Canon PowerShot S400 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

I bought the S-400 to upgrade from the S-200 that I have been using since it was made available. I love the S-200, as it is both durable and handy. It has also become a great value with recent price reductions. On the other hand, I wanted to get the most recent tech advances in the smallest package, so the S-400 was the clear choice.

Here are my initial impressions, and some of the improvements / differences between the 200 and the 400. First of all, Canon has paid close attention to the nits and picks of users of the earlier cameras in the ELPH line. Aside from the addition of cutting edge developments, there have been subtle changes that greatly increase it's ease of use. This is an incredible camera built into a compressed case. Except for being ever so slightly thicker than the S-200, it is the same cigarette pack size.

It has a 4 mega pixel sensor, and it is quick and accurate. Color saturation and contrast are outstanding. The lens is very sharp from edge to edge (I tested at various light levels from macro mode (1.5") to infinity focus, and it consistantly produced remarkably fine images). 8x10 prints are outstanding. Period. At long shutter speeds (up to 15 sec), the sensor is remarkably free from "noise". In fact, it does better than many SLR style digicams in all areas of picture quality.

The 3x optical zoom is a welcome addition. Now you can take a proper head an shoulders portrait without invoking the relatively lossy digital zoom, or suffering from the effects of distorted facial features caused by getting too close with a too short lens. When you need it though, the digital zoom offers up to 11x total zoom power, and returns pretty good results as digital zooms go. The 400 retains the special effects lineup of the 200, and they work very well. The tonal range of the black & white option is a real treat. The final result isn't exactly Panatomic X quality, but it is really good, and your darkroom for artistic dodging and burning is contained entirely on your hard drive.

The case is still steel, but has a ceramic coating that is supposed to be even more scratch resistant. It is also much "whiter", and offers MUCH better contrast when you read the various control labels. While the contols are similar, they are also marked with larger and bolder lettering. All in all, a big improvrment. The michrophone was moved from the front to the top of the case. I think the front makes more sense, but it works very well on top. Canon also included a tiny (but effective) speaker in the 400. You can now select or create sounds for all camera functions (even a "real" shutter sound), as well as make voice notes for each photo taken if desired. Most sound functions are individualy adjustable for volume, and several sound "themes" are included. Techno-tinkerers might enjoy customizing the photo displayed upon startup. Movie preview also has sound now.

On the subject of movies, the 400 makes a little tradeoff. The max resolution is no longer 640x480, it is 320x240 (which is fast becoming standard for movies from still cameras). On the other hand, it is not limited to 10 seconds anymore. You can now make clips up to 3 minutes each. Computer playback looks very good. TV playback isn't bad at all. As a pocket sized way to film Junior taking his first bike ride without training wheels, it can't be beat.

The shutter button and zoom ring are a little larger, and now feel just right. The 400 has also incorporated the mode selector wheel used on other high end Canon cameras. This is long overdue, as it makes using all of the many features and modes a real joy.

Red eye appears to be better than before, but I don't expect much from such a close coupled flash / lens combo, and who really cares, as it is corrected with a click of the mouse before you print a photo. A few MAJOR improvements are the 9 zone Ai AF, and new (yellow) focus assist. If you were not careful, the 200 could return slightly out of focus shots, and in low light, the focus assist sometimes didn't. That has been fixed. The 9 zone intelligent AF really does an amazing job, and the new focus assist achieves lock under a much wider range of difficulty than the old system.

The built in flash has a generous range for a tiny camera, and the coverage is very even. Shooting a blank wall within the range of the flash shows no "hot spots". The metering options are still program, center weighted, or spot, but the program mode seems to have been given a big boost. The 200 does very well, but the 400 is on par with the SLR class for getting it right the first time.

Exposure bracketing is +/2 EV, slow synchro flash is still there to boost background brightness when needed, the panoramic stitch mode is still a treat, and, in general, this is nothing less than a James Bond version of a full featured, top quality 4+ megapixel digital camera. The only tradeoff is that a full sized camera with similar features might offer a larger lens aperture. That can extend your non flash low light level by an F stop or so, but it does no good if the camera is sitting at home, rather than in your pocket. If it is in your budget, get this camera. Not only will you take more quality pictures over time, but you won't be burdened by feeling like a conspicuous tourist while doing it.

One last note. Buy a high speed (24x) 256 meg memory card. The speed alows for quicker second shots (the 400 can do 2.5 FPS in continuous mode), and the 256 meg size gives you a full 128 shots at the highest resolution, many hundreds of pics at the low res setting.

I just bought the S400 from Dell for $xxx a little while back and was considering the Sony DSC-P10 at the time as well. I figured I'd write up a review on amazon to help other people out that are in the decision making process.

Price:

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The Sony DSC-P10 is 5 MP vs. 4 MP for the S400. The difference in resolution may immediately sway your decision to teh DSC-P10, but I would think very carefully. While the extra 1 MP sounds like a lot, my old 2.0 MP Canon S00 was fine for priting pictures all the way up to 8x10 (w/o any cropping). 4 MP resolution should allow you to price 11x14 with no cropping, and 8x10 with a lot of cropping. 5 MP is just excessive IMO. These days, it's just a race among manufacturers to see who can advertise the highest MP number.

Shooting modes and menus

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P10 also has some convenient shooting modes which make it more user friendly. It also has great features like cropping, resizing and rotating right on the camera which helps when you are not by a computer and want to free up room on your media storage.

The Canon S400 has a far superior menu system and is much easier to use.

Size:

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Canon S400 is smaller, making it a more pocketable camera IMO. Trust me on this one. The specs shown them being only very slightly different in dimensions, but the total volume of the cameras makes the S400 ideal. Those with bigger hands may prefer the layout and slightly larger size of the P10 though.

Memory storage:

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The P10 uses Memory cards, which are limited to 128 MB, unless you use the double sided ones (Sony Memory Duo), where you can flip them over to get another 128 MB. Far too much hassle for me.. sounds easy in theory, but in real life, you will hate it. My friend who bought the P10 surely does. You can get larger memory sticks, which comes in the form of the "Sony Memory Pro", which are 256 MB and 512 MB. Keep in mind though, that these cards have problems acting as regular storage for files, and things like Mp3s for sony mp3 players. They have some type of digital rights management (DRM) on them that have causes lots of problems for people (so i've read on many reviews). Also, these PRO cards only work in 2003 (or newer) sony devices. Lastly, the memory pro cards have some type of management files on the cards themselves, taking up about 20MB of space. So a 256 MB card, really only has about 230 MB. Maybe not a big deal, but com'on, at advertise the size correctly!

Battery Life:

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Battery life on P10 is better than the S400. It will last about 20% longer. However, the batteries are cheaper for the S400 AFAIK and they also charge in about 1/2 the time vs. the sony batteries.

Conclusion:

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All in all, i think the S400 is a better choice. Sure, CF maybe outdated in a few years in favor of smaller, superior storage media like SD, MMC or xD cards (which are going up to 1 GB btw), but until then you can get a great digicam with dirt cheap media. I picked up a 512 MB Kingston card for very cheap from eBay.

Tips for those buying the S400:

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1. Ensure you buy good quality CF cards for the S400. CF cards have on-board processor on the cards themselves which actually regulate how fast the read+write is, unlike smartmedia which reliees on the camera. This means that CF cards will differ greatly in speed for read+write performance. Recommendations are Viking, RiData and Kingston. I have used about 7 or 8 different types of cards, and these are definitely the best in speed and reliability. Viking can be found cheap on Amazon deals quite often (with rebates), and kingston and ridata can be found on eBay for cheap.

2. Buy the legitimate Canon branded NB-1LH batteries. They can be had for about $30-$40 if you look hard enough. Stay away from NB-1L (notice the H is suffix is missing). The NB-1L is the lower capacity battery for these cameras. Stay away from aftermarket batteries. Sure they sell for MUCH cheaper (often 1/3 the price), but reliability and longevity of these are just brutal. There are always exceptions to the rules -some ppl have have great experiences, which others have dead batteries almost right away. Why risk having a dead battery while you are on vacation and miss those Crucial shots of your wife/gf? Spend the extra $15 and get the real-deal batteries.

