Fujifilm FinePix A310 3.1 MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

I have had my Fujifilm a310 for 3 weeks and I am amazed with it's performance. I was considering getting the Canon elph s100, however after reading the article in Consumer reports I was convinced that the a303 was what I was looking for. The a310 is newer than the a303. I am a college student who does not have the money to spend n a pricey 4 or 5 megapxel camera, but needed an upgrade from my 1.3 MP olympus.

My two key elements of criteria for purchasing my new camera was battery life and shot to shot recovery. The a310 is excellent for both.

I thought that getting a camera with AA batteries would leave me always having to replace them, but this camera has allowed me plenty of shots (around 200 so far), with the screen on and I still have yet to replace the batteries that came with the camera. That also includes many movies that I took (no sound but still worth taking).

The shot to shot recovery is great, about 3 seconds. I can take a shot and then be ready for another almost instantly. Also upon opening the lens the XD card does not need to be loaded at all, and the camera can take a picure as soon as the lens has loaded in the correct position.

All this for over a hundred dollars in savings to cameras that perform equally if not worse. The camera is small, cheap and takes great pictures. If you have the money you should get a 4 or 5MP camera however if you want a 3MP camera look no further than the a310.

I own an awesome Canon Rebel S2 camera (35mm) and needed a fit-me-in-a-pocket sleek digital camera with decent megapixels. I saw this camera and bought LOVE IT! It shoots in 6 MEGAPIXELS! What Fuji did was they found a way to "overlap" the 3.1 megapixels onto eachother to creat 6 megapxls.

I OWN IT FOR OVER 2 WEEKS NOW AND TESTED THE PHOTO QUALITY:

Let me tell you the COLOR is 100% ACCURATE TRUE TO LIFE COLOR which was my number 1 quality I was looking for (next to megapxl and clarity).

I blew up one of the photos to 13" x 18" and THE PICTURE IS CRYSTAL CLEAR, the picture was of me and my dog and you can see the finest hairs on my dog. NO PIXELATION WHATSOEVER!!!! People were very impressed!!!!

It's very compact. The next best one is Canon S400. See the complete reviews with test images at . For the money you can't beat it!

Wait a year or two and then upgrade to a fancy 5 megapixel or by then 8 megapixel

(which just came out for $1000). Technology rapidly advancesin the meantime stick with this camerayou'll love it!!!

Krissy

Buy Fujifilm FinePix A310 3.1 MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Now

Ever tried using an Olympus digital camera and wished it were a little easier to navigate the menu's? Fuji digital cameras are the answer!

I've tried Olympus' digital cameras before and must say the people who designed the menus and buttons were not thinking of the average camera user when designing it.

This little A310 camera is nice. It has an automatic sliding cover that covers the lens when the camera is turned off.

The pictures it takes are great, as long as you are in Fine (3MP) mode. 1 and 2 MP modes are good too, but noticeably less than the 3MP. Macro mode works excellent. Colors are good.

To compare it to an older Fuji Finepix 2400 camerathe 2400 would show mysterious white circles in the photos when taking pictures under low-battery conditions. With the A310, I can take pictures until the batteries are on their last legs.

The only real beef I have with this camera is that its movie mode does not allow sound via any type of built-in microphone. You're stuck with silent movies. This isn't a big deal me however, since I'm not into videotaping..

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I received this camera as a gift last Christmas. I am your average technology user not a computer wiz by any stretch and I found this camera so easy to use right out of the box. It takes gorgeous pictures and uploading to my computer is as simple as plugging it in to the USB cable. In the year that I've owned the camera I've never had one problem with it and it's been put to the test with the hundreds of pictures we've taken of our first child! I highly recommend this camera.

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I am a long time Fuji fan, starting with a 35mm film camera. My next camera was a FinePix 2300, which served me well and with which I have taken over 11,000 photos. Looking for something a little better, I next purchased an A310. This camera has never given me the sharp and clear pictures that I get with the 2300, and I have never been happy with the camera. I love the little xD picture cards and I really like the cradle, but I sure do not like the camera. At the present time the A310 is retired and I am using the 2300.

