Gold Plated micro HDMI / HDMI Cable (Type D to Type A) (3.5 feet)

Excellent. TO OT OT OT OT OTO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TOE why OK

...didn't want to spend too much money on a basic cable. Needed something not too long and was glad to find this works great and now can watch or play music off my ASUS TF700 tablet onto friends TVs or sound system when visiting.

Highly recommended to add connectivity for your portable gadgets.

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Came just when I needed it .

Finally I can use my table, I just love it is just what I'd expected.

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Use it for tablet to monitor connection. No problem. I like it. Recommend anyone use for the same purpose. Good length.

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for the price I could not be happier. It's a cable that I use to run Netflix through my phone to a large TV. Shipping was fast.

Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm VR + 55-300mm VR Lens with 16GB Card + Filters + Case

My opinion this is a big deal for the price and all the accesories you get. Everything announced is inside the box. This product is for people who want to take picture like a pro. It comes with everything you need. Nikon lenses are the best in the market and with VR (vibration reduction), they are really good.Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm VR + 55-300mm VR Lens with 16GB Card + Filters + Case + Tripod + Accessory Kit

This is a fantastic camera. Nikon's SLRs are pretty good in general, but I am very impressed by how good this one is. I took several great pictures of the recent lunar eclipse using this and I was blown away with how they turned out.

Anyways, this is more of a review of the kit. Cameta Camera shipped the product fast and the packaging was pretty good. The kit is a decent price. The filters were great and the carrying case is Nikon brand which has ample room for the components. Everything that was in the kit (except the tripod) fits nicely in the case with room to spare. It's very nice to have the 300mm lens included and the 16gb SD card gets you started right away.

The on thing I didn't like about the kit is the tripod. It's really flimsy and the camera really is too heavy for it. It didn't provide a firm footing, especially with the 300mm lens attached. As a matter of fact, I was so worried that I kept the camera strap around my neck while I was shooting with the tripod. I have a smaller point and shoot camera, so I can use this tripod for that. But, for the 3100 you really really need a better tripod.

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Everything promised arrived in one package, well wrapped and undamaged. All the tools needed to take great pictures is in the deal. As a novice with DSLR cameras took really great pictures during the holidays. Camera features are fantastic and easy to use. Highly recommend this to anyone interested in photography.

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The camera is light, comes with all the bells and whistles that an amateur photographer could be looking for, easy to handle.

Have had it for 6 weeks, no problems or complaints.

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Great camera. Does take some time to learn the attributes for novice photographers. Takes great pictures. The video option is a nice addition.

Lorex LH108321C8B 8-Camera Network Video Surveillance System with 320GB H.264 DVR (Black)

My intended use for the eight camera system is home monitoring. The capability of watching my home from other locations is an important feature I plan to utilize. This is my first video monitored security system, so my comments will reflect only my observations of this equipment. I have three PCs in my home on a local area network connected to the Internet with a wireless router. I will be attaching the system to a 22 inch monitor.

After unpacking the box I plugged the DVR into the wall and then connected it to my router with the supplied Ethernet cable. Then I plugged the power supply for the eight cameras into the wall and plugged it into the back of the DVR and attached a camera to it. Then I inserted the DVD into my computer thinking it might have some essential software on it I found four buttons, one for the" user manual " (a hard copy of the manual is included in the box,) "acrobat reader" (if not already loaded on your computer so you can read the manual,) "warranty information" and "buy accessories."

When I plugged the DVR into the router it automatically got a network address and then I put the address in Internet Explorer and a log in screen appeared on my monitor. Passwords are disabled as a default, but I'm sure I will change that setting so it requires a password. When completely installed, the screen shows frames for each of the eight cameras.

The first camera I set up was in a pitch black room (it was evening. I wanted to test the night vision. As soon as someone approached the doorway they appeared on the monitor with the entire room illuminated on the screen. In night vision's usual black and white, at a distance of 12-14 feet, a face was clearly visible and identifiable. Frankly, I was wowed -this was one of those "isn't technology amazing" moments. Next, after temporarily mounting all the cameras, I checked the playback (recording) feature on each camera (automatic default)to ensure that feature was working. So, far, no problems.

Next I needed to get a personal web address to view the cameras remotely from the Internet. On page 44 of the instruction manual the Lorex DDNS website is noted. Once there, I was prompted for my MAC (media access control) address found by going to the "main menu," selecting "advance" and then "info." At that time, a customer server name will also be selected. Perhaps this is obvious, but for security purposes, it would be wise to use something other than the address of the property. The equipment will also be registered at this time, along with a password, user name, etc. After that process is complete, an email will arrive from Lorex with some additional information that is needed to be entered into the DVR to maintain the DDNS connection.

Note, port 80 is used to view the cameras from the Internet outside of your home/business network. The problem is some people may already be using port 80 to host their own website. If you want to change it to a different port, there is information on Lorex's website on how to configure your router to forward to a different port. Then to configure the DVR to use the forwarded port, the instructions are in the user manual Appendix C. Go to the main menu displayed on the monitor and select "advance", "network" and then use the mouse to change the web port from 0080 to something else. Select a number larger than 1024, in order to avoid using a port that may be in use by one of your other devices. Then to monitor your security cameras from the internet, enter your personal web address and follow it with a colon and the new port number. I checked the set-up from a remote address and it worked perfectly it looked the same as viewing it on a web browser on the local area network.

Turning the DVR off is a two step process, and it isn't described well in the manual. And, the process isn't intuitive. First hold the button on either the DVR or remote control down until the DVR goes into standby mode which is reflected on the monitor. In standby mode the screen is blank but the lights are still illuminated on the DVR, so to complete the off process hold the power key in until the DVR lights go out and the fan goes off. If you just push the power button on the DVR in and then let go, nothing happens.

If the DVR needs to be disconnected or in the event of a power loss, all of the changes in settings will be lost, including the time and address. Purchasing a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) and plugging the DVR into it is an essential step to protect against power surges and power loss to ensure continuous recording and avoid repeated re-configuration. And, obviously, the user should not frivilously disconnect the system once it is set up.

Batteries are included with the remote control. Note: there are no buttons on the remote control that light-up so when the batteries are dead it will be a matter of trial and error to determine they need to be replaced. I found the remote had to be aimed straight at the DVR. It didn't respond well if the remote was pointed slightly above, below or to the side.

There is no way to mount the camera in a fixed position where it won't move. No matter what I tried there was always a little play. So, if installed outside, a camera will be vulnerable to a strong wind, an object being hurled at it or even a stick being poked at it, so if possible mount the cameras in a sheltered location.

There is approximately 30 inches of cable attached to the camera that is then plugged into the 60 foot cable. For exterior installations, that section of cable needs to be installed inside a wall because the connections aren't weatherproof. Some security cameras run the cable through the mounting bracket so it isn't exposed at the installation site, and thus it is protected from both the elements and an intruder who can simply cut the cable to steal or disarm the camera. That is not the case with this camera, so there is ample reason to install as much as the cable into the wall as possible, leaving little exposed at the installation site.

