JVC Everio GZMG37 30GB HDD Digital Media Camcorder with 32x Optical Zoom

At $700 this camera was not a good buy for $500-$550, not too bad.

The biggest complaint people seem to have is with the video quality and while I agree it's not as good as a top quality miniDV or some of the more expensive HD models JVC also produce, it's not nearly as bad as they're making out (or they've somehow managed to buy a whole bunch of bad cameras).

I've recorded movies both indoors and out neither have been particularly poor, and I would place it's top quality setting somewhere around that of a VHS tape. I got none of the artifacts or corruption people have complained about, the quality is a bit fuzzy, but on the whole perfectly acceptable for creating family movies or sending scaled down mpgs via email.

The format it records in is NOT proprietory as some people claim. It records in mpeg 2 format, but unfortunately due to the proprietory software that comes with the camera all the clips have a .mod instead of a .mpg file extension.

No drivers or software are needed just attach to your PC, then access the HD as if it were a USB thumbdrive. After you've copied the data, you can rename the files to .mpg if you wish, this will make them instantly available to any movie playback program, including Media Player.

Editing in Windows Movie Maker however is not possible, as this softare isn't able to handle mpgs it doesn't create with it's own proprietory codec but all versions of Premier or other decent video editing programs work fine.

If you want top quality, don't buy an HD video camera stick with miniDV or spend big bucks on High Definition. If you don't mind a little bit of fuzziness around the edges, then any of these cheaper HD cameras work great.

I've head that the more expensive versions of this camera have higher resolution recording as well as better handling of colour/light/etc. If this is true then you might want to ask a sales rep to do a recording and transfer it to a large screen PC to see if that works better for you. Any salesman worth his salt will do this test for you, after all $500+ is a lot of money, and if they truly want the sale they'll show you how good or bad the camera really is.

This videocam turned out to be a great and expensive disappointment. I spent some time searching through the menus for the right settings--surely something wasn't set properly. I studied the manual until it dawned on me that the settings were not actually misconfigured -that the image quality truly is horrendous.

Even at the highest resolution, there are more compression artifacts than picture. This is especially visible in freeze-frame mode. The contrast is very poor, and the colors look hideous. In Ultra-fine mode (the best mode) the images look like a cheap CMOS webcam. Don't believe the hype that claims "DVD-quality movies". For such an expensive camera I was expecting something much better than this. I'm returning it. This product is not ready for prime-time. I've got an ancient mini-DV Sony DCR-PC100 that has much better picture quality. Also, the battery life on the GZMG37 is very short.

On the positive side, it is quite light-weight and there is no videotape to mess around with. If only one did not have to sacrifice image quality completely for that convenience. Overall, this unit does not live up to its promise.

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The only advantage this camcorder has it size/media. That is it.

While it has a 30gb HDD, which is certainly very convienent, the highest quality setting uses half of the bitrate of what a minidv would use. In addition, the artifacting is multiplied in lowlight conditions.

You can use a USB cable to transfer the videos to your computer, to edit them.. but you have to use their software, or you will lose the audio. (What is wrong with just using MPG files?)

Bottom line is:

It's quite obvious that a HDD in a Camcorder is the way to go. But not until the video quality is comparable to what is out there now.

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I was waiting for the second generation to come out, hoping there would of been some improvments from the first generation hard disk camcorders.

The good: looks and feels reel good. Easy to use, LOTS of room with the 30 gig drive. 32x zoom.

The Bad: LOUSY low light! Maybe I'm spoiled. My first mini-dv camcorder was a JVC-GR-DVM70 that is now 7 years old. Compared to that camera, the GZMG37 is bad in low light. The other thing I was disapointed in is that the movie is NOT recored as MPEG2, but a .MOD file extention. SHAME ON YOU JVC for creating your own file extention and not using a standard MPEG file. If you search you'll find programs that will convert it to the standard mpeg.

Bottom line...This camcorder is great except for low light recording. After looking at several other camcorder reviews that seems to be the biggest issue out there.

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I returned this camera to Best Buy and gladly paid the %15 restocking fee. This is the biggest waste of money I can imagine. There is no documentation on how to convert to PC for editing and the video quality is terrible. Don't waste your money. I can't believe they charge $700+ for this thing!

Nikon Professional Hard LCD Cover For D5100 Digital SLR camera

This protector is much better than I expected. It fits perfectly and easily onto the D5100 screen and it is very clear with no bluring / tinting effect of the image on the screen. Not sure about glares under the sun but I am sure there will be.

Anyways, I got this protector because I have to travel and expect to hang the camera around my neck while walking around. I think the physical rubbing of my camera screen against my coat might cause some scratches so I want to put on a protector. This is a perfect solution for me because I am not planning to have it on the screen permanently since whatever protector you put on (film/glass/polycarbonate) will cause degradation to the LCD image. But unlike the glass or film protector, this one is super easy to remove and you won't have to worry about any residues on your screen.

if you are looking for some way to cover your back screen on the 5100 than this cover does its job. the only drawback is you cannot turn the screen in toward the camera without taking it back off. that is not a big deal seeing how it snapes on and off with ease. i keep a cling type screen protector on mine all the time and use this when i need to have the screen out. good product!

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First order was for a D5100 and should have been a D5000. If the D5100 LCD opens up like a D5000 then when the cover is in place you cannot close the LCD screen back against the camera. If you work with the LCD screen always open it would be OK, but I think one would be taking the chance that you would probably break the LCD Screen Off. I will be purchasing the stick on film covers to replace the hard cover that does not work.

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Fits perfectly on my wife's D5100. Protects the LCD from damage. Highly recommended. Arrived within a couple of days of placing order. Snaps directly onto the LCD. Once on, you cannot fold the LCD with the screen facing the camera body, but who cares, with protector on, no need to reverse the screen.

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Cover fits perfect and protects the LCD screen a treat. As others have mentioned, you can no longer close the screen with the cover on but why would you need to! Great item for the D5100.

Olympus D540 3.2 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

I love this little camera. I had a chance to try out this camera and compare it to three other digital cameras. The Olympus 540 won hands down. This is the camera I take with me every day. I own a better camera, but like the size and ease of use of this camera.

I took identical photos with this camera and a 4 mg pixal camera and you couldn't tell the difference in a 8x10 print done on a color laser printer. I also enlarged and printed a 48"x36" image on a large format printer and was extremely please by the results.

The camera is easy to use. In seconds you can choose anyone of the eight shooting modes. Also, adjusting the flash to be auto, always on, off or a fill flash is a quick click on the back control button. By pushing the shutter button half way down you can set your exposure. This is very helpful in some lighting situations.

If you purchase the camera, I would recommend buying rechargeable batteries and a larger storage card.

Compact, simple to use camera. For the price it comes packed with features easy transfer of pics to PC using USB cable. Excellent picture quality when used at best Pixel setting 20 pics with original 16MB XD memory card. Not used the movie mode own a camcorder. I invested in a rechargeable Li-Ion CR-V3 battery pack (yes! now available as rechargeables), much better life/performance than even the higest rated rechargeable NiMH not very expensive given its performance, available on Amazon for $31 (I bought my Li-Ion battery pack from Buy.com at $29.50).

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I received this camera as a gift and subsequently took it on a long trip to Russia (instead of my bulky SLR film camera). This camera was outstanding: easy to use, produces good quality pictures, lightweight. It makes toting "regular" camera gear around too cumbersome to contemplate: this camera slips into a pants pocket easily enough. As my first digital camera, it's everything I had hoped it would be and more.

The software (Olympus's Camedia) is pretty good and relatively easy to use, although managing your pictures can be more work than it needs to be. Maybe I'll upgrade that to the Pro version. Nonetheless, I was downloading pictures quickly and everything worked cleanly. The main reason to use the software (rotating pictures) is convenient.

The camera itself is lightweight and pretty durable (my son dropped it a few times and it survived just fine). The 16 MB card that comes with it is too small for realistic use, but a 128 MB card is easy to purchase: budget for it, as you'll want the storage. There are only a few minor annoyances that you'll want to compare to other cameras before choosing this one (I don't think anyone else does it any better).

First, this camera (like many digital cameras) devours batteries. The "low battery" warning comes on very quickly--way too quickly, since battery life far exceeds the warning. However: as the battery runs down, the camera itself processes more and more slowly. So I've found that you'll often miss shots because you need to know about a second in advance to push the button. The lag between "go" and the camera firing is annoying.

Second, the zoom control is a bit difficult to use. It's located on top of the camera and twists, an action that I find difficult to perform while aiming the camera. I've taken to holding the camera at about chest level to shoot pictures so that I have better control.

Overall, the picture quality settings are easy to manage and the pictures themselves are bright, clear, and sharp. The autofocus is almost always perfect and you'll rarely dig into the menus to adjust the camera performance. The panorama capability doesn't seem to work, but it's an extraneous feature.

In any case, this is a great little camera. It does everything a digital camera should, is well made, and makes me a happy camper.

