Canon PowerShot SX280 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Image Stabilized Zoom 25mm Wide-Angle

I've had a number of PowerShot cameras. Really impressed with the picture quality of the camera and the overall speed. Colors and picture quality are quite good and the low-light performance is superior. The previous review focuses nicely on the picture quality, so I wil stick with the human factors.

Manual control and adjustment are simple to master, so you won't need to rely on the automatic settings. My only concern with the camera is hat the wifi settings are difficult to set up. I'm pretty good with wireless technologies and it took me quite awhile to figure it out. Make sure you run the set up disk. Unlike many other consumer wireless gadgets, this one requires that you run the setup software. Couldn't just turn on the camera and connect it to the router. As much as it pains me to say this, I should've read the directions prior to jumping in to try to set it up! :-)

Once it's setup, it works great. I've been transferring files to iphone, ipad, and laptop; and transferring to the Canon Image site. All directly from the camera. Even emailed my wife a link to a photo directly from the camera. Camera IS a bit of a battery hog, but I was expecting it.

Update: Since I concentrated on human factors in my review, I thought I would weigh in on flash location interfering with handhold

position. Personally, I didn't notice it until I read the other reviews. I've had other cameras with pop up flashes, so I think I just automatically adjusted to it. That said, I can see how it would annoy some people. The flash is located in the front left-hand corner of the camera, but there IS sufficient space behind the flash to place your finger. Could be a problem if you have large hands, I suppose.. Motor is also strong enough to remind me to move it when it pops up.

----------------------------

Update 20 May:: There is a glitch that's been widely reported that shows that the battery is drained when in video mode. This is a glitch in the indicator, not the actual battery life. Cannon has acknowledged the problem and is working on a fix. Expect the next firmware update to address the issue.

-----------------------------

Update 5 June: New Firmware Released Today!! Details Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 incorporates the following fixes and improvements:

1. Increases the duration of movie shooting by 20% in cases where the optical zoom is used compared to cameras running Firmware Version 1.0.0.0 or Firmware Version 1.0.1.0 through a reduction in the power consumption of the optical zoom.

*Time under default camera settings, when normal operations are performed, such as shooting, pausing, turning the camera on and off, and zooming. (based on conditions established by Canon).

-Under some shooting conditions, the recording time may be shorter than mentioned above.

-Recording time with a fully charged battery.

2. Fixes a phenomenon with cameras running firmware version 1.0.0.0, in which the low battery level warning is prematurely displayed while shooting in movie mode.

Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 is for cameras with firmware Version 1.0.1.0 or Version 1.0.0.0. If the camera's firmware is already Version 1.0.2.0, it is not necessary to update the firmware. Please note that, once the camera is updated to the latest version, it cannot be restored to a previous

I installed it with no problems.

Update: New images at my dalethorn site and dpreview.

While the Canon SX-280 isn't usually described as a "Photographer's Camera" or using terms like "Prosumer" etc., it does have manual controls and they're very accessible from the main dial without having to hunt for them. Add to that an excellent 25 to 500 mm effective focal length lens, high quality low-noise images, and a compact size that fits into a shirt pocket easily, and I've just described what I think is the best bargain I've ever gotten in a camera that I can take anywhere. I nearly didn't get the SX-280, choosing another brand first, but when that camera broke after sustaining a minor bump, I took a chance on the SX-280 and I'm very happy that I did, since the SX-280 images are far better than the previous camera (when it was working).

People who want to see what the SX-280 is capable of can do a Web search for my name, and then view the images on the website that's listed in the search results. There may be a few professionals out there who would not be highly impressed with the SX-280's images, but I had the $2000 Leica X1 for 3 years and currently have the $1100 Nikon Coolpix 'A', and the SX-280's images still amaze me in some cases even better than what I got with the Leica X1. The image stabilization ('IS', a.k.a. vibration reduction) works very well, and most of the shots I take at full zoom come out sharp. But I don't take chances either I have a 32 gb memory card and I always shoot in burst mode, so even when hand-shake is a factor, generally I lose only one or two images in a burst. The downside of burst shooting is the time required to compare the images in each burst on the computer, to select the sharpest and best from each burst and discard the rest.

I haven't done much with video with the SX-280, but from what I have taken the video quality is excellent (inspecting each frame one-by-one in Quicktime), although there is enough internal background noise (or whatever it is) that you'll get best results with the sound if you're close to the action, or the sound you're recording is loud enough to give you a good dynamic range. I assume the SX-280 uses AGC (Automatic Gain Control) for sound recording, so if you're recording something that's very low in volume, the AGC will turn the SX-280's internal microphone amps all the way up to boost the sound, but that also boosts the microphone/amp internal electronic noise. So you'll want to get closer to the sound (if possible) if it's not loud, and also be aware that the mics are omni-directional and pick up sound from all over. So if you need to focus the sound better, you may want to shield the camera on whatever sides the sound you're trying to record isn't coming from.

Physically, the SX-280 is very nicely made, with a metal case that looks durable and doesn't have any sharp edges. I bought the red version, and the red case with the black trim on 3 sides plus the black wrist strap looks stunning. My SX-280 says "Made in Japan" on the bottom of the case, which is a big plus in my book. It's certainly possible to get a high quality camera made by a Japanese company that's outsourced to a distant location for manufacture, but it didn't pan out with my previous pocket camera, which broke with just a slight bump. The SX-280 doesn't come with a carry case, but it does come with an external battery charger, so you don't have to have the camera plugged into anything to charge the battery. That's especially important when you have a second battery, so you can put the exhausted battery into the charger and a fresh battery into the camera and continue shooting.

Pocket cameras with long zoom lenses like the SX-280 require very tiny sensors (typically the "1/2.3" size) to be able to focus light at all focal lengths onto the sensor in such a small camera body. If the sensor size were increased, the camera would have to be larger and heavier accordingly. Fortunately, the SX-280 uses what Canon calls the "Digic 6 engine" (internal computer code) to get the best possible quality from the small sensor, and based on the image quality I was getting with my 3 previous pocket cameras, the SX-280 is way better. I don't see any significant pixel smear, which was always a problem with my previous cameras. Noise in images is tricky I have ISO 1600 images with very low noise, and ISO 400 images with significant noise, and the apparent noise in the final image seems to be more a function of the lighting than the ISO setting itself.

Camera "On" time is about one second, and it takes about 2.5 seconds to zoom from minimum to maximum or vice-versa. The mechanism is very smooth, so I don't anticipate any trouble with it. I would suggest being very careful not to bump the lens barrel against anything when extended, and even though I've done that with some cameras without harm, it's the most sensitive part of the camera because of the mechanics needed to extend and retract the lens as much as it does. The SX-280 has a dedicated "Movie" button on the back, which to me is a very important feature. I've missed getting a video started in time with older cameras where the mode dial had to be rotated to the movie position in order to start a video. The SX-280's screen measures 3-3/16 inches diagonally, but the actual image area measures only 2-15/16 inches.

The SX-280 has a built-in flash, but that flash is strictly for users who want snapshots for social forums or scrapbooks even something as simple as a quick copy of a whiteboard needs a bounce-flash to mitigate hot spots and the like. The tripod socket is metal (some pocket cameras have plastic sockets) and it's close to the camera's center of gravity (near the lens), but when mounted on a tripod the battery and memory card door cannot be opened.

Camera forums are rife with complaints about the price of replacement batteries, and I always recommend carrying at least a second battery so shooting can continue if the first battery runs down. Contrary to what many people suggest saving money with third-party batteries, I consider the price difference and if it's huge, I need to know why. Before I could even consider a very cheap battery, I would need several independent reviews that affirm the quality of that particular battery as well as the reliability of the manufacturer of that battery. On top of that, I would need to know that if their battery damaged my camera, they would pay to replace my camera promptly. Lithium-ion batteries can be very dangerous. If the price difference were less than my expenses in replacing a defective battery (packaging, shipping, time wasted, loss of battery for a period of time), I would certainly get the camera manufacturer's battery.

