Swann SW248-LM8 8-Inch LCD Security Monitor

Purchased this unit in October 2010. Last week (Dec 2011) the screen has turned a reddish hue and randomly powers off. This is the second SWANN Product to fail in less than 14 months (just outside of the warranty period). Unit works great when it worked, but too expensive to be replacing every 14 months. Don't recommend SWANN Products. Cheap made in China junk.

The screen itself is ok, but the video inputs require a special 3.5mm mini jack plug that is very unusual and only swann uses it. The stand it sets on is awful.

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For the price it is probably the best option, and it has several nice features. This is the second one I have purchased, first one died after about 2 1/2 years of service and 24/7 operation time. So it was not unexpected that it failed. Hard to find something that does what this does for the price.

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It displays all the cameras in excellent color, you can do one camera or switch to all four(quad) that show clear screen(s), it work just right to capture uninvivted guest.

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Purchased this a little more than a year ago and it is now dead. I am going to stream my DVR down to my computer and not use a monitor upstairs. Don't buy this thing! Very cheap and the stand is a joke!

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Samsung HMX-U20 Ultra-Compact Full-HD Camcorder (Black)

I purchased this May 28th, on sale for $170. I did not purchase a memory card as I had a 2 gig SD card at home and wasn't sure that I would be keeping this camera. I charged the battery, put in my memory card and went out in the yard and shot some video and some still photos. It was a bright sunny day. I hooked up the camera to my 50 inch plasma TV with the included composite video cable and looked at the photos, which were really great quality and detail. I was pleasantly surprised that they were the equal of my Olympus 10 mega pixel digital still camera. Next I looked at the video that I shot at 1080P and heard this clicking noise throughout the video. My commentary was recorded just fine but the clicking was a deal breaker. The video quality was also not what I expected for the 1080 P setting. I loaded the CD into my PC and started to read the manual. As another reviewer noted you must us HC SD memory or data will be lost while the memory is trying to keep up with the high data rate of this camera. That night I bought a recommended SDHC card and put it in the camera. The next day I went to a WWII era air show and brought the camera. I shot about 40 minutes of video at 720P 60 frames per second and about 24 photos at the 10 mega pixel setting. There were lots of action videos as the old fighters streaked overhead as well as some newer jets. I hooked up the camera to the plasma TV and viewed the photos, which were really sharp and clear with great detail. You could read the serial number and min/max blade pitch on one of the props. This is using a low quality composite video cable between the camera and TV. The videos were terrific and no clicking noise. The use of the correct memory card improved all the quality levels of the photos and videos. My family was impressed that this small package could do so much. I next loaded the software on my PC and transferring the videos and photos was simple and the while not a high end package there is more than enough functionality to edit the videos, convert them to other formats and upload them to different online services. The only thing missing is the ability to burn them to a DVD, which I can do with Nero. On Memorial Day I went to the Daytona Prototype races at Lime Rock Park and shot a lot more video and photos. All came out terrific. I will purchase a monopod as it is difficult to hold this small camera steady for a long period of time. I will also be purchasing the optional HDMI cable to further improve the quality of the image when watching on my 50 inch plasma. This camera is a keeper and the quality is outstanding. I've shown the results to others with Flips or RCA and they rated the quality of the Samsung output to be superior.

I am surprised by the early negative reviews. I never owned a pocket HD cam before (like the Flip Mino, Creative Vado, or Kodak Zi6) though I've seen them compared online (Tekzilla), so when I pre-ordered this camera I had a good idea of what I would be getting. I've had it for 3 days now and it is exactly what I expected it to be for the price and size. It is not a replacement for larger, heavier higher-end digital SLRs or camcorders with better lenses and imaging chips. It's a convenient, cell phone sized FunCam. The smaller size and lighter weight means it's harder to keep steady, a reported problem with all the pocket HD cams. Another known problem is they don't do low light well. This camera is no exception.

Pros:

I found the 1080/30p video quite good outdoors in daylight, again considering the size of the chip and the quality of the lens you can expect at this price.

The Smart Auto feature does a surprisingly good job of detecting what you're shooting and adjusting accordingly. Hold the camera close to an object and it automatically goes into macro mode. Shoot a back-lit subject and it automatically goes into Backlight mode. It does have an Action mode for fast moving subjects but I haven't had it activated yet so I'm not sure how well it works to smooth out camera shake, if that's even what it's supposed to do. (There is no camera shake correction feature in the included software as another reviewed suggested.) I suspect Action mode may just increase shutter speed to minimize subject blur and not be an image stabilization feature. At any rate, this is a consumer point and shoot camera. These modes are not manually adjustable.

I've tried the time-lapse feature (the main reason I bought this camera) and it works very well, though I'd prefer more choices like 2 and 3 frames per second.

The 3x optical zoom works better than digital zooming though it does dim the image on the LCD screen when you zoom in.

It has a user replaceable rechargeable battery.

It uses SD cards you can swap out for more recording time.

The included video and picture editing software is basic but works and the fact it's included on the camera is very convenient. You can also install it onto your PC if you like. I have higher end programs so I won't be using it but it's always there if you need it away from home.

My cons would be:

1 The lens does not have a cover and I have already smudged it a couple of times. A sliding door or even lens cap seems like a no-brainer but there isn't one. To be clear, the actual lens is deep inside the camera and there is a protective piece of glass (or plastic) over it. I did clean the smudges off the glass with a photo lens cloth with no problem. The other pocket HD cams don't seem to have lens covers either.

2 The still photos are not great. Much better than what my 2 megapixel Razr phone can do but obviously far below what my 8 megapixel Canon Rebel XT can deliver. It's not just the pixels; it's the lens and chip that make a quality image. This cam is not good for important photos and, again, the pictures are much better with a lot of light. With moving video images the grain is not as apparent.