The stated temperature range for operation is 4 below zero to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. For my purposes this is an issue because in Colorado, it occasionally gets colder than 4 below. So, my cameras will be installed inside the property aimed through windows. One of the photos I attached shows the monitor with four of the cameras installed. The poorest quality of the group is the one on the upper right corner (camera 2) which is currently pointed through a window screen. That camera will ultimately be installed through clear glass, but I included it because even through the window screen, the picture on my monitor is clear and impressive. That street is 135 feet from the camera. For reference, the distances for each of the remaining three shots on the monitor measured from where the camera is mounted to the picture on the screen are 12 feet, 14 feet and the 25 feet. The 25 foot shot is the one pictured in the single monitor screen photograph, and it is quite clear.

Other than plugging in the DVR, no electricity is required in connecting the cameras, so if you have access either through an attic or basement, and a tool to thread the cables through your walls and a drill, it is a viable do-it-yourself project. Dropping the cables through the wall and fishing them down into an unfinished basement and then to the DVR will, in some locations, require more than the included 60 foot cables. On the website, additional 60 foot cables can be purchased for $24.99 each plus $4.50 for the connector needed to attach the two cables together.

Ultimately I am impressed with this system. Granted, it isn't a commercial grade set-up, but for a homeowner, the price is very reasonable and the cameras have a strikingly clear picture, even in pitch black applications. The downside for me is the temperature range, which although broad, isn't quite broad enough for me to safely install the cameras outside. Exterior installation in Colorado might always be an issue considering the number of snowstorms experienced each winter. The cameras might be frequently covered in snow and not provide helpful pictures even if the temperature range permitted installation.

The cameras work beautifully, and the computer set up was smooth. I haven't attempted to contact customer support so I can't speak to their responsiveness. For me, the wiring issue was minor, but that may or may not be an issue depending upon the installation site. So, far I am very pleased with the system. The ability to check on my dogs and my house remotely, and when home, being able to see who is approaching my driveway and front door, is to me invaluable. I don't know how the system will hold up over time, but I will update the review if I run into any problems.

I purchased this unit about 2 weeks ago. I will say that installation and use ability of the system was good, also live video is very good. The main issue that I have is in watching the video that has been recorded. The whole point of home security system is to have recorded video that I can review later if something happens. So far that has been an almost complete failure. While the unit is recording and it does show me in the web interface of the unit that the files are there, I have been unable to view them. I have tried several PC's and several different versions of IE. (By the way the unit only works with IE it does not work at all with Chrome, Safari, Firefox Etc...) I have tried several times to contact tech support on the matter and have not had a response.

Update: I was finally contacted by tech support 10 days after emailing them; we have corresponded serveral times since then with no luck in fixing my problems.

Update: 1-10-11 This unit is junk, it started dying quickly after I started using it (Fan Died, VGA output Died), and the Support from LOREX is absolute and completely useless. My recommendation is to NEVER, NEVER buy anything from this company!!!!

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I'm no techno whiz, just your above average home DIYer. I felt comfortable with the installation and setup of this system but it is not without it's difficulties. The remote viewing setup was not what I would call simple which involves assiging port numbers on your LAN and port forwarding your router and such, but with a couple of calls to the Lorex technical assistance team all was setup properly. They were very helpful and are able to log onto your computer network and make changes to allow the system to work. However, I'm still not able to use remote viewing because my ISP service is too slow (which is no fault of Lorex). I have sattelite internet and to upgrade from my home plan to the pro plan would cost more than I want to spend. Beside that, the system is easy to operate with either the mouse, remote control, or front panel keys. The video quality is just okay, not great. The DVR's hardrive is noisy (a constant low hum). It will do the job I want it to do which is to allow me to monitor the outside of my home and record activity while I'm gone. It might assist with identifying an intruder by what clothes they wear or what type of vehicle they drive, but I don't think the camera is capable of a tag # or facial recognition unless the subject is very close to the camera. As far as I know, this system is as good of one as you will get for this price. That being said, I am satisfied with my purchase.

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I purchased the Lorex LH108 8 Camera DVR from Amazon and the system arrived within the expected time. The packaging was quite good. The DVR is in one box and the cameras and cables in another box. Both boxes were then inserted into a larger box.

I was particularly impressed with the "Do it yourself" nature of the items. There were small zip lock bags with Rawle plugs and screws for each camera mount (2 per camera). Each camera had a 60' Siamese cable which included the power and BNC connectors, wrapped along a plastic cable holder which when removed allowed the cable to unravel without tangling. This simple feature can only be appreciated when you begin installing with 8 cables being strung together and they begin to tangle while you are on a ladder. The 60' of cable was sufficient for my installation, but I can easily see where there might be the need to extend the cable.

The cameras offered good resolution for distances less than 15'. Beyond that things become increasingly fuzzy. The installation went well. In configuring the DVR, some areas of the user manual could have had more clarity. For example in explaining the network access password, which in this case can be different from the typical user and admin password.

I was able to login on my LAN and view the images remotely. The images were very much compressed and were 80% black and white. I assume this is to allow the images to pass through the outgoing bandwidth I have. This is not a big issue. I also realised that you cannot access the images remotely using any smartphone. You cannot use a Blackberry for example, only a windows based phone, which I did not have. I would have expected this important fact to be stated clearly in the advertising documentation for the product. I configured the DDNS feature using dyndns.com and while I was able to get the login screen, I was unable to login. The login failed on every occassion. I removed the passwords and still the logins failed. However on the LAN I would get the same login screen and be able to login without any problems. It did not make technical sense but I thought maybe "Lorex does not like dyddns.com" so I setup the Lorexddns feature. I had the same problem. I could not login remotely via the Internet, even when the password was removed, yet on the LAN, I had no problem logging in. I have spent several hours on this without success.

I e-mailed tech support about my problem, but have not gotten a response as yet, and don't expect to. It is obvious that the Lorex web site has a strong "sales" focus and very little "support" focus. I called Tech Support and after listening to several minutes of what appeared to be an essay recital, I was able to speak with someone. Tech Support was friendly and very helpful. I gave Tech Support my password and removed the password from the system, but they too could not login. They suggested I update the firmware. I downloaded the firmware and udated the DVR. Of course all the settings would default and you would have to reprogram IP address, passwords, names etc. The DVR still displayed the same login challenges. I will call Tech Support again and update this review. As of this stage I am giving the system a 3 star rating, but if I get to login remotely, then I would rate the system with 4 star. For the money spent, the system is good value....without the challenges hopefully. At this stage, I am dissapointed, but hopeful. If anyone can offer any suggestions to me on fixing my login problems, I would be appreciative.

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Let me start off by saying we have a small business that consists of a used car lot and repair shop. Every once in a while we have items stolen from cars on the lot or find that someone had dumped their garbage in our dumpsters. The Lorex LH108321C8B 8-Camera Network Video Surveillance System hopefully is going to put a stop to the invaders.

