Sony DCRTRV340 Digital8 Camcorder w/ 2.5" LCD USB Streaming, & Memory Stick capability

After looking at what Sony had to offer on their digital camcorder line, I decided to buy a TRV340. I was impressed with all the features it had to offer. After playing with the shelf model for a while I purchased the TRV340. Once I opened the product at home and inserted the tape there was a hum or buzzing noise while recording or playing back a recording. In a quiet environment, this buzz is also picked up in the recording. The location of the buzzing sound came from the tapes drive mechanism. I returned the product two times and all subsequent camcorders aired this buzz. If you are looking to buy this product play with a shelf model WITH THE TAPE IN. This way you can judge if this will be a problem for you.

I Bought this camcorder after moving to Florida. My biggest use for the camera is capturing video to use as backdrops and watermarks on documents. A lot of beach shots and some low light and night shots.

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The Camera: Super. Very simple and straight forward to use. Use of the "digit" zoom (700x) is a bit precarious without a tripod but the "optical" zoom (25x) provides excellent video. Its size makes it easy to manipulate and the features are conveniently located. Quality of the video on playback is near DVD quality.

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The Software: When you buy the camera grab yourself a copy of "Video Explosion Deluxe" (approx. [$$]) and throw away the software that comes with the camera. The supplied software is cumbersome, not well documented and provides little (I'm being generous) meaningful help via dropdown menus.... The "Video Explosion Deluxe" (VED) installs in just a very few minutes and is well documented, expecially with the online tutorial (extremely well down) and the dropdowns. VED allows for complete control of the camcorder via the PC during video capture by use of the Firewire. The granularity of the editing feature pretty much removes the need of a memory stick and the video can be edited (and images captured) on a "by frame" bases. A really terrific piece of software.... My hat is off to the developers....

Buy Sony DCRTRV340 Digital8 Camcorder w/ 2.5" LCD USB Streaming, & Memory Stick capability Now

After trying and hating the JVC camcorder my Dad lent us, we decided to go with this Sony Digital8 camcorder. Easy to use, and loaded with lots extra goodies, this camcorder is fabulous. It has the following features:

*MPEG movie maker (w/ Memory Stickallows you to email

your videos to friends and family

*ILINK interface (to edit your movies on your PC)

*Super Steady shot (for even the shakiest hand)

*Super "Night Shot" (for low lighting and night taping)

*Digital Still Memory Mode (to load and send still pics via

email

We have been very pleased with this camcorderno complaints here. Once you learn how to use the editing and emailing features, you'll be sending your videos to everyone you know! A good investment, especially if you have young children.

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The first thing that I think you should consider is the weight and size of the camera. If you like a smaller camera, go with a MiniDV, but if size is not a big deal, go with the Digital 8, mainly because it is more versatile epspecially if you have older tapes. If you plan to use this for trips, i recommend MiniDV, however I bought this to make Short films with, so size was not a big factor. One great thing about this camera is that you pay ...for features worth over 1400 dollars on a MiniDV with the same quality. However this model of the Sony left me with mixed feelings. I have used both its older brother the 740 and its younger brother the 140. THey are both excellent cameras. The 140 is great, it skimps a bit in features, but for 500 dollars its a great deal. Also the 740 is great with its megapixel ccd, but you will pay an extra 100 for it. This is a nice balance between the two, however the picture feature was subpar. I decided not to return it because I got an excellent deal on it. Great features of the camera include:

The super night shot (people complain becuase it is green, but it will record in 0 lux, and seriously, who needs to record color in 0 lux?)

The night shot is great (Color in 4 lux!!!)

The super steady shot (GREAT!!! NO TRIPOD REALLY NEEDED IF YOU HAVE A DECENTLY STEADY HAND)

Memory Stick (decent pictures if you need to send on the internet?)

... The quality on still pictures cannot be compared.

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i've owned the Sony TRV-340 for a few months now and so far have no complaints whatsoever. i've taken quite a few videos with it in various circumstances and light situations and have been very pleased with it's over all performance.

the menus and controls are very user friendly and easy to handle.

it shoots with amazing brilliance and picture clarity.

it's unfortunate that others find that the built in microphone picks up some motor noise because i have not experienced any of it. infact, the sound quality was one of the first things that i found remarkable about this camera. the mic is very sensitive and yet free from any unwanted hum you normally get from a camcorder recording. and believe me, having worked as a proffessional in the advertising industry, i am not easily pleased.

perhaps my only regret is that they didn't include a built in backlight or pop-up flash with it. but, you can always buy one put it on the provided intelligent shoe. oh and the software that comes with it is useless. it's horribly primitive!! if you want to maximize use of this great camera, i suggest you buy software that will give it justice!

if you are thinking on getting the TRV-340, don't hesitate. it's a wonerful camera that's priced just right!

3 in 1 Mini DisplayPort to HDMI DVI DisplayPort Cable Adapter for Apple MacBook MacBook Pro MacBook

Idea is great but quality is bad, I only use it lightly at home, mainly for DVI and HDMI connection. It starts to have signal problems after about 6 months. I also experience random crash when use this adapter. Bottom line, I dont recommend this product.

I got this because it was cheap and I hoped it would at least work.. I tried it with two different macbook pro laptops. They are both the 13 inch 2011 model. I could not get the DVI port to work on two different monitors, trying both macbook pro computers. I could not get anything to show up on the display. The MBP didn't even detect a secondary display. I could get the HDMI port/connection to my TV to work with no problems but like I said the DVI port didn't work. I did not get a chance to try the regular DisplayPort and I probably won't since it is already not working correctly.

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My rating is ZERO. I could not use this item with my computer. I pushed very hard to connect it to the computer but no luck. I felt it will spoil my computer so immediately requested for refund. going to return this item.

Request to the seller: this item is not for pro and mac air [old model]. Please specify with this item. good luck.

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I've had this for about 5 months now.

I use it for my 15" Macbook Pro i5. I have it hooked up to my 24" Acer LCd via HDMI. They work great together.No issues.

I also use it with my 42" Philips, but it does not work properly.Sometimes it works fine but sometimes it doesn't.It will glitch almost every 30 seconds.

I bought this cause its way cheaper than the one that is sold at the Apple Store.

I now watch movies mostly on my 24" so I'm not bothered that it doesn't work flawlessly with my 42", so I'm okay with it although it SHOULD work with both.

UPDATE!

The adapter no longer works properly.Frankly, It never did, but now the issues are greater than before.The video glitches and shows a black screen that ranges from every hour to every 5 minutes.The audio glitches every 5 seconds.Basically it no longer works.I opened it up to see what could create such technical chaos.I found several little wires that were disconnected either from the cable being turned and twisted or it arrived at my doorstep in that condition and got worse after time.

This product is much less expensive that other brands, but eventually it won't last and you will probably have to purchase a product of quality.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT!

Good luck!

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It works perfectly for me and I am very happy with the product.

The only thing that did bother me was the length of the HDMI cable. It was not long enough and I had to sit closer to the tv than what I would of like to but it had nothing to do with this product.

Optoma PRO150S 2800 Lumen SVGA DLP Multimedia Projector

I owned a projector about 7-8 years ago. It was very expensive back then (Infocus brand) and I always thought it had a great picture in our dark basement setting... but the output was not bright enough to work in a semi-lit room during the day. When the bulb finally burnt out and I realized how expensive they were to replace, I got rid of it and bought a 42" Sony rear-projection TV. I have been happy with the Sony for the last 7 years or so but just moved from a large house into a smaller apartment and was looking for a way to free up all the space that this rather large TV took up (not to mention it is almost impossible to move because it is so big and heavy). I was looking into the newest technology of LCD, Plasma, and even LED TVs and the prices are pretty crazy for the size you get. I remembered how cool it was to have a projector and I thought to myself that would be great to save space and get a HUGE screen. I looked into them and I knew from my prior ownership that anything over 2000 lumens was typically considered to be bright enough to use in a semi-dark room. Most of the projectors advertised and sold as "Home Theater Projectors" are just as expensive as the TVs and I understand that they have native resolutions of 1280x800 or higher and some I have seen as high as 5500 lumens.... but I think a lot of it is hype. How black can the blacks in the video get? Why do you need a 60,000 to 1 contrast ratio? If you are not going to project the image 100 feet or more, why do you need that many lumens? I took a chance on this projector because I found it brand new on ebay for less than four hundred dollars and thought what the heck. At 2800 lumens it is plenty bright (even in daylight) to be seen clearly. The picture looks razor sharp and all my friends that spent thousands on big screen TVs are all jealous and say it looks better than their TVs. For 1/8 or less the cost, I have a 75" screen that is 1080i and 720p compatible. It is awesome for movies or ball games. Everyone always wants to have the superbowl party at my place.

Compared to my old Infocus projector, I can see technology has come a long way. This Optoma projector is very compact, lightweight, and quiet. It does put out a fair amount of heat (exhaust fan) but other than that I have absolutely no complaints, nor do I see a reason to spend thousands more on a big screen TV or "Home Theater" projector. In fact, this projector is actually TOO bright for the 10' that I am projecting the picture so I turned it down to "eco-mode" which dims it a bit and saves another 1,000 hours on the bulb. For the money, I think you would be very pressed to find a better quality projector with higher lumens and resolution for anywhere close to the same cost. The replacement cost of the bulbs are under $200 each so I can rest assured that this projector will last me the rest of my happy life, and even if it wasn't affordable to replace the bulb. At 350 dollars, I think 240,000 minutes of watching this screen is well worth the money I paid for it. That is 8 cents per hour.

Bottom line: Incredible Hi-Def picture, compact space-saving design, bright enough for daytime viewing, and very cost affordable. If you are considering this projector compared to some similar models, you have my recommendation to go with this one. I checked out Dell, NEC, Hitachi, Epson, and Infocus and nothing in this price range compared. 2800 lumens and 3000:1 contrast ratio is pretty impressive. Deep, rich dark colors... True blacks... and bright whites. I think you will be as happy as I am.

I will post some pictures as soon as I get my screen installed. Right now I am just projecting on a (brown) wall. I can't even imagine how good the picture is going to be on a real screen!

This projector is awesome. Simply put. no BS. It has great color quality, sleek style and is light weight, GET IT!

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Worked for nearly a year without issues. One fine day the power will not turn on. Helpdesk explained that board might have got burnt with a voltage spike, that none of my other devices had issues. I see endemic problems with other Optoma projector as well, after I invested my money in this. To return to Optoma Service across the continent will take as much as what a new one is worth and the one time cost. I am looking for other alternatives. 300 plus dollars vaporized.

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I paid $800 on a projector that worked about 5 or 6 times. After that, it had vertical lines and no picture. The packaging is still on the projector, but we were in Asia and did not return until after the warranty. I called Optoma and spoke to the manager. My frustration is paying so much money for a defective projector. I would think they company would care about their reputation and customer enough to do something. His response was that they have no idea how many times we have used it. It is obvious by looking at it that it has not been used. The kinks are still in the power cord and the plastic is still on top of the projector. He said that it was probably a defective "main board" which is $279 and $100 labor. He would give me 50% off, but I pay for mailing, etc. Now I have to decide if it is worth it to pay another $300 on a cheap product that might last only a few months again. My observation: Optoma is poorly made and the company does not care about their reputation.

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We have had this product and needed to replace it. This was a great value for us, and a dependable product

.. Deluxe DB ROTH Accessory STARTER KIT For The Nikon Coolpix L21, L22, L110 Digital Camera

I purchased this starter kit based on the excellent reviews and the price. I should have known better. Most of the items in the kit are useless. The LCD screen protectors are very, very thin and do not even stay on the screen, the cleaning kit is redundant in that the kit also comes with a microfiber cloth that does the same thing, less the cotton swabs that I am sure anyone would have, The bag itself is a bit small, and it not that sturdy. I guess between the camera bag and the tripod you get your money's worth, but it is not the deal it appears to be. Also, once you factor in the $12 for shipping its really not the bargain it appears to be. Bottom line the kit is not a winner.

I got this set when I purchased my camera with a bundle about 3 months ago. I am not a pro photographer, as a matter of fact, this is the first time I've used any accessories with any of my cameras. These were easy to use and plentiful. The table top tripod is my favorite its simple and quick for a fun snap shot with out an extra set of hands. It just flexes about on the ends and when you set your camera on top, its surprisingly sturdy. The fold out try pod is light and nicely sized. It is, however, delicate. Your gonna want to watch your step when folding and unfolding this one, ie... be gentle people. The bag can carry your camera, extra batteries, extra memory cards, all your camera connections, and the small tripod safely with plenty of room. Highly recommended for beginners. We used our bundle you take our own wedding invitation photos and were very pleased. In fact, most of our friends and family thought they were professional photos. With this bundle a decent camera and a little imagination anyone can take a great family or group picture anywhere anytime.

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Starter kit was shipped quickly and works well the recently purchased Nikon L110 camera. Price and quality for the included camera products was a great value.

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All in all, for the price, EXCELLENT! Only two issues. 1.) The items in the picture vary from the items you get. The table-top tripod is "Polaroid" brand. Same as Memory Card Wallet. Another small difference is the lens cleaning kit. It also has a pack of lint free tissue. The bottle has a drop by drop type lid.

Although these small alterations did occur, the deal is TREMONDOUSLY GOOD! The set is excellent for teenagers. That way you have peace of mind because of the price. I would recommend this product for any amateur.

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Each of the products were of high quality. It was a very good deal. 5 stars! I used the big tripod to click an awsome image of the moon using the Nikon L110.

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Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Blue)

If you need a solid, reliable, and stylish point-and-shoot ultracompact digital camera that produces high-quality images, then the new Canon PowerShot SD1100IS may be right for you.

I am an advanced amateur photographer and own 2 Canon digital cameras (G2 and 20D). Both have served me well over the years but recently I have found myself needing a decent ultracompact camera that I can easily carry with me at all times for unexpected photo-ops.

Other current Canon models that I also researched before my purchase of the "bohemian brown" SD1100IS included the SD950IS and the SD1000.

Here is my take on the SD1100IS:

Strengths:

8MP CCD sensor with DigicIII processor (excellent resolution images with good dynamic range)

Solid construction (most of body made of anodized aluminum)

Feels sturdy and well-balanced in the hands

Easy to use (logical user-interface) with minimal need to consult owner's manual for basic operation

Multiple shooting modes to fit variety of situations (action/sports mode is a glaring omission but read section below to see possibly why)

Advanced metering system with accurately exposed pics in even "tricky" situations (great balance of highlights and shadows)

Tack-sharp images (much more so with sufficient lighting and use of built-in flash)

Macro mode can result in stunning close-ups with outstanding level of detail

Optical IS feature helpful when shooting in either low-light conditions with flash off or at telephoto lengths

Fast start-up with acceptable shutter-lag (when not using flash)

Bright 2.5" LCD monitor (100% coverage, 230k pixels) made of polycrystalline silicon; fairly scratch-resistant (can't vouch if this applies to keys and coins)

Optical viewfinder (though only a tiny peephole, it is essential when LCD glare and washout become an issue shooting in bright sunlight or when LCD cannot be used as battery power is nearly depleted)

Camera made in Japan (at least those from the 1st shipment; this easily may be subject to change)

Limitations:

Lack of manual control over aperture, shutter speed, and focusing (for the obssessive control-freaks)

Noise is noticeable beginning at ISO 400 (ISO 800 still useable but probably for only 4x6 images; ISO 1600 mostly unuseable)

Fastest shutter speed is 1/1500 sec (not fast enough to stop action for some sporting activities)

Auto-focus speed inadequate to follow fast-moving subjects

Shutter-lag accentuated with flash on (precious Canon moments lost while waiting for flash to recharge)

Cannot adjust focus or optical zoom while shooting in movie mode (focus is fixed for distance selected at first frame, and digital zoom is permitted instead, resulting in significant image quality deterioration)

Battery/memory card cover and hinge made of plastic (no safety latch that needs to be de-activated first before sliding cover out, in order to prevent accidental opening)

Minor vignetting and chromatic aberration (albeit, difficult not to expect from compact p&s)

Pincushion and barrel distortion at the extremes of the focal lengths

No RAW shooting mode

Battery power in camera mode with LCD monitor on is mostly as advertised, allowing for approximately 240 images. If your budget permits, I recommend investing in a few spare batteries as backups and replacing the supplied 32MB memory card with a pair of 4GB SDHC memory cards--vital purchases if you plan to use the movie mode frequently.

Overall Impression:

Even with some serious limitations inherent to virtually all digital cameras in this class, I am recommending the Canon PowerShot SD1100IS. It does what it's supposed to do. This camera allows one to take beautiful photographs in an ultracompact, reliable, and elegant device that is both easy and fun to use.

[UPDATE: Since this review, Canon has recently announced 3 new ELPH models that will be released soon....in time for Grad & Dad's Day: the PowerShot SD770IS, SD790IS, and SD890IS. All are redesigned 10MP digital cameras with Optical Image Stabilizer. The saga of the MP race continues. If the same sensor is found in these units as their predecessors and without improving the noise reduction technology, then adding a few more MP can potentially result in noisier images. We'll have to wait and see. The most intriguing of the bunch appears to be the SD790IS, which replaces the SD750 by adding the very useful Optical IS feature and showcasing flat control buttons. Hopefully, the QC has been remedied on this unit as many consumers experienced the dreaded "lens error" nightmare. The SD890IS replaces the SD850IS and may appeal to vacationers and wildlifers needing more reach at the telephoto end. The SD770IS seems a bit curious as it may be in direct competition with the new SD1100IS (which is the natural successor to the wildly popular SD1000); it has 2 additional MP but the feature set appears at first glance to be nearly identical to the less expensive SD1100IS. I would've preferred to have seen upgrades to the SD870IS and the SD950IS, but those will be rolled out undoubtedly later this year....conveniently before the Holidays.

SD770IS: 10MP, 3X Optical zoom (35-105mm), 2.5" LCD monitor, Optical viewfinder, ISO 1600, MSRP $299.99.

SD790IS: 10MP, 3X Optical zoom (35-105mm), 3" LCD monitor, no Optical viewfinder, ISO 1600, MSRP $349.99.

SD890IS: 10MP, 5X Optical zoom (37-185mm), 2.5" LCD monitor, Optical viewfinder, ISO 1600, MSRP $399.99.]

As a travel writer I spend a lot of time at Walt Disney World, and Canon PowerShot Digital Elphs are the most common cameras I see. Families seem to love them, because they're so easy to carry and operate. About the size of a deck of playing cards, each of these "pocket cameras" really do slip right into a pants pocket, and their rectangular designs make them easy to grip. Best of all, they all take good photos. (How do I know? Because I've actually gotten to use every one of these models. Nearly every day guests ask me to take photos of them with their own cameras, which most often are Canon PowerShot Digital Elphs.)

Here's my breakdown of the ten bestselling Digital Elph models. Any of the first six are superb choices:

1ST PLACE: SD1100 IS (The camera on this page)

An update to the SD1000 (see below), this 2008 8MP beauty adds image stabilization, a slightly longer zoom (38-114 mm), another MP of photo size and a small indent on the right side for a better grip. Plus it comes in colors! My daughter has a blue one and uses it every single day. During school days the image stabilization made a real difference in her on-the-bus shots. With that heavy of use hers has gotten scratched up a bit, but the marks are small and hardly noticeable.