3 I'm not crazy about the USB dongle all these pocket cams have but I understand its convenience. An additional USB port would have been nice.

Other than that I am pleased with the purchase. My camera does not exhibit any of the mechanical noises during recording others mentioned. The only noise is when you use the zoom, as with every camera. You can even set it to mute audio recording during zooming if you like.

Of note, this camera will not take a Compact Flash card and if you're buying an SDHC card for this camera Samsung recommends only three brands: Panasonic, SanDisc, and Toshiba. Other cards are not guaranteed to work. They also recommend a card with a transfer speed of at least 5MB/sec for video recording. It can take up to a 32GB capacity card. That's approximately 225 minutes of 1080/30P recording.

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I suffered from the flip's limited storage (8GB) and short battery life.. So, I switched to the Samsung HMX-20 for the following reasons:

1) SDHC support: I have a couple of 16GB cards that I take with me when traveling; a computer is not needed.

2) Full HD.

3) Can be charged with bundled electric charger or when plugged to USB.

Cons:

1) Poor low-light performance

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I would say.. not bad...Here is the pictures I took under different kind of condition-. All are shut in SMART/AUTO mode and there is not much night view cause it doesn't work well without enough lighting. I don't expect 170USD could have a professional sharp quality. But this one is compact and light, easy to carry on.

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Yes, you need a steady hand for all video recording. Just because you stink at taking video doesn't mean it's the camera's fault. Videographers all over spend lots of money on stabilizing equipment for the already skilled hands and already top of the line cameras. This camcorder takes great video, especially in proper lighting. Outside video has amazing rich detail and the TIME LAPSE feature is incredible. A+ product.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 8.1 MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Zoom with Super SteadyShot Image Stab

I've been looking for a new camera to replace my Canon A70 (3MP w/3x optical zoom) for some time. I was looking for a camera that was as portable, with a significantly higher megapixel rating, and a much better zoom. But I also wanted it to have as simple a button layout. I also wanted to avoid breaking the bank.

So, I've been looking at a number of mid-range cameras currently available on the market. Most of the Canons I looked at have opted for more complex button layouts. I liked my old Canon, but was not willing to trade complexity for performance. Many of the other models such as Panasonic's Lumix (or even Sony's H7 and H9) are considerably more bulky, thus not as portable (as they can't be slipped into a pocket). Many of the smaller cameras also came with a smaller optical zoom rating (opting to use digital zoom which really only degrades image quality).

The Sony H3 has thus far been my favorite camera available at this time. The button layout is simple, as are the two main menus. I love the 10x zoom (with which I've consistently been able to zoom in across a room and get a clear picture of the "writing on the wall"). The more I play with it, the more cool features and abilities I seem to find. I've been quite impressed with its anti-shake image stabilization, and its sports feature which seems to let you capture objects in motion without a lot of messy blur. I even found that I could take pictures while the camera was panning slowly and have the images come out without too noticeable of blur. In a few cases, I even still got legible print on signs, etc. I rather like the in-LCD mode wheel reminder that lets you know which option you've just switched to on the jog dial, and what that mode is good for. In all, this is a great little camera. I haven't had a chance to test it out in low light situations, but I've heard that it does relatively well (with perhaps a bit of image noise in lower light, higher sensitivity settings).

Over all, a nice, nice camera!

That all said, I'll add a few caveats:

1) This camera does not have a viewfinder, rather only an LCD. Personally, I've never had a problem with LCDs, but some may be put off by the lack of a viewfinder under certain situations (or, so I hear).

2) This is not a DSLR. It's not intended for "professionals." So, don't expect a professional level camera. This seems to be designed for the high end hobbyist / casual photographer, and does quite well for what it is, as far as I can tell, thus far.

3) This camera uses Sony's Memory Stick Duo or Pro Duo memory cards, which is slightly proprietary (though several companies manufacture cards of this type), so it seems to be slightly more expensive than competing SD cards. But, if you're willing to pay a few extra bucks for the cards, I hear they tend to be pretty good quality (especially the Pro cards, which have a faster access time).

So, as long as you don't expect "pro" features, you won't be disappointed. If you come from lower end digital cameras and are upgrading, you'll probably find this to be a nice machine for you. I'd still recommend going to your local brick and mortar store to actually handle the various cameras, try out the zoom, try out the movie feature, see how they all feel in your hand, see how the different cameras fare on moving subjects, or with hand shake, or a moving camera. I think the H3 stacks up well against the various competitors in the mid-range space.

I would not even object to someone lightly calling this camera "revolutionary" insofar as it takes the camera into the extreme zoom (10x+) market, gives it a high megapixel rating (8MP+) and manages to put it into the "portable" camera market as well (only slightly larger than my old Canon A70)... It seems like the best of several worlds. In my estimation, the best of breed at the moment, and a unit to emulate, for future Sony models and for other brands to copy.

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Addendum (10-11-07): Finally received mine yesterday, and started playing with it under "real world" conditions. It's held up pretty well. Had to figure out which were some of the better settings to use in our house at night (not the best lighting). I noticed that under lower lighting conditions, some of the modes are a bit harder to keep "steady" and avoid blur. Though, once I turned on anti-shake, and multi-point face recognition, it seemed to do better. Likewise when putting it on the low-light portrait setting. It was still necessary to keep it more steady than under bright lighting conditions.

Still testing it out, but have generally been quite pleased with performance. As expected!

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Addendum (11-20-07): Actually, now that I've found out the ^ISO (high ISO) jog dial setting (in combination with playing with some of the settings for lighting type, etc.), low light photography seems to be pretty easy (found out I'd been putting it on the wrong setting by accident). Still a good idea to keep the camera steady on general principle, of course.

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Addendum (11-29-07): Well, I'd promised to review the image quality once I'd had a chance to download some photos and view them on my machine at full resolution.