After opening and inspecting the items in the box, we decided where we would set up the cameras to have the best visibility on the premises. We began installing the cameras at 10am and we finished by 3pm. Installation was simple and did not involve any really hard work except drilling holes into the aluminum siding and feeding the camera cables to an upstairs office. Only two screws mount the cameras. The only negative comment I can say about the installation is that the knob to secure the cameras does not "finger" tightened every well. When a strong breeze flew by, the camera would move. We used a wrench to tighten the position of the camera but made sure not to strip it. We connected the DVR to a 20" computer monitor by using an HDMI connector cable. We were impressed with the quality of the images. Colors are vivid and no really noticeable fuzziness. The only thing we noticed with the images is that scenes directly in front of the camera are crystal clear but as you look further past it starts to become less clear. We could not wait to see how the night vision worked. The next morning we reviewed the previous night's recording. It only used 47GB of the hard drive after 18 hours of continuous use. You do have the options of setting up specific times you want the video to record so you use less space on the hard drive. The night vision worked well except in areas where there was floodlights or streetlights. The images from those cameras were fuzzy. Just make sure to mount the cameras in areas that the camera view is not directly facing some type of night lighting. When reviewing the video you are able to pause it and zoom in on images. The DVR interface is extremely easy to navigate. You can select your options manually by using the buttons on the DVR or use the included mouse.

I cannot really comment on the remote access options since we do not intend to use those features. However I will mention that I found it amusing how the instructions had a little picture and stated if you had to be highly skilled for certain connections. Included a one long ground cable which we had no clue where to put it since the directions did not mention it.

The unit only comes with one "warning premises under 24 hour video surveillance" sticker. I wanted to have one warning sticker on all four sides of the building. You are able to purchase additional stickers, cable extensions and accessories directly from the manufacturers website. I ended up buying generic stickers and you can get them really cheap from Amazon, here is the link Security System Warning Stickers, 4-Pack.

Overall, great camera system for a home or small business. Easy to install and operate.

Canon PowerShot S1 IS 3.2 MP Digital Camera with 10x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom

After researching other cameras in its class including the Panasonic DMC-FZ10 and Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2, I finally decided on the Canon S1 IS. Having taken a few hundred pictures with it, I am completely satisfied with my purchase.

With this camera I have the flexibility to take pictures with point-and-shoot ease while also having plenty of manual capabilities available to take more artistic pictures. Although the camera has "only" 3.2 megapixels this is more than compensated for by the 10x optical zoom. With this zoom you simply don't need as many megapixels (although it would be nice) because you won't be cropping out as much of the picture. Instead of cropping out excess, you just zoom in while you are there and have a nice original to begin with. Furthemore, more megapixels don't necessarily mean a "better" picture. There are other factors like the lens, cmos, and other processing that will affect the image quality just as much as the megapixels if not more.

Image stabilization is an awesome feature and until now has been reserved for the more expensive cameras. This feature definitely helps with the long zooms and low-light conditions. With the long zoom you can do shots where the primary object is very clear while the background is all blurry. This isn't as easy to do on cameras with less zoom.

The physical layout and the menu interface are excellent. The placement of the buttons are very intuitive and the menu setup is among the best I've ever used on any electronic device. It allows me to use all the manual settings with ease and speed. I can't really think of any better way to set it up.

Although the viewfinders tend to make images look like they are overexposed I think that as the viewfinder ages and dims (as any LCD will do over time) the picture will improve and not look as overexposed. So, I think it is excellent foresight on Canon's part to make the pictures seem overexposed. Personally, I don't find it to be a major issue because I view all the pics on my computer before deleting them anyway. The swiveling LCD is a feature that is indispensible. Not only does it protect the LCD if you flip it around, but you can take pictures of yourself (or others next to you) or and you take pictures at weird angles (such as close to the ground or high above a crowd) without contorting yourself.

I don't find battery power to be an issue. Just get 2 or 3 sets of NiMH batteries and you should be fine for a long day of heavy shooting. Plus the fact that you can use AA instead of a proprietary module means you can use regular AA alkaline batteries in a pinch.

The movie mode is great not only because of the high quality movies, but also because you can zoom while taking the movie. Most cameras will not let you zoom and you have to leave it where it is. The only downside is that you will need a high-speed compact flash card (like the Sandisk Ultra II) to take the highest quality movies. Slower cards can't keep up with the high amout of data being written.

The focusing system is also great and not usually found on cameras at this level. You can move the autofocus box to any postion you want and set an autofocus lock so it doesn't change once you've set it. You can also use the manual focus if you can't get a good focus in low-light situations. There is a meter that pops up showing the approximate distance to the object that you want to focus to which is quite helpful. With the manual focus, I've been able to focus on any object without too much trouble.

There are only 2 things I would like to see improved. One would be some sort of battery meter but it would be wildly inaccurate without some sort of proprietary battery (which they don't make you use) so I'm ok with them leaving that out. I would also like the lens cap to 'click' on instead of just sliding on. I understand why they made that decision though: they want the cap to slide off automatically when you turn it on which is a convenience so I don't have to take it off every time I turn it on. These are just minor suggestions and really just personal preference things. Otherwise, this camera is perfect for the price and what you get.

I highly recommend this camera to anyone to both point-and-shoot people and people who want that along with some artistic flexibility. The feature set is unbeatable and the picture quality is amazing.

I have used the Canon Powershot IS 1 for over a month and have shot many 100's of images with it.

The good points:

*Produces beautiful images under most conditions.

*The image stabilization system works very well. You are able to take sharp pictures down to 1/6 sec in the wide angle position.

*I used it exclusively at Disney World for the Epcot International Flower Show and thought the night exposures were wonderful. No flash, just hand held photography.

*The movie mode works well under the difficult lighting conditions encountered at the night time parade at Magic Kingdom.

*The color saturation was beautiful. I used the Program mode mostly at ISO equivalent of 100 and the Vivid setting.

*The noise was minimal with the 100 ISO setting. The advantage is higher shutter speeds to stop the action.

*I was able to set the depth of field in Aperture mode for good garden bed shots.

*The 10/1 zoom is incredible!

The bad points:

*The Electronic viewfinder is terrible! The resolution, sharpness, color accuracy and saturation of the finder make you wonder what Canon was thinking of. An optical viewfinder is 100% better.

*The finder blanks out when going from dark to bright outside subjects, making fast picture taking impossible under many instances.

*The resolution is so bad that it is difficult to see if the focus is right on. It usually was.

*The Canon A-70 is a better camera for faster picture taking. However, the antishake and 10/1 zoom override all other considerations for me.

*The LCD viewer on the back of the camera is useless in the bright light and its color accuracy is terrible too. I have taken many beautiful sunsets and you cannot see the red sun in the viewfinder or on the monitor. HOWEVER the resultant images were spectacular when viewed on the computer screen.