Buy Canon PowerShot SX280 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Image Stabilized Zoom 25mm Wide-Angle Now

Hi there

I've replied to a few reviews of this product before choosing to write my own, while keeping in mind everyone's opinions (especially about the battery) thus far.

Out of the way, I too noticed "problems" when shooting video on a not-fully charged battery. I put the word in quotes, because in my experience/view, it's really a software problem that can be fixed with an upcoming firmware update. It just flashes red prematurely, and you can certainly repeat steps to have that happen consistently. Also, you'll only get about 30 minutes or so of 1920/60fps HD video per charge (keep in mind the battery will likely be flashing red most of the time). But keep in mind, its really just a bug. When you power up your camera, the true charge is shown on the indicator.

I took the camera with me today to shoot a typical days worth of exciting things with my kids. I took about 35 photos, and a combined 7 minutes of full HD/1920/60fps video. I also transferred a few images wirelessly to my Android phone. After all that, my battery is still showing as fully charged and does not do the 'premature red battery' even if i take it to video. So that seems like a decent day for me, and it doesn't show a dent (and rightly so). I'll just have to remember to charge the battery fully before I take it out.

In the end, I do recommend the camera because of what I bought it for: excellent, truly best-in-class images from a camera under $400. This camera is my '2nd' camera, for times when I don't feel like dragging my DSLR around. The images aren't as good as a DSLR (no surprise) but they are by far the best images I've taken with a point-and-shoot. The 20x optical zoom is truly incredible, and the true/natural Image Stabilization (*not* digital) is fantastic: you can actually take a 20x zoomed picture without it being blurry! Not only that, the IS during video shooting makes it smooth-as-silk on playback, especially in truly stunning 60fps mode. Shutter-lag isn't as good as a DSLR (because the concept doesnt exist with mirrors), but it's miles ahead of my last 2011 P&S and also faster than my 2013 smartphone camera.

I can see why the video/battery issue is so frustrating: the video from this thing is truly amazing (stereo, Image Stabilization, and did I mention 1920 and 60fps yet??!) and you *want* to shoot a ton with it. It's also in ultra-convenient mp4 format right out-of-the-camera. And it does a superb job of focusing as you zoom on video (my older p&s wouldn't let me zoom in video mode at all). But if video is really your mojo, get a camcorder for the same price and be happy. If you're after stills, or shooting video "shorts", this is your bet. And hopefully the short-ish battery on video will make better videographers out of people by forcing them to cut down on the extra crap they shoot that nobody watches anyways :)

Touching on a few remaining things: I love that the camera has a metal body, love its hefty weight (remember when cameras felt like cameras and not TV remotes?) and dig the wireless. I'm not a GPS guy because the privacy issue freaks me out, so I don't run the GPS. As mentioned by other reviewers, the wireless is a bit tricky to set up if you want to go camera->computer wirelessly you'll have to run the software on the CD (it retrieves the latest version from the net automatically). The easiest set-up is camera->smartphone; as long as they're on the same network, transfers are easy. If there's no wireless where you're shooting, you can actually use the camera as an access point itself and connect your smartphone/tablet to the *camera's* network. Keep in mind that the wireless transfer is *not* eye-fi: you have to *select* the images you want to send, after they've been shot (photos aren't automatically transferred wirelessly as you shoot). Believe it or not, you can actually tweet from the camera itself. That being said, I think the omission of Flickr is a drag, but perhaps that's because they are pushing their own "Canon Image Gateway" service for photo sharing/storage.

Also, I appreciate the restraint in megapixels... the filesizes and document sizes are realistic and appropriate for people who aren't blowing photos up to large dimensions. Focusing on image quality instead of megapixel count is a much welcomed approach in my opinion, and I hope the ridiculous megapixel race slows down in order to focus on the sensor quality/lenses that can be crammed into a P&S size camera.

Also, coming from DSLR world, I'm actually pretty happy with the amount of customization offered. The manual (on the CD only) is chock full of information, including how to use the self-timer in "wink" mode (wink to take the shot!!). All modes I shoot on (M/AV/TV/P) offer *center only* focus. I haven't seen that mentioned too often, but that is *exactly* what I like in fact the first thing I do on my DSLRs/new cameras is turn off the 'smart autofocus' to use center-point only). It means you might have to take a moment to frame the shot you want (focus then frame), but to me it cuts down on silly camera "intelligent" errors when it focuses on things with contrast instead of the content that matters.

I don't find the position of the pop-up flash an issue; my finger fits behind it. Also, consider that the pop-up flash reduces red-eye quite significantly by being further away from the lens. Not only that, but this camera is *great* in low-light for a point-and-shoot ease up on the flash and enjoy the great new processor!

This camera does exactly what I want it to do, and does it *really well*, but if I was planning on a day of really heavy shooting with video, I'd buy a spare battery. And I'm looking forward to a firmware update!

Read Best Reviews of Canon PowerShot SX280 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Image Stabilized Zoom 25mm Wide-Angle Here

Summary,

Overall I like this camera. It takes good photos at low ISO/bright light and solid photos as the ISO moves up. Video quality is good. Great zoom range and in a compact "fit in your pocket" camera. I have not seen the battery life issue some have mentioned (but see review).

Detail,

OK, so I was looking for a camera that I could take to concerts, put in my pocket, be compact. I had previously ignored the superzoom category as they were notorious for bad pic quality. Long slow lens and small sensors. But I just didn't always want to carry my DSLR around, but was going to be in situations where I needed a long lens (I already had a couple decent 3x zoom P&S cameras).

My search landed me on a Fuji, as I like the idea of shooting RAW. But the newest model was more than I wanted to spend. I next settled on the Canon SX260HS for the good reviews. Of course I then saw the SX280HS was out with supposed better low light (something I was interested in) and Wifi (also something I have used on my bigger camera). So I went with it.

I've now taken a couple hundred photos with it including three concerts.

Overall for this type of camera, I'm very, VERY pleased. But lets not get carried away. With the slow lens and smaller sensor it cannot and does not and should not be considered a DSLR (or any larger sensor camera) replacement. However, in low ISO/bright light the pics are very good. Easily good enough to crop, and print to a reasonable size. In lower light the pic quality does drop, but is still good. And very usable.

Specific notes,

-The zoom range is fantastic. And while I started with the digital zoom off, even using it, yielded good results. Be aware at that magnification it is hard to hold the camera still. The camera does a good job of helping with image stabilization, but it can only do so much. But I've taken some nice photos even at 30x (that includes the digital zoom(. I also like that the wide angle go to an equivalent of 25mm.

-I've shot one short (about 8 minute) video on it. I'm really not a video shooter, but I gave it a try. It will be something I do more of! It turned out well. The focus didn't seem to react as quickly, but zooming was smooth.

-Size, I mainly bought so I could carry in my back pocket of jeans. OK so it is a little big for that and much bigger than other "back pocket" camera's I have. But it is doable. Worked well in concerts where most no longer allow "professional" cameras. It feels solid in your hands, though a very slightly larger grip would be helpful with such a long zoom.

-The controls are fairly intuitive. I shoot a lot in manual (especially in low light) and it was pretty easy to figure out. I've also shot in some of the auto modes and got good results. I have not tried any of the specialty settings. Focus is quick. Again not DSLR fast, but quick and reliable.

-I have not set up the Wifi yet. I realize there are some complaints with it about not being able to send pic's instantly to an iPad for example. However, I have no intention of doing that. I like the Wifi so if I'm taking pic's of friends or family and they want one, I can send to my iPhone and send it to them. I do this all the time with my larger camera w/an SD card that has the wifi in it.

