Nikon D800 HDMI Cable - HD Video Cable for Nikon D800

Cable works great. Hooked up D800 to Samsung 55in 1080p....WOW...

Simply cannot beat the price.

Exceptional value!

Would recommend to others.

I have used this on my D800E and it does work. If I lost this one, I would order another to replace it.

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I have purchased other cables to connect my D800E to my monitor, but this is the first one that worked. Picture quality is excellent.

Also, dCables is great do do business with. The first cable was lost in the mail despite having a USPS tracking number. dCables promptly sent me a replacement without hassle.

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It connects from our D800 camera to the TV just as expected. There isn't more to say about a cable that works!

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Nikon D5200 24.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR ED NIKKOR Zoom Lens (Black)

This camera may be the best APS-C in its class so far. After Nikon's quality control issue with the full-frame D600 (sensor oil spot problem), Nikon may be able to win back its trust with this new release, again aimed at enthusiasts and amateur photographers. Being an amateur photographer for years and have invested quite a sum in Sony, Canon and Nikon bodies and lenses, I myself settled with Nikon in personal preference. I would say all three brands got its personality (good and bad), especially with Sony pushing the translucent mirror technology.

The D5200 is a step up from the D3200 as an entry to mid-level body. Very solid performance and thank god it does not suffer the fate of the D600. The D5200 produces extremely good quality images just like the D3200. Both the D3200 and D5200 share the 24MP sensor resolution, with the difference being the light sensitivity in high ISO situations. Both cameras are able to produce extremely well results in terms of photo quality. I am usually able to get better image results from the D3200 and D5200 compared with Sony's A65 and A77 in actual use. Sony somehow made the older A55 easier than the A65 and A77 at getting a clean and noise free shot (maybe due to sensor difference). So Nikon wins here, I would say the image quality of the D5200 is as good as the well acclaimed Canon 60D in most cases easily done (with the D5200 at a higher resolution). So the major difference of the D5200 compared with the D3200 is the focus sensor and exposure meter sensor. The D5200 borrows the technology from the bulkier D7000 and presents 39 AF points including 9 cross-type AF points for accuracy and a more precise exposure metering system (D3200 have 11 AF points, 1 cross-type). This is extremely useful in specific situations, such as shooting moving objects or in macro photography. The D3200 performed very well in everyday shooting, but with my 40mm and 60mm Nikon Micro lenses, the AF failed to accurately or effectively focus on very close subjects. The D5200 however is much better, the body focused efficiently on to desired subjects precisely. The focus speed is still mainly dependent on the lens.

The swing-out LCD screen is useful in some situations and video shooting, but proves less useful to me. And keep in mind when using live-view, the camera no longer uses the phase-detection AF sensors, but rather switches to use contrast AF, which utilizes your APS-C image sensor and the CPU (less accurate and slower AF in most cases).

The D5200 is not designed to be weatherproof, but it will survive a short time of mist and a few droplets. Anything more may just end up killing the camera. The battery life is very good for photos, will last you 1000+ shots on a single charge in most cases while not using live-view. However when you need it for a video project, consider carrying a few extra batteries with you or resort to an external power source.

If you are starting out in Nikon or just DSLR in general, buy the 18-55mm Kit, and add on the 55-200mm VR lens (you get $100 discount bundled). The Nikon 55-200mm DX VR is a VERY GOOD lens, you do not want to get it later since you may be paying the full price for a new one. The VR (Nikon's optical vibration reduction) of the 55-200mm will allow you to capture subjects/people at a good wanted distance with extremely well image quality and brilliant background defocus, opens many doors for quality and creativity. The Nikon 55-200mm DX VR is one of the best lenses I have used and also at a very affordable price.

The other kit lens offering of the D5200 is the 18-105mm kit. The 18-105mm is not very good and I'm not going to get too much into the details; it generally is not very good in terms of construction for a heavier lens and causes more barrel distortion.

For me, how the function buttons are positioned on the D5200 is a little awkward, but for others it may just be a matter of time to get used to. Compared with the D5100, the D5200 is quite a big step-up in terms of crucial internal hardware.

The D5200 has 24MP. 39 AF points 9 are cross type. While the Canon 6D only has 11 AF points and 1 cross type. The 6D is more than 2 times the cost and has 22MP. The Nikon D5200 has a rotating screen, picture control presets, aperture priority, shutter priority, P, and M modes. The D5200 has +/5 stops of exposure compensation, the 6D has 3!

The D5200 has a great burst rate of 5fps. ISO range from 100-25,600. Exspeed 3 processing power, face recognition, and full time AF with full HD video. What more could you ask for when buying a camera less than $900? I did a complete hands on review video for "Focus Camera" in NYC. I will be posting it to this review sometime later in the week when finished.

My thoughts are this camera is light, and while it is not as rugged as a 6D or D600 you get what you pay for. This camera provides great lowlight performance and stunning resolution that is higher than the $3400 5D mark II. Which is worth mentioning. Nikon has leaped ahead of the competition with their new line of cameras.

The auto focus on this camera while doing some street and urban photography is very quick and accurate. I had a blast using it as the weight is a very big plus because it can be more easily carried for longer periods of time. If you are in market for a great camera and you are not willing to spend $2k for the D600, there is nothing that will compete with this camera in terms of "Bang for Buck" with either of the brands for under $2k.

The only 3 things worth complaining about is you can't change aperture in Live View, however you can't do that in the D600 either. It isn't 100% viewfinder, which would be nice. Also the internal microphone is not that great but does have manual control. These 3 issues are not that big of a deal when considering what this camera does so well for its price range.

Great camera, amazing capabilities, worth every penny.

Video to Come later this week.

Corey Benoit

Faymus Media

faymusmedia.com

corey@faymusmedia.com

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I upgrade every 2 years or so and was close to buying the D7000 when this was announced. I owned the D5100 since it's release and have been very happy with it, but being a gadget guy I'm always looking to upgrade. As far as I was concerned the D7000 was buying old technology. I love the D5200's interface as it's much easier to navigate than the D5100 and the auto focus is much quicker and precise. The photo's are sharp and very accurate in color. I'm very happy with the D5200. Just for the 39-point AF system for smarter focusing and tracking of moving subjects (compared to the 11-point module on the D5100), a 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor (whereas the D5100 judged exposure based on just 420 pixels),the new Expeed 3 processor that permits up to five shots per second (versus the older camera's 4 fps)and the new easier to navigate interface makes it worth the price. Let me just add 1 more very big plus, the articulating screen, no other Nikon has it and it is a big plus. I've used it for shots over others heads and other creative angles that I could never get with a fixed screen.

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I have owned a Nikon D90 for about 4-5 years love the D90 but just recently the jack for the remote control port (i.e. GPS port) became wonky. So instead of shelling out $200/300 to get it fixed I figured I would put that cash toward a new Nikon body. I chose the D5200 for many reasons but I also considered buying the more expensive D7100 in part because the physical camera controls/buttons of the D7100 were almost identical to D90.

This turns out for me to be of no concern. Even though the D5200 (1) moves most camera controls to the back LCD panel (i.e. eliminating the tiny LCD display that was atop the D90) and (2) eliminates the forward-most D90 thumbwheel I find that the camera controls on the D5200 are possibly even easier to use now.