*The battery consumption seemed to be higher than the A-70 but I did not do a very accurate test. I used two sets of NiMH batteries in a full day of shooting at Epcot. However I was shooting in movie mode some of the time and using a 1 GB flash cards to hold the many images. All the images were taken with the best quality jpg settings.

The bottom line is that the camera is very good for most picture taking opportunities, but is no good for fast moving objects such as flying birds.

Forget what you do not see in the viewfinder or the viewer and shoot away.

The big thing here is to have faith!

I give the camera 4 out of 5 points.

NEW! I just had to change the Time/Date battery. My instruction manual is WRONG!! The battery goes in with the (+)positive terminal up.

Fred Sgrosso

fsgrosso@hotmail.com

Buy Canon PowerShot S1 IS 3.2 MP Digital Camera with 10x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom Now

After considerable research I purchased the Canon S1 IS camera from Amazon about a month ago along with the Lexar 12X 256MB Compact Flash memory. It arrived even before Amazon said it would! This is my first digital camera and so far I am very pleased with it. I wanted a camera that would take good travel pictures and images of grandchildren who often don't like cameras near them. I expect to print the better pictures as either 4x6 or 5x7 and occasionally 8x10s. At first I was reluctant to consider 3.2MP cameras but my research showed that a figure of merit for a digital camera should actually be proportional to MP times the optical zoom factor squared. This gives a heavy weighting to optical zoom (it's related to picture area) and it also means that you can avoid considerable cropping and wasting of MP. That's why people are often surprised that this camera does so well against its higher MP competition. It's also adequate for printing my size pictures. Unfortunately, most hand held 10X cameras used at maximum zoom also need to have a shutter speed of 1/400th of a second to avoid picture bluring caused by camera shake so that you can use this 10X feature only in bright sunlight, unless you support the camera. The Canon S1's image stabilization system allows hand held pictures with much slower shutter speeds so it is useful more often. I always leave it on and I've taken sharp pictures of ducks, birds, and, oh yes, our grandchildren at a playground. Our daughter, who is a professional photographer, has even commented on the quality of these candid shots, something she did not do with my film camera with lower power zoom. Independently, I also purchased a lightweight RipVan100 battery charger that can operate at overseas voltages and I carry around an extra set of charged NIMH AA batteries, just in case, although I've yet to need them. Of course, in a pinch, I can always use universally available AA batteries, another feature of this camera.

This camera, like all 10X zooms, uses an electronic viewfinder. I find that it is hard to see well in bright sunlight (especially if I'm wearing sunglasses), even at maximum brightness setting. Its resolution is also poor and the images often seem overexposed but, and this is important, the images don't shake at 10X with the IS on! and the actual pictures are correctly exposed. The swiveling LCD screen grows on you and you can take pictures looking down at the camera at waist level. The grandchildren may not even realize you are actually taking their picture, adding to the candid effect. I haven't found the lack of an autofocusing lamp to be a problem in dim light and you can always set the manual focus to about 8 feet (no zoom used) and everything from 4 feet to infinitity will be sharp. (I got this tidbit from my research).

After it was announced but before it was readily available the camera received so-so reviews but the recent user reviews from those who actually own and use one have been highly favorable and I agree with them. It's well made, not too heavy, and the basics can be learned quickly. Advanced users can find many features to investigate and I'm still learning how to use some of the exposure and focus lock modes for special cases. I think that using the Auto mode (or the Program P mode) with IS on will work for most people, most of the time. And, as an added bonus, you can even take movies (9 minutes/1GB at best quality) if you have a large memory. I'm glad I discovered this "fun" camera.

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If you're like most people reading about the Canon Powershot S1, you've owned at least one or two digital cameras in the past, and chances are they've been the point and shoot kind. Now you'd like something with a few more manual controls.

I'm not going to repeat what's in many other reviews here (an amazing 10x stabilized zoom ... you'll find it difficult to move back to a camera without this, generally excellent photo quality, and really compact HOW do they fit this all in such a tiny package??) but instead I'd like to point out a few aspects of the camera that haven't been discussed that much in other reviews here.

1. Get yourself a basic book on digital photography, so you will actually use some of the manual features of this camera. A $15 investment will give you better photo results within 30 minutes. Guaranteed. I got myself "Digital Photography Pocket Guide" from Amazon and I can already see the results in my photos.

2. You'll love taking photos by using the viewfinder and not the LCD screen (which, at 1.5", seems dismally small for a camera such as this) the viewfinder is full of (though not cluttered with) details of your shot. Aperture, resolution, etc.

3. The zoom control is tricky and takes time to get used to. A slight flick of the control and you have quickly moved beyond 5x magnification. You'll get the hang of it quickly, but be forewarned that you will be frustrated using the zoom initially.

4. while other reviews have commented on using the Sandisk Ultra II card for taking VGA movies, I'm a little perplexed. While the movies are recorded on the card just fine, transferring them to my 2.4 gigahertz P4 machine leads to loss of data in the transfer and I am unable to view them properly. I am convinced there is an issue with the file transfer speed related to the camera's mechanism, NOT the memory card for I have tried multiple ones. If you are buying this camera purely for this reason, do check this out carefully so that you too don't deal with the same problems (besides, the 512 MB card allows barely two minutes of 640x480 video.)

5. The battery meter, which comes on only when the batteries are about to run out, could be better and indicate the approximate number of shots left. Come on Canon, you can do better...

All in all, these are small deficiencies, certainly not glaring. I'm pleased with my stabilized zoom camera choice (the Panasonic FZ series were too bulky, the Minolta Dimage Z series too plastic feeling).

One last point. Avoid the Canon PSC 70 carrying case made for this camera. Do read my review on that one should you purchase this camera.

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I bought this camera about a month ago after researching about a hundred different cameras. I was looking for something aroun 4-5 megapixels and $200-$300. This camera had lower megapixels (3.2) and it was at the top of my limits. I have one thing to say:

I am glad I bought it.

I received the camera in a matter of days from Amazon. That was normal for any order that I have placed with Amazon. Fast service. I received it just a few days before we left for a vacation to Disneyland in California so I did not have time to mess with it much, but I had time to play around with some of the features on the way down and I am impressed with this camera. I took pictures from day to night and from stills to shooting scenery out of our vehicle going 85 mph. Oops, I meant 75 mph officer. I would say that 99% of them came out great. I turned the video resolution down to the next one lower. A 512 MB CF card held about 12 minutes of video in one continuous shoot. That is probably the one feature that sold me on this camera. It did not have a limit on the minutes of continous video that could be shot. Other cameras had a 1.5-3 minute limit. I even used it to record half of a speech that I gave to a group to see how I presented myself. The camera was about 10 feet away and it still picked up my voice.

The included AA alkaline batteries went dead within about a couple of hours. I bought two sets of rechargeables and found that one set lasted from 8 am to 10 pm at Disneyland. And I took alot of pictures and video! One day, I filled two 512 MB CF Cards and one 256 MB card. That is my only suggestion with this camera. Buy rechargeable batteries and a larger CF card if you are going to shoot video. I am planning to buy a 1 GB CF card later.

