Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I

I'm usually a digital SLR user, but I've been waiting for a camera like this to come out so I have something to put in my pocket. The features that really made me decide to buy this camera were:

1. AVCHD 1080i FULL QUALITY video. Check the bitrate -it's the same as the camcorders. Better than the flip or handheld 'HD' bitrates

2. Wide Picture Stitching. I am astounded by the quality of these pictures. Dumbfounded. Check out the ones I've posted.

3. GPS Tagging. Yepbeen waiting for this since iPhoto introduced the feature into its software.

4. Low-light performance. For a point-and-shoot, you're not going to beat this. Sure, it's no DSLR, but it's pretty great for the price.

5. Pricea zillion features and a totally reasonable price!!!

Mac Compatibility:

I tried out the camera with iMovie, and it worked seamlessly!!! I imported 2 minutes of low-light video footage AVCHD in about 30 seconds from an SDHC Class-6 card. Also used the camera with iPhoto and Aperture, and everything worked great.

Update: I've had time to play around with the different settings -you can see some of my results in the customer uploaded images. The panoramas today came out great! I am still awed by this feature (amazon's tiny photos don't do it justice). Shooting inside in the MOMA was excellent. Outside, I tried the HDR mode, with limited success (still need to experiment, but see what I got). The handheld twilight mode does what it is supposed to, impressively.

*****Pros: Clear, Crisp pictures & movies. Sound is accurate. HD is excellent. Auto mode allows an average user to take excellent pictures in all but very difficult conditions. Software converts AVCHD to data, standard and WMV formats.

*****Cons: Have to remove battery from camera to recharge it. Camera has no AC adapter.

**Summary: Highlights:

* Sonys smallest and thinnest AVCHD capable digital camera (1080i)

* 10x (25mm equivalent) professional-quality optical zoom G-Lens (same lens as professional DSLR)

* 10.2 megapixel back-illuminated ?Exmor R? CMOS image sensor combined with BIONZ image processor

* ISO: Auto/125/200/400/800/1600/3200, Panorama, Anti-Motion & moviesHD (1920 x 1080 pixels),

* High Speed Shooting ? 10 frames per second at 10 megapixel full resolution

* 3-inch (230K pixels) Clear Photo LCD display with a special anti-reflective coating

* Backlight Correction HDR and GPS + Compass and Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode technologies

*****Comparison Prior to purchase:

Review Data: I reviewed over 50 web sites, spoke to camera stores and had the specifications reviewed by photographic professionals.

*WEB Site Reviews: The web sites I reviewed gave mixed reviews but in general this camera came out one of the best point and shoot cameras. In fact many of the complaints I read were by people comparing the camera with high end SLR?s or DSLR?s clearly not an unbiased or practical test, in my opinion a device should be compared with products in the same class to be fair.

*Store and Professional Reviews:I spoke to most of the major and many other camera stores that carried various brands that were familiar with this camera all of them stated they did not have a point and shoot better than this camera. Some stated the camera was as good as some SLR?s and some pointed out the lens and the CMOS image sensor was the same as that found on high end DSLRs.

My Test Results:

*****Indoor Camera mode: Camera tested in the Auto mode, photographed people and pets ? Tested under natural light, incandescent and fluorescent lights all shots were clear and sharp. Camera Tested in a darkened room in Auto mode flash worked picture quality was excellent. Extreme test Camera tested in an almost completely dark room with light seeping through a window blind, picture blurry -camera had trouble adjusting due to streaks of light coming through blind. Repeated test without sunlight comming through blind in the dark camera worked excellent but I had to use "Easy" mode instead of Auto. It pays to try the cameras different modes.

*****Outdoor Camera Mode Camera tested in Auto mode; photographed people and pets pictures were clear and sharp. The camera compensated for my movements, people moving and animal movement even when using zoom at its maximum without a tripod. Photographed a man made waterfall you could actually see the water streaming down the rock. Photographed several high trees all came out straight, even a palm tree. Tested camera at sunset and at night to get the best results you need to learn the cameras mode.

*****Movie Mode: (Inside and Outside)

Photographed people and animals playing inside and outside, a man made waterfall, a television program. Camera adjusted to my movements and gave clear and crisp movies. Sounds were accurate and clear.

*****Viewing:

The camera has a 3 inch LCD display; I had no problem seeing what I photographed even in sunlight.

*****Software:

The camera includes software that allows you to save your pictures as data, WMV, HD and standard mode. All modes worked well.

Conclusion: As far as I am concerned this camera is better than any point and shoot on the market. I agree with a lot of the professionals that stated it was almost as good as a SLR or DSLR when used by the average user. Even in the Auto mode it excelled in many difficult situations both as a fixed camera and movie camera. Due to the camera size you have to be careful not to block the microphone on the top of the camera. If you are a professional photographer this camera is probably not for you though I did talk to one professional photographer that stated they used this camera as a backup at a wedding and the pictures came out as good as their high end cameras in many situations.

*****Cost: I managed to find the camera on sale at for $293.99 when buying 2 accessories @ 15% off.

*****Below are some of the camera specifications to see them all you can go to .

* Optical Zoom : 10x

* Total Zoom : Approximately 20x with Precision Digital Zoom Macro Mode : iAuto(W:Approx.5cm(0.16')

* Drive Mode : Normal / Hi-Speed Burst (High/Mid/Low) / Bracketing

* Shutter Speeds : iAuto(2" 1/1,600) / Program Auto(1" 1/1,600) /Manual(30"-1/1600)

* Aperture : iAuto(F3.5/F8.0(W)) / Program Auto(F3.5/F8.0(W)) / Manual(F3.5/F8.0(W)) (2 Steps with ND Filter)

* ISO : Auto / 125 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200

* Focal Length (35mm equivalent) : 4.25-42.5mm

* AF Modes : 9 points AF / Center Weighted AF / Spot AF

* Burst Mode : Approx 10 fps at 10.2MP (Maximum 10 shots)

* HD Output : HDMI / Component (1080i)

* Flash Modes : Auto / On / Slow Syncro / Off

* White Balance Mode: Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Fluorescent / Incandescent / Flash.

* Image Stabilization : Optical

* Imaging Sensor : 1/2.4" (7.59mm) "Exmor R" CMOS Sensor

* Processor : BIONZ?

* LCD Type : 3.0"1 Clear Photo LCD (230K pixels)

* Lens Type : Sony G-Lens (same as DSLR's)

* Scene Mode(s) : High Sensitivity / Twilight / Twilight Portrait / Soft Snap / Landscape / Beach / Snow / Fireworks / Advanced Sports / Gourmet / Pet

Buy Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I Now

I'm comparing this camera to my most recent camera: Canon SD1000 and Sony TX1. I'm just a casual photographer. The most surprising thing about this camera is the weight. If you've owned some high end Sony or Canon PowerShot cameras then holding this camera doesn't "feel" normal, it's way too light for it's size...but that's a good thing....sort of. They achieve this weight reduction by using plastic for many of the body parts (the SD1000 and TX1 are mostly, if not all metal). The back is definitely plastic, I'm not quite sure about the front. The mode dial (although very welcome) feels cheap.

That's about it for the bad news. The good news is the GPS locks FAST out of the box and the picture quality is very good, on par with 10-12 mega-pixel cameras. The Sony "extra" features such as panorama and 1080 HD video work as advertised and add value to the Sony versus the only current competitor (with GPS and a mega-zoom) the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 which has not been released yet. You can compare images between the two cameras on the Imaging Resource site as well as some others.

I'm was going to purchase both this camera and the Panasonic to see which one I liked better, however I'm going to be keeping the Sony. I'm very happy with the ease of use, picture quality and the Sony extra features (such as panorama).

For a case, I'm using the Case Logic TBC302. It fits the camera perfectly with barely enough room in the front pocket to hold a spare battery. The Case Logic TBC303 is much larger but not too useful, for example you can't put the battery charger with the camera. It could hold some credit cards or papers, though.

Update: Software

I usually never install the included software because it's so bloated or just not very good to use. However, the Sony PMB (which is on a CDROM or on the internal camera memory when plugged into your computer) is VERY good. Good in that it's not bloated and it just works. You can do everything you expect such as organize and edit your photos or even update/assign GPS data. Also you can download updated GPS data (which helps the camera lock to GPS faster). I would dare say the software is nicer than Picasa or iPhoto due to the speed and built in GPS features. Some other things you can do but I have not tried yet: you can burn a video DVD (either a normal DVD or a AVCHD DVD with 1080i quality, but you need a PS3 or compatible player to watch those).

Update: GPS

I'm happy to report the GPS function works very well. I took a drive while snapping pictures as a test and then examined the recorded locations. The location was being actively updated because it was able to differentiate my position between shots taken seconds apart going about 40 MPH. Very pleased.

Update: Picture Quality

On closer inspection, the picture quality is a bit soft..I wish I could have the camera automatically adjust the sharpening inside the camera (make it more sharp) but this is not a big deal as the PMB software has easy edit controls. You can also manually unsharp after you take the photograph. The low light performance is remarkable, especially the low-light modes that actively combine multiple images (hand-held twilight and back-light HDR modes do this). As long as you're steady and you're not shooting a moving subject you can get some pretty remarkable, low-noise images at night.

Other final comment: when you turn the camera off, there is a slight delay (fraction of a second) before the lens retracts. Not really an issue but just something I'm not used to with my previous cameras and something I just noticed as I'm usually taking quick impromptu photos, on..photo...off. The interface, although totally functional, is not as "refined" as on my Sony TX1 (with touch screen), the LCD resolution is noticeably lower but, again, totally functional.

The mode dial is still bugging me, I feel it's the first thing on this camera that will go...But only time will tell.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I Here

I have been looking for a new P&S for a while and compared the Sony hx5v v. Canon sx210is v. Panasonic zs3 (as a prelude to the zs7). The most important consideration was image quality followed closely by convenience, a well defined menu system, lens quality, fit and finish and pocketability. The Sony and Panny both had a gps function which was not important to me.

The panny zs3 had poor low light performance and no manual controls. Several bona fide review sites stated that the IQ for the zs7 was inferior to the zs3 so I quickly made a decision that the zs7 was not in contention.

For a comparison between the Sony and Canon I spent lunchtime on a couple of days walking around town taking only photos with the Sony on the trip out...and with the Canon on the walk back to my office. With the same drill in the evening to compare low light performance. I accumulated several hundred photos. When taking the photos I would use whatever mode or camera setting was appropriate at the time. Specifically, I did not set the cameras on Auto and just shoot in that mode. I also took a fair amount of video. A couple of days later I loaded all photos and video onto my computer and began viewing and this is where the Sony fell down. The images were very soft. At a small size they looked fine in fact they looked very good. However, with any magnification, the in-camera noise removal processing was evident and very heavy handed. Other review sites stated this, but I had to see it for myself, and even at ISO 125 (the lowest Sony allows) the images were soft. At pixel peeping levels it was very bad. Details were lost and it all looked like plastic. And if the details aren't there, no amount of work in PS or LR will bring them back to life. The evidence of noise at magnification was low, but I'd rather have native noise and remove it with Neat Image than be stuck with an over processed image. Also, there is no manual mode at all...all auto function. There is no iris for f-stop control, so to limit light Sony has chosen to use a neutral density filter and you get only 2 f-stops. Therefore, you get one depth of field for all images. That is almost anti-camera to me.

Sony claims their CMOS sensor is superior to a CCD sensor. That is apparent in the ability to shoot full resolution images for 10 fps bursts, as well as the hand held twilight and anti blur modes. But, to my eye, I don't see any low light benefit of the CMOS over the CCD and image quality did not compare well, though I don't think that had much to do with the sensor as much as Sony's noise algorithm.

The white balance is inconsistent indoors. You can get a custom WB by shooting a white object, but the native AWB will leave you disappointed. Outdoors the colors are warm no problem there. And it is easy to use anti blur mode to get a quick snapshot anytime and have a good result.

I did not give the video an adequate review since the stills were so disappointing. However, the microphones are situated in the exact wrong location. It is difficult to keep from covering one or both of them as you are filming. It is a very poor design. The flash is weak and poorly located it is easy to block with your fingers. The light from the flash falls visibly off-centered in the image.

The Sony has some great technology. The 10 fps burst is great, the hand held twilight and anti blur are clever and practical. The menu system is well designed and intuitive. It is a good point and shoot camera for someone that wants only that without the need for printing beyond 4x6 or only for casual viewing on the computer.

The Sony was returned and the Canon sx210is won out. Far better image quality, it has a manual mode with up to 15 second exposure, very good HD video at 720p and good sound, superior low light performance, better flash power as well as being able to adjust the eV +/for flash photography, better color gamut, the 14x optical on the Canon is nice some vignetting at 14x, but that is fixable in post process. I do wish the Canon had a faster burst mode.

Want Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I Discount?

I've had the HX5V since I replaced my Canon SD800IS in March, '10 and have been very pleased with what it has to offer. It captures great images but with a caveat. It is not, strictly, a point and shoot. It has features such as the hand-held twilight, anti motion blur and iPanorama that take some knowledge and practice to make the most of. Most of the complaints I have read here relate to a misunderstanding of the camera features and not a failure in design. I'll address some of the the issues and how I have avoided or dealt with them.

Colors: Most compact digital cameras come with auto-ISO and auto white-balance as the defaults. I always over-ride the auto-ISO with the lowest ISO setting and adjust manually from there if needed. Auto WB is left on, but virtually no current camera will decipher the odd mix of light that compact fluorescent lighting puts out. That's why there is a custom WB setting. When custom white-balance is used properly, colors are rendered nicely. In daylight, I have had no problems and under incandescent outdoor lighting it seems to render colors quite well.

Distortion: Most P&S cameras don't start out at 24mm equivalent on the wide end (one of the reasons that I bought the camera). If you are not used to composing using a wider-angle lens, your shots can produce some perspective distortion. Buildings and interiors need to be shot carefully at wide angles to minimize the "leaning walls" effect caused by the exaggerated perspective of wide angle lenses that is often mistaken for lens distortion. The lens itself is remarkably free of distortion at both the wide and long end of the zoom range. BTW, people shot up close with a wide-angle lens will NOT like how they look!

Lack of detail: The HX5V is not a DSLR. Its 10MP files will never support the detail that you can get with a large APS-C sensor. If you are obsessed with detail and like to view your pictures in minute detail at 100% zoom with your nose 12 inches away from your monitor, this is not the camera for you. That said, it will fit in your pocket and produce sharp, detailed images suitable for 8x10 prints or even larger...if used properly. Auto-ISO will automatically boost ISO in low-light conditions. As stated before, this camera is a compact, not a DSLR. Though it does better at ISO 800 than most, it still has a tiny sensor that is susceptible to noise and the accompanying loss of detail from noise reduction processing at higher ISO. In low light, I have used the hand-held twilight function with excellent results. This mode isn't magic and if the camera moves too much during the multiple exposures, it won't do the job. If you choose your subject well and keep the camera steady, the images in this mode can be very impressive. Digital zoom can cause problems at the long end. Since this feature simply takes a smaller center section of the image and blows it up, resolution suffers. I'm happy with the 10x optical zoom and turning off the "digital zoom" option prevents its use and accidental image degradation.

iPanorama doesn't work: Nonsense. It is actually one of the best in-camera panorama solutions out there. Like everything else, there is no free lunch. You have to practice moving the camera steadily and smoothly across the scene and keep in mind that since it is using the video mode to capture the 100 or so image slices, you are limited to a 1080 pixel tall image (unless you trick it and use the vertical mode sideways to get a 1920 tall panorama).

In general, the HX5V will function as a point and shoot camera but to get the most out of its remarkable feature set, you need to take the time to learn the functions and how to best take advantage of what they have to offer. It is not a camera for everyone but it can be a great 24x7, take-anywhere tool with some class-leading features if use it well.

I have posted some images on my share site with examples of low-light, indoor, outdoor, panorama and extremes of the zoom range.

You can find them at: Well I guess you'll have to take my word for it. Whenever I post the link, Amazon moderators strip it out. Since there are no ads at the site I can't imagine they are fearing revenue loss to my humble competition. Look up the images gallery at Digital Photography Review for examples(a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon). I'd post the link...but it might be removed by a moderator that doesn't know that they own DPReview

You can run a full-screen slide show of the images there as well.

If you want a great compact camera with a load of useful features and are willing to do some of the homework necessary to get the most out of it, the HX5V is an excellent choice. Get one and enjoy it!

Happy shooting!

Dave

Sony Alpha NEX E-Mount 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS Zoom Lens with Sony Case + 32GB Card + (2) NP-FW50 Ba

I had a NEX 5 and wanted a zoom lens after a trip to the Amazon River (not the website). After much review, this looked like what I wanted with the filters, batteries, etc etc. The order was shipped quickly, and everything was in the package as advertised. I would order from them again.

Panasonic 14.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Gray FP2 Silver

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

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

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

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

Buy Panasonic 14.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Gray FP2 Silver Now

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

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

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic 14.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Gray FP2 Silver Here

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

Want Panasonic 14.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Gray FP2 Silver Discount?

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

pros:

+ lightweight

+ high build quality

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

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

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

+ fast startup & focus

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

+ 720p video recording

cons:

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

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

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

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

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

tiny buttons

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

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

somewhat slow to zoom in/out

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

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

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

Wireless Digital Inspection Camera with 2.4-inch Color LCD, On-screen Image Reverse and 180° Rotat

[Short Summary]

I purchased this at very cheap hardware store with the initials HF when it was on sale. I went in with fairly low expectations given that most tools you get from HF are definitely on the budget side.

I was (am) pleasantly surprised with this little hot-rod.

PROS: Cheap, lightweight, cable is stiff enough to help guide camera, image flip feature, video out jack, magnet attachment is likely the best of the 3, being able to peer into inaccessible places.

CONS: Short focal length, near objects can wash out the image, LCD has a narrow view angle, no image capture (though the box misleads you to believe it does), mirror attachment is pretty useless.

Quick Summary: I'm happy with the purchase. I had some water damage that this camera came in very handy during investigation. Yes it's cheap, but so far has been useful and for the price I got it ($70) I have no buyer's remorse.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

[Deeper details]

At 480x234 (advertised LCD resolution), the picture quality on the color LCD is so-so, but for my purposes, it's been fine.

Before I got this device, I had expectations of what the video would look like and was a bit disappointed when I actually fired it up. I thought it would have a much better view and quality when viewing large open areas. Like if you slide it under a door, the image is pretty grainy and that's if the room is already lit. If the room or void is dark, you're not going to see much except the floor or wall right in front of or next to the camera. If all you want to know is if the room is full of zombies it might do that, but if you want to spot water leaking or mouse carcasses/droppings in a dark room, it would have to pretty close to where you can get the camera. If the void you are investigating is well lit, you'll obviously be able to see a lot more.

If you are trying to peer down a long crack (like behind something pushed up against a wall), you'll see nothing past a few inches because the camera exposure will be adjusted to handle the light. Another way to think of it: Take 2 sheets of 4x8 plywood and put them an inch apart. Feed the camera in between. You'll only see a few inches in front and the rest of the gap will be completely black.

About a week after getting it, I discovered some water damage in the bathroom. I tore into it a little and then used this camera to check inside the wall. It took a bit of getting used to, since anything near the camera causes the image to get a bit washed out, so as you slide and move the camera around inside a wall, thick spider webs will wash the image out a bit, but with a bit of wiggle and movement, you'll be able to recover the image. I was really happy with the results. For all its limitations, it's definitely better than having to completely tear up a wall just to see if you actually have to tear up the wall (which I did, but the camera allowed me to know beforehand :o)

The actual camera whip is about 3ft long and is flexible but holds its shape pretty well. As you're fishing the camera around, it's easy to get disoriented and wonder "What am I looking at?" There's a button on the unit that enables 4 changes; flip horizontal and flip vertical. I thought it would just rotate the image by 90 degrees, but that's not quite what it does. I'll try to describe it, but really difficult with just text...

Example: Let's say you are looking at some symbols in normal rotation and you see "o\/-", press the rotate button once, and you get "-\/o" (which is flipped on the horizontal axis), click it again and it goes upside down "-/\o" but still flipped on the horizontal axis, and a third click it will be "o/\-" which is just upside down (undoes the flip on horizontal axis, but still flipped on vertical).

Hard to describe with just text, but instead of the image rotating around like on a dial, it flips horizontal, then vertical, then undoes horizontal flip (leaving vertical flip), then back to original. It's advertised to reverse Image and 180 deg rotation, which is pretty much what it does. From a circuit standpoint, I think that's much easier than trying to rotate a non-square image, and budget is what this camera is about.

I've found that it's easy to disorient the image with a couple flips. A little experimentation can help get comfortable with this functionality.

The LCD has a fairly narrow view angle, meaning that looking straight on gives the best image, but moving your head to the side, it starts to look pretty bad, and at extreme angles, the image actually appears inversed. Just an artifact of a cheap LCD, but where it does come into play, is when you are fishing the cable/camera around, it's easy to move the unit into a position that makes the LCD hard to see. I got used to having to move around head around to get the best view. Again, you can get used to this.

There are 2 white LEDs on the sides of the camera that appear to have 8 levels of adjustment. The camera auto-adjusts its exposure, so as you increase or decrease the LED brightness, you can see the camera adjust to keep a fairly consistent image. This adjustment helps a little if you are struggling with debris that is causing washout.

Another thing to be aware of, is the focal length is really short, so if you needed to read something, it starts to go out of focus at about 4 inches (example: 12pt font on a page gets blurry around 4 inches).

*** NOTE: The box says "Image capture: JPG images (640x480)" ...uh, no. There is no capture functionality in this device. I'd say this isn't just misleading but clearly false advertising.

What it does have is a video out jack that looks like it outputs 640x480 and when hooked up to a monitor it provides a darn good picture and more detail than when looking at the onboard LCD. What this also means is that any capture device that has a video in (like a digital or video camera if yours supports it), you CAN capture 640x480 images with that other device. So, maybe not completely false advertising but close enough. The video out cable that comes with it has a 4 segment (Tip-Ring-Ring-Sleeve) 1/8th inch male end, and the other end is a standard male RCA plug, which should allow for plugging into various TVs and monitors. Plugging into a digital camera will likely need some kind of simple male-to-mail adapter -RCA from the inspection camera to whatever is on the end of your cameras plug...maybe another RCA? That would be convenient and easy to bridge.

[Attachments]

It comes with 3 attachments that clip on to the end of the camera. A magnet and simple hook attachments for retrieval, both stick about 2 inches in front of the camera which is right in the focal length zone. The third attachment is a 45 deg angled "mirror". That's "mirror" in quotes because the reflective surface is just flat, polished metal.

I haven't had to use any of these yet other than experimentation, but it's easy to imagine all sorts of treasure hunts with the magnet and hook attachments. The magnet is really strong. I was able to pick up a 1 and 1/8th deepwell 1/2inch drive socket with no problem. So likely, it'll latch onto whatever you are looking to retrieve. But if you are snaking around anything metal, it may hamper your maneuvering by causing the camera to get stuck (like against a steel case).

The quick test I did with the "mirror" attachment shows that it's pretty much useless. The camera picks up even the smallest bits of dust and debris. I tried to get it as clean as I could, but it quickly gets messed up when fishing around inside a wall. It might not be completely useless, just the situation where it's needed is going to be very specific, like if you are just soooo close to what you want to view, but it's just out of view.

The attachments are actually a bit difficult to snap onto the end and when they are on there, they are very secure, which is a marginal plus because you don't want to lose these inside whatever you are spelunking.

[Other]

It came with 4 batteries so I was up and running in about a minute. It takes 4 AA and they fit into a square battery cartridge that slides into the base of the handle. It has a screw to hold the battery compartment on, but it seems to stay just fine without the screw actually in.

The blow-molded case is adequate for storage but provides no shock cushion.

All in all, as I mentioned earlier, I'm happy with the purchase, but I think I had the right expectations.

I bought because of cheap price from HF tools. Very happy I did. I have used bore scopes for years and they cost much more than this one. This cheap tool does a great job. I have read other reviews on this camera and I can tell from reading that this must be their first experience with inspection cameras, this camera does an excellent job at what it is designed for, it is not a snoop tool that will let you see in rooms from under doors it was not intended for this type work. It is and does what any other bore scope does and that is seeing inside small confined tight places. It has excellent image quality and focuses at about 1" to 15"s just what it should do. I recommend this to anyone that works on cars HVAC plumber and the like, anyone that does not want to pay an arm and leg to get the job done. Looking at A coils Nd inside walls is fantastic. You can video capture if tethered to a computer but this is they only way you can save the image. Saving an image is not that important what is important is seeing in the areas you could not otherwise see and this camera does as good as any at that. Get this tool if you don't want to spend hundreds more.

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Purchased from HF in March 2012. Used two times and turned on maybe 6 times to show friends how it worked. Now 120 days after purchase there is no picture on the screen when turned on. Returned to HF and salesman agreed it looked like new but because it was over the 90 day warranty period they would not make allowance for the condition and refused to do any thing about it. DO NOT PURCHASE!!!! I had to rate one star because they will not accept a NO star review.

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Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 17mm f/2.8 Lens

I am a long-time amateur photographer. I gave up on digital SLRs for the simple reason that I always ended up only carrying them and their accessories on big occasions or holidays. Result was, I had a camera, but few pictures.

Next I bought a good pocket cameras, e.g. Panasonic etc and most recently the Ricoh GX200 which the E-P2 is replacing. These were nice. Picture-taking resumed but slow response compared to DSLRs and overall quality of the finished product always left a slight feeling of disappointment. With imaging chips of the size they use, this is only to be expected (just as compact cassettes by definition could not deliver decent audio).

Enter the E-P2 with its much larger sensor. I have had my E-P2 with 17mm pancake lens for a week now and simply love it. Responsive as an SLR, chunky but hardly larger than the Ricoh, it works like a dream in auto and more manual modes. (And who needs a zoom with this kind of resolution? Just crop the bit you want from the immense pictures it takes).

In brief, and avoiding tech talk, this is a quality piece of kit. Looks like quality. Feels like quality. Works like quality. It's an SLR in a pocket camera body. (And with apologies to the reviewer above I love the quiet chunky sound and feel of the shutter.)

I think I've found 'my' camera at last at the end of long, dollar-strewn trail!.

Olympus `PEN' E-P2 is Olympus second micro four third system camera which is an improved version of Olympus PEN E-P1 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 17mm f/2.8 Lens and Viewfinder (Silver). Both cameras has very similar body design and features. The main different is E-P2 has optional electronic viewfinder and external microphone while E-P1 does not. Because they are very similar, Many part of this review is applicable to E-P1 as well.

Olympus E-P2 main specs (shared with E-P1)

* 12MP Live Mos sensor 4/3 sensor

* HD 720p video at 30 fps with stereo sound recording

* Built In Image Stabilization

* Dust removal mechanism (SSWF)

* Eight Art filters for creative processing and fun (E-P1 has six)

* 3 frames per second continuous shooting.

* No built-in flash nor AF assist light

Below are new features that added to Olympus E-P2

* Manual focus and aperture control in video mode

* AF tracking (focus lock for moving objects)

* Magnified Focus Assist

* Tiltable hi-res electronic viewfinder with 100% coverage and 1.15X magnification

* Optional microphone adapter for better sound

BODY & CONTROL

Olympus E-P2 weights 385 g with memory card and battery. The dimension is 4.74in (W) x 2.75in. (H) x 1.37 in (D) / 120.5 mm (W) x 70mm (H) x 35mm (D) (excluding protrusions). It is significantly smaller than regular DSLR camera. Camera body is around 120g lighter than beginner DSLR camera. It feels solid and dense. If you are coming from compact camera, you will feel this camera a bit heavy. It is around 2-3 times heavier than advanced compact camera. If you are coming from DSLR camera especially from Olympus DSLR camera, you will love the reduction in size. However, this camera is not light. For comparison, E-420 weights 370g and E-620 weights 475g body only.

That being said, E-P1/2 is not a pocket-able camera (it will fits only in large jacket/coat pocket). You might find yourself carrying it around more than you carry a DSLR camera, but this camera can't compete with compact camera in portability.

Olympus E-P2 construction quality and design are worthy of praise. The outer shell are 85% metal. Plastic are still there for buttons and round dial. Design wise, it is very classy, retro style. I especially like the leather texture grip. However, some people might prefer more industrial design like Leica X1 or Panasonic GF1. It depends on each individual taste.

Olympus E-P2 has one thumb dial, one round dial, and four-way controller and two customizable function buttons. To change major setting such as ISO, AF mode, WB are very easy because there are dedicated buttons embedded in four-way controller. You can also access quick menu by pressing OK button. Unfortunately, the quick menu is unlike super control panel that I find in Olympus DSLR cameras. It is more similar to compact camera function menu.

Like E-P1, Olympus E-P2 does not have built-in flash. This is quite a blunder by Olympus because built-in flash is very useful for various scene, where you want to use flash to fill-in shadow or use it to light up an extremely dark room.

Ergonomically, it is very pleasing. The curves are in the right place. The protruding leather grip is really nice. Buttons and dials are placed within reach of your right hand thumb.

LCD SCREEN & ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER

Olympus E-P2 has 3' LCD screen with 230k dots. It is basic compared to many other DSLR and compact camera which has 460k or 910k. However, it is good enough for basic review and composition. It is also quite clear for manual focusing.

The electronic viewfinder is very bright and big. It has more than 1 million dots. Manual focusing is very clear and easy, thanks to 10x full screen magnification. In low light condition, the viewfinder become grainy and it is harder to focus. Compared to viewing optical viewfinder, my eyes get tired faster when viewing EVF for a long time. In practice, you need to choose whether you want to use the rear LCD panel or viewfinder to compose a picture. You can't activate both.

Another criticism of the EVF is the built quality, it is has plastic shell which does not complement E-P2 metal body. It is also big and not very attractive. However, the EVF is stick to the hot shoe steadily. So you don't have to worry about the EVF slipping away from camera body.The EVF as compositional tool is not ideal, but it is good and practical enough to use regularly.

IMAGE QUALITY

Image quality I get from the camera and 17mm f/2.8 pancake is not very stellar. It is hard to get tack sharp image in pixel size although I have use small aperture like f/8 or f/16. For web sharing, it is perfectly fine. Many says that the 14-42mm (I don't have this lens for this review) is better than the 17mm f/2.8 which is disappointing because prime lenses are usually sharper.

Image in high ISO quality is quality is similar to Olympus DSLR in general. It is generally very good up to ISO 800. However noise is also noticeable in low ISO setting such as 400 especially in shadow area. Noise reduction will help to smooth out the noise at the expense of detail and sharpness. I don't recommend to use in camera noise reduction at all. ISO 6400 is available, but it there are too much noise and the image loss its fidelity.

OTHER FEATURES

One great feature Olympus E-P2 has is built-in stabilization. This is money saver and very practical to use. Unlike Canon, Nikon and Panasonic DSLR cameras, You can use image stabilization for any lens you mount with it. This is awesome for prime lenses. Although it has limitation such as you can't freeze subject with IS, but it is awesome for low light still photography.

When you record movie, there is also digital / electronic IS that help to keep the movie steady. You also can control aperture in movie recording mode. These are great in practice. The implementation of movie recording is better than some DSLR cameras with movie mode in the market.

In addition, there are a few minor things that I don't like about E-P2:

* Menu interface is a bit confusing because many abbreviation and some even only use a symbol to represent a menu item.

* Shutter sound is quieter than typical DSLR, but it is noticeable louder compare to compact cameras.

AUTO FOCUS & GENERAL PERFORMANCE

When Olympus E-P1 was launched, many people expect its auto focus speed will be as good as Panasonic m43 cameras. But it fell short. Unfortunately, E-P2's AF is the same as E-P1. In practice, AF performance is about the same as compact camera. It takes around 1 second to focus in good light. In low light situation such as inside restaurant, it takes 2-3 seconds. On the other hand, AF speed in Panasonic m43 cameras are very close to DSLR camera, around .33 sec.

In addition, changing auto focus point is a hassle. You need to go to quick menu and then change the points. There are auto AF and 11 AF areas that you can select. Fortunately, manual focus is easy to use and very practical because of automatic magnification when you try to focus with MF mode.

Other than AF performance, E-P2 general performance is very good. Start up and shut down is approx. 1 second. Shutter lag is almost none. Continuous shooting is similar to many beginner DSLR camera in the market, 3 frames per second.

ART FILTERS

Art filters create different effect or mood in the picture or video. It could really enhanced the picture / video if you choose it appropriately. For example, soft focus is great for beauty shot, diorama is good for landscape etc. Art filters are not photo processing after you take picture. The effect is immediate. You don't get access to original file and control on how it is being processed. I think Art filters are quite fun, but it is not a deal breaker because you can always achieve those effects by processing the image in your image editing software.

COMPETITORS

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Lens is definitely the main competitor of Olympus E-P2. GF1's AF performance is better than E-P1/2 but it does not have built-in image stabilization. Panasonic has better prime lens in their bundle, while Olympus E-P2 has better optional electronic viewfinder. GF1 also has built-in flash which E-P2 lacks. It is tough to choose, but I am leaning towards E-P2 but with Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 lens.

Panasonic DMC-GH1 12.1MP Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Camera with 1080p HD Video is also a four thirds system camera, but it is a lot bigger because it has protruding grip and built-in viewfinder which make this camera similar to beginner DSLR camera. Like GF1, it has better auto focus performance. The cool thing is this camera is bundled with versatile and quiet 14-140mm zoom lens.

Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens is not a micro four thirds camera, so it is not as compact as E-P2. But it has a similar price range. D90 is better in low light because it has bigger sensor, and faster auto focus especially when tracking moving subject. However, Nikon D90's video feature is very basic and hard to use.

Leica X1 12.2MP APS-C CMOS Digital Camera is a compact camera that has DSLR quality sensor and fixed 35mm lens. Leica X1 is significantly more expensive than Olympus E-P2. The main advantage of X1 lies in the construction quality, lens, image sensor and prestige.

CONCLUSION

Olympus E-P2 is a handsome camera with many things to like and dislike at the same time. I like the design, built-in image stabilization, but I hate the fact that the AF speed is not improved from E-P1 and low quality 17mm prime lens. Currently E-P2 is $300 more expensive than E-P1. If you are used to compose picture with LCD screen rather than electronic viewfinder, you can save money by getting E-P1. Compared to Panasonic GF1, I am leaning towards E-P2 because of the built-in stabilization and overall design. However, I am surprised that Olympus 17 mm pancake lens does not deliver quality image. Therefore, I recommend you to get Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 lens instead. With that combination, it will be a great tool even in the most difficult light condition.

Subjective Rating Relative to beginner DSLR cameras released in 2009

Image Quality : 3/5 (with 17mm) 4/5 in general

Features : 5/5

Performance : 4/5

Body and Handling : 4/5

Value for Money : 3/5

Please visit my blog (you can find the address in my profile) for iso comparison, art filters and samples images.

Buy Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 17mm f/2.8 Lens Now

It is a very nice camera, but i would only talk about what i do not like it about since there are already many good comments on E-P1.

1. the back dial wheel is very hard to use unless you disable the up/down/left/right function.

2. is part of the camera body made of plastic?

3. shutter is a little bit noisy.

4. focusing is kind of slow.

5. last thing, i do not know how to carry the camera. I hope i can find a Zing pouch which can hold it.

I did not buy E-P1 since i want a black camera body, and i had thought the EVF would be a must for my Leica M lenses. But when i got E-P2 i realized that EVF does not make it faster to use a manual lens compared to back LCD. And the plastic EVF is so big (and brittle maybe), this made the camera body not good looking and not good handling because your nose touches LCD all the time when using EVF.

So if your budget is kind of tight, i would recommend E-P1 given the $340.00 ($450.00 price difference for the zoom lens kit!!!) price difference.

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This camera is awesome. The quality of the photos is just amazing from something so small and so stylish. I really like the whole idea behind micro four thirds. The video is also quite amazing. Overall the camera is fairly straight forward to use, it's fast and responsive (in the normal modes) and it's just really cool looking and a joy to bring around.

The things that made me return it however are hard to ignore. Firstly, the Electronic View Finder doesn't look great, and if you're at all serious about the experience of taking photos, this will ruin it for you. I would rather they didn't force this accessory on you and dock the price $150. However, the reason they force you to buy it leads me to complaint number two, the screen on the back also isn't that great. It's pretty hard to use outside if it's bright, and since there is no real viewfinder, this is the focal point of the picture taking experience.

My only other gripe is that the sound of the autofocus will be heard in your videos. It was so loud I had to switch to manual focus, but since the screen isn't that great, it's hard to tell when something is truly in focus, or kinda in focus which and make or break some videos.

Anyway, the camera otherwise is top notch. It's light, cool looking, there are lots of lenses to choose from now, it makes incredible images to compete with any DSLR and the video is good (provided you don't use auto focus and don't rely on the image stabilization either). That aside this would be the perfect travel companion on any trip, especially if you care about image quality, even though it's not the best in terms of the photo taking experience. I'd be tempted to get the newer model they released that's a little smaller and less expensive which I'd assume offers similar quality.

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The Oly E-P2 is overall a very nice camera. Compared to the Panasonic G1 (my other m4/3) it is a bit heavier. Image quality using RAW is fine at low to medium ISOs; marginally acceptable at 800 and above. The separately purchased eye-level viewfinder is of excellent image quality, comparable to the Panasonic. One great advantage of this viewfinder over the G1 is that you can tilt it up which comes in very handy when doing low-level shots.

The biggest weakness of the system is the focusing. Again, compared to the G1 the focusing is sluggish and at times a bit erratic. Since most of my photography is landscape photography, this is not a major drawback for me, but might be significant for somebody shooting action stuff.

Both the Oly and the G1 have a four-way switch on the back at the lower right. I often happen to accidentally press one of the buttons which brings up an in-viewfinder menu when I don't want it. Again, a minor inconvenience.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LC

I have had many digital cameras over the years both point and shoot and DSLR. Mostly from the names you would expect: Nikon, Canon, Pentax, and Olympus. I hadn't frankly ever thought of Sony for a camera although I have had Sony camcorders that were very good. I have quite enjoyed using the DSC-HX30V as it has provided vibrant photos in a variety of settings. The 30V really shines in the automatic settings. Although you can set shutter speed and aperture, the 30V was intended to be a high-quality point and shoot that uses the built in powerful software to produce good, well-balanced and saturated shots both indoors and out.

There are two automated modes: superior auto and intelligent auto. Superior auto gives you the fewest options. There was a learning curve to what is available with each type of shooting. The best thing to do is press the menu button. Depending upon the shooting mode more or fewer options show up both in the menu and for options chosen by the 4 way wheel button. For instance I was interested in trying out the burst continuous photo option. That is not available in the superior auto. But it is available under intelligent auto. The smile detect which does actually work (pretty cool you can focus on a subject and the camera will just wait till it detects a smile then fire a shot) was available in intelligent auto not superior auto. Another example: you can't select an ISO until you are either in program auto or manual exposure shooting modes.There is a built in product manual where you can search by keywords and subjects. This is handy but it was only by trial and error that I found what features were available in which modes. The written manual (fairly sparse overall) and the on-camera version don't list which modes which features work in.

Wifi: Obviously Wifi use with this camera is going to be something many people are interested in. I know I was. So far it has been a mixed bag. Wifi to the computer has worked very well. It located my computer and then I had to one time connect to the access point (my Wifi router) and put in the network password. Decent speed in downloads and it will download pictures and video. Downloading to a smartphone. I was very interested to use this feature as you could be out and about say at a child's ballgame and take a great action photo zoomed in way more than a smartphone could and want to share it. I have an iPhone. You need to download the app Playmemories mobile. There is another app Playmemories online but you want the mobile one for sharing with your smartphone. The camera sets up its own network with password. Connect to that network in settings (with an iPhone) and then fairly quickly start the app. Although I get an error message every time that says cannot connect to device it has reliably been connecting and then allowing me to copy photos to my iPhone photo folder. What I have not got to work is video. There are 4 video resolutions and I tried them all. On both the iPhone and iPad. It simply will not download video onto the phone. I am sure Sony is working on this and I expect it to get fixed. It is a nice feature to get to download the photos at least onto a smartphone when out and about.

There is so much else going on with the 30V I am going to summarize the pros and cons below.

Pros:

Extremely fast shooting. I have the Nikon P7000 which I really like but the 30V rivals a DSLR with how fast it shoots when you press the shutter button, especially in Superior auto. You are much less likely to miss a shot.

Very nice, well balanced and nicely color saturated shots in the auto modes. I like my DSLR but with a soon to be 2 year old I have daddy duty when out and about. It is often just too much work to be part of the families day AND have a DSLR and have to change lenses.

Zoom. I love having a 20X optical zoom. It also has a very good digital zoom. I went all the way to 4OX and shot a small wren or warbler across our backyard. There was still a good amount of light in the photo and you could pick out the individual feathers and veins in the leaves. So I would say yes Sony did make a very good digital zoom once you go past 20X.

Size. I held it against an iPhone 4. It is about a quarter of an inch less in length and around the same in width. Much thicker though. Still very impressive.

Video. The great thing about digital cameras nowadays is their ability to act as video cameras as well. I have gotten good video indoor and out with extremely smooth zooming (very impressed with zooming while shooting video) and good audio. Just be aware AVCHD is not the best format for social media sharing or even burning onto DVDs. The two 1080p modes warn you that you need a Blu-ray burner to create a disc. So I have been shooting in 1080i mode. It is still very good. I also have software that allows me to change the AVCHD to a variety of other media formats.

Good interface. A lot of information is presented to you and changing settings is very simple once you play around with the camera for a bit. You get a variety of options for deleting photos for instance. Delete one, delete a range, delete by day. The interface was well thought out and the playback and screen quality is very good and I haven't even used the highest screen resolution.

Decent software. Not the most powerful software but I LOVE that playmemories home allows you to view all of your photos in a calendar format. It is fantastic to be able to go by year or month and see the photos displayed on the day they were taken. And the software quickly found all my photos going back years and added them to the calendar listing. Small amount of editing features but all the basics are included.

Cons:

Battery is so-so. Just a decent battery. You might want to invest in a spare.

Video: Overall this is a pro but right now at least for me I can't get video to share to a smartphone or tablet with playmemories mobile. Also I am not a huge fan of AVCHD for sharing or burning discs. But there are work arounds for this.

No shoulder strap option. For cameras that are also going to be used for video, there should be a shoulder strap option. There is just a wrist option.

The 30V does not shoot in RAW but there are an impressive variety of options for DSLR enthusiasts and people who like to expriment with their photography. The 30v is intended to be an advanced point and shoot not DSLR like. That being said it shoots fast which is the one best DSLR feature (aside from a big sensor) I would want in a point and shoot. And the sensor is pretty impressive. I have not noticed a lot of noise indoors and I get around 7.5 MEG photos in the highest quality setting. One thing to note is that you change EV setting easily in ALL modes including Superior auto. And for the DSLR users thinking of a point and shoot Program auto mode gives you a lot to play with including changing metering, changing focus points, changing white balance, ISO control, color saturation level, and contrast control.

Overall the 30V is an impressive technological package. It continues to surprise me. For instance I was shooting video and focusing on my daughter and up on the screen it started flashing infant. It knew I was shooting an infant. In the auto modes it identifies the best scene very well. I have taken many great shots in the auto modes and I suspect most people will use these modes the most: the 30V does not disappoint here. I love my DSLR but I frankly use point and shoots more. I know many people don't but I like having a 500mm lens in my pocket and a good video camera to boot. What has really impressed me is how fast you get a shot. This was the missing link for me to really enjoy a point and shoot. Sony did a great job here and I am not missing shots anymore. Even though this is a long review there are many features I left out. Sony/Amazon did a good job though explaining them. From a user perspective this is an enjoyable camera producing well-balanced, well-lit, crisp photos and good video. Add the speed of shooting and I highly recommend the 30V.

Update August 23, 2012. The camera continues to operate great. But I wanted to update that I have taken video in many more lighting situations than before. The video is VERY impressive. Crystal clear and fantastic colors outdoors and also very well balanced colors and impressive quality indoors. In fact it is better than any stand alone video camera I have used previously. I shoot video in what Sony calls FH mode. It is 1920 by 1080 at 60i. It is the 3rd out of 4 video quality options and still quite good. Outdoor video played on my TV looks like an HD TV broadcast. And, the HX30V produces the best indoor video quality of any video camera I have used.

I received the new Sony DSC-HX30V/B yesterday from Amazon. Like the Wifi module built into the camera. Tested sending pictures to my Galaxy Nexus and it worked great! I had the HX9V. The HX30V/B is faster and more responsive. New picture effects are ok, not great. Video looks amazing; better than the HX9V. Very disappointed that it did not include the wireless battery charger. As I write this post, it is still listed in the specs on Amazon's website. Deal breaker? no. But do not like being mislead either. Is it worth the extra $20 (compared to HX20V) for the Wifi? Yes.

Likes:

Movie button is easier to start (compared to HX9V) and not lag

When reviewing pictures, very responsive and populates the pictures quickly

Wifi built in with WiFi sharing (camera to phone, camera to tv, camera to computer)

Tog wheel is easier to turn (compared to HX9V)

Display screen is beautiful and crisp.

Improved focus speed and 20x optical magnification

GPS (works great with Google Earth/maps)

Video, for a point and shoot camera, is awesome! Looks great on HDTV.

Stereo microphones seem improved over HX9V

Not a fan of:

misleading advertising concerning "Wireless battery charging is available with the included multi-station dock"

added picture effects could be better. You can alter them on the computer for the same effect. Would like to see miniature mode for making movies.

Great camera! Lots of features! Amazing picture quality in image and movie mode. If you need a new camera, buy this camera. If you want to save a few bucks, get the Sony HX20V. Same camera without the Wifi.

Peace and much love,

Rob Blackthorn

Buy Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LC Now

I loved my DSC-HX9v so much that its still in the family, just couldn't bring it to my heart to sell such a great camera; and believe it or not the DSC-HX30v is better!

First thing I liked about the 30v vs the 9v is the buttons on the 30v are bigger and easier to use (dummy proofing of the camera).

I haven't tested the video out enough (review shall be updated accordingly) but it does look nice! and I believe the steady shot is a bit smoother. There is no lag when pressing the record button like the 9v. You can now also take 13 megapixel pictures while recording video without interrupting the recording (This doesn't seem to work with 60P but only 60i).

Macro (Haven't played with enough, but this camera has better macro specs then the 9v).

Pictures are great (I'm no pro) but I have always loved how these cameras have the ability to take quick smooth shots (especially in superior+ mode).

20x optical is amazing, there is also the "clear image zoom" feature which provides further zoom as well as a digital zoom (I Personally have both non-optical zooms turned off).

Panoramas: everyone loves my panorama shots, they are further amazed when they realize its my little point and shoot that made it all happen.

Wifi: I have used the Wifi feature to share photos on my Android Photon 4g as well as my PC (Keep in mind you have to install the Sony Play Memory software on the device you are connecting to).

I was disappointed that there was no charging dock like advertised (I saw a review here that mentioned that but received a bunch of negative comments, I think its a legit gripe because I was disappointed when I opened my brand new camera box and found no dock).

Micro USB connection!!!! This camera was switched to a micro-usb wire for charging and sharing pictures which means I can now use the same micro-usb wire to charge my phone, mouse, headset and camera.

I also like the look of the 30v, it does not have that metal ring around the lens portion like the 9v so it looks much stealthier.

Battery feels like it lasts just about the same as my 9v.

GPS actually functions, my 9v's GPS just couldn't get it going on my trip to Hawaii. This GPS connects quicker.

Flash: what I like about the flash with the 30v is that it comes up flashes and goes back down instantly unlike the 9v which had the flash pop up and stay lingering for a while. (Low light performance is so good that using the flash usually makes the pics worse I noticed)

The Camera itself just feels like its more responsive and quicker to the punch then the the 9v.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LC Here

I wanted to write this review for all those angst ridden camera buyers out there. I was one of you until very recently when I finally pulled the trigger on this camera. This is more about the use of the camera than the camera itself.

Here's my situation which from what I've read, many are in similar circumstances so I hope this helps you.

1. I normally shoot a Nikon DSLR, carry a dedicated sling style bag loaded with a flash unit and a second zoom. This backpack would also include a few accessories such as cleaning supplies, chargers, wires, a point and shoot camera, a camcorder plus extra disks, plus other "stuff". This bag weighs in at a good 15-20 lbs. I got the sling style back so i can access and shoot faster than a normal backpack.

2. Enter 2 little kids a 6 year daughter and a 2 year old son. My daughter was very good at sitting still or waiting around while I messed with the camera, the bag, and the gear. My son is a completely different story, he needs constant management and supervision to keep him safe.

3. Managing the camera, bag my kids and a now mad wife at the same time became almost impossible. I simply could not be fiddling with the bag and watch my son who would tear off in any direction without either waling away from the bag, running after him with the bag open, or leaving it to my wife all the time. The situation got to be unworkable. The bag was also too heavy and cumbersome when I had to pick up my son which I often do since he's 2.

So I needed something small but good enough to give decent results.

1. I looked at Nikon, Canons G series, Panasonic Lumix, Fuji (which I loved).

2. I was looking for the following, lens quality, fast lens for Bokeh, largish zoom, image quality, portability, ease of use, wifi, and HD movies.

3. You guessed it folks no one camera does all of the above, so I narrowed the field to what I truly needed.

a. Minimal size but not so small I can't grip the thing. This ruled out the interchangeable lens micro 4/3 cameras. Really if I want to carry little lenses and have a protruding lens I'd just suck it up and carry the DSLR the difference to me was not great enough, if I was going small I wanted to go built in lens.

b. Very good picture quality but also HD video so I would not have to carry a separate camcorder.

c. A big enough zoom so I am not missing a ton of shots, especially since I am with kids and can't run over to everything to get my perfect shot.

d. Last, I wanted wifi so I can upload the photos on the run to a phone or laptop and not have to deal with wires and connections.

So I looked at quite a few very good cameras from the listed manufacturers above. I was really tempted by the Fuji X10. The controls, size, form factor was fantastic. Also most of the cameras had better sensors than the Sony. But the problem was they all had subpar video, non HD, and smallish zooms of 3-4ish times. Plus no wifi.

So the angst began, it came down to this one decision, do I want the better sensor and controls or do I want the better video, zoom, and wifi. Oh how I agonized!! I almost went for the FUJI X10, it is an AMAZING camera. But I had to think about how I will really use this camera. Am I making larger prints than 8x10? Do I have time to use all the manual controls with the kids near by? Am I happy with a small zoom? Do I have to wait until I get home to connect and upload the computer?

Well, I decided what I really wanted is a all in one camera that is easy to carry, has a big zoom, easy to use, has great video, and can upload to my phone. I sacrificed higher quality sensor, better controls, and a faster lens in order to get "everything" I wanted.

So here's the scoop on the Sony, I have had it for 3 weeks and went on one vacation with it.

1. You can not beat the portability. I bought the retro case that cradles the camera and the top half snaps off to shoot, so the camera is always somewhat protected even when shooting. This is great as it allows me to wear the camera and shoot with the case on. If I need to do something such as grab my son from the edge of a boat, I can do it and let the camera drop to my waist. I have no bag, no lens cap, no heavy SLR that becomes a flying weapon if i have to run.

2. This Sony has a few tricks up its sleeve. I don't have to sacrifice the nice Bokeh effect with a slower lens, it will take 2 pics and merge them into one, this allows a soft focus background.

3. This puppy has a 20x zoom and 40x digital. It's is simply amazing how far you can reach and it really does cover beyond what my multiple lens do for my DSLR. The lens is decent with little distortion for casual nor architectural shooting.

4. The video is fantastic, full HD with sterio sound. Camcorder eliminated. It does zoom and refocus while recording. Since i am not a heavy camcorder user this is enough to let me leave the camcorder at home.

5. Wifi, this version has wifi. It took a little fiddling to make it work with my Droid phone and I am still learning about how it works. But on my second day of using it on vacation i figured out how to quickly upload all the pics I want to the phone and then on the phone I can Facebook, Instagram, etc. There is some learning curve but the wait to connect at home issue is now eliminated. I don't need to carry a laptop with me and there's not even a wire needed to connect to the phone. The uploads however do not look as great as the originals on the camera, I'll have to play around a bit more with that.

6. Another trick is low light capture, the camera will fire a bunch of shots in succession in low light and merge it into a reasonable shot with out a tripod. Is it super sharp, no, it is it good enough for a 4x6 or even 8x10, probably. Best of all you eliminate the tripod and the flash for nice natural low light scenes.

7. Drawbacks? Still learning the camera, it has a lot to offer and no paper manual included. The quality is ok for the web and up to 8x10 but if you blow it up on the monitor it simply is not anywhere close to DSLR quality, but I knew that going in. Looks somewhat like water color effect when blown up. It might be the auto ISO kicking when, I have to figure out how to control that.

Conclusion, this IS the Swiss Army knife of cameras. High quality, has many many functions, great video, great little specialty settings. It is not a full size comparable, it does not have as many manual controls as the X10 or G12, however for my situation, purpose, and use it is nearly a perfect solution.

Have fun deciding!

Want Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LC Discount?

Here's a short version of my review:

What I love most about this camera: the zoom, stabilizer, WIFI, grip, panorama, fast shutter

What I wasn't so excited about: The 18MP quality has a lot of detail loss.

Sony HX30v vs Canon S100

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Picture quality: S100 Winner (also shoots RAW)

Video: HX30v (Before, I wrote the S100 had a slight edge in detail, but HX30v is clearly the winner in video. Canon has this clicking focusing noise issue and exposure flicking problem when it's confused between adjusting to bright or dark scenes. Sony knows video. Most people will find it hard to believe a video shot with this camera came from a digital camera and not an actual video camera. HX30v wins in smoother frame rate as well: 60 vs 24 FPS)

Lens: S100 (Max F2.0 vs 3.2 Focal Length is roughly the same: S100 is 24mm / HX30V is 25mm)

Zoom: HX30v (20x vs 5x)

Macro: HX30v (1 cm vs 3 cm)

Body: S100 is slimmer and more compact; HX30v is better for bigger hands/better grip

HX30v motor mechanics are more silent than S100

If you want a serious compact camera, go with the Canon S100 (if you also don't mind 5x zoom, 24FPS video, and no WIFI)

If you want an all-around versatile packed camera, go with this HX30V, especially if you don't need to shoot in RAW or extremely picky about pixels, don't mind being a little bulky (S100 is slimmer), need lots of zoom, easy automatic modes it makes it an handy camera to carry.

Sony will be releasing a new camera called the DSC-RX100 (although pricey!), which will have a much bigger sensor for compact cameras, to compete against the S100 and micro-third cameras.

============================================================

I used to work in camera sales and have played with all the latest compact cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, Fuji, Olympus, and Pentax. The Sony HX series cameras (HX7V, HX9V, HX10V were the old models and now comes the HX20V and 30V) were one of the easiest cameras to sell because of the many features it includes that stand out compared to others. I've been a Canon guy, but Sony has really impressed me (especially with their NEX/Alpha series) and they definitely rank near the top.

First things first, A LOT of customers who aren't too familiar with cameras assume more mega pixels means better image quality. This is NOT true. Do not purchase a camera going by that rule. It's a great marketing tool, but get that out of your head! The mega pixels are simply the resolution, which can be good for printing large photos or cropping -HOWEVER, if the sensor isn't capable of even handling that large amount of pixels then it actually goes against you; it gets to the point where there is no detail and it just looks more like a smudged out mosaic painting. It's similar to a quality difference of an actual optical zoom to a digital zoom; digital zoom is worthless and you want the actual optics to be moving, to zoom, rather than the sensor digitally blowing up the picture. The sensor on the HX30's true EFFECTIVE resolution is more around 9MP and increased to 18MP, so the quality is lost. Cropping at 18MP will pretty much be useless in this case because you will see that the detail isn't there at all and it will look like a washed out painting.

The Canon's S100 has an effective 12MP sensor. If you are VERY picky about quality then you'll be happier going with the Canon S100 in terms of overall image quality (in terms of compact cameras, of course if you want the best quality image you'll have to get a DSLR, or an "EVIL" camera such as the Sony NEX 5N with APS-C sensor). The Canon S100 also has a wider aperture at F2.0 (the lower the number generally means it can take in more light) and the Sony HX30V's widest aperture is F3.2. At it's widest angle 25mm, you can only switch between 3.2 and jump to F8.0

The image quality comes down to the actual sensor and lens. With that in mind, a DSLR, which has a bigger sensor, that is a lower mega pixel will still have a much better image quality than a small compact point-and-shoot camera with a really high mega pixel.

Generally, Canon and Nikon are mainly known for cameras, but Sony has shown that they can compete with them as well, having years of experience in technology. (Sony actually supplies the sensor for Nikon for their DSLR!)

This camera is also very user-friendly with its built-in manual guide, the display showing what each mode does, as well as having two auto-modes; the intelligent auto mode is standard, but in Superior Auto mode, it will take several shots and combine them to create the best picture possible.

Pros:

============================================================

Fast shutter (if you've ever experienced slow shutter delay on lower-end cameras, well, you'll be happy how quickly this thing takes pictures and in continuous shooting mode, it can capture 10 pictures in one second -at full resolution) Sony has the fastest automatic-focusing as well.

20x optical zoom (it's more silent and faster than Canon S100's 5x zoom)

Excellent Stabilizer (zoomed in at 20x and it creates a nice gliding steadiness)

Full 1080p at 60FPS (Canon S100 only has 24FPS). However, you need a modern computer or PS3 to play this back. You can shoot in MP4 (youtube format) at 1080/30 frames and 720/VGA too. 1080p60 frames will be in AVCHD .MTS format. However, see Cons)

Panorama Again, Sony has the best built-in panorama feature where you easily sweep it across the direction that you want and it stitches it together for you to create a wide picture. Canon still doesn't have this feature and other brands like Fuji and Nikon's panorama assist is no comparison.

Very nice grip feels great in the hands (not like the puny "grip" on the Canon S100)

Dual recording (you can take still pictures while shooting video; however, not in the 1080-60p mode) But they will be in 2MP you actually don't need to take a picture while recording; you can always take a snapshot at any frame during playback of the video.

Manual focus area without having to re-compose the shot (however, the Canon S100 has much nicer manual options with its custom ring)

Wifi! you have to download Sony's PlayMemories app, but once that's done, it makes transferring photos to your phone easy! I thought the WIFI would be a gimmick but if you have a smartphone, it's really nice to be able to send it right away. With the 20x zoom, I can take far away pictures or nice panoramas and immediately send the picture to friends and they'll think it was all done with my camera phone!) However, the WIFI upload will compress the pictures to 2MP resolution!

Face Detect works really well and there is a also a self-timer to shoot 2 seconds after a one/two faces are detected; it can detect up to 8 faces to correctly focus/set correct exposure on them.

Digital leveler (so that you know your composition is perfectly horizontal and not tilted)

Good Macro

In playback video mode, I do like that you can use the wheel dial to fast forward/rewind frame by frame and fast forward up to 4x

With the Sony HX30V, in playback mode, you can zoom out 3 times; if you zoom out once, it'll display 4x4 rows of thumbnail pictures (16 pictures); zooming out again will display 5x5 (25 thumbnails); zooming out a third time will show a nice calendar display where you can easily select the date/album of the pictures.

With the Canon S100, playback will display 2x2 (4 thumbnails), 3x3 (9 thumbnails), 6x6 (36 thumbnails), 10x10 (100 thumbnails) and using the custom front ring allows one to jump between dates(but no calendar display like on the Sony)

The Canon is able to display the thumbnails much faster than the Sony.

Cons:

============================================================

18MP hurts the quality (the S100 has better detail)

Although 1080 resolution and smoother frame rates, the colors and detail seem rather faded compared to S100

Does not seem to have a trim/combine video editing feature in playback mode (you can with the S100)

No manual whatsoever for video recording (S100, you can lock the focus before recording)

No aperture/shutter priority manual control

No custom self-timer setting; max is 10 seconds or 2 seconds. it can take 1 picture after 10 or 2 seconds; or takes 10 continuous shots after 10 seconds (not for 2 seconds) and shoots 2 seconds after one or two faces are detected. (With the Canon S100, you can customize up to 30 seconds and up to 10 shots; so you can set it to, let's say, take 6 shots and set the timer to 5 seconds)

the "Custom Button" next to the dials can only be set for Exposure Value, ISO, White Balance, Metering Mode, Smile Shutter -but I would like to assign it for other options too like quickly changing the Focus Mode without going into the Menu.

105MB internal memory, but you cannot record video with it

You must remove the memory card to view what's on the internal memory.

the body and buttons feels a bit more plasticky and a bit cheaper than the previous model HX10/9V; this is also the similar with Canon's S100/S95. I guess they are trying to save costs/weigh less? The dial does feel cheaper than Canon S100's dial.

It comes with a USB-charger, so you still need to charge it through the camera as opposed to removing the battery it's a separate accessory you have to buy.

Some may find it to be a bit bulkier than most compact-cameras

the WIFI feature does not work for uploading videos

In burst shot mode, you're restricted to a maximum ISO800

When viewing photos, it does NOT allow to zoom in WHILE MAINTAINING PORTRAIT ORIENTATION! It ends up going back to landscape mode even if you're still holding the camera vertically (with the Canon, it will still be locked to the orientation you're viewing it as when you zoom)

Pressing the play button just to view photos will turn on the screen, but if you press the play button again hoping to turn off the screen, it would actually end up retracting the lens instead to start shooting; with the Canon, I can press the play button to view photos and then press the play button again to turn off the screen without the lens retracting out -minor annoyance. (you can also press the on/off button to turn off the

screen without the lens retracting in playback mode)

The side menu system could be designed/organized better for quicker navigation

Some might not be willing to spend this much money for a digital camera, but you really get what you pay for. If you need to shoot in RAW, then this camera might be deal breaker for you. If you don't need the high-zoom/panorama/1080 at 60frames and something a bit more compact, then I would definitely consider the Canon S100.

If you don't mind the size, I would also consider the Sony NEX-5N 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Touchscreen Camera with 18-55mm Lens (Black).

The difference between the HX20V is simply the WIFI, so if you don't have a smartphone or don't need it then you can just get the HX20V.

Overall, the Sony HX30V is packed with many features: WIFI, high zoom, fast shutter/focusing, good grip, panorama, dual recording picture it makes it an all-around solid camera; however, it will not replace my Canon S100. Mainly the minus one-star for me is the image quality and manual controls compared to the S100. The Canon S100 and the Sony HX30V are both fantastic cameras in their own way. In the end, what is best will depend on YOUR needs.

I'll try to use this camera more and see if I would love it more than my Canon S100. I will be sure to update my review.

DEFENDER 21026 SENTINEL 4-Channel Smart Security DVR with 4 Hi-Resolution Outdoor Security Cameras

Update: 6/24/13 poor customer service. Only communication is with online chat which takes them literally minutes to respond. RMA requires a copy of receipt which I don't have and you pay shipping. Emails are unanswered. 2 to 4 weeks expected return. And, from my experience, who knows how they will test it and if they don't find anything wrong they just send it back. A security system with no support isn't worth the risk.

Update: I've spent a day trying to solve issues. Unfortunately they require you to use an online chat window which would be fine but it can take several minuts for them to even check it. While it's obvious there is a board issue with the DVR they keep having me try things like Internet providers and refusing to accept that it's broken. I have a feeling once they get their act together I will have to send it in which means no security setup for probably weeks.

Update: 6/18/13 while I could still view the cams from anywhere there was no indication that the unit wasn't recording. However, wanting to do some checking I found it hadn't recorded for several days and when I needed it! Contacting support (online chat only) they had me reformat the hard drive. I don't know what is going on and they couldn't guarantee it wouldn't happen again and now my warranty is just about over. 8 cameras and no DVR will suck. They did tell me if it failed again in the next week I could send it in. Great, so no unit at all for several weeks if that happens. I should note my Q-See and Panasonic have never had a problem.

Update: I needed support recently after trying their online form, which bombed (error message came up) and phone, which the message said to use online form, I finally got someone on their online chat, after about a half hour. But I did get my answer!

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I actually installed and used this system: cables, cameras, DVR, and software.

This is my fourth system. The first is a wireless Panasonic Network Cam which has been running 24/7 for about 4 years with absolutely no problems but it's an indoor cam pointing out a window and the DVR is a Windows server it is my favorite. My second system included 2 cameras, great length of cable for each but it did not include a DVR and could only be used by using an online service I dumped that one. My third system has been a QSee four camera system which included a 320gb DVR. The system has worked for a few years as well capturing video based on motion detection. I had a couple of blind spots and needed an extra camera or two; the Defender 21029 comes with 8 outdoor cameras and a 500gb DVR.

Defender Hardware

Out of the box there is no documentation except a little piece of paper showing all of the parts. It comes with one of those little CDs but without auto run. You will find a PDF manual but nothing that talks about installing software or using the software or web version (they are similar yet different) only about the software that is in the DVR itself which is similar to the other two yet different and does not use a keyboard mouse only which can be a pain in the butt to use prefer not. No online knowledge base as of this writing.

Installation is a real pain in the butt. You have to string cables all over the house to get the right setup. That's what makes these systems less desirable. Even though their example shows a cable running through the wall I prefer to hide my cables so I ran all of them through the attic and most hang under the eve. The included cables weren't long enough for 3 of my locations.

The cameras that came with my unit are the worse out of all of my systems. While you can tell what is going on they are washed out and the colors don't come close green leaves come out purple. Adjustment does not help a great deal.

The DVR does provide motion detection for any camera which is the best way to go; it makes it easier to find things because that is all that is recorded.

Take note: if someone does break in they could steal the DVR so it too needs to be hidden or locked up.

Software

Hardware manufactures rarely make great software and they don't realize that is what really makes hardware great or what's the use? The Defender software comes in 3 flavors: internal, an app, and web browser web browser being the best but not great.

While better then the QSee, Defender software does malfunction and would sometimes just crash for no reason.

It only allows playback up to 8x fast forward where QSee was up to 16x which was nice to have.

Playback only allows you to search/view 4 at a time and the only view is a timeline with a slider which is not easy to control and select a specific time or starting point.

One other annoyance, which was also with the QSee, PTZ controls are always displayed and take up room on the screen even though you don't get cameras that can be controlled and you probably won't add them to an inexpensive system like this.

The software doesn't use the name you gave each camera instead uses CH1 for channel 1, etc so when you need to select the cameras for playback you have to remember which channel has the camera you want to view since you can only view 4 at a time out of the 8. But you can playback all 4 cameras at once.

Sometimes I would make changes to the settings and it would save while other times a message pops up and says Failed.

Try to set the password for a user and it maxes out at 6 characters but then you try to save it it says you must have MORE than 6 characters. Then sometimes it does work but you must have 6 characters exactly.

While it says you can assign different types of users I haven't found that. I prefer to be able to differentiate between a local user and a remote user but you can't.

Interesting note

I have to wonder if the Defender and the QSee (and probably other brands) aren't made by the same manufacture and companies buy them up and add software because the hardware is nearly identical (model differences) including mice, remote controls, ports, cabling etc.

Conclusion

I could probably write a book on these things but that should give you an idea. It would cost a considerable amount to set up 8 wireless cameras and a DVR or server; cable type systems like this are much more affordable. On the Defender website this system lists for $800 but on sale for $550 way over priced. Amazon sells it for $400 which is about right for an 8 camera system like this. It does work and will record activity going on giving you some peace of mind.

This Defender Sentinel Surveillance System works well for my needs and is also a very good value. To be perfectly clear, this is not a high-end system with high definition cameras, but it isn't priced like a high-end system either. This is somewhat of a budget system that exceeded my expectations for what you get and how well it works. Here are my observations:

Note: We already own a Zmodo Surveillance System (PKD-DK0865-500GB) used to monitor our small business, so it was easy for me to switch out the main DVR unit and cameras to do a side-by-side comparison. The Defender and Zmodo systems have roughly the same specs and features, but the Defender is a little more expensive (at the time of this review), so is it worth it? The answer for us would be "yes" since the cameras on this system are clearer and have much better night vision clarity and range. I will be making comparisons as appropriate.

Our Use We recently bought an old but very large building for my wife's business and needed a way to monitor the six exits and the retail shop space.

Included:

* Main Control Unit this is a fairly small unit (smaller than most DVD players)

* 8-Cameras these are also fairly small, good physical quality and include mounting hardware

* USB Mouse connects to Control Unit

* Remote Control gives access to all menu functions (batteries included)

* Required Cables 65' Video/Power cables

* Power Supplies one for the Control Unit and two for the cameras (uses splitters to distribute the power between the cameras)

* Window Warning Stickers

* Software CD

Features:

+ Camera; IR Illumination for night vision

+ User configurable Options; Privacy Zones (blackout areas in the display), Motion Zones (areas where motion triggers an alarm)

+ Network Access; Can be viewed by a PC on the local network

+ Alarm Notification; Audible alert and E-Mail capability (which works very well)

+ Display Options; Includes a VGA monitor connection and BNC/video out for TV viewing

+ Remote Control; Really makes it easy to quickly access features

+ Remote User Access; Can be viewed remotely on PC/MAC, iPhone, and Android

Pros:

+ Setup; Basic configuration is very easy

+ Image Quality; Good for basic security needs in both bright and dark settings, better than the Zmodo cameras

+ Night Vision; Surprisingly good clarity and range, also much better than the Zmodo system

+ Value; Lots of cameras and features at a reasonable cost

+ Options; Can be made to do everything we need it to do

+ No Exposed Camera Wires; Wires can pass though the mounting hardware so are hidden and protected, an advantage over the Zmodo mounts, or you can choose to have the wires run outside the mounts if you don't want to put holes through the wall

Cons:

Slightly Washed Out Colors; Colors are somewhat muted, but can be individually adjusted in the controls to get the best possible picture for the lighting condition

Hints/Notes:

* Alarmed Events can be recorded and searched on later

* A 500GB Hard Drive can record up to two years of video on this system

* Placing a camera too close to a window will cause the IR to reflect and blind the camera when it shifts into night vision mode

* Supports PTZ Cameras (not included); we use Zmodo Home Indoor Pan Tilt Surveillance Camera with IR Night Vision for 80 feet

This system covers my needs very well and provides a lot of advanced features that are nice to find on a budget system.

Highly Recommended!

CFH

Buy DEFENDER 21026 SENTINEL 4-Channel Smart Security DVR with 4 Hi-Resolution Outdoor Security Cameras Now

I purchased this item because of the claim of "DVD quality resolution". Once installed did I realize that car license plates still could not be read.

I already owned the Defender SN502-4CH-001 model and the image quality is almost exactly the same! I also had an issue with one of the cameras and called customer support about getting the defective camera replaced .They required that you send the defective camera back before getting a replacement even though I provided a receipt and was under the warranty.

Defender USA also claims that you can record 6 months of footage with the 500 GB hard drive. This claim is a lie. The most you can store is about 4 weeks!

I have always been a loyal Amazon customer and feel disappointed that Defender USA was able to sell its items on this website. From past experience, Amazon customer service has been great but it sometimes falls short when third party companies are involved.

Buyers beware when looking to buy one of these systems. Don't make them same mistake I made.

Read Best Reviews of DEFENDER 21026 SENTINEL 4-Channel Smart Security DVR with 4 Hi-Resolution Outdoor Security Cameras Here

Operating a home recording studio these days makes owning a home surveillance system a must. Along with an alarm this is a necessity now. One major theft and I am out of business. While this system can not prevent a theft, it can record it and has all the capabilities to ALERT me that it is happening.

f you are at all familiar with surveillance/recording system you will soon be right at home with the Defender. The Defender system has everything you need to keep an eye on things, whether you are on premises or off. Very easy communication with your system via the web makes this ideal for checking your home or business while away. Once you set things up on software, you can easily review your recordings or watch in real time from remote locations. The email alert feature is really a smart idea and although I have had no breach in security YET, I am sure to appreciate an electronic "heads up" if the need arises.

The system comes well packaged in two small boxes, one holding cameras and cabling and the other holding the DVR and software. Everything arrived in perfect condition, ready for installation and use. (you obviously need a PC and Monitor to operate this system)

Build quality of the cameras, mounts, and DVR is very good. Cabling is not the thickest but more than serviceable and shielded . Almost all your cabling will be hidden and not exposed to the elements. A basic rule of thumb for the DVR portion of this system is to keep the DVR in a COOL place with PLENTY OF ventilation. Since this is the key component of the system, we keep the DVR in our studio computer room which is climate controlled 24/7.

Installation is not for the timid. If you have any doubts or are just not mechanically inclined, get someone to help you or HIRE a professional at least for the install of the cameras and running of cables. There WILL be holes drilled in your exterior/interior walls as this is not a wireless system.

The documentation is spotty and almost appears to be written in pidgin English. Basically all the info you need is there on disc and on Defenders website AND Defender offers real time chat for any problems you encounter or instruction you may need. (both web and phone support) In my case this system replaces a very antiquated VHS based unit so going all digital was a welcome change and something worth the small learning curve to implement.

Besides remote accessing of the software and 4 channel video output, the other favorite feature of mine is the ability to record viewable video during the night.

Maxwell Smart of CONROL never had anything this sophisticated.

Video quality is more than adequate with 480i at 704 x 480 and by using H.264 compression the picture is pretty crisp and artifact free. A MAJOR improvement from my old VHS based system! Of course accessing your video feeds is very similar to home DVR use as far as random access goes and searching by timer/day.

Currently sold for under $400, this system gives you all the tools you need to keep watch on your home or business, an easy way to access the system from a remote location and provides decent usable video quality both during the day and at night. Coupled with the free tech support offered, the Defender Sentinel 4 Channel system will run rings around any older system and should provide years of service as long as you take care of the DVR.

If you need to know what's going on at all times, this system will do the job for you. (since this is a hard disc based system you always need to remember ALL hard discs eventually fail so a redundant backup system is recommended for critical applications) Very cool and I can easily recommend it.

Want DEFENDER 21026 SENTINEL 4-Channel Smart Security DVR with 4 Hi-Resolution Outdoor Security Cameras Discount?

My use of this system so far has admittedly been just a little silly. I'm not ready just yet to fully install it (partly because I wanted to have a sense of how well it works before I start drilling holes in walls that can't be un-drilled as part of installing it), but I decided to hook up a couple of cameras so that I could get on with testing it. I've been having fun using it to monitor a robin's nest on the back of the house.

It's been a really good way for me to get a sense of how well I could follow what was happening in front of the camera, how well the night vision works, and to test other features like alarms. I was actually able to go into the system's software and designate the area around the nest itself as being of interest, and had the system beeping to alert me whenever the parents came back to the nest to feed their young without giving me false alarms when things moved elsewhere within the camera's view. (It was way more fun as a way of testing than sending someone else out to walk in front of the cameras for me!)

The clarity of the images has really surprised me with how good it is. The colors can be a little off at times, but the clarity is nicer than I expected. You have the option to set the system to different resolutions. It also has the ability to be hooked to a computer monitor, along with 2 connection points designed to use a television as a display.

Overall, I'm very impressed with it so far and I think that it's definitely worth the amount they're charging here. There are a few things that I took off a star for that are mainly interface issues. For example, in the menus in the system there are options available to be checked and unchecked that are not supported by this particular model. There's also plenty of room on many pages that they could have offered slightly more explanation in place of what options meant, rather than requiring you to switch back and forth between the system's interface and a PDF of the manual to figure out what you're doing (or whether you're even doing anything, in the case of the options that are meaningless for this particular version).

These issues are pretty minor because they don't stop you from actually successfully doing anything with the system that you might want to do. They're just an avoidable annoyance that holds me back a from being entirely comfortable with giving it 5 stars for now.

Some Edits for more detail:

The network cable that comes with the system is Cat5e. If you're in doubt about whether this is good enough for the speed of your local network, you're almost definitely fine. Only networks where all of the components are very high speed will benefit from a Cat6 cable. Plan to order one if you happen to need that, though.

I'm still disappointed in the quality of the documentation. The URL they point you to for networking information sends you to a 'we have reorganized our site, start from our main page' page. It wouldn't have taken much effort for them to move you to at least the support page (where you can easily get to networking information) instead of the main page of the site. There are a lot of little spots like that where things could be more polished.

There's good news and bad news on the using-birds-for-testing front. The bad news is that, after I had been watching the babies frequently for more than a week (I got to like glancing over to see what they were up to on the nearby TV while I worked at the computer), they disappeared from their nest a couple of days before they were due to start learning to fly. The good news is that I was able to find out what happened, because the camera captured the entire thing. They were attacked by what appears to have been a rat snake. While it was distressing to lose them and to see the attack transpire on video (it was in the middle of the night, so it was caught on the night-vision mode), I guess that at least proves that you can use this system to find out who's responsible when something bad happens on your property.