A special note about the battery. After reading about battery life and figuring it would eat batteries I bought two more. However, I've yet to use them. At one concert I had shot about 50-60 photos and then shot a full song (about 8 minutes) on video. Indeed the battery light came on. However, I thought I'd see how much longer it would last. After turning off video and going back to camera the battery light went off and I bet I shot close to another 100 pic's. I also paused at times to view pic's and delete obvious bad one's. And while I didn't have Wifi on, I did have the GPS thing on. So, so far, it hasn't been as bad as I anticipated. But I'll say more testing is needed.

Overall,

If you need/want a compact superzoom, this should be on your short list to consider. HOWEVER, if you really don't need a zoom of this length, there are better choices even from Canon. The superzoom category fills an almost unique niche. But don't think there aren't trade off's. You just need to decide what is needed for you. Though with camera prices dropping so much (this is an amazing camera at under $300, just a couple years ago would have been double that), you could buy this and another camera....

So I give it 4-stars. If I was rating simply in the superzoom category, it would be almost a 5. I'd like a slightly bigger grip and to shoot RAW. If rating with all other digital camera's including those with shorter lenses, probably just 3.5 due to slightly lower pic quality. But this is an inherent issue with this category, not a reflection of this particular camera. Its just not possible to pack that much, into such a small package, at that price without giving something up. I think it fair to mention the opposite of a DSLR (or other pro-type camera). If you have only been shooting with a smartphone (any of them) and were looking for something better, this would be night and day better. A huge jump in pic quality. Or if you have never shot with a DSLR and just wanted a "good" camera, this would be a good choice. It is versatile, compact and fun!!

Want Canon PowerShot SX280 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Image Stabilized Zoom 25mm Wide-Angle Discount?

Enough said about how good this compact camera is in the other reviews. Only two quick comments: It is an excellent compact zoom camera complimentary to my SLR camera/lens collection on the road for quick shots (photo & video) without lens changing. Case Logic DCB-302 Compact Case provides good protection and a perfect fit with room for extra battery and SD card.

Update 5/8/2013: Per Canon technical support, the battery inside the camera cannot be charged via USB port like your cell phone when connecting to PC or outside USB power source.

Update 5/13/2013: When using "AUTO" on the dial as well as ""AUTO" ISO" in "P", "Tv" and "Av", the ISO is automatically selected from 80 to 1600, not to 3200 or 6400. To manually select ISO 3200 or 6400 in "P", "Tv" and "Av", you need to select "FUNC. SET" and then choose the 3200 or 6400 under the"ISO" list.

Update 5/19/2013 The flashing "low battery" warning in the video mode is indeed a design fault of the battery indicator not the battery itself. With a freshly charged battery, I can take either around 200 photos or about 30 minutes video (1080p 30fps). The low battery warning comes in about 2 minutes into the video shooting.

Update 5/20/2013 Per Canon technical support, Canon is trying to resolve this "low battery" warning issue in the video mode. Decided to return this wonderful camera. Will buy it when the issue is resolved.

Update 6/5/2013 Canon just published a firmware update for SX280 to fix the low battery warning issue in the video mode at this web link: (http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras/powershot_sx280_hs#DriversAndSoftware) Click on "Drivers & Software". Select your computer's Operating System and OS Version. Click on "Firmware". Download the firmware zip file and unzip the file. Follow the instruction in the PDF file to update the firmware.

Update 6/7/2013 I repurchased a new SX280 with the hope that the low battery warning issue has been fixed by this firmware update. I updated the new camera to the new firmware 1.0.2.0 from 1.0.1.0 following the procedure in the PDF file. The premature low battery warning in the video mode for the updated SX280 has improved but not fixed.

BoxWave Apple MacBook 13" (2009) Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Cable

I tested out my HDMI audio cable today and it works great. It's very easy to use. Just plug the HDMI cable into your TV and the other end into your MAC computer. Then use your TV remote to select the video source. It's either HDMI 1 or HDMI 2. Then open up a video or Netflix on your computer. You should see a window pop up on your TV and you can move it around using your mouse pad. I'm very excited that the sound worked great too. My Mac is a 2009 model. This HDMI cable was affordable at only $13, it sells for $50 on the Apple website. I am very happy with my purchase.

Save 17% Off

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V 18.2 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.3-inch OLED

If money is not everything and you do not mind spending a few hundred dollars extra then you will find this Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX200V ultra-slim, ultra-light a "perfect" choice which offers very unique features that makes this the best `point & shoot' camera product of the year 2012! ...

Here is why...

Image resolution & Movie recording:

-----------------------------------

This tiny shiny camera boasts 18.2 MP resolution image captures which is the highest resolution till date of any point and shoot camera of this size. It also captures very smooth `optically stabilized' video up-to 1080p/60 true HD AVCHD movies in stereo AC3 sound at the same time allowing user to capture stills [16:9] seamlessly while taking movies which is very impressive and useful feature indeed.

Perfect looking stills every time. Thanks to various built-in camera post processing. Almost if not every photo I have taken so far has come out perfect. No blurry images No shake. Excellent results every single time.

Practical use of a point & Shoot:

---------------------------------

How many times you wished that you take a video of that special Birthday moment of your child while at the same time wished to have a high resolution still image of the moment to cherish later? Well, Sony got that it right this time. You no longer have to juggle a camcorder and bulky DSLR with plethora of lens attachments, this `simple looking' lightweight stylish point and shoot camera does it all effortlessly.

Waterproof Peace of mind!

---------------------------

The Camera is waterproof! Yay! The specs say up-to 5 meters and can operate underwater for full hour of underwater photography! Very impressive indeed. But for most users may not really use the camera underwater. What it gives to a general user is peace of mind that if you accidently drop this in pool or get wet in the rain it will not damage the camera.

Creative and Macro Photography:

-------------------------------

Very Impressive Macro photos, I must say it is truly amazing how close you can get to the subject to take those beautiful looking Macro photos. I have used Canon EOS 60D before; I must say it is very close to the DSLR quality when it comes to macro photography without any need of special lenses or contraptions. You can use the "Defocus Effect" feature to get those professional looking close-ups that otherwise takes a lot of photography experience and expensive lenses and contraptions. This simple point and shoot camera does it beautifully and effortlessly. Impressive!

Memory card:

------------

I used SanDisk microSDHC 32GB Flash Memory Card (Retail Packaging) SDSDQM-032G-B35,Black with this camera and found the memory card fully compatible. I did not try any other microSD/SDHC memory card. It accepted the 32GB capacity just fine. I however wished that it accepted standard SD cards which are faster and cheaper these days. I am not sure why SONY decided to go with microSD/SDHC cards with this camera.

Battery life:

-------------

The battery life is good, In real life test I wished that it could have given me more but I got about 195 photos under 3 hours before it gave up on me. The OLED screen display has various options to conserve battery, I have found that if I use a "Darker" menu theme the OLED screen consumes less power and you get more juice out of the battery and also turn off the GPS feature if you do not want location data for your photos.

PROS:

[+] The sleekest waterproof point & shoot camera on the market.

[+] Takes beautiful stills & amazing looking Macro still photos.

[+] Takes very good high quality movie captures in HD 1080p/60 and still simultaneously.

[+] GPS enabled location markers for your photos!

[+] Ultra compact and extremely lightweight makes it easy to carry anywhere.

CONS:

[-] Battery compartment is fragile and does not look well built; it will eventually break sooner or later.

[-] Accepts MicroSD/SDHC cards only instead of standard SD/SDHC cards which are a big bummer! As most MicroSD cards are expensive and run at slower speed than standard SD/SDHC cards.