To be quite honest, I may have to slightly revise down my estimation of the camera on the basis of image quality. I've downloaded a number of photos from the camera, and while they're "large" and "high resolution," honestly, so far they've been lacking. Considerably more than I'd expected. Granted I've mostly been shooting in low light w/o flash, and I've heard that on an automatic setting it can up the ISO which leads to more noise in the image. My experience is thus far consistent with that assessment. However, I took a few shots with flash on the full auto setting for comparison. There was a higher quality level to those images, but they still didn't live up to what I would expect to come out of an 8MP digital with a 10x optical zoom, image stabilization, etc.

Specifically, my gripe is with definition. With an 8MP sensor and a high power zoom with a good lens, I'd expect some pretty darn crisp images (but maybe I just have an unreasonable expectation?). For example capturing definition and details in hairs when zoomed in on a head shot. So far, this has not been the case at all. It appears that the images either don't capture sufficient detail, or somewhere in the processing the detail is removed. I mean, I'm starting to wonder if the camera processes the raw image by applying whatever filters are set up and then by saving a highly "compressed" version of the image to get a better # of pictures out of a memory stick, while sacrificing image quality. If so, I hope there's a way to turn off the "compression" and restore original image quality...

Honestly, when I zoom in on the image, it appears to get rather blocky, some would say "noisy" and there is a lack of definition between elements in the picture (such as between fingers, or between fine locks of hair). IE, the blockiness seems to overlap the region where there should be definition.

If there is a setting for Standard, Fine, Super-Fine detail level as there is with my old 3MP Canon A70, I've not yet found it with the Sony. Perhaps I should read the manual again just to make sure I'm not overlooking something crucial. But, if the images I've seen thus far are representative of the standard quality I can expect from this model, then I may have to grudgingly start my camera shopping search over again. I hate the prospect of having to either trade the simplicity of the Sony for better image quality but more complexity and bulk to say a Canon or a Panasonic Lumix, or trade down in optical zoom rating (as the extended optical zoom was one of the key features I was looking for in a replacement camera).

I might also point out that the camera does not utilize the standard mini-usb cable connector, opting for a proprietary cable that connects both to USB and to AV out cables. The connector worries me, as it seems "loose" when connected and feel flimsy, so I worry about breaking it if I'm not ginger enough with it. Likewise the memory stick pro duos it uses rather than the cheaper more ubiquitous SD/SDHC or some similar thing.

If I find anything more out, I'll add yet another addendum...

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One more addendum (12-19-07): Okay, I've done a lot of reading over the last couple weeks. Specifically,

I was considering upgrading from the Sony H3 to the Canon PowerShot G9. So, I read a lot of camera comparisons and reviews. I even learned a few things! From what I've learned, I can tentively say that some of the issues stem from the specific settings used. Low ISO settings seem to let light in longer, but can lead to more "shake" blur issues. High ISO settings leave the lens open for less time, thus eliminating camera shake issues to some extent (in combination with anti-shake technology). However, the higher the ISO, the more noise tends to creep into the images.

That said, image quality may vary greatly with settings and/or with "user malfunction." IE, learn how to use your camera well and it will love you for it and give you great images. After taking the camera off automatic (sans flash), and setting the ISO to 400 (often a good middle ground, I've found), I was able to take relatively good quality images in non-optimal light conditions (indoors with uneven lighting). Whereas if I dropped down to 80-100 ISO, I tended to get too much blur. If I hopped it up to 800, 1600 or 3200 ISO, I usually got little or not shake, but the images were much more noisy with color aberrations.

Apparently I've a bit of a learning curve for digital cameras. All told, I haven't yet done much experimenting in "optimal" (outside, natural) lighting conditions. Most likely those shots will come out well on "auto" settings. Likewise, ISO 80-200 shots in most situations would come out best on a tripod.

I am still upgrading to the Canon G9, though no longer due to image quality issues per se. Now it's simply for the RAW support and for the 12 MP images. Plus, as I may have mentioned earlier, I previously owned a Canon A70 that I loved to death (well, not to DEATH, as I still have it and it works beautifully). It was a solid machine and always delivered top quality images, especially on its high end 3MP resolution and super-fine quality setting. I just bought the G9 last night, and generally like its layout, despite being slightly more complex. It also feel properly weighty and rugged in my hand. I think I'll enjoy the switch.

So, long story short, know thy camera! The H3 does seem to be an excellent little camera, once you know enough to properly use it. Or, so long as you use it under optimal lighting conditions (or know how best to compensate for non-optimal lighting [with either a flash or the ISO settings]). For a point-and-shoot, it's at a good price point, and has plenty of features, plus, the zoom is excellent, and the pictures come out well when taken properly.

I purchased this camera last week and am already blown away! This camera was to replace a previously purchased DSC-H2 while I loved that camera, the delay time was unacceptable not to mention design flaws causing the shutter button to need to be replaced more than once on two of the H-2's.

I was skeptical in purchasing another Sony since having the above experience w/ the H2 I tried an Olympus and a Fuji neither could hold a candle to the Sony's picture quality -so, back to the store those went and I decided to roll the dice on another Sony...I just couldn't get over the saturation of color and the crispness of the photos you get with the Sony and Carl Zeiss lens...not to mention the advanced sports mode ( I take alot of action pics ) All pics come out spectacular and clear! This camera also has many programming features I especially like the face detection and the "soft shot" mode.

For a 10x zoom this camera is TINY! I was concerned with the size, but Sony made it happen and it's quite an impressive little gadget.

I'd recommend this camera it was a good find and a good buy for me...hopefully this will end my perpetual hunt for the perfect point and shoot ( I think it will! )

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This camera is great in low light. I shot pictures in an auditorium with regular stage light in "High Sensitivity" mode and was able to get 4x6 prints of people (as long as they weren't moving too much) without a tripod and WITHOUT a flash! I did use the 2 second timer so I could hold the camera still while the shutter went off.