Recommended purchase:

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-Canon S400

-256 or 512 MB Viking, RiData or Kingston CF card

-1 extra battery NB-1LH

-Camera Case PSC-100 -padded case with front storage for extra battery and storage. Very compact and nice looking.

Buy Canon PowerShot S400 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Now

Pros:

1) Compact Size

2) 4.0 Megapixel Camera!

3) 3x Optical Zoom, 3.6x Digital Zoom

4) CompactFlash media with High Speed CompactFlash support.

5) Improved Movie Record Mode (up to 3 minutes with High Speed CompactFlash card)

6) 9 point AiAF system (Artificial Intelligence AutoFocus) (S200 has 3 point AiAF system)

7) DIGIC processor (specialized processor made by Canon specifically for digital cameras... supposedly improves camera photo quality)

8) iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) for improved camera focus and white balancing.

9) Direct printing to DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatible printers.

10) Accepts the original Lithium-Ion batteries of the S110 and S300 cameras.

11) Adjustable ISO settings from 50 to 400

12) Self-Timer from 2 or 10 secs

13) Continuous Shooting mode

14) Stainless Steel Casing.

15) Built-in speaker

16) FUNC button like S45/S50 PowerShots for easier navigation through camera options especially in manual mode.

17) More rounded body gives a slightly sleeker look to the S400.

Cons:

1) Short Battery Life but seemed better than S230

2) Flash is weak especially in nighttime settings with no additional lighting and at 3x zoom.

3) Additional Batteries from Canon are Expensive. J&R sells non-Canon brands for as low as $...

4) Tripod mounting now on far left side of camera (you are looking at the back of the camera

5) Minimal Accessories available for the camera

My Opinion:...I brought 3 different camera with me. The S230, S45, and the S400 up to Boston while I do a bit of sightseeing between interviews. The reasons why I brought 3 of my camera was to see which camera will have the higest quality of picture.

I took photos of the Cambridge area, the Northern docks, and of Fenway with all three cameras... and of close up and group photos with my friends in the area. The fastest camera to start up was the S400. In fairly close up photos and group photos in daylight or good lighting situations, there wasn't a discernable amount of difference between the three cameras especially after printing out the photos on a photo-quality inkjet printer. I noted differences in distance shooting (landscaping photos) and low light situations. Landscape shots of the Boston Harbor captured better details especially with objects in the far background with the S400 and S45. Distant shots of Fenway captured sharper details on the S400 and S45 as well. Nighttime shots were best captured on the S45... although not by a great deal over the S230 and S400. The range of manual controls were without a doubt better on the S45 and that allowed me to take better twilight landscape photos than the other two digital cameras. The surprise was that the S400 seemed the fastest to display the picture in the LCD after the shutter button is pressed and the continuous shot modes were also considerable faster to me than the S230 and S45.

Read Best Reviews of Canon PowerShot S400 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Here

After extensive research on the web ...I chose to upgrade my Canon S20 to a Canon S400. In someways, this was a step down. Unfortunately, the S400 does not support verticle alignment of it's panoramic "stitch assist" mode as they do on the S40, S45, S50 and other higher priced models. I found this feature on the S20 to be very useful in capturing more image (greater resolution and consistant panning) when stitching photos together to make a panoramic photo. Also, the S400 does not support the higher resolution movie mode of 640 x 320, as some digital cameras support. Hopefully, Canon will address these feature shortfalls with a firmware upgrade in the near future. As mentioned in a number of reviews, the S400's flash is miniscule and thus is somewhat inadequate to light wide distant shots.

Canon has improved the intelligence of the powershot digital line. Specifically in the S400 the Digic processing makes for fast picture taking and viewing. The size of the S400 is grand. It does fit in a pocket and powers up so quickly, you may never miss another shot with this camera (keeping in mind to charge your battery and have enough flash memory for the moment!!!).

The bottom line... the Canon S400 is compact, sturdy, and fast. If you are looking for a very small 4 megapixel camera with nice even colors, low levels of distortion, a basic movie capture mode, fast memory writing and reading, the S400 is a current top pick. However, if you are looking for lots of manual control, vertical "photo stitching," and more pixels try the S50.

One note if considering the S45 or S50 cameras, play with the navigation buttons before purchasing the unit; I have found the navigation to be somewhat clumsy in-which it is easy to hit "enter" when trying to navigate "up" or "down," or hit "up" when trying to "enter."

Want Canon PowerShot S400 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Discount?

I am a casual photo enthusiast who enjoys taking pictures of my friends and family wherever I go. Both photographic quality and portability are of paramount concerns and I think I found my holy grail with Canon S400.

Pros:

Extremely portable, yet very rugged

Beautiful design with excellent overall ergonomics

Typically excellent photo quality in all-auto mode with no redeye

Very fast -startup time, image processing and acquisition, menu response

Long battery life

Uses widely popular (and inexpensive) CompactFlash Type 1 memory cards

4 megapixel resolution (2272x1704)

3X optical zoom/11X max with digital

Useful movie mode with audio (3 minutes at 320x240 or 160x120)

Cons:

Minimal manual controls (e.g., no manual focus)

Cheap A/V/digital output cover

Movie mode limited to 3 minutes (and no 640x480 mode may irk some)

Proprietary battery

Some barrel distortion when taking wide angle shots

While S400 has some shortcomings, mainly lack of manual focus, exposure, and shutter speed. And some may be bothered by its use of proprietary lithium ion battery, although given its compact size, I think Canon engineers had to implement proprietary battery. On the plus side, the battery lasts a long time, capable of taking several hundred shots before running out of juice (and takes only a couple of hours to recharge).

I've managed to fill entire 512MB memory card (32MB is included) on a single battery charge.

Did I mention how beautiful this camera is? The photos do not do this camera a justice. At 3.4" by 2.2" by 1.1", the S400 is no larger than most compact cell phones. Inch by inch, it's only a tad larger than my tiny Sony Ericsson T68i cell phone and smaller than (although a bit thicker) my Apple iPod MP3 player.

The ergonomics are consistently excellent. Although there are some learning curves (particularly given rich feature set), once mastered (comprehensive manuals make it easy), most will appreciate elegant menu layout and ideal number of buttons and layout.

But beautiful design means nothing if it does not accomplish its main functions -taking beautiful pictures. In full auto setting, which is what majority people might use, the pictures were consistently satisfying, although overriding the white balance to match the lighting condition improved the quality significantly in many shots.

This is a great camera.

Pentax Optio S40 4MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

I've been using the Pentax S40 for the past three weeks, and am pleased with my purchase. I too selected this model because of the AA battery capability and have found the battery life to be very acceptable. I took over 100 flash pictures yesterday on a fully charged set of NiMH batteries. Spare NiMH batteries and a charger are quite cheap and most folks would carry a second set anyway.

The photographic results are quite impressive. Certainly on par with my other digital camera which is the (much larger) Sony DSC-F707, though the slightly lower resolution (4mp to 5mp) would likely show on an 8x10. The viewfinder doesn't show the full size of the scene being framed on the LCD screen, but I believe this is true of most digicams.

The telephoto works smoothly, and the LCD screen provides a clear and smooth look at the scene being framed. As with most LCD displays, it becomes less useful in bright sun.

The camera is easy to set up and its menu system is intuitive and logical with a surprisingly large array of photographic options. It can also be used as an auto focus point and shoot camera with good results as my 12 year old daughter did recently on a school trip. Subsequently she spent a bit of time learning the camera, and now navigates the menus, etc., with ease.

I'm using a 256mb Simpletech Secure Digital (SD) Pro-X High Speed card which has a much faster (10MB/sec) transfer rate than a standard SD card. The faster write speed frees the camera for its next shot much more quickly, and you won't believe how fast it transfers 256mb to a PC over a USB 2.0 (separate USB 2.0 reader needed) connection whew!

I also purchased the Pentax Optio Warranty Extension which gives this camera a full three years of coverage. I figured my family will be using this camera for at least that long.