[-] USB and HDMI interfaces are tucked inside the battery compartment which will take toll on the battery compartment each time you need to charge the camera and or transfer photos.

[-] Front Face and rear OLED Screen are prone to dust and scratches.

[-] The W/T (Zoom) lever is placed at odd location which is difficult to use and feels fragile.

Having said, the major issue with this camera is the price. Most of the CONs mentioned above can be lived with by carefully handling the camera, but the price is something that most users will have to think twice before shelling out hard cash for this tiny shiny ultra slim point & shoot camera.

If money is not an issue for you and want portability without sacrificing picture quality this will be the best point and shoot camera you can buy today.

Hope this review was useful to you. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to let me know and I will try to answer them for you.

Happy Shopping!

I shot this video to show the waterproof pouch that I use when I take the camera to the beach. I'm trying to show it in the mirror at the beginning of the video, though not so successfully. I also wanted to show what a stunning video this tiny camera can take, but it won't happen here. You can search for "tx200v Parke Ronen" on YouTube, and you'll find the original in HD. BTW, Parke & Ronen is the brand of trunks I was wearing that day. It works ;-)

If you want to see what kind of silly video one ends up taking with this camera, search for "tx200v River Rafting Valencia".

MY TAKE ON THE CAMERA

This is the only one in its class that can go from kayaking to clubbing in style. Cool!

Compact, easy to use, and fun to play with. The pictures and the videos are impressive. Reviewing and sharing the images on that tiny screen is incredibly fun. They just look amazing.

SHOOTING

Most of the time, I just turn the camera on, compose, and press the shutter button. The camera starts up pretty fast, except when it reminds you to keep the water seal clean (annoying). The camera does an excellent job of adjusting for day, night, portrait, landscape, etc, which you would expect from this caliber of camera. It hangs a little after taking a picture, though you can still continue taking pictures, just without previews. I have not noticed any motion blur from pressing the shutter.

In advanced modes the camera does get sluggish and will refuse to do anything until it finishes processing the image. But considering what it does under difficult lighting condition and the resulting image, I think it's worth it.

VIDEO

To take a video, I just tap the red dot labeled "Movie" on the touch screen. It's really that simple. Zoom speed is fixed (bummer). Audio is great for casual events but not for recitals (background noise will ruin it).

PREVIEW

Preview pictures look vivid, maybe too much, and sometimes appear tinted or mosaic as a result. They are fine when you transfer them to the computer. Selecting and zooming into a picture on the camera is awkward. Finger gesture on the touch screen is limited. This is not an Apple.

INTERFACE

I noticed myself experimenting with this camera a lot more than with my old one. Exposure, panorama, high contrast (HDR), twilight, rich-tone monochrome (I never thought I would use that one) and other features are easy to access and use, thanks to the touch screen. It's intuitive, the options are clearly labeled, and mini-help is only a few taps away. I would refuse to go back to clunky menu and cursor buttons again.

BTW, this camera does not have aperture control or shutter speed. Only ISO. You control the camera primarily by task.

WATERPROOF

I don't have much faith in it. The majority of complaints, especially the bitter ones, for these types of camera are related to water damage. I have a waterproof pouch for my iPhone (up to 100 ft). When I go to the beach, I just put the camera in that pouch. Controls are a little unwieldy (use "Movie Mode" to take videos using the shutter button) and flash bounces off the shield, but the camera is protected from water and sand (scratches) and doesn't need to be cleaned afterwards. I posted a picture of it in the "View and share related images" section.

SMUDGE

The camera does collect smudge (cosmetics and sun blocks are the worst), and it shows. It's actually not as much of a problem as it may seem. I learned to handle the camera by its edge. Since the lens area is essentially a piece of glass, it's easy to keep clean. As far as the touch screen is concerned, I learned to live with some smudge. It's just unavoidable. Since the camera is "waterproof", cleaning it is easy and carefree. I also applied the protector for Nitendo DSi XL's lower screen on the touch screen. Width is perfect, though I had to trim the height.

BATTERY

I call it a day battery. As long as I don't take any video, I can comfortably go though an entire day taking a bunch of pictures (sometimes >100) and reviewing and sharing them. The battery is tiny, so it's easy to carry a spare.

I would recommend an external battery charger. A much more elegant way to charge a battery than tying up the camera with a USB cable for hours with the battery compartment open and the water seal exposed.

AC MODE

Start recording a video, then plug the camera into a USB charger (not a computer), and stop recording. Voila. You have a fully operational camera running on AC. Handy for recording extended video.

CLOSING

This is the first time I bought a Sony camera. Very happy with it. I finally feel like I entered the world of HD video, in a very nice way, and the pictures are amazing.

Hope this review is helpful :-) Please let me know.

Buy Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V 18.2 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.3-inch OLED Now

This is an awesome little point and shoot; I am tempted to call it the best, but for a few design details which I will get to.

The upsides (for me) are:

~18 megapixels! Shoot first, zoom and crop later! Works wonderfully. There is lots of room for high res photos after major zoomage. With the right photo editing software, it's the equiviant of a huge, strong zoom lens but without the weight or bulk!

~In-camera color saturation and exposure controls!

~Waterproof, dustproof & freezeproof!

~Fast boot-up, and quick focusing.

~Quick boot up of your shots for review

~User friendly in camera help menus even with keyword search

~Larger (3.3 inch), bright, high resolution screen

The downsides (for me)

~Not shockproof a serious design omission. I hike, scramble on rocks a bit, take pictures of rock formations, insects, mountain summit views, creek ice crystals--nature stuff (as well as portraiture, and family and friends). I do not treat my beloved equipment roughly, but don't want to have to treat them like little soap bubbles either! I own (and love) the TX-200's predecessor, the TX-10, (16 megapixels) which is shock-proof (waterproof etc) and sturdy.

~Expensive. At $500, it's above & beyond all the other point and shoots, ruggedized and otherwise.

~Has okay but not great macro capability. Again, I am comparing it to my trusty TX-10 which focuses down to an awesome 1 centimeter (about 5/8 inch), and the TX-200 only goes down to 3 centimeters. But if you are not into serious macro close ups, of course this will not be an issue for you! :-)

~You can NOT tuck in into a back pocket of your favorite jeans (Cargo pockets, or belt cases only!) It does flex and bend, and does not like this.

I am not interested in a "sleek and stylish" poolside / party camera. Is this a creative tool, a viewer into magical worlds, a documenter of cherished events, or a stylish pendant? For me, it is the first three.

I very carefully wrapped and glued my TX-200 in neoprene (spongy wetsuit materal), on all the non-functional surfaces. Now it is not pretty at all, and way more sturdy and shockproof. (So much for the stylish fragile glass front!) For $500, I wish Sony had done this for me.

So to summarize this bit--I wouild love for Sony to have made it heavier, bigger, more durable and sturdy, more an adventure camera like the Nikon AW-100, or the Canon. --What good is a full featured, creative, user friendly tool (especially one as pricey as this) if it's going to die in six months from a two foot drop?

Okay, enough preaching from the pulpit. I do appreciate this little camera immensely. It has wonderful instructions and explanations built in, even a keyword search function, it has background defocus, and it has HD movies at 60 frames per second, and it has a bigger (3.3 inch diagonal) screen with top-end resolution, which you can brighten as is your wont. It has a terrific picture review zoom function (onscreen) where you can get a tantalizing fortaste of fun on the computer, with photo editing (which I love!) And it (like all little point and shoots) is a camera you DO take with you. If you don't take the camera, you don't get the shot!

I have Sony's flagship smaller camera, the NX-7 (24 MP, interchangeable lenses, DSLR functions, etc) ....and my little TX's still get used plenty --they are not mothballed or eclipsed by any stretch!