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This is my 3rd midrange digital camera in as many years. I picked this one for my latest based on it's features (macro, self portrait, etc) and the awesome huge LCD screen. The screen is much bigger than it's competitors. The self portrait mode worth noting... some one was finally genius enough to note that many a snapshot is taken where two subjects squeeze together and hold the camera at arms length and snap the pic. This setting adjusts the flash and lense to accomodate that! Genius!

The downsides... even with rechargable batteries this sucker goes "battery low" way before other digi's I've had. It's worth noting. I think it runs out about 30% to 50% quicker than other camera's I've had. That's pretty notable.

Also... the bootup time is Loooonnng. When turning on the camera, the time between turning it on and actually taking a pic is way too long. Also the lag between shutter press and actuall photo/flash is incredibly long. MUCH longer than other cams I've had.

You sacrifice a few things here and gain a few there with digi's but, the lag time and battery life are deal breakers for me and the type of pix I take so this puppy is going back. :(

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I have taken more than 1000 pictures with this great camera. Here are my opinions on it..

Positive Stuff:

1. Excellent picture quality. No doubt, I liked the picture quality more than a Sony Cybershot 3.2 MP camera.

2. The most powerful flash I've ever seen. The camera can take a good picture in complete darkness.

3. Decent battery life. Even though the camera might indicate a Low battery indicator soon, it actually lasts for a long time. I used Panasonic 2100 mah rechargeable Ni-MH battery. I got about 32-34 pictures (all with flash). If you actually turn off the LCD display while not using it, it saves a lot more battery power.

4. Transferring images to a PC is pretty straight forward.

5. The camera is compact and light as well. It was able to fit in to my jean pocket!

6. The camera makes good judgement when to use flash and when not to use. At the end of the day, we are totally satisfied with the image quality.

Negative stuff:

1. The camera is just too slow to respond, particularly, if the battery is low.

2. There were occasions where I had to take some moving objects, but just couldnt time my camera to take it. The response time between pressing the trigger and the camera firing is about 1.5 to 2 seconds (which might be too late sometimes).

Conclusion:

1. If you use a rechargeable battery with a good MAH, the camera is pretty neat.

2. What matters at the end of the day, is people should get good remarks about the photos they take and I get that all the time when I use this camera.

Alientech Torpedo Video Projector

I purchased this exact item from another site and I ordered a 5' x 9' piece of projector fabric to create a large, opaque white screen. I ordered this for my 6 year old's "Saturday Movie Matinee" Birthday party, because I wanted to do something different besides the pizza place, hamburger place, jumpy bouncey place, etc. party. We're going to set a room up like a movie theatre and play one of the new animated releases for the kids, with pop corn and movie snacks.

I have read many reviews and complaints about this projector, but for what it is and for the money it works great. We have been testing this item the past 2 nights and so far, so good. We are able to get a pretty large screen, maybe 3' x 4' and the quality is "good." I would compare the viewing quality to that of a drive-in movie. It's not going to be super crisp like your TV and the colors could be sharper, but my kids think it is awesome! We haven't even tried this with the video games yet.

Also this projector does not require total darkness, which I've seen in many other reviews. We are able to view the movie on the wall just fine at one end of our bedroom, with a lamp on at the other end. However, the darker the room, the sharper the image appears. I would also add that movies with a brighter, lighter background are easier to view, than movies with a darker background. The movie sound is really good and I don't find the projector fan sound distracting at all. In fact, I think it kind of adds to the "movie" experience. Of note, you must have a live feed for this projector to work. You have to START the DVD for the projector to project the image onto the wall. Otherwise, you will see absolutely nothing or just a teentsy, tiny, little menu on the wall and you will be scratching your head and changing out the cables, trying to figure what's wrong. Trust me....we know!! :)

I bought this projector to replace a tv for a game room. Most projectors are around 100 to 200 dollars so I gave this one a try. When I received the package it was put to the test.

Pros: will project a 72 inch image on a wall or screen.(preferably a white wall)

replacement bulb very cheap around 5-10 dollars

small and easily set up

relatively high resolution 920-240

easy volume control

simple focus control (simply twist the lens to sharpen the image)

can be used for presentations with an adapter

Cons: only has one speaker built in

works best in dark rooms but poor picture with ambient light

only has RCA jack (red,yellow,white)

no cap for lens or carry case accessory

overall it is a great projector for its price but don't expect a high quality HD image or sound quality. Its good for games and movies as long as they aren't dark oriented.

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i got this projector last year at first i thought it was great(i dident have a flat screen) pixels will stand out when the image is 40" or higher

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El proyector tiene mala imagen, hace mucho ruido, se distorciona incluso estando a menos de 2 metros de la pared, me satisface tan poco que solo lo he usado 2 veces

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the price is good and cheap

the sound is very good

the display is poor

the size is gigant

Nikon D3000 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens

Looking over several cameras and choosing one for someone who has outgrown point and shoots, I came back to the Nikon D3000. By no means will this model blow away the seasoned photographer, however it does cover the basics and more. We picked it up and tried it out over the weekend.

First time DSLR users will enjoy the Guide Mode. It literally walked us through different shoot scenarios via the fixed 3" LCD screen. An excellent tool, its step by step instructions allowed my niece to move from the operating booklet in no time. After a few more runs, I am sure that she will feel quite comfortable shooting in the manual mode. The quick shutter release was a nice surprise.

Upon completing two days of shooting with the Nikon D3000, I walked away impressed. In manual mode, indoor shots were a balanced and perfect mix of shadow and color. As usual with shooting in low light, noise will make an appearance. However this system can be tweaked to deliver some outstanding indoor photographs. The bottom line is proper settings.

A basic fix is the VR (Vibration Reduction) feature located on the lens. This should be activated, especially indoors. A tripod will certainly help. In auto mode, just set the camera to night portrait and sit back and enjoy the rest of your flight.

Outdoor shots were vibrant, sharp and rich in color without editing. The onboard flash system was more than capable in meeting fill flash requirements. Without a doubt the overall performance of the camera, features and image quality is excellent.

With 10.2 megapixels to work with, I easily blew up a personal favorite my niece had taken to 16" x 20". Even though I don't see myself trading in my Nikon D300 for this model anytime soon, this camera is by far an upgrade over any of the souped up point and shoots out there.

Its easy to see that the real jewel in this model is the auto focus system. With six auto mode settings (Landscape, Sports, Child, Closeups, Portrait, and Night Portrait) each and every photograph can be a keeper. Onboard editing tweakers won't be disappointed with this model. It covers the basics. The D3000 operates with both SD & SDHC cards.

The Nikon D3000 is paired with a Nikkor 18-55mm AF-S DX lens. It will operate with any Nikkor DX and AF-S lens. Older Nikkor or similar AF lens is a no go when shooting in auto but will function in manual mode. Since this model is not fitted with the built in optical image stabilizer, I recommend switching on the Vibration Reduction (VR) feature located on the lens. Still the best anti vibration tool is a tripod.

Nikon makes it really simple with a thumb dial for tweaking aperture and shutter speed. Metering, focus modes, and exposure compensation are easily controlled via the menu. The D3000 does not shoot in video mode. This model easily shoots over three frames per second in continuous mode. The 3D tracking sensor operates quite well in low lighting.

The Nikon D3000 camera kit comes packaged with a EN/EL3e Li-ion battery, charger, USB cable, video cable. strap, eye cap, eye cup, software CD-ROM, 18-55mm Nikkor lens, lens cap, instruction booklet and a one year Nikon warranty.

Coming out of the gate, I still find this model a little pricey for a basic DSLR. I am sure heading into the fall and holidays buyers will begin to see a noticeable price drop. Even so, the D3000 is a fine tuned replacement for the immensely popular entry level Nikon D40. Newcomers to the DSLR community will certainly enjoy this outstanding alternative.

I am a photography teacher in NYC and online. (See my Amazon profile for my website.) I teach beginner and intermediate photography students every week. I've also been a professional photographer for the last five years with images published in The New York Times, GQ, New York Magazine, Women's Wear Daily, The New York Observer, The Village Voice and Time Out New York.

(This review is for beginner photographers.)

If you're a beginner, you're most likely asking yourself: Nikon or Canon? Really, I feel confident in saying that you can't go wrong with either. I've used both brand's cameras extensively and find that they both offer amazing image quality with well-built, solid cameras that, if taken care of, will last decades. There are two differences between the cameras, though, that can be taken into consideration.

The user-interface: If cameras were computers, Nikons would be PCs and Canons would be MACs. PCs are built for people not afraid of technology whereas Macs are built for people who want things super-easy. Nikons excel at customization options which means you'll see so many more options with the Advanced features of a Nikon than you will with a Canon. Canons, on the other hand, excel at ease-of-use for beginners. Canons offer less advanced options and can be easier to learn on. This can be frustrating down the line, though, once you've learned a lot about photography. At that point you may want all of the options that Nikon offers and be frustrated with your Canon. If you're someone who really likes to delve deep into your hobbies or if you're intent on becoming a professional photographer, I'd say a Nikon would be your best bet. If you're someone who wants to learn the basics of photography and only imagine yourself being a hobbyist, Canon would be a better option for you.