All in all, this is an excellent and fully featured camera in a very small package.

hi all, i've been eyeing this camera since the announcement from pentax in feb and quite pleased when i got it from my local retailer.

all in all, i like the fact it's using 2 AA batteries only and that it's really slim and compact without bulging parts. pictures are good enough for an average consumer who isn't looking for "national geographic" standard pictures or anything like that. functions and features are good as well as the ergonomics.

some might find the lcd blacking out while the flash is charging annoying, but it's actually good to me in the sense that at least i know i can't take pictures since the flash isn't ready! (lcd display returns when flash is charged, ie it's ready for another shoot!)

battery power isn't all THAT bad... unless u really shoot alot and left it on most of the time. the camera heats up slightly after about 5 mins of it being switched on. i recommend getting a 256mb SD card since the video capture can take long video clips.

those with problems with video capture: have to hold the shutter button halfway down until it registers before fully depressing it to start capture. to stop just a full depress will do.

i had some problems downloading the pictures initially. apparently i need to have the camera switched on BEFORE i plug the usb connection and not switch on the camera AFTER i plug as stated in the manual.

great camera for it's price as i think you can't really get any better camera that's cheaper! AA batts are great since i really like the flexibility of buying off the shelf if batt runs out when i'm out.

Buy Pentax Optio S40 4MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Now

Camera has a good mechanical interface that is very well designed and easy to use. Picture quality looks to be very good. Size is wonderful.

The software interface on the other hand. Manual does not mention it does not work with Windows 98. There are a lot of people still out there using Windows 98, the manual does mention it does not work with 95. I had to contact Pentax Tech Support to find out this gem. So I am awaiting my order of an XP Upgrade. I was not impressed by the Pentax Tech. Support on their web site. Very weak FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). Ability to search any type of knowledge base was also very weak. Sony at least had the information on their site, when I had problems with my Sony camera, even if finding it was very frustrating.

Read Best Reviews of Pentax Optio S40 4MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Here

I already have a Nikon D70, and I just wanted something I could carry around in my pocket. I got it through Amazon.com at a refurbished price, and for that price I have to give it four stars. If I had to pay list I'd only give it 3 stars.

I've been having a lot of fun with it, and it's a great little camera that didn't cost me much.

Good points: Very small and easy to use for beginners. Lots of settings that should please anyone. 4 megapixels for adequate 8x10 prints. Good closeup and super closeup macro modes. Lots of data for each picture, including a histogram. Uses easy to find AA batteries.

Bad points: Small LCD screen. Very noisy (grainy) expecially at low light levels. No way to manually set shutter speed or aperture. Very slow starting up and writing to memory. Relatively short battery life (get rechargeables). Flash seems to want to go off for any shot in low light, even outdoor's shade.

Otherwise, the camera seems to be fairly rugged. Again, perfect for someone who wants a go anywhere camera for taking snapshots. If you want great quality images I suggest you pay more and get a better camera, but this one was hard to beat at the refurbished price.

Want Pentax Optio S40 4MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Discount?

I bought the Optio S and quickly returned it as I was really disappointed by the photo quality. But I loved the features so I thought I'd give Pentax one more shot (pardon the pun). The Optio S40 really fits the bill for what I wanted; a compact digital camera that I can carry with me when my Minolta A1 is to cumbersome that would produce reasonably nice prints. The S40 can be a little picky at full telephoto but otherwise it seems to perform very well and quick too. I'm sure once I learn about this model's capabilities I will be even more pleased with my purchase. At $100 bucks less than Canon's S410, it's a real bargain. By the way, if you are comparing this model to the Minolta Xg, don't bother. The Xg was an even bigger disappointment that the Optio S. Happy Shooting!

Save 47% Off

Nutone Color Video Front-door Surface-mount Speaker/camera

The unit was easy to connect to my AiPhone phone system. Very compatible. It is also compatible for the house system video secure system. It is a rugged unit. It was easy to secure the unit and use a standard door bell to ground the I/O voice like to "call". The bright white LED lights are a great addition also.

Bob Shaw

Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL and 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED L

I am an avid reader of reviews and many times use this information to help in my buying decision. Since I suppose I am like most others who shop, compare, read, read some more and still can't decide I hope this might help in your quest for the right camera. Of the cameras I tried, all were very nice and I would be happy with any of them.

I have been looking for a camera that will give me the biggest bang for my buck! I hope to spend more time using my camera as a hobby. Until now have used my point and shoot Canon S3IS digital for kids, family, show choir and sporting events. The Canon S3IS is a great camera; I just want to step up a bit.

I started looking at used Nikon camera bodies as I had an old Nikon 2020 35mm film camera with the 35-70mm & 70-210mm AF lens. I stopped by my local camera shop and found my old lenses would work on the Nikon D50, D70, D80 and D90 bodies. I didn't find anything used locally or on eBay (too expensive) that I wanted so I looked at the new Nikon D90. Since Canon is the other big player in this field I decided to consider their cameras as well.

Both manufacturers offered what I wanted in a camera; the ability to capture video, able to shoot in low light and had quick and accurate autofocus capabilities. I tried both brands back and forth for several weeks and preferred the Canon T1i. I proceeded to sell my older Nikon equipment to help pay for the Canon T1i and move that direction

While saving for my new purchase and reading about digital SLR cameras I became aware of some of other SLR brands. I found several online reviewers that had good comments about these less popular cameras. Sony, Olympus, etc had nice features but for one reason or another I took them out of contention. Sony, I thought the lenses were too expensive. The Olympus just didn't click with me.(pun intended) Pentax had very good remarks and had similar capabilities as the Canon T1i. Best of all, the Pentax is considerably cheaper than the Canon.

What helped me to lean towards the Pentax Kx was that I was able to watch some video shots taken with the Nikon, Canon and Pentax on Google. I preferred the Pentax video, it didn't seem jerky in motion. Still pictures side by side were also very similar in clarity. I also read several reviews comparing the Canon and Pentax side by side with very similar remarks about the performance of both cameras. The biggest positive comment about the Pentax was the exceptional low light pictures it could take. The biggest complaint with the Pentax Kx was a battery issue mentioned by a number of reviewers. I called Pentax and spoke with a technical rep about the battery issue and any other issues Pentax might be having. I was told the battery issue has been taken care of with a firmware update. I must say I was impressed with the tech rep. He was very helpful, took time to discuss his products and said that if I ever had a problem with my Pentax to give them a call as they were here to help me out.

I can use any Pentax lens, new or old on this camera. The lenses I will likely use most is the 55-300mm or the 18-55mm. Both these are included in the kit I purchased. Since vibration reduction is built into the body of the camera instead of the lens, any lens I use will automatically be a vibration reduction lens.

I purchased the Pentax Kx with the 18-55mm and 55-300mm lens package for $653.00 on Amazon. It stated the Pentax camera kit would ship in 1-4 months but I ordered it on Friday and it arrived the following Wednesday, less than a week's time, not bad!

My thoughts about the camera.

Positives:

-It's a fairly compact body but not too small. My wife likes the size and it's not heavy hanging around the neck.

-The menu is fairly straight forward (I haven't had to pull the book out yet and can still get around easy enough!)

-Takes very good pictures in several of the modes I tried. Very pleased.

-The auto focus is relatively fast and hits dead on at what I am pointing at.

-Some nice filter features are included in the menu options, great to play with but doubt I'll use them much.

-The low light pictures I've taken so far are impressive. When I downloaded pictures they were very clean, without any or very little noise even set at the high ISO setting!

-Used the batteries that are included and absolutely no problems.

-Lenses seem a bit light but balance well on the camera and focus smoothly.

Negatives:

-The shutter action could be quieter. This is my biggest complaint. It's not like everyone will turn around everytime you take a picture but I'd rather not hear it!

-The dust reduction feature rattles inside when you turn the camera to its side but I read that was normal as was mentioned by a reviewer. Otherwise I would have thought something was loose inside.

-I liked the view finder of the Canon. I think the information inside is a bit larger.

-The Pentax does not have auto focus points that light up when looking through the view finder but to me that doesn't make any difference. As I said when I pointed at what I intended to point at, it focused right on it, so this to me is a mute point.