I also love the macro setting. You can focus on your subject less than an inch away.

I like the "Advanced Sports Shooting" mode, but I've actually gotten better action shots by putting the camera in "Manual" and setting it to the fastest shutter speed possible. The other advantage of using "Manual" is that you can use the flash.

Speaking of the flash, I absolutely love the quality of light from this flash. No blown out subject in front of a black background. There's even a setting for the flash called "keep subjects and distant background bright" that keeps the ambient light even brighter and makes the picture a lot more natural looking.

The picture quality is amazing!! I haven't done any enlargements yet, but when I zoom in on the computer screen, a lot of my shot seem to be as clear as my SLR shots!

The only problem I've had is that there are a lot of buttons on a little camera so every once in a while I accidentally hit the dial or a button and have to re-set it. But having said that, I definitely wouldn't trade this camera for one with less settings. It's well worth having to watch my fingers more closely.

All in all I'm very happy with this camera. It's by far the best point and shoot I've owned.

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I am amused by all these people who say that the flash is too bright on this camera. They haven't figured out that there is a menu setting for turning down the flash intensity. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TAKE THIS CAMERA OUT OF AUTO MODE! In the Program AE mode, fantastic indoor pictures can be had by pegging the ISO setting on 100 and turning the flash intensity (EV) down a few tenths of a point. In automatic mode the flash will be too bright. Auto mode is great for outdoor shots but indoors requires a little bit of fidding with the settings. The only situation where this camera doesn't take brilliant pictures is in a twilight setting, but that is hardly a complaint, most cameras stuggle in areas where the lighting is not bright enough for flashless photography, but too bright for the flash to be effective.

In addition to the excellent picture quality, this camera offers one of the best macro modes I have ever used. I recently went to the local public aquarium and was amazed by some of the close up shots of fast-moving fish I was able to capture. All of this in a camera so small! I am utterly amazed by this thing. The focus speeds are nearly as fast as the DSLR's I have used in the past.

My only complaint thus far is with sony's memory sticks. The first one I bought had to be returned because it would not record pictures. This is hardly a fault of this fantastic camera though. Well worth the money! I will post some shots in the product gallery for potential buyers to browse.

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This camera take o.k. pictures but I do not recommend it esp. for the price. See reasons below

0. I bought this mainly because I wanted it for the face detection. Well the faces are invariably over exposed in the auto mode which I use 90% of the time (just like every average user) just like they are with my 4 year old dsc w7. Who has the time to set all the settings when you are trying to capture a moment when a 3 year old is doing something cute?

1. The image quality is suspect when you view the picture on the computer zoomed 1:1. There is alot of noise (or color artifacting). I did a series of comparison tests with my much older sony dsc w7 camera ( a great camera by the way, I bought the h3 thinking it must be even better!). The images taken by the older camera are better than the h3

2. This is not a DSLR so why did sony do away with the automatic lens cover? This makes it a royal pain to remove the lens cover each time by hand and put it back on

3. This camera uses the proprietary sony battery. Yes, maybe this lasts a little longer but other non slr camera use AA batteries. If you use rechargeable 2700 mah AA battries, those last for atleast 300 shots. And if you run out of juice, well you can always buy AA batteries anywhere. If you are like most people, the battery will run out of juice just when your kid gets on stage or when you are posing in front of the golden gate bridge.

4. The cable to connect to the computer is unqiue unlike the dscw7 alluded to earlier which used common usb cable. Where do I go except to Sony to buy a second cable to use to download some pictures at work? The cable looks like it can be easily damaged because it locks into place and if you forget and pick up the camera, it can damage the camera itself. The USB cable would just pop out

5. The number of clicks you need to do to delete a picture is about 5 or 6 which is a lot of clicks compared 3 in the dsc w7. Also in the dsc w7 the delete option stayed highlighted so you could delete all the picture you wanted after the first one with a click. On this it reverts to OK after each one and you need to do a couple of extra clicks. It is annoying to do this.

6. The first h3 I got had a glaring defect in the camera lens visible to naked eye. What kind of quality control is being done. If Sony did not catch this, I wonder what else is wrong inside that I can't find with naked eye?

7. And the pop flash is annoying too. In the dsc w7 you hit the power off button and that was it. In the h3, first you have to push the power off, then you have to put the lens cover back on by hand and then you have push in the flash to retracted position by hand. It is very annoying.

JVC Everio GZ-MG30 30 GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom

First the good: this camera is small and very convenient in MANY ways and you don't have the cost of tapes or mini CD's. And if you are a little computer savvy, the file format issue that people are always complaining about really isn't that big of a deal. I have Pinnacle Studio Plus 9.x (ie, with all the latest online updates to that version) and it handles the files just fine once you rename the file extension from .mod to .mpg. I've seen a lot of reviews here and elsewhere on the Internet that Adobe Elements Premiere 2.0 also handles the files just fine. I think ULead and a few others might as well. If you aren't that computer savvy (and don't necessarily want to be), then you may want to consider another camera just for this reason alone (unless perhaps you buy JVC's external DVD burner drive and are happy with mostly unedited clips).

However, I have learned my lesson by putting too much trust in Amazon's online reviews and discounting what is said in official reviews too much sometimes. I don't think any of the reviews here mention this camera's poor indoor (low-med light) picture quality... so I figured the official reviews of it I found elsewhere online were just being too picky. PC Magazine does a good job of describing the poor (especially low to medium light) picture quality in their Oct 17, 2005 review of this camera (you can find it by searching PCMag.com search on "GZ-MG30"). I'm sure there are many other reviews noting the picture quality issue as well.