Where Nikon excels: Flash photography. I often find myself in situations where I'm shooting event photography (weddings, movie premiers, benefits and galas) where I need to use a lot of flash. For this kind of photography, I'll always prefer to be shooting with a Nikon. Nikon's flash metering (how the camera magically decides how much light to fire out of the flash) is much more consistent than Canon's. You can take a Canon and shoot the same scene three times in a row with flash and all three images will be at different brightness levels. You can do the same thing with a Nikon and all three images will be wonderfully the same. If you're somebody who plans on shooting a lot with flash (indoor photography, event photography, etc.) you'll want to consider going with Nikon.

Where Canon excels: Richness of colors. I've been in numerous situations where I've been on the red carpet taking the exact same picture as the photographer next to me. I'll have a Canon and the person next to me will have a Nikon. This has provided quite a few opportunities to compare the images side-by-side. What I've found is that the colors on the Canon's images look richer and make the image pop more. If I'm doing fine art photography (anything I'd like to someday hang in a gallery), I'll always want to be shooting with a Canon for this reason.

If you're set on Nikon, there are three cameras you should be considering and it all comes down to what your budget is:

D7000 $1,400 without lens

D5100 $750 without lens

D3100 $600 only available with lens

(current prices as of 2/19/11)

Since you're on the D3000 Amazon page, though, I'm going to guess that you're considering the D3000 which Amazon is currently selling for $530 (with lens). If you're considering buying the D3000 because you didn't realize that Nikon has replaced it with a new camera model (the D3100), then you may want to go straight for the new model, depending on your budget. If you were already aware that Nikon has a newer model and are still considering the D3000 then here's how the D3000 stacks up to the D3100. (The D3000 is such a great camera that, even though Nikon has a newer, replacement model, they still sell the D3000!)

D3000 vs D3100

Where the D3100 excels:

-Higher resolution: The D3100 is a 14 MegaPixel camera whereas the D3000 is only a 10 MegaPixel camera. This effects how big you can print your images and have them remain high quality prints. 14 MegaPixels will print as big as 23 inches by 15 inches whereas 10 MegaPixels will print as big as 19 inches by 13 inches. A higher resolution also means you can crop an image and have the remaining image still remain high quality.

-Has live view. (This is the screen that pops up on the back of the screen that allows you to see what you're going to shoot before you shoot it. This would be used as an alternative to the viewfinder but, be aware, does eat up battery power quickly and, generally speaking, results in the camera not focusing as fast.)

-Higher ISO options. The D3100 offers two more stops of ISO than the D3000 does. If you don't know what ISO means (or what a stop is) just know that this allows you to more easily shoot images in low-light situations.

-Shoots movies. (If you want to be able to create video with your camera, you won't be able to do it with the D3000.)

Where the D3000 excels:

-It's a more affordable camera. By saving money on the D3000, you'll have more money in your budget for an awesome lens or two!

To sum this all up, if you can only afford the D3000, then you'll be really happy with it. The D3000 is a solid camera. If you can afford to spend the extra money for the D3100, though, there's no reason to not go with the D3100. Overall, it's a better camera for not that much more money.

If I can clarify any of this, please email me!

-JP Pullos, photography teacher, NYC and online (see my Amazon profile for my website)

Buy Nikon D3000 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens Now

My good old point-and-shoot camera (one of the Canon PowerShot series) had served me faithfully, but I was growing frustrated with its limitations. It seemed SO slow -I was always missing great shots of my kids. The low-light performance was not particularly good. And I knew if I ever wanted to take more than basic family snapshots, I was going to need to bite the bullet and buy a DSLR. But they seemed so intimidating!

After doing a ton of research online and trying out my sister-in-law's slightly older Nikon D40, I settled on the new D3000. And I love it! It really is easier to use than I could've imagined, and the shots I've gotten so far are amazing. I have no photographic training, but I am really delighted with the pictures I've been getting so far. I never could have imagined there would be SUCH a huge difference. I've actually gotten -sharppictures of my toddler in motion, rather than just kid-shaped blurs! I took it to a local park last night for a couple hours and took some really nice photos there, too.

Some things you might want to know if you, like me, are new to DSLRs:

* Everything you need is in the box (flash, lens, camera body, camera strap, manual, etc.) -exceptfor a memory card. You'll need to get an SD or SHDC card to use with your camera. These are quite affordable. Of course, you may WANT more lenses, etc., later, but the kit lens is very nice, and offers a decent amount of flexibility. I would suggest, however, get a lens filter to help protect the lens,

* The D3000 comes with a "Guide" -it helps you choose what effect you're looking for (freeze motion, blur background, etc.) and then helps you pick the right settings. But even just on "auto" mode, it takes some really fabulous pictures.

* Even as a relatively small DSLR, it's definitely bigger and heavier than most point-and-shoots. This wasn't a big issue to me, as I mostly plan to use it at home, but if you want something you can stick in your pocket, a DSLR may not be for you. (I plan to keep my old point-and-shoot as a backup for times when I want something I can just stow in my purse.)

* The D3000 does not have "Live View," where you can frame your shot in the LCD screen. I was a little concerned about this at first, but surprisingly, I've found that I really don't miss it at all. It also does not have video mode (which I find I don't miss, either, because I've always hated taking videos with a camera! They come out all shaky for me.)

* The included printed manual is pretty short and sweet. There is a manual on CD included that is much more complete. Neither, of course, really explains DSLRs in depth or photographic principles, so if you'd really like to learn more about using your camera to its fullest, I'd suggest Digital SLR Cameras and Photography For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) and Digital Photography Workbook For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)). The former does a great job of explaining how your camera works, why DSLRs are different from point-and-shoots, how to care for your camera, and what accessories you may want. The latter has tons of hands-on exercises to help you learn your way around your camera and improve your photography.

In short, if you'd like to jump into the DSLR pond, the D3000 is definitely an excellent introduction. Come on in -the water's great!

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Nikon D3000 is Nikon beginner / entry level camera. It replaces Nikon D60. There are three major upgrade of D3000 from D60. There are 11 Auto focus system with dynamic tracking and 3D tracking. This AF system is the same as Nikon mid-range/enthusiast camera, D90. Also, the LCD screen has been enlarged to 3 inches from 2.5 inches. However, the screen resolution remains the same at 230,000 dots. Also new is the Guide mode, this new mode is working as your tutor on basic photography. It helps you set up your camera, in the same time, it tells you about basic photography setting and concepts. Other than that, everything looks the same, buttons, placement, viewfinder and image quality/resolution.

It is an average size for beginner DSLR camera. But if you are coming from compact camera, you might a bit surprise of the size. On the other hand, if you are coming from advanced DSLR cameras, then you will feel this camera is compact and light.

Nikon D3000 has a thumb dial, which you will use most of the time to change shutter speed and aperture. There are mode dial on the top of the camera. Several basic buttons such as playback, delete, menu, magnifiy/zoom, and exposure compensation. There is also a function (Fn) button on the left side, near the flash that you can customize according to your need.

Coming from more advance Nikon camera like Nikon D90, what missing are the ISO button, Image Quality button, Release mode button, AF mode button and White Balance button. If you want to change above settings, you need to go to shooting menu (green camera icon). I recommend you to customize the Fn button so you can change you favorite button faster. I change my D3000 Fn button to ISO setting.

Build quality and Ergonomic

Nikon D3000 body is built by rugged plastic. There is texture in the grip area to ensure comfortable grip. The built quality of outer shell is the same or almost the same as Nikon D90. The difference is there are more textured finish in Nikon D90 body. Ergonomically, it is good to hold, but the space between lens mount and the grip is pretty tight. If you mount bigger lens or if you have big hands, then you might not feel it comfortable. Compare to Nikon D60, I noticed that the pistol grip is more curvy instead of pointy. This is a small improvement that you might appreciate.

LCD Screen

D3000 has 3 inches LCD screen with 230k resolution. This is considered basic, but the screen is clear, sharp. If you like to check on the details or pixel levels, it is best to check the images on your computer. In the bright light condition, this screen is relatively good. There is minimal glare/reflection.

Nikon D3000 has 95% coverage and 0.8x magnification viewfinder. It is considered small for DSLR size, but for people who moves from superzooms or advanced compact, this viewfinder are big and a lot clearer. Manual focusing is more challenging than the other Nikon's more advanced DSLRs.

Like Nikon D5000, Nikon D3000 does not have top LCD screen like D90 or more advanced camera. Unlike many of competitors entry level DSLR cameras, Nikon D3000 does not have any live view feature.

Lens and Compatibility

Nikon D3000 comes with Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens. This lens has a plastic mount, but the image quality and the light is recommendable. It never get super sharp like pro grade lens, but pro grade lens might costs more than ten times, so 18-55mm VR is one of the best value lens out in the market.

The lens has image stabilization feature which is called Vibration Reduction (VR). It works well and quietly up to 3 stops. If you hold the camera tight and still, you can shoot up to a quarter second without motion blur.

Unfortunately, D3000 does not have built in focus motor in the camera, therefore, it can't auto focus older lenses such as the venerable Nikon 50mm f/1.8 or the legendary Nikon 85mm f/1.4D. Lenses that compatible with this camera are lenses that has built in motor (usually has AF-S code on it) and for third party lenses, look for HSM (Sigma lens).