It seems a bit slow when first reviewing my picture after each shot but I think that is due to the cheap memory card I'm using. I'll get another one tonight and expect it to correct the slow process. If it doesn't, I'll update this review and mention it! Otherwise, assume it was taken care of with a faster card.

Overall Impressions:

Would I say it feels quite as solid as the Canon? No, but I really like the Canon! However, I am still very impressed with the Pentax Kx. The Pentax isn't quite as thick or wide and I think the size might be most of the difference. You know you're shooting a SLR and my wife likes it! For the price, I figure I saved close to $400 over the Canon with similar lenses. If you want a Nikon or a Canon I'm sure you will be perfectly happy. If you decide to purchase the Pentax you won't be disappointed in this camera either. It's not the big name of Nikon or Canon but I bet you'll start to see more of Pentax with what all they offer and at the price point it is offered for! My budget was limited to $1600.00 but of course I was hoping to spend less. That's a lot of money to spend on a camera and I could have bought up to a higher level camera which I considered but I am comfortable this camera will give me what I'm looking for and saved me quite a bit in the process. I added a few pictures on flickr that were taken with this camera to give you an idea of the photo quality. Remember, I'm not a pro, I just enjoy taking pictures. Go to flickr and search for scubaguy4409

Tips to consider:

I suggest when buying online you check the retailer thoroughly. I searched several sellers on both Google and Bing and found prices from $400.00 to $900+for a Pentax Kx camera kit. The two low priced sellers I checked on had horrid reviews about shipping and more importantly when I called to ask about their camera packages they were very short with me on the phone. I don't like to spend anymore than the next guy but i figured if I had a problem with my purchase I would be %$#% out of luck with this guy!

Seems the time has come for a PENTAX.

Being loyal to Canon and loving Nikon DSLRs, I just gave this new camera the chance and think its going to change the top list for the first time.

So long, it has been a fight between Canon and Nikon, but now PENTAX got ready to go for it.

My decision was made taking into account the price for what you get, and the rivals where Canon Xti and Xsi and Nikon D5000 and D3000, but think this PENTAX kit is a real rival if not better in many features (my case, fps is an issue for my action pictures) and the price of course.

Go ahead for it and do not let others make you worry about this choice!

March 10th 2010

Just an update:

So far, my camera is doing great!

Some people complained about the AA batteries, so I wanted to state that my camera has not shown any trouble with batteries, maybe because its software is the last version, but aside of that, I just found it works great with Sony AA CYCLE ENERGY batteries: Sony Cycle Energy AA Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries (4-Pack)

When buying, take also into account that the filter for lens 18-55 is a 52mm and the one for the 55-300 is a 58mm.

The bag I am using for this camera, both lenses, an aditional fisheye, batteries, and a couple of things more is the Lowepro Adventura 170, which is good on quality, space, and price: Lowepro Adventura 170 Camera Case (Black)

Buy Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL and 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED L Now

Don't let other brand loyalists sway you away from Pentax. You can buy EXCELLENT vintage lenses for these cameras. Manual focus is truly where it is at, at least for me. If you do not agree, Pentax has plenty of new AF lenses to suit anyone. However, excellent manual focus optics are easy enough to try for much less money than newer lenses of any brand. Nobody..... and I do mean NOBODY else offers the total lens compatibility of millions of vintage lenses available only to Pentax users. This particular camera is one hell of a buy. I had the money to buy a D5000 or D90 if that is what I wanted. When it comes to Image Quality, I feel I bought every bit is much camera without sacrificing any features that were important to me. This camera takes beautiful pictures and I have only scratched the surface of its abilities. The two lens package (18-55 and 55-300) was an unbelievable deal at $643. Amazon delivered the camera WAY ahead of the crazy shipment date they list. Do not hesitate. If you are considering this package, pull the trigger. Do a keyword search to find online Pentax Forums if you need more information about Pentax products.

Read Best Reviews of Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL and 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED L Here

Shooting with a borrowed Nikon D40 convinced me it was time to augment my pocket-friendly point and shoot (P&S) with a digital single lens reflex (dslr) APS format camera.

My favorite film SLR was a Nikon FM2.

Out of habit, I wanted to buy a Nikon DSLR.

I tried HARD to buy a new Nikon D3000 / D5000 / D90.

Instead I bought the Pentax K-X from Amazon.

And two weeks later, I bought the K-X -again.

Here is why...

(Updated comments added at bottom.)

1. ACTUAL EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES ARE SMALL IN THIS CLASS OF CAMERA.

Camera reviews are written by experienced professionals with a critical eye and sophisticated evaluation tools. They work hard to find, explain, and magnify nuances.

My photo needs & tastes are generally simple ones. This class of camera is priced for people like me, upgrading from a digital point & shoot (P&S). Professionals expect to spend thousands for a camera body, and thousands for a lens.

2. PRICE DIFFERENCES ARE REAL.

The Pentax K-X is an above-average, entry-level dslr.

You can spend less, and get less performance.

Unless you spend significantly more, you will not get better performance.

A Nikon D90 and a K-X are both very nice 12mp cameras.

BUTthey don't cost the same.

3. AA BATTERIES My Favorite Feature!

Some people cringe at the AA batteries in the K-X. I've chased proprietary batteries for my P&S before. I was drawn to this camera because it has a simple power needs. Who wouldn't prefer an inexpensive, accessible power source, easy to find, at a good price?

The Eneloop rechargables are working out very well for me.

4. SD CARD My Next Favorite Feature!

I have a bunch of these already, and can easily find more, at a good price.

5. LONG KIT LENS Try to find a kit that includes a 300mm zoom...

I wanted a 300mm lens. The nice K-X kit lens makes friends for Pentax. The Canon XS 300mm zoom lens seems to be a source of irritation/disappointment for its owners.

6. LIVE VIEW SO WHAT?

As useful (to me) as a cigarette lighter in a non-smoker's car. I don't use this feature.

Camera focuses faster without it. It works fine, just not a factor for me.

7. HD VIDEO DITTO.

If you want to shoot HD video, there are more satisfying ways to accomplish this. This feature is not good enough for the camera to take the place of a dedicated video camera.

8. BOUGHT IT A SECOND TIME

The first K-X camera I bought had a small piece of debris (not dust) on the sensor.

Probably user correctable with a bulb blower, probably left over from manufacturing/assembly.

(NOTE: The PENTAXIAN on-line user community is a helpful,friendly group.)

Opted for Amazon's excellent return for credit process. FAST EASY with EXCELLENT Results!

9. WHY REPURCHASE K-X?

When I saw them side by side, I was amazed the K-X was so similar to the Nikon D40. When Amazon confirmed my full refund, I tried to convince myself I really wanted a NIKON after all. I had a chance to re-think ALL of my earlier evaluations, against the backdrop of a dslr price war that produced even better prices on the Canon Rebel XS and the Nikon D3000. There were even new old-stock D40s at great prices. BUT the Pentax K-X was small and friendly like these, with a lot of newer features and many small, incremental, extras. So the final selection was the same as the first time, when I opted for a K-X.

10. RELAX. It is hard to make a "bad" dslr selection.

Any of the top-selling dslrs are going to do an excellent job for just about any user.

New dslr purchasers strongly influence the sales for the cameras listed in each week's "Top Ten". They know they have a safe bet if they stick with one of the two dominant brands Canon or Nikon, etc.

When I think about how well the PENTAX K-X is meeting my needs, and how much more I would have paid to get an equivalent Nikon (or Canon) I remain very satisfied with this camera.

If you are in the market for an entry level dslr, and you think a Pentax K-X meets your actual photographic needs, you're probably right.

Update:

The more I use this camera, the better I like it.

I got a black one, but there is an amazing array of body colors in the K-X product line.

The white one is known as the "Storm Trooper" a la Star Wars.

The "feel" is very good. Control placement seems intuitive.

The build quality is very solid.

The automatic settings make it easy to take decent pictures right out of the box.

The features allow for plenty of growth as your skills change.

(Translationit really does help to read the manual.)

The kit lenses (18-55 & 55-300 ) are serving me very well.