Bob Gussman

Houston and Costa Rica

Sony DSCP52 Cyber-shot 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 2x Optical Zoom

This P-52 Cybershot camera is an incredible value, and I couldn't be happier with it. I've compared this camera with 2003 Canon, Fuji, HP photosmart and Kodak models, and the Sony wins hands down. Except in the case of the Canon, the Sony P-52 is far superior. There are almost too many pros to even list.

=====PROS=====

-The most advanced "Super H.A.D. CCD" exclusive to Sony.

-CCD is 2x as sensitive as any other company's CCD, & 6 dB less digital noise!

-beautiful, accurate colour

-extremely versatile lens takes perfect pics from 3 inches away

-very fast autofocus (1/2 a second)

-autofocus illuminator light for taking pics in the dark

-extremely fast start-up. Around 1.5 seconds!

-very fast LCD: almost no lapse time from real life to LCD.

-LCD has 6 settings for good viewing indoors or out.

-Aperture stays open up to 2 full seconds in dark. Anything longer can damage the CCD, or let in too many unwanted artifacts

-full array of manual functions (aperture [ev], focus & ISO)

-snow mode keeps the detail of the white snow

-beach mode captures the perfect blue of the water

-up to 1 GIG of memory supports memory stick Pro!

-5 pic size settings VGA, 1.2 mp, 2.0 mp 2.8 mp & 3.1 mp

-2.8 mp is "3:2 ratio" for perfect 4 x 6 photos

-cool multi-burst mode. Takes 2 pictures in a row, under 1 second. 16-shot option as well.

-smart flash. Even when taking picture in daylight, will sense if it is needed, and come on appropriately.

-Smart Zoom. Not a digital zoom. Picture quality does not degrade like standard digital zooms.

-very long battery life. 2 Ni-mh "Stamina" AA batteries last 67% longer than 2002 batteries.

-metal threads for tripod. Most other companies use plastic. Bad idea!

-menus are beautiful: incredibly easy to understand and navigate.

-prints at "photo quality" up to 8x10. After that, starts to lose some quality, but 11x14 still looks excellent.

-USB 2.0

-fun modes like Sepia, B&W, Solarize and Negative Art.

-voice function: records audio for 5 seconds after taking a picture. (40 sec. option available too)

-instant "review" button of last pic taken, when the LCD screen is off.

=====Mpeg Movie=====

-film mpegs with sound, limited only by the size of the memory. Example 128 mb memory stick = 6 minutes of 640x480 or 1.5 hours of "email" quality (160x112)

-filmed at 16 frames per second, although after filming, camera info states that it was filmed at 25 fps.

=====CONS=====

-flash is off too far to the side of the lens. It makes big shadows on the left side of your subject.

-Snow mode seems to overexpose the shot a little.

-Optical viewfinder only shows roughly 80% of actual picture area. Use the LCD.

-only 2x optical zoom. The standard seems to be 3x. Sony needs to catch up here.

-zoom only works before you start filming. Can't change the zoom during filming.

-flash will charge slowly if batteries are running low.

=====CONCLUSION=====

An absolutely perfect and versatile camera. Only a professional photographer would, or could, find fault with it. But a professional would likely be using an SLR style camera worth at least double what this camera is worth.That being said, the price is great and Sony has really found a winner here.

This is a very fast camera in all respects, and that is important. Takes fast (and accurate) pictures, and saves info almost instantly. There are no load times for pictures or movie files, like the Hewlett Packard camera line.

5 stars all the way.

This camera is a great gem for the price and offers great versatility. The camera is very good quality (sturdy) and can take a few bumps and scratches, unlike many other flimsy cameras in this price range. I have owned digital cameras before and many of the typical problems are solved with the P52. I take a lot of pictures at family events, and vacations. Its a great take along camera.

PROS -

The camera turns on super fast, like in 2-3 seconds it is ready to take a shot. (this is an annoying problem with many digital cameras) And it also saves the pictures to the memory card is very fast, less than 1 second and its ready again to shoot.

The battery useage is excellent. Even with regular alkaline batteries I've been able to take pictures for several hours, at 2Mpix Normal setting. With the included rechargeable Sony batteries it is superb on battery life.

Camera menu is very extensive IF you want to use it. If not you can leave it on "Auto" and the pictures turn out great, most of the time.

