pentax lens ever made, and that is huge. You can find good used lenses at photo shops and second hand stores and save a bundle!

I am still learning the menu systems but they are pretty smooth so far. If you mess up your settings, there is a reset function that will reset all of your settings back to factory, and the auto setting always works. It seems to write to the disk pretty fast too. It also does HDR shooting. I am still playing with this so I can't speak to the quality of those images yet.

I am very happy with this camera, and I will be sticking with Pentax!!

I upgraded from a *ist DS, mainly because I wanted better cropping options than the 6.1mp DS gave.

Pros on the upgrade:

1) K-r has 12.3 megapixels and 2 format options for a RAW image (DNG & PEF).

2) It also has a "green button" which can be assigned various functions, but I assigned RAW to it so I can take most of my shots on jpg, but when I think I want to save it with the original 12-bit data, I just push the green button and it saves it as both jpg and RAW.

3) Stabilization built into sensor. This allows me to use all my old glass lenses with stabilization. I generally can focus faster than any autofocus because I know what I want in focus by looking. Having the anti-shake for these old lenses is nice.

4) It takes great low light photos up to 1600. Some flat areas, such as a dark sky, will show noise at 1600 that can be removed with post processing (select/blur).

5) It has ISO priority choice (Sv) where you can set the ISO speed and the shutter and f-stop will adjust around your choice of speed.

6) SCN functions which I have set to Museum as another "No Flash" mode.

7) It works with old Pentax program flashes but not TTL mode. You have to read the chart on the back of the flash.

8) Frames per second is fast.

9) Still works on 4 AA batteries (with optional expensive adapter should come with it as standard) which is handy for travel. You can always find AA batteries.

10) Menu system is easy and fast no scrolling down necessary.

11) Info button gets you a status screen, and if pushed again, a page of shortcuts, such as white balance, custom exposure, HDR, and meter mode.

12) The big screen is really bright and sharp. I mainly use it to review photos which I couldn't on the *ist DS.

13) Some post-processing functions that are mainly for fun, that are found on Point and Shoot Pentax cameras (colorization, BW, Toy Camera?).

14) It takes movies if you want, but I didn't get it for this so haven't used it much. The one video I took seemed sharp and smooth when playing back on a PC, but the sound was terrible with a mic that picked up everything.

15) It has live view when you can't use the viewfinder. It's easily activated/deactivated by a single button on the back of the camera. It has the same problems on sunny days as all the other cameras with an LCD screen for a viewfinder, but it's really handy at night or when you can't get your eye to the viewfinder.

16) You can put the camera on manual control for complete control of shutter, f-stop, & ISO speed.

17) The K-r is one of 3 Pentax DSLRs that at the moment support the O-GPS1 attachment for the hot shoe (the others are the K-5 and the 645).

Cons:

1) *ist DS has a glass Pentaprism, which is brighter than the K-r penta-mirror system.

2) *ist DS has a CCD sensor, while the K-r is a CMOS (the top digital pro cameras have CCD sensors i.e. Hasselblad CFV-39; Leica S2; ). I guess there are pluses and minuses to both, but there must be some reason the big names go with CCD on their top cameras.

3) Finding the K-r exposure bracketing settings isn't intuitive on the K-r. [I found it it's the wheel when you choose autobracket mode.]

4) both cameras only bracket with 3 exposures. To get more, you need to change the exposure compensation. Only the K-5 (of the new line) comes with a 5 exposure bracket.

5) *ist DS has a top LCD readout. I miss it on the K-r.

6) The dial turns too easily on the K-r. It can turn just by brushing against it. I've caught it so far when it changes.

7) There is no external mike port. If I wanted to take movies, I think I'd want a decent microphone, and not the omni-directional mike that's built in.

8) NiMH batteries last a lot longer, but you have to buy a $40 adapter to use them. You can get Chinese copies of the adapter for $5 on eBay.

9) There is no power port for a power adapter. The AC adapter fits into the battery compartment and the power port is on this adapter. This makes the Pentax K-AC109 AC adapter expensive: $80. I use a pile of NiMH batteries for copy work, instead.