They may be a trifle better than some other "kit lenses".

The close up shots are very impressive, and the image colors are satisfying.

Only a heavier, more expensive camera can match the combined features of the Pentax K-X.

Overall, I am very happy I bought this camera.

Post-Post Script July 2010:

In the back of my mind, I wanted the 300mm lens for a chance to shoot an occasional airshow and get more satisfying results. Last week I did just that. The focus is fast and crisp, and the resolution was wonderfuleven at the 10mp setting. Very happy with the results. Continue to be very happy with the K-X.

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I recently upgraded from my beloved Olympus e-510 DSLR with the 14-42mm and 40-150mm kits lenses in order to get a DSLR with better low-light performance and HD video capabilities. I loved my Olympus, but image quality took a nose-dive at ISO 800, and I liked the idea of having an HD camcorder built into my camera to capture high quality family photos and home videos in one device. I eventually settled on the Pentax K-x after first buying, and then returning, a Canon T2i.

I know that the T2i costs almost twice as much as the K-x, and they're not direct competitors, but I think my experience illustrates what a great camera and bargain the K-x is and how, for me at least, it was a giant killer.

I initially pre-ordered a T2i for the $900 MSRP after reading the glowing reviews in the press about the 18MP sensor, the high-ISO performance and the killer 1080p video. When I received the T2i, I was surprised by how cheap and plasticky it felt. It's not that the T2i was likely to fall apart, but my Olympus felt and looked like a higher quality camera, even though it was about $200 less than the T2i when I bought it. I realize that the T2i is a Rebel, but for almost $1000, I expected something more solid.

Even worse was the Canon 18-55mm kit lens, which felt like a toy compared to my Olympus kit lenses. It looked cheap, and the zoom action felt very cheap, and you could hear plastic-on-plastic as you zoomed in and out. There was no lens hood included, and the optional lens hood was only about an inch deep and looked ridiculous. The front element rotated when auto-focusing, which makes using some filters problematic, and you had to switch off AF to manually make focus adjustments. My Olympus lenses did not rotate the front element, and allowed full time focus override without turning off AF. And build-wise, they looked and felt like a higher end lens. But worst of all, Canon kits lens's optical performance was lacking, rendering the 18MP sensor moot.

I could live with the cheap feel of the T2i body and the ugly jelly-bean design, but I came to realize that in order to get a lens that would match the performance of the body, I would need to shell out another $500 or more, and as a hobbyist I just didn't have the budget.

The real deal-breaker with the T2i though, was the use of Quicktime format for the HD video. Quicktime is a proprietary Apple video format, and while I must assume it works well on a new Mac, the QT videos often gave PCs problems. I'd read about this from other users, but I figured that with my high-end PCs and my computer knowledge, I would be okay. But both my new Sony Vaio laptop with Windows 7, ATI 4650 graphics and 4GB of RAM and my desktop computer with Windows XP, dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, Raptor 10K HDD and nVidia 8800GT graphics would stutter on playback of the 1080p files. And finding affordable programs to edit Quicktime HD video files is another headache. I wasn't about to buy a new Mac just to be able to work with the video from my new camera.

So back went the T2i, and my quest for a new camera continued. I was just about to pull the trigger on a Nikon D5000, when I came across the Pentax K-x.

The first thing that grabbed my attention was the styling. I thought the red was killer, but I wasn't that brave. And the camera looked dead-sexy in navy blue, but when I saw the white version, I was in love. One thing I liked about my Olympus was that it was something DIFFERENT than all the Nikons and Canon Rebels you see every other parent carrying to school or sports functions. I would often get questions about it from people who didn't realize that Olympus even MADE DSLRs. With this Pentax, I would again have something out of the ordinary.

Then I started reading reviews of the K-x. One of the great things about the T2i is the high ISO image quality, and according to the reviews and the sample images I was looking at, the K-x was right there with it.

And the K-x also did HD video. There were some limitations, such as 720p and lack of full control over exposure while shooting video, but I didn't really mind since the samples I downloaded looked great, even on my 110" 1080P home theater projector. And 720p files take less space than 1080p and require less processing power to playback and edit. And best of all, the K-x uses Motion JPEG video format, which plays back great on PCs and is compatible with almost any Windows video editing program. The MJPEG format does use more disk space than the equivalent QT file, but hard drives and SD cards are cheap these days, so it's not a big deal.

Another great thing about the K-x is that it has sensor-based image stabilization in the body, so any lens you stick on the camera is stabilized. My Olympus used a similar system, and I was very happy with it. The big advantage is that you can be non-stabilized lenses so they'll be smaller, lighter, and less expensive.

I ended up buying the K-x in white with the 18-55mm lens. The K-x looks and feels like a higher quality camera than the T2i, and matches my Olympus in this department. The kit lens is also a very worthy piece of hardware.

With the money I saved on the Pentax, I was able to buy the legendary Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 lens, a Pentax 55-300mm zoom lens, and a Sigma speedlight. The flash was new, but I got great deals on the slighty-used lenses on eBay and Craigslist.

I've been using the Pentax for a couple months now, and have taken hundreds of pictures. I am absolutely thrilled with the camera and couldn't be happier with the photos and videos I'm getting. The T2i did have just slightly more detail, but other than that I would say the K-x has equal image quality. And the 12MP RAW image files of the K-x are faster to work with than the 18MP files of the T2i and take up much less space on SD cards, so you don't have to worry about filling up nearly as fast.

That's not too much negative I can say about the camera. I would like it to have a mini-HDMI port and a standard mini-USB port, and continuous auto-focus would be nice in video mode, but no other DSLR has that yet. Stereo mics would also be nice.

I suspect that the image stabilization system may not be as good as the one in my Olympus, but I can't say for sure since my 300mm is longer than the telephoto I had with the Olympus and will therefore be more prone to shake.

I get compliments on the Pentax everywhere I go, and it's been a joy to use and own. I could not be happier with my purchase.

In the future I'll probably add a Sigma 30mm F1.4 prime and a Sigma 10-20mm ultra-wide zoom to my lens kit.

Just for the record, I'm not trying to bash on the T2i. It is an amazing camera that is currently without peer in its price range. But if you're like me and you only have about $1000 to spend, I think you will get much more value by going with a less-expensive but almost-as-capable camera like the K-x, and using the extra money on high quality lenses. My F2.8 constant-aperture lens has been a revolution for me, and I recommend every budding photographer make room in their budget for something similar.

HDMI Cable M-F Extension Gold Plated Connectors 6ft

When I got the 6ft HDMI Cable I was worried that it felt thin and cheap, but I have used it now for 3 weeks and I have no problem with the cable, image and sound. I am delighted with my purchase as these cables are much more expensive at the store.

Actually, no it's not even worth the $3. I used this to make my hdmi cable longer for my PS3, and when I plugged it in, the screen flashed, and there was static everywhere. It did not work at all. I thought it might not be super high quality, but it's garbage. Don't buy from this company.

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Cable, 12IN HDmi To Dvi-d & Hdmi

The Hdmi part works but the dvi display has green lines running through it to the point that you can't use it.

I teach photography and Photoshop in a variety of venues. In small, mentoring classes I set up 2 monitors instead of a projector to get better viewing. This adapter allows me to use an older DVI monitor with a new HDMI monitor and save a few $$.

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The hdmi to dvi works fine, but I could never get a signal through on the hdmi to hdmi part of the splitter. I had a use for the hdmi to dvi part of it but could have just used a hdmi/dvi cable without the boxy splitter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR Camera Kit with Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens & Canon EF 75-

the camera came in today it's for my daughter for her birthday and christmas

it came on time and packaged well a thank you note with the camera it's a great value.my husband told me for the price i was mistaken i could not get the camera body and two lens 18-55mm and 75-300mm plus all the extras! well he was home when the package arrived and he was like a kid at christmas. i just ordered another set for him thank you sunset electronics

I'm from Canada but I have friend in the US that comes back and fourth quite often so I shipped it to him. The body and 18-55mm lens sells for $799 in Canada. After taxes that's $902.87. For an extra $70 you can get an EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens and all the extras, well worth it (note that the extra lens is NOT an image stabalizing lens)! The extra stuff is okay, not the greatest but still a great bonus. The real deal is the Canon equipment. Two thumbs up!