When I bought it, I had the intention of selling it on ebay if I did not like it. No way. I am keeping it. Oh...one other thing in my favor, my daughter-in-law works as a photographer. She could show me things that camera would do that would have taken me quite awhile to figure out. She had a chance to use it and she was impressed with it.

Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

I've used higher-end ProSumer camcorders for a while and virtually every other generation of video camcorder since 1980. I recently used a Sony HC3 HDV handheld but gave that to my daughter when I got this HV30.

The HV30 has a great picture and all that. So I think I'll focus on what's either really cool, or a bit off-putting for a buyer.

Really Cool:

Video quality is the best you can find on today's one-chip HDV camera. Some 3-chip cameras have a better color depth but many 3-chip cameras actually have a worse picture. They did a great job.

It plays other Canon HDV tape. I own and use a XH A1 3-CCD canon HDV camera and the HV30 plays its tapes even better than the XHA1 seems to. That's great because I can save the A1's guts for a few more years.

It has virtually every output port you could wish for (today). HDMI, Component (yes Component!), Composite, USB and Firewire. Its very complete.

It worked with Apple FinalCut Pro without any trouble. I can't even get he XHA1 to work with it without screwing around with it for a while.

It has a mic input jack which Podcasters love, but I and other have been having trouble with it. I believe Canon didn't make a simple mic jack but some kind of phantom powered mic this or that, which hobbyist would not really use. So to make it work, and this is the tip, you have to go into the menu and turn on an option, then go into a different menu and adjust the gain and/or volume. Oops, maybe this should be a "not so cool" item.

The Not so Cool.

The ergonomics are poor. My hand doesn't feel comfortable holding it no matter how I adjust the hand strap. I've never had this issue with any other camera.

The Record start/stop button is in the wrong location. They put their goofy "joy stick" right where a person's thumb falls while holding the camera, so you're instinctively pushing on the joystick instead of the start/stop button while filming. The worse part, the Joystick is really crap as an interface element.

Noisy camera. The camera makes noise when you move it (shake it) it makes noise when you zoom and it makes a ton of noise when you insert or eject a tape.

Poor image when filming motion. If you're filming a scene and you move the camera, you are going to get streaking of the image. Why? I believe/assume its because unlike Canon's great D-SLR cameras in low light, their video equipment doesn't have the lower ISO (low light) capability that Sony's or everyone else has. Not sure why, but it seems to be a consistent theme with Canon. Fortunately it has a built-in light useful for those birthday parties but not much else.

The Bottom Line

For the under $800 it costs, its worth it if you're filming your vacations, holidays, birthdays and whatnot.

If you're a podcaster and want something with every connection known to man, its more than worth it for the HDMI and mic jacks alone.

If you wish you could afford the Canon XH A1 or better and want nearly as good a picture, this is the camera for you.

If you simply want a tape drive for your XH A1, this is actually cheaper than a commercial CANON HDV tape drive.

The bottom, bottom line is Sony had lost its way and CANON's HV30 is the current champ in the hand-held HDV camcorder race. I like sony better, but I don't like getting nickeled and dimed to death. You buy the Canon HV30 and you'll be happy with the results.

Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

I'm very happy with my Canon HV30. I rate the picture quality, color quality, low-light ability, white balance all excellent. The zoom control is a little close for my fingers and I found myself holding the camera less firmly (ie with the tips of my fingers rather than my whole hand) which would be wearisome on a long shoot, but tripods are still the best way to shoot video for steady pictures. On the other hand the anti-vibration correction seems to help a lot.

The total package is good, not excellent and includes a battery with a nice contact protector that doesn't look like it will fall off (unlike the protector plate on the Elura and Optura that has to be taped on because it is so loose.) The plate keeps the battery from discharging on the keys in your pocket or bag. It also includes a charger which will also operate the camera without the battery, which is very handy. This is only good, because it won't charge the battery unless it is in the camera, so you can't charge while shooting with another battery.

The package also includes a remote control (see above) that frustrated me the first time I used it and seems to be of marginal utility. However, all of the minor problems with the package can be remedied with an add-on accessory. The camera is what does the work and it is excellent.

I've had this camcorder only one week. It was a busy week with kids graduation and parties and night club rock concerts on the video agenda but I learned a lot shopping for this camera and using it all week, so maybe my story will help you.

First, why miniDV rather than flash, hard disk or dvd? I already have two mini dv cameras, a Canon Optura and an Elura. These have given me good service and images that were the envy of my Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic-owning friends. The only brand I compare to Canon is Sony (for similar consumer equipment). I rejected the flash and DVD models because the recording time is too short. DVD, in particular, is a rip-off with just 15 minutes for a $10 disk.

This kind of short recording time is OK if what you want is to capture 1 or 2 minutes of magic moments and have them immediately available to put in a player. Personally I find the tape just as good for instant replay on the built-in video screen. It takes a couple minutes longer to rewind the tape.

The hard drive models have a recording time advantage that initially attracted me, but the transfer issue is what made me decide to stay with a minidv. Ultimately all video has to be transfered to another medium to be used and archived. I have been transfering my minidv tapes to computer hard drives and dvd for years.

Transfer is a tediuos, time-eating process that has caused me to spend more upgrading my computer and software than I spent on the cameras. Yes, I can make DVDs with my video; I can make YouTube videos; and I can put my own video stuff on my iPod and Zune. But it takes a lot of time to get the results I want.

Why tape? It's cheap and convenient. Video takes a lot of disk space to store the original and then to edit and render into other formats. I buy the cheap tapes but I only record them once. I can carry 2 or 3 which give me 2 or 3 hours recording time. The real restraint is the batteries. Once I have the image on tape I don't erase it. I can play it immediately if I want to, but the ultimate goal is to transfer it to hard disk for editing and archiving. The real godsend is the recent plethora of cheap 500 GB (now 750 and soon 1TB) external USB hard drives. The transfer time is a chore; so is the indexing.

Tape is patient. I can do it on my schedule. With a hard disk, it can get full at a time that is inconvenient to transfer but I need to do some more shooting. Then I would have to consider the dreaded DELETE of something I shot. With tape I can postphone transfering and editing for months without impairing my camera readiness. After I transfer, I still have the tape.

I considered the Sony HDR-HC9 and the older Canon HV20 vs. the Canon HV30. I was tempted by the 6MP in the Sony and also by the low prices on the HV20. I saw a deal on an HV20 for $520 but it was gone before I made up my mind to settle for it. Ultimately I was looking at $999 for the Sony or $771 for the Canon. The HV30 had 30p mode and the $228 savings provided a budget for extra batteries and other goodies.

So am I happy? Yes.