It (the TX-200) has almost all functions as touch screen buttons, which has its upsides and downsides for me. Some people go crazy about touch screen functionality (try it in the winter with gloves on, at 8500 feet and a 15 mph wind chill! :-) ) so I will note it as a positive and negative with a sum total of a slight plus.

So to summarize --if you can afford the hefty price tag, and if you don't mind a (comparitively) fragile, nonrugged camera, this is an awesome little friend -spectacular photos, ease of use, waterproof, full functions. I will give this little buddy 4.8 stars!

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V 18.2 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.3-inch OLED Here

Ok, so I really wanted to love this little camera but it's fighting me very step of the way. My main problems are:

Cons:

This camera uses a microSD card instead of a regular SD card. Why?! Who thinks an SD card is so big you need a microSD card? For both my acer laptop & my macbook pro (which both have sd card slots) I have to use an SD card adapter to read an microSD card. It's just silly. Plus they are more $$ an slower.

On top of that, the slot in the camera that takes the microSD card allows you to put the card in backwards and the camera doesn't tell you until you try to shoot some video as there is internal storage for stills. A regular SD card is notched so that you can't put it in wrong. This is just a huge error.

I took the camera to a museum opening. The stills came out great, really nice. But nearly every video I shot was blurry. It was like the Sony Camera was trying to "track the focus" too aggressively and thus whenever I would move the camera while shooting video, the focus would go our of whack until I stopped moving for a few seconds. In the end, nearly every video I shot was useless.

I also used it in the pool. The stills & video came out very nice but I had a real problem using the touch screen in the water. Several times it was almost impossible to "touch" the video record icon and as there is no longer a hard button for video recording, this is sort of a big problem.

Instead of the usual single device battery charger Sony used to ship, now you get a USB charger and a USB cable. So charging your battery on the road means having to carry a cable and an adapter instead of just the cable. Ick.

Pros:

The camera is sturdy and solid, seems well built. When you turn it on, a little internal lens cover opens to reveal the lens. Nicely touch.

The still I shot all came out great. I used a variety of modes and this was in a fairly dark museum setting. Very impresses here.

The touch screen is much more responsive than previous versions of this camera and the interface has been refined / improved. Also, you can lock the touch icons to keep from changing settings accidentally.

Summation: I am going to have to try more video. Maybe I did something but I doubt it, I shoot a lot of video and stills and I use a lot of Sony cameras. Maybe the museum was too dark for the focus to set properly. I was very disappointed in the blurry video.

Want Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V 18.2 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.3-inch OLED Discount?

When i buy cameras or any other imaging equipment to preserve memories i usually try not to look at the price because sometimes it hurts to see it but there's no way you can retake another picture of your child, mother, father, loved one, a pet... 10 years later when you will look at history and when it will start matter to you more and more you probably would think why you didn't buy a better camera so you don't have so many blurry or dark or simply bad shots... This camera is totally awesome image quality is amazing, panorama shots are awesome, especially in 3D and HD, total WOW! Love GPS feature i used to carry around little sony GPS module with me while shooting pictures so i can geotag them later and now camera does it for me, sweet! Video is actually better than i thought it would be, it's pretty impressive and smooth, clear, vivid and image stabilizer is also amazing actually better than most of the camcorders i owned before and it shoots in 1080p. i used to have few casios, kodaks and cannons but i found sony does an amazing job reproducing color and features are also great! Well, still cannot compare to DSLR but some modes let you shoot with background blur. Shots in the dark are also come out fairly crisp.

Some might complain about not having a remote remotes are obsolete, your smile is your remote and it makes pictures even better with smile! i just put camera somewhere (a tree, a tripod, a trash bin, a fence you can find something to put camera on pretty much anywhere) my smile shutter is always on so all i meed to do is to smile to my camera and it takes pictures, this is actually much funner way of taking pictures. i have never had a burning need for a remote and actually prefer to live without it since i don't want another thing to carry in my pocket. I have a DSLR with remotes but those rarely leave the house because of the bulkiness. i am looking forward to test it out under water when we'll go snorkeling, feels little weird taking camera under water without a case ;)

Save 30% Off

CIB CUC8795-4 Four 600TVL Outdoor CCD Bullet Infrared Day Night Security Came...

nice cameras great shipping would recommend. i ordered 4 and i love them very clear. night vision is good. so far no problems . am going to install these same cameras for my neighbor

I have installed at least 30 of these in different applications. I had only 1 failure which the vendor promptly corrected. The image quality is comparable to cameras costing three times as much.

Buy CIB CUC8795-4 Four 600TVL Outdoor CCD Bullet Infrared Day Night Security Came... Now

Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD (Body Only)

Summary:

Outstanding (absolutely stunning) image quality, especially in low light and difficult lighting (high dynamic range) situations

19 point-and-shoot auto modes great for beginners new to D-SLR

Extremely easy-to-use menu system

No compromises feature set not stripped of high-end features

Bright vari-angle screen with LiveView for hard-to-reach shots, but don't consider this a replacement for the viewfinder for most situations

Nice compact body easier to travel

D5000 vs. Nikon D60:

Dramatic improvement in low-light and difficult light image quality

Improved auto white balance (but still not perfect)

Slightly bigger (taller and deeper) body, slightly heavier

11 autofocus points, 3D matrix metering, Auto D-Lighting

Faster continuous shot performance (4fps vs 3)

Up to 63 JPEG/11 RAW images in continuous burst mode (the D60 can capture up to 100 JPEG/9 RAW images)

RAW+JPG with choice of JPEG compression

Full feature set including bracketing

13 additional auto / scene presets

Additional in-camera editing including perspective control and fisheye

Slightly smaller viewfinder, but adds optional grid line support

LiveView with HD Movie Mode

Multi selector supports diagonal movement instead of 4 directions

Quiet shooting mode reduces shutter noise in quiet situations

support for optional Nikon GPS unit

HDMI output

same outstanding 18-55VR kit lens

D5000 vs. Nikon D90:

Equivalent image quality, altho D5000 tends to underexpose capturing all detail vs. D90 tendency to overexpose high contrast shots

D5000 LiveView mode adds subject tracking

Easy to use auto / scene presets along with context sensitive help

More sophisticated interval shooting and time-lapse mode

Additional in-camera editing including perspective control and fisheye

Significantly more compact, lighter body

No autofocus motor in body for older or more professional lenses

No top LCD; must use back display to review settings

No depth of field preview

Lower resolution screen than D90 but vari-angle allows you to compose hard-to-reach shots

Slightly slower continuous shot performance (4fps vs 4.5)

Up to 63 JPEG/11 RAW images can be captured in continuous burst mode (the D90 burst is limited to 25 JPEG/7 RAW images)

Quiet shooting mode reduces shutter noise in quiet situations

.78x Pentamirror viewfinder vs. the D90's brighter .94x Pentaprism

Single command dial means more access to Menu for changing settings

Built-in flash cannot command external flash units with Nikon Creative Lighting System

No option for extra battery grip

Kit lens only 18-55VR vs 18-105VR

D5000 adds Airflow Control System in addition to dust reduction system

Better value, especially body only

Detailed Review:

Having bought my first D-SLR (a Nikon D60) last November, I was intrigued with the announcement of the D5000. At the time of my D60 purchase, I was considering the D90, but after holding both in person, I chose the D60 for its the much smaller form factor, lighter weight, and much lower price tag. I have been largely happy with the D60, although its low-light performance while dramatically better than my old point-and-shoot camera still wasn't fantastic.

Given the D5000 uses the same sensor and imaging sensor as the D90, but in a smaller lighter case, I decided to upgrade. And I must say I'm exceptionally pleased with the D5000.

What is to like over the D60?