10) TTL flash doesn't work. It did on the *ist DS, which is one reason I got it. My old TTL flashes only work in manual or program mode now (check the voltage before you put an old flash on a DSLR as some are too high to use with the newer cameras). My Pentax AF200T and Vivitar 285 both work in manual mode and their voltage is low enough to be safe. This mainly means you have to manually set the f-stop on the camera to match the power of the flash.

I've tried the built-in HDR and I sometimes get good results, but sometimes just a single exposure comes out better.

Going from the *ist DS to the K-r was an overall improvement, especially for the shake reduction and higher resolution.

Also, the camera comes in standard black, Storm-Trooper white, and candy apple red. I got the red because it was cheaper where I got it. It grows on you and you don't ever have to look for it.

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

For the price, it doesn't get much better than this. I almost bought the k-x, but when I saw the k-r for just over 600 it was too good to be true. Super fast shipping and just a really fantastic camera.

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 (Red) Here

This camera is perfect for someone like myself just delving into to DSLR world. I turned it on as soon as the battery charged and after several hours of trial and error, I began to get the hang of things. By the end of the first day I have many great pictures. The quality is very clear and the colors are nice and bright which always makes the picture look more warm. The camera feels sturdy and the Kit lens is actually quite nice.Also the camera body is a nice bright red which I think makes a great statement. After reading a bit of the manual, installing all programs and figuring out how to operate the machinery, you couldn't ask for a better quality camera given the price. Start up is also VERY fast, turn it on and you're ready to shoot then and there. Wonderful camera, perfect for first timers and prosumers.

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I decided to spoil my little sister on her 14th birthday. She makes lots of youtube videos, takes lots of pictures, and her point and shoot was lacking. She was taking pictures in the auto mode in a few minutes, and absolutely loves the camera. It's very easy to get the hang of with a few minutes of spare time. My sister is very keen of the cross filters built into the camera. Our family has numerous point and shoot cameras from almost every major brand(Nikon, sony, cannon,GE, samsung, etc.) I even have a pentax optio W80, and this simply blows them away in every aspect except portability, obviously. I had hoped the video would be a little better quality in low light, but I can't expect Pentax to work miracles. Although this is damn close to doing just that, especially considering the price.

Thanks Pentax!

From a proud Optio W80 owner.

Edit:

My sister has owned this camera for quite some time now, and has really gotten the hang of it. Almost all the effects in the attached video were done on camera. It really is a very capable camera, I just wish you could remotely control it from a laptop like some cannon DSLRs, that would make it capable of great movies with it on dollies, camera jibs, etc.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Prospective buyers of a macro lens for a Canon EOS system have a great first choice in this 100mm Macro. The extra length over a 50mm macro gives much better working distance (space between lens and subject) in the field, and EOS-compatible lenses by other manufacturers match poorly with accessories and are nowhere near as sharp.

Compared with the earlier Micro Motor 100mm Macro that Canon made (which I also own), the USM lens focuses *very* fast. The USM lens also can accept Tripod Collar B (by use of a small plastic adapter)--I recommend you buy the collar with the lens, as adjusting to a vertical composition with a tripod means repositioning everything. The front element is not recessed in the USM model, which makes lens cleaning easier than with its predecessor. And build quality is improved--the earlier model was prone to its switches breaking (could fix it yourself with the ordered part, but really annoying) and eventually the Micro Motor gearing gave out (no trouble so far with the USM ring motor). The USM model will work with Canon's 2x teleconverter by interposing a 12mm extension tube, allowing 2x magnification with lots of working distance, though this is not nearly as nice a solution as the 180mm lens referenced below.

I will quibble with another reviewer--Canon does make sharper lenses, and sharpness compared with the earlier model is virtually the same. But this is still one of the sharpest lenses you can buy, and ergonomically a huge improvement over its predecessor.

Having said that, Canon now has an L-series 100mm macro that is a bit sharper and has better bokeh (out-of-focus highlights). A serious hobbyist might consider that lens, though it costs about 40% more on the street. I purchased the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro Lens less than a year ago, and am very impressed with its greater sharpness and working distance relative to this lens. If you work much with small critters, take a look at that lens before making a purchase.

If you are building up a set of lenses for outdoor/nature photography and you do occasional macrophotography, this might be the first or second lens to buy. If you work significantly at magnifications greater than 1:1, consider the Canon 65mm 1x-5x Macro zoom.