My wife used it at my kids' graduation. Perfect color and detail, oohs and ahs from everybody. My wife just uses automatic mode with the lcd screen hanging out. I took some mobile shots in my car, one-handed through the windshield. The anti-vibration mode works great, as does the autofocus. During this shoot there were times when the camera was looking almost directly into the sun. The meter responded quickly and closed down the aperture, but the resulting scene was a little dark (not too bad, actually). There is a back-light compensation button that could have helped but I didn't think about until later.

Then it was off to a night club. I took a recharged battery, not totally topped off because of numerous replays of some of the recent shooting. The lighting was typical dim night club ambiance with flashing disco lights on the dance floor and stage. My plan is to film the whole show.

I have plenty of tape but just the BP-2L13 that came with the camera, which the manual rates at 75 minutes using the viewfinder, or 70 minutes using the LCD. I also know that new Li-on batteries need to be recharged a few times before they reach their full capacity.

47 minutes of continuous filming is what I got, using the viewfinder. The image in the viewfinder was bright and easy to see. I wear bifocals but I was able to hold the camera several inches from my face and still see the edges of the viewfinder screen enough to frame the picture I wanted. My Optura and Elura both had decent viewfinders, but many was the time when I just pointed the camera and hoped my framing was ok because the image was so dim. The HV30 is really a huge step up.

I haven't had enough experience with this camera to fiddle with the focus and white balance while shooting so I left it on automatic. The colors of the spotlights were changing very quickly and I was panning the stage and the crowd, zooming in and out. After the battery died I took it off and held in my hand to warm it so after the show it gave me a few more seconds of shooting. Considering it wasn't topped off on the charger and it was only the first time it had been cycled I wasn't that disappointed. I just ordered a BP-L24H rated at 145 minutes recording time on the viewfinder from Amazon for $99 with some of the money I saved over buying the Sony.

The images were fantastic. I've shot in light like this with my Optura and ELura and there were always dark shadows with almost no detail. The Vixia showed great detail in the shadows. The automatic white balance reacted in a pleasant way to the red, orange and blue spotlights. Occasionally, on a wide shot of the band, while I was panning, the lead singer would be washed out from the bright spot on him while the rest of the band was in shadow but the overall effect made him look rather god-like which was cool. When I zoomed in the aperture closed down and I got excellent skin color and detail on his face. The anti-vibration did a great job because most of the images were pretty steady even though I was handholding and the crowd was bumping me often.

The sound was the only detail that keeps this from being perfect. The sound started out OK for the first few numbers, but as the night went on and the playing got louder, there was a lot of distortion because of the overloading. The band used big Marshall amps and I was standing 3 feet in front of an eight-foot high stack of speakers so it is to be expected. For a more acoustic or quieter show the automatic limiter would have been fine. Next time I won't stand in front of the speakers.

At home I hooked it up to the HDTV with the HDMA cable, tuned to the HDMA input with the TV remote and fired up the camera with the included remote control. The remote is a little skinny thing that does't provide any feedback when you select a function. My bedroom is less than 15 feet long so it couldn't have been more than ten feet to the camera. I had to get up and check the display in the camera to make sure the tape was rewound. This would be strictly an experimental item to be used at close range in a shooting situation.

On batteries: I have bought the "compatible" batteries and been burned many times. On my Canon sure-shot the compatible batteries would be charged (Charger light is green) but the battery would run the camera no more than 5 minutes. Same problem on my phones. For my Optura, I bought three "compatible" batteries and they worked fine. YMMV.

For editing, I've been using Ulead Visual Studio 11.5. The HV30 doesn't come with any software for movie editing or even transfering to disk. The included CD has software to transfer still pictures to a computer, but you don't need it. I verified that the HV30 is recognized automatically as a digital camera when you plug in the USB cable to the computer running XP.

I didn't install the Canon software, but I did install a miniSD chip (not included) and take some pictures. There is a different button to snap still pictures which I missed the first time I took a picture. Even if you have the switch on the still position, it starts the video tape recording if you press the camera start button. The three megapixels doesn't maake for a great picture but it may come in handy. This isn't one of the feaatures that attracted me to the camera but it may come in handy.

It copied my video from the camera and I edited it into a DVD. My Visual Studio 11.5 edits and burns AVCHD, but I haven't got a player that will read AVCHD anyway (other than my computer). I'm waiting for the Blue Ray burners to come out at reasonable cost, then I'll probably get some software that burns those. My computer is a quad-core Pentium with 4GB RAM.

If you read all the way to the end you are really a glutton for detail like me. I don't really care if you buy this camera or not. You should buy the camera that is right for you and your budget. If I felt I could afford it, I'd get a 3CCD profesional model with interchangeable lenses. I'd hire a grip to carry my equipment and set up and hold the boom mikes. I'd get some professional grade editing equipment too, like Avid. I'd get one of those business disk duplicators that print the labels and burn the disks while I sleep. OK, I'll stop.

Buy Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Now

I've had the HV30 for about 1 week now, and so far I think it's great.

I previously used the Sony TRV38, another very capable camcorder. The HV30 comes in a slick, black color and is slightly smaller than my Sony TRV38.

I have three young kids, so I take tons of video mostly indoors. The HV30 has very good low light capability. There's some grain in the darker videos, and the shutter speed also slows (you can see the stuttering movement in the video when taking in very low light). However, you can still see faces clearly. One cool thing I like about this camera is that it has a manual controlled LED light that can add about 3 feet of light when it's too dark. Sony has that 0 lux Night Shot that works in complete darkness, but the colors change to green and black and makes the eyes look scary. I prefer the LED light feature on the HV30 over Sony's Night Shot.

You can select from 5 different shooting modes:

1. DV (regular)

2. DV (wide screen)

3. HDV (high definition wide screen by default)

4. HDV 24P (cinema mode)

5. HDV 30P (progressive mode)

Although I don't have a high definition TV yet, the colors in every mode looked great on my regular TV. The 24P and 30P modes give the video a "movie look and feel" (thus the name cinema mode), and this is cool just to have. I look forward to shooting something all in 24P or 30P and showing the DVD to family/friends. I'm sure they'll be amazed that my home videos don't "look" like home videos.....and this is all due to the camcorder modes.

You can take photos using the HV30 (saves onto mini SD card). You can use the camcorder as a stand-alone digital camera (3 megapixels), and there's even a flash on the camcorder for the digital camera. You can also take still photos while you're recording video. I use this to take photos while recording only because it's a nice little extra thing to have. The pictures are not all that great but not bad either. It's definitely a bonus that both video and still pictures are built into this one camera. I would still recommend a dedicated digital camera to take better quality still photos.

I backup all my videos to DVD because it's easier to watch that way. I prefer the miniDV tapes because it stores "pure" video and information like the time and date. I just started doing a little video editing using Sony Vegas software....and that seems to be a nice software package. The final video on the resulting DVD looks great.

I thought I would stick with Sony products, but so far I am enjoying the Canon HV30 and have no regrets.

I will probably be adding more to this review as I use the camera more.