Just my two cents for those considering an upgrade from the D90 or D70 etc.

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I wanted a lighter DSLR when upgrading from my D90. The D5200 is a great camera. Better video, better digital imaging, nice weight with a flip out screen. Couldn't be happier. I bought the body only and am using all of my lenses. Sweet deal!

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Q-See QSBVC Weatherproof Bullet CMOS Camera Kit (Color)

I have been trying numerous cameras for a computer based security system. This camera gives a good picture and color when compared to other cameras in the same price range. It is a daytime only camera so you will need other cameras to see in the dark.

Completely ignoring price, it's not very good. I have an 8 camera system, witch cameras including the cheapest ebay has to offer, and pro CCTV cameras pulled from businesses. This camera is pretty much the worst one I have. It sees decently in low light, but the image just isn't very sharp. It's not a lens problem, it's sharp in the way that low resolution looks when it's blown up with no interpolating. It's almost pixelated you could say.

For the price, this is probably the best deal I've ever seen. A camera from eBay runs about 20 bucks for just the camera. Then there's a run of cable, and in some cases, a power adapter. This camera is easily the best bang for the buck. I think I'll buy a few more, they look really solid, like they'll last a long time.

Highly Recommend

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The camera arrived when it was supposed to. Took about fifteen minutes to completely install. I mean I mounted the camera outside, ran the cable along the wall, used the hole for satellite TV and connected to the monitor in the fifteen minutes. Great little camera with a very satisfactory color picture. And a good price.

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Meade LS 8-Inch ACF (f/10) Advanced Coma-Free Telescope

Someone finally made an easy to use telescope. My Meade etx-90ec got probably 4 hours use in the last 10 years. We used the etx-ls for 4 hours already in one night. The alignment process is very simple and takes about 8 min. You don't even need to be around for the process. Mine came with software version 1.6a, the very latest as of today, and I've had no issues. You can buy a cheaper scope and you can buy a better scope, but this will be the most used scope. Great job Meade. There are a lot of features I'd like for this scope, but overall it's just about perfect.

UPDATE (12/13/2010):

Telescope broke rather quickly. It was working great, then one day it just started giving a power error and the LCD stopped working. I tried to get it up and running again, but ended up having to send it into Meade (what a pain to ship it back!). Hopefully things work out, because the scope was awesome while it worked.

UPDATE (1/5/2011):

Got the telescope back. It's even more broken then before I sent it in. I was having power errors before, so I went to check that repair, but the scope can't even find GPS satellites now. I called the company I ordered it from (not amazon), and it's past their 30 day return window, so I'll have to deal with Meade more to get it fixed.

Meade's response was to ask me to reload the firmware onto the telescope and to try to realign the camera. I don't quite know why realigning the camera would have any affect whatsoever on acquiring GPS satellites, but their customer service agent said it's just the way it works. Which, translated in my head means, "please just figure this out on your own since this is my first day on the job." I don't understand how a telescope that is designed to just work out of the box and take care of itself now requires me to be realigning CCD cameras and putting the exact same firmware on it that it already has on it. I'd also like to point out that when the telescope was returned to me there was a checklist where their QA department tested everything. Either they aren't doing their job or the telescope got damaged being returned.

I have had my LS-8 for about 7 months at the time of this writing. Overall, I am giving it 5 stars. It is perhaps the best telescope I have ever owned (currently own 6 scopes).

When set up in a relatively open area, it does its magic very well. Simply turn it on, and in around 10 minutes it will be aligned and ready to go. GOTO's and tracking are excellent. The optics are exceptional, as I have come to expect from most Meade products. The appearance and workmanship is outstanding.

I should mention mine came with firmware update 1.6a which seems to have solved the problems reported by early purchasers.

Now, for some specifics. The GPS unit is very sensitive to where the scope is set up, and if there are any large objects nearby, you wont get a GPS fix. The way around this problem is to keep batteries installed in the LS. These will maintain the date, time and location. So in setup, you just tell the scope to NOT use GPS, and it will go through the alignment process just fine. And yes, use an external power source do not rely on the internal batteries because they will be used up too quickly.

The other thing to look at is stability. The scope shakes a bit more on its tripod than other scopes I have used of this size. This is a potential problem when focusing. I ended up purchasing a Meade electronic focuser attachment and this solves the problem nicely, albeit at a price of around $250.

The LS meets many needs. For the aging experienced amateur (me), the automatic alignment is a godsend, saving the pain of assuming contorted positions to center alignment stars. And the GOTO's and tracking are excellent so you simply sit in a chair and let the scope do all the work. And the optics are as good as I have seen in this design.

For outreach at star parties, the LS's talking feature is a great attraction for people.

For the newcomer, it is not a bad choice provided that you are comfortable using computer and electronic technology. Trying to learn your way around the night sky can be daunting the LS does the work for you, giving you time to simply observe. And in time, you will learn your way around the stars.

So, while not a perfect telescope. what it does do has earned it 5 stars.

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Just got this today. I was rather worried given the feedback on earlier versions. But the firmware version 1.6a does just what they promised. Well packaged, it arrived in great shape and did not need collimation. The set assembles easily and quickly and is not a heavy load I can carry the entire assembly in both arms without straining. The startup was a bit scary because it asked to reload firmware but after that the software runs fine. GPS was less sensitive than my car GPS and would not align in cloudy skies but did just fine when I tried it later in the evening. The Goto works like a dream and slews to objects just fine, though it will need centering once I figure that out. I bought the Meade 4000 eyepiece set and it got the kids and I up and running observing Jupiter immediately. Overall I am totally satisfied with this purchase and would highly recommend it. It is also a relief as I live in Singapore and would not be able to return it easily if it wasn't working. Well done Meade! (just need to sort out the firmware message)

Update 31/7/2011

Turns out the firmware message did mean a problem. The firmware did crash in the end. However I would say that the Meade telephone support is not half bad. This is important as I do not want to send the telescope back if I can avoid it. Basically needed to reload the firmware. I did this using a microSD card in a miniSD adaptor (2GB)downloaded the firmware through the Autostar software then transferred the card to the telescope miniSD slot and turned it on. Once the firmware reloads, the telescope is back to normal. Just a point to note, you may have to download the firmware more than once to get it properly set up on the miniSD card. I suggest keeping a dedicated miniSD card with the telescope so it can be ready for use if required not had to repeat the firmware reinstallation since I did it but you never know. The version is still 1.6a, which does the trick just fine. As it is an automated telescope, it helps to be somewhat computer literate just in case something happens.

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I enjoyed the ETX-LS 6 ACF so much I upgraded to its bigger brother, the LS 8 ACF. The increase in light gathering over the 6 is apparent, yet its still very portable. The GPS issues are a thing of the past, I have done test after test and it has worked 100% of the time. The GoTO accuracy is wonderful, I can consistently put objects in the field of view of a 14mm eyepiece. I love the ability to interface the telescope with a computer without the need for adapters or expensive programs, it worked without a hitch with free programs like Stellarium. The Meade optics continue to impress me, and the ACF optics are fantastic, so much so that I can honestly say that I'll never own a standard SCT again. I've been use to the Astronomer Inside feature from the earlier ETX-LS 6, and not much has changed with the LS 8 ACF, its still fun and downright informative, and a big hit when your sharing the view with family or the public during star-parties.