This is the lens I leave on my camera for general purpose use. At non-macro focus distances, it is a very fast lens in a convenient short-telephoto length. The images are sharp out to the corners. This is one of those great Canon lenses that probably deserves an L-series rating but is available without the red stripe and exorbitant cost.

Tested in an astrophotography context (point sources on black backgrounds excellent for revealing aberration and coma), I have found that this lens is reasonably sharp at f/4 and completely sharp by f/5.6. For daylight terrestrial photography, the tiny aberrations caused by the wide-open f/2.8 aperture are hardy noticeable and by f/4 the images are exquisitely sharp.

There is a lot of glass in this lens it is heavy. I highly recommend buying the tripod collar as it allows you to attach the camera and lens to a tripod or ballhead with much better balance.

Also, if you plan on using the macro functionality, keep in mind that the effective f-stop of the lens goes way up when you're focusing at very close range. At 15cm from the front surface, it performs as though it were an f/9. You'll either want a lot of light or a very steady subject and a good tripod (another reason to buy the hideously overpriced tripod collar).

Buy Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Now

The 100 f/2.8 macro is very sharp, even for general shooting, so it works great for portraits, too. When I'm not using a zoom, this is my walkaround lens for people, relatively tight scenes and even indoor sports. Think of it as a great lens that also shoots macro than the other way around. Hard to beat that versatility at the price.

But it comes into its own at close distances. If you've never had a macro lens, you'll run around shooting everything in sight because everything looks new from a macro perspective.

Canon has several macro lenses. I prefer the 100 mm over shorter lenses because I don't have to get quite as close to that bee or wasp. The 180 mm gives you even more distance from your subject, more background blur and amazing sharpness. But it's much more expensive and in most cases you'll need a tripod, and I shoot a lot of improptu macros as I'm hiking.

For extreme closeups with larger-than-life images, there's the MP-E 65. It goes up to 5X, compared to the 100mm's 1X, but you lose autofocus with this lens. In fact, you set your magnification and then move the camera until the object is in focus! As you get beyond about 2X, the viewfinder gets fairly dark. If you're doing still life macro work, it's amazing. I'll probably get one someday for shooting my mineral colletion.

One thing to keep in mind with any macro is that because of the close distances, you're often in lower light conditions. Althought it's fairly pricey, I'm using the MT-24 EX, which lets you adjust the direction of the twin flashes. The MR-14EX ring light is a couple hundred dollars cheaper but will produce a slightly flatter image. And you can always use one of the standard flashes, though the closeness of your subject may cause some odd shadows.

Read Best Reviews of Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Here

This is hands down the sharpest and most used lens that I own. The combination of macro capability, relatively fast 2.8 aperature, and prime sharpness keeps it on my camera more than anything else. I shoot a variety of subjects from macro nature work to indoor sports, and this lens never lets me down.

One of the major compliments I have for this lens is its versatility (I disagree with many of the reviews here.) I continually find 100mm to be an ideal focal length with my 1.6 APS-c sensor XT for shooting indoor swimming and diving competitions. This length allows for beautifully tight framing, slightly compressed depth of field, and shallow focus to get amazing portrait shots while eliminating distracting background. The speed of the lens allows me to catch swimmers in the air without using a disturbing flash. This is imperative because flash photography is prohibited at the start of a race. Apart from sports events, the lens allows for very intimate portraits without having to be in the subjects face. This performance along with macro capability truly make this a multi-purpose lens.

I usually hand hold for sports photography with good results (the accessory battery grip on my XT is invaluable for this), and usually use a tripod for nature and still-life situations. If I've had one too many cups of coffee I'll use a monopod during sports events. I do wish the lens came with the accessory tripod collar, because it is undeniably a fairly heavy piece of glass, but it is not so important that I have shelled out for one yet. I have no complaints with the AF, and I find that the switch to limit the AF range away from the extreme macro is very helpful. Once you use Canon's USM lenses, you will never buy anything else. The large and easy to use manual focus ring is a luxury. It allows for quick manual override and great control when switching to manual focus. In many situations that I don't want to carry my large bag with me, the 100mm and my 17-40mm L usually cover just about everything I need. (I know that my idea if traveling light is not taking the kitchen sink however.)