Update April 7, 2008

Still liking the camcorder because of the 24P and 30P modes. You can really see that difference in the images compared to regular mode. Your video editing software must support HDV (high definition video) in order for you to edit any high definition stuff. Sony Vegas Movie Studio doesn't have it, but the Vegas Movie Studio Platinum edition DOES have it. Make sure to buy the right software if you're going to do editing.

I noticed that the sound is a little soft. Maybe there's a setting for this, but another possible reason is that the Canon's HV30's microphones are on the top of the camcorder facing up compared the my Sony TRV38's microphones on the front facing forward. This does not bother me too much.

There's an automatic lens cap which makes protecting the lens very convenient. No more fussing with a lens cap or having it dangle in your videos.

The package does not include a neck strap...you would think Canon would throw in a strap for a $900 camcorder. I bought a regular Canon strap at a local shop for $18. I think this is worth to have to keep the camcorder secure.

The battery is a cheap one and keeps a charge for about an hour or less. Since a miniDV tape is 1 hour, it would be prudent to get a better battery just to be safe. Canon makes an extended battery for about $60.

Read Best Reviews of Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Here

Everything you read about this camera is true. I owned one for a couple of days and the picture was extraordinary... the camera was a breeze to use...

And then I turned up the audio. Whoa. What's that humming?!

Now, I had seen plenty of reviews (even on the older HV20) warning of a little tape noise in the audio. I own two other Mini DV cameras, and you do hear a little bit of the mechnism working. But this is different. It's disruptive. And I'm not alone in my thinking here. Do some digging and you'll find a few other reviews cropping up online with this complaint now.

If audio's not a big deal to you, or you plan on using extrenal mics, I'd say this is still an insanely great camera for you. But if you're getting it to grab baby's precious moments or anything like that, I have to strongly warn against getting this due to the tape noise in the audio. I consider it a deal-breaker.

On the upside, I'd like to note that I got a great deal on this camera using one of Amazon's partners on here, Butterfly Photo, and they were prompt, courteous, and easy to deal with when I returned the camera. Recommended. I'll likely be using them again to order my new camera (gonna give the HF100 a try instead... possibly an ever-so-slightly less perfect picture quality, but most reviewers are saying no moving parts = prestine audio and for me that makes it a far better overall final product.)

Want Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Discount?

I've spent the weekend shooting and editing with my Canon HV30, and overall, I'm very pleased with it. The image quality and color reproduction (when you switch "vivid" on in the settings) is superb. It's small, lightweight and the controls make sense. In a couple of hours I was able to put the manual away and know what I was doing. Low light performance is pretty good, with just a bit of noise all the way at iso 1600 (outside at night). It shoots very well indoors in normal lights and the auto white balance works perfectly as well.

It isn't all perfect, however. The manual focus control is inaccessible and sloppy. Thankfully the autofocus is very accurate and doesn't do a lot of hunting for what to focus on. The other problem is the zoom control. It is WAY too sensitive. You can set it for variable speed, but the slightest tremble in your finger causes a bump in the speed. I think I can learn to handle it. I'll just have to be very aware of keeping a light touch. I don't think I'll be able to work with the manual focus.

The camera doesn't come with a firewire or USB2 cable to connect to a computer. You need to buy that separately. But I was able to download hidef video effortlessly to iMovieHD using a Mac without any other installed software.

The built in microphone sucks. Definitely get Canon's optional shotgun mike Directional Microphone DM-50. That will handle just about any sound situation you run into. Also count on getting an extra battery pack or two. The included battery won't shoot long enough to fill an hour long tape. There are different sizes of batteries. Get the biggest one you can afford, along with the outboard charger, so you can be charging up the next battery while you are shooting. Also get at least four blank DV tapes to work with. You don't want to switch framerates, resolutions and aspect ratios on the same tape if you can help it.

Your whole kit, including all the accessories will fit in a very small camera bag. Pretty slick. And the quality of the movies you'll shoot will amaze you. Played back on a hidef screen, this camera is capable of producing very professional looking video.

Casio Exilim EX-S8 12 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

This is my second Casio Exilim camera. Second, because with my first one I went to the ocean and it didn't survive. Thanks God I still have all the great pictures it took.

I remember when I purchased my first Exilim, my friends were making jokes that I'm buying a watch, not a camera. But in my opinion Casio makes much better cameras than Canon or Nikon (these are the brands I can compare to). The picture quality is great, the colors are FANTASTIC nothing needs to be improved by PhotoShop ;)

My new EX-S8 already took some amazing pictures, it's nice, light, slim and unexpensive. For me not being a professional photographer the Casio Exilim is absolutely awesome.

We decided to get a second camera. Since we love our Casio Z1000 so much, another Casio was our first choice. This little camera has all the features and then some, campared to the Z1000. If you want a point and shoot that's easy to use and handle, at an affordable price, then this is the camera for you.

The only cons have to do with the battery. It's a dismal 700mAh compared to the 1300mAh for the Z1000. That means the battery life is about 1/2... 1/2 the pics and twice charging.

To make it worse, the battery has to be removed from the camara and placed into a cradle to recharge. It can't be 'plugged and charged' like other cameras and devices. Of course it's not difficult to do, but would you buy a cell phone if you had to remove the battery every time you wanted to charge? Probably not.

The camera is nice; however, the battery issues make us want to look for a different brand camera.

Buy Casio Exilim EX-S8 12 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black) Now

The camera overall is pretty small, i still think it would have been a little nicer if it was thinner but manageable. The screen is more than adequate, the pictures are pretty decent also, in low ligth enviroments you have to tinker with the settings to get better shots. The only reall problem i have with this camera is the optical zoom which is pretty short. This i a major issue with compact digital cameras. Battery life is decent as well, and the flash is plenty bright. The video recorder is very good as it records in 480-which is dvd quality and it records as much as the memory stick can hold, which is a featuer i love. All in all for a camera under a hundred bucks i think its pretty well rounded and i definately think you should give it a spin.

Naz..

Read Best Reviews of Casio Exilim EX-S8 12 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black) Here

I would strongly suggest this to someone else as a great camera to buy. I have managed to put it through it's paces a little bit trying to take photos at night, of fireworks, in low lighting and inside and outside and of kids etc.

First the Pros

This is a very slim camera with a large screen on the back. I like the large screen.

I particularly like that the buttons are somewhat flat or recessed so it is difficult to turn this camera by accident or to snag buttons while you are using it.

This is a fairly easy to use camera. If you are looking for a specific situation you can push a button called bs (For best shot) and come up with a series of scenarios you can use to take a good picture (for example, kids, fireworks, flowers etc). I have used several of these and each one has helped me to take better photos. I have used fireworks and have made some lovely fire work photos. They are far from professional or even a hobbyist level but they look good to the casual person. Similarly the one option for children, flowers, and food.

The videos are easy to take and they have a good play back quality.

Overall, this camera is one I would buy again should something happen to this one. This is an easy to use, intuitive camera.

The Cons

The problems I have had with this camera or some of the concerns that you might want to look at before buying.