I recommend a few things. One, obtain a large PowerTank, the largest you can get to supply power to the LS 8 ACF, batteries just aren't going to cut it. Two, get an AC adapter, so you can plug it to power from home or a camp site. Three, purchase a miniSD card. I purchase a Kingston from Amazon. You will need this to upgrade your firmware if needed down the line. I used 1.6a, and its been very solid for me.

Some things I didn't like. The finder LED is too bright, and the tinted plastic makes centering challenging sometimes. The AutoStar Suite is outdated software, just use Stellarium like I do. There is some vibration noticeable when your focusing with this telescope. This has more to do with single-arm 8" scopes then anything else, the Celestron's have the same issue with their 8" models, this direct from some of their owners. Although this initially was irritating to me, I don't even notice it anymore.

All in all, the LS 8 ACF has great optics in a very portable package that has made stargazing downright easy and fun, from novices to experienced observers. If your a visual observer like me, I can't imagine you not enjoying the LS 8 ACF. Big Fun.

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I received my Meade LS 8" ACF two weeks ago fom another dealer, but I only took it out yesterday, 3-30-2010. Upon switch on, the handbox controller read:

"LS 1.4a

Flash error

Reload firmware".

In spite of this message, it proceeded to align, supposedly finished the alignment, but was way off. I shut it down, and repeated the procedure.

Same error appeared, but the alignment seemed better, so I did a "goto" Mars.

Mars was not in the field of view (FOV) of the supplied 26mm eyepiece. I managed to get Mars in the FOV after 7-8 manual movements at speed 5.

Next "goto" Saturn: nothing in view, could not get to Saturn although I could clearly see Saturn with naked eye.

I tried the Meade webside to see if I could reload the firmware LS 1.4a. It does not exist. Meade's customer service says they do not have the firmware either, and the only option is to send the scope back for a replacement!

Is this a joke or what?

If the new one works it promises to be fun.

Panasonic HDC-SD100 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom

I was worried about having to convert the compressed files from the memory card into editable files for FCP. Using Voltaic, I was able to make the conversion easily. The camera is so light, you hardly know its in your hand. The deciding factor in chosing this camera is that it has a view finder an important feature for close work. I love being able to shoot for long periods and not having to worry about changing tapes. It may not be the best (technically) HD camcorder out there, but for the price, it is great for most every situation.

This is a fantastic lightweight camera. I don't know the story behind current pricing but I paid $530 for my camera.

Pros: The camera makes high definition video and you can choose between 1920, 1080, or 720. Most video I take is at the highest resolution. The camera can take still images. You can choose between recording with the view finder or the LCD screen. The sound recording is incredible for little camera with no external mounted microphones. Choose between recording sound in front of you or in 5.1 surround sound. My discovery is that surround sound picks up too much background noise such as cheering parents at soccer games.

Cons: My photo graphs are at a lower resolution than I would like and it takes a long time for the camera to focus and set. The battery needs much more juice and I am currently shopping on Amazon for a new one. The camera has been used on the field during softball games where dust is an issue and now the automatic lens cap is sticking and I have been unable to fix it. Video management!!! Did I know what I was getting into? No. I have recorded hours of family vacations, softball, and soccer games. The purchase of this camera has led me to buying seven terrabytes of disk storage, a blue ray disk burner and different brands of DVD and Blue Ray media. My concern is long term storage of my newly recorded video. What to do? DVD's don't last and Blue Ray can be even less reliable over time. My goal is to not let my video disappear like the old Super 8 video from my youth and the VHS from recent history. How can I safely store video?

Video editing: Roxio was the most unstable program I have ever used. Period! Don't buy it. I have had great success using Cyberlink Power Director Ultra 8. I no long have Panasonic's video capture program installed. I believe Panasonic's video capture program was called HD Writer. I could not figure it out and it seemed cubersome to use. Two thumbs down.

Bottom line is Yes this is a great camera.

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Excellent camera... very compact with good image quality. Love the high definition and its perfect for home movies! I would recommend this camera to anyone, unless you have really big hands. It might be a little cumbersome to turn the recording on and off with your thumb if your hands are big.

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This handy flash camera does everything advertised. The video is smooth with vivid colors. Although not as small as the Canon SF200, this camera is large enough for the average sized hand to get a good grip and keep a steady shot. This Panasonic is one of the few camcorders in this price range with an EVF, a feature which I prefer to use. For those who like a bit of manual control, Panasonic's implementation is very intuitive. Like any other AVCHD camcorder, you will need good software to render the video. The HD writer software that came with the camera is adequate, but Apple's iMovie, or products from Pinnacle and Adobe are better.

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I own this and recorded music video using the panasonic and a sony ex1 you can see the results (When sonny gets Blue) The ex1 is a camera the hdc sd100 was not as good but for the 10xless price it held its own. I needed to tweek the final video with sony vegas but I was pleased. I love the manual settings. the color is very good, the only downside was low light performance so I purchased some sima 20xls.

Pentax Optio W20 7MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

This is my second Optio (due to an unfortunate accident snorkling in Hawaii) and I can't believe the pictures and adaptability of this camera. The W20 has more features than the W10 I had previously, and this takes even better pictures. I can pick a mode and take great pictures and video, either on land or under water. My only recommendation is to get the silicone cover that is available if you are going to use it underwater. It will keep your fingers from manipulating the lock mechanism that opens the waterproof door to the battery and memory card. The camera is a great size for those of us with larger hands that have a hard time holding the new smaller cameras, and it is an added benefit that the lens never protrudes from the camera body. All of the zoom and focus is internal in the camera. Makes it really easy to slip into a pocket. I liked this style of camera so much I went and bought another one. Even after I compared it to the Olympus and Casio.

I bought this for snorkeling excursions. I have three 7 MP cameras and was tired of using disposable underwater cameras. I used this camera for the first time while on a cruise a week ago. I also took my Sony Cyber-shot 7.2 MP as a back up.

Land Photos: I was very impressed with the quality and the great zoom feature. Easy to use menu and buttons. Pictures were actually better then my Sony ones due to the better zoom.

Underwater: I used it three times during the week under water. I only kept it under for the 30 minutes as stated in the manual for fear of damage. At first it was very hard to see the screen with a mask on, but I finally found the trick is to keep the shutter button pushed 1/2 way so the screen stays on all the time. Buttons very easy to use underwater. Just set it to underwater mode before you go in.

My first set of photos were of nothing, but after a few minutes of practice (on my fin) I got great shots of many fish at different depths. Works best in high light, shallow waters, but in the darker Atlantic at about 20 feet, I also got some nice shots.

Hint: Try and stay above the rocks/coral and in the best available light to get the best photos.

I love this camera and would highly recommend it and did to all who asked.

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I bought this camera over a year ago before deploying to Iraq. I really put it to the test. It managed to survive intense heat, rain, mud, dust storms, and being constantly throw to the ground with me during combat. I carried it with me for over a year and it still takes great pictures.

I haven't used it a great deal underwater although I did test it out in the Lake a couple months ago. It did well.

As far as features I'm not a great expert in that area. It does have an incredible zoom (compared to my last camera-Sony).

I would recommend this to anyone needing a cameara for an "adventure."

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I've had this camera about a month now and am extremely pleased with it. I've taken it into numerous caves, where dripping water and muddy conditions are common, and it has survived being dragged around. Moreover, it has taken fantastic closeups of tiny features. I am amazed at how good the macro feature is, especially when there is virtually no light.

The camera also fared well being dunked in muddy pools on a canyoneering trip. It was so nice to be able to keep taking photos and not worry at all.

Photos from a distance look okay, nothing too spectacular, but the camera exceeds in doing super for what I bought it for: going into wet and dirty places and not worrying about it.

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I own several cameras, and I use each for different kinds of shooting. For snapshot stuff like vacations or parties where you don't want to hassle with a big camera, and are willing to sacrifice some quality, a tiny camera like this is great. Add in the waterproof feature and the great quality videos it shoots, and this thing rocks! I use it for sailing and skiing and all kinds of outdoor activities, and not having to worry about sand and dust and water is the greatest. It's not a 'dumbed-down' camera however. There are lots of sophisticated features that I'd love to see on my expensive cameras, like a detailed histogram that shows blown out and zero-level areas in real time. You can also just put it in "green mode" and point and shoot with reliably good results. The flash chooses pleasing filled exposures, too.

The white balance could use some fine tuning, the dynamic range is not as good as I would like for some outdoor situations, and the microphone gives fairly bad sound quality, but I highly recommend the overall package.

Konica Minolta Dimage Z20 5MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Mega Zoom

I own this camera for three weeks now, and I'm very pleased with it. Bought it with a 512MB SD-card, which can handle about 250 pictures (highest quality). I never use the automatic setting, defining the shutter-speed and the diaphragm by yourself is much more fun. The possibilities with this camera are enormous. Great zoom range, also with the digital zoom disabled. The Macro-function is also a great feature. Considering the 5.0 MP, the 8x optical zoom and it's price (239 pounds), this is one of the best camera's in it's class!!

Love this camera. takes excellent pictures, great clarity. Easy to use, lots of options, nice size/shape, easy to handle. the only bad thing is that the lens cap is not attached, so you have to be careful you don't loose it!

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I liked everything about this camera... I have used Canon, Fujifilm before and this one is as good as other top brands.... Only one thing that I didn't like was the display screen...it's too small....

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I bought this refubished from a dealer here and I feel like I took advantage of Amazon. This is a great camera with amazing control and it is easy to use. I would not recommend it to a novice photographer but if you love to plow through menus to get the results you want this is the camera for you. It also starts up very quickly and sips battery power. I took at least 300-400 photos on my first set of batteries. Buy it and love it.

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We had the Dimage Z10 3MP and loved it. We were in Hawaii on the black sand beach where we dropped it and broke the battery lid latch. Otherwise we would still be using it. We liked it so much that we went out of our way to find this very hard to find Z20. Is it the best camera out there? No. There are better with more options. However, for simplicity and quality, with good features, this is the best for us. The other reason to buy this camera is the price. Under $200. Great buy!

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Panasonic Wireless Network Camera and Pet Cam (BL-C20A)

Compact, very easy to set up and the image is sharp and clear. Free DDNS service makes this the best buy. I have another camera, Linksys, and I had to pay for this service. I defitely will drop it when it comes up for renewal. No more Linksys camera for me!

After a few days of use..I still love it! I just found out that I can access the camera with my Mac via Firefox browser. This alone beats all other cameras in the market! Set up the motion detector to email pictures is a breeze. You can also set the camera to periodically send a picture, motion or not. The only thing that you could say it is less than the Linksys is it could not send a video. Linksys video only lasts 30 seconds anyway. Highly recommended.

8/21/08: I have 2 of these cameras and the first one (3 yrs old) just failed. It is just not powered up doesn't matter how many times I tried. I guess it is expected. It has been reliably in service for 3 yrs. I will buy it again, when Amazon has a good deal.

The camera's software works flawlessly in Mac OS. I regularly access my camera via Safari web browser. This alone beats most other camera out there. You can get to it from either Windows or Mac. I set it up to email the jpeg to my Blackberry and view the picture there. Could not figure out how to do this on an iPod though.

3/20/09: When the 2nd camera failed, I thought the power supply was the culprit. I bought a $15 power supply from W**T and guess what? It works again. So I now both of my cameras work again! If your camera failed, likely it is the power supply!

Also, I can access my cameras from my iPod touch (live) using the supplied Safari browser when I have a wifi connection. COOL!!

I have 3 of these cameras, bought over the last two years. I also have a similar Axis model. I use the BL-C20A's ftp-on-motion feature and access them from a Mac wirelessly. At first I thought the Axis was superior, as it has better image quality and MPEG support. But it fails intermittently (needs rebooting) and I've never gotten its motion-detect to work with the right sensitivity. So I settled on the Panasonic and got 3. Unfortunately after about a year, each camera has failed completely -now all 3! They just die with a flickering orange light or no light at all. Hard reset does nothing. I'm sending them back for repair, but given that all of them died I'm not sure they're worth repairing. Still, I know of no better option, so the BL-C20A may still be the best option at this price level.

[SEE COMMENT THREAD FOR USEFUL INFO]

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This is a great camera. At first i had problems connecting it wirelessly but after working with a tech support rep from Panasonic we figure out that it was my "shared" network setting instead of "open". After he told me to change this voila! i was able to setup my three BL-C20 cameras and they are great!

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This is a good camera, with good resolution and options. It works really great... As long as it's wired. The wireless feature just didn't work for me, the image kept freezing and I had to reset the camera everytime. I have tried it with 2 different routers so I guess that's not the problem. Anyway if this was the wired version (as I'm using it right now) I probably would have given it 5 stars. I spent a lot more money to get a wireless camera that doesn't work as expected.

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I read all the reviews before I purchased this, and decided to get it. I was impressed. I read in the reviews that it was hard to connect wirelessly. I did have a problem doing it myself but I called the customer serice number, 800-211-PANA, and the tech had me configured in less than 5 minutes. It works great, the picture is super clear and bright. I am VERY happy with it!! I deducted one start just for the lack of wireless instructions. They should be more clear.

Samsung Digimax A6 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

Updated 2/5/06: My camera fell down and the zoom got stuck and the pictures are having horizontal lines. I think the reliabilty is very poor. Had no complaints until it fell down. I am thinking of buying a canon S80 now.

Original review below:

I bought this camera from radioshack (...). I upgraded from a canon S30. I was holding out for a nice price for a small but versatile camera like the S30. This one seems to perform better in extremes of low light and bright light than my old camera, but the auto white balance was better with canon.

Just took it out of the box and shot some pics. Nice upgrade from my Canon powershot S30. Similar ease of use, much lighter, more image formats (tiff), uses any type of battery (BIG PLUS) even rechargables or the CRs, comes with a rechargable CR battery and charger, which is a nice value. The CR (Li ion) battery, enables users to take up to 380 images in succession according to the website, has to see if this is true.

White balance is slightly warmer than my old S30 camera, gives more reddish hue, will have to fix it in future. In my opinion good value for money.

Uses USB 1.1 for transfering the larger pics, so slower than my old camera during transfers.

