Foscam Blue Iris Professional - Supports Many IP Camera Brands Including Foscam and Agasio, Zone Mo

I have a total of 16 camera's, a couple of Panasonic BL**, Linksys, Foscam FI8910w and Askak Mole IP cam for indoors along with a SWAN DVR system for outdoors that i just figured out how to add onto the software. I absolutely love it, and it's been working great over wifi, and the customization is awesome. I mainly bought it for home security and to monitor my newborn. I can setup to record motion for all the camera's and motion + email/sms alerts on specific ones that I would want to know about like front door, drive way and side gate access. I like using the text feature because it's almost instant. I get notifications on my iphone within 6-10 seconds of a trigger. It's awesome, example my text will read "Alert Motion detected on Side gate" ...I log in with my iphone Blue Iris app ($10) to see that the PGE guy is in my backyard reading my meter and throwing in lunch away in my trash can. If i miss it, the the iphone app has the ability to watch the DVR'd recording (with audio if your cam supports it). This feature alone is why i bought it. It is invaluable. Since most break in's happen in the day time, and thief's usually ring the door bell to see if anyone is home then go to the backyard where no can see to break in, this alerting system is critical along with the ability to review the alert to determine if it's legitimate or not. With the iphone app along with the PC version, I have reduced my remote viewing iPhone apps from 3 to just 1. Its so cool, i show it off to all my friends and co workers. Since I figured out all the settings, i helped them get it setup up to at their homes. They all love it. I use it all the time, even when I miss place something, it's awesome to have to abiliy to replay past events to find what you lost.

The web browser functions works pretty good as well, I have noticed sometimes the image will get frozen and I need to refresh the browser to start up again using Firefox. This could be due to my companies firewall and proxy settings. The fix for this is to download the free add-in Auto Refresh v.1.02. I like this one the best because it has the option for hard refresh or the just a "soft" refresh of the view you are on. this is helpful if you have groups setup. I have Outdoor cams, Indoor Cams / and Kids room cams groups. Doing a hard refresh goes back to the default view which is view All camera's. I do not select this and only do a normal refresh every 1min (adjustable). This way when I only want to watch my kids rooms to make sure they are doing their homework or chores, when the page refreshes it remains on my 3 large camera's views of my kids rooms instead of going to the main "All camera's" view like with a "hard refresh" which makes them all very small b/c it's showing all 16 cams.

I have and monitored ADT security system as well but the Blue Iris application is like my front line of defense in case thief's try to cut the power or disconnect the phone line. Additonally it has the best user interface and endless features that are not available on any of the other security applications. I have the BI software running on a desktop PC for now recording to an external HD hidden behind some books on my bookshelf with a 15FT usb cable. A laptop would be better since you can hide it more and it has a battery for power outages. Just keep your router and a few camera's on a UPS and you should be fully protected.

Another cool feature is the ability to not only send alerts but it can play audio or turn on lights if alerts trigger. I have a profile setup for when I'm on vacation to play a 30min audio track of some action movie with explosions and dialog to simulate someone watching TV. The audio plays on my computer BOSE PC speakers that are turned up pretty loud. I also split the speakers out to they play on the opposite side of the house so that thieves could hear it from whatever entry point they are thinking about going in.

I did run into an issue with my Astak mole cam is very flaky on the BI software. I can get to it fine using its own webserver and on the Free IP cam app I have on my iphone, but with the BI software, it's hit or miss, sometimes it working and sometimes its not. This could be the camera though so I'm not going to knock off a star until I do some more research. I submitted a case with the BI support and got a response a few hours later from support. Ken offered some suggestions and also offered to help work on it if I put it online for him to take a look. Working in IT support myself, I was impressed with the support I received from the BI software developer.

Other features that would put this over the top would be the 2 way talk feature for both the remote web view and smart phone app. Some of my cameras (foscam/Astak) have the ability to speak into your phone or computer and with the built in speaker on the camera, it will output your voice on it. This is a neat feature to communicate to someone in the house when they are not picking up the phone. I purchased the foscam iphone app just for this feature alone, however it is lacking big time in comparison to the BI iphone app.

All in all I'm very impressed with both the Blue Iris PC app and the iPhone app. With the rising crime rate across the country because the cities have no money to fund police and investigators, burglar's know this and are taking advantage. As a homeowner, I understand that this will not prevent a break in, but at least it may catch one, or better yet deter one. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting the flexibility of remote viewing and alerting for their security camera's.

UPDATE 6-21-2013:

Stability: I have had this thing running no stop for almost 4 months. There have been a few updates for BI since then and they have been all very nice enhancements and or fixes. The BI web server is bullet proof; I have not had the webserver crash at all since it's been up. I do restart my computer ever now and then for Windows critical updates but I have it setup so that when my computer reboots, it auto starts the BI software but minimized and password protected.

BI Mobile App: I have asked for it and now it is hear. The ability for two way communication with the foscam camera¡¦s. I can now hear and talk through the foscams via the BI mobile app. It works pretty good, but I do have to admit the quality and responsiveness is not as good as the native Foscam iphone app perhaps because it is going through the BI desktop webserver first then to your phone, whereas the Foscam app goes directly to your camera. But it is a good feature and probably needs to be optimized a bit to be on par with the Foscam mobile app. But I wouldn¡¦t buy the foscam iphone app to make up for it, I just happened to have both already so I¡¦ll continue to use the foscam for now.

Wireless Speeds: Since I have 16 Camera's, 6 of them are foscams and 2 other ones that are wireless, I notice that my wifi speeds for the home have decreased dramatically. My wired speeds are great getting 21mbps down and 3-4mpbs up. But when I run speed tests for my wifi, i'm getting 128-256 kbps transfer speeds on my N wireless network. Turning off the BI software gets me back to almost my wired speeds using the speedtest.net 6000-7000 KB/sec. Looking at the BI logs, I see that my wifi cams at 5 fps (frames per second) are sending about 64-128kbs per sec for each wireless cam (8x) so it¡¦s not that bad, and my wired cams are sending about 400-500kbs per sec at 15 FPS. There is a constant flow of data across my wireless network. I have an Linksys N router and a Cisco repeater/access point (G). My speed tests are done while connected to the N Linksys router.

Now this does not happen all the time which is frustrating, meaning sometimes when BI is on and running, I get normal fast wifi speeds, and sometimes I don't when it's running so I¡¦m thinking there is something else saturating my wifi network like the camera¡¦s internal web server. I need to do more investigation, but it seems like BI has a hand in it since when I do disable it my speeds come back instantly. I have since moved a lot of the camera's on Ethernet since the picture quality and frame rate is way better anyway, this has helped with intermittent wifi. I run a lot off wifi, TV Netflix, Apple Air Play, iPads, laptop, etc so this was of great concern. I now have only 4 cams on wifi and it seems to be working fine now. Just food for thought if you were running more than 8 wireless camera¡¦s you may see saturation on your wifi network.

Storage: I bought BI because I wanted to keep an eye on things due to the increased crime rate in our neighborhood, but also because I have a new born and 4 year old in the house and it¡¦s nice to capture those cute diaper changes and funny things kids do that made you wish it you had a camera recording while it happened. I have found myself going through these recordings and not wanting to delete anything º!!!! Storage is cheap these days, and I picked up a Seagate 3TB backup plus drive for about $130. At the rate I¡¦m capturing videos, I have managed to fill up 400GB over the last 4 months. About 100GB per month, so I figured a 3 TB (275Gb usable) will last me for 2 years of cuteness before I buy another 3-4 TB drive. I¡¦m sure by that time they will be absurdly cheap. The other nice feature of this is that this drive doubles as a SATA drive docking station so I will just need to buy a HD only with no fancy case and slap it on.

Final thoughts is that I Still love this App and one of the best purchases I have made all year. I use it everyday not just for security, it has become the number on of my top apps I use on my phone and the live view and alerting feature has been invaluable. With the web security feature, I have allowed my parents to view my baby's room camera's during a specific time period so that they can just pop in and see the new baby sleeping and playing without having to face time me every few hours :-)

At first my wife and friends thought I was a little weird to have so much visibility/security camera's at my house, but after I show them the value of what it does for a home owner, parents of kids and dogs, I find them calling me a few weeks later asking how to set a system like that for them. If you have something to hide from your spouse then I would avoid putting camera's inside your home, but for us, we enjoy the sense of security and priceless moments it has allowed us to replay. Next up are some HD Cams :-)

Blue Iris ("BI") is a significant improvement over painfully basic OEM supplied control/display software. BI is reasonably intuitive and compatible with most-all IP cameras, and if a camera is not listed specifically in set-up, generally a set-up file for a similar camera will work fine. There are lots of IP camera forums on the Internet that discuss using BI if you run into challenges.

Note that the BI software license is for ONE HOST COMPUTER. If you monitor/control your cameras from more than one computer you will need a separate license for each additional host. So be sure to install your software on your primary host.

For the price, this is an excellent buy. Full-up professional IP camera control packages typically cost 4X the asking BI price.

Buy Foscam Blue Iris Professional - Supports Many IP Camera Brands Including Foscam and Agasio, Zone Mo Now

I know you can run BootCamp/Parallels/Fusion to make this work on a MAC, but it would be nice to have a native MAC version. I did purchase this via the download from the Blue Iris website and did setup Bootcamp to run it and it works very well. It has all sorts of cameras and covers the many different cameras I use from Foscam, to Q-See to Swann and others.

The Blue Iris App works well, but you need to have it connect to the machine running the software. Once that is done, it's a no brainer

For the price, you cannot go wrong if you are running Windows. It works very well and is really easy to setup. The help files are well written and tell you everything you need to know for any setting. Just click the question mark on the page where you are and the help opens up to show you every option on that page and what you can do. You can also open the help from the home page and do all the normal things you can do with a Windows help search

Read Best Reviews of Foscam Blue Iris Professional - Supports Many IP Camera Brands Including Foscam and Agasio, Zone Mo Here

This software is can be quite complicated. It is NOT plug & play. There are many, many configuration options. The software requires extensive knowledge of settings and the language that go with knowing HTTP, FTP Servers, WEB Servers, IP configurations. I have written & currently support multiple web sites & maintain a Windows 2008 R2 network for a company of 35, so Im somewhat familiar with what it takes. If you want to record activity from installed cameras, logic says you need to move or copy those recordings "off premises" to be reviewed later, which this software does provide. Why? Because if your property is being stolen or destroyed, so are the recordings if they are only being stored locally, on premises. Its like any good backup. So an FTP off-site or cloud is necessary to protect your files. Read and take your time or you will find yourself being overwhelmed by technology. Update to backing up your files off-site. I discovered that the popular cloud-type backup companies do not support backing up video file types, ie: MOV, AVI or MP4. What you can do is to purchase an ISP account which generally gives you about 10GB to start. Then you need an FTP enabled synchronization type software to copy the jpg & video files to that off-site location. I have it set to copy from the directory every 10 min. These are just things you can never know up front.

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This is great remote viewing and recording software for the Foscam IP cameras. It does everything I want it to do. Email alert functionality works fine for me, and the motion sensing algorithm is easy to adjust and seems to work remarkably well. The pan, tilt interface for the Foscams works very well also better than the software that comes with the cameras. There are a plethora of feature controls, triggers, alert settings, and record options more than I will probably ever use. The navigation is well laid-out and things are easy to find.

My only criticisms are that it does not seem to provide a control for the IR lamps on the cameras, and the user interface is a bit "clunky" looking. But the latter issue doesn't affect functionality or usability, so who really cares? Overall, I'm quite pleased.

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INTOVA Digital Waterproof Camera + Deluxe Kit

Great deal for the price. Easy set up. Takes good pictures and video. Control buttons are easy to use even with gloves on. I have recomended it already to other divers in our group. We've taken it on 4 shore dives to 40 ft with no problem, it is rated to go to 180 ft. so I can't see where it can't go anywhere a diver would want to go. Strap on the camera case makes it easy to move without holding onto it when your in the water. Wish I could post a few of the pictures and video that we've taken so you could see for yourself!

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Kanex iAdapt VGA

My VGA monitor looks great using this adapter, coming from my Early 2011 MBP. That is to say, when it is not displaying periodic jitters and other, similar scan/sync disturbances ranging from almost never to every few seconds.

My HD monitor on the other hand, will -notgo full screen using the sister adapter to this one, coming from my Early 2011 MBP. I could have sworn it had been full screen initially, but I guess that can't really be confirmed. I updated the video drivers with no improvement, and reinstalled the initial BootCamp/Windows drivers with no improvement.

The thing that really hurts, and is the inspiration for the title of the review, is the absolute, z-e-r-o response I have gotten from the Kanex support people, or support person, or support wall poster. I submitted two different, fully documented support requests that included phone information in case their emails weren't getting through.

If this thing cost 4 or 5 bucks, that would be one thing. But it's going on 30 bucks, and for that kind of pocket money, you better produce life signs if need be.

I would never, ever buy anything from this company again, for that reason, and I would suggest that you do not either, since there's no way to guarantee it's going to be smooth sailing out of the box, or you're stuck w/a piece of relatively useless hardware and no one to stand behind it.

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Optoma PRO350W, 2800 lumen, XGA, DLP Multimedia Projector

long story short, I had it for a month and it broke. By itself I wouldn't consider that an issue products are sometimes faulty. It happens. But over a week after receiving the RMA'd projector, Optoma now tells me it will be another 3 weeks (they "hope") before they can get the parts to fix it.

It's unfortunate, especially considering that this projector really is awesome I loved it while I had it. And as I said, I don't consider it a fatal flaw that it broke; that's why we have warranties. But if the company is going to spend a month repairing a nearly brand new projector rather than just replacing it, that's what I consider terrible support.

I have this projector in a bright living room adjacent to our sunroom which lets in tons of sunlight. I can still run this projector and get a very nice picture in the middle of the day. It has the expected DLP "pop" to it and is surprisingly sharp for a 720p model. I actually have a newer 1080p LCD projector that cost twice as much and I still go back and forth trying to decide which one I like best. I am running this projector on a grey 106" screen from about 12 feet back. I did have to put some work in trying to get the picture to fit the screen correctly as there is no offset (as with all but the most expensive DLP units). I've got a HTPC hooked up to watch 3D blu-ray and I can tell you if you like 3D in the theater you will LOVE it on this projector! The only star I can take off is for the price. You can actually get a newer model Optoma for less. However, if you can find one of these (possibly refurbished) at a deep discount don't hesitate to pick one up!

Buy Optoma PRO350W, 2800 lumen, XGA, DLP Multimedia Projector Now

Ive had this Projector since March this year, and I have been loving it ever since, It has superb picture/color quality, and where I have it positioned I have a ~100" screen. The great thing about this projector is that it is "future proof", meaning it wont become obsolete in 2 months, it comes with a built in HDMI port, and it supports full 1080p. Also for computers that are connected to it, it supports all resolutions up to 1920x1080. It has 2 audio ports, one in, the other out, I have my cable reciever plugged into the HDMI port, and because HDMI also has the audio channel, I connected a 3.5mm jack cable from the projector to a 5.1 home theatre system, and the audio quality is superb, no static or interference. It comes with a standard AV video output for all devices/consoles ect. without an HDMI or VGA connection. It doesnt, however, have the composite input(red blue green video, white and red audio). I also have my computer connected via VGA cable, and the picture again is awesome, where I am sitting(about 10-11 feet from the screen)I cannot see the individual pixels on the wall, the lamp lasts about 4000 hours, if set on standard brightness mode, or 3000 on bright mode. I set it on standard and the picture is still superb. It comes with a sleep timer built in, also a security passcode feature, letting you set a 4 digit code that you have to input when you turn the unit on. As far as sound goes, I sit right below the unit(I have it mounted on the wall with a universal mount) and I don't hear a thing. The only problem that I have is that since the unit is not being manufactured anymore, I had to contact Optoma directly because all of the "authorized dealers" did not carry a replacement lamp, after 4 months of using it almost every day, I am up to 965 hours, so about 1000 hours, every 4 months, the lamp should last about a year. I was able to find a replacement lamp directly from Optoma for about $180, not to bad considering how good the projector is and how long the lamp lasts. Overall this projector is very good quality, I havent had anything break or had to have it repaired. I would definitely recommend this projector to anyone who is a first timer like I am but perhaps also for people who have had other projectors as well. The price for this, $700, is by-far the best price I have seen for this, when I purchased it from Best Buy back in march it was going for $999. $700 for a projector this good is the best its going to get, so I definitely recommend you by this if you are considering it.

Read Best Reviews of Optoma PRO350W, 2800 lumen, XGA, DLP Multimedia Projector Here

This is my first video projector and it has met my expectations. I am using it for a home theater and have only connected it to a computer for testing. I have it set up across the room to project a 10-foot wide image on a wall painted with regular white paint. With the bulb on the lower setting, the image is still bright. The focus makes a sharp picture, limited only by the projector's native resolution. If you walk up to the wall (or screen), you will see the pixels, nice and sharp. (Because of its oddball "16:10" aspect, watching 16:9 material will give you 720 pixels high, though its true vertical resolution is 800. If you watch 4:3 material, you can use the full 800 and waste some horizontal resolution instead. It's a compromise that ensures the corners of the image area will rarely be used.) It is possible to max out the saturation and brightness settings, but if this happens, you can just turn them down. I don't have a point of comparison for the color and contrast, but I am satisfied.

Now here are all the limitations you should be aware of. None of them keep me from recommending the projector, but you should take these things into account.

The projector is inconsistent when faced with an interlaced video signal. Sometimes it seems to attempt a reverse pulldown or bob deinterlace. Often it does nothing and combing is visible. There is no manual override for this. The best bet is to adjust the settings on the device creating the signal. Most Blu-ray players, DVD players, and cable boxes have settings to choose the output format. If you're watching VHS, you may be out of luck.

Component video can be connected, but a component-to-VGA adapter is needed. These are not easy to find in stores, so plan ahead and order online if you want this. HD15 (VGA) Male to RCA x 3 Female, D / Shield, (HD15 to Component Video) Adaptor, 1 ft -Not For Computer Use If you plan on connecting a Wii, you want this, since the Wii will only give you an interlaced signal over composite.

Consider the 1/8-inch mini audio in and out jacks as a utility convenience only. I tried all kinds of configurations with different cables and adapters. Even when I only routed the audio signal through the projector, it ruined the sound, making it painfully tinny. Connect your audio to a separate sound system if at all possible.

This projector is advertised as being capable of "PC 3d." If you want to watch 3d Blu-rays, you can, but you need to pay a bit extra to get a signal converter box. I purchased the View Sonic 3D HD Video Processor (VP3D1), and confirm that it works together with this projector and a 3d-capable Blu-ray player.

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The image quality esp the color is quite good. I'm pretty picky about this, and found I had very few adjustments to make right out of the box. The size and portability are a plus. I'd seen this brand recommended on a reliable 16mm film collectors' forum.

Stedi-Stock Shoulder Brace Stabilizer for Digital SLR Cameras, Video Camcorders & Spotting Scop

I am permanently disabled and can't hold a camera steady enough to get in-focus pictures. I've used a monopod before with good results, but they can be awkward to carry and maneuver. This little gem provides the necessary bracing mechanism, while still allowing me to have the camera hang around my neck. Its easy to put on and take off (like when a tripod is the needed support), and the strap it comes with isn't necessary for the full support to be realized.

Nikon Coolpix S8000 14 MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 3.0-Inc

I owned the very good Sony DSC-W350 (which I liked very much), but I managed to leave it in a rental car. Between the time I bought my Sony and now, Nikon released a new line, so I figured I'd give one of their best compact point and shoot cameras a try. I use a lot of Nikon's DSLR equipment, but their point-and-shoots have been a bit disappointing to me over the years. But I liked the S8000 and decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did...it's a wonderful point-and-shoot, even better than the Sony in every way.

First, I place a lot of emphasis on the size and shape of the camera and whether it just feels natural in my hands. The S8000 is very small and light, and sometimes really petite cameras just feel awkward to me. I'm happy to say that the S8000 gets it about perfect it's easy to hold, the controls feel like they're where you expect them, and I never accidentally hit say, the power button when I'm looking for something else. I also tend to like designs that put the lens in the middle of the camera, as opposed to some designs (like the otherwise very good Panasonics) that tend to put the lens off-center. With very little practice, I feel like I can work the Nikon with my eyes closed, and I never feel awkward with it.

The built-in LCD monitor is also very good and easy to read under most conditions, except maybe in very bright direct sunlight. Still, my eyes aren't fantastic, but I have no trouble navigating the menus or reviewing shots after I've taken them. As an added plus, the menus are structured in a way that's similar to Nikon's DSLR cameras, so if you're familiar with Nikon's other products, you'll feel right at home here.

It's also a fast camera. I don't find the start-up time to be particularly quick, but once you have it on, focus, zooming, shutter lag, flash recycle and so on are very, very fast indeed. The autofocus system seems to be about as fast as the system in my Nikon D3 most of the time, which is really impressive to say the least. With some of the older point and shoots I've owned, I felt like I'd miss shots because of shutter lag or how long it took to focus...not so with the S8000.

As for image quality, I have to say that I was skeptical that a 10x lens could perform as well as I want. Honestly, I'd rather have a super sharp 4x than a mediocre 10x, and this was my biggest concern with the Nikon. Well, I'm happy to say that I've been pleasantly surprised by the wide zoom range in the Nikon this is one really high performance lens, at least when you look at it in combination with all the other features the camera offers. It does great close-ups, letting you focus up to about half an inch from your subject. It seems to have a great optical anti-shake capability, permitting you to hand-hold the camera in fairly dark situations without resorting to a flash. The wide-angle end of the spectrum looks natural without some of the distortions you sometimes see on this type of camera. The worst thing I can say about the lens is that it has some purple fringing at the long end of the range nothing that can't be fixed in Photoshop, but it is noticeable.

Overall, I don't see much difference in the 10x lens on the Nikon versus the excellent 4x lens on my former Sony in terms of image quality. The Nikon seems to produce slightly warmer colors with more saturation and just a generally more vivid appearance. The Sony was more natural looking, but not a lot of difference otherwise. I do notice that Nikon seems to apply slightly less digital sharpening than Sony, but this again is easily corrected in whatever editing software you use if you want to. Frankly, some cameras tend to push the sharpening a bit too far, and portraits tend to come out looking a bit harsh as a result. The Nikon gives you a more natural look that most people will find pleasing plus you can always add sharpening after the fact if you need to.

If you're a novice, one thing to keep in mind is that at the telephoto end of the zoom range, the S8000 is equivalent to a 300mm on a 35mm camera. This offers quite some magnification but it also amplifies your tendency to get blurry pictures by inadvertently shaking the camera (for instance, as you press the shutter release). Nikon's vibration reduction system helps a lot, but you really need bright lighting (hence, high shutter speeds) to get consistently sharp pictures with this end of the zoom range. I'm sure we'll see subsequent reviewers complaining about fuzzy images at the long end of the zoom range, and no doubt this will be why. As a side note, the camera includes a tripod socket, so it's possible to get perfect pictures in low light, even at the 300mm end of the range but I rarely see people carrying around a five pound tripod for their six ounce camera.

The camera goes out to ISO 3200, but in my use so far, I'd only recommend up to ISO 400 for images you intend to print, maybe 800 for email/web images. Higher ISO than 800 get to look pretty poor, in my opinion. Of course, this is the nature of the beast these compact cameras have compact image sensors, and that means you just can't boost the sensitivity without introducing lots of noise.

The built-in flash is okay, but not super powerful. It does offer uniform lighting over the frame, even when using wide angle views a pet peeve of mine on other cameras. The S8000 also has automatic red-eye reduction built in, so you rarely see people pictures having lots of red-eye. Of course, I'd rather have great noise-free performance out to ISO 3200 so I don't need the flash in the first place, but absent that, the flash is a reasonable compromise.

Nikon includes their venerable D-lighting system, which is essentially a way to bring detail back into the picture when there's a huge contrast variation. It works well, for instance, with many flash shots, or when you have a person standing in the shade against a sunny background. Since you can also add these effects post-processing, I tend to turn the feature off in my cameras, but it does work well overall.

There are a few other included features I don't get much use out of. One is the video mode. I suppose if I want to take videos, I'd use a video camera, not a tiny point-and-shoot. Nikon doesn't seem to have put a lot of thought into the video mode anyway...it's "only" 720p, and in what seems like a poor design choice, you can't zoom the lens while filming. Another included feature I just don't find myself using is the burst mode that lets you take up to 16 lower quality (3MP) images in a very rapid sequence...generally, if I'm doing high-speed action photography, I'm doing it with my DSLR, not the point-and-shoot. Compared to the Sony I recently owned, there are also no panorama or HDR modes, but honestly, I don't miss either of these.

Overall, I think Nikon has a winner here and I absolutely recommend it for anyone wanting a compact but capable point-and-shoot.

I bought this camera because I wanted a camera that could both take high quality pictures of objects from a far away distance and took HD video. The Quality of the pictures of this camera are good from a far distance. I could easily read signs when zoomed in that I could not read from looking at them. I am a structural engineer so I needed something that I could read the structure types and be able to idetify the structures from a distance, in this it did its job.

Now the down side of the camera. The video quality of the video was excellent as well as the sound. The HUGE overlooked flaw is that recording indoors or out there is a high pitched squealing noise in the backround of every video no matter if it was played on lcd, computer, tube tv, or the camera itself. I tried the camera instore and it did the same thing (after I had taken it home and tested in depth). I have also seen example videos online where you can here the distinctive squeel.

If you are getting this camera for the picture quality only, look no further; but if like me you wanted HD video as well I would suggest looking at another camera.

Update***

I just purchased the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3, and wow. When comparing the photos I had saved with the Nikon and now the new photos I have taken of the exact same objects, the Panasonic clearly wins big. Along with my complaint of the Nikon's video the Panasonic also has a clearer HD video and stereo sound with no annoying whine in the background. And now the best part. I purchased it off amazon at $235, which is $65 less than the Nikon. I would highly recommend checking out the Panasonic Lumix first.

Buy Nikon Coolpix S8000 14 MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 3.0-Inc Now

After a few days' research and testing between Canon S90 and Canon SX210 at 2 shops, I decided to get a Canon S90 for its better image quality.

But when I went to a third shop, aiming to get Canon S90, I was shown on the computer screen the 2 photos (jpeg) taken at the same place (indoor) a few seconds ago, one by S90 and one by Nikon S8000. The photo taken by S8000 rendered the true colors, just as what I saw under the lighting, and the image did not have jagged edges as in Canon S80 when magnified at the computer. Then a couple of shots confirmed that the noise control between the two were not as I expected. At least under ISO 400, Nikon S8000 photos did not provide more noise than Canon S90. Actually, at ISO 125, I did observe that Nikon's resolution was better. And the LCD screen resolution of Nikon was also higher than Canon S90. True, Canon S80 allowed one to take RAW images and manual control, but I wanted a travel zoom camera and would not like to work with RAW images or excess processing of the images(otherwise I would take my DSLR.) And Nikon 30mm-300mm provides a much more flexible zoom than Canon's 28mm-105mm.

Having Nikon DSLRs myself, I had the impression that DCs were not Nikon's strong areas. But the test shots gave me enough confidence to get a Nikon S8000 back home and gave it a try. Under sunlight, the photos were so pleasing and much better than I have expected from a DC. The image sizes can be either at 4:3 or 16:9. At 300mm, the image is still very acceptable and at 30mm, I detect very little distortion. I mainly shot photos using the AUTO mode but the MACRO and FOOD modes are extremely useful. The FOOD scene, allowing me to change the color tones of the photo, gives such delightful photos of the dishes! To summarise, Nikon S8000 is a very pleasant surprise for me. I got the silver one which had a very solid build and cool design. To top it all, I got a grey Nikon umbrella (which could be used as a reflector) and Coolpix camera bag for free at a local Asia dealer.

For the limitations, Nikon's menu seemed to be a bit less user-friendly than the old Panasonic DC I owned. I also hope there will be more reviews comparing S8000 and other cameras, especially at high ISOs.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon Coolpix S8000 14 MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 3.0-Inc Here

I was looking for a camera that provided outstanding picture quality and quick response time without having to lug around a DSLR. After comparing similar models from Cannon and Panasonic, I settled on this one. I have not been disappointed at all. The auto mode provides crisp and clear photos, even at very close range. This is very important for a novice photographer such as myself. For users who wish to control the picture output a bit more, there are 15 scene selections and many other advanced image settings choose from. The menus all have contextual help settings to help making selecting from these options a little less daunting.

As one of the previous reviewers pointed out, there is a high pitch noise present during video playback. It is not horrible but definitely noticeable. I did not purchase the camera primarily for capturing video, but would be lying if I said the HD recording capability was a feature I overlooked. While this is not a deal breaker by any means, it did keep me from giving a full 5 stars on my review.

Want Nikon Coolpix S8000 14 MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 3.0-Inc Discount?

I read all of these reviews before going shopping for this camera. The movie option is something I frequently use. The noise complaints worried me so I visited several stores and tried to find out what they were talking about. I could not find one camera with this noise problem. I brought it home, recorded a movie in a closed room, downloaded it to my computer, cranked up the sound, and still did not detect any noise that I've seen described in these reviews. The only noise I could come up with was a snoring dog from across the room. I have taken movies & photos of every type, from every angle, in every environment and under every lighting condition possible. I love this camera!! It's small but very comfortable to use and perfect for dropping into a pocket or purse. I don't like missing great photo opportunities so I like my camera handy at all times. I highly recommend it.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

The walkaround lens. This very topic leads to a heated discussion among DSLR photographers.

First, determine your budget, focal length, and aperture needs.

If you frequently find yourself zooming out to get everything in a frame, you will want a wide angle lens such as this. If you frequently find yourself zooming in, this is not the lens for you. On a full frame body such as Canon EOS 5D, this lens becomes ULTRA wide angle. On an APS-C crop body such as Digital Rebel XTi (which I used for this review), it becomes MEDIUM wide angle. But thanks to 1.6x crop factor, this lens expands to more usable 35mm equivalent focal length of 27 to 64mm.

Second, audition the lens if you can.

By definition, a walkaround lens should be relatively portable. At 1.1 lbs., Canon's EF 17-40mm f/4L USM is neither super light nor neck breakingly heavy. In fact, it weighs almost the same as Digital Rebel XTi -really nice balance. The lens feels very solid with supreme build quality that only L-series lenses offer. Although this lens is weather proof and therefore sealed against liquid and dust, I strongly recommend getting a 77mm filter to protect the front lens element. With it, this lens is made to last.

In terms of looks and feel, it doesn't get much better. Its rubberized full-time inner focus manual ring USM focuses smoothly, quietly, and quickly. Since it's inner focus, the lens will not extend beyond its metal casing whether you zoom in or out. The focus window shows focusing distance from 0.28 meter (0.92 feet) to infinity. The focal length marker indicates 17, 20, 24, 28, 35, and 40mm. The lens exudes quality from tip to tip.

You may tolerate heavier lens or may not mind lesser build quality of cheaper lenses. A walkaround lens will be used very often, so make sure you will be comfortable with it.

This lens is famous for saturated color and deep contrast. Its images are simply stunning. At 17mm wide angle, barrel distortion is noticeable but relatively mild. From 24mm to 40mm, its images are distortion free and perfectly suited at capturing people.

Vignetting (corner darkness) is minimal with mild chroma abberrations (color shadows). At f/4 aperture, details become noticeably softer toward the edges. The center region is very sharp and at f/5.6, edges remain fairy sharp. Thanks to 7 diaphragm blades, this lens can produce very nice bokeh at 40mm (blur effects).

One of the most cited weaknesses is the f/4 aperture. In my experience, a bump in the ISO speed and steady hands are all you need to take well focused images indoor. On the other hand, if you are shooting with very little amount of light, you might wish for f/2.8 or image stabilizer. Although the difference between f/4 and f/2.8 is just 1 stop, my other lens, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM (too heavy to be my walkaround lens) easily outperforms in such challenging situations. But by and large, I was not handicapped by the f/4 aperture.

Some of the main competitions (sorted by price):

Sigma AF 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC macro: Good zoom range with macro, and generally solid performance if you can get a good sample. It does suffer from a bit slow focus mechanism, soft corner, and chroma aberrations. Works only with EF-S mount.

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC: Very good value for f/2.8 aperture, but Tamron's 17-50mm is a bit better lens overall. Works only with EF-S mount.

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM: This "traveler's lens" has a wider focal range than most wide angle lenses (widest among Canon) and is equipped with an image stabilizer. While it is a Jack of many trades, it is the master of none. Every lenses on this list will perform better at particular focal length. Then again, none of the lenses on this list has as wide focal range. It is famous for extreme barrel distortion at 17mm and chroma aberrations. Works only with EF-S mount.

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF): This is the most direct competitor. It takes sharper images with faster aperture while costing less. Both the build and focus mechanism are significantly worse, but should be good enough for many. Works only with EF-S mount.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM: This is THE reference, if you can afford it. Its images have razor sharp details and great performance all around (minus vignetting, which is typical of EF-S lenses). The build quality is worse than L-series but still pretty good. Works only with EF-S mount. This is the best EF-S lens hands down.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM: One of the most expensive wide angle zoom lenses. It's larger and heavier, but has f/2.8 aperture.

This is how Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 USM stacks up.

Pros:

Among the very best build quality.

Excellent, buttery smooth, super fast front-focus system.

Top notch color and contrast. Very sharp center resolution.

Almost non-existent vignetting, generally low distortion, and well controlled chroma abberrations.

Ideal weight and size for walkaround purpose

Cons:

Edge softness at f/4 aperture.

Narrower focal length than most competing lenses.

Slower than some third party lenses.

All in all, this is an excellent wide angle walkaround lens. It may not offer the most bang for the buck, but if you value full frame compatibility (EF lens mount) and excellent build quality, this is the default choice. This lens comes with a nice pouch and a lens hood. I find the hood to be somewhat ridiculously shaped and because the lens is resistant to flare, I do not use it often when shooting outdoor.

No one lens accomplishes every photographic objective. Canon makes each lens at every price point well-suited to various tasks, but with limitations that can only be overcome by graduating to the next higher priced but similar item. A case in point: the wide-angle zooms.

The 17-40mm f/4 is one of Canon's best deals in L-series glass. You have to spend twice as much to get a lens of similar quality, but just one stop faster. Does this make the more-expensive EF 16-35 f/2.8L a ripoff? Not for its own specific use: the extra stop gives you the speed to shoot in more indoor situations. Not all photographers need this. When indoors, we're often taking pictures of people, which are better suited to lengths around 50-100mm. To capture sweeping panoramas of parlors for Architectural Digest (or Coldwell Banker) the f/2.8 is the better lens and worth the step up in price, though in many cases you could use the f/4 lens with a tripod. All this means is that the f/2.8 is priced for professional specialists whereas the f/4 is for more general use. My bigger point is that Canon has its whole lineup positioned: the differences across lenses are specific and appropriately priced, which is good news for the consumer. It's hard to make a mistake buying homegrown Canon lenses, especially L-series lenses. You just have to figure out which set of two or three suits your range of uses.

The 17-40mm is a steal for people who need a walkaround lens for travel and outdoor photography. The shorter focal lengths of the zoom are great on a digital body, with nice reach and minimal distortion; just an ability to grab up landscape and wide situations end-to-end, even when standing close. The focal lengths around 40mm are tight enough for portraits and other local detail. Colors are strong and convincing; contrast deep and impactful. The lens itself is small enough and light enough to grab-and-go, but nicely machined, with solid fit and finish. It has an instantly recognizable profile, with the added bonus of the red ring.

This lens, plus a 70-200mm f/2.8 telescope and a nice fast fixed lens in the range betwixt are all you need. On vacation, and in most outdoor situations, the 17-40mm alone suffices. It makes a good first L-lens, and a staple in the arsenal.

Buy Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Now

(I really want to give this lens 3.5 stars)

This review is written from the viewpoint of someone whom has used many L-class lenses, and as such will be a little harder on this piece of glass. If you've never used a Canon L lens and you purchase this one, I guarantee you'll be quite pleased with your purchase. But this review is really meant for those who own other L glass pieces and are looking into adding this one to their collection.

The good:

L glass tends to mean some heavy-weight glass, however this lens is surprisingly light and small. In fact, it is the smallest/lightest L zoom Canon makes. You find yourself more likely to take it to places where there may not be much of a projected photo opportunity or where there is a higher risk in damaged gear due to its unobtrusive size. It really is one of those few L lenses that you can casually walk around with and not garner much for attention.

As with all L-glass, this ones very solidly constructed. It has a simplicity of design that minimizes risk to moving parts from shock. It is well-balanced and just feels like a tight glass package.

The lens performs very well in color and contrast. Natural saturation is excellent, easily on par with the L expectation. The color and saturation of this lens sits somewhere between the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS and the 24-70mm f/2.8.

I initially thought that the zoom range would be constraining (a mere 23mm of range?), but in reality the lens is fairly versatile. This especially true on a 1.6 FOVCF body (20D, 30D, 350D, 400D, etc), where the range is more like that of a normal zoom, at the cost of the super-wide advantage. The lens handles pretty much all composition tasks except those of a telephoto or 1.0x macro. You won't be disappointed in the zoom versatility.

Price. This like, what, the second cheapest L lens available. For those whom are very accustomed to purchasing/collecting L lenses, anything under a thousand dollars really is considered on the cheap side. If this is your first L purchase, this lens or the 70-200mm F/4L are your places to start.

Flare. There's practically none.

Cons: (there's only one, but its a biggie)

Sharpness. This is by far my biggest qualm, and what makes me frown a little at this lens for its L designation. It's nowhere near that of other lenses. One of the biggest uses for this lens is landscape photography, where objects appear very distant and sharpness becomes crucial. 24mm at f/4 on this lens is easily less sharp than 24mm at f/2.8 (!) on the 24-70 f/2.8L. And as a little investigation will reveal, this probelm is also somewhat appearant on the 16-35mm f/2.8L (although it seems less pronounced). 100% crop comparisons of this lens to other lenses such as the 180mm f/3.5L is simply a joke.

Other:

This lens utilizes slight movement of the front element, so it is advised by pretty much everyone that a UV filter be purchased (77mm filter size). I add to that by saying: buy only the Multi-coated from B+W or Hoya if you're shooting digital. Yes, they're usually somewhere around eighty bucks, but spending forty on something that will bring you ghosting/contrast woes is not worth it.

The hood of this lens is hilarious. It's almost five inches wide and maybe an inch and a half tall. I simply don't use it (I can't geometrically see how it helps. I think it may be something of a feel-good-hood if you're not consiencious about flare.) The lens is less conspicuous without it and I really don't have a flare problem.

Conclusion

I'm really not satisfied with the sharpness issue. It seems at least somewhat appearant on almost all Canon's lenses below 35mm. (Except for the 24-70 and 24-105, which is odd). I think they're still working out their wide-angle formula. Appearantly, the new 17-55mm f/2.8 is supposed to be sharper than both the 17-40 and 16-35, so they are probably on the right track of improving the issue.

In the end, if you've never used L glass and are considering this one, buy it. You will be very pleased, I assure you. But if you own a good deal of L glass, you may want to hold off from this one and wait for Canon to improve their optics. You may find yourself like me, using other L pieces and only using this one when I absolutely have to.

Read Best Reviews of Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Here

Figuring out which lens to buy turned out to be more difficult than which camera to purchase! At least for me. I want my lenses to be a reasonable size (rules out the superb 70-200 f2.8 IS L), acceptably fast (at least f 4.0), preferably black (so that they are inconspicuous), not outrageously priced (admittedly this last factor being entirely subjective), and preferably a zoom for the additional flexibility.

Primes are absolutely fantastic values, reasonably priced, fast, and inconspicuous, BUT offer limited flexibility which, in my mind overrides the other factors.

I purchased this lens for the wider end of my shooting needs and I couldn't be more pleased. It takes beautiful pictures, sharp, beautifully saturated, with no discernable vignetting and little flare under normal circumstances.

This lens has beautiful bokeh IMO and is every bit the equal, again IMO, of the 16-35 f2.8 L in every respect other than speed (f 2.8 vs f 4.0). With the new digital SLR cameras you can easily make up for the loss of speed by cranking up the ISO.

The construction quality is fantastic and it is a lens that you will be able to use forever. It is an ideal lens for the current crop of 1.6 size sensors, but will also serve you well into the future whether you stick with the current size sensor or move up to larger sensors as they become more afordable.

I heartily recommend this lens.

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For years, I have been using my 28-70 f:2.8 Canon zoom as my "normal" lens. It is sharp (Oh baby is it!) and at 2.8,fast enough for just about any pro or serious amateur. But there were plenty of times I needed a little more coverage than the 28MM focal length provided. Since most of my work is with long-lens and fast (and expensive) zooms, I couldn't pony up the bucks for Canon's superwide f2.8 zoom. When I saw the price on the 17-40MM lens and the fact that it was the "L" flavor with pro glass, I bought it immediately. I've had it for about a year and I have already sold several pictures published in glossy magazines with picky photo editors. And I trust it to give me sharp pictures, even at the extreme settings wide open and at the 17MM end. You have to remember to always use the weird looking but effective lens hood to control flare and as with any very wide lens, look at the edges of the frame (your feet could be in every picture!) It's light, good enough to use as your normal lens and with their new 70-300 IS DO lens could make for an amazing and compact travel kit. So while Canon's lens experts probably built this one for the growing digital crowd, as a film user I think it's the bargain of the year and is in my camera bag every time I go on assignment. I suggest that you get a good quality "thin" UV filter and polarizer and you will be set to explore the exciting world of ultra-wide photography.

Important update: I recently returned from an assignment to Monte Carlo to test drive sports cars. Part of the deal was to get thrill rides from a pro driver up and down the French mountains above Monaco. Armed with my 17-40MM an EOS 1V, 540 flash, and Velvia 50, I clicked off a whole roll of film during my turn in the passenger's seat. The magazine editor called me when he saw the slides and said that the shots in the car were the "strongest images" in the shoot. Yup, the lens is that good.

Optex iVision Wireless 2-Way Video Door Intercom System

A previous reviewer stated, inaccurately, that the product descriptions for this unit are misleading. This is not the case. I am submitting this review to (hopefully) correct the misperceptions created by that review. (If said reviewer happens to see this, check the last part of my review to see how to correctly use your unit. I think you will be pleasantly surprised to see it will, in fact, very easily do exactly what you purchased it for, based on your stated needs.)

Here is the Amazon.com product description (my comments added):

"The new iVision achieves both by giving you the ability to not only know when somebody is outside your home, but to view and talk to them from the safety and comfort of any location in the house. The iVision package includes a convenient hand-held wireless receiver with 2.25" LCD monitor and battery operated doorbell/camera unit with over 300ft. transmission range. (Specifies that the door unit can be battery operated, which is accurate.) In addition, the doorbell/camera unit can be hardwired into existing doorbell power supply to allow the user to utilize a "browse" feature on the handheld unit. (Very clearly specifies that ***IF*** you wire the door unit to the existing doorbell power supply, ***THEN*** you can do more things with it. Note that this says nothing about wiring it directly to AC power this unit operates on low voltage only.) This feature allows the user to monitor the view from the doorbell/camera unit on the LCD display. (States what the addition capability is. Monitor simply means to be able to view the camera at will, versus interacting only as a two-way video intercom when the doorbell button on the door unit is pressed. It should be noted that this product is called a VIDEO INTERCOM, not a full-time surveillance camera. And it really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the ability to sit around viewing the camera whenever you want, for as long as you want, would require some additional power source at the camera besides the small batteries it uses. The manufacturer locked that function out when on battery only mode so people wouldn't sit around constantly running down the batteries in the camera unit.)

One can certainly understand if, upon receipt of the product, the purchaser realizes he/she did not fully understand the product description and decides to return it. (My sympathies to the reviewer who apparently went through product return hell.) But to give the product a one star review because you didn't fully digest the words you read is unnecessary. I have used many Optex products over the past 15 years, and I say with complete confidence that they make uncommonly solid, reliable products.

HERE'S HOW TO WIRE THE DOORBELL/CAMERA UNIT, QUICKLY AND EASILY:

Note: This assumes the existing doorbell a) Exists, b) is functional and c) is a hardwired doorbell. The overwhelming majority of homes in the US have hardwired doorbells. Whether they are functional is obviously a matter of whether they have been maintained in working condition. If your existing doorbell system uses a wireless doorbell button (usually done as a quick, inexpensive fix when the hardwired unit malfunctions, rather than having it repaired), you will not be able to use the browse mode on the camera without wiring low voltage power to the doorbell/camera unit. If you don't know what that entails, find or hire someone who does.

Installation: Hardwired doorbells use a transformer inside the house to convert AC power to a low voltage power source that operates the doorbell system. Basically the same as all the bazillion transformers we all have plugged into our outlets to power various things, except this one is hardwired directly to your AC wiring instead of plugged into an outlet. That low voltage output powers two things the doorbell itself (the actual ding-donger), and the button by the door. ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO HARDWIRE EXISTING DOORBELL POWER TO YOUR NEW DOORBELL/CAMERA UNIT IS TO TAKE THE EXISTING DOORBELL BUTTON OFF THE WALL AND ADD A FEW INCHES OF TWO-CONDUCTOR WIRE, GOING FROM THE TERMINALS ON THE BACK OF THE BUTTON TO THE POWER INPUTS ON THE DOORBELL/CAMERA UNIT. REATTACH THE OLD BUTTON, SCREW THE NEW UNIT TO THE WALL, AND YOU ARE DONE.

If your original doorbell was working, then the new one should now be ready to go. Note that this means the unit is intended to be mounted next to the door (just like your existing doorbell button), not on the door directly. If you don't care about the extra capability gained when hardwiring, and just want to stick with battery operation, slap it right on the door if you want to. Keep in mind that if you choose not to wire it to the existing doorbell, the existing doorbell cannot activate the video intercom, as a previous reviewer noted. But that really shouldn't seem like rocket science to anyone smart enough to get online and order products. :-)

I am not affiliated with Optex in any way. I am self-employed in a service industry. I just ordered one of these units for my mother, who is about to have hip-replacement surgery. It's a brilliant design, easily installed and operated, and from a good, reputable manufacturer.

We purchased a device advertised as a two-way intercom security system. However, it only works if communication is issued from one-end thus not fully making it two ways. This did not suit our needs and we contacted Surveillent via phone four times over a period of three weeks to initiate a return authorization prior to the 30 day return window and received no response whatsoever. We then contacted the company via email through Amazon.com and finally received a response. They made no apology for lack of customer service in returning our initial phone calls and proceeded to tell us that it was our fault we purchased the wrong product even though the product description is very limited and reads as follows:

Technical Details

* 300ft transmission range, line of sight

* Two way Intercom 2.25" LCD Color Monitor

* Live browsing feature when door / camera unit is hardwired

* System can store up to 163 images

* Day/Night Operation

I explained that there was no way we could know how this works without seeing the product. What then ensued was the single worst online shopping experience I have ever had. Surveillent told us that we had abused them by "trying to using their products as our own research facility," mocked our "inability" to do proper research and subsequently harassed us through seven different emails. They threatened us with a "dream team of lawyers" that they had $30 million in sales and they were going to "teach us a legal lesson." Clearly at Surveillant not only is the customer not always right they are to be abused while shopping. If you want to by this product do so through a different Amazon seller in case it doesn't suit your needs.

Buy Optex iVision Wireless 2-Way Video Door Intercom System Now

There is not too much to say that isn't already mentioned by Andrew. I took off 1 star because this is a half duplex system. Meaning that if the person outside is talking and you start talking from inside then you can not hear the person outside while your voice is transmitting to them. For 200+ bucks full duplex it should have been full duplex. Conversations are limited to 60 seconds. The device does store snapshots of the individuals that ring your doorbell so that you can see who may have stopped by while you were out. The camera works great in darkness but not very good when the suns brightness is reaching the camera.

I think some way of communicating with the person at your door without opening it is important to have. Being able to see them and automatically snapping a picture is a huge plus.

Heres how we installed the device on my house that has Vinyl siding. We removed the doorbell then removed the 2 wires that was hooked up to the doorbell. we then drilled a hold from the right of the doorbell (where the vinyl meets the lip thats next to the door frame) hole into the doorbell hole then attached those 2 wires to some wires in a flat telephone line. We then hid the flat phone line in the lip next to the door frame (where the vinyl meet the lip) and we mounted the intercom right next to the lip. Looks great but right now my intercom is only being held by the vinyl so its not as secure as I would like it to be. Perhaps I need longer screws or maybe needed to find a "stud" first. We are newbies at this kind of stuff.

Read Best Reviews of Optex iVision Wireless 2-Way Video Door Intercom System Here

Product does as it represented. Communicates around 100 feet through an exterior wall, three interior walls and up to a second story in the house.

The only real draw back is if you mount the exterior unit to utilize an existing door bell connection the camera has no upward adjustment. At that mounting height you get a picture of a waist.

Want Optex iVision Wireless 2-Way Video Door Intercom System Discount?

This thing is great! After getting quotes from local alarm dealers I decided to look in to this because it was hundreds of dollars cheaper than what I was quoted for wired systems. I was a little unsure if this would work since I live in a 4 story row home but after getting it setup it works just fine. My only complaint is that when people press the button it only rings on the unit itself. It would be nice if it would also send a signal to the rest of the doorbells in my house as well.

What I did then is put my original doorbell button right below this unit, spliced in to the same doorbell wire. When people see this unit, most of the time they press the regular doorbell since it's not immediately noticeable on the unit where the button is. Using this setup all of my doorbells ring which alerts me to somebody outside. Then I just go to the remote viewer and press the answer button to activate the camera. The security this provides me and my wife is excellent because my front door does not have a viewing hole to see who's outside.

Setup was a cinch too! All you have to do is remove your old door bell, mount the bracket, and attach the wires to this unit. Then put the unit in to the bracket and lock it in via a screw on the bottom and you're set! If you want to plug in your original door bell like I did, just get any thin wire and attach the additional wire to the back of this unit and run the wire to your old door bell. Should work just fine. Since this works off of low voltage wiring, it's also nice that you don't have to mess around with fuses and such at your fuse box during installation.

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Geovision GV-FE420 4MP H.264 Fisheye Network Security IP Camera 1.27mm

When I decided to purchase this camera I didn't realize that Geovision didn't finished their job on it.

What I'm trying to say is that the camera has a lot of features but nothing appear to work as you expect from a Geovision product. I found a lot of problems when using the camera with image analysis specially speaking about object recognition. I'm frustrated with the result in this point but satisfied with the result on image quality.

Be aware that this camera doesn't work on GV-Eye for iPhone or iPad due the high resolution is greater than the software allows. Also the features built in are very poor like there is no object detection; if you use the motion detection you'll have a lot of works to find the object moving on a huge 4mp image.

Despite not made to work outdoor, I installed the camera on a Dome and it's working good there, either after some storms and sunny days.

Note that the camera came with the original Firmware and to upgrade you'll need to carefully read how to do it once there is an issue on upgrade to newest firmwares.

1. The ftpuser account to access recordings on the local microsd card has a password of 123456, NOT ftpuser as stated in the documentation for this camera (that was a fun hour wasted doing a hard reset and re-flashing after having mounted the camera).

2. This camera can't do more than one recording on the local storage, and it can't crop the recorded video (e.g. you can't do motion detection and time-lapse and full 15fps recording, or any of that multi-zone stuff they talk about without a dedicated high performance computer to do all the processing).

3. The image quality is fairly poor in low light, and 4MP is not as high res as you would think since a large portion of the frame is useless due to the extremely wide angle.

4. The stupid activex control is terrible and doesn't function well with IE 10 and keeps asking you to disable UAC on the entire system. I recommend not installing it, and just using quicktime and chrome... it pretty much works and you can change all the settings that matter. The camera records h264, there is no reason they couldn't have written the entire UI in a standards-based html UI that you could use with a real browser.

That said, I was able to get something almost working the way I wanted, so 3 stars it is.

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Fujifilm FinePix XP20 Green 14 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD

You have to baby this thing if you want it to weather all. Dont change battery or sd card out on the beach or anywhere where particles can get in. make sure to keep the seals clean so clean after a day of rugged use. Make sure the flimsy door is clicked shut so it remains water proof. Do not use it in pounding surf. If you blow it clean after ever use and wipe it, this camera can last you a long time. It takes amazing photos and the telephoto makes for very interesting shots. If you want a rugged camera this could fit the bill... but you HAVE to be careful with it. And it really makes sense to do these things anyway. Even if you dont open the compartment on the beach small bits will get into chamber somehow so blow it clean with canned air. Green I think is best color. ( :

I got this camera because I usually abuse my other ones. At first I was afraid I had made a mistake because of the bad reviews, but the pictures came out fairly well and so did the video mode. I've got other point and shoot cameras such as the Canon SD750 and that is completely thrashed now since it's always in my pocket when I'm sober OR drunk. I've also got a Canon S95, which I was just too scared of getting messed up when I take out with me or go underwater, even with the expensive underwater case. The xp20 isn't the best when it comes to shooting indoors.. actually I don't like the quality at all when the room is a bit dark, but outside with natural lighting and under the water it will do the job. Just make sure the seals are all locked in place and I don't think it will be a problem. Other cameras that I have used usually require a big hunky underwater case which is actually a bit embarrassing to carry around, but that's another great thing about this camera.

In a dark room, this camera isn't so great. Outside in nature, this camera does it's job.

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The camera lasted 3.5 snorkeling trips then its waterproof function turned to a waterlogged function. I had read the reviews and brought an old camera as a backup on our trip to Cozumel. This camera may be great for motorcycle trips where it may get a little rain on it from time to time, but as for a underwater camera don't wast your time. It took okay pictures outside but inside like many reviews said the images are yellowed and washed out.

NOT ANY GOOD FOR SNORKELING IT WILL WATER-LOG AFTER A FEW TRIPS OUT.

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I have had this camera for two weeks. Before I bought it I read all of the other reviews. It seemed like the biggest complaint was water leaking into the camera. So I played with the battery compartment (where most people said it leaked) and I could create a condition where the case would appear to be locked but not completely. Bottom line I found was to push the cover closed hard, with two thumbs AND LISTEN FOR A LOUD CLICK! Make sure one of your thumbs is not on the release lever when closing the door. Experiment closing the door many times before taking it under water. I was even able to get a tiny click out of closing the battery door and it was not securely latched! Make sure you get a loud click. If you let anyone borrow this camera educate them on this feature. So far I have not had any troubles with this camera and I am enjoying it. Thank you all of the other reviewers that alerted me to the battery door closing issue.

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I love my new Fujifilm FinePix camera. I have owned several Olympus cameras both 35 mm and digital. I was looking for a new one that had certain features. As I searched for the latest Olypus models a list came up and the Fujifilm Finepix appeard on the list so I checked it out. I liked the features and decided to order the green one. I am very happy with the camera so far. I know there are lots of features I haven't tapped into yet but plan to do some more practice. I just returned from a vacation and used my camera on auto. I was extremely happy with the ease of use and the results of the pictures, especially the movie feature. The easy record button is much better than having to stop to change mode settings on my previous camera. I have not tried the water proof feature (under water) but was near a waterfall spray with no problems or worries of affecting my picture taking. So far so good. Nice size and easy to carry.

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Nikon Coolpix S640 12.2MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom a

I have been looking for a compact all around point and shoot camera for awhile now. I have used multiple cameras in the last few months, and I think I have found my favorite. I'm not an expert in terms of color reproduction, or other details aspects of the final photo, but I don't see much to complain about in terms of photo quality.

PROS:

Ultra fast focus. This baby can focus and lock on in < 1 sec. This ensure that you'll be able to capture those timeless moments in a blink of an eye.

Fast startup. The startup of 0.7s is true, BUT only if you are in Auto Mode and Single Shot mode with AF/Center Focus. If you are in another mode or continuous/BSS, face detect, the camera takes almost 5 seconds before you can take your first show. Although I'm a little bit disapointed that the startup of the camera is limited to a very specific mode, I use Auto/Single/AF 99% of the time so I'm not too concerned.

Easy, intuitive controls. I didn't have to read the manual, and I can get around easily.'

High ISO modes, up to 6400. Although I would not recommend anything greater than 800 (or even 400 if you can help it), just have a capability just in case is nice.

Fast 5x wide angle lens. This lens has a pretty standard wide angle lens, 28mm, but the nice thing is that is also a fast lens maximum aperture of 2.7. Helps a bit in low light. 5x is more than what basic P&S have (usually 3x).

Extremely compact and solid. Its pretty small, but still has a good feel in your hand. Easily slips into your pocket.

CONS

Picture quality is just SO-SO. There hasn't been many compact 12mp P&S that excel in picture quality. While its not terrible, its not something to be excited about. Its comparable to any of the SD800-SD960, SD1200 cameras.

ISO800 is barely usable, and anything above that I don't recommend. Of course, I've been spoiled by DSLRs, but I was hoping for better.

Battery drains pretty quickly. I don't get the 200+ shots that Nikon says I can get. I get maybe 100? Of course, I use flash sometimes, I replay the photo's quite a bit, turn it on/off a lot. Maybe that 270 shots per battery is 270 continuous shots? I don't know. Get a second one in my opinion.

This camera takes a while to write to the SD flash card. On my previous Canon SD800 and Panasonic ZR1, I was able to take a picture, and flip it to the playback mode instantly. Now, it takes about 1.5 seconds to write to the card, before I can enable the playback mode. Slightly annoying.

So, who is this camera for? Its for the amateur photographer who needs a fast, compact, basic Point and Shoot that will get the job done. I would recommend this over the Canon SD1200, SD800-SD960. But, because of the wide angle and fast shooting capability, you will be able to take quick shots which usually lead to more keeper photo's.

I have been looking for a compact all around point and shoot camera for awhile now. I have used multiple cameras in the last few months, and I think I have found my favorite. I'm not an expert in terms of color reproduction, or other details aspects of the final photo, but I don't see much to complain about in terms of photo quality.

PROS:

Ultra fast focus. This baby can focus and lock on in < 1 sec. This ensure that you'll be able to capture those timeless moments in a blink of an eye.

Fast startup. The startup of 0.7s is true, BUT only if you are in Auto Mode and Single Shot mode with AF/Center Focus. If you are in another mode or continuous/BSS, face detect, the camera takes almost 5 seconds before you can take your first show. Although I'm a little bit disapointed that the startup of the camera is limited to a very specific mode, I use Auto/Single/AF 99% of the time so I'm not too concerned.

Easy, intuitive controls. I didn't have to read the manual, and I can get around easily.'

High ISO modes, up to 6400. Although I would not recommend anything greater than 800 (or even 400 if you can help it), just have a capability just in case is nice.

Fast 5x wide angle lens. This lens has a pretty standard wide angle lens, 28mm, but the nice thing is that is also a fast lens maximum aperture of 2.7. Helps a bit in low light. 5x is more than what basic P&S have (usually 3x).

Extremely compact and solid. Its pretty small, but still has a good feel in your hand. Easily slips into your pocket.

CONS

Picture quality is just SO-SO. There hasn't been many compact 12mp P&S that excel in picture quality. While its not terrible, its not something to be excited about. Its comparable to any of the SD800-SD960, SD1200 cameras.

ISO800 is barely usable, and anything above that I don't recommend. Of course, I've been spoiled by DSLRs, but I was hoping for better.

Battery drains pretty quickly. I don't get the 200+ shots that Nikon says I can get. I get maybe 100? Of course, I use flash sometimes, I replay the photo's quite a bit, turn it on/off a lot. Maybe that 270 shots per battery is 270 continuous shots? I don't know. Get a second one in my opinion.

This camera takes a while to write to the SD flash card. On my previous Canon SD800 and Panasonic ZR1, I was able to take a picture, and flip it to the playback mode instantly. Now, it takes about 1.5 seconds to write to the card, before I can enable the playback mode. Slightly annoying.

So, who is this camera for? Its for the amateur photographer who needs a fast, compact, basic Point and Shoot that will get the job done. I would recommend this over the Canon SD1200, SD800-SD960. But, because of the wide angle and fast shooting capability, you will be able to take quick shots which usually lead to more keeper photo's.

Buy Nikon Coolpix S640 12.2MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom a Now

I bought my Nikon S640 pocket digital camera after I dropped my Olympus pocket camera and broke it this summer. I was an avid Cannon and Olympus fan and finally decided to try a Nikon this time after reading some of the online reviews before the launch of this camera in the market in Sept 2009. I must say, this is by far, the BEST pocket camera I have ever owned! The pictures are consistently crisp with vibrant colors in any setting and that is using only the AUTO feature for settings. I took the camera to Paris in Oct and took many night shots -all with no flash , and only had 4 out of 125 that I had to delete because they were too blurry to use. The high ISO (6400) in low light is a real differentiator for this camera. I also liked the fast shutter lag between startup and first pic as well as between pics. Its a bit longer if using the flash, but overall, much improved over my Olympus. I have a Cannon digital Rebel 5MP that I used to consider my favorite / BEST camera for special occasion photography, but now I think I can easily consider my new Nikon the BEST for ANY occasion. I Highly recommend this camera.

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I was looking for a point-and-shoot for those priceless shots of my granddaughter and this one is just what I wanted! I don't have any missed shots because the camera speed is so fast. Even took it to the LSU game this weekend and got great shots of the players and the band in the max zoom position! I was really surprised at the clarity of the pictures. The camera is VERY easy to use and carry.

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It's what I wanted, something compact and light that didn't require much set up or fancy footwork to get operational. The features on the camera could be better, I've seen more options and better detail on other camera designs. If your just looking for something that you can have around and use on the go without too much flipping through a user guide this is definitely your type of camera.

Construction is neat enough that slipping in and out a new battery or Memory Card is a breeze. The only thing I found a bit of a bug was the small buttons with only icons to tell you what their use is, though once you master those icons its not much of an issue.

Picture quality is a bit sub-par even for a 12.2 megapixel camera, switching through the very limited features to different conditions and settings, it seems to do best without using the flash, and does better with more exposure time which is a bit out of the ordinary, the setting for best shot selection in particular allows for more exposure without too much fiddling with the settings. Obviously, there is a reason that was put on this camera.

As far as Portability goes this camera is compact enough for any purse or glove box, or even a pocket on the side of your pant leg. It weighs next to nothing and has the convenience of always being ready if you need it with its Lithium Ion Battery. Just a simple flick of a switch its ready to go and shoot 10 or 100 or 10,000 pictures depending on your memory card, and the picture quality selection.

I have yet to test the video clip setting on this camera, though am quite sure it would have the same quality or worse than a normal picture due to the already below average quality of pictures.

Overall, I got what I asked for, in some regard though was a bit disappointed at the picture quality and was forced to clip a star from it. Just don't expect the world from it and you'll be satisfied.