I am giving this a 2 rating (really s/b about 2.5, no option for that) because I feel the low to medium light picture quality issue is enough to sink this camera for many people... especially at this price (I paid $550). If it was only $400, then I would have given it 3 stars (for overall price/value). If you will be using it almost exclusively outdoors, then I could probably give it a begrudging 4 stars.

For my all-around purposes, I am dissatisfied with this camera and wish I could return it. If you don't have good video quality, then nothing else really matters, does it? For some people, this camera might be just fine, but for the rest, I hope this review saves you from a costly mistake.

The image quality, small form-factor, small size, large hard drive, and battery life make this a winner. However, the .mod files are a pain in the butt. The only thing that you can view these with is the PowerDVD viewer. In order to convert these files to AVI or MPEG I had to by something called Power Producer, and let the computer work for an hour to convert a large file to MPEG. That's just wrong. The camara should have an option to compress to MPEG. This is similar to what the early Kodak digital camaras, such as the DC-120, did in saving images to the proprietary .kdc format. A royal pain.

Hopefully generation 2 will have MPEG conversion built in.

Anyhow, better and easier than converting from tape. A buy if you need a camcorder now.

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I waited a while before writing my review to really experience this camera. I have to say I love it. I went through some trial and error in the beginning but I really am enjoying the camera. I am not a professional videographer so this camera is fine for me. I have been taping all my son's basketball games and after a few times, I finally found a sports mode which works great. The camera is a perfect size. The convenience of not using tapes is incredible. I would suggest downloading your film often. It takes 11 minutes to download about an hour worth of filming. Since the camera can hold over 30 hours of information, I would not suggest downloading all the material at once. I have not used the software that came with the camera. After reading other reviews on the internet, I decided to get Adobe Premier Elements 2.0 which I am very satisfied with. The camera records in .MOD format so you need this software to convert it to MPEG. Yes, it takes a while for the process to complete, but once it is done, it is ready to be burned onto a DVD. You can also save the MPEG file to watch your entire movie on the computer in Windows Media Player. I would strongly suggest having at least a gig of ram and alot of hard drive if you plan on filming alot and keeping the footage on your computer. Even though this is the first hard disk camera, I am very happy with it for my use. Anyone that wants to record family events, games, etc., and is computer literate, this camera is for you. Would I recommend it to a professional videographer? No. The film quality is the same as a mini-dv or hi-8 recorder. The menu buttons are small, but easy to use and simplified. If anyone has this camera and has some good tips for me, please email me .

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Other people have covered the good aspects of this camcorder light weight, no tapes/discs to mess with, pretty good menu. However, these are easily outweighed by the lack of thought by JVC's engineers; and to add insult to injury, the downfall of this camcorder hinges on the very feature that is supposed to be it's selling point storing video files on a hard drive (and not other media).

You would think that if this was to be the camcorder's selling point, that these knuckleheads would have come up with an easier system for transferring the video files from the camcorder's hard drive to your computer's. The complete lack of thought is amazing. To come up with the goofy .mod naming convention is outside my comprehension. Why not give customers a naming convention with which they are generally familiar? (Besides the .mod files, I've also got .moi fileswhat the heck is that about? Are they important? Do I need to keep them associated with the .od files? And the uselessness of the Capty software (even its name is goofy) is astounding.

Finally, I don't mind having to actually read the users' manual. However, in this case it's useless. It doesn't explain anything about file transfers, the naming conventions, etc.

Obviously, the customer wasn't first in JVC's thinking. I would recommend staying away from this camcorder...What good is the convenience of recording on a hard drive is the files then become a mystery to access and edit. Stick with the "inconvenience" of tapes & discs...I wish I had!

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I got this camcorder yesterday. After taking some video images, I transferred the files to my PC and renamed the file extension from "MOD" to "MPG". It turns out that there is no audio playing the recorded video files using Microsoft Media Player 10. My Studio 8 software also failed to "initialize the audio file". To listen to the audio, I have to use the "Power DVD 5" or "CyberLink PowerDirector Express" came with the camcorder. As we all know that the video image software came with the camcorder is very limited. To do anything meaningful, I have to buy their upgrade. So far, I could not find a way to convert the MPG files to a compatible format so that I can play and edit them in Studio 8 or Media Player. For this reason, I'm going to return the camcorder to the vendor soon.

Panasonic 14.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Gray FP2 Silver

First, the only thing you might find wanting is the general awkwardness of trying to grip something the size of a small deck of cards without covering the lens with a finger. You can see this on the screen and get your finger out of the picture but you have left a fingerprint on the lens. The solution (other than claiming that you intended the soft-focus effect) is to buy a handle that fits in the tripod socket. With the handle in place you now have an almost magical camera.

Another minor thing is that the excellent Leica folded light path lens sometimes gives halos that are not perfectly round when pointed at very strong light sources. This is really straining on my part to come up with imperfections in an otherwise wonderful camera.

This camera has exceeded all my expectations. I bought it originally to have a preview of film large-format photos (since Polaroid has gone away) and now it's my main camera.

Definitely fun little number to carry around. The shutter is super quick and the quality is amazing for such a small thing.

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Great camera to document my work. Be sure to go to Panasonic.com and download the 1.1 firmware update. It's for optimization of Light amount for INON external flash(S-2000/D-2000/Z-240.

Update: the lens cover is a weak point. It stopped turning power on/off and displays 'open the lens cover' even when it's open. Panacare is repairing it/

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I love this camera. It is small enough to put in your pocket and great for traveling especially since the lens is inside the camera. My friends are always telling me what great pictures this camera takes. Even though it's an older model now, I would still purchase it again today.