Pic quality looks good. Has 32mb internal, holds 11 pics in full resolution jpeg. Less if you use umcompressed. Each pic is 2-3MB in size in jpeg mode. Did not try tiff mode yet, probably will double in size. Now I have to get an SD card, for this as I had a CF card based camera before.

Low light pictures are slightly overexposed in the program mode. Bright light pics are slightly underexposed. I have not used the speciality modes for these pics. All in all almost as easy as using the S30, feels the same, but lighter and more megapixels. I g=have not tried any of the 9 scene modes yet-(Portrait/Children/Landscape, Close up/Sunset/Dawn/Backlight /Fireworks/Beach/Snow).

I have a comparision of pics from my old canon S30 and new Samsung in similar settings if you want to see them check this album out.

Also there is a nice review on dpreview of its cousin the V6. Functions are pretty much the same. Actually cant tell the difference between A6 and V6, as far as I can tell they are the same internally.

It also has the capability to shoot movies at up to 30 frames per second of VGA quality (640x480). This allows stored movies to be played on general TVs, without any deterioration of the image, this is a nice improvement over my canons S30's 340x340 resolution. I read, we can also capture a still picture from movie clips, havenot figured how.

The PictBridge function of the Digimax V6 allows images taken by the camera to be directly printed without PCs. This means we can immediately get clear 6 Mega-pixel pictures, by directly connecting the camera to a printer supporting the PictBridge printing standard.

We can also set any image they want on the default screen of the camera after adjusting the image size. Additional functions such as voice recording with video, solo voice recording, voice memo to add voices to general pictures, and One-Touch playback are listed, but I have not tried them yet.

The A6 provides multiple language support including English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Korean, Russian, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, Dutch and some more. It comes equipped with a a nice complement of accessories, including a ok loooking carrying case, USB cable, Charger, Li Ion battery, software driver CD-ROM and a wrist strap.

Samsung's website sucks, does not even list any digital cameras! So I guess firmware upgrade or driver downloads will be a terror.

All in all I am happy with the camera on day one! Served my need in the right price.

Some Extended technical details for the choosy follows:

Sensor

* 1/1.9" Type CCD

* 6.4 million pixels total

* 6.1 million effective pixels

Image sizes

* 2816x2112

* 2560x1920

* 2272x1704

* 2048x1536

* 1600x1200

* 1024x768

* 640x480

Movie clips

* 640x 480

* 320 x 240

* 30 fps, 15 fps

* Recording time dependant on memory card capacity

File formats

* Still Image: TIFF, JPEG (DCF), EXIF 2.2, DPOF 1.1, PictBridge 1.0

* Movie: AVI (MJPEG)

* Voice : WAV (Voice recording max. 1 hour/voice memo in still image max. 10 sec.

Lens

* 38-114mm equiv. (3x zoom)

* F2.7 4.9

* Schneider Kreuznach

Focus TTL autofocus

Focus distance

* Normal: 80cm infinity

* Macro: 30 80cm

* Super Macro: 6 30cm (Wide only)

Metering

* Multi

* Spot

ISO sensitivity

* Auto

* 50

* 100

* 200

* 400

Exposure compensation

* +/2EV

* 0.5EV steps

Shuttter speed 2 1/2000 sec

Modes

* Program AE

* Shutter Priority AE

* Aperture Priority AE

* Manual Exposure

Colour modes

* Normal

* B&W

* Sepia

* RGB

* Negative

Scene modes 9 scene modes

White balance

* Auto

* Daylight

* Cloudy

* Fluorescent _H

* Fluorescent _L

* Tungsten

* Custom

Self timer 2 or 10 sec

Continuous shooting Yes

Flash

* Built-in

* Modes: Auto, Auto & Red-eye reduction, On/Off, Slow Sync

* Range: (wide) 3.0 m, (tele) 2.0 m

* Recharge time: Approx. 7 sec.

Viewfinder Optical

LCD monitor

* 1.8" TFT LCD

* 115,200 pixels

Connectivity

* USB 1.1

* AV out

* DC-in

Print compliance PictBridge

Storage * SD/MMC card

Power

* 2 x AA alkaline, Lithium, Ni-Mn, Ni-MH, Ni-Cd, Ni-Zn / 1 x CR-V3

* Rechargeable battery : 3.7V Li-ion(SLB-1437)

I own this camera, it's my first digital camera and I've had it for a few years now. It's an alright camera. The shutter is slow. It's horrible in dim situations. But it's pretty good outside, with still subjects. I'm actually looking for another camera. I'm about to go on a trip to Saint Lucia, and I want something reliable that will bring back some great pictures.

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The camera works perfect, pictures come out neat. I recommend this product to those who love to have "samsung" moments.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung Digimax A6 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Here

I like the product it was more than I expected, it included a charger, two rechargable bateries, a bag. Amazing, i strongly recommend it.

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Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera with 3.5-Inch LCD

Let me start by saying I'm not necessarily a 3d enthusiast, I wasn't all that impressed by Avatar in the theater... I'm not necessarily jumping on the 3d bandwagon because it seems to be the next big thing getting pushed by TV/display manufacturers. I am, however, a PHOTOGRAPHY enthusiast. I consider myself to be a fairly seasoned photographer -I've got a wide variety of cameras and lenses, am members of some local photography clubs... Creative photography interests me the most. For example I have interest in things like vintage camera equipment, pinhole lenses, Lensbaby lenses, Holga cameras, etc... just all kinds of creative ways to capture things that are maybe outside of the norm.

So while I think of 3d as a gimmicky trend that has been revived by the Avatar movie, I'm also a creative photographer that was very intrigued when I heard about this camera. I bought the camera sight-unseen, basically thinking it was going to be a gimmick. However after seeing the pictures it produces I honestly, truly believe it is not a gimmick and 3d photography is going to be here to stay. It may take a while to catch on, but it's here to stay.

Once you experiment with the camera a bit you'll learn how to get the most of the 3d effect. Taking photos of things that are further away (such as landscapes, distant architecture/buildings where it's difficult to get a sense of depth), the effect is more subtle and less apparent. But taking photos of things that are reasonably close to you, and there are points of interest at different distances throughout the shot (such as a forest with trees at staggered distances away), the 3d effect is much more apparent and can be quite stunning. Either way, with a subtle 3d effect for things further away, or for a much more apparent 3d effect on things that are closer, it truly does add another dimension to your photography. You see things in the photos almost the way you do in real life.

Like all things this is just another creative tool to add to the toolkit. There are lenses for certain jobs, and there are cameras for certain jobs. The images this camera produces really have to be seen to be believed. I, as well as several others I have shown the images to, am really shocked at how well the 3d looks and am still trying to wrap my head around it and when I might want to use this new tool.

Here are my pros and cons:

Pros

---

Reasonably compact for what it is. It's more compact than I expected. Have to keep in mind it is basically 2 cameras in 1. Most of the cameras I use (SLR's) are not nearly as compact as this so this really feels like a treat to carry around.

Battery life in my experience has been excellent. I've seen other reviews say the battery life isn't good. I've found that not to be the case. I didn't even fully charge the battery it came with and it's lasted for hours of me messing around and testing the camera out.

The 3d effect, when used appropriately, is really stunning.

Camera boots up reasonably quick for a compact.

Can easily switch between 2d/3d modes, can view 3d photos in 2d, etc.

Can do some creative 2d photography -having both lenses using different settings for 1 shot.

Cons

---

You have to hold the camera in a somewhat unnatural way in order to keep fingers from getting into the shots. The lenses are both on the outer sides of the front of the camera. This is a trade-off that I completely understand as they have to have the lenses apart to get the 3d effect but also wanted to keep the camera compact.

I've had poor results when using the Macro (close-up) functionality.

Not a fault of the camera, but until 3d is widely adopted it will be difficult to share these photos with anyone the way they're meant to be seen.

Prints are on the expensive side at $6.99 for a 5x7 print

Prints are only available in 5x7. I really wish there was a larger variety of sizes available. I don't expect to get gallery-sized prints, but a little bigger than 5x7 would be nice.

So is the camera perfect? No. It's obviously a new technology and is only going to continue to get better. But for where it's at right now I am really thrilled with the camera overall and that's why I gave it 5 stars. This camera really does add a new dimension to photography that has sparked a creative bug inside of me that I haven't felt in a long time.

* UPDATE 10/4/2010 I've got a couple observations after having spent a few weeks with the camera, taken some video, AND I just got my first order of prints.

Picture quality I, like many other reviewers, have been "wowed" by the way the 3d pictures look on the camera's built in screen. I will agree with that 100%, however, being critical about the picture quality after reviewing it on a PC, it's really not that great. Don't get me wrong, the 3d effect is absolutely fabulous, but don't be fooled by the results you see on the camera's tiny display -this is essentially 2 mediocre cameras stuffed in to 1 body. I can't say enough how cool the 3d effect is but the images on their own are on-par with about any other cheap point & shoot digital.

Video very impressive. I took some video from the top of a waterfall (looking down). Stunning.

Prints This is one area where I think a lot of other reviewers have not yet covered. I ordered 3 prints. They only come in 5x7 size. I tried to order somewhat of a variety of types of shots, just to get an idea of how they look on paper. I had no idea what to expect. Let me start by saying the prints come on a really thick paper, and it has those ridges on it -you know, kinda like those scratchy 3d things where you can turn them to see 2 different images. Not QUITE the same, but pretty similar. Just due to the nature of the paper it is printed on a lot of the detail can be lost. So that said, I got 3 prints. Portrait decent. Close-up shot not good. Nature shot awesome. The nature shot I took was from a bridge overlooking a river, with trees and such overhanging the edge of the river. The 3d effect was quite pleasing and I am excited about ordering more prints for this type of shot. Now my sample is only 3 prints, but perhaps this advice will serve someone else well. The 3d effect on the camera doesn't quite turn out the same way on a print for all types of shots.

I am a long time fan of 3D and a geek, this camera was an excellent fit for me. It produces very clear, perfect 3D images with good depth. The 3.5 inch screen on the back is very High resolution (1.15 million pixels) and Displays 3D without the need for Glasses. The screen is suitable for Viewing 3D and can display a nice 3D "pop out the screen" effect if you compose the shot correctly. Everyone that has seen the camera's screen is amazed at the quality and 3D effect. There is nothing on the market to compare with this Fuji W3 at the moment, AIPTEK has a low end $200 3D camera and Panasonic has a $1400 3D HD video cam.

This is a good addition to anyone who has a 3D HDTV or 3D projector, considering there is very little to watch in 3D at the moment. The Footage looks very good on the big screen. I am watching it on a 100" projection Screen with Nvidia 3D vision Glasses and the effect is amazing. The Best 3D I have ever seen on the consumer market.

The price tag is a little high, it still makes great sense for anyone that has invested in a 3D TV and shutter glasses. 3D and 2D may also be displayed on a TV using the built in HDMI port on the Camera (adapter required)

Fuji also offers an expensive 3D printing service that will print 3D photos for about $7 per 5x7 print.

Videos are recorded in resolution up to 720P in 3D or 2D. They look sharp and clear. They may be converted to work with Youtube 3D very easily using the FinePix Studio software that comes with the camera. Youtube 3D let's people watch your videos in various 3D formats, with or without glasses.

I am overall very pleased with the W3

Cons:

1. Battery life is ~1 hour Buy a couple spare batteries they are as low as $4.00 on Amazon

2. 3D Shooting distance should be no less than 4 feet in auto mode, anything that comes in closer than 4 feet should be small and centered, it may even pop out of the screen!

3. Buy a medium large case, the camera is a little large for a point and shoot.

4. Format the memory card once you install it, I ran into issues with videos cutting off until formatted.

5. 3D is not for everyone! Avoid the W3 If you cannot tolerate 3D..

6. The screen must be in the center of your field of vision for the 3D effect to work.

7. Video recordings cut off at 11 Minutes in HQ mode and begin a new recording. May be stitched together with software. Video Frame rate is very respectable for a flash recorder but not perfect, way better than the AIPTEK.

I have some movies on youtube 3D converted with Stereo Movie Maker, search for JJROBOTEK FUJI

Use the 3D button on the player to pick your glasses format.

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I must say that I love this camera. I followed the W1 when it first came out and was waiting for it to be offered direct to the U.S. and not be an imported item from Japan. From what I have read the improvements are nice (but not significant at least for what I have used).

I bought this specifically to go on a trip to Civil War Battlefields and take pictures. I got the camera a few weeks ahead of time and started taking pictures right away. Prior to the trip I took took about 200 hundred pictures to get used to it. During the trip I took an additional 1451, so I feel that I have a pretty good feel for its abilities.

Pro's:

As many have stated, the 3D ability is second to none. I liked being able to carry it easily (I bought a small case that attaches to my belt). The screen is large and bright and the controls are easy to learn (I have only used Canon cameras before). It worked really well when you follow the suggestions of having your principal subject about 4-8 feet and then one or two more rows of depth behind. I also found that it worked well when I am shooting down on something. An image I took on the first day of a fire hydrant shot from above at a 45 degree angle is fantastic and I was just playing, but at that angle there is something all the way from top to bottom.

The 3D lens is amazing. It is so cool to show it to people. I have not had one person that realized that I was taking 3D pictures until I showed them and all of them were just blown away with the results. Even after 1500+ images I am still thrilled with that feature.

At first my macro shots were terrible. Others have mentioned poor results. My desire was to try shooting my keyboard from close up. Since it has two lenses I got a view in one image of the left keys and in the other the right side of the keyboard. Obviously not what I wanted. I did not think that I would be able to use it for macro work until I found the Advanced 3D option. At first this seemed kind of pointless. The "advanced" mode only shoots images from one lens (left) and then you have to manually move the camera to take the next image. I could not believe that this was the "advanced" mode, the neat thing about the camera was the ability to do both lenses at the same time. When I applied it to macro mode though it really shined. I took a few coins and put them on the table and took an image and then moved the camera very slightly and took the next image. Using the adjustment feature to adjust alignment I got a stunning image of coins that looks like I had giant coins made for the picture! Since then I have done a lot of macro work and with careful attention to detail you can get amazing results.

I have used the movie mode, but only on a limited basis as it is not as much fun since you can not zoom and moving around makes you dizzy in 3D. The movie mode is good and works well for what it is, I just do not have that much experience.

I have found that when you take a picture it is a good idea to press the shutter 1/2 way, the image will "jump" to a 3D view and you can then frame the subject easier than if you just clicked it. Several times this has saved me from cutting off parts of my subject.

I also really love the flash. I can take a flash image and be ready for the next flash in 2-3 seconds. My Canon is much slower between shots.

2D and 3D at the same time! When you take an image, you get both a regular JPG and a 3D (MPO) format at the same time. While it is possible to turn this to save space on your memory card I find it invaluable to use to find a specific image (2D and 3D will have the same name with different extensions).

Cons:

The screen can be VERY difficult to see in bright light. I know this would defeat the purpose of 3D, but it would be nice to have a small view finder that you could put your eye up to in addition to the screen when the light is too bright. Many other cameras suffer from this same thing, and I have always bought ones that gave me a view finder option. Since there is no other 3D cameras, that was not an option.

Supplied Memory. The camera does have a built in memory but it will only last for 3-4 pictures at the largest setting. I bought a 16Gb card and have been very happy with it, but be prepared to get a card if you don't have one. To access the memory card you need to open the battery compartment this can be a little clumsy.

2D image quality. While I purchased this solely for the 3D features I was surprised at just how poor the 2D images are. I love the 3D feature, but would be sending it back if I purchased it for it's 2D ability.

Battery. Some love it some don't. I think the battery is a bit under powered. I purchased two backup batteries and often go through all of them in one day. So far (thankfully) I have not drained all of them before I had the chance to recharge. If you use flash a lot (and 3D images are best with a lot of light) you might want to pick up a few extras.

Supplied software. This is THE most useless piece of the Camera. I installed it but could not get it to show me the image in 3D! Fortunately I had Stereo Photo Maker(SPM)installed and it does wonders. I set it as my default for MPO files and I love it. I would recommend this free download for anyone with this camera. There is also a Stereo Movie Maker (same source), it works well, but is tricky to install and I do not use the movie mode that much.

The strap can be a problem. While it is nice and comfortable, it is very loose around the wrist. I actually had it slip off and drop three feet to a concrete floor (thankfully no damage). I would like to see something similar to my Canon that has a little adjustment piece that lets you tighten the strap on your wrist after you slip you hand through.

Saving/Not saving certain settings. I took a number of pictures on a tripod (inside museums) and used the 2 second delay feature. As soon as you take a shot it immediately disables this feature. That means if you are taking a series of shots you need to reset the timer every time. If you are trying to do time lapse this can be really frustrating since activating the timer bumps the camera from your desired position. I would like the feature to be active until I change it or shut the camera down. Certain other features stay even after you turn the camera off. For example the flash setting stays off until you manually change it. Nice that it did not follow the logic of the timer delay, but would have been nice if it reset when you turned the camera off. If you turn off the 3D mode it will stay off, it is a one press of the button, so it is easy to do. Movie mode is the same way.

Dial slips. A few times I found the dial slipped from the last time I took it out of the case and started it. This is annoying and caused a few missed shots.

ASA settings can be set differently for each setting of the dial. I found it crazy that I kept having to check what my settings were since they were not global to the camera.

Along those lines, it would be nice to have a remote fire option so I don't have to bump it at all. Wireless would be nice, but even a small cable would be fine.

It is easy to put your finger in front of the lens. This was my #1 reason for wasted shots. Fortunately I had gotten in the habit of holding it between my index and thumb and not gripping it on the sides like most cameras by the time I left for my trip. I did make a few mistakes, but not many.

Tripod mount is off center. Due to the placement of the battery and memory card the mount for the tripod is way off center. I do a lot of panorama work with my 2D cameras and considered doing it with this camera, but the placement of the mount is so far off that will be very difficult.

Zoom. Forget it, this is only a 3x lens. The 3D effect still works well at 3x, but you just can not get close enough. I would like an 8, 10 or 12 x optical zoom. The zoom should also be able to work in movie mode

LCD photo frame price. As of this date (October 2010) the photo frame to show images in 3D is $500! Get it to $100 and make it bigger than 8". Also, printing is difficult to find you have to use their "seehere" website and then instead of using the "prints" option you have to use "photo gifts" area to find 3D prints. I actually had to submit a help ticket to find it. Guess they don't sell a lot of images, just cameras.

Rating:

I rated this down to a 4 for two reasons:

1. The screen can be nearly impossible in bright sun. Several shots were wasted because I could not properly frame the subject.

2. 2D image quality (while not the primary use) is poor. Since the images are essentially made of a pair of 2D images I would like the lenses to be better. This is listed as a 10Mb camera, but if you want to use it in wide screen mode (default option) the camera will be lowered to a 7Mb image. In the 10Mb mode it chops it off in the viewfinder (traditional 4x3 image ratio). You think it would be 10Mb for widescreen, but its not. When I look at the results of the left and right image seperately I notice that one is slightly out of focus with the other. You don't notice it till you go to 100% of image size, but it becomes obvious when you have to manually align images.

Bottom Line:

I love the camera. Just wish some of these things had been improved from the previous version. While I noted many cons, I wanted to be objective and hope that some of these ideas will be in future versions.

Read Best Reviews of Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera with 3.5-Inch LCD Here

I'm a fan of all that is 3D, so I Have 55 "3D TV, games, movies, etc.. but I never imagined that I could take photos and videos in 3D, and most amazing is that everything looks 3D in the camera itself "without glasses", I don't know how Fujifilm make this happen but is AMAZING lol.

Is amazing how much fun it is to take pictures and videos of everything you want and enjoy this amazing technology.

when I pay $500 for this camera, I was a little scared by that purchase high-priced, but when I start using the camera and started taking pictures, I just said WOW so many times, I can now say that is one of my best buys I've done. if you're looking for something like this, don't even think about it, GET IT, I'm not a seller I'm a very happy costumer.

And if this helps you in someway, I search on ebay, and prices are almost similar to the previous model (W1, around $500 used) so if you get bored you can sell it without losing too much (I do not think you want to sell it)

just only 3 recommendations:

1buy a MINI HDMI cable for your TV 3D, because is not incluided and you'll need it to really enjoy everything in your 3D TV, I have to wait to get mine because I did not know about this.

2get an extra battery, you'll need it, trust me

3you'll need a carrying bag, you don't want this everywhere with no protection.

Cons: little things but good to know, battery life is not bad but can be better (remember is not a regular camera, use more energy) and is a finger magnet (is black)

I hope this will help you make your decision.

Want Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera with 3.5-Inch LCD Discount?

My great-grandfather made 3D pictures in the 1920ies. As a child I loved to look at these razor-sharp 2x2in sepia images though a wooden viewfinder. Another era came alive in front of my eyes. Almost a century later, this camera finally allows me to produce the same magic digitally. The 3D effect is stunning on the built-in 3D LCD screen, which can be viewed without special glasses.

Overall, this is a well-engineered 3D camera that feels solid and looks good. Thanks to the built-in electronics, taking pictures is a breeze, though one needs to get used to the 'rules' for producing proper headache-free 3D pictures. Basically, objects should not be too close, and foreground must be centered in the picture. Also, 3D only works in landscape mode. The FinePix includes a good tutorial to get started. Though stunning, the 3D LCD viewfinder screen must be watched with some discretion, in order to avoid getting sick. Similarly, 3D movies should be panned very slowly, so that the brain can latch on to the optical illusion. If the brain misfires, this camera will literally make you puke.