This is not an L lens for reasons of the lack of some weather resistance and L level coatings, but don't let that dissuade you. It easily outperforms both my L zooms in sharpness and I find it to be comparable in contrast and color. The level of performance and a price that is a fraction of many L lenses makes this an unbeatable value.

Want Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Discount?

I bought this lens a little over a year ago for macro shooting. I quickly found out, however, that to shoot Macro-only with this lens is a crime. It is a very versitile lens. Its fast f/2.8 aperture makes for good shooting in low light. I pretty much use this outdoors as the 100mm with the 1.6x crop factor of my Rebel XT eliminates most indoor oppurtunities.

I frequently use this lens for family portraits, the resultant photo is so crisp and clear and the bokeh really helps add snap to the primary subject.

As others have stated, this is a heavy lens. It doesn't have Image Stabilization (IS) so a tripod or monopod is a great accessory to get the best images. I use a beefy monopod for my best shots, although I have a lot of handheld gems...

If you are tight for cash, this isn't the "one lens" that does it all. If you are looking for a versitile lens that can do outstanding macros and portraits, THIS is that lens.

Sony Open Box HXR-NX30U NXCAM Palm Size Full HD Professional Camcorder

This camera is perfect for the half a step below professional but more than a novice and priced right, too! The HD video it records is sharp and clear and it easy to switch between recording to the internal harddrive or to an SD card. The included microphone kit works like a charm and sounds good with great control options. The fluid lens works great keeping the picture stable and smooth as you move around. The projector, while an odd add-on, is actually pretty cool to be able to show people what you recorded without having everyone crowd around.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this purchase and recommend it to others looking to have a high-end camera but not have the high-priced broadcast level cams.

I pick this up for mostly use around the family. This camcorder almost have the same look and fell as the Sony PJ760 minus the XLR microphone. The unit come with one microphone, but there is room to plug in the second one.

There are many setting and features that almost fell like a pro camcorder.

Pro: Resolution, XLR microphone, camera stabilizer, built in projector, led light, and more

Cons: The handle could be alittle longer, lens hood fall off to easy, microphone cable clip break off very easy. dedicated manual button or control.

Over all, im pretty happy with my purchase. If you have any question, feel free to ask.

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I have been looking for pro quality HD video recorder for a number of years. As my kids get bigger, video becomes better at capturing those memories. I had a canon tape camcorder which was great. Unfortunately, the first moments of my youngest was overwritten after someone in the family viewed the video. One of the downsides of tape is that you need to forward back to the end of the recordings or else your prior recordings will be written over. With flash memory recordings, these problems are no longer an issue.

I've looked at SLR video and camcorders, and feel that focusing and white balance is superior (for now) on the camcorders. SLR video is a great tool, but for me, it requires too many accessories and attachments. What appealed to me the most is the size of the NX30U. It's small and discrete without the lens hood and XLR adapter and inputs. Similar quality recorders are larger and attract a lot of attention.

96GB of internal memory is great! You also have an extra SD slot. Still trying to figure out the maximum size card that can be used.

The image stabilization is fantastic! I was able to video a roller coaster ride at California Adventure and the balanced optical stabilization did a great job! I think this feature makes the NX superior to Canon and Panasonic. I was able to hand hold and video the World of Color and the video looks like it's on a tripod. The wide angle of the NX30 is 28mm and is best in class. Telephoto is ~260mm which is beat by Panasonic.

The AVCHD recording format will not import into iMovie, so you'll need to use Adobe's Pemiere or Apple's Final Cut X. Pro gear needs Pro software and a good storage solution. I feel that this is the biggest problem with HD video for most people. AVCHD is good for compression, but problematic for editing. Premiere and Final Cut has a steep initial learning curve.

I'm very happy with my purchase as it has great image quality with superior image stabilization in a small discrete package, but has the ability to flex up to pro audio if I need it.