2ND PLACE: SD870 IS

The ELPH to buy if you want a wide-angle lens. Slightly thicker than the SD1100 IS, this 8MP model doesn't have an optical viewfinder which makes it tough to use in bright sunlight, otherwise there's little not to love. My husband uses one as a comp camera, to compose shots for the travel guide "The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World."

3RD PLACE: SD770 IS

Just released in May, this 10 MP model is, in a way, an update of the SD1100 IS (see above). I rate it lower because it has a plastic body and doesn't come in colors. On the other hand, it has a longer battery life than the 1100 and features an improved LCD screen that is very easy to view. As for photo quality, I can't tell the difference.

4TH PLACE: SD950 IS

There's a lot to like in this 12.1 MP camera. First off, it's gorgeous. The body, though a little thick, is titanium. An upgrade to the SD850 IS (see below), it has a 3.7x zoom lens and adds manual controls as well as the ability to stitch together panoramic images. The only reason I don't rate it higher is the price.

5TH PLACE: SD890 IS

Want a long zoom lens? Here's your baby, a 10 MP model with a 5x zoom. Also has the new bright LCD screen and all the other 2008 Canon goodies. The most expensive Canon PowerShot ELPH.

6TH PLACE: SD790 IS

With the same 10 MP image sensor and 3x zoom lens as the SD770 IS, this new model stands out only for its larger 3-inch LCD display and, as a result, lack of optical viewfinder. The rear controls are different, too, with a flatter design that uses fewer buttons.

7TH PLACE: SD1000

In my opinion there's no reason to buy this 7.1 MP model. Released in 2007, it's been replaced by the SD1100 IS (see above). The SD1000 is a fine camera but it doesn't have image stabilization, a key feature of the 2008 lineup.

8TH PLACE: SD850 IS

The ancestor to the SD890 IS, this 8 MP Elph combines a 4x zoom and 8 MP photo size with an image stabilizer. Every button, dial and switch has a quality feel. Slighter larger than the other models here, it is a little tougher to pop in and out of your pocket, but if you have larger hands it may be just what you are looking for.

9TH PLACE: SD800 IS

This 7.1 MP predecessor to the 870 doesn't focus well at its edges when set at its widest angle. Still, it's good training for someone who wants to compose like a pro.

10TH PLACE: SD750

The 2007 PowerShot flagship offers a light meter that adjusts for facial brightness, 17 shooting modes, some first-rate movie features and red-eye correction -features that were innovative a year ago but are common in Canon's 2008 models. No image stabilization; no optical viewfinder.

Buy Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Blue) Now

I have been using a Powershot I2 IS for the last 3 years. Very good camera with a fantastic 12X Zoom. However, I wanted a camera to carry in my pocket. So many times I just didn't feel like dragging a large camera with me to various parties or events. This camera fills the bill. I carry it everywhere.

The pictures it produces are stunning. The 8MP 3X zoom produces a picture that you can crop to the point that you get almost the same picture as you would have with the 5MP 12X zoom lense (my opinion). The movie feature is wonderful too, even better than the I2 IS.

The camera feels great in your hand with a solid, quality feeling. If you have used Canon cameras before the menus are very intuitive. I would not have purchased this camera (or any camera for that matter) if it did not have the Image Stabilization feature. This is especially a must as you get older.

By the way there is an advantage to the Brown color: If you have to use the optical view finder outside, the camera itself produces minimum glare for you eye to see more clearly through the small opening. The color also makes the LCD playback pop. And as a bonus, it really gives the camera a luxury look, you have to see it in person to appreciate the color.

I recently took it to a monthly card party and everyone went wild over it. So much so that one person sat right down at the computer and ordered one! If you want a sub-compact, pocketable camera that takes great pictures, I highly recommend the Canon SD1100IS.

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First about the SD1100 and later in the review, a comparison between Canon SD series cameras.

The former Canon PowerShot SD1000 7.1MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Silver) was the perfect tiny camera that you could slip into your shirt pocket and bring out at a moment's notice and begin clicking away. No wonder it has been Canon's top selling model! It was almost perfect except it did not have image stabilization like some other Canon cameras. And now with the SD1100IS Canon has added it's motion detection technology to this tiny camera which will make your shots less blurry, especially in low light.

Other enhancement over SD1000 is a slightly rounded styling which feels more comfortable in the hand and gives you a better grip. You can also choose from fun colors Bohemian brown anyone?

I have several Canon cameras and I use them regularly, but once again the SD1100 gets a lot of use as it's easy to carry in your tighter jean pocket/shirt pocket.

What else is nice about the SD1100 IS?

Basic picture taking:

It takes excellent outdoor shots and has a satisfactory low light performance for its size. The face detection and auto white balance in the frame help expose faces correctly. It has a viewfinder in case the sun is too bright and an anti-reflective 2.5" screen. You can also use your high capacity SD cards in this baby.

Creative features:

With this camera you can get creative with "My Colors" features. The Color Accent mode where you keep any one color in the picture while the rest is black and white helped frame a blue sky, blue sea and blue jeans in a b/w group shot. Cool! There are options to swap colors and also take b/w or sepia pics. Read the manual and you'll discover even more fun features.

The Scene modes are tried and tested and help you take the best picture. I love "foliage" which brings out the greens or autumn colors. "Fireworks" freezes the bursts of firecrackers in the sky in perfect spheres. "Aquarium" helped me take wonderful shots of fish, before this mode all I got was my flash reflecting on the glass of the tank. The others modes indoor, beach, snow, kids/pets have been useful too.

Making videos:

The video mode takes movies in 3 different sizes and it has a time lapse video function. You can set the camera to record at intervals. I used it to capture sun's ascent from sunrise to mid morning and the video looks fabulous. You can even use the creative colors modes while taking video. The image stabilization helps in the video mode eliminating jerky shots.

The bottom line? This is a great camera it's take-along-everywhere tiny, it's got a ton of creative features and takes great pictures, it also comes in fun colors. It's the one to get!

EXTRA READING FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL NOT SURE...

If you want the perfect balance between image quality, features, size, layout and last but not the least the price, here is my 2 cents worth. (I own 4 SD cameras and have done some research using all of these for the same picture at the same location.)

Image Quality: Top slot goes to the cameras in the 800/900 series. The image quality of SD1100 is a notch below.

Layout and controls: The controls are better on the 800/900/700 series compared to SD1100 as you have a separate instant replay button which is very useful to switch between shoot and replay mode. I LOVE this feature as it saves me a lot of time while shooting. It's so much better than the rubber slider on this 1100 model.

Screen size: This camera has a 2.5" screen with a viewfinder while some other models offer 3 inch screen but are missing the viewfinder. I prefer the larger screen as the extra .5" makes composing shots much easier. I have NEVER missed the viewfinder yet, even in bright sunlight.

Camera Size: SD1100 is the winner here as it's the tiniest. The SD750/770/790 are almost as compact but 800s/900s are bigger.

If picture quality is important for you go for the 800/900 series. If smaller size, with nice picture taking capability is important look at the 700 series. If you want the tiniest, convenient camera which takes pretty good shots at a bargain price go for this SD1100.

Note: For some additional thoughts click on the comments.

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Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Brown)

I own and am a huge fan of the Canon Digital Rebel SLR and think that it takes great pictures. Unfortunately, there are times when a larger camera with all of it's accessories and lenses can be prohibitive. In preparation for an upcomming event where I would be a participant as well as spectator, I realized that I would be unable to carry around my Rebel.

So, I spent several days reading different reviews before deciding on the Canon PowerShot SD 1100. I must stress that the fact that I already owned a Canon played no part in my decision. I did not settle on the SD 1100 out of brand loyalty. I must have read more than 30 or 40 different "professional" reviews of various cameras before picking this one.

I have only had this camera for a couple of days, and haven't yet used it at the event for which it was purchased, but I must say that I am extremely pleased with this camera. The most common negative comment in reviews of this camera is that it does not offer a wide variety of manual settings. I have to agree that if you are looking for a camera to launch your career as a professional photographer, this may not be the best choice for you.

The camera is ultra compact without feeling cheap. It is well designed, well made, full featured, takes great photos under a variety of conditions and exceeds all of my expectations for a more "portable" alternative to my full sized SLR. I cannot think of a single negative thing to say about this camera and I cannot imagine why somebody wouldn't be extremely happy with this purchase.

I also recommend buying the case advertised as an accessory for this model as it has a belt loop that allows you to carry it safely and securely on your belt instead of in your pocket.

Sony Cybershot DSC-T1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

Although I have much experience with cameras, camcorders, and digital images, I have never owned a digital camera before. My main camera has been a Nikon 6006 SLR, so I am pretty picky about quality.

After extensive research, I settled on the DSC-T1. It is exactly what I expected, and almost exactly what I wanted, but allow me to elaborate because it may not be exactly what YOU want.

I was tempted by larger digital cameras (and I will eventually get one of those too). For example, the Panasonic Lumix is few bucks cheaper and has more controls, a BIG lens, great image stabilization, and 12x optical zoom (digital zoom is meaningless). It is even possible to get a medium size 5MP digital camera with 5x optical zoom and better pictures than the dsc-t1 for much less. However, I concluded that I would rather have a good camera with me 24x7 than leave a great camera in the car or at home. I was SO right. I have already captured SO many photos I would have missed. I carry the camera at all times in one of those silk bags that come with Oakley sunglasses.

I considered other small cameras like the Casio Elixim Z4, but it does not have video in US versions. The Canon S400 is very good, but it is slower and thicker with a much smaller LCD, and a newer version is coming out April 30th. No ultra compact that is clearly better than the DSC-T1 is on the horizon.

In addition to ultra compact size, I wanted at least 4MP, at least 3x optical zoom, quality video ability, speed, ease of use, and flexible shooting modes. This camera has 5MP, 3x optical zoom, excellent 640x480 video mode, speed, ease of use, and shooting modes flexible enough to accommodate everything from action to night images.

Video is in MPG files, which can be played back on the free Real Player. It is not possible to zoom while shooting video, but it is possible to zoom before recording begins or when recording has been paused.

I haven't tried the software that comes with it yet. I run Windows XP, and I just place the dsc-t1 in the cradle, turn it on, and it appears as another disk drive in Windows Explorer. I can copy files from it and paste them onto a hard drive. I can then delete the image files from the camera to free up the space on the memory stick just as if I were deleting files from any Windows folder.

Apparently slowness is a problem with all digital cameras except for a few of the most recent ones, and the DSC-T1 seems fast to me. This may be the result of the newer and faster Duo Pro Memory Stick technology. Get the 256MB Duo Pro Memory Stick. The 512MB stick costs three times as much. Don't bother with a spare battery. They are too expensive, and the battery life is OK. You don't want to be frequently opening the delicate little battery/memory doors on digital cameras anyway.

Don't worry about having no optical view finder. They just make cameras bigger. The 2.5 inch LCD is bigger than any other digital camera and is quite sufficient.

Such a small camera is a little tricky to hold SECURELY without getting in the way of the lens, so if you tend to drop things, then you WILL eventually drop this unless you use the wrist strap at all times, which partially defeats the convenience aspect. I still haven't attached the wrist strap because I am extra careful, but someone could still bump into me while shooting. On the other hand, I don't want to overstate this problem because the camera is quite durable/graspable when the lens cover is closed.

Almost every indoor picture with the kids has at least a hint of red eye. I consider about 60% of them to have too much, but I still get more quality shots than I have time to email, so I really can't complain. BTW, 5MP jpeg files are about 2MB each, which makes email a challenge. Less than one out of ten indoor pictures seems grainy. It is actually possible to take decent pictures in total darkness when using the flash because the auto focus works in the dark, which is not true for every camera.

It is possible to use one of the modes that forces the camera to 100 speed to guarantee maximum resolution (0% graininess), but you may have to brace the camera well for the slow shutter speeds that result. In fact I took some good pictures from my front porch at NIGHT by bracing the camera, but this will take more practice. Note that such pictures did not use a flash because a flash is useless beyond a few yards away, and only works WELL up to 6 feet away.

One pleasant surprise was the excellent sound quality. I carried a digital voice recorder 24x7, which would fill up until I had time to manually transpose my notes and delete them forever to free up memory on the recorder again. Before that I used the very expensive little Pearlcorder L400. It was less convenient to transpose from a tape, but at least I could keep the tapes forever. Sound quality on all of them was poor. Whereas, with the DSC-T1, I discovered I could take hours of VIDEO notes in 160x160 mode with perfect sound quality and then just copy these files onto my hard drive to keep forever. This is when I knew I was keeping the DSC-T1.

As many people have noticed, this camera does not take good pictures out of the box. But if you spend a little time taking test shots and playing with the many controls, it can produce stellar results. With mine, I found that by setting it to Program mode (instead of Auto), setting the exposure to -0.3 EV, and the speed to ISO 100, I get consistently excellent results not quite as good as bulky cameras costing twice as much, but impressive for something as small as this. Thankfully the camera remembers these settings between uses, so the adjustment only needs to be done once. Since then the camera has been a constant companion and lives in my pocket all the time (the lens cover has never once opened accidentally, perhaps because I slide it into my pocket endwise). The vulnerable controls and LCD on the back of the camera are protected by my PDA, which lives in the same pocket.

Also, don't be afraid to change the flash power setting. This can make a huge difference when you're taking a closeup of Tiddles or shotting your daughter's birthday party. (Sony why isn't the flash power automatically coupled to the focus distance?)

Instead of Sony's expensive accessories, I bought a cheap PCMCIA memory stick adapter that lives permanently inside my laptop. That means I only have to take the power adapter when I go travelling. The ludicrous docking station and USB cable stay home.

The camera needs more memory. The supplied 32MB isn't nearly enough; I immediately upgraded to 256MB, which is more than I'll ever need.

But the single biggest drawback is NO TRIPOD MOUNT. Big mistake, Sony.

To anyone who uses Photoshop to correct the colour balance or other defects: learn to use your camera! There's a menu setting for this. Play with it and do some test shots. Put a little effort in now and save a lot of time later.

At the end of it all, it's a great camera, incredibly versatile and capable of high-quality results, but with some serious but (mostly) easily-corrected defects. Most people aren't going to spend the time making test shots and calibrating the camera, which is a shame because it's necessary if you're going to take good pictures. Sony should not have released this camera in this condition, and I hope they get it right next time if they do, they'll have a real killer on their hands. Even so, I'd still strongly recommend this camera to anyone who's willing to put the effort in and who (like me) doesn't have the option of waiting for the next version.

Buy Sony Cybershot DSC-T1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Now

Comments: Testing this SONY DSC-T1 during February 2004, has been a pleasure, carrying it in my pocket all day, every day. The size and weight is ideal for ultimate portability. Using this 5M pixel camera at 3M pixel resolution, using the smart zoom feature, or 5 MP mode produces excellent results. The T1 also allows in-camera cropping of images, and in-camera image resizing for e-mail purposes. The high quality movie mode is comparable to high quality digital-video tape camcorders, 30 frames per second at 640x480 pixel size image, with the exception of typical camcorder better optical zoom capability. The camera also allows one to view and edit-out portions of the video. The image quality is stunning, and color quality and saturation is also spectacular. HQ (fine) video where 3 minutes fills 256MB card, however, the video is movie quality with very smooth moving objects, in great color definition. Quite a bonus for a digital still image camera. SONY has definitely placed a great deal of engineering muscle into this device. I have produced a number of 8x10" photos and am stunned at the color and image detail. The trick in any photography activity is knowing how to take good pictures and finding correct lighting, etc. Taking care of business, when framing the image, and setting the camera features, will produce truly great results. "The camera that one can take everywhere is the best camera to have," is the remark I deliver to my students, and this device does not disappoint. Spend a few minutes, try 60 minutes, reviewing the 100 page instruction book, buy several high speed 256MB memory cards, and have a great time capturing images every place you go throughout the day. As to a Camera Rating, it has earned a solid A+. FYI, I also shoot action sports events for FAU, NCAA Atlantic Sun Conference, and others using Canon's best digital equipment. Therefore, when I do not desire to carry large Digital 35mm size equipment, SONY's T1 is an ideal companion.

Regarding SONY's DSC-T1's low-light operation in the still-image and movie modes, this camera as many that have a maximum aperture of f3.5 coupled with maximum ISO level of 400, will experience image blur if care is not taken at exposure. In using this camera extensively in many lighting situations, one would have to sacrifice low light sensitivity in exchange for extreme portability. In movie mode and still photography, in dim lighting, extreme care must be taken at exposure to prevent image blur. When in very-low-light environments where the design limits of the imager peak at 400 ISO, image noise may become unacceptable, when compared to larger SLR cameras like Canon's EOS-10D which performs quite well at ISO 800 at long exposures. The trade-off is size and weight of the equipment. For flash photography, the T1 operates quite well for small group shots where camera-to-subject distances are within 4-6 feet, which is within its design limits. The tiny built-in flash will not be able to create enough (flash) light for large groups with low-available-light conditions, where the camera is 3 or more meters, or 10 or more feet from the subject. As to red-eye reduction, the mechanism is for the camera to emit short flash-bursts prior to the actual image capture, in effort to close the iris's of the subject when the main flash and exposure occurs. All human conditions do not operate so regularly, where perhaps the subject's iris' did not close sufficiently to prevent the main-flash's reflection from the subject's retina. We have not experienced an unusual level of red-eye problems, however, occasionally it can occur, particularly if the subject's iris does not react to the pre-flash light.

Problems

One issue to be careful about is the placement of the right most button which activates the close-up feature. One's thumb may accidentally press this right-arrow button when holding the camera, when close-ups are not intended. So look on the LCD panel often at the lower left corner to see the Flower symbol. If shown, you're in close-up mode. Simply press the right-arrow button again to turn-off close-up mode. My only complaint is SONY's insistence on using obscure, proprietary, expensive, memory cards. In this case the "Memory Stick Duo Pro." SONY may have been better served had it chosen an industry standard SD card which is now available in 1 GB sizes. However, SONY says that with the DSC-T1 set in high quality FINE video mode, SONY's card is necessary because of its theoretical 20 MB per second transfer speed; presently that speed is unavailable by other SD card manufacturers. And after you see what this high quality FINE mode looks like, you too will be a SONY believer. As one may notice, even with a few complaints, I'm quite enthusiastic with the results.

James L Wilson Professor,Principles.of.Digital.Photography and Post.Image.Processing Florida.Atlantic.University Boca.Raton.Campus Operating.Entity.BocaDigital.LLC. Quality.Digital.Imaging...

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cybershot DSC-T1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Here

I read every review on every site and in every magazine I could find before buying this camera. All of the professional reviewers said it took great pictures. The amature reviewers were a mixed lot, with some claiming it took poor pictures. I decided to go with the pros and purchase this item.

I'm glad I did. First, it does take great pictures IF YOU READ THE MANUAL. Red Eye reduction is turned OFF by default, you have to turn it ON to get rid of red eye. The flash has 3 settings, and it is in the MIDDLE one by default. Turn up the flash to HIGH and it works great indoors. Hold the camera STEADY when you take the picture, regardless of light conditions, and you'll get very sharp photos. Memory Stick Pro Duo cards aren't that expensive, especially if you buy the Lexmar ones, and the price just was cut by Sony. The charger is very compact, and unless you plan on taking more than 180 photos on your trip, you don't even need to bring it with you. The view screen is very viewable at night, if you change the default NORMAL setting to HIGH. Finally, the complaint about the tripod is absurd: please don't tell you bought the smallest camera on the market so you can use a tripod to take photos: get a larger camera and use this for what it is designed for. A tripod with this is like using a sports car to pull a trailer. If you insist on a tripod mount, get the active sleeve case from Sony ($25 on Amazon), which adds a tripod mount to the camera.