1) Stunning Image Quality even in Low Light, without a tripod or fast lens

The D5000 takes exceptional pictures, especially in low-light and in challenging lighting scenarios. The D5000 is the first camera I've owned that can take a picture at night and capture everything (and in some cases more than) my eye sees. And this is in Automatic mode (flash off), without a tripod, using an average-speed (f3.5-f5.6) Nikon VR lens. Truly impressive.

I went back and took the same night shots in the same settings with the same Nikon 16-85 VR lens and the results are noticeably better on the D5000 vs my D60. The difference between the D5000 and D60 is almost as dramatic (in low light) as the difference between my D60 and point-and-shoot camera. I've posted a few example images to illustrate.

Images captured even at ISO 1600 have exceptional detail and very low noise. Even when you zoom to 100% the D5000 renders these tough shots beautifully.

Highlights are controlled and not blown-out, while even low-contrast areas of the picture are captured.

2) Ability to capture details in challenging light, automatically

The D5000's ability to capture all details of an image, even at night, with areas of highly contrasting lighting is even more impressive than it's low-light performance. As some have noted, the D5000 has a tendency to slightly underexpose these pictures to preserve detail. (The D90 tends to over-expose these shots, illustrating that the D5000 is not entirely a "D90 in a small case".)

In one example (posted to the customer images), a night-shot of the famous Castro Street theater the D5000 captured the bright neon signs, architectural lighting of the facade, and even the mosaic tile and billboards in the very dimly-lit entry. All again in automatic mode, no tripod, F3.8 ISO 800. When I post the sample pictures they will tell the story better than I could ever describe.

I can only think that this performance is related to a combination of improvements over the D5000: 11 autofocus points, 3D matrix metering, next-generation Active D-Lighting, latest Nikon EXPEED processor.

3) No-compromises feature set that is still easy to use for the beginner

One thing that annoyed me about the D60 was its lack of some features (eg. bracketing) intended to "dumb the camera down". The D5000 has every control you would ever want, yet its menu system remains extremely easy to use even for a beginner.

Example features the D5000 offers that are not available on the D60:

RAW-JPG ability to select JPEG quality (Std,Basic,Fine)

bracketing (useful for HDR post-processing)

and I'm sure there are many others I have missed.

The D5000 also includes a number of additional SCENE modes (a total of 19) for the beginner used to point-and-shoot simplicity. Everything from Night Landscape, Sunset, Food, Pet Portrait, Sports, and more.

4) Useful Live View and Vari-Angle Display for those hard-to-reach shots

A first for Nikon, the D5000 includes a "vari-angle" articulated LCD. Despite the specs on paper (230,000 pixels vs the 920,000 pixels on the D90) the screen quality is outstanding very bright and easy to see even in sunshine.

Using the Live View mode, you can take pictures in hard-to-reach angles such as above a crowd, or looking up from a low angle, or taking a self-portrait. What doesn't work so well in Nikon's implementation is that the hinge is on the bottom of the camera, so if you're using a tripod your choices are limited.

New to the D5000 LiveView (not on the D90) is subject tracking, which keeps focus on a moving subject within the frame.

As others have pointed out, the D5000 LiveView autofocus performance is very slow. The more that I have used it, I must say that LiveView performance is probably worse than your point-and-shoot camera. Some other owners on the Nikon forums have reported complete failure of LiveView autofocus, although on my D5000 it works.

As it is, I compose 99% of my shots in the viewfinder, which gives you the super-fast response of a DSLR in the first place. For me the ability to use LiveView in hard-to-reach situations is a nice feature.

What could be improved?

Well, first of all, the video is more of a marketing idea the sound is monoral, you can't change auto-focus once you start recording, and the video has the infamous "jelly effect" when moving from side to side

Although the case is much smaller than the D90, it's still over 1/4" taller than my D60, and doesn't feel nearly as comfortable in my hands.

The tilting screen is great, but the bottom-hinge design is of limited effectiveness when using a tripod.

Live View autofocus is very slow for a D-SLR (even worse in some situations than a compact digital camera)

Auto White Balance just doesn't get it right with certain lighting. But it's easy enough to correct with a custom white balance (if you have the time when taking the shot) or post-processing the RAW image. I just don't understand why my $300 Canon SD870 does auto-white balance so much better.

All in all, however, the outstanding image quality especially in low-light, and features offset the very minor areas that could be improved. For that, the D5000 gets my 5-star vote.

I got this camera back on July, its serial number is inside the range of the recall. But mine havent failed yet after 2 months of full time use.

So I just wont send it to repair until it fails, crossing fingers here though. Anyway if it ever presents a problem I will just send it to Nikon since it has full warranty and Nikon's policies are to repair the unit no matter the time or when it fails, could be a lot of time, they will repair it fast for free.

Ok now to performance, this camera performs as good as the D300 or D90 step up brothers IQ wise. High ISO performance is top notch, a few reviews over the net show that it has less noise than D300.

This little consumer grade camera will do just about everything than other more expensive DSLR's. Like full manual settings, high exposure shots, D-Lighting, in camera editing, etc, etc.

The little screen is just perfect, the size and weight too. The menu is user friendly, everything it has looks like a true 2009 model. 5 stars, cant find a flaw.

This camera lacks an integrated autofocus motor, but that feature is for use of older lenses and some exotic ones. So it has 87 variety of Nikon and aftermarket lenses to choose from,

that is one of the reasons I bought this camera, saving money discarding a feature that I wont ever use since Iam new to phootgraphy and Iam just starting making my own lens collection, with only new AF-S type of lenses that come with their autofocus motor. It doesnt have a top LCD display but I really dont like them, they look old. They are usefull, but really not a need.

It has the video feature, wich it isnt as a camcorder quality but way better than a Cybershot, and its a DSLR so I wont go deeper about its video performance, wich anyway is HD 720p, for short clips is perfect.

The 4FPS continuous shot is quite good, not professional but works pretty good, almost no different or noticeable than the 4.5FPS on the D90.

The thing I like most, is the lightweight, coupled with my 70-300vr its ironic how light it is next to a ton of weight from other cameras with heavier lenses.

Cant go wrong with this little camera. This is a great choice if is your first DSLR, or if its your 2nd body. Because if you are serious about photography, for more money u can get a more solid, body with more features, that are usefull for the professional photographer. But for everyone else, this 12.3 MP sensor is the same as the D300 or D90. The Image quality brings a tear to the eye, Period!

Buy Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD (Body Only) Now

If you're looking at this camera, my guess is you've done your home work and figured out that if you want a good DSLR on a budget, your choice is pretty much down to D5000 or Rebel. I came to that conclusion fairly quickly but making that decision was not easy. On paper Canon had better specs for the price but both cameras looked close ...

There are numerous reviews comparing those cameras. Most of them are long, detailed and come to the same conclusion both cameras are good not really helping much at the end. So here I'll try to keep it focused and tell about the key differences which helped me to set my mind.

1. Low light shooting. Recently I went to a party and a friend of mine gave me his Rebel. What I didn't realize before is in order to autofocus the Rebel needs to pop up flash and fire it a few times. Of course, it's not at full power, but still it ruins everything because you can't take a picture without distracting people. You catch some interesting face, point, shoot and those few flashes totally distract the person. Nikon has a white lamp, it's enough to focus but most people won't get distracted. So if you plan to take pictures of people in party like set up Nikon gives you an advantage. (well, to be fair you can get an external flash which has a lamp for autofocus assist, but we are talking about the cameras here)

2. Tilting LCD. Rebel has bigger and better LCD. However, I'm not a paparazzi, but time to time i need to shoot over a line of people in front of me (parades, street performance, small crowded room etc). With the tilting LCD you can raise the camera above your head and still be able to frame the picture. I found that very useful and Nikon has an advantage.