Update: Got word from Sony USA and the largest SD card that can be used to supplement the 96GB internal flash memory is 64GB. Don't bother getting the 128 or 256GB SDXC cards! An added plus is that in OSX Mountain Lion, the AVCHD files are read by Quicktime natively. One needs to connect the NX30U via the USB port and the flash drive will mount. Clicking on the AVCHD icon, OSX will show previews of all the clips. They can then be opened and played in quicktime and exported to .mov files to where you want. Of course editing and making movies will need Premiere or Final Cut.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Open Box HXR-NX30U NXCAM Palm Size Full HD Professional Camcorder Here

JVC Everio GZ-MG730 7.2MP 30 GB Hard Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Includes Everio Dock)

I really like this camera. It is compact, shoots nice stills and has good sound qualities. The interface is intuitive and I was tweking settings right out of the box with little or no reference to the manual. It is perfect for quick family videos and fits in a small camera bag, making it easy to transport. The problem is when you shoot long videos and want to edit them down. I have found that for my purposes the .MOD format this camera produces is old and has to be converted to .avi or .wmv for the sort of editing I want to do. That means a very long conversion process through the supplied software, which I did not find particularly usable or helpful. The autofocus also has issues indoors in medium lighting and the image stabilization is not the best out there. If you want a happy cam to grab shots of the family and friends, then this is a really good buy. Otherwise, spend the extra and go for a unit that has more flexibility with its video outputs. I started out loving this camera , but every day I find something else I dislike about it.

I got his camera for $600, and it was a great purchase. First, the camera is very compact which makes it easy to carry around. Even with its size, it has a 30GB storage and a 10x opitical zoom. I like the f/1.8 Konica Minolta lens, which focuses very quickly and takes some great-looking still photos. The 7-megapixel sensor also helps with its recording. Videos are recorded in MPEG format so it is very esay to transfer onto your computer for editing; no conversion necessary. Colors were very pleasing and white balance was also good. Definitely worth purchasing

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I love this product. 7M pixel in such low price and it performs very well!

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Metz MZ 52822D 28 CS-2 Digital Flash

I have a Canon EOS 1DMarkII with a 580EX flash that only comes out with me for serious shooting trips and assignments. Most of the time I just carry around my Canon SD 800IS camera. What limits most point and shoots is the lack of a proper flash. Forgot that crap in the manual about built-in flash good for 12ft, yeah right, who measured that?

The Metz flash is about the same size as my SD800 or slightly thicker than a pack of playing cards (easy to carry around). It's a lot of plastic, but then again my 1DMarkII and 580EX is a back breaker to carry around. The Metz flash is probably no more susceptible to damage from drops as any digital camera. It works beautifully on auto mode, most point and shoot digital cameras can be trained to work with it, on my Canon SD800 this means firing off a test shot with the Metz in learning mode. There are numerous advanced functions that the Canon external flash for point and shoots don't have, this is why I chose Metz. To be quite honest, when I'm using a point and shoot, I want everything to just work on auto and this is where the Metz excels. If you've never heard of Metz, just speak to pro wedding photographers, this company knows how to make flashes and has been doing it for years.

If the photo is too dark or bright after the flash fired, just press the + or key to immediately adjust and reshoot. It's that simple! The flash head is probably at least 5x larger than the flash on my SD800IS so it does reach beyond 12ft. It comes with wide-angle and telephoto reflectors that are compact and easy to clip on. Flash is rated to 100 shots on 2 fresh batteries; so far I've taken 50 shots and no problems. Easy enough to carry around extra batteries if required.

So you're asking yourself why you don't just dial the ISO to 400 or 800? Almost all point and shoots have crappy grainy images at high ISO and my Canon SD800 is no exception. With the Metz flash I can leave my camera set to ISO 100 all the time and get the sharpest highest resolution photos that my camera can output! Worried about whether you'll actually carry it around? I use 2 $10 neoprene fitted cases I found on eBay to store both my camera and flash and it's hardly noticeable in my jacket pocket. This is a great product that every point and shoot camera owner should have!

****** Jan 2008 Update ******

After 1yr of use I still love this little flash. I see that Canon has made their own small point and shoot flash. The advantage of this Metz flash is that it is not limited to use with any one brand. It syncs with Canon, Nikon, Olympus etc so if you ever change brands you don't have to buy another small flash again.

This little flash is a great slave flash it uses your camera's flash as a trigger (I set my camera's flash to 1/128th power, so its doesn't light the subject, but still triggers the Metz flash). I like that you can set this little flash to the side of a subject for nice modeling light and you can place your camera way away (I've tried 60feet or so), use a long lens and still get great exposures. I bought a second one the two Metz C28's work together beautifully and there is nothing to set up they just work : ).