Pros: Crisp, sharp photos. Very compact design (size of a deck of cards). Bright, sharp, large view screen. Solid construction. Good manual.

Cons: Expensive, but worth it. You have to read the manual to get the most out of it.

Want Sony Cybershot DSC-T1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Discount?

Bought the T-1 a little over a week ago.All I can say is wow! The camera's features compared to it's size are incredible.Sony engineers truly are the masters at miniturization that's for sure.I also found the site " that had a excellent review and great,large pics.The site also has alot of good articles about new technology and gadgets but I digress.

Let's get down to the nitty gritty about the T-1.I will start off exploring the camera's only three flaws in my opinion.That's the "red-eye" reduction,flash and the lack of some sort of lock for the slide down lens cover.You can accidentally open the cover(and subsequently start up the camera) and expose the lens to debris,etc.The other problem was the "red-eye" reduction.Bottom line it's just not up to snuff for the camera.The flash is also a little weak.Besides those three annoying,yet totally easy to live with things,the camera is a winner.Oh,one more little annoyance.In order to take video @ 30fps,you need the top of the line $300 512MB Memory Stick Pro Duo stick.Ouch! expensive,but I think worth it given the camera's cool factor and if you can afford it.

Now the good stuff about the T-1.One:It's size!It's barely bigger than a box of Altoids!Two:The HUGE 2.5" screen.It's the same quality screen that you see on PDA's.It has absolutely no glare in direct sunlight.Three:Shutter time.The shutter is BLAZINGLY fast! So you can take alot of pics in very little time.Four:Startup time is less than a second.Five:Quality construction(which is a HUGE deal to me)It feels and is a quality built camera.Feeling substantial yet not heavy in my hand.Plus,I'm just a sucker for anything with a brushed metal surface..lol.Finally: The overall experience.What I mean is,do you feel that you got a little more than what you paid for?Does the camera excite you? Are your firends totally blown away and jealous? YES,YES and YES!!!

If you've got the dough,go get one now!

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.3-inch OLED

Love the camera, the small size is perfect for a pocket. Takes some getting used to in order to open and close with one hand to make it a nice point and shoot. Being that its so small also, you might as well forget about keeping the screen clean. That is not going to happen. The entire back is screen and your thumb will always smudge it.

I come from owning a previous cyber-shot which I loved that had buttons and a touch screen. However when visiting other countries or just traveling, I would walk around with this huge bulge in my pocket where the camera was. It was also a point and shoot, but no where near the small size of this TX-66 which is thinner than my wallet.

What I dislike is not about that camera itself, but at the fact that it comes with nothing. No install programs, no holder, no screen cleaner, no memory card. I had to go right back to amazon and place a new order for a case, memory card and travel charger (the original charger is two pieces, plug and usb cord). Without a memory card, you can't use all of the features (parallel video and camera) and you can only take 2-3 pictures. For something so delicate as this small camera, I had expected it to come with at least 256mb card and a starter case.

another thing to note is that while I would love to use one hand to use th entire camera and its features, that is very hard to do, you can get a quick point and shoot, but the zoom button on top is very small and you will definitely need two hands in order to zoom in and out (one for stability)..

In the box Camera, Charger, USB Cable/charger cable, Wrist Strap, Paint Pen (will never use it), Tripod adapter.

I've heard of the previous version as having a bad touchscreen that didn't respond well. With this version I dont see that problem. The controls are fast and up to standards with my iphone and ipad and even better than my previous cybershot. I have large fingers and the screen reacts well to them.

I have the silver camera and it is by no means close to the silver in the image above. It is more of a gray color and a tint of purple on the back. After checking videos and review photos, it seems that this is normal.

While the camera is small and feels sturdy, it also seems delicate by the size. This isn't a camera that you want to drop. You might be able to get away with sitting on it as you may forget its in your pocket, but dropping it "looks" to be dangerous. I have no plans to let anyone else use it.

What I like most about the camera however is its ability to shoot video and take a picture at the same time. It was really my reasoning for purchasing. Last year I had my wife shoot the video while I took the photos for christmas and after the holiday was over and it was time to upload everything, I found out that my wife never hit the play button on the flip camera. This way I can now control all of the memories while she enjoys helping unwrap the presents. The downfall fo shooting video and using the camera at the same time is that the camera loses all of its functions and programming, which means that you just get to snap a picture without any settings such as flash or blurred background, etc. You get whatever the video is utilizing.

As for the quality of the photos, they are great when you get a good picture, the issue that I keep having is that I must remain almost completely still in order to get a perfect photo. The camera is sensitive to blur do to the photographers movement. If I move, then the photo will blur, if the subject moves, then the photo is fine. Moving at night (because night photos simply suck with this camera) and snapping a photo is practically pointless in any mode. While the camera captures nice scenes with its settings, it isn't designed to be taken on the go, which is pretty disturbing for a point and shoot.

As for shutter speed, this camera is much faster than anything I've ever had including my previous cybershot. As I mention that remaining still is a must, you won't have to stay still very long in order to get the picture. It truly is the best point and shoot if you want to pull it out of your pocket, open and snap a picture and place it back in your pocket. You can do that all within seconds.

As for video, the video is one of the best features of this device, for some reason the developers created the video to be blur free while moving, but missed the mark with still images. Nonetheless, if you're looking for a great point and shoot for video, this is by far the best and I didn't expect the great quality that it had within such a small camera.

Another issue I had with the camera is that its suggested auto settings doesn't have a force flash and that the only way to get a force flash is to put it to custom program settings, which dont look as good as the suggested.

While this camera does have a lot of pre-programmed settings, you'll be flipping through them a lot in order to find the right one for the mood, the suggested settings are good, but they switch between scenes too much and too often and often times to the wrong settings(night scene, day scene, twilight, candle light, etc.). unless you're in a nicely lit room or in the sunlight, the suggested settings aren't all that great for auto choosing the right one.

While the tx66 is a great camera, it wasn't as good as I expected it to be. I previously used another cybershot which I've had for 5 years and is 8mp, and the photos between that camera and the tx66 aren't that far off in quality.

In a nutshell, this is the best camera at 18.2 MP, best possible size for a pocket camera, and for the size, quality and speed, this is the best on the market.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 camera is pretty good, but in my opinion not worth the full price (currently $350 through Amazon). It excels in some areas and not so much in others. See below for my review. If you don't want to read the long version, you can skip to the short version at the end.

Long Version

Design This camera has a very sleek design. It weighs next to nothing and is very small. And when I say small, I mean small. It is about 5.5 cm tall, 9.5 cm long, and 1.5 cm wide. The camera is so small that it does not have a tripod screw on the bottom; it has a small screw hole and they provide you with a tripod adapter that you screw into that to make it compatible. If you are a guy and/or you have big hands then this camera will not be all that fun for you. It's fairly easy to accidentally get a finger in the picture because the lens is right up at the top of the front of the camera. If you're a girl and/or you have small hands then you'll probably love this because it is just so small. Check out my uploaded picture to see. The only moving part on this camera (besides the top buttons) is the front lens cover. It slides straight down and you cannot shoot without it down. This is good because it protects your lens when you aren't using the camera, but can be a little bit of an annoyance if you happen to forget that it needs to slide down to be used. It's also easy to forget to slide it back up, which kind of defeats its purpose in protecting the lens. The camera will turn on automatically if you slide the cover down, or you can press the power button and then slide it down. It'll also turn off automatically if you slide the lens cover back up.

Functionality With the exception of the power, shutter, and zoom buttons, the camera is operated entirely through touch screen. All options are on the LCD screen. This is actually not bad, because the touch screen is very responsive (almost a little too responsive; I started recording a video before I even knew I had pressed the record button, that's how lightly you have to tap). Shutter time is quick, but write time can be fairly slow; if you're recording a video or taking photos in a mode that requires the camera to manipulate (e.g. watercolor mode), you'll need to wait a few seconds while it processes the photo.

Photos Photo quality is generally good if not amazing. It zooms in to 5x but you can then magnify that to 10x; the good thing is that at 10x as they advertise it is still pretty clear although you won't have a wealth of detail. Because of the fast shutter speed, you should be able to take photos of moving objects pretty easily. There are many different types of photos you can shoot, from regular auto mode to program mode (where you can manually manipulate ISO, etc.) to various picture effects (e.g. miniature, toy camera, partial color [one of the coolest camera effects I've ever seen; allows you to block out everything in monochrome except the color you choose to accentuate], watercolor, illustration) to different scenes (e.g. landscape, portrait, beach, gourmet [???], snow). Some of these look pretty cool, like the partial color (which can be finicky depending on the lighting, see my uploaded photos), and others are kind of throwaways. While watercolor is neat and all, I don't see that I'm going to be sending people "watercolor" photos; it seems more like a waste of what could have been a good shot (see my uploaded photo). In addition to these you can shoot in panorama, which is good in that it lets you do an automatic sweep rather than having to do the overlay with multiple photos like most cameras, AND it lets you take the panorama while sweeping either left, right, up, or down. However, the really stupid part is that it gives you an angle limit to turn the camera on, which is great if you're doing a 180 (but not a 360), but then it gives you a *time limit* or something as well. I still can't figure out what exactly is happening but it'll automatically end on its own and if you don't turn the camera all the way through its predefined limit within the countdown then it saves with a big gray space; see my uploaded photo, this is a big problem that's really annoying. There is also a background defocus that is supposed to let you shoot close-ups and blur the background, but I cannot get it to work. You can also shoot in 3D, but if you don't have a 3D television or glasses then that'll go unused. Night shots are a mixed bag; in auto mode you get a lot of "orbs," handheld mode looks good, night mode is blurry without a tripod, and high ISO mode also looks good but is a little bright (see all my uploaded photos).

Videos Video quality ranges from excellent to average depending on the type of video format you select from the Menu screen. I tried recording in both AVCHD (for HDTVs) and in regular MP4 (for computers) and the latter is just no comparison to the former. The AVCHD mode looks really fantastic but the files get saved in some weird .MPO format that my computer doesn't even recognize without using Sony's included software. You can, however, use Sony's software and there's a button right in it to convert the video to .WMV and resave, which is good. The .MP4 files can be opened in Quicktime without having to use the software or manipulate anything, but the quality is vastly degraded. They are much grainier and choppier, whereas the AVCHD videos are smooth and clear.

Extras The camera has some extra points worth mentioning. 1) This camera uses a micro SD card, so be sure you have one ready. It does not have a slot for a full-size storage card. 2) It comes with a paint pen. This is basically just a small fat stylus that you can use to select things on the camera or to draw on your photos. You can draw freestyle or the camera also has some premade frames on it that you probably won't care about unless you're a girl under 10 years old (seriously). 3) It requires the cable to charge. For some reason Sony thought it would be a good idea to not just put a slot for the battery into the charger like everybody else does, so instead you have to put the battery into the camera and then use the USB cable to connect the camera to the charger. This is not a huge deal but it just means you have to carry the cable around with you wherever you go if you think you're going to need to charge. The good news is that if you have a full USB charger in your car (like the smartphone car chargers that Verizon sells that have the regular micro USB and a second full USB) then you can charge the camera battery with it. 4) Software is included on the camera. No CDs here, folks. Instead you just plug the camera into your computer, turn it on, and after an annoyingly long Windows driver installation (for some reason it decided it wanted to install the camera as three separate drives), you can install the inventively-named PlayMemories Home software. The software is pretty basic and you have to download extra features separately. 5) Help is built into the camera. There is a button in the lower left of the screen with a question mark; just press this to go to the help screens to learn all about how to perform different functions. The camera does come with a written manual but it's fairly useless except to tell you how to charge the battery and install the software.

Short Version

This is a pretty good camera that works best if you have small hands. It sets itself apart by having all controls on the touchscreen, and thankfully has a very responsive screen. Photos are generally good quality, though some of the modes seem useless, and videos range from excellent to average depending on the video format you record in. The camera also requires a micro SD card, comes with a stylus, requires the USB cable to charge the battery, and has Sony's included software and built-in help files directly on the camera. See all my uploaded photos for examples.

Buy Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.3-inch OLED Now

I tried out this camera for about a week before returning it, but I did so with a heavy heart because this is a great little camera. I'll start off with the pros.

This camera produced some excellent shots. I was very impressed with the quality of pictures that came from it, especially when I was intentionally giving the camera bad conditions to shoot in. I was very pleased with their clarity. The jpeg noise I would often see in pics from my old camera (Panasonic Lumix TS1) was absent. Really, I was thunderstruck the first time I looked at the pics on my PC. Just beautiful!

The camera is truly tiny. The pictures here on Amazon don't give you the proper scale. It easily fits in your front pocket, without creating an uncomfortable bulge. This is definitely an 'on-the-go' camera.

The negatives... I guess I'll start with the big one.

The reason I returned this is because the camera is just too small for me. I'm a burly guy, with big hands but stubby fingers. It's just awkward for me to manipulate this. After playing with it for a week, I could never find a comfortable position to hold this camera. I tried, but could never figure out how to turn it on one-handed. I could not take one-handed pictures either. The entire back is a touch screen. That made me hesitant to rest my palm against it to grip the camera for fear of taking a picture, changing the focus, opening up the settings feature, etc. I ended up holding the camera with two hands, between thumb and index finger very clunky, and uncomfortable. This method of holding it produced way too many pictures with my hand shadowing the lens. Finally I decided, a camera with great picture quality was no use if I didn't enjoy actually taking pictures with it. :(

I was also shocked by the cheap hand strap Sony provided. I've used several Panasonic models, and they come with a comfortable wrist wrap with a lock that lets you tighten the wrap, so you don't have to think about accidentally dropping the camera. If you fumble it, no worry, the wrap keeps it secured. Sony's wrist wrap was just a piece of stiff cloth. You get no protection from that. When I'm paying this much money for a camera, I expect the company to think of these little details, not nickel-and-dime me.

The camera's UI was not quite so obvious to use as I hoped. With more practice I would have eventually learned it, but some of the settings are not as apparent as you would think.

So, I guess my quick summary is... The TX66 is a great little camera, but it's not for people with large, stubby hands. It's just too difficult to comfortably handle. It's a great gift for your wife/girlfriend though, assuming she's not bigger than average.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.3-inch OLED Here

I had my expectations of this camera, but it exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. My review below is based on first impressions, as I have used this camera for less than one week.

Unexpected pleasant surprises:

5x optical zoom does not project the lens outside the camera casing. All lens movements happen within the camera casing. Amazing to watch that.

Picture and video quality are as good as any of the P&S cameras I have owned so far. I have owned several Canon, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, and Flip cameras/camcorders.

Zoom is enabled during video capture. Not many P&S cameras can do that. I was blown away when I found this out.

You can capture a still image while capturing video. I still can't believe that this tiny camera includes this feature. See my remarks about this feature below.

Zoom well over 5x. See my remarks below.

Touch screen brightness, resolution, and sensitivity are well over my expectations.

Tripod mountable! You have to attach an adapter (supplied) to mount it on tripod.

Unpleasant surprises:

Supplied printed manual is extremely basic. See 1st comment for the URL of the full user guide.

Online user guide is HTML based, not PDF. Why do they do that? PDF is much more convenient and printable!

Camera's bottom surface is not flat and hence not freestanding.

It takes a few seconds to save the image after taking the picture.

Capturing stills while shooting video:

This function works very well. See the sample photo I posted. I don't know the underlying technology for this, but after you stop video recording, the camera starts saving the images to the memory card. If you took a lot of snapshots during the video, expect to wait several seconds for all the images to be saved.

Zoom:

Like many P&S cameras these days, this camera can also zoom much more than the advertised capacity. The 5x zoom is when the picture size is set to maximum 16M. However, if you lower the size, the zoom capacity will increase. For example, at VGA resolution, this camera can zoom to 38x without quality deterioration and to 76x some deterioration. Read the online user guide for details on the zoom capabilities and capacity. (Link for user guide is in the first comment to this review.)

Setting the USB Mass Storage:

I don't like using any utilities to download my pictures from camera to the computer. I just want to insert the cable and then see the camera in my computer as an external drive. If you are like me, you should go to Main Settings menu, and change the USB Connect Setting to Mass Storage option.

Picture quality comparison:

I have compared pictures taken by this camera with the pictures taken by Panasonic ZS9 under identical conditions and found that they compare equally in many cases. I have posted comparison photos on Amazon with my comments. See for yourself.

Overall, I am very happy to acquire this camera.

Update 06/15/2012:

The camera stopped responding a few days ago all of a sudden. Opening lens cover didn't turn it on. Repeating the process was of no use. Pushing the power button was equally useless. I then removed the battery and put it back in. Then in started working normally. It has worked fine since then. If this problem occurs again, I will consider reducing the star rating.

Still very happy with the performance and compactness of the camera.

Update 08/15/2012:

We went on a road trip recently and we took 3 cameras with us. The big P&S camera (Panasonic FZ28K) rarely came out of the bag. We used this camera (TX66) and Panasonic ZS9 and took hundreds of pictures. I observed that the success rate of TX66 is very high. Almost all pictures are usable (no blurring, no shake, in focus, good light, etc.) TX66 camera being so small and portable, we always had it handy and we didn't miss any photo opportunities. We are still very happy with the camera. Only known issue at this is that, inadvertent setting change due to unintended touch screen operation. Easly overlooked due to the convenience and the quality of the pictures.

Want Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.3-inch OLED Discount?

These Sony Sureshots just keep getting better and better. This one takes my breath away just from it's sheer tinyness. It will take 18 megapixell pictures...in 3D...or wide screen panarama...or with a 16gb micro sd card record 2.75 hours of hd vid!!! The 3D photos can be viewed on a 3D capable TV! They look great. Getting the kids together to wear the glasses and view photos was a fun activity. (do buy a micro sd card when you order the camera as it will only take 3 pictures without it...and get an extra battery or two as well! Amazon sells several very reasonably priced ones). Be warned however that it is indeed tiny and if you have trouble manipulating small objects you might want to go with a bigger model. It's smaller than my iPhone. I didn't have any problems holding it steady for shots and using the buttons. I'd also recommend getting a good strap ( I agree that the one included is woefully lacking and the one thing tiny inspires is the feeling that it won't survive a fall) The entire back of the camera is a touch screen so bear that in mind too. Overall I'm really impressed with the quality feel of the camera itself and the performance has been a dream. I'll use it a lot this summer and it's just the right size to slip into my shirt pocket and head out. It's just an amazing camera that you have to see to believe both it's size & it's performance!

Zacuto Z-EVF-1F EVF Flip-Up Electronic View Finder

Use with a Nikon D7000 for shooting video. Makes it much easier to focus, set exposure, and frame shots from just about any angle. An essential tool for anyone shooting video with their DSLR.

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Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5

I got mine on Saturday from a camera store here in Austin. The camera is nice and small but feels very solid. I was interested in the EP1 but could never get my mind around the practice of viewing and focusing on the back LCD screen. I was interested in this product segment because I have a collection of the Pen F half frame film cameras that this one is based on. I was very happy to learn that several people are making adapters that will allow me to use those old Pen F lenses on the EP2. I am looking forward to using two of my old favorites, the 60mm f1.5 and the 70mm f2.

I took the EP2 and the kit zoom lens out for a three hour spin yesterday morning. It was 30 degrees outside and the first thing I discovered is that this is not a camera with an interface you can use with gloves on. The buttons are too small and require too much pressure with gloves.

In daylight I didn't notice any real problem with focusing. It was not as slow as I was led to believe. BUT, it does do this little "focus on either side of sharp" and then lock and shoot that takes a few tenths of a second each time you autofocus. The cure is to switch the focus on control to the fn button or the ael button and then you can focus once and shoot until the subject/camera distance changes. It's definitely not bad. I also tried a bunch of low light focusing later in the evening and, with 60 watt household lights in various fixtures the focus locked pretty well.

You would be unwise to buy this camera without the EVF (electronic viewfinder). In my opinion this is what makes this camera and cameras like the Panasonic GF1 special. It's a great finder. Almost as clear and clean as a great optical finder. Better than the optical finders on the Olympus e300 and e520 cameras that I also own.

Here's why I really love the camera. I spent years and years shooting with a Hasselblad and I love composing images as squares. Several DSLR's with "LIve View" are available that can be configured to shoot different aspect ratios in Jpeg. Including the square. But when shooting portraits those cameras go through too much time consuming labor to use it effectively and the effect can only be seen on the rear LCD screen. On the EP2 this is not the case. The exposure is relatively instantaneous. And the camera can be used in a square format which you can view through the EVF.. You basically wind up with a 6x6 camera that shoots 9 megapixel files (the crop of the 12 megapixel sensor to square) at three frames per second.

The color and sharpness, even with the kit lens, is superb. Out of camera jpegs are something Olympus is famous for and this camera is even better than it's predecessors. I've also processed a few raw files with Capture One 5.01 and they are great but not that much better than a well exposed Jpeg.

I wrote a little review of the shooting experience on my blog.

At the end of the first paragraph is a link to a gallery of images. The image at the top of the blog is full size. Click on it to see just how sharp the files are.

The only unhappy note I have about the camera is that the BLS battery was "only" good for around 300 images. I always buy a spare battery when I buy a new camera so I had one in my pocket when the first battery became depleted. Keep in mind that it never got about 35degrees (f) while I was shooting and cold really messes with batteries. I presume you might be able to hit the 500 shot mark with warmer weather.

Finally, I am excited to shoot HD video with this camera. With adapters I'll be able to use some of the great lenses I've bought for my regular Olympus cameras.

Here is my con list:

1. The batteries could last longer....

2. The EVF plugs into a port under the hot shoe. It also takes over the hotshoe. This means that you can't use the hot shoe or even trigger a flash if the EVF is plugged in. This is a big deal. I wish the camera had a little pc terminal somewhere. Then I could use the EVF and still be able to trigger studio flashes.

3. Same thing for microphones. If you want to use an outboard mic for recording sound you'll need to use the same connection port. So you get to choose between EVF and microphone.

4. I wish there were more dedicated Olympus lenses for this format. I'd love a 20 or 25mm prime lens with a fast aperture. I think that would be sooooo cool. Maybe that's down the road.

All in all this is the camera I've wanted for a while. I am happy with it. It gets only four stars because of the multi-function port. On image quality it's five star. If they drop in price after the launch I will try to buy a second body. Have fun deciding between this and the Panasonic GF-1.

Bottom line: this camera represents a fantastic compromise between price, portability and picture quality. For those who can't take their big DSLRs everywhere they want to take pictures, this is the best camera I've found. Folks who are moving up from point and shoots should get a "real" DSLR as their move-up camera; this thing is really for those who already have DSLRs and looking for a great 2nd camera.

Likes:

Image quality, feel, size, weight. Really, you get great pictures up to ISO 400 (and I'm picky), and ISO 800 is completely usable. This is my replacement for a Canon G9, and this camera is just a little bit bigger and TONS better.

This is a system with multiple manufacturers. I'll be able to upgrade bodies and lenses from different companies without worrying about compatibility. Panasonic may make a better body a year or two from now -no worries, I'll just buy it and know my lenses will just work.

The 14-42 lens is really sharp. I've ordered the 45-200 and pre-ordered the super-wide 7-14 zoom. They all weigh about a pound. I also have a Gitzo Traveler. My travel photo kit will be quite nice, small and light. Ahhhhh!

I synch external 3rd-party strobes at 1/320th of a second. Very, very nice.

The electronic viewfinder is bright and clear. I really like the diopter correction.

Just OK:

The autofocus isn't as good as my prime DSLR (a Canon 1ds iii, so you know from whence I speak!), but is a heck of a lot better than normal point & shoots. The autozoom function while manual focusing is a nice touch, but in moderated-to-low light is too noisy to get tack-sharp focus. A "preview" button would be a nice workaround, but only if it was just used to temporarily freeze the zoomed view and show a quick focus check.

Dislikes:

As *everyone* says, you have your choice of one option at a time: strobe, electronic viewfinder, or external microphone connection. Arghhh!

The USB connector is some darned combo AV / USB thing. It is NOT compatible with standard USB cables. My suggestion: don't take the cable with you on the road, but instead use a separate card reader to download pictures.

The battery it came with is lame. Get a higher capacity battery for $9. In fact, get two! Maximal Power DB OLY BLS-1 Replacement Battery for Olympus Digital Camera/Camcorder (Black)

I really wish they made a very little strobe for this other than the Olympus FL-14 Flash for Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera. The FL-14 is lame (no tilt or swivel, low power), but the FL-36R is too big. The ideal setup would be to just use a wireless trigger and move the strobe off-axis.

The user interface is a little weird. I actually had to read the manual. I suspect this is just because I'm a Canon-head, but be warned. I'm getting used to it, which mostly means going into the secret setup menu (you have to turn on the detailed setup menu) and customizing things. One strong suggestion: set Auto-ISO to 100-400. No real penalty in picture quality at ISO 400, and you won't mind if the camera swings between 100 and 400 as it pleases.

The user interface requires you to use the wheel often, e.g. to change the f-stop/shutter tradeoff in "P" mode. It's way too easy to push on the ring and accidentally change a setting (e.g. ISO 100 --> 6400!). This has happened to me a few times.

The bracketing feature is useless for HDRs. You only get to change by 1 EV; you need two or three.

(In response to an excellent comment, here's a follow-up...)

I agree that ISO 1600 is "really good," but in my opinion 400 is the highest ISO that maintains the best quality. In fact, there's really no noise to clean up -even in solid red areas of the picture. 800 and above, you're trading off quality for sensitivity. I suspect we're really agreeing with each other, but I could have been more explicit. So, here goes: this thing has near-DSLR image quality in a very small, nice package. If you make huge prints, stick to 400 or lower (advice that's also relevant for all but the highest-end DSLRs); judicious use of Noise Ninja, et al, may allow you to push a bit past 400, but you're literally pushing your luck. ISO 1600 is fine for smaller prints, and more than fine for web pages, etc.

For the numerically inclined, here's the noise index from Noise Ninja:

ISO 100 11

ISO 200 14

ISO 400 20

ISO 800 28

ISO 1600 46

ISO 3200 99

ISO 6400 148

My rule of thumb: 20 and under is near-perfect, 20-30 is quite usable, and 40+ has issues.

And since I've written my original review, I've come to appreciate the auto-tracking continuous focus mode. I have my Fn key mapped to MF (manual focus), so I can bounce back and forth easily. I sure wish the camera had a few more mappable buttons, though. I'd really like to also get access to the white balance set command as well as the depth of field preview. Oh, well.

Also, I built a dual-illuminant DNG Color Profile for my E-P2. Amazing improvement! I was able to take a picture of the target on my LCD, bring the pic into Lightroom (where the profile is automatically applied), and then see that the colors of my displayed image exactly match the original. Nice stuff. Just google "dng color dual illuminant" to see how to do it.

As you can tell from the above, I also built some Noise Ninja profiles. Feel free to get them at

Finally, the nice guy who runs epaperpress made ptlens work with the E-P2 about an hour after I asked him to. I highly suggest using ptlens from Photoshop to correct barrel distortion, etc.

Buy Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5 Now

I've been shooting with SLR's for years now. The quality for me has always overridden the fact that the systems were bulky and cumbersome to shoot with. But I had felt that the "fun" had sort of been sucked out of my photography. It's hard to be spontaneous with a large SLR and large lenses. Luckily for me, those days are over. The fun is back.

The Olympus E-P2 is simply fantastic. You've got SLR quality in a near pocketable package, and the result has opened up avenues of photography that haven't been available to me in years.

I've missed countless opportunities to take pictures because of the sheer mass of my SLR system and not wanting to lug it around. This little camera will stay with me more frequently and just begs to be used. You get the convenience of the point and shoot, but the quality you crave in your pictures.

Pros of this camera:

High ISO is really good. Pretty clean all the way up to 3200, and certainly printable.

Movie mode is of very high quality. Somebody with good lenses and a creative mind can make some magic here.

Ability to use old lenses with an adapter. Very nice feature, and the manual focus mode is especially nice because it magifies what you are trying to focus on automatically.

Picture quality has amazing detail and color. Olympus color is in full force here.

Portability. (I recommend getting the nice Panasonic 20mm 1.7 lens. It takes the quality and portability up a notch, and gives you a top notch low light system)

Viewfinder is really top notch and large and bright. This allows for viewing of pictures and movies out in the sun(something you couldn't really do with any camera before now).

Built in image stabilization, which will work on even old lenses up to 4 stops.

Negatives:

Slightly slower focus than an SLR(and even the panny GF1). Not bad though and for a live view system it's pretty peppy.

No built in flash. Not a negative for me. Built in flash results are atrocious. I got the little FL-14 for flash in a pinch.

Cost. A little pricey for everyone, but it's actually worth the money for everything you get.

This is really a nice camera. If you have legacy 4/3 lenses you can attach and autofocus them. If you have other system lenses you can use them with an adapter and they work well. The obvious competitor, the Panny GF1 is also a nice camera. Both have strengths and weaknesses but in the end I'm really happy I got the Olympus E-P2. It's stylish, uber powerful, portable, and just downright cool. I still can't believe how small it is. Quite an amazing achievement to fit this technology in this small of a body.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5 Here

I bought this camera for its light weight and high ISO performance. No disapointment in either area. My main camera is a Sony a700 with 18-250 zoom as my walkaround lens. I have a nine month old dgthr and the two together can be a bit much to carry. I am very happy with the portability of this camera the color and image quality is great. The autofocus is tricky and too slow in dim light. The manual focus has a 7x magnifier that activates when you turn the focus ring. I do a lot of night shooting and got great results with manual focus. The spot meter is REALLY touchy. I am getting pretty good at spot metering and then using exposure lock so I don't have to reset in manual. The camera is so good looking I can't put it down. The Olympus raw converter is adequate. I do not own photoshop. Occasionally I have to adjust white balance. That's it.

The video in this camera is terrific. I have a sony mini DVD camcorder which I will proobably never use again now that I have this camera.

This camera has a steep learning curve but if you love photography, you will love the ride. I started shooting my own 35 mm with a Honeywell Pentax in 1974. A teacher loaned my his Oly Pen in 1973. This camera brings back a lot of precious memories in incredible color and image quality.

It is NOT a point shoot. It is a real camera. I recommend it highly

Want Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5 Discount?

We're lucky when we shop for something and our choice is limited to two options. Such is the case with micro fourth-thirds cameras. The format has been around for at least 40 years, but digital micro four-thirds is new. The format appeals to photobugs because it represents a good compromise between the image quality of consumer SLRs and the size of compact cameras. The image sensor is only a third smaller than that of an SLR, but nine times the size of a typical compact camera. Since sensor size is intimately correlated with goodies like background blur ("bokeh") and lower color noise, along with the fact that pictures taken with bigger sensors are deeper and more accurate, micro four-thirds is a boon. With a compact prime ("pancake") lens attached, it's not too big for a coat pocket. Add to this that the lenses are interchangeable and the format is friendly (via adapter) to every imaginable lens mount --including legacy manual-focus classics often available inexpensively on eBay or molding away on your old film SLR body. This all adds up to an irresistible proposition for the early adopter whose neck hurts from hauling around a big hunk of metal and glass.

But as mentioned, there are two: The Olympus Pen (in this case we'll look at the E-P2) and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1. Which is better? Like so many things in a competitive economy, it's a set of trade-offs--the two cameras excel at different things. The best choice likely depends on your picture-taking. Let's compare the two, feature for feature.

1) Looks. When I first saw the Olympus E-P1 in silver, I fell in love with it. It's a beautiful camera. Soon the E-P2 came along and, though it's a far better camera, until recently it came only in black. Okay, it's not exactly black but more of a metallic dark grey in the body and black in the extremities. Personally, I don't like grey and black together. You might. Notheless, I thought the black Pen looked better than the Lumix so I bought it. Later, I got a closer look at the Lumix. Now I believe the Lumix is every bit as retro and handsome as the Olympus, but in a more Leica-ish, rangefinder-y way. This only makes sense since Lumix is a sister company to Leica. For looks, I'd say if you like silver the Olympus wins, if you like black the Lumix wins.

2) Fit and finish. The Lumix is built like a brick shithouse. You can squeeze it hard and there's no "give." Not that the Olympus is chintzy, it's just not as solid. Lumix wins.

3) Autofocus. This is critical. If you shoot action or have any other reason to use faster AF, the Panny wins hands down. If you use old manual lenses it couldn't matter less, but if your primary goal is to shoot kid soccer games using modern kit lenses, the faster AF is a decisive advantage for the Lumix.

4) High ISO. The Olympus measures at significantly lower noise in lowlit, high ISO situations (which is a good thing because the camera has no built-in flash). If you're allergic to flash photography and like indoor portraiture, this could be a significant factor in favor of the Olympus Pen.

5) Flash. The Panasonic has a built-in flash and, as mentioned, the Olympus doesn't. The outboard flash designed for the Pen system (FL-14) will set you back an extra hundy, and though it looks very cool and retro, it tends to blare a bit. It also can't be tilted to "bounce," off ceilings, and only has limited exposure compensation. If you need flash for parties and bad Facebook shots, Lumix wins.

6) Electronic viewfinder (EVF). The Pen balances out the flash disadvantage here. The base kit ships with an outboard viewfinder. The Lumix requires you to to buy one for more than a hundred bucks. More importantly (since this is photography so money ain't a thing) the Olympus viewfinder is better, brighter, and more adjustable than the Lumix. You may not even think you need a viewfinder until you try an EVF on a micro four-thirds camera. If you want to use manual lenses it's absolutely crucial. Both the Lumix and the Pen have manual focus assist so if, like me, your eyesight sucks, a press of a button will temporarily zoom you in so you can manually adjust focus on, say, the subject's eyelashes. It then pops back to normal so you can compose the shot. The keystrokes to accomplish this are more involved when you use old manual lenses. In the case of the Olympus, you have to put the camera in a specific mode to make MF assist engage with one keystroke. It then stays zoomed until you repeat the same keystroke, which can be awkward. The Lumix zooms itself back out automatically, even with legacy glass, but it requires two keystrokes to zoom in, so there's the same amount of button pushing. To me it seems more intuitive to have the MF assist self-cancel (unless I'm still struggling with finding focus when it does). In spite of this slight advantage, and that the Lumix has a higher-resolution LCD, the viewfinder on the Oly is included, and it spanks the finder on the Lumix. And no, they don't work mounted on each other's bodies. Olympus wins

7) Menu system. The Pen takes a lot of heat for having convoluted menus. To my mind these complaints rendered invalid by a simple setting whereby virtually every menu item is available in a single screen-view that you can navigate to with the touch of a convenient scroll wheel whereupon you can change any setting pretty much instantly. You almost never need to navigate the formal menus. I'm not sure if a similar feature exists on the Lumix, but it seems likely that if you have a Leica D-Lux 3 or 4 (Panasonic LX-2 or 3) you'll like the Panasonic better for its familiar menu system. In truth, this is likely a tie.

8) Kit lens. I prefer prime lenses and to date the finest prime created for the digital micro four-thirds format is the Panasonic Lumix 20mm f/2. It's a jewel, and works on both cameras. Even if you have the Pen you'll want to buy it. Yet it ships in the Panny prime-lens kit. On the other hand, if you like or need zoom lenses, the Oly zoom lens that ships with their zoom kit is better than the zoom that comes in the optional Panasonic kit, if only because it's retractable, making the camera pretty compact for having a fairly long focal range. Keep in mind that the micro four-thirds "crop factor" means that the effective length of a lens in this format is twice the actual (1:1) length of a lens. So the Lumix kit's prime 20mm is actually equivalent to an old-school "normal" lens. As a side note, not only is lens shopping cheaper in micro four-thirds thanks to old manual lenses (just don't develop a jones for Leica M-glass) but the 200% comparable focal length means you can get by with fewer specialty lenses. That 400mm white-ass golf lens that sets you back $8 grand and gets you punched by Sean Penn, in four-thirds format is accomplished by a little 200mm brand-x lens. But if you like prime lenses: Advantage Lumix. If you like zoom lenses: Advantage Pen.

9) Image stabilizer. Now this was the overwhelmingly decisive factor for me. I take natural light photos in some pretty dark places. Great legacy lenses and even the better optics in the modern world tend not to have their own internal image stabilizers. The Olympus has great in-body image stabilization. The Lumix doesn't. This means that any lens, no matter how old, is image stabilized on the Pen body. You not only don't have to buy stabilized lenses (which in many cases can be a $1K upgrade), but you can buy slower lenses. Combined with the strong high ISO performance, instead of a maximum aperture of f/1.4, you might be able to get away with a max aperture f/2 or even f/4. Look up Leica 50mm lenses and compare the price of the f/4 with the f/2.8 and the f/1.8 and finally the f/.90. Opening the aperture a few steps can add thousands faster than Nancy Pelosi's bar tab. And in the case of most manufacturers, at its most open aperture settings, the lens with the smaller maximum aperture outperforms the more expensive lens (that is, at f/5.6, the Canon 50mm f/1.4 beats the Canon 50mm f/1.2 in term of sharpness and distortion, and for less than a tenth of the cost). What this means in practice is that you should always buy a fast lens for the way it renders at its widest setting. If an in-body stabilizer effectively widens that widest setting by allowing you to increase your shutter speed in low light, it may very well negate the need for extravagant glass (or better yet, allow you to buy slower glass from an extravagant manufacturer). Big win: Olympus.

Which brings us to the skinny: The Olympus E-P2 and the Panasonic Lumix GF1 test as indistinguishable in image quality. They both take great pictures, share the same lenses, and are fun as hell.

If your thing is portraits, flowers (ugh), still-lifes, pets (ugh) and landscapes, and you don't shoot a lot of action, the Olympus wins for its in-body stabilization and high iso performance.

If your thing is action, hyper kids, sports, and other chaos, and you're hard on your cameras, the Lumix is better. It's also better if you need a flash--for instance if you bring cameras to dark parties or tend to shoot in Auto Mode.

You really can't go wrong either way.

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