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It came with more than what I expected. Two EXTRA batteries. I thought it was gonna only be two, but now i got three. But the products are great. SD seems good so far. Nothing's broken. It shipped to me extra fast. And now I'm a super satisfied customer.

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this product is excellent. It came completed, as show on the picture. I very recommended. you will love it.if you are a beginner like me. you need to spend time learning how to use it if you want great picture. Go ahead!!!!!!!

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My package arrived yesterday, and I was so excited to finally see what was behind the brown shipping box. After doing much research I could of not got the camera and all accessories for less than 2000. This was one of the best buys that I have found and besides missing the wide angle lens "Which will be shipped hopefully soon" I am very satisfied with this product. The table top tripod is a nice extra, although I also need a full tripod which I will be purchaseing from this company also. Anyone who wants a great camera, for an amazing price should definitly consider going with this package:)

Panasonic HX-WA2 Waterproof Full HD Camcorder (Blue) HX-WA2A

This item was suggested by a salesman at a very reputable electronics store. We didn't buy it on-site because they only had the orange color in stock so we ordered from Amazon where we got the color we wanted and a better price. This is absolutely perfect for those who don't want to carry around a larger camcorder and all of the chargers/attachments that come along with it. This fits nicely in my pocket of my husband's jeans or in my purse. We prefer the smaller size so that we can bring along and not feel like stalkers. The videos are of great quality and we were very happy with the purchase.

Solid purchase for the holiday season. The unit itself is light weight and good for pockets or other easy storage spaces. Havent figured out all the bells and whistles yet but recording is very clear. Manual is a bit long.

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Love the camera. HD quality is stunning. Learning curve was minimal because all options are very easy to get to and to use. Button placement prevents using the wrong button at the wrong time. Lots of features I've already used that I haven't used in other cameras because it's too hard to remember, on site, how to get to them (all found in scenes on the panasonic). Easy to change settings while in use, even underwater. Most video has been shot underwater and I am very pleased with the quality and the camera's auto compensation for low light levels. Typically we stay in the water close to an hour (the max allowed by the camera anyway) and the battery is only down to about 3/4 when we exit. Bought a 32 GB card and we have been in the Caymans 2 1/2 weeks and there is still memory left with daily shooting of usually 2 snorkel trips.

Have some questions about use of the photo zoom, which appears on the monitor but does not register for the actual picture. Also, the HD Writer seems to have a glitch that doesn't allow me to send emails. That menu item only takes me to the same one as the online sharing (You Tube and Facebook). Lastly, I also have some concern over water that appears in the card/battery area. So far it has stayed on the "wall" of that docking area and it has been just a few beads of water. My concern is that it's there in the first place (is this a faulty camera?) and that when I open the door it could drop on the electronics. I even made sure it was dry, put it in the sink for a soak and there was water in there then so I know it's not the depth I'm going to in the water. Please respond.

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My previous waterproof cameras merely required a quick rinse under a faucet and a toweling, before they were safe to open. According to the manual, this camera must be shaken in a special way, and then leaned against something to keep it upright for an unspecified time, to allow water to drain from its waterproof shell. The manual doesn't say how to deal with sediment and minerals eventually clogging the drain holes, allowing it to drain into the interior when opened.

Also from the manual: A tripod screw a hair too large and/or tight can crack the waterproof housing. If used in salt water, a fresh water soaking, not to exceed ten minutes, must start within an hour. If the camera is subject to rough handling (unspecified) the waterproof seal can leak.

From the manual: Careful inspection is required in a safe area before each closing. Hair, dust or lint on the paper thin O ring can cause a leak. A special brush, included, is required to remove the almost microscopic particles.

From the manual: Even if you don't get the camera wet, it's subject to condensation inside, and malfunction. This can be caused by temperature changes by going inside to outside or cool water contacting the camera on a warm day. Because the lens components aren't sealed, condensation can also form there. If it can't be dried out, it can cause fungus growth on the lens.

Panasonic recommends replacing the O rings once a year.

Menus are navigated and operated with a floppy, non tactile, half inch button/joystick. The button has to be pulled exactly left/right/up/down to get the desired results. Pressing doesn't work. I don't have big fingers. I had to hook my fingernail under the tiny ridge around the button to precisely pull it. To make my intended selection, my finger had to come down perfectly perpendicular to the button.

The delay timer requires difficult menu navigation, as described above, for each picture. So much for fun and spontaneity.

I used the camera once, in shade, and the automatic white balance didn't work. Everything looked like it was shot through dark blue glass. The instructions say the automatic white balance doesn't always work and suggest always setting it manually. That would include going from sun to shade. See joystick menu navigation above.

There are probably lots of other problems with this camera, but I only used it for about two hours. It is poorly designed, difficult to use and seems basically self destructive. The automatic functions don't always work. Panasonic should be totally ashamed of themselves.

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This is a pretty good camera. Takes great HD videos and works well underwater. Takes good still photos as well. Biggest draw back is the controls are not easy to operate and are too close together.

Samsung SCL906 Hi8 Camcorder

I videotape a good amount of sporting events for our town...namely Football for the most part. When I had to sell my Sony CCD-TRV66 Hi-8 Camcorder a couple of years ago due to financial difficulty, I never thought I'd find another Hi-8 cam like that one! When things picked up for us a bit, I decided on this one...The Samsung SC-L906. It is superb! Now I suspect that the co. took an old Canon model and applied some of their own thought to it as the styling and features bespeak Canon in many ways. I have owned numerous cams over the years so I know what I am talking about!

The 2.5" LCD is great but direct sunlight may force one to use the B&W Viewfinder instead. The large "Easy Q" button on the side of the camcorder makes for great instant setup enabling the novice to experience great success! As one becomes more familiar with the unit...the "Customized Settings" button will obviously become attractive. Speaking of which there are some wonderful "Special Effects" such as Canon's famed "Mirror Image" which is wild to say the least!

Battery Power is superb given the supplied Lithium-Ion battery lasts for two hours max. Of course if you are going to constantly use the LCD while engaging the very bright built-in light, this will drain the battery even faster! Extra batteries are the cheapest on the market for the Samsungs!

Oh by the way, indoor pictures with the built-in light are just fine! People have to realize that the doggone thing is not designed to fill a large dark room. In that instance you will require professional lighting.

What I do not like about the camcorder is its somewhat awkward "Zoom Control" which is a small spring-like dial that operates from side to side as opposed to the older "rocker" type. Don't worry, just loosen the hand strap a bit and you'll experience little difficulty. Also, at times the "Auto-Focus" feature can be just a wee bit sluggish under low light conditions but is ok overall.

The fact that it's mono and not stereo bothers me also but I will say that the mono audio quality is first rate as the built-in MIC is very wide range with good deep bass compared to my old Sony 66.

The Mini-plug A/V patch can cause problems when viewing on older A/V monitors but on newer sets like the Toshibas...it is just great!

Make sure you purchase an inexpensive 37mm UV Filter for this camcorder as it will cut down on annoying rays and filter through most humidity. It will also protect the Samsung's first rate Main Lens. Even with this filter permanently attatched, you'll still be able to snap on the Samsung's Lens Cap for protection while not in use. Another nice add-on for this camera is Amazon's very low priced 37mm Sunpak Circular Polarizer that will clear up situations where you are forced to film action slightly toward the sun!

All-in-all, if you want a great camcorder at a really low price that operates quietly and smoothly as a newborn baby's pitoot...this is your cam! Use quality Samsung Hi-8 tape which I suspect is actually Maxell XR. You won't believe the low price of the stuff! The sharp colorful detailed pictures are most convincing although a bit of grain will be detected in low-light situations. The "Field Of Depth" is surprisingly good for this model! The Samsung SC-L906 is a superb Hi-8 camcorder that should last for years!