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This flash was purchased for my Canon Powershot A590 IS. After considering the Canon equivalent of this flash, I purchased the Metz and am very happy with it. The fold-up camera stand stays with the flash, so there is no fear of losing it. The stand length and screw location are adjustable for just about any type of compact camera.

What really sold me on this model was the ability to adapt this flash to a variety of cameras. Although it cost a little more, I like that flexibility.

After a few test shots I was very impressed with the output. I turned off the lights in a small room and used only the camera and Metz flash, with the Metz off to the side and bounced off the ceiling. The room was completely filled with light but there were no harsh shadows. For this flash newbie that is a huge improvement!

The "Easy" mode really is easy. Hit "plus" for more light or "minus" for less, and adjust after reviewing the picture on your camera. One thing that is a little confusing at first: the camera will remember your last setting and make it the new "0." If your last setting was at the highest output, it will appear that only "minus" settings are available for the next picture.

At first the "manual" and "auto" modes did not seem to work. I re-read the manual and finally adjusted the time that the flash measures between pre-flash and flash. This worked, although I am not sure why, since these modes still worked after adjusting back to the original setting.

"Manual" mode allows for adjustments based on desired power output (full power down to 1/16th power); "auto" mode allows for exposure compensation to be set in 1/3 stops, to plus or minus three stops. Camera settings are input in these modes also. (A fourth mode only works with a special master flash.)

One final note: the manual states that the flash must be turned on for 10 minutes once every three months.

Although it took a few tries to get everything working correctly, I am very happy with this flash. A lot of control will be there when I need it. Am looking forward to being able to use flash rather than avoid it.

Read Best Reviews of Metz MZ 52822D 28 CS-2 Digital Flash Here

I highly recommend the Metz 28CS-2 flash. I now have two of them in addition to my Canon 580 EX Speedlite.

The Metz is a slave flash with no master required. This is not really an oxymoron but This flash is triggered by any on-camera flash, even a flash on a point-and-shoot camera. I use this flash off-camera with both my Canon S90 and my Canon 550D.

Having a slave flash that can be triggered by any on-camera flash is a rare luxury as you usually have to purchase a master flash to trigger an off-camera slave flash and may also have to plug a slave mechanism into a slave flash to use it off-camera.

One caveat is that the accompanying user manual for this flash is nearly impossible to comprehend and may have been written by someone from another planet. Just joking. But do not fear. I try to keep it simple. Here are two ways I have discovered to use this flash.

1. I would suggest using this flash in Manual mode combined with "Preflash suppression" mode with am on-camera flash triggering it. If you do this, be sure to first disable the AF Assist Beam on your DSLR or your point-and-shoot camera.

2. Since I cannot disble the AF Assist Beam on my S90, I use a different mode for this camera. If you cannot disable the AF Assist Beam, you can use it in Manual mode combined with "No preflash suppression" mode with a point-and shoot camera or a DSLR Mounted speedlite. It triggers prematurely with the on-camera flash on my DSLR in this mode when the AF Assist Beam is enabled.

I think one of the two above combinations will work for most cameras.

For either of the methods I just described, I set the exposure manually using the "P1" function. It has an exposure range from 1/1 to 1/16.

This flash is so simple to use and does not require buying into any complicated/expensive flash system to use. I hope Metz does not discontinue this flash although I do see dwindling supplies and think it may be on its way out.

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I received the shipment of the flash unit in short order. I have used the 28 CS-2 about four times. It really makes a difference in my photos. I use it with a small point and shoot Fuji F20 camera which takes real good pictures in low light. The CS-2 flash makes all the difference though as fill flash or as a flash from a different angle it removes alot of shaddow. It also throws light far beyond the limits of the built in flash, of the F20, which is by comparison quite weak. I was in the habit of just turning off the built in flash and forcing the camera to select a slow shutter speed and lower f-stop. It is easy to set up and the learning function is super. The unit is great because it gives you alot of control over the flash. There is a function to control the level of light output and manual settings are provided. It is compact and the bracket, which is collapsable, screws into the tripod mount and is adjustable for length.

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