Image Quality and ISO

Nikon D3000 employs 10 megapixel image sensor. This sensor is a bit inferior than sensors in the D90 and D300. But still this is more adequate for large print.

Image quality is excellent up to ISO 800. At 1600, a lot of noises start to creep in especially in shadow area. At 3200 (or Hi setting), the image is unacceptable only for very small print of web.

If you turn on Noise Reduction or NR (unfortunately no low-medium-strong option), the camera with smooth out the noises, but the image become softer and lose some details. If you concern about the lost of details, I suggest you to shoot with NR off, and then take care the images with image editing software to treat the noise.

Like other Nikon DSLR cameras, D3000 also has Auto ISO limiter. You can effectively limit the ISO and minimum shutter speed. The Auto ISO works very well and accurate most of the time. My favorite way to use this is to set the camera to Auto ISO, and then use Aperture mode and let the camera adjust the rest for me.

D3000 does not have 1/3 stops ISO increments, so you only can set ISO to the regular base level or 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 (HI). But to be fair, most of the entry level DSLR cameras does not have that too.

Auto Focus and Continuous burst

The new 11 AF points are miles better than old 3 points AF system. It helps a lot in composition and fortunately, it also comes with dynamic tracking and 3D tracking which is great for moving objects and sports. The auto focus is very fast and responsive. However, D3000 has only 3 frame per second, so you might miss some shots when shooting sports or fast moving objects.

Guide Mode

Nikon's Guide mode is a tutor for absolute beginner. It does a good job on helping you to set up the camera and also help you to get the best setting for particular kind of photography. For example, when you choose sports mode, it suggest you to set high shutter speed to eliminate motion blur.

Guide mode is basically a super duper friendly menu that consists of three major options: Shooting, playback and camera setup. Shooting menu (the most important of all), divided into two, easy operation and advanced operation.

Easy operation consists of Auto, no flash, distant subjects, sleeping faces (children), moving subjects, landscapes, portrait, and night portrait.

Advanced operation consists of soften background, freeze motion (people) and freeze motion (vehicle). Unlike the usual mode, Guide mode explains to you what kind of setting is important for particular kind of photography, so you can gain insight and knowledge of basic photography concept.

However, keep in mind that although his guide menu is very helpful, but it does not replace basic photography course or seminar.

Photo Retouch

D3000 offers some basic camera processing such as quick retouch (camera automatically enhance or optimize the image). Miniature effect which is fun to play with. Basically you will need to choose a point in the image, and then the rest of the image will be blurred, giving a depth of field illusion.

Other basic retouches are also available such as crop/trim, filter effects, color balance, BW, sepia, etc. The downside is the processing time of one image could take up to 10 seconds.

Conclusion

I applaud Nikon for D3000 because the design is very user friendly through Guide Mode. With the help of this mode, beginners will able to learn basic photography faster. Various photo retouches ignite creativity and fun. I also love the the installment of 11 AF system which is usually reserved for higher end cameras. D3000's competitors does not have this sophisticated AF system.

On the other hand, Nikon D3000 have two main weaknesses, first it does not have built-in AF motor for older but great lenses. D3000 also does not have live view mode which actually can help tremendously in focusing those old lenses.

If you have Nikon D60 you might want to look for more advanced camera such as Nikon D90 or D300. However, if you have Nikon D40 or compact cameras, this camera is a very good upgrade choice.

In short, Nikon D3000 is a solid camera for beginner that is simple, fun, and has great image quality. It is definitely worth your money.

Subjective Rating Relative to entry level DSLR cameras

Image Quality : 4/5

Features : 4/5

Performance : 5/5

Body and Handling : 4/5

Value for Money : 4/5

Please check out my website for more reviews.

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Ok, this review is more for the amateurs like myself. The reviews from the obvious pros was great and very educating, but for someone who is DSLR illiterate, I was also looking for a no-nonsense, buy this product or don't, review. Here are my initial thoughts of the Nikon D3000 so far:

Out of the box it was a snap to use. The quick start guide was just that. It got you up and running in no time. However, you have to be a finger contortionist just to get the strap properly affixed to the camera. No big deal; just took me about 10 minutes.

The accompanying lens is a cinch to attach to the body. This camera looks slick. It's more compact and a bit lighter than the other DSLR's I've test run at the brick and mortar stores.

Turn the camera on and the big 3" display lights up with all the camera data I hope to understand one day...f-stop, aperature, numbers, other numbers, dots and squares, and so on. I'm positive they all mean something. The included user manual says what all this stuff means, but not how a newbie like me can manipulate these settings to produce great pictures. But that's what this entry level camera is all about. Baby steps.

Set the camera to AUTO and shoot away. The camera does everything for you. AUTO is fine if you want immediate pictures. But start learning the camera's real capabilities (which only requires some light reading on-line or simple experimentation), and you're shooting your best photos ever. I'm not a big fan of flowers, but I messed with the settings, took a picture of some purpley flowers with a blurry background and, voila, I had myself a Finer Living Magazine cover.

Want pictures of the kiddos? Tired of using your point-and-shoot, pressing the button, and 3 seconds later it takes the picture? You missed the "golden frame". Guess what? This DSLR will take the picture as soon as you press the shutter button. And did you know this $450 camera will take the picture just as fast as the $5000 jobbers? Yes, you knew that. I just wanted to show that you don't need to spend loads of money on a camera to take great pictures.

Is this the camera to have for professional wedding photographs? Not unless it's 4AM at a wedding chapel on the Vegas Strip. At 10MP this camera wasn't designed for the professional to take professional photos. Use this camera for everyday pictures of the family, nature, vacations, your neighbor (kidding).

Some people don't like the fact that it doesn't have video. Who cares? Video cameras are for video. DSLR's are for taking pictures. Want video on a DSLR? Buy the D5000 or a new Canon, Mr. Moneybags.

Overall, this camera has the ability to take incredible photos. Just learn what it's capable of and you'll be very happy with it. You will not find a better price for the D3000 anywhere but Amazon. No sales tax (in most states, I think) saves you $60+.

Graduating from a point and shoot digital to a DSLR makes buying the Nikon D3000 the obvious choice.

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AmazonBasics HDMI to DVI Adapter Cable (9.8 Feet/3.0 Meters)

I use this cord to attach a Blu Ray player to my 6 year old Toshiba projection TV (720p) which does not have HDMI ports. The picture is very good and the length of the cord allows me to run it through the top of the etertainment center, down the back, and then into the TV.

Pricing these from other big box stores found this to be about 1/3 of the price. Those store will tell you that their product is better, lasts longer, not as much heat, blah, blah. Well...

1) I see no difference in picture quality between this and more expensive brand names.

2) Heat? Off an HDMI>DVI cable. Ummmm, I have no idea what the Best Buy guy was talking about.

3) I can buy this one 3 times and still spend less money.

This is the best bet all around

Many Windows based notebooks are now equipped with VGA & HDMI ports, but no DVI port. Many external monitors are equipped with VGA & DVI ports, but no HDMI port. While the analog VGA connection works, a digital connection works better. As it happens DVI is simply a subset of the HDMI standard.

This cable works great for making digital connections from a notebook with a HDMI port to an external monitor with a DVI port.

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I use to connect my PC to the TV and the length is excellent, the field is strong, however, should suggest buying "Belkin Audio Y Cable Splitter 1-Mini Plug/2-RCA Plugs (6ft)" with this, because DVI does not transmit sound only video, but in general is just what the doctor recommended me

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Purchased this cable to connect a PC (DVI out) to a 1080p flat panel (HDMI in) to use the flat panel as a monitor and to watch movies from the PC (including Blu Ray). No complaint with the image quality at all, but keep in mind that this kind of setup requires separate cable(s) for sound. This cable meets/exceeds the requirements for my setup, so I recommend this cable without reservation. Don't let the low price concern you, as the quality is just fine. Seems like a major waste of money to buy a big brand name cable that would do the same thing at SEVERAL times the price. I have purchased a few of those high-end, high-price cables previously and they are very good, but I can't discern a difference in the image quality.

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The cable works great. because it is a DVI connector on the back of the computer, no sound will go to the TV via this cable. I would recommend the HDMI to HDMI if you would want sound also.

Fosmon® 10 Ft HDMI to HDMI Cables 1080p Digital Audio / Video GOLD-PLATED Cable Premium Quality

Good quality cables for the price. Easily plugged in to components

and works well. Connected to my Sharp 46" flat screen TV and my Panasonic

Blu-ray/VHS player. Very sharp picture using Blu-ray player. Improved

VHS picture over my regular Sony VHS player/recorder.

I like the color, quality and style of these cables. The length and price was really good. Would recommend and will buy again as needed.

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Nikon D50 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor Lens

First of all, I must admit that this is only my third digital camera, and first digital SLR. But it isn't my first SLR ... I have used a Canon Elan IIE for a number of years, and trust me, that camera is no slouch.

But enough about me ... the D50 is the real star of the show! I have had the camera (along with the standard lens included with the kit) and so far I am extremely happy. I purchased it just in time to capture some photos of my new neice, and my family swears that the pictures that I was just casually snapping at the hospital look like they are professional portaits. Granted, some of my family members ... well, their necks are pretty tan, if you know what I mean, but you get the point. The camera has a slew of modes that are ideally suited to your subject (portraits, action, etc etc), and they do a great job of making all of the fine adjustments that improve the overall quality of the photo for the non-experts. But this camera has varying levels of automation to where you would practically require a photography degree to get your picture. My skills are somewhere in between, but trust me, if you are an absolutely beginner, in 5 minutes you can be taking photos that are 99% of the quality that a pro with a $5000 setup would take. Now you might need to snap a few dozen shots to get just one that is amazing, but that is what is just wonderful about digital cameras. And with a huge, super sharp LCD preview window, you can see in an instant if you have a decent shot, and if not, delete it and try again!

The camera takes the small "big-toenail" SD memory cards, which is a departure from what you will typically see in a digital SLR. I personally like the smaller size; otherwise, I don't believe there is a significant difference. If you pick up one major point from this review ... READ THIS !!!! I initially tried shooting with some SD memory that I had been using in my MP3 player. It worked fine, but if shooting a series of rapid shots, it would take the camera what seemed like a couple of seconds to write to the memory. That is typical with all of the digital SLRs that I have read about ... you get maybe a dozen high-speed shots, and then the camera sort of "bogs down". And most of the time that is fine. But this camera takes advantage of the slightly more expensive "pro" SD memory, which can be written to at extremely high speeds. Because of this, the camera can take an unprecendented number of shots (I believe 137 according to Nikon)!!! Folks, that is amazing, let me tell you. You can just hold the button down and fire away, and capture all of the high-speed action that you can imagine. No more excuses for missing that perfect action shot. Sure, you aren't going to require this feature very often, but it is nice to have, just in case. And even with normal shots, the high-speed memory seems to work much quicker than normal memory.

The camera can save files in three different size (resolution) levels, three different JPEG quality levels, and the complete uncompressed RAW format. I've been shooting using the medium resolution and medium JPEG quality, and the photos look sharper than my old Canon 35mm SLR. You could easily print out 8 x 10 photos and they would look perfect even at the medium quality setting; poster size would look fine at the high quality setting.

The rechargeable battery that is included is simply amazing I believe they rate it for 2000 shots, and I believe it. It would be VERY diffult to drain this battery in a single day, even with numerous flashes and auto-focusing shots.

The fast auto-focus, very user-friendly menus, flexibility with all Nikon lenses, and near-pro quality at a price that the weekend-photo-warrior consumer can afford, I don't see how you can go wrong with this camera.

Happy photographing!

This camera feels so much like my old Nikon film camera, it was love from the first moment I held it in my hand. Using a 1 Gig memory card I can now shoot 350+ "fine" quality photos without having to change out ten rolls of film...or pay the processing! And a handy battery recharger quickly restores battery capacity when needed. Even with lots of flash pictures its charge remained strong for very long periods of time. A handy icon appears in the info screen area to let you see at a glance who much power remains.

I bought the D50 for a vacation to the photogenic Southwest, and this camera was more than up to the task. The fast auto-focus, the simplfied auto controls that give quick choices for portrait, landscape and full sun, cloudy, night etc. let me shoot like a pro while it was the Nikon that converted my impulses into reality. Neat.

With the ability to interchange lenses, and a great Nikon Zoom lens to start, I believe this camera proves that it is the optics which are every bit as important as the pixels. My earlier digital camera has suffered sudden retirement.

I have a wide carriage Epson printer and have been printing out some of the images as 12x18 prints. Even with cropping, the images look like they were taken with a medium format camera. Progress!

If you like crisp and detailed images with no hint of digital-itis, this camera is a great choice. I love precisely composing pictures through the lens rather than approximating the cropping with the display screen; but I also benefit from the ability to quickly check that screen to see the results at once. Never could do that with my old SLR without a Polaroid back!

Overall, this camera and lens is a real find and I do not think you can go wrong with it. Its only drawback is a short learning curve to become familiar with the many features and options it includes, and that is not really a complaint. This camera has more tricks than I will ever use!

Buy Nikon D50 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor Lens Now

I have used Canon and Nikon film cameras for more than 20 years (love my N55 and still use an AE1-P) and own other Canon and Nikon digitals but this was my first D-SLR. I scoured magazine and online reviews and the choice came down to the Canon EOS Rebel XT and the Nikon D70.

They are very similar. The EOS is 8.0 MP vs. the D70's 6.1 MP but for the type of photography I will be doing (max 11x14 prints) that is not a problem. The D70 has quite a few more control features. That and the price difference tipped me towards the Nikon.

Once I made up my mind to buy a Nikon, I compared the D70 to the D50. They are quite similar and in some ways the D50 is superior to the more expensive D70. Besides a more rugged body, the D70 has a few nice features the D50 lacks: a lighted control panel, a front sub-control thumbwheel, depth of field preview, and you can fine-tune white balance. But the D50 has some features over the D70, notable a larger LCD monitor, higher capacity battery, and USB 2.0 high speed support. Every magazine I read raved about the D50 and none of the features it lacked made me willing to pay more for the D70. I purchased the D50 with the Nikkor AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G Zoom Lens.

After using it for several weeks all I can say is, wow! It is easy to use but I can fiddle with nearly all settings when I want to get creative. Using a digital with almost no shutter lag has spoiled me. I've taken many great shots with a Canon PowerShot 1S IS but it's my backup now. In the D50 I have finally found an affordable digital camera that is as fun to use as my film cameras.

Pros will probably prefer higher-end Nikons but if you like using film SLRs and would like to get into a D-SLR for less than the price of a decent used car, I highly recommend the D50.

June 2006 update: I recently used my D-50 to photograph friends doing a triathlon to raise money for cancer research. It performed flawlessly in all settings and I ended up with many outstanding photos. The triathlon gave me ample opportunities to use the D-50's "sports" setting and continuous exposure feature to capture athletes swimming, bicycling, and running from a variety of distances. The colors are perfect and I was able to get 5x7 and 8x10 prints on photo paper (from a lab) with hardly a tweak beyond cropping. The D-50 is now my favorite camera. Yes, there are cameras with higher resolution and more features but it is hard to beat the "bang for the buck" factor on the D-50.

One suggestion: like every other camera manual I have ever read, the Nikon manual that comes with the D-50 is accurate and complete but leaves a lot to be desired. Unless you are so experienced that you do not have to read a manual (and I'm not) I highly recommend you invest in a copy "Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon D50" by Simon Stafford. This book is everything the Nikon manual is not. This Magic Lantern Guide not only thoroughly explains every feature on the D-50 but goes beyond to illustrate how, when, and why you would use a setting or feature. It also throws in tips & tricks that Nikon's writers wouldn't include. Highly recommended.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon D50 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor Lens Here

I had the chance to test the Canon XT and Nikon D50 at the same time during a whole day.....and I leant towards the D50...why??? because I noticed eight differences:

1. D50 is less noisy than XT from Iso 200 to 800 and also crispier.

2. DR is better on the D50, ...

3. D50 grip is excellent (to me)

4. The start-up is also a bit faster on the D50...the XT under low light conditions take more than a second to focus properly and raise the flash.

5. Nikon colors are awesome.

6. Battery life is endless.....much much better than XT battery....no doubt on it.

7. 18-55Dx is sharper than 18-55 EFs, in fact, the Canon kit lens is unusable.

8. NEF is less noisy than Canon RAW.

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This is a fantastic camera and I'm having a load of fun shooting with it. If you want a real short review...solid body, amazing low light performance, get the 18-70 mm lens, shoot away and have fun!

Here is the long version:

A little photographic background about myself first. I'm what you'd call an amatuar enthusiast. My dad gave me Canon A-1 (35 mm SLR from the early 80's) to play with when I was in middle school. I still have and it still works great. I use it occasionally now when I need the telephoto lens it has. My first digital camera was an Apple Quicktake 100, a pioneering product, but not much real use. I bought a Canon S30 in 2002, wonderful little camera took great pictures and can take a lot of abuse, when I moved to a Canon A95 last year, the S30 was passed to my mom. In general, I can't say any bad things about all the Canon's I have owned, except the A95 costed me a bit in batteries. The S30 and the A95 took great photos and are tough cameras.

Anyway, back to the D50. It's my first Nikon, actually it's my family's first Nikon. It's also the most anyone has ever spent on a camera in my family (although what my dad spent on the A1 in 1982 dollars probably came close to this). I got it primarily because I wanted to shoot in darker settings and need longer zoom than my A95 can provide. I was seriously considering the Canon 350D. I knew it would be a good camera because of my past experience with Canon. But but in the end I decided to get the D50 instead on the grounds that the Nikon D50 body is better built and more pleasant to shoot with and has better noise performance at high ISO. I also had a slight 'grass is greener on the other side of the fence' itch...in any case, after two weeks, I'm not disappointed with the D50. Actually I'm pretty thrilled!