If you're just wanting a camcorder and don't want to spend alot of money, this camera is wonderful. The Samsung SCL906 is similar to its advanced counterparts only without the whistles and bells. It still has great features, like special effects (strobe, mirror, negative, etc), digital zoom, lcd screen, zoom, fade, all the goodies. The only problem I have is that it's hard to find a car adapter for it. I've looked all over the internet and all over the stores and can't find one. If you plan on taking a trip with this camera and want ALOT of video, it might just be wiser to purchase a second battery... or a third. :)

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This Samsung is a very good camera for the price, but somewhat dated. Since there is no USB connection, you can not record DVD's of your images on a computer. Go ahead and get a Samsung Mini DV model and you'll be much more prepared for the future. By the way, these are made in China now rather than Korea.

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I was very happy to get this camera, and it's a great camera for the price, easy to use, etc. I especially like the "easy" setting which allows you to just point and shoot without having to worry about fussing with settings. Also, the "snapshot" setting is really nice. Only problem I had was when I accidentally dropped it from a height of about 2 feet or so because I was carrying a bunch of other stuff in from the car. Since then, it is eating the tapes! Hopefully this is just a minor adjustment that the warranty will take care of. I wonder if all cameras are this fragile (I suspect they are). That's the only reason I don't give it a "5" rating. Still, I would recommend this camera to anyone who doesn't want to spend $6-900 on the new DVD cameras. Please note that the SCL907 model includes true still-picture function and a USB port and cable and software which allow easy copying of STILL pictures to your computer. The SCL906 doesn't have this, but you can transfer or view your movies from either model via the yellow "video out" cable connection (analog?). Since I already have a digital camera, copying still pictures doesn't matter to me anyway.

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The camcorder that I received was exactly what I expected and the transaction went very smoothly. The product worked perfectly and I would recomend it to others. Thanks!

Bell & Howell DNV16HDZ 1080p HD Video Camera Camcorder with Infrared Night Vision (Blue) with 1

To be honest I was very shaky buying this camcorder because I could not find much info and reviews on in and also because I haven't herd of this brand. At one point I even debated canceling my order to buy a more expensive Sony, but it had already shipped… So I decided to give it a shot. Glad I did because it turns out to be a great little camcorder. The IR light is not bright at all so I ended up making one of my own.. well actually 3 and this made the entire camera 100x better when investigating. I did notice it had trouble focusing at times and I would highly suggest not leaving it on a tripod on night mode for over an hour without checking on it because it can gradually loose focus. It is great to carry due to its size. To be honest I have had the best luck simply zooming all the way out and taking it off the auto focus while roaming around in the dark. Sound for the most part is great. I have noticed a second or two of light static but only noticed it twice. The bundle they sent for 259 was a great deal! I would give 5 stars if it didn't struggle with the focus. Hay Bell and Howell.. please package this item with a IR light. Id rather have that than one of the lenses. Also I am not too sure where to find Batteries… which last a little over 2 hours. Software they send only allows you to watch the Video and snap pics which I had to use other programs to edit my footage.

If you want to build an IR light like I did I found this awesome guy that gives you step by step directings @

Thanks and hope this helps, happy hunting

Matt Hastings

Claro Paranormal Research

indiSystem indiGO-JIB 8-Foot Jib for Mini DV Cameras & Video Production (Container weight included)

This jib arm arrived in a timely manner. Packing was just barely adequate. It is more beefy than i expected! Definaty not flimsy. The outboard arm (end holding the camera) collapses into itself So that the length is adjustable and the unit can be made shorter fot travel. The inboard arm (end with the counter weight) is fully detachable and connects with a single bolt and wingnut. Although very strongly constructed a little more precison in the fit of the square tubes would make this unit easier to set up. The moving parts have plenty of precision, its just that the outboard arm is a little difficult to extend. I am tempted to lubricate the extending part of the arm to make it easier to extend. However, i would then have to include gaffers gloves to keep my hands clean for handeling the camera.

This a one and one half person set up. By that i mean i am able to set up the jib on my own but it would be a lot easier with two people. It is very easy to pinch your thumb during set up and take down. I did it twice.

The square water bottle counterbalance with the hole in the middle is genius. It came with 2 bottles. To balance a naked Canon 5D Mk2 with fully extended arm, I had to fully fill one bottle and full the 2nd bottle with about 2 inches of water. To balance the 5D2 with rails & follow focus, the 2nd bottle was half filled. The counterbalance arm also has an extension of about 6 in for fine tuning the balance. However, it is such a snug fit that it also needs some lubrication to work smoothly and be able to make very small adjustments

Once set up, operation is very smooth. I did an indoor and outdoor test and was very pleased with the operation as well as the results.

I would have gladly paid another 10 bucks for a cheap injection molded case. This unit is too heavy to fit in a light stand case without bruising the other contents. Since this is designed to be a portable unit the lack of a case is an omission.

So, if not for lack of precision of the sliding parts for set up and the omission of a cheap case, this would be a five star rating. One other comment, i will probably purchase the smaller "Coke bottle" jib from the same seller for air travel use. It is advertised as 5 pounds and small enough to collapse into an airline carry on bag. This jib is defiantly too large for airline travel unless you have a big travel budget and sherpas.

Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom

I got this camera today, I wanted to get HG10 as it is cheaper, but I went with this one as it has higher Hard Disk capacity with small price difference.

The first test video taken was indoors and with low light, I noticed lot of dots in the frame, however, after setting the AWB to indoor and exposure to low light, the video looked much better, then I tried the sport setting with 24p and the video was impressive!! I hooked the camera to my 40" HD LCD TV, and the colors and sharpness are breathtaking!!

One tip is to use the P (Programmed AE) setting with different selections of White Balance, the LCD screen is clear enough to make a quick decision on the fly to pick the best selection, I used 3 different settings walking in day light, then on a shady area, then inside a shop.

One thing to note that the battery works only 2 hours, Canon offers better battery with 4 hours duration priced around $100.

You also need to read the pros and cons of the video codec, there are lot of information on the Canon HG10 reviews, and very useful. In general the higher the frame bit rate and resolution, the longer it will take to process and edit the video and much longer to burn it on DVD or BluRay.

I actually found out that Google's Picasa 3 application (free download) can open the videos recorded by the camera, this tool can export any clip (or portion of it) to wmv format, once the file is exported, you can use any video editor like Microsoft Movie Maker to compress the file or change it to DivX format, etc.

Great camera. The biggest flaw is not the 60 gb drive which is bigger than you will ever need, or the menu interface which is easy, intuitive and user friendly, the biggest flaw is the lack of the view finder on this camera. Big deal you say, its got a modern screen instead of a view finder, but that modern screen in really bright sunlight kinda washes out (like all those screens do) and might lead you to adjust the settings or force you to trust your autoexposure when you are taking those priceless outdoor shots. The hg 21 has the eye piece viewfinder which is a reliable indicator of what you are shooting in those conditions, but for the extra 300 USDs it's hard to justify. The AF is super in this camera, no distiguishable periods "out of focus" as you rapidly zoom in and out. Also the head set or yellow AV jack, is a must have. Ever record tons of footage and find out the only thing you can hear is the wind buffetting your microphone? Record wearing regular ipod type headphones and you don't have to review the footage to find out if you have the shot. Don't get a camcorder without that or the mic input which this camera has. Terrific simultaneous video record and still photo to the regular full size SD card, cool, works great. Requires class 4 SD card, the speedy type. I think the HG21 with the 120 gb has tons of storage, but it's overkill and takes longer to do a full hard drive clean than the 60gb hg20, but both have a quick clean function for the hard drive. Finally don't expect much from the packaged software if you really want to edit. Corel has pro x2 which works great for avchd. Last thing is the battery. It charges when the camera is pugged in and it works great. I was made to believe that this camera is useless without an external charger and tons of extra batteries, which is not true, 95 min is good. Or just stay plugged to the wall. As a guy who typically struggles with technology, I hope all my "research" helps some one else and as the owner of the hg20 this camera delivers and is simple for anyone to use.