Can take pictures in COMPLETE DARKNESS. This I have done many times using the flash on red-eye reduction setting, it works in a regular size room (10 x 14). Great for sneaking up on sleeping family members and taking funny pictures. The flash is very powerful up to about 9-10 feet.

CONS

The pictures tend to have redish atifacts in them, particularly when taking very close up shots of people.

Pictures taken out doors can sometimes look too bright, almost washed out. You can make some adjustments to the ISO to fix this problem.

Movie mode eats up the memory stick quickly, so I had to upgrade to a 256MB Memory Stick Pro ($65 at ) and now its great.

Marco mode ...forget it, not good on this camera. So if you plan on taking close up shots of flowers or something, choose another camera.

Overall this a gem of a camera for any regular picture taking, and can even be used by kids without having to fiddle with a lot of controls. Just press the power button and you are ready to take pictures. It really takes the hassle out of digital photography.

Buy Sony DSCP52 Cyber-shot 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 2x Optical Zoom Now

As you would expect from a Sony camera, it has good picture quality in daylight. The night shots are not so good since it has only a 2 sec twilight mode. And the lens isn't very bright either. (P72/P32 have brighter F2.8 lens)

Battery life is excellent and LCD screen is good. World charger and NiMH batteries are included.

Check out the specs of this model carefully, its different from P72/P32. This one is 2in thick, has old & slow 2x zoom lens and is bulky.

Its a shame Sony tries to sell 3MP/2x instead of popular combination of 2MP/3x. Not to mention the extra cost of propreitary memory sticks compared to CF/SD cards. There are so many better camera's in market than this for a lower cost, I don't see any reason for this to sell.

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This was a nice camera while it worked. It was broken after 9 months and the cost was $171 to repair. I could not find repair centers on the internet and tried to call Sony customer support. I never talked to a person because the wait was 34 minutes. I finally found a repair site but the cost was outragous. I could buy a new camera just like the broken one for $190. Never again for Sony. Too bad because I did like their products. Repair is too expensive and too much hassle.

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If only this camera had a larger zoom range! This is what I keep asking myself time after time. I love the picture quality of the camera, and the fact that you can switch the mega-pixel range from under 1 mega-pixel to 3.2 mega-pixels comes in very handy indeed. I purchased this camera because of the size, just small enough to carry around wherever I go and yet, large enough so that my fat fingers have space to get to all the buttons.

I highly recommend this little gem! So, why only four stars, well, I would have liked a larger zoom and IMO EVERYONE has room for improvement.

Ciao!

Nikon Coolpix 5700 5MP Digital Camera w/ 8x Optical Zoom

Although I am pretty familiar with Nikon's digital controls having owned a Coolpix 880, I recommend spending some time with the instruction manual: Not because I think the camera is that complicated, but so that you can fully appreciate what the 5700 can do! This is an excellent camera if you really want a digital SLR but can't justify the cost; the 5700's electronic viewfinder behaves like a true SLR while the 8x optical zoom (not digital, which is nearly worthless) covers most lens focal lengths.

I love my film cameras (also Nikon), but there are many advantages to owning a digital camera. Not only can you see your results right away, but the digital nature has some cool advantages want to shoot in B&W? Don't change film, just change a camera setting. The viewfinder in the 5700 will also show in B&W! That's pretty cool. At a decent resolution with moderate compression, I can get 1,100 images on a ... 256 MB card. Yes, that's one thousand one hundred at a quality that will produce a very decent 8x10 print. How many rolls of film is that?

Of course the Nikon quality is exceptional, from the ED glass in the optics to the very strong alloy body. I do not feel that the size is too small, but I do find the positioning of the right camera strap a wee bit awkward.

If you do consider digital, with the 5700 or not, I do recommend buying extra memory cards the prices are low and the 16 to 32 MB cards that usually come with the camera will fill too quickly, especially if you want to use the full 5 MP resolution. Also, battery life is a problem. Buying those ... lithium batteries for the 880 (same battery as the 5700) nearly bankrupted me until I bought Nikon's rechargable battery system (which the 5700 comes with kudos to Nikon). Buy an extra battery or two you will not regret it! Indeed, shell out the bucks for the 5700, you won't regret that either.

This camera rivals the [$] pro cