Cowboy Studio MovieKit with Shoulder Mount, Shoulder Support Pad for Video Camcorder Camera DV/DC

I ordered this rig solely because I needed something to help stabilize my shots and didn't have more than $100 to spend. I didn't expect a whole lot from it, but was pleasantly surprised.

Pros:

* It's very sturdy considering the materials and the price. I have no problems trusting it with my GH1, though I might be a bit wary with something significantly heavier (or more expensive).

* Very comfortable to use.

* Very versatile. I can customize all the angles and positioning to fit me, which is nice since I have a relatively small frame.

* Folds to be very compact, small enough to fit into most camera bags.

* Plenty of 1/4-20 mounting points for accessories (sound recorders, monitors, etc.).

* Looks professional enough that you wouldn't be embarrassed to use it around clients or actors, etc. (unlike a lot of DIY or other cheap rigs).

Cons:

* Would be nice if there was an easier way to add counterweight when using it as a shoulder rig (it has a 1/4-20 threaded hole that can be used, but there's no easy way to attach weights).

* A couple of the plastic bushings are a little stiff. Like maybe the inside isn't perfectly round.

Really, for the money you're not going to find anything more versatile or better quality. Most decent DSLR rigs start at around $400 and go up from there. For $80, this thing is a steal. I know some people who are wary of cheap rigs like this, thinking that if it breaks in the middle of a shoot, they'll be screwed. But at this price, you could just buy a spare to keep around (which is probably what I'll do) and still spend less than half what most rigs cost.

I have just recently purchased the Premium Movie Kit Shoulder Mount from cowboy studios and I can offer the following review:

When I saw this camera mount I really liked it. After I got it I still like it, but there are some things to point out.

First the good:

* I received it extremely fast.

* This mount is light weight which helps when you are doing a lot of hand held camera work.

* There are lots of places that weights could be attached for a "steadicam" like arrangement, or other camera accessories could be attached

* It can fold up very compact which makes transportation and storage much easier.

* It has many points of articulation which allow for different ways to set it up, or adjust it to fit you comfortably.

* It can be used as a low stand that can position your camera for great high shots. The ends of the "arms" have threaded holes. It might be possible to attach some wheels so that the mount can be rolled along the ground for a moving high shot.

The not so good:

* It is a bit expensive for what it actually is.

* It does not feel too sturdy, meaning that rough handling could cause parts to break. Also, I would not overload it with a large, heavy camera and accessories.

* It seems to be primarily made of plastic and aluminum. This is ok, but for the price I think it could have been made with sturdier materials. The plastic can break or strip if forced and the metal parts can bend with force. If you take care when manipulating joints and tightening the knobs you should be ok, just don't force things.

* There is a knobbed screw that allows you to connect your camera where your quick release plate would go. This is another part where, for the price, I think it could have been a better design. It is quite cumbersome to attach your camera, especially if it is a large video camera, while trying to hold the mount. I would have really liked to see some sort of quick release plate design here.

* No case or travel bag is included. Not a huge deal, but because it is so portable it would be nice to have something to help keep it clean or make it easier to carry.

* When I received it there was no instruction manual even though the product description on amazon states "About the usage and use, pls see the above pictures or user manual." I did contact cowboy studios regarding the instructions after I could not find it on their site for download (there are other products on their site with downloadable instructions, but not this one) and I was given a link to a youtube video which covered its usage (though it was more of an improvisation on how to use it, meaning I got the impression that the model demoing the mount didn't really know and was just kind of figuring it out on the spot). I did fool around with it before I got the link to the video, and I was pretty sure I had the usage right. The video simply confirmed that I did.

The long and the short of it is this: I like this camera mount and I think I will get some good use out of it provided I take care of it. I feel that, for the materials used and the lack of a quick release plate for the camera, the price is a bit high. It is hard to justify calling it a "premium" camera mount. If it was made out of stronger materials you could, but to me it's more of a light duty mount. You can; however, use it to get some creative shots.

I would recommend it as it does help to steady your shot and allow you to move around while remaining aware of your surroundings. Add some weights and you could have a nice poor man's steadicam. One thing to keep in mind is that the camera is potentially extended out away from your body quite a bit. This will move your center of gravity out forward. If you trip while walking forward and shooting, your camera goes lens first into the ground.

I only gave it 3 starts mostly due to the materials used and the lack of a quick release plate vs the price. If it had these two features it would be well worth the price. Without these features, I would expect it to be in the $40-$50 range; certainly not $159 as the list price is suggested.

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I must say that for the price I am very impressed with this item. It feels sturdy, and it's very customizable and flexible. I use it with an Iphone4 inside an MCam, and it fits on fantastically. The other fun thing about this is that there are littl holes and tripod mounts all over this thing. Someone like me, that likes to really play with what I have and change it around, this is very exciting.

The only thing this is missing is a rod system for mounting a follow focus or matte box. But if you don't need that, this will do exactly what you need it to do. A really great buy!

Read Best Reviews of Cowboy Studio MovieKit with Shoulder Mount, Shoulder Support Pad for Video Camcorder Camera DV/DC Here

gift for son who is a professional videographer-he liked it a lot-he uses it every day on his job-appreciated it

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My boyfriend asked me to purchase this for him so he can shoot his DSLR for movements with stability. He loves it, and been using it ever since. He said it's comfortable on the shoulder, and it's easy to maneuvering. It is also not heavy so it's great for traveling and shooting for extensive period.

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Logitech WiLife Digital Video Security--Outdoor Add-On Camera

I have a mixed review about this product. It is easy to install and works great. The problem I had was when the camera stopped working just after my one year warranty expired. I spoke to their customer service and they had me run a diagnostic report. This was sent to their diagnostic department and I received the following email "Thank you for reporting a problem to the WiLife Diagnostics Group!

Your email is being reviewed and a company representative will contact you." I was never contacted by a company rep. I did however buy another camera. I just hope it last longer than a year, and I hope their customer service improves.

I use the wilife system in my business. I have indoor cameras inside and outdoor cameras in my drive-thru (which is still technically inside). The outdoor cameras only last me about 6 months. The indoor cameras have lasted 2 years and are still going strong. I recently purchased 2 additional indoor cameras to replace the 2 outdoor cameras that continue to fail.

The system is great and the quality of the images are outstanding. I do however recommend avoiding the outdoor cameras.

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I am happy with this system. It performs as described and is perfect if you don't want to hack up your house running network cable. I have a full up 6 camera system, and it's has performed in excess of my expectations.

Based on all of the negative reviews floating around about this setup, you'd think this system was a joke....from software, connection issues, performance issues, it doesn't do this, it doesn't do that. Whatever. I find that most negative reviews come from technically challenged individuals, or those that have unrealistic expectations. We haven't experienced the issues others have reported. We have the most current software (v2.5) and camera firmware, and have had no issues whatsoever. For the price, we're getting what we paid for.

The specs on this system are clear. If it doesn't meet your needs, then don't buy. We find that it surpasses our expectations. It's great to have a record of all of the activity that goes on around our home while we are absent. Now that we have this system, we find that we cannot live without it. It's like going from dialup to high speed internet....you can never go back. We'll never be without a surveillance system again.

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The Logitech outdoor cameras have a known defect (caps melting).They fail in about a year. This is due to the following four 1000uF capacitors: C26, C27, C31 and C32. The caps that were in the original release were 10 volt caps. The next release they were 16 volt. I had 7 dead cameras. I replaced them with a 25 volt high quality cap and they have worked ever since. The caps don't fit perfectly (the original are 8mm diameter versus the 12.5mm that I put in) so you'll need to insulate the leads and let them float above the circuit board. Here is the Digi-key part number for the cap I used: UHE1E102MHD6.

Here is the link for the cap

They are 81 cents each.

The caps are from Nichicon and are Aluminum Electrolytic. They are rated for 10,000 hours at 105 degrees C. They are through hole, radial can, 12.5mm diameter.

I used a high reliability type HE. Here is a link. You could also use TT, PA, HV, your choice.

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When I first got the system and installed it, I was excited. Installation was easy. It started right up. It was sending me email alerts. I could access my cameras from the internet. How cool was that!!

But now 3 months later the bloom is off the rose, and I am ready to scrape it or send it back. It is just too unreliable. I have my system at a location that I only visit once a week. I would estimate that less than 25% of the time does it make through an entire week with all three primary functions (local recording, email alerts, internet viewing) all working, all week. And it's not just one thing. It's multiples. Logitec's help system always has suggestions but reliability never improves and the same problems continue to repeat.

So unless you can physically access the system daily and/or are ok with parts of the system going down for periods of time, I would stay away from this product.

Great idea. Flawed execution.

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Canon PowerShot SD4000IS 10 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 3.8x Optical Zoom and f/2.0 Lens (Red)

I purchased this over the acclaimed S90 and glad I did. Ultimately, I decided to wait on this camera in lieu of purchasing the S90 due to the video features and low light capabilities. It the past, it's the low light abilities of a camera that really separates one camera from another (while retaining detail / minimizing noise)

Naturally these are main features along with the fast lens across all optical zoom levels as well as a decent wide angle (28mm equivalent).

I already own a Canon 7D and 20D so wasn't concerned about RAW capabilities. I ultimately wanted a very compact, highly versatile camera that I could take everywhere. This camera accomplishes all of that and then some.

PROS:

-Low light shooting exceeds expectations. Slightly better than average noise for low lighting shooting.

-HD video shooting in 720P exceeded expectations as well. It is so good that I will probably use it more than my Canon 7D due to the ease of HD shooting. Allows zooming (optical and digital) and macro while shooting.

-240 fps / shooting is a lot of fun. Definitely low resolution is very noticable and subject to amount of light in terms of quality, but can still shoot fun videos in somewhat lower light conditions. I use it to capture our dogs playing and chasing after toys. A very fun option to have in a camera and icing on the cake.

-Fantastic macro. I was wondering about the macro as there was little information available. Be rest assured this macro is great.

-Build quality is great. The black matte is solid feeling in the hand and has a slight "rough" texture that makes it easy to hold and hopefully wear easier.

-When zooming out in picture-preview mode, the camera previews 130 pictures on the screen at once! Very cool.

-Small / light enough to pocket it easily ... even in a shirt pocket.

-Beautiful 3" LCD viewing screen. One of the best ones I've seen.

-Very intuitive controls. Takes a tad to get used to them (especially after using SLR cameras), but once you use them, they are a breeze to navigate and control. Amazed by the versatility of the simple layout / controls.

UPDATE: Stereo microphones, I believe.

CONS (I really don't mind any of these, so just a few minor issues):

-Can hear lens zooming while recording video, minor compared to my 7D (granted the 7D has much larger motors).

-During slow motion playback, there are no controls for "fast forward / rewind" to get to the parts of the video quickly for review. This would have been very useful, but not included however.

-Optical zoom lacking at only x3.8. Could stand for a bit more.

-UPDATE: The ports are annoying to get to (USB / HDMI). They are behind a hard plastic cover vs. a soft rubberized that is in normal circumstances. However, this is most likely due to the limited size of the camera and having to put the ports on the side where it is more desirable to have a better wearing hard cover.

UPDATE 6/21/10: I just got back from camping and bringing only this camera. I am more and more impressed by the low light capabilities and versatility. I wasn't aware of some interesting features / gimmicks that I actually like. Examples include a faux fish-eye image modification, tilt-shift image miniaturization effect (blurs top and bottom of the frame), color accent feature (keeps a selected color in the image while the rest is B&W), color swap (change a color in scene to another while shooting), and a panoramic stitch assist to help align pictures while shooting multiple frames ... to name a few. It has other features, but these are the most notable in my opinion.

What is also interesting (I haven't had a chance to test it out) is that it has a timer / shutter release function based on 1) a smile is detected 2) a wink is detected and 3) a new face entering the scene. If this works, it sure is an interesting feature.

I still intend on updating with new video samples. Thanks for reading.

UPDATE 7/22/10: If you are considering this camera and budget isn't an issue, Panasonic just announced their new line of compact cameras and most notably the Lumix LX5 which appears to outshine this camera on most if not all capabilities. It will be approximately $500, however.

UPDATE 8/18/10: Warning! Canon just announced the SD4500IS as well as the S95. You should most likely wait for those or another camera at this point. The S95 adds an HDR mode (cool!) as well as shoots in 720P. The SD4500IS shoots in 1080P! The S95 has hybrid image stabilization (for macro?) and the SD4500IS has dynamic image stabilization added. Anyhow, just some tidbits to give you an idea. Good luck.

The Canon SD 4000 IS has been on my "watch list" since its announcement a couple of months ago. I have purchased many Canon compacts over the years, and have often been supremely happy with them. My Canon PowerShot S80, for example, which I purchased back in 2005, was one of my favorites Canon ever made, and I used it far into the next cycles of camera production. With this latest Canon, touting a wide-open aperture of f/2.0 coupled with a back-lit CMOS sensor, and with the physically diminutive yet stylistically beautiful design, the promise for me was that the SD 4000 IS camera would meet my latest needs for a low light portable camera. Having already purchased the Canon S90 a few months ago, I was eager to see if the newest incarnation of Canon's low light portables really kept its promise, because the SD 4000 also tempted with HD video recording, which the outstanding S90 unfortunately omitted due to its implementation of the Sony sensor which does not support HD mode.

The results? Well, we are seeing quite a number of early positives about the SD 4000 IS, and most of them I cannot knock. It's really a fun camera to use, and many people will find it to their liking. Here are some of the true highlights that I can confirm with my own testing:

1. Startlingly beautiful design in a very small form factor with smooth curves and edges

2. An outstanding "rough" finish on the camera which makes holding the tiny device much more secure

3. True f/2.0 shooting (only at the widest end of the zoom) that allows use of the device in low lighting situations where other portables would be unusable

4. Outstanding video recording in 720i HD format videos look really great

5. Good display, though not up to the standards of what we would hope for today

6. True wide-angle lens

7. Some control over shooting settings

8. Excellent macro shooting capability (in part due to the large aperture, allowing for shallow depth of field shots at close range)

Nevertheless, having used the camera for a while, I would have to say that this camera is not a "no brainer" for everyone. There are some notable shortcomings from my own testing:

1. Noise levels are not what I had expected the S90 has less noise than the SD 4000 IS at equivalent settings, and noise levels are apparent even at the lowest ISO settings. This was my biggest letdown.

2. Image quality is good, but I had again expected IQ to be at levels quite similar to the S90. I cannot say that the image quality, however, is the same as the S90. There is also a general softness to the images which is not as strongly seen in the S90.

3. Total programmatic control over all camera settings is not possible. The camera is rather designed to be used with its predefined scene settings. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but one should understand that the SD 4000 IS is not fully controllable, such as is the case with the S90.

4. Video quality is great, but if you are looking for 1080i capability, this camera does not provide it.

It seems then, that you will like this camera truly based on your own preferences and willingness to accept compromise. If you want a very small, portable and stylish camera that shoots good video, does macros exceptionally well, and can handle low light situations, this camera is worth looking into. Having said that, you have to accept that the SD 4000 IS will not produce noise free images, and you'll likely be dealing with some noise even at the lower ISO levels. If that's OK, you'll have a blast with this camera.

If you are looking for a DSLR replacement for certain occasions when you don't want to lug around your gear, but also want noise free images in low light, I'm not sure this is your baby. I would rather consider the slightly larger Canon S 90IS, forgo the HD video, and have the manual controls (plus RAW shooting) that the S90 provides.

A number of other camera manufacturers are rumored to be releasing more of these types of cameras as the year progresses. It will be interesting to see if any of these can push farther forwards the low light shooting technology, because it's really something we are all wishing for. The SD 4000 IS is a great camera, but it comes with limitations (particularly in the area of noise), and others will be trying to beat what Canon is attempting to do with these portables.

Four stars for image quality (but with noise), three stars for price (too expensive, in my opinion), and five stars for quality.

Compare:

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD

Canon Powershot S80 8MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Zoom

Panasonic DMC-LX3 10.1MP Digital Camera with 24mm Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black)

Buy Canon PowerShot SD4000IS 10 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 3.8x Optical Zoom and f/2.0 Lens (Red) Now

I was in the market for a point-and-shoot to take on vacation when a photographer I know recommended this new model to me. I was intrigued by the description, because I have a child who does gymnastics and it's virtually impossible to get clear shots in a dark gym where flashes are prohibited. I won't bother discussing the specs since they're all in the product description, but after a week of playing with this camera, I'm simply blown away by the technology. This is, without a doubt, the best point-and-shoot I've ever owned for low light and action shots. Macro shots rival what I can get with my Nikon DSLR-you can get so close to your subjects that I actually bumped a strawberry with my lens. HD video is impressive as well.

Controls are easy to use. The menus make sense, and it only took me an hour or so of tinkering to find everything. The battery is good for about 250 shots on one charge.

If there's one negative (so far), it's that the SD4000 is very small and sleek, and I never feel like I'm holding it securely enough. My old A530 was a much more natural fit for the human hand. It's a minor complaint, really, but I have fairly small hands; I imagine it would feel even more undersized to someone with large hands.

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First of all, I'm a Canon PowerShot fan, owned the SD700IS, SD800IS, SD870IS and now the SD4000IS. In making this last purchase, I heavily considered the S90 (borrowed a friend's to test), and even the Sony CyberShot TX5.

SD4000IS over TX5:

Easy win. Sony has a slimmer profile and waterproof durability, but ultimately those were all gimmicks compared to the picture quality and color. Reinforced why I always come back to Canon, and reminded me that I wanted an extended warranty this time around.

SD4000IS over S90:

Tougher decision, but in the end, the S90 is really for the prosumer and those who love all the manual controls. S90 really make a huge leap with the ring and controls, while the SD4000IS keeps the same repertoire of manuals as previous models (exposure, color, ISO, etc.) which was enough for me, even though I'd classify my use of the manual controls as "above average". Also don't tweak pictures more than just what Picasa gives me, so RAW on the S90 was not that important for me, though others have raved about it.

Pros

+ Video quality: this was the biggest selling point, big step above any previous Canon point-and-shoot video quality.

+ Video zoom: Previous Canons only had digital zoom in video (worst ever--you'd zoom in to see something clearer, and it just made it more pixelated and unclear), but SD4000IS now has optical. Other reviews complained about lens noise captured on the audio, which I also experienced, but it was just a very low mechanical hiss, enough to hear if you're listening for it but not enough for a "what the heck was that??"

+ Low light: a BIG upgrade from my previous Canon models, I was surprised how much better they really are with this new processor and lens

+ Wide angle: Wider than S90, about the same as SD870. Great especially because my wife and I still do the whole taking pictures of ourselves by ourselves thing.

Cons

No flash level setting, which was the coolest thing on the S90. Don't think any other PowerShots have that either.

In streamlining the camera buttons in the back, the interface is not as straight forward as previous models. Feel like I'm often adding one more click for every option I'm trying to get to, but not a big deal.

LCD screen is widescreen, which means you have the black side margins when in camera mode (as opposed to the video mode which is full widescreen), and that makes the viewable space a bit smaller than a 3" display. Not a big deal either for me.

No miniHDMI cord provided

Other

Some complained about slow focus, which I did notice it slightly but it's not like I'm a photographer for the NFL. For regular shots, even with toddlers, I've been fine with it.

Get an extended warranty. It wasn't out of choice that I've had 4 Canons in the last 4 years. But in all fairness, I don't carry my camera in a case; I carry it around a lot and often in my pocket, but I never drop it either.

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I purchased this camera as the best option (for me) among the ~300.00 P & S cameras. The most important factors for me-

1) Low light. The reviews all over the internet that rated this camera unusually good for low light pics were correct. You can take pics indoors without flashthey look great, much more natural than with flash. It is a major plus and none of the other cameras in this range were capable. The sacrifice for low light performance at this price point was zoom rangeit's not a monster zoomer but it is decent and I'll take the low light capability any day.

2) Wide angle. I like wide angle viewing for architecture pics.

3) Canon history. Canon has been a rugged, reliable camera brand for my entire life as a serious casual photog.

4) Portability. I'll take this camera everywhere. I have large hands but have no issue with any of the controls.

Since there is a vocal minority of people that experienced blurry pics when at full optical zoom, I just benchmarked the performance in my yard. Pics at full optical zoom appeared very sharp on my computer when viewed at full widescreen size on my computer. Even zooming in to 100% of image (you get a small fraction of the pic on your screenuse irfran view or other photo viewer that measures percentage of image size when viewing) the images was not razor sharp but was still usable and did not fall off that drastically from the non-zoomed setting. This is not a professional camera but I am very happy with the results. In short, I could not duplicate the blurry zoom issues even when zooming in on the picture with my computer image viewer.

The 4 star rating was vs. a comparison to a professional camera as a reference, in other words, 5 star image quality is achieved only with cameras costing much more.

The controls are also very easy to use once you go through them a few times. The rotating selection ring works well. I prefer this over a touch screen.

If you value portability, solid feel, sharp images and natural indoor pictures without flash that can only be obtained with a camera that has great low light capability, this one is for you.

Nikon D70 Digital Camera (Body Only)

I have been a Nikon user for over 20 years, and owned at least six different bodies and lots of lenses. My all time favorite is the FM2N. Why Nikon? It's the lenses! Nikon seems to understand this is the main selling point of their system. SO they have never changed the F lens mount. You can use older manual focus AI and AIS lenses on the D70. The bad news: The meter won't work. However on a digital SLR, the LCD confirmation mitigates this since you can check your exposures. You could also use a handheld light light meter. More good news: depth of field preview works with AI and AIS lenses! So I've been having a great time using my manual lenses on the D70. This camera is really a winner and costs no more than some of the ridiculous "prosumer" digicams out there. It's far more versatile.

It's easy to use-if you've used another digicam or even a recent Nikon 35mm SLR. The fact that I've been able to figure out most settings necessary without even cracking the manual is impressive.

The flash syncs at 1/500! This makes for some really creative fill flash outdoors or in the studio. All necessary settings are within easy reach, and no stupid five click deep menus for stuff like ISO. All the important stuff like ISO, Metering pattern, Exposure modes, White Balance, etc. have a dedicated button right on the body. No fumbling to change stuff while shooting.

Shutterlag is virtually non-existent. It's almost as good as my FM2N. But face it, if you want zero shutter lag then get a manual 35mm camera! However with the D70, you will not notice it.

The Lens-the kit lens is a 18-70mm (27 to 105mm). It's pretty good, and the color has that gorgeous Nikon hue. It's bright for a zoom. A lot of people are criticizing this lens unjustly. It does have a lot of barrel distortion on the wide end, but for landscapes you'd never know. It's got a very good wide angle range for a digital lens. It's a great value, and way better than any junk Sigma puts out.

ViewFinder-Some have slammed the viewfinder. It does take a little getting used to, like looking down a long dark corridor at first. But it's just as bright as any AF SLR once you get used to it. I think Nikon designed it this way to get people used to the CCD aspect ratio. It's kind of like watching a DVD in letterbox format. Good news: the viewfinder has a diopter for eyeglass wearers.

Picture Quality-This is where the rubber meets the road. At all ISO settings, the images are superb. Colors are saturated and lifelike, with the "Nikon Pop". They remind me of a good ISO 100 slide film like Kodak E100G, or Fujichrome Velvia 100. Best of all, the grain is very low, even ISO 1600 is not bad when printed to 8 x10. This is a huge advance over my older Canon G2 digital. Like I said, think ISO 100 slide film.

This is destined to be one of Nikon's legends, like the N8008, N90, FM2N, etc. You get a lot of value for your money, much more than the Canon Digital Rebel. A lot of pros are buying D70s for backup, and the Press Photographers Association of Japan just picked the D70 as new camera of the year! What else could you ask for? This is a top drawer camera with a great lens.

I have a Nikon D100 and love it. But if I were in the market today, the D70 would be the one I selected. At $999 (body only) this is absolutely an outrageous bargain, and Nikon has plainly positioned this camera price/feature-wise to dominate the market.

This camera and others like it herald the death of film. This camera will produce breathtakingly good images and you don't have to pay to develop them before you view them. Just take your CF card and attach it to a reader and you can review the pictures on your personal computer. Then select the ones you want and print them yourself (good printers are pretty cheap these days) or submit them on-line to any number of professional printing houses who will mail you wonderful prints in a day or two. And you can process the images with any of several superb (and inexpensive) programs giving you a "digital darkroom" capability that far exceeds what an expensive and messy film darkroom could achieve with film. The digital darkroom is a reality!

The D70 has all of the features that a serious amateur (and even a pro, IMHO) will want. First the basics: this camera will use all of the Nikon D and G autofocus lenses. Put in a 512MB CF card and it will take 51 RAW pix or several hundred JPEG pix, depending on your setting. These 6 Megapixel pictures are indistinguishable from film for essentially all purposes. What's not to like?

The D70 has improved Through-The-Lens metering, and improved buffering. This means that your images will likely be perfectly exposed each time. It also means that you can take many pictures in rapid sequence, and the camera will be able to keep up with you. Although the D70 is positioned slightly below the D100, in reality Nikon chose to improve these features somewhat over the D100! The D70 is not a "crippled" D100 the way the Canon Digital Rebel is a crippled Canon 10D (Canon's fine competing product to the D100). Although the D100 has some features that the D70 lacks, the D70 shows that Nikon has learned from the comments and requests of D100 owners by providing a bigger and faster buffer allowing users to take pictures in rapid-fire sequence.

Although the D70 is somewhat lighter than the D100, it is solidly built, and I like the heft and feel of the camera--it does not feel flimsy. It is light but solid. The menus are intelligently set out, and after an hour or so, most users will no longer need the manual.

The D70 is a winner, and the only problem that prospective buyers will have with it is finding one.

Buy Nikon D70 Digital Camera (Body Only) Now

The D70 is the digital SLR to record daily life and life events. With a 6 megapixel resolution limits the size of prints you can make with it to about 11" by 17". If this is not a problem for you then this is your digital camera. If you want to be able to make larger prints with good resolution, then you need to spend a great deal more money for a higher resolution digital camera (about $5,000) or stick with film. I keep my old N90 for these purposes.

Buy the D70 without the bundled 18-70 Nikon lens if (1) you already have a bundle of Nikon lenses; or (2) if you want a more capable first lens for your camera. If you want a more capable lens I strongly recommend the Nikon 24-120 lens. It cost $500 from B&H photo and will wind up being the lens you always keep on your camera. Its equivalent range in film cameras is 36-180 in other words slight wide angle to more than satisfactory telephoto. This is the fourth generation of this lens by Nikon and it now has all the bells and whistles: Nikons best ed glass for super sharp and clear pictures, silent wave motor for extremely fast focusing, and vibration reduction to eliminate the shakes in low light. Nikon has other excellent zooms and you may want to look at them but I can highly recommend this lens as one to have if you never want to miss a shot of the kids or what is happening at the instant.

The D70 comes bundled with one EN-EL3 battery. To get started with the camera I suggest the following in addition:

* One extra EN-EL3 Lithium-Ion Battery.

* Two 2GB 80X CompactFlash cards with write acceleration (WA) technology.

* One CF card reader for your computer. Firewire or USB connection depending upon your needs.

As time and money permit you may want to add the following:

* A telephoto lens for wildlife and sporting events. The 70-300mm F4-5.6G AF Nikon is a great value and complements the bundled lens nicely. If money is not an object step up to the 70-300ED or the 70-200 F2.8 with vibration reduction.

* A good macro lens such as the AF Micro Nikon 105mm f2.8.

* Polarizing filters for both your basic lens and the telephoto. Get Nikon filters there is no sense in spending money for Nikon lenses and then putting junk filters on them.

* A bag to carry all this stuff.

This will get you nicely started. Further down the line you may wish to get the following:

* A speedlight. Either the SB 600 or 800.

* A tripod and ballhead.

Be sure to check prices at B&H Photo as well as those shown here. They have a tremendous selection and have long been known and trusted by serious photographers. In addition I would suggest that anyone who buys a D70 join Nikonians. There or literally tens of thousands of people who are more than happy to help you with any question you may have about Nikon Cameras, lenses and other equipment as well as help you with your photography skills. And, bet of all, it's free! Go to nikonians.org.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon D70 Digital Camera (Body Only) Here

Pros: All the advantages of a D-SLR (fast ISO speed, super-low noise, wide range of aperture and shutter speeds, versatility, huge buffer, compatibility with high-speed cards, etc.); unmatchable color accuracy and brilliance; beautiful style, battery life (After I took 500 regular photos and 20 flash photos, the battery still showed full. Nikon¡¦s claim that the battery can last 2,000 photos may not be too far from truth); reasonable price.

Cons: The camera has a few minor annoyances, but the most horrible thing about this camera which may apply to all other D-SLRs is the dust problem. Knowing that D-SLR is very vulnerable to dust, I never took off the lens (included in the kit) after I first mounted it on the camera. Yet, the dust still somehow managed to get into the low-pass of the CCD anyway, though I have strictly followed the professional standards in avoiding dust from getting into the camera. After less than two months of use, I found a few consistent light dots on bright areas of the photos such as the blue sky. However, I was delighted to find cleaning the CCD is not as difficult as I first thought. Just strictly follow what the manual says and it took me less than 2 minutes to get the dust off the CCD, though I couldn¡¦t see with my eye any dust on the CCD itself. I hope Nikon can make better seals around the lens¡¦ mount in its next version of affordable D-SLR or enable the camera to clean its CCD like Canon 10D or Olympus E-1.