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I bought the red version of the FP2, but it's otherwise the same as the gray one. The FP2 seems to have come out in 2010 and it's made in China. The lens cover slides down to turn the camera on and back up to turn it off again. You can also turn the camera on/off in playback mode without opening the lens cover, by using the on/off and capture/playback buttons.

pros:

+ lightweight

+ high build quality

+ takes bright, sharp, and contrasty photos in natural light

+ folded light path (i.e. 'internal zoom') design no lenses protrude when turned on

+ very smooth motion of the lens cover smoother than a $300 Sony I was looking at

+ fast startup & focus

+ up to 60 second maximum exposure the longest I've found in any compact camera

+ 720p video recording

cons:

its width and height dimensions are not as tiny as I was expecting, and though it is thin, this makes it tippy when sitting up

I find the flat body shape uncomfortable to hold...not much 'shape' to grip onto (but not as bad as overly-rounded 'used soap bar' shaped compact cameras)

side location of lens often a finger will accidentally get in your shot

images taken indoors without the flash and without much light are grainy

limited macro ability (closest focus is 10cm, most others can focus to 5cm or 3cm, a few even less)

tiny buttons

2 buttons are flush to the surface and difficult to press (on/off and capture/playback select)

no zooming while recording video, but you can set the zoom before recording

somewhat slow to zoom in/out

panning left/right up/down through photos is extremely slow

plastic tripod socket (I've read conflicting accounts regarding the durability of modern plastic sockets)

The FP1 is almost identical to the FP2, except 12.1 megapixels rather than 14.1 (doubtful it would make any noticeable reduction in image quality). The FP3 is the touch screen version and I wouldn't recommend paying more to get it...just my dislike of touch screens. If you can get either the PF1 or FP2 for around $100, it's a good buy.

BlueRigger High Speed HDMI to DVI Adapter Cable (15 Feet)

Well built and no problems with its performance.

Good price as well. I will be buying another when

the need arises.

I am starting to replace all of my computer and entertainment system cables with Blue Rigger cables they are well built and stay put. This cable is well molded and the screw pins close and tighten flawlessly. I purchased this cable to replace a Belkin cable that only lasted 18 months. This cable does not have the fold marks that other cables retain and the picture quality is noticeably improved.

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Great product at a great price. I would recommend this to a friend!

Quality plugs and delivers a high quality signal.

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The cables work really well with my setup. I am quite happy with the quality and the video that is on my HD television

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This cable is quality made, solid connectors ends and not cheap plastic like the others. It was refreshing to see that someone cares when making a product for a change and selling at a super price as well!

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ePhoto 11-Inch Articulating Magic Arm Hotshoe LED Lights LCD Monitor DSLR Rig Adapter FT9713

I only gave this articulating mini arm 2 stars because after getting mine and for the price vs value I felt this thing was somewhat a waste of money for anyone who is serious about DSLR film making or producing mini projects at the prosumer level.

First of all it's somewhat heavy, I do not like the way it tightens down, seems poorly machined.

Most of all these are made overseas and although metal are very flimsy feeling when used regularly (even after a few times).

I don't even use mine any more, and my advice spend the money and get yourself a decent dslr rig with a monitor holder.

A much better option than spending over 40. on this crap. You won't even get your money out of it.

At least that is how I felt. If your the novice user, and don't care...then by all means get this. But for any even semi pros this is worth a pass for sure.

Hope this helped.

I purchased two of these arms not expecting much in quality given the reasonable price. I was wrong. These arms are fantastic. I purchased these for a job I am working on now and they are great. I use these for my Zacuto EVF and my HD monitor. With the removable hot shoe adapter, these arms attach easily to my 7D or my Redrock DSLR cage. They have come in handy allowing me to use the EVF (my preference) and still allow the director to view what I'm shooting without having him hover over my shoulder or be responsible for carrying around my monitor. They aren't as flexible as other articulating arms but for the price, they're exceptional. I highly recommend these for light weight systems (I haven't tried these arms with any equipment over a few pounds).

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Talos MC102 Color Board Camera 420 Lines 3.7mm Pinhole Lens

This works well enough, but don't expect to see brilliant colors. The pinhole is small and does the job, but you'll get close to black and white most of the time with things close up getting color treatment. I'd buy again, but wish there was a bit more color.

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Remanufactured Minolta Dimage Xt 3.2 MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

I've been looking for something to replace/augment my giant three-year-old Sony, which I love but is just too big and heavy to cart all over Europe and around town. Plus the shutter lag drives me nuts. I needed something that was shirt-pocket small, fast, but with enough features to be useful for more than the most basic snapshots.

Specifically, I wanted a bit of optical zoom. When I travel, I find I'm using the zoom constantly to frame up the shots a little better. Frankly, I don't care about resolution; 2 megapixels is plenty for me, and that's what I'll use my Xt for most of the time.

I compared all of the leading contenders (as of July 2003) -various Canon ELPHs, Casio Exilim, Pentax Optio S, and even the new "lipstick" Sony DSC-U30. Everybody loves to rag on Memory Sticks, but if you already have a Sony camera and a Sony laptop and a good supply of big Sticks, they're a plus, not a minus; going with SD or CF was going to cost me a lot extra. But the Sony dropped out early because of the lack of zoom. The others, well, people like to pretend that making a decision like this is science, but it's not. I read everything I could and took a stab at it. Frankly, from what I've seen I would have rated the others just as high because they are all AMAZING. But I chose the Minolta. And I love it.

In short: Optio too slow, ELPH too heavy, Casio has no TV-out (and was out of stock in my local shop, or I might very well have bought it instead).

One thing I noted to my great relief with all of these, and which is usually stated nowhere on any of the manufacturer's pages even, is that they all have battery chargers that are small and 110-240 volt, which means you can charge batteries in Europe without a bulky converter -just the right-size plug adapter, which you can get anywhere for almost nothing. So the problem with the battery isn't a problem at all -buy a second battery and keep them both charged up overnight and you can snap all day with any of these cameras in any country in the world (unless you're camping or something).