This camera does not have a view finder. To add the little visual view finder you either add quite a bit more money or more weight and in some instances both. This was not near as important to me as it would be to other people. Second, I have not had this problem and I've been using this for several weeks now but there might be some concern about being able to use the screen view finder in high light levels outside as it makes it hard to see the screen.

When you are using the bs and if you don't use the camera for a few minutes (such as waiting for fireworks to start again) and if the camera goes off, when you want to take your next shot you will have to go through the whole bs process again in order to take photos. It doesn't take much time to touch bs and scroll through the options and click on the one you want. However, should you be trying to capture something fast moving (fireworks for instance) then there is a possibility you will miss it.

There are other cameras out there that are bigger with more options. I like some of the cannons with the swiveling screen and used the swiveling screen way more than I thought I would. However, for something easy to carry, light weight, high speed, with enough options that you won't miss the ones you don't havethis is an excellent camera. I love mine.

Enjoy.

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I researched this camera for about a week before I purchased it. It was similarly spec'ed to higher priced Nikons and Canons. After reading every review I could find, and comparing every spec listed, I decided it was worth it.

Now, after having it for a few months, I can say without a doubt, it is a great purchase.

It is very reliable and with the Class 10 SDHC card I also purchased for it, incredibly fast. The facial recognition works wonderfully and the image stabilization is very noticeable in the videos I've recorded. I keep this in my pocket wherever I go because it's slim and easy to carry around, and I want to be ready for that crazy thing that no one will believe happened.

If you're on the fence about spending over $100 on a point and shoot, I highly suggest this camera. For $20 less, you can get the same features and quality, minus the famous brand tax.

2.4 Ghz Wireless Surveillance System

This video was taken with a Kodak EasyShare DX4530 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom aimed at my Insignia HD LCD TV that is projecting the images from the Instapark 1.2GHZ Hidden Mini Pinhole Nanny / Spy Wireless Color Video Camera with Microphone.. The "Beeping" sound is from a Driveway Patrol Sensor and Receiver Kit that I have mounted inside a feeder........... Yes I live a boring life :)

BTW, The video did lose about 10% clarity from being taken with the Kodak from the TV.

Overall a nice wireless video spy camera, but a 500' range? More like 50'-75' range.

UPDATE: 04/25/12

I had to take down the camera and feeder (along with all the Peanuts) :( because the Squirrel's UGLY "Cousins" aka the Rats started visiting!

I wish I took videos of the "Mexican Standoffs" and seldom skirmishes between them.

BTW: The Squirrels always came out the "Victor"

Camera is small and discrete. It works great and the picture and sound is acceptable. The downside is that the camera eats up 9V batteries when you use wirelessly and the camera and receiver cannot be too far apart or you will lose the signal. Also on the signal, there is intermittent static and distortion at certain times and if the camera and receiver are placed too far apart.

Buy 2.4 Ghz Wireless Surveillance System Now

We use this as a supplement to a standard baby monitor. It allows us to see *what* the little guy is doing, without peeking in the door, which will guarantee that if he's awake he *will* see us, and that's it, even if he'd otherwise go back to sleep on his own.

Now for function. This is extremely easy to set up, and doesn't seem to have any interference from our wifi N home network. We use the wall-wart power supply, so I cannot comment on battery life. We're only transmitting about 10 feet, through the front and back walls of a closet.

The picture quality is pretty good -not excellent, but pretty good -*IF* the light levels are high enough, that is.

As the light level drops off, the quality of the image drops with it. We have it in a room that at night is lit only with a 40 Watt bulb, and the picture is grainy, but more than sufficient to tell what our baby is doing. We can't see if his eyes are open, for instance, but we can see if he's still, looking around, moving around, etc.

If you application is not dependent on high image quality, then you're likely to be happy. If it is, then you probably won't be.

Read Best Reviews of 2.4 Ghz Wireless Surveillance System Here

I just received my camera today and was impresses with the color quality.... not so much the sound and low lit environments. Great deal for the price though. Just make sure you have a good supply of 9volt batteries on hand because the camera powers through them pretty quick, but for the overall performance that is alright with me. Good buy!

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I purchased four of these units, a couple DVRs, a couple receivers, and the adapters to interface to my computer. While these may work OK when plugged directly into power (I have not tested this), the 9v functionality is very very limited. At a range of 2-3 feet, I had unreliable signal quality, and would frequently lose signal completely.

This product could be useful if you can keep everything plugged in constantly, and particularly if you can plug things in directly at the camera... but then, why did you go with wireless?

ALZO Shock Multi-Mount for Shotgun Microphones & Audio Recorders - includes Zoom H4n, TASCAM for DS

I purchased this after buying another product to suspend my Zoom H4N. The first product was cheap, but too small, so I bit the bullet and bought this one. I am pleasantly surprised by the build quality of the item. The problem people are talking about is there the parts you mount on the main bracket do not tighten properly, so there is "play" in the fit, they wobble a bit. I remedied this by simply wrapping black electrical tape ONE time around, poking a hole thru the tape, and attaching and tightening, and it is a nice snug fit, no extra cost. You could also use two very thin rubber or plastic washers, but either way, it is a minor issue. The thing is solid, has great options for attaching accessories, and holds my Zoom H4N suspended just like I needed. It's a little heavy to lug around attached to your DSLR, but otherwise this is a good product.

Great concept, poor execution. The inability to fully tighten one of the mounting brackets should really be addressed by the manufacturer. Also it is a bit pricey for what it is especially given its flaw. Contemplating returning mine.

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I just received this mount. First, in terms of isolating a recorder, it does that very nicely...and there are not many other options out there. The problem is with the screws that hold it together. They cannot be torqued down enough to keep the unit tightly together. I ended up stripping two out. So, if you attach just a light recorder, it's not the end of the world. But, if you attach anything else, like a light or monitor, it's wobbly. Maybe yours will tighten. Mine simply would not. I ended up using a metal adhesive to hold everything together...and I'll see how that goes. I don't plan to reconfigure it...so I don't mind making the current configuration permanent. I give it three stars because I like the concept...but that's being a little generous. Good concept...poor manufacturing/components.

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I purchased this item to hold my Tascam DR-40 recorder on my DSLR rig to avoid the handling noise that was being transferred through the Tascam's 1/4-20 screw mount. It does a decent job of holding the recorder, and is pretty adjustable to accomidate future recorders or shotgun microphones. It eliminated all normal handling noise I was having, and still allowed me to view the Tascam's lcd screen.

My only gripe with this mount would be the shoe mount. It is difficult to tighten enough to really keep it in place. I think I will need to find a different knob that can give me more torque for tightening. In hindsight, I think it should be priced closer to the $30 area, but considering there are few good vibration dampening solutions out there for these field recorders, they can charge whatever they want.

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This is a great mount for microphones and other accessories for video. I wish some of the screws connected tighter. I really had to put a lot of force to tighten it. Other then that its a great product.