Buy Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom Now

The HG20 is great. Super Picture. Sound is ok. The HDD makes some noise. SW runs on older PC with 1 GIG Ram and 2.5 GIG Pent. But its right at the edge. Could use a Video Light. Cost goes up and down on this model a good bit. Computer HDD space to edit and store will need to be high. Mini HDMI cable is a must for HD sets. Did a test with A HD tv, by recording the TV. Its interesting. Have not tired yet with a IR light source. When the Cam is off, the Lense protector shakes a little. Battery is min. Will get High cap battery for trips. Lots of Warnings on Care for this unit. But at a good price, this unit have a lot of value. The HF10 and HF100 are good buys also. the HF11 is much more. The HG21 is much more, but has some added features of a view finder. Camrea Mode take Point and Shoot Pictures will. But you have to be still. Lots of manual controls. The Menu system takes a little getting used if you are use to the old canon MiniDV. Wanted to wait a little more, but the old canon ZR45MC is past 6 years. But it analog pass thru. I may use that or a Dazzle unit to put video for family and the web instead of trying to convert the MT2S files. With the video files as big as they are, having a Laptop will not be good with the unit or any HD machine.

Again wanted to wait, but old camera was looking pale on HD TV.

Good Things:

60BG harddrive, LP and SP still good for video.

Optics are great. 12X. Attachments.

Easy Button

Connections (HDMI, USB, Analog outputs), Mic in, Head Phones,

Lots of things to add on with Canon (battery, Optics)

Card Slot option

Auto Lense Cap.

Bad things,

Joy Stick control on view finder.

Heavier than Full Flash based unit.

Some Rattles (Not in function mode, just in off mode with Lenses Protector.)

Not much Software or Hardware to edit with. (Vista Requirements seem twice that of XP).

Things to consider:

Add Battery Pack (One big one, or 2 small ones).

Tripod

Optics (Filters, Wide Angle, Telephoto)

Video Light for low light.

Quad Core, 6 MB Ram, 1 TB HDD computer for editing video.

Read Best Reviews of Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom Here

My wife and I were looking for something to replace our aging DV camcorder, and decided to step up to HD.

Since we've been happy with our Canon Digital Rebel XSi SLR, and the XTi before it, Canon seemed the logical choice.

The biggest obstacle in choosing a new camera was deciding between the HG20 and the Canon VIXIA HF10. After a ton of research, we found that the HG20 and HG10 are basically the same camera. The HG20 has a 60GB hard drive, the HG10 has 16MB flash. Beyond that, the optics and Digic processors are the same (though the HG20 is capable of recording at a higher bitrate, due to the hard drive).

Since the HG20 gives you the option of writing to SDHC cards, it seemed a better value.

We've had the camera for just over a week now, and the image quality is generally outstanding. In low light, the HG20 produces an acceptable picture, though it is a bit grainy and "digital" looking. With adequate light though, the picture is outstanding.

The image stabilization works better than expected, especially when you're zoomed in, but keep in mind that this is the primary reason it's there. If you have jittery hands and aren't giving some thought to what you're shooting, you're still going to produce movies that look like they came from any old camcorder.

Taking still pictures is reasonably easy, and the camera's ability to focus and take a decent photo at full zoom is incredible. However, if you have a digital camera that's less than three years old, it's probably going to take better pictures. This is definitely a "nice to have" feature, but you shouldn't go in to this expecting it to replace a point-and-shoot digital camera.

If you're familiar with Canon Digital Rebel, PowerShot, or Elph cameras, the menus on the HG20 will make perfect sense to you. All of the settings are where you'd expect them to be. And if you're not familiar with other Canon products, learning the menu system is quite easy.

Now, some caveats...

Right off the bat, editing AVCHD video is going to pound on your computer. If you're using a Mac, a current-generation MacBook Pro is probably the minimum you'd want to use for any sort of editing. On the bright side, iMovie 08 (and 09) will see this camera and do its thing without any hiccups. But actually getting a full-res movie from the camera to your computer is only marginally faster than DV (to those who may be confused: it takes about as long to import the video as it does to play it).

The next issue -which is true for so many Canon products -the Genuine Canon accessories are ridiculously expensive. Unlike their digital cameras to date, a third party battery isn't going to work 100% properly in the HG20. So if you're not prepared to deal with not knowing the "real" charge on your battery, plan on spending more for a battery. The included battery claims to get about 108 minutes on a full charge. Step up to the Canon BP-819 Lithium Ion Battery Pack, and you'll get in the high 200's without having a massive battery pack jutting out of the back of the camcorder.

On a similar tangent, a big irritation for me is that you have to connect the camera to wall power to import video to your computer. If you're planning on going on the road with your camera and laptop, you might want to look at a power inverter for your car. Otherwise, you're not dumping video until you get home (or somewhere with an outlet).

That said, there are some universal accessories you can pick up without breaking the bank. I own these all, and can confirm that they work just fine with the HG20:

Tripp Lite Mini-HDMI to HDMI Cable (6 feet)

Lowepro Edit 140 (Note: this bag is just about perfect for the HG20's size, and can hold all of the included accessories, as well as an HDMI cable and two filters)

Sunpak CF-7026 UV 37mm Ultra-Violet Filter

Sunpak CF-7051 CP Circular Polarized Filters 37mm

Now that the 2009 models are out, you can pick the HG20 up for an excellent price. Considering the features and picture quality, the camera is a great value. And as long as you go in to it knowing you're going to need to spend some more money for accessories (or computer upgrades, video editing software, etc.) you won't be disappointed.

Want Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom Discount?

This camera was on sale for $300.00 off MSRP at a local chain Amazon.com had it even cheaper, but I was in an unusual hurry to tape my son's event that evening. I wasn't looking for an HD quality recorder, but for the price, I couldn't really pass it up!

This thing has an "Easy" button, which meant I didn't need to read the manual before heading out. I packed up my tripod and set up my camera within a few hours I used the power cord.

The camera performed very nicely, auto adjusting for lighting condition and color, with the "Easy" button turned on. If you have ever video-taped in a gymnasium, you know how not-wonderful that light can be.

The next morning I installed the included software to convert the AVCHD format to AVI for editing in Pinnacle Studio 12, Ultimate. While I had a lot to learn about the editing software, the camera software transferred the file very simply [I had read terrible reviews of it, but seems to work well.]

My final movie was proof that the camera adjusted well for lighting conditions, and that the stabilization and auto focus worked nicely. I don't think one could go wrong with this camera it seems to be a lot of bang for the buck. I can't wait to get into the advanced, priority modes, and other features.

Caveats??? Of course you knew there'd be something I'd only given four stars!

1 Small battery, but detailed battery meter. You will need to get a back-up. A high-capacity battery is available;

2 Battery only charges on the camera no separate battery charger;

3 No on-camera view-finder. For that you need the HG21, and a few more $$$.

4 Only 12x optical zoom. BUT... I normally won't use digital zoom, but I needed it to get in close enough my son was across the gymnasium. The digital artifacts were not distracting it did a very nice job. ALSO, note that a telephoto extender, and a wide angle adapter, are both available if you need this capacity.

So far, that's all I've got. I thought I had some "buyer's remorse" at first, but when I saw the output, that went out the window. Thank for reading I hope this helps.

REVISITED 05/10/2009:

So... That was a very encouraging review, wasn't it? Well, sorry to disappoint... I took the Vixia HG20 back... it even cost me a restocking fee to return it. "But why?" you ask... Go ahead, ask...

Although this camera made phenomenal videos, and was lightweight and very easy to use, and had great features, the most important factor for me was edited output. I don't think it is this camera's fault. From my research I have discovered that this AVCHD video format is simply not yet supported efficiently by the major editing packages. I have tried several, including Ulead, Pinnacle, Microsoft, etc... This format is unusable. I've even downloaded conversion software to create MP4, AVI, MPG, and other file formats. The AVCHD file is way too compressed, and this causes problems.

Don't get me wrong. For straight-out-of-the-camera use, I don't think you can find a better deal. Personally, I'm going to find a good digital tape recording unit getting harder to find these days, and I'll just suffer through the download times prior to editing. This will give me an uncompressed file, and a cheap media for backing up the original recordings.

I hope this helps. Please don't take my word for it; research AVCHD and see what the rest of the world says.

Thanks.