What sold me on the Xt was the folded prism lens. Less mechanicals is always good with miniature things, and less fragile things poking out of the front is good too. The Minolta's not as small as the Optio (which is the clear frontrunner in the micro-coolness stakes -that phrase "fits in an Altoids tin" is very tempting. But the Minolta STAYS small even when you're shooting, and because it doesn't have to run a motor so much, it takes faster pictures. Which was probably my #2 criteria after size.

I haven't had any trouble at all with the small controls; they're extremely well-designed and you can figure out 90% of what it does just by fiddling with it -I read the manual but I don't have to carry it with me! If anything, and this is a general complaint with all cameras in this range (and others), there's TOO MANY features, most of which can be found in PhotoShop later. "Digital zoom" is a con and could be left out, and who really uses the "sepia" setting? But the stuff I DO want is all there, within reason (no f stops, but ISO and Exposure Level controls). I do like the many presets in the Casio, but realistically I know I'll never use them. I'm pretty adept in PhotoShop/PaintShopPro. Note that I have horrible eyesight, thick specs, and big stubby fingers and have no trouble. You might want to trim those nails, though; fortunately I don't have any.

Picture quality is excellent. I believe it's a little better than the contenders. The flash is very good, better than I expected; in fact it's a little TOO good if you're at the close end of the scale; I'm going to try the "square of white paper" trick on it. Is it the best camera on earth? No. But it's better than the other sub-micros.

The coolness factor isn't as high as the Pentax, but then how could it be? But it's faster-shooting. And, really, if the Pentax is a "10" for coolness, the Minolta is a 9.6. It doesn't fit in a tin, but it's smaller than you can believe, and the engineering is just as amazing (just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not amazing -quite the opposite, I'd say). And, of course, I have a friend with an Optio (and another with an ELPH), so you'll understand I had to have a different one!

One unanswered question: is it "DIMM udjge" (like "image") or "dim AJZH" (like "DiMaggio")? Another one: why does Amazon "recommend" batteries that don't work in this camera?

Bottom line: it does everything my big camera does and more, and when I put it in my shirt pocket it doesn't even sag. Comes on fast, shoots fast, enough for no-look street candids. Easy to use. Flat-out amazing. What else are you looking for?

the Dimage Xt is the third generation of minolta's X-series ultracompact cameras. the first X was a hit because it was ahead of its competition. but that competition has not stood still and today, there are other (better) cameras at the same price point with the same capabilities.

pros:

3MP resolution, 3x optical zoom.

smaller size than the Xi (this camera's predecessor) with dimensions of 3.4 x 2.6 x 0.8 in, weighing in at 4.2oz.

colors are vivid and natural-looking.

automatic white balance performs well.

has spot metering.

AF locks rapidly and decisively in good light.

short shutter lag in good light.

fast startup.

fast shot-to-shot speeds.

ability to record in movie mode until memory card is full.

supports TIFF mode.

cons:

above average noise at ISO 400.

frequent underexposures.

some purple fringing.

corners are soft.

some vignetting.

above average barrel distortion.

some redeye occurrence.

no manual controls.

RAW format not supported.

no AF illuminator this would really help shutter lag when using this camera in low light.

so-so battery life.

16MB SD card provided is inadequate so add $$ to your budget to buy more memory.

uses proprietary batteries so again, more $$ for a spare.

the Xt is a great looking ultracompact camera but the quality of the images you take could be better. as already mentioned, there's more competition for the dimage X-series these days. i would recommend the optio s or casio ex-z3 over the dimage Xt. for even better image quality (in a slightly bigger package), also consider canon's sd100.

i hope this helps you with your buying decision. peace.

Buy Remanufactured Minolta Dimage Xt 3.2 MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Now

If your looking for a tiny digital for the average "point and shoot" person (and let's face it....if your a pro...stick to film and a 35mm) then the XT is your camera. Here's the breakdown:

Pros:

Size.....believe what you hear....this camera fits in your shirt pocket, pants, small purse (for you ladies) without weighing or pulling on your pockets. I carried it in my dress shirt and slacks at New Years and it didn't seem bulky or noticeable to me or my girlfriend !! The buttons are all useable by both men and women....its tiny without feeling ridiculous or too delicate....its got a durable feel to it....very solid without being heavy !!

Battery....I was worried about the battery lasting throughout the night but it never let me down.....all night we snapped pix and of course had to look and show them to everyone on the viewer and it never conked out !!!

Tons of features with easy to navigate menus....the ability to take movies and patch them into the tv is a really cool feature !!

Cons:

The 16MB memory is a joke....do yourself a favor and buy a 256 sd card right away !!! This will allow you to approximately 6 rolls of pix (comparably speaking)...instead of 5 or 6 pix !!

You will have to practice with it to become proficient....but assuming you took my advice on the memory upgrade...this won't be a problem....its your new toy so play with it !! Practice, practice, practice and you will get good pix. Snap pictures in all types of lighting.....it doesn't take long. I practiced at home before going out on New Years and even after several drinks (or maybe because of them...haha) I was able to take tons of great nighttime pix !!

Lastly...you'll have to train your subjects to hold their poses a little longer at night...due to the redeye reduction "spraying" effect. Tell them to hold until the second flash !!

Tips:

1.Practice (can't stress this enough)

2.Use the redeye nighttime setting for all night pix....inside or out !! IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE !!

3.The auto flash mode is great for all other pix

4.Set the camera to the FINE setting (just below TIFF)

5.Use the highest resolution for all pix

6.Save the pix you want to cd or take the memory card to a professional film developer...you could develop your shots at home but the beauty of digital is that you see all the shots you have as you take them. BE SELECTIVE !!! I've found that with old film type cameras...not every shot was a keeper....even with digital....not every shot you take is worth putting on paper...so be selective then for mere pennys on the dollar you can have a pro develop your more memorable shots !! Don't waste your money on software...put it into the memory uprade!!