Want Nikon D70 Digital Camera (Body Only) Discount?

This camera is awesome! I have a Nikon N80 35mm film camera and the D70 is basically a digital version of the N80. They look and perform in very similar manners. The D70 is slightly taller and heavier than the N80, though. I do want to warn people that digital photography with a D-SLR is different than film photography with a 35mm SLR. It takes practice and a little time to get used to it. But once you do you'll love it!

The D70 has pretty much everything a digital SLR needs. It takes exceptionally sharp pictures with the 6.1 MP sensor. The rechargeable battery lasts forever. So far I've taken about 200 pictures (some with flash, some without), reviewed the pics on the LCD and experimented with various menu functions and the battery meter hasn't gone down any yet.

The menu on the D70 is expansive. It has all kinds of customizations to make the camera fit your personal preferences (Like which control knob changes aperture or shutter speed, bracketing order, self timer length, etc). The camera also includes many white balance settings and adjustments like vivid, saturation, contrast, etc.

The camera can take pictures in 5 different options: NEF(RAW), JPEG fine, JPEG Normal, JEPG Basic and NEF+JPEG Basic. And the pictures can be taken in 3 sizes: L (3,008x 2000), M (2,240x 1,488) and S (1,504x 1,000).

The D70 has a very fast write time to the memory card. Plus it has a memory buffer which lets you continue taking pictures even while the camera is writing to the card. Because of this I would recommend saving some money by buying a basic type memory card. I don't think you really need a "high speed" card. When I was testing out my camera, with a basic card, I was able to take 7-8 JPEG Fine pictures in about 3-4 seconds before the camera's buffer filled up (as soon as a picture is written to the card the buffer frees up space and so you can continue to take pictures but the picture taking rate slows down, maybe 1/sec. instead of 3/sec.)

The viewfinder is very clear and has a bar at the bottom that tells you shutter speed, aperture, metering numbers, etc. You can elect to add horizontal and vertical lines to the viewfinder as one of your custom settings. I would recommend doing this since it helps you keep things leveled up.

Auto focus is fast and pretty accurate most of the time. Of course you need AF lenses to utilize this feature. There is really no "shutter lag." As soon as you push the shutter button the camera takes the picture. Also, there is no start up time when you turn the camera on.

There are a few things I wish the D70 had. First, I wish it had a bigger viewfinder (like the one in the N80). Second, I wish it had "live view" on the LCD monitor like point and shoot cameras. As far as I know no D-SLRs have "live view." Since SLRs have a through the lens viewfinder the camera's mirror (which flips up when the picture is taken) blocks the digital sensor. Third, I wish it had a sensitivity speed of ISO 100. And fourth, I wish it had a mirror lockup mode for taking slower shutter speed pictures (The mirror can be locked up for cleaning, why not for picture taking!).

In conclusion, this is a great camera and you will not be disappointed. I think it is a steal for $1,000 since it has many professional D-SLR features. I would definitely buy it again and I very highly recommend it. Best of luck in your digital photography endeavor!

Monster High Speed SuperThin HDMI Cable (2 meters)

This review is based on a screwed up cable and non existent Tech Support which is replaced by a endless runarounds.

I purchased two cables One worked but the other cable's blue light blinked endlessly.

Called Monster Tech Support. One Hour wait followed by fake tech support who never heard of the super thin cables and again places you in endless hold for level two tech support. This means, in my opinion, level one really does not exist. They are just script readers.

Also tried the e mail Tech support. You only get a confirmation that they received e mail. They supply links for other things but do not supply answers

The hours are from 7AM to 445PM. I advise you to start early you many need the whole day or more. I spent a total of two hours on cues and then then they hung up while I was still waiting for level 2

For the prices Monster asks for cables you would think they would have real Tech Support not the runaround time wasting disrespect for people who purchase their product.

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Sony Handycam HDR-CX350V AV Cable - TV Video Cord for Sony Handycam HDR-CX350V

The cable was just as described and worked great for our event! We were able to both record from the camera and project the image onto a screen via projector.

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Casio NP-40 Battery for EXILIM Cameras

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

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

Buy Casio NP-40 Battery for EXILIM Cameras Now

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

Read Best Reviews of Casio NP-40 Battery for EXILIM Cameras Here

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

Want Casio NP-40 Battery for EXILIM Cameras Discount?

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

SO far there is no problems with the battery.

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