3. Extra preset modes. Probably like the most people I used to keep the dial on "Auto" most of the time. And it worked ok most of the time. But I never could quickly figure out how to take a picture of my daughter blowing birthday candles or perfect sunset or something white on white etc. So when I tried the extra "Scene" preset modes on Nikon, I was really surprised how much better can those pictures be comparing to the "Auto". Try them out and keep in mind Rebel doesn't have many of those modes.

4. Feel. Nikon has very solid feel in your hands. Maybe it's subjective, but I do like this feeling.

So overall, Rebel does have a lot of specs slightly better than Nikon. It's smaller, lighter, the screen is bigger and has better resolution, it has more megapixels. Yes, it's all nice to have but this is a choice between good and even better. However Nikon offers some things Rebel just doesn't have (see above). So I bought Nikon and feel happy about it.

A few side notes. The cameras are getting better and better and in a couple years you'll be able to buy a much better camera for the same price. The lenses and flashes on the other side are not changing much and hold value really well. So if you have a choice, try to buy the best lense (and for an expensive lense don't forget to buy a protective filter) and flash you can afford and maybe save some money on the body and upgrade it in a couple years if some new cool technology pops up.

Hopefully my review will help you to decide one way or another.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD (Body Only) Here

I did a lot of research before I decided to go with D5000 including going to BestBuy and other camera stores and handling the camera to make sure it feels right. In the end I got the best deal through Amazon (even though a D5000 kit at Costco had an unbelievable deal). I choose not to buy a kit because I wanted specific lenses with the camera. I wanted one lens that I can travel with without the need to change lenses and another that I can use primarily in doors in low light conditions. I got the Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras and Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras lenses. I also got a Nikon SB-600 Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras and an Eye-Fi 4GB Pro SDHC Wireless Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-4PC to wirelessly upload pictures to my laptop (D5000 has built in support for Eye-Fi SDHC cards). Last week Eye-Fi came out with Eye-Fi 8GB Pro X2 SDHC Class 6 Wireless Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-8PC that has more features and almost the same price (bummer!). I also got UV filters for both lens to protect the expensive lens glass.

The cameras I compared before buying were, Nikon D90, D60, Canon Rebel iTL, xTi, etc.

I have used it for two weeks now with great results. Camera is very easy to use, I still have not looked through the manual and have been able to find advance setting easily. The auto-focus with both the lenses is very fast (faster if using the view-port than using LiveView). I still have not been able to find a camera case that I feel good with that is compact enough to easily carry around and I can get my essential accessories in.

One big factor for me for selecting this camera was the swivel lens. Being a big guy, I run into scenarios where I do not have clear line of sight to the subject I am capturing and have always wanted the ability to move the camera higher or away from my body to take great shots and the swivel LCD does a great job at it. My tipod mount has not had any problem with restricting the swivel movement, but I have seen it at a store, where the tripod mount was huge and restricted the LCD movement.

Again overall highly recommended camera.

Want Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD (Body Only) Discount?

Having had the D5000 for a few months now, and having used it with a few different lenses, I figured I'd better chime in here, in hopes of pushing this one's rating just a bit higher. It's certainly deserving. One of the reasons this camera got a bunch of bad reviews all over the place at first was because of the recall. Definitely a bummer. But by the time I received mine, the problem had been dealt with, and I received a perfectly working model. So how is it?

In a word: fantastic. I've owned one other dSLR in my life, and it was a Canon, and it was a while ago. Needless to say, this was a HUGE step up for me.

In getting truly serious about my photography, this camera has been the tool I've dreamed of having for a long, long time. It's fast, light, takes wonderful pictures, and is reasonably priced to boot. The menu system is well laid out, and there's a very useful info button if you want the quick-and-dirty of what a particular setting does. I've used this camera with Nikon, Sigma, and Tamron lenses, and with all of them it has just performed seamlessly. Of course, now that I know everything there is to know about this camera, it only makes me want a D3X that much more. But parting with 7k for a camera is more than a little crazy, especially at my level.

So my parting advice is this: if you really, really know what you're doing, you'll probably be a little disappointed and somewhat limited by this camera. While it does an admirable job at higher ISO's, it's no $7000 camera. In fact it's no $3000 camera. Meaning that you will see noise at the higher settings, plain and simple.

But if you're not expecting miracles, then this little gem of a camera might just surprise you with a few.

Save 25% Off

Manfrotto 311K Video Monitor Platform 311 with Super Clamp and Double Ball Joint 155 - Replaces 315

This is one of the finest designed, engineered and manufactured tripod accessories for a laptop for tethered photography or to hold a monitor, depending on your needs. I cannot believe how well designed and how solid this Manfrotto product is. In addition and perhaps more important, it took only 3-5 minutes to install it on to my tripod. My MacBook fits just perfectly on it and it is adjustable, as I had expected. The two straps that accompany the stand are also well made and well connected to the stand itself. The straps designed for the stand, however, are made to be optional, since both can easily be removed...This device is well worth the price and should last and be functional for many, many years. Treat your photography and computer equipment with care& respect, by starting with the Manfrotto 311K Video Monitor/Laptop Platform 311...You even might try dancing on it.Manfrotto 311K Video Monitor Platform 311 with Super Clamp and Double Ball Joint 155 Replaces 3152K (Gray)

This was much too small for any of my laptops, and the 'ridges' on the edges will scratch the heck out of anything that is larger than it's small footprint. Based on the previous review I bought this to put my laptop on the tripod, and now regret it... Will be returning.

Buy Manfrotto 311K Video Monitor Platform 311 with Super Clamp and Double Ball Joint 155 - Replaces 315 Now

Canon PowerShot SD960IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and

My old tiny Casio Exilim 5 MP camera diedI loved that thing because it was so tiny and I took many more pictures because it fit in my pocketand I had to get something for my trip to France. First bought the 970 thinking, ooh, 5x optical zoom. For someone used to ultracompact, that thing was huge and I didn't notice much difference between the 5x and the 4x or 3x zoom. I returned it and got the 960, which I stuck with. It is much smaller than the 970 though bigger than my old camera (won't fit in pants pocket too comfortably), but the wide-angle zoom makes a huge difference to the photos. I travelled with someone who had the 780, and we frequently traded the same shot with both cameras, and the picture quality was much better with the 960, though it is larger than the 780. The controls were easy to navigate, the viewscreen very wide/ large on the 960. The video quality is amazing. Aside from the size, the only downside was that it is a little slow to take repeat shots in action situations. However, the motion control is excellent and you can take shots while jogging without blurring. Sadly, I lost my new 960 at the airport (thankfully, I had downloaded the photos). I decided to replace it with the 780 because I'm not a photographer, thought having the very small camera would make up for the difference in picture quality. After 250 photos on the 960, and 2 days with the 780, I miss the wide-angle zoom and am considering getting another 960. It's not that much bigger than the 780, and the picture quality difference is significant.

The true market for this camera is someone who wants to have one device that is compact, shoots excellent quality pictures, and has the capability of capturing 720P HD movies.

It's a Canon, so the image quality is a given. Tons of examples on Flickr if you simply search for "canon SD960" or "IXUS 110". Colors are true, not highly sharpened, low chromatic aberration, and rich with detail. Do not, however, mistake this power of the DIGIC IV processor to be perfect and free of noise at high zoom or ISO above 400. Compared to its class, however, the results are just great for the price point.

But the odds are you are looking at this camera not just for its stills ability, but the fact that it can also shoot HD movies.

So how does the HD perform. Here, the optical stabilization and optical zoom make this a far better choice than it's nearest hybrid competitor, the Flip HD. The Flip is a fun, very easy to use device, but the lack of image stabilization in camera makes the output very choppy and prone to a "jello" wobbling effect. The Canon has a much smoother output. A strong performer in low light (but expect more noise) and a really excellent result in natural light. For samples, my best recommendation is to search Vimeo -they have the best HD streaming of uploaded videos, and looking at results on Youtube (even if "HD") doesn't do the camera justice.

In practice, Mac users will be happy to see that iPhoto can handle the whole offload process -stills and movies. Launch iPhoto, turn on camera and load what you'd like. The movie files are H.264, and can be quickly edited in iMovie or Final Cut.

One worthy note on shooting movie and zoom. You frame your shot and set focus with a half push of the shutter button. Press all the way to record. Once you start recording, you are set at your original zoom level and can not use the OPTICAL zoom to pull closer. Instead, the camera uses DIGITAL zoom to get closer. In practice, I found this did not produce a terribly degraded result, but it is worthy noting before you purchase the camera.

Mono mic on the camera, which pics up sound very well -even on the crowded/noisy streets of NYC.

The cheaper Canon SD780 is very nice also if you are looking to save $50. The newer jog wheel and extra zoom, however, was worth the upgrade (IMHO).

Budget for one of the 8G or 16G SDHC cards sold on Amazon for 50+ minutes of HD recording. And probably worth buying a 3rd party second battery to have on hand.

Buy Canon PowerShot SD960IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and Now

Unfortunately after 30 days of review and over 1000 pictures later I am returning this camera.

As an avid Canon user (Canon AE-1, S500, and S550), I decided it was finally worth the effort to upgrade out of the world of slow compact flash and go with the latest and greatest. What I found was a major disappointment.

PROS:

-Size of the camera is great for your pocket. It slips neatly away and is easy to retrieve.

-When pictures are clear, they look great for a point and shoot.

-I enjoyed using the wheel interface along with the actual UI that is on the camera.

-The HD movies were great both on the computer and played directly to my 46" Samsung LCD

-Transfer speed to the computer was very fast, especially since I am comparing it to my last camera that was the S550.

-Battery life was great as well as compared to my S550. At least twice as much use from the 960.

-The HD video constantly adjusted the white balance during capture which was very nice.

-Screen was clear and well integrated into the body of the unit.

NOTE: I didn't hear any strange sounds when zooming in/out using the movie mode (during playback).

CONS:

-Bright daylight images would show purple fringing around diffuse edges such as hair, trees, water, etc... Was made even worse if zoomed.

-In AUTO mode the camera constantly thought it should go into MACRO mode and pictures consistently were blurry. This was even worse at night, and absolutely HORRID if you gave the camera to a 3rd party to take a picture. 3rd parties usually don't use the method where you hold the button halfway so the camera can figure out what's going on. So feel free to instruct that 3rd party if you like and then you *MIGHT* get a clear picture half the time... and at night you might get 1 out of 10 that are clear. Even some of the daytime pictures that did not display the MACRO mode in AUTO came out blurry.

I'm so disappointed in this camera since I had such high hopes for it. I researched for at least 8 hours over a period of 4 weeks before I made my purchase. The Canon SD960IS suffers from great ideas implemented without the final touch that would make it worthwhile.

Take my review with a grain of salt; however, I would steer clear of this one until they fix the CCD so it doesn't have nasty purple fringing (which my s500 and s550 never had) and when they fix the firmware in AUTO to go back to manual macro mode.

About me: I am not a professional photographer; however, I would consider myself very capable. I have developed my own pictures, when I was shooting black and white, in my own darkroom. Also, I am the person that is always called by friends and family when they have a technical question. If I wanted to take slow pictures where I have to think about shutter speeds, exposures, f stops, etc.. I'll gladly go by the Canon Digital SLR and take the time. This purchase was not for that. I want a camera that I or anyone in my family can take halfway decent pictures without thinking too much about it. At this point my S550 did a much better job.

Read Best Reviews of Canon PowerShot SD960IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and Here

Got this camera a month ago just before the Coachella festival, where I shot ~4GB worth of jpgs and ~2GB of video. I used max resolution for both and did not use the fully automatic modes and other gimmicks. Being an all day festival in the desert, I had plenty of opportunity to test the camera under harsh light, shadow, twilight and artificial lighting at night.

Video wise no complains; this is not a video camera and whatever you get out of it is a plus IMHO. I got usable footage of bands at night, with reasonable sound quality, and I suspect the image stabilization improved the shots, since I don't have very steady hands.

Still photography is another matter. I got plenty of purple fringes under sunlight and way too much noise under low light. Going beyond ISO 400 is reckless, and the lens stops down too much as you start zooming, making matters worse. 12MP is a marketing gimmick; you'll seldom get good enough quality shots that you can enlarge where such resolution would be needed; half the pixel density and much lower noise would yield plenty more enlargement worthy pics.

Controls are limited, you can tweak exposure compensation and sensitivity and that's about it. The flash is best for harsh sunlight situations. Having said that, this is a very compact point and shoot, with a very nice LCD and good focusing; a good camera for snap shots and 4x6 prints.

Want Canon PowerShot SD960IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and Discount?

8-4-09 Update: I think it's time to update my review. I really do love the video this camera shoots. If that's all I wanted it for, this would be a 5-star product. But over time I am getting more and more disappointed with the quality of the photos. Maybe my unit is a dud, but the noise seems to be getting worse. I just think that an outdoor photo, taken in full daylight, should NOT be a noisy as the pix from this camera are. I miss my SD550. I may have to just suck it up an switch back, or look for something else to use as a point and shoot for when I don't want to carry my XTi around with me.

==================================

I finally upgraded my SD550, which was getting pretty beat up and tired. I was really looking for a >3x optical zoom (4x isn't a huge improvement, but it's enough for a 12.1mp camera) I actually really like the layout on this one, the huge screen (I never used the viewfinder on the 550) and the playback button at the top right.

The HD video quality seems good to me (I have a more expensive HD videocamera, so this for me is not going to be used when I know I want to shoot a lot of video), but I found the controls for playback confusing (it's not clear at ALL just looking at the camera that you have to press up on the control wheel and THEN press the set button. The 550 used Set/Set to playback. I have to be careful not to use Set/Set because the first Set launches the delete function (!)

I also found the purple lines caused by bright lights to be much more harsh on the 960 than they ever were on the 550. In fact, I had to go back to the 550 to see if it even did that (It did). It's just more noticable on the 960 but that could be because it's filming in HD. There are no purple lines when I am taking still photos (even if you see it on the viewfinder) so you just have to be extra careful about pointing the camera toward the sun if the sun is fairly low in the sky.

I'll update this review as I have more feedback.

======

Update to review on 4/15: I still like the camera, the HD video quality is AMAZING, but as a pixel peeper, indoor shots tend to be REALLY noisy. Now maybe I shouldn't be zooming that far in on a 12 megapixel image shot indoors, but it is something I want to warn people about. I'm going to try printing one of the noisy shots to see what it looks like when compressed down into a 4x6 size. I also find some of the shots blurrier than I'd like. Like the other reviewer, this was a move from an sd550, and maybe that is just the greatest pocket camera ever, because both of us are a little disappointed with the quality when you compare the two. If the video wasn't so much better, I may have exchanged this one. As of this moment, I'm at about a 3.5. Will be taking it on vacation next week. More feedback to come.

Save 2% Off

Zacuto Z-Finder EVF 3.2 inch DSLR Monitor

Zacuto's EVF is fantastic. The build quality is excellent, the features are essential, and the small form factor is in clear magnified view with the included viewfinder.

I don't have any bad to say about this product, it's just great. Though I don't know what have been my decission if the SmallHD dp4 EVF would have been in market when I bought this.

Buy Zacuto Z-Finder EVF 3.2 inch DSLR Monitor Now