7. Hold the shutter button down until you hear the "click" !! Many folks used to 35mm cameras (namely my girlfriend) seem to want to press the button down half way or press it and let up before the "click"....this seems to cause the pix to blur more often !!

ENJOY !!!

Read Best Reviews of Remanufactured Minolta Dimage Xt 3.2 MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Here

First, the bad news:

1) The plastic tab on the handstrap of the XT can stratch the LCD DON'T use the strap if you are going to keep the camera in a confined space, such as a pocket the strap will drift over the LCD and the damage will be done. This is clearly a design defect. If you must use a strap, make your own, one without the power to abrade the LCD.

2) The optical viewfinder shows far less than what the camera sees I understand about 35% of the image is not visible in the optical viewfinder. This problem, however, is much easier to deal with than a scratched LCD.

3) Shutter lag all digicams shutters seem to suffer slow response time. This makes it tough to photograph people or pets on the move the continuous shooting option on the Xt helps, so does pre-focusing.

That said, this camera has just about perfect, at least for my purposes: on-the-go nature and travel photography. There are just enough controls for unusual conditions exposure compensation, choice of ISO, white balance, etc but not so many that they get in the way of simply making a quick or well thought out photograph.

True, manual control of f/stops and shutter speeds and focus is lacking but there are other cameras out there with this option. Again, exposure compensation, continuous shooting mode, and pre-focusing help.

In particular, I like the east of operation what controls there are can easily be accessed via the few menus, and the dial and/or various buttons that adorn the camera. Recourse to the manual printed or on-line was, for me, not necessary.

My primary purpose for the camera is to use it on bike rides but it's also a great camera for hiking, as well as for travel where you don't want to be burdened with a lot of photo gear (and I have way too much photo gear). For use at social gatherings in large, dark rooms, this might not be the camera of choice, because the on-camera flash is not very powerful but it does work, particularly if people are fairly close to the camera, rather than across the room.

This camera cries out for one accessory an extra battery. And perhaps two extra batteries. Maybe I like to take A LOT of pictures because I'm a part time professional, but if film is no longer an issue and I can shoot all the pictures I want (subject to the amount of memory I have), why should I be limited by a lack of battery power? And trust me, if you make a lot of photographs, you will run out of battery power! (My extra battery fits in my bike's little patch kit.)

I've found that there are generic batteries that will work in the camera ...

By the same token, I spent a little more money on storage I have 256 and a 128 memory cards and, with a 3 megapixel camera, this is more than enough for a at least a few day's of normal photography. (I usually bring a laptop with me, whether or not I have a camera, so I can always download pics from my memory cards to make room for more pictures).

To sum up: except for the plastic tab on the strap that can scratch the screen, and a viewfinder that shows less than what the camera sees, and the shutter lag (which occurs with all digicams) I'm completely satisfied with the camera.

Oh, one more thing cameras this small are still a novelty it makes for a great conversation piece/ice breaker when I pull it out of my pocket.

...

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So small! (its smaller than most cellphones).

3.2 megapixels is just great clear picture; moreover, minolta has some cool technology that helps to correct the picture if needed.

Strong enough flash but in the dark, sometimes, pictures are grainy needed to change the ISO setting by hand a couple of times. 128 mb sd card definitely recommended. (can take fine quality pictures at a low compression rate = better picture quality!).

Love the cool feature of being able to record your own sounds. The LCD is super clear, so when viewing pictures (esp. when showing it to others just after having taken a picture) its really good. The compactness, I cannot emphasize enough. Its smaller than a nokia 3595, and lighter too (with battery). I'm scared that I'll forget it sometimes, & not realize if I have it or not!

The internal zoom rocks!!!! and that causes the startup time to be so fast! I barely turn it on, & its on unlike most other digital cameras.

Good, clear pictures. Easy to use for both video, & pictures. What else do you want?

Might not be as good as cannon s400, but almosst as good definitely in the same league. You cannot make out the difference 99 times of 100.

Oh yes, I've used this as webcam to videoconference too, & it works flawlessly. muchh clearer than most webcams out there! (of course, this should not be your sole critereon when buying this camera ;))

A con --

A couple of times, it gives a picture a blue'ish tinge with some pictures, but never anything that I cant fix in ACD Foto Canvas (good software free download go get it, if you have ANY digital camera).

I love this camera, and I still have to read through most of the manual!

Sony LCSCSB Sport Style Carrying Case for DSCP8/10/32/52/72/92/V1/L1 Digital Cameras

This case looks nice, but is hard to get to the camera, and has no room for anything else. Look for a better deal.

Beware that the Sony Cybershot case does not fit all the cameras listed. The incompetents at Amazon refuse to fix the problem and will run you all over rather than fix their problem.

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This is a nice carrying cased for use at the beach or pool. The only drawback is that it is a little bulky, but nice looking and well made.

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Casio NP-40 Battery for EXILIM Cameras

If you can spring for it, the brand name battery is the one to get, because then there won't be any question as to whether you can depend on it or not. Buy a generic, and who knows where it came from, or what it's really made of. This Casio NP40 is the one to get. As far as performance, this battery has endurance..........400+ shots with a full charge.

This tiny battery (weighing about 1 oz.) can power an Exilim Z-series camera for a long time. Casio has done an excellent job. This is the official Casio battery (made in China) and it's always a good idea to get a second battery as backup.

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This battery was the exact match for my Exilim EX-Z750 camera and works perfect. Don't mess with generic brands that may or may not work when you can have this original equipment battery at such a great price.

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I had tried "generic" batteries for our Casio cameras and the life on them was horrible. They lasted maybe three months and didn't seem to hold a full charge. So far we haven't had a problem with the Casio brand name batteries. So if you have a choice don't buy the off brand batteries for your digital cameras.

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I am using this in my casio Exilim 6 MP camera.

SO far there is no problems with the battery.

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