Here is my experience with the camera. First of all, the camera feels great in my hand. I feel like 'photographer' when I'm shooting with it. The balance with the 18-70 mm nikkor f3.5-4.5 lens is good. The camera doesn't feel tender or too plasticky. It begs to be held.

Secondly, the low light performance of the camera is absolutely amazing. The camera has very low noise at ISO 800 and I use that setting on a regular basis. At ISO 1600, the noise does increase a bit but the photos are still usable. There is a work around where you can get the ISO 1600+ performance but the ISO 800 noise level. Simply use +5 exposure compensation with ISO 800 in shutter priority mode. Compare to a campact digicam, the difference in quality is night and day. I very rarely use flash now. That said, the built-in flash is not bad! Pretty uniform illumination with good range.

Thirdly, the auto focusing does a very good job and pretty fast. I rarely use the AF assistance lamp. I turn it off unless I'm in an unlit room. The AF will have problems focusing on uniform background but that's understandable.

The last thing I want to mention is that the battery life is excellent. I have yet to drain the battery in one day yet. Turning off the AF assist lamp, use less flash and turn off the sound all helps with battery life. There are many other features of the camera that I haven't really played much yet...WB, sharping, saturation and etc., the auto mode on those parameters seem to do a fine job.

Here are my recommendations if you want to get this camera. First, I'd forgo the 18-55 mm kit lens, get the body only and the 18-70 mm lens (normally part of the D70/D70s kit). You'll appreciate that extra 15 mm often. Second, get a fast 1 GB or more SD card. A 1 GB card gives me about 270-300 photos at best JPG setting. Third, get a nice camera bag like something by Lowepro. It'll protect your camera and allow you to take it to many places that you won't take the camera to had you not had the camera bag. Fourth, get a UV filter with the lens from the get go. They say B+W is good, I got their MRC filter and now I'm worry free. Lastly, send in your lens warranty card right after you get your lens! If you don't you are giving away a 5 year warranty and it becomes a 1 year warranty. My next purchase would be a nikkor 80-200 mm F2.8 zoom lens but that'll have to wait till I replenish my bank account somewhat.

In summary, this is a great camera for serious amatuars upgrading to their first dSLR. Highly recommended.

You can check out my photos at

It has photos taken with all of my cameras (Canon A-1, S30, A95 and the Nikon D50).

ION Film 2 SD 35mm Slide and Negative Scanner

For $100, it's not bad. This device holds 3 slides in a bracket. The bracket is kinda fussy. Although the actual scan takes only a second or two, my steady stream average was 20 seconds per slide, mostly due to loading and unloading the bracket. Still, it's easy to do watching TV. No file-naming or computer fiddling is necessary during scanning. The SD card is dumped later onto a computer in one easy step, so that's good. The scans themselves are OK quality. Those old slides have really killer resolution and color, and you lose that. But for vacation shots from the 70s you want to view and share on your computer, this will do just fine.

This review is for the Slide 2 SD version only. The speed and transfer options are different from other versions of the Ion slide scanner.

Pros: fast, user friendly, ultra portable.

Cons: glass needs frequent cleaning to avoid dust particles from becoming part of the scanned image.

This device is great for storing, or restoring, your old family memories. The scanning itself is fast if you don't count the time it takes you to load the slides unto the tray (four at a time). Even that, however, gets faster after you've got the rhythm. My task was scanning 430 slides, and over 500 other images in negative strips and rolls. All combined, I had almost 1,000 photos to turn to digital. What I thought would be an endless pain proved to be the exact opposite. It only took about two days of my time, with a few hours work each day. Just think of it as a fun week-end project.

The photos come out at 2400x1600 pixels. The image quality is as good as the slide or negative allows. Please keep in mind that slides and negatives deteriorate over time, especially if stored in extreme temperatures or humidity, or in too much light. You can't expect a 30 or 40 year old slide to come out the same as a contemporary digitally taken photo, no matter what scanner you use. Additional processing can be done once the scanned photos are downloaded on the computer.

The device is really easy to use. Load the tray with the desired media (slides, negative strip or roll), insert it into the slot, press the OK button twice, push the tray for the next image, etc. The images are stored on the 1 GB SD card that comes with the scanner. You can then insert the card into your computer to copy the photos on your hard drive. The scanner has no processing options other than flipping or rotating the image.

The only complaint I have so far is that the glass where the image is projected gets dirty fairly easily, which will spoil your photos if not regularly cleaned. The glass is where the image is scanned from, so if it accumulates dust particles, they become a part of your photo. It's really like looking at the scenery through a dirty window. So you want to keep the glass clean, which is not that easy. The only access you have to do so is the slot where you insert the slide/negative trays. It's wide enough for a Q-tip to do the job, provided that the Q-tip doesn't leave behind some cotton thread of its own. Other than that, the scanner really did what I expected it to do. It turned my family's slides from the 70's and 80's, as well as negatives from the 90's, into digital photos.

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The bottom line is that one could expect scans from original film to be better quality than scans from paper copy. Unfortunately, when it comes to this scanner, it is just opposite. Therefore purchasing it doe not make much sense. Allegedly, it is a 5 MB scanner. It should give you plenty of dpi (about 3600?). Unfortunately, scans produced by this contraption are much less that your screen resolution. waste of money and time.

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This is really a great little piece. I scanned slides with it faster than I have with anything eles. The images its produces are of good quality. If you need to mainpulate the image and clean it up you need a photo program, this is a scanner and works very well at that. Now that I said that I am waiting for a replacement to arrive. I started with the base model, it was dead on arrival, returned it and upgraded to the SD, and as I said it works, worked great. I notice from the start that I was having problems powering the unit up. What happens is you push the power button it should turmn on the LED lighting and the program boots in the window. Well, the light would flash the screen would come on and nothing, let it sit and try a few times it would finally boot up and away we go. Well, this just did not seem right so I e-mailed customer support with what it was doing and two days later received an e-mail back saying that it appeared I had a defective unit and to please return it to the store that I had purchased it at, which I did. They had no more, and had to order a replacement from the warehouse, waiting on a new unit. Like I said, scanning slides with it is a breeze.Yes the instructions are not all that great, but it basically is push button and it works, so what more do you need. This will be the test however, if this one does not work I will down grade my rating. But I really do love using it.

Received the upgraded version, works like a charm. Copied over 300 slides over the weekend. To be truthful, I have been trying to find a way of copying my slides for quit awhile to include purchasing a multipurpose printer that scans, copies, prints all media and this device is by far the simplest and fastest device I have come across to date, and the price is not bad either. By the way it works really sharp on negatives too, so if you have sheets of old negatives, this device will turn your negatives back into useful picturesand does it very well.

Now understand, it's not going to fix your slides, they need to be clean and you need a photo program to enhance the color and sharpen the slides. Basically, it's going to copy what it sees, and not fix age nor photographer errors. I would recommend this device to a friend or family member that wanted to make digital copies of the family slides.

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This is a great product. I have tried scanners in the past and they did not provide even "good" quality images this one gives "excellent" quality. The color rendition and luminance is very accurate compared to the originals, with very high resolution. For the price this is a fantastic value.

I like the included display, that allows one to set up the picture without having to be hooked up to the PC. In fact with the built in memory, you can do many photos without bothering with the PC, then very easily transfer to the PC or Mac as in my case. No fussing with software it works right of the box.

I see that others have not reviewed this as highly I suspect that the poor instruction manual might have something to do with it. To scan positives, it is necessary to get the unit set up to do this, and the instructions are not helpful. I suggest that users try different combinations to get to the right setting.

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Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR Digital Camera

I read many reviews by customers on most all the pocket zoom cameras and this camera had pretty good reviews and many options on this camera. I am replacing an older Kodak digital camera.

I have had it about 3 weeks and love it. It has a great zoom, wide angle, panarama, and the best of all the EXR feature which I feel is great for using the camera on fully automatic. You can also use many manual features with this camera if you wish.

As far as the flash not poping up all the time, I feel that is a great feature. If I feel I need the flash, I can pop it up. I have read reviews on other cameras and the flash poping up every time you turn the camera on was a negative. If you are somewhere where you are not allowed to use a flash, you don't have to remember to close the flash or turn the flash off. If you don't pop it up manually, you don't have to worry about it going off. If you are taking pictures where you need or want to use the flash, when you turn off the camera, the flash retracts automatically.

It also takes very good-excellent low light photographs.

Very satisfied with no negatives. Battery life is as good as other pocket cameras.

I also purchased the carry pouch (on Amazon)(great price) which also comes with a great little tripod for zoom shooting.

Great camera!

Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR Digital Camera Review

The travel zoom genre of cameras is of particular interest to me, personally. I've always found that the camera that you have with you takes far better pictures than the larger, bulkier unit you left at home, camp, or at the hotel. If it isn't convenient to carry around, I'm not interested, as I know that the wonderful images it might have taken won't exist.

Digital cameras have been capable of taking quite enjoyable, pleasing images for a good long while. My "ancient" Canon PowerShot A610 (from 2005) boasted a 5 megapixel sensor, a 4x zoom, and had an articulated, fold-out 2 inch LCD along with an optical viewfinder. Seven years ago, it was considered good for 11 x 17 prints and included the novelty of capturing 640 x 480 (VGA) video. Power on to first shot from the made in China A610 is 1.4 seconds, and battery life is 27 hours of still-image capture mode with the LCD turned off, 11 hours of image playback with the LCD on. Retail in 2007 was $299, considered a bargain compared to the Canon A95 of a year prior that it replaced, that listed for about $400. If you are wondering what the difference is between a great-looking 8 x 10 from 2007 and one from 2012 is, well, I'm wondering as well.

Despite the impressive battery life from quad AA's, the A610 isn't readily pocketable. Its bulk and weight prohibit that. Digital cameras have rapidly advance, not always in a universally agreed upon good direction, but they have improved. In a prior round-up of digital camera for hunting and the outdoors,, the Canon SX230 came out on top. More recently, the Panasonic Lumix beat out the SX230 on the basis of fast shooting performance and a stunningly usable intelligent zoom of 37.9x. You can read the details at .

I've always felt that a review that compares something to something is more valuable than a stand-alone article. So, in this case the FujiFilm F660EXR is going up against the current champion of sorts, the Lumix ZS-15, with a few references to the very competent SX230HS Canon. It is, in my view, appropriate as both cameras have very similar zoom ranges, both are at very similar $200 $230 street prices, and both are cameras that forgo the things that mean little to me, like a GPS, although both Fuji and Panasonic offer GPS versions at about a hundred dollar higher price premium.

Zoom: The Fuji has a 15x optical zoom; the Lumix a 16x optical zoom. Both promise intelligent or smart digital zoom without severely impacting image quality.

Battery Life: 300 shots CIPA standard for the Fuji, 260 shots for the Lumix. Extra batteries for the Fuji are almost ridiculously cheap as well.

Battery Charging: Fuji supplies an external wall-charger, Panasonic is in-camera only as supplied. Advantage to Fuji out of the box, however wall-chargers are readily available for the ZS-15 albeit at extra cost.

Weight / Size: The Fuji is slightly heavier (217g vs. 208g) but slightly smaller in envelope dimensions: 60x104x33mm vs. 61x105x34mm for the Lumix. No significant real-world difference, although the Fuji feels more secure in the hands.

Sensor: Perhaps the most interesting part of the Fuji F660 is this "stage two" version of its back-side illuminated EXR sensor, a 1/2 inch (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor sporting a higher resolution (16MP) than the 12MP Panasonic sensor, and a bit larger size than the 1/2.3 inch Panasonic sensor as well. It is a bigger sensor, but even at approximately 15% increased size to a 1/2.3 it still rates as dinky. The "EXR" technology is a bit clumsy to explain, FujiFilm hardly makes it transparently clear, but the basic notion is that rather than a "16M" sensor, you have the effect of pixel doubling in 8M mode that either reduces noise substantially or extends the dynamic range substantially. The Panasonic sensor is the same as used on its larger Lumix FZ-150 "bridge camera." The same is true for the F660EXR, as apparently it is the same sensor is used on the larger HS-30EXR.

LCD: Both the Fuji and the Panasonic have 460,000 dot three inch displays and both of them have brighter outdoor modes that can be engaged to combat direct sunlight. The Fuji rendition of this works better in the field.

Video: Both cameras tout full HD; the Fuji adds specialty high speed modes at lower resolution. The Fuji has stereo mics, the Lumix has a monaural mic. The Fuji is essentially video on or off, while the Panasonic adds a very large number of features ported over from its still image capture options.

Part of the confusion that runs rampant in digital cameras is the "MegaPixel Myth." Cameras are marketed and graded, by consumers anyway, in terms of megapixels alone. Often, it doesn't go much farther than that. Yet, megapixels don't tell the full tale. A small sensor camera might have 1.9 microns square photo sites, while a DSLR might offer 5.2 microns square photo sites. A full frame DSLR might have 8.24 microns square photo sites. This is why lower mega-pixel cameras with the same sensor size may well have better overall image quality. That is the case with the Panasonic Lumix ZS-15 (12.1 MP) vs. the allegedly a bit more upscale (in features) 14.1 MP Lumix ZS-20.

How many megapixels do we need? Good question, as more than 300 dpi in color can't be readily used for printing, an 8 x 10 (2400 x 3000 pixels) is 7.2 MP. That might make sense, if we viewed 8 x 10 prints in a book, held between our hands. Often not the case, as framed photos on the wall are often enjoyed from five feet away. That changes things, as now 200 dpi is all that humans can discern. The A3 (11.7 x 16.5) print at 200 dpi is about 7.8 MP. This is why many of the framed 8 x 10 images on the wall I have produced are from 5 or "6 Meg" images (2816 x 2112) or thereabouts.

So, that seems to be the theory behind the Fujifilm EXR pixel doubling sensor, or as they call it, "diagonally-aligned twin pixels of the same color." Like any marketing copy from any company, they can say most anything that sounds good, the actual results are what count. What the camera actually captures in 4:3 aspect ratio is size "L" (about 15.9 MP ) "M" (7.99 MP ) and "S" (3.98 MP). EXR sensors have three modes high resolution, high signal to noise ratio, and high sensitivity. The "high resolution" is convention, whereas the half-resolution, 8 MP modes that are more interesting.

I'll do my best to discuss how the Fuji F660EXR and the Panasonic ZS-15 compare, doing down the line for some of the most frequently discussed areas.

PRICE

Although the Fuji is listed with an abnormally high retail price (on Amazon at $379.99 list), that doesn't bear any scrutiny. You can buy it direct from the FujiFilm USA webstore for $279.99. You can buy the Panasonic direct from Panasonic for $249.99, so the "279.99 retail" makes little sense, either, but it is a lot closer to reality than the bombastic Fuji retail number. As I write this, the Fuji can be had for $209, the Panasonic for $205, so the street price is as close to the same as you're likely to find. In terms of value, the Fuji has an edge in two areas: a stand-alone wall charger is included (Lumix is USB in-camera only, taking the camera out of service) and extra batteries are surprisingly inexpensive. I paid $3.24 each, delivered, for "Kodak KLIC-7004 / Fuji Np-50 / Pentax DL-I68 Compatible Li-Ion Battery" presented as 3.7V, 1400 mAh, 5.18Wh, sold by eForCity.

Panasonic is particularly irritating about suggesting you need their $35 "secure" battery to keep from going back in time or something, and their charger sells for $16-which should have been included in the box. You can do better, as in a Wasabi charger / two batteries Panasonic-compatible set from Blue Nook for $30, which is the path I took. Though we aren't talking much more than "Happy Meal" funding, the Fuji does rate as a better value... if it turns out to be the camera you want.

VIDEO

Both the F660EXR and the Panasonic ZS-15 are capable of HD video capture. However, both the monaural audio of the ZS-15 and the stereo mics of the Fuji pick up motor noise when zooming, as do most compacts inclusive of the Canon SX230. The difference between stereo and mono audio exists primarily on a specifications sheet. The mics are so very, very tiny no high quality is to be expected and no great stereo separation is possible, either.

For stationary video capture, either might be considered adequate, but rank clear notch below any number of inexpensive camcorders that cost no more than these compact still cameras. The Fuji has a couple of fun slow-motion modes, although at lower resolution, to experiment with in bright light. They are 640 x 480 at 80 fps, 320 x 240 at 120 fps, and a tiny 320 x 112 at 320 fps. The Fuji movie mode is essentially one way, the automatic way. One thing you can do is lose the "continuous focus" (the focus drifts during zoom and the camera transmits focusing noise) and go with "center focus" for more consistent but still unremarkable results. Aside from the high speed modes, the F660EXR has very little to offer for video. A hint of this is the video record page in the owner's manual that is just that, one skimpy page. The biggest issue with the Fuji is the sluggish focusing in movie mode. Combined with what seems to be no image stabilization at all, it is apparent that FujiFilm added video capability as an afterthought and with very little attention. Regardless of its "HD" capture, out of focus and jerky video isn't a pretty picture. It is tripod only and easy on the zoom for enjoyable results and is the biggest failing of the F660. The video it captures is very dark so as to be nearly worthless indoors. I consider it a last resort feature, at best.

On the other hand, the Lumix ZS-15 has a boatload of features that are ported over to its video function including all ten creative modes, many of the scene modes, etc. In the "Intelligent Auto" mode, you can even intelligent zoom your way to 32x in the 720p mode I generally shoot in, while the creative modes are 16x. While video and compact digital cameras don't always get along well, there is no question that if video is important to you, the Panasonic gives you more far options, more control, more features, and overall far better quality moving pictures.

SMART ZOOM / INTELLIGENT ZOOM

Fuji calls their version "intelligent zoom" while Panasonic calls their version "intelligent zoom" as well. Sony used to call their rendition "smart zoom" but now apparently it is "clear zoom." The basic idea is this: when shooting at full resolution of a compact camera, digital zoom interpolates part of the image, manufacturing an image that generally turns people into nuclear holocaust victims or similar. However, when shooting at half resolution of the sensor, no digital pixelization type interpolation occurs. Instead, you frame your image as usual and you get a print-ready image with no fuss, at half the native resolution of the sensor. While I hesitate to call it as good as straight optical, it is very good and nets you a 30x image when 15x won't do, and the cropping of a bloated 16M image leaves you with the portion you really wanted a bit out of focus. Just as important, you have a good representation of the image on your 3 inch LCD when you actually take the shot. Grabbing a huge image and crop might sound good, but exactly what a small crop might turn out to be when you hit the button is not easy to discern. They both work well and equally well that I can discern.

LOW LIGHT

There is no universally accepted notion of low light. After all, most compact digital cameras have a built-in flash. The Panasonic flash unit is integral on the body, rated at 0.6 6.4m (Wide/ISO Auto), 1.0 3.5m (Tele/ISO Auto). The Fuji "Super Intelligent Flash," a pop-up unit, is rated at 15 cm 3.2 meters for wide angle, 90 cm 1.9 meters for telephoto. While you might think a pop-up flash to be more powerful, I'd normally assume that as well, the Fuji has similar specs to the Canon SX230 and it is actually the Panasonic with a flash that has about twice the effective range of either of them.

In the case of low-light, sans flash, which is my version of low-light anyway, neither of these cameras have fast lens arrays or large sensors, the normal prescription for excellent low light captures. The Canon SX230 has an often wondrous handheld night mode, which composites two pictures quickly. The Panasonic has the same mode, but the results aren't nearly as good.

The Fuji has the largest number of options to choose from without resorting to a tripod, though it has that night mode as well. You can go with the auto EXR mode, which often hits the "High ISO Low Noise" sensor function, but varies with the individual scene. Or, you can direct the camera to go straight there with the EXR Priority mode. Or, you can go to the "Pro Low-Light" mode that takes four images and combines them. Further, you can set the camera to save the original images, so you'll have your four originals that you can consider later in addition to the "Pro Low-Light" composite. The "save original" also applies to the auto panorama, red-eye removal, and "Pro Focus" modes as well. If that wasn't enough, there are more low-light options in the scene position arena to choose from: "Natural & Flash, Natural, Night, and Night Tripod." The Fujifilm F660EXR handily wins the low light award (when shooting at 1/2 resolution), though the exact mode that does it for you will take some personal experimentation contingent on the precise scene you are capturing. It is the best low-light compact long zoom I've tested.

LCD DISPLAY

Both the Fuji and the Panasonic have upgraded (to these respective newer models) 460,000 dot 3 inch 4:3 aspect ratio displays. Both have "power" modes to mitigate the frustrating effect of direct sun washout, the Panasonic is dubbed "Power LCD." Fuji calls their feature the "Monitor Sunlight Mode." They are both effective but the Fuji F660 display is more usable in bright, direct sunlight.

HANDLING

The Fuji has a better, more secure feel in the hands due to its textured grip on the right side and some effective little rubber nubs for your thumb on the back of the unit. The Fujifilm F660EXR also has a more readily accessible video button. However, the Panasonic mode dial isn't quite as easily inadvertently knocked into a different mode as the easier to spin Fuji dial can be, but the Fuji placement is more convenient. Overall, the Fuji is a bit better feeling and more stable when shooting.

SPEED

The Panasonic is generally peppier in operation, but the Fuji is in the same arena, feeling a bit faster switching from capture mode to review mode. It is very quick to go from image capture to image review with the push of a button or shutter on the Fuji, while Panasonic still has the slower mechanical slide to change over. In normal operation, 8M files are being saved in the Fuji, whereas 5M files are saved in the Panasonic. Both are quite sufficient for 8 x 10 prints. Your choice in the Panasonic, in 4:3 aspect ratio, is between 12M and 5M, though there are more aspect ratios to select from. With the Fuji, it is "L" (16M) or "M" (8M) in 4:3, the M mode is where you'll want it, as that is what allows the EXR sensor to change between the three possible modes. The Fuji "S" (4M) mode, 2304 x 1728, would be for snapshot or web use, primarily, or perhaps insertion into a video production.

STILL PICTURE FEATURES

Both cameras have auto panorama modes, the Fuji adds double exposure capability so you can create superimposed images. Fuji has standard, soft, vivid, black & white, and sepia modes. Panasonic counters with similar modes, calling their vivid mode "Happy." Panasonic fills out the soft, black & white, and sepia options, adding "expressive," retro, high key, low key, toy, miniature, and high dynamic to experiment with. Both cameras have automatic face detection, Fuji adds face detection for dogs and cats as well. Both have 3D modes, though I find little value in them.

There is "exposure bracketing" with the Panasonic, where three pictures are taken and you adjust the exposure based on your selection of one of the three. Your selection then becomes the default exposure. Fuji goes quite a bit farther. In addition to the three shot exposure bracket burst which saves three images for you, one standard, one underexposed, and one overexposed according to the default, the F660 gives you the three image "bracketing option" on color and dynamic range as well. One push of the button, you have three images in "Provia (std.), Velvia (Vivid), and Astia (soft). Later, you can decide which of these three film simulation mode captures appeals to you the most. Fuji does the same for Dynamic Range as well: one push of the button, three images to choose from. It is the image superimposing ability, large number of low light modes, and the three-way exposure / film mode / dynamic range bracketing that combine to give the Fuji the solid edge in the still images features department.

Conclusion:

The Fuji has the ***worst*** video capability of any compact I've tested. It is really horrid and an embarrassment considering how good the rest of the camera works. If taking video with your digital still camera is important to you, this glaring defect alone will be more than sufficient for you to go elsewhere. I'll leave it to you to grade the importance of the video in your own terms.

However, the Fuji F660EXR is sold as a digital still camera, not as a camcorder that can take stills. As a digital camera, it handles better than the Panasonic (and the Canon SX230 for that matter), puts them both to shame in terms of battery life, many still camera features, and in particular low light ("M" or 8M mode). When viewed and used as an "8MP" camera, the captured images from the Fuji are 3264 x 2448. That's more than adequate for an outstanding 8 x 10 print even with a moderate amount of cropping. It is also better than needed for very good prints up to 20 x 30, according to most. As tragic as the video attempt is on the F660EXR, it easily rates as a good choice in a long zoom digital still camera, with exemplary low light capabilities for the platform. The included charger and inexpensive batteries, along with a $210 street price make it a very compelling compact travel zoom still camera.

At the same time, the Panasonic yields more consistent results: a higher percentage of pictures are crisp and blur-free with the ZS-15. The just plain lousy video ability of the Fuji is not as advertised or as described by Fuji or by Amazon. Overall the Panasonic is a far more satisfying camera, despite the better handling of the Fuji.

Copyright June, 2012 by Randy Wakeman and Randy Wakeman Outdoors. All Rights Reserved.

Buy Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR Digital Camera Now

I've had this camera three weeks now, and I really love it. It replaced an F300exr, and this one is an improvement, from the fact that the flash doesn't pop up when you turn it on, to the fast start-up and re-cycling, to the accurate colors and depth in the photos. The pro-focus and pro-low light modes help create great photos, and the 5 film-simulation modes are fun to work with. It's small to tuck away, fun and powerful to use, and at a great price point. I didn't need all the bells and whistles of the F750 or F770, and I'm glad Fuji made this "in-between" camera with such great features at such a good price.

Read Best Reviews of Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR Digital Camera Here

I just love FUJI Cameras .. I am a Veteran Ebay Seller & that requires alot of Photos to be taken for my Listings. This Camera is Fabulous .. Lots of Bells & Whistles too numerous to mention. I Like the the option to adjust the ISO settings making it easy NOT to have to use your Flash so much on indoor shots. The Macro option is Nice, great Close-Ups for those little Collectibles. Other Options built in include Image Quality, Crop & Resize features, even image rotation too. Among ALL the Fabulous Features it even has CAT & DOG Face Recognition! :) I take thousands of Photos & the thing I noitce the Most is HOW FAST it is compared to my old 12 year old Fuji which just started Giving me problems. IF THIS Camera Lasts as Long.. it's the Deal of the Century!

IF you are a Ebay Seller or Have a Website.. THIS IS A GREAT Moderately Price Fuji! I also purchase a additional Bundle/kit which included 2 extra Batteries, Battery Charger, window screen protecters.

Want Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR Digital Camera Discount?

Reviews of cameras are dominated by comparisons, personal preferences and opinions. I'm no different in this respect because I look for certain features, the Fujifilm 660 being my ninth digital camera. I chose the 660 for these features:

The EXR sensor

Zoom beyond 4X

Fast focus

Shutter,aperture and manual shooting modes

No GPS

Ability to use at 8MP

At least 4fps burst mode

Flash normally off

Relatively inexpensive battery

Bright LCD

F-Button quick menu

This meets my needs almost perfectly!

But alas, I cannot use it because it has NO VIEWFINDER and without it I cannot control action shots nor high-zoom shots without carrying a tripod with the camera. And this alone defeats the purpose of having a pocketable photo device. Otherwise the 660 is an excellent camera. (I currently have three other cameras, all with viewfinders)

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