As much as I love the 3D effect, the 2D quality of this camera is poor. In fact, its the worst I have seen come out of digital camera ever in the past 10 years. The pictures are grainy and unsharp, especially in the edges. The camera has a few unique 2D modes thanks to the two lenses, but given the very poor quality that all doesn't matter much. Especially greens such as lawns do not sparkle and look unnatural.

Given the many happy reviews and the 10MP specs of the camera, I was puzzled by the very disappointing picture quality. So I did some careful testing to get to the bottom of this, taking almost 100 pictures in various different situations and light settings. First I went to BestBuy to compare my FinePix 3D to their display model. The 2D picture quality turned out to be the same, so my camera does not have a manufacturing defect.

For every picture I took with the FinePix 3D I also made a reference picture with my phone (an iPhone 4). Since the phone camera is only 5MP and has much smaller optics, one would expect better pictures from the FinePix. The opposite turned out to be the case, unfortunately. Put side-by-side on the computer monitor, the FinePix's pictures were noticeably less sharp and more grainy for both outside and inside under low-light conditions.

I also compared all possible resolution, compression and ISO settings of the FinePix. Despite trying hard, I was not able to get sharper pictures out of the FinePix Real 3D. The main settings for jpg picture files are 2MP (1.3Mb size), 5MP (2.1MB), and 10 MegaPixels (4.1MB). Put side-by-side on a big monitor, it is barely possible to distinguish between the settings.

A thing to consider is that 3D pictures and movies can only be watched on a (new) 3D TV, or on the built-in screen. 3D pictures are stored in an uncommon format that is not supported by most photo software. Luckily, the FinePix also stores a regular .jpg picture with the 3D one.

In summary: 3D is a great gimmick and conversation piece, but the current price level and the awful 2D picture quality make it a little hard to justify. If you like to own something unique and can spare the money, the Fujifilm real 3D is for you. For most everything else, the camera in your phone is better.

Update after a few months of use:

The 3D pictures continue to put a smile on my face, while the poor picture quality continues to annoy. The 3D effects are hit-or-miss: it is hard to predict which pictures will come out well and which simply do not work. Sometimes a few objects in the foreground add a great perspective, while in other similar shots it does not work at all. The remedy is simply to take lots of shots and toss the ones that disappoint. Shots taken through a trees against low sunlight gave very nice effects in 3D.

I also noticed that some 3D shots work better on a big 3D TV while others work better on the built-in screen. I guess it has to do with the way our eyes focus differently on a tiny screen. The only way I found to play 3D pictures on a big TV screen is by connecting the camera to the TV using an HDMI cable. This is clumsy, since the cable is shorter than the viewing distance and there is no way to group pictures. Also the camera runs on battery power, so it turns off quickly.

For the 3D effects it is very important to be aware which foreground and background objects are in the shot. In bright California sunlight the viewfinder of the camera is near/totally invisible, which makes shooting quite a gamble. To salvage this, one needs to take off sunglasses and use the left hand to put a little shade on the LCD screen.

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Sony DCRTRV320 Digital Camcorder

I bought this camera after trying out the 450x zoom in the store. Other factors triggering the purchase were Nightshot and Picture Memory. This camera's ergonomics are outstanding. The camera turns itself off after a minute or so in camera mode. This does not happen in (picture) memory mode. Memory (still) Pictures upload via a serial link only (no USB). Picture quality is very good. I successfully uploaded recorded video from the camera to my Windows 2000 computer via a Western Digital PCI IEEE 1394 card using the Ulead software supplied on CDROM with the 1394 card. My first (very short).avi file made with the Ulead software was > 100 Mbytes.

. I have ordered, but not yet received, the Sony 2x teleconverter lense so that I can get less pixellation at maximum useable magnifcation.

I also bought an 8-hour battery. I recommend 2 8-hour batteries and a rapid charger (which works off both AC and 12VDC instead of the 12-hour battery. With two batteries and a quick charger you should never run out of juice.

Nightshot works well up to about 15 feet but uses substantially more power than without, so battery life is decreased. An image intensifier attachment would be a *really* handy accessory for long range nighttime videotaping. I plan to try using the 320 with both an astronomical telescope and a microscope in the near future.

Even tough I don't own this model, I own one very similar... The DCR-TRV103. This is the newer version of the model up (TRV310)and it has only gotten better. I purchased the camera for making a claymation movie and an action short for a class project. I spent over 200 hours working with all the footage and the firewire port is invaluable! Not only is the sound and video quality unparelleled, the speed at which it is transfered keeps you from getting bogged down waiting for the video to load. The night vision, remote control and special effects provided in the package are superb quality and easy to use. As for durablity, my camera was hit by gravel from car tires and a hail of exploding fireworks and has escape them without even a ding. The only problems I really faced with the camera where the short battery lifes on the stock battery. However, a replacement 8 hour is around $100 and is a good replacement for the 1.5 hour if you plan to film a wedding or long birthday party. Another more-minor problem was the echo-effect on the sound at a distance, however, this plagues every other camera on the market and can be easily fixed with an external microphone from radio shack. Also, the digital recording process takes double the normal recording on 8mm tapes, so if you don't transfer the video off the camera and re-record over, find a place that sells the tapes cheap. Other than that, however, the camera has worked perfectly and has produced some very high-quality video for a non-commerical video camera.

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I just bought the DCRTRV720 the 320's bigger brother. It has a bigger LCD screen, a color viewfinder and a remote. The bigger LCD screen and the remote were the motivating factors over the 320.

This is definitely the most terrific camera I have ever worked with. The picture quality is outstanding, and there is absolutely no shortage of features. Combined with the my Apple PowerMac G4 Cube and it's editing software iMovie, this camera absolutely rocks.

I bought this specifically for digital work, but liked the versatility of being able to take existing standard 8 and Hi 8 tapes and play them back into my Mac so that they can be used for editing. There is no range of cameras on the market other than the Sony DCRTRV range that will allow you to do this. MiniDV is also way more expensive.

Also cool are the digital stills that you can take with this camera. I bought a digital camera just before I bought the camcorder and I am now really sorry that I did. The camcorder does a much better job of the digital stills than the digital camera does.

I would recommend this camcorder range, and especially the 720 over anything else in the market.

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I got my video camera on June 10th and have been using it almost everyday since. I've used it on everything from taping around the house to taping weddings. It's very easy to use, even with all of the features. The best of which has to be the 'info' battery which tells you exactly how much time you have remaining on the battery. It also takes digital pictures in addition to video. The only drawback is the the battery has to be charged while on the camera. The first thing I bought extra was an external charger so that I can charge one battery while still using the camera.

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I'm quite pleased with the audio and video quality of this camcorder, as well as the plethora of features and effects (though most I'll probably never use). I like the steadyshot, nightshot, and being able to shoot in widescreen format -those are my favorite features. What I'm terribly disappointed in with this camera is the quality of the still images; I get better quality from a disposable. In short, stills look absolutely terrible. I have fooled with taking stills under a variety of conditions, and they only look "decent" under the most optimal lighting circumstances. I can't complain too much since this is a secondary feature of the camcorder, and the video and audio really are remarkable, but I wish I had known that I'd also have to buy a digital still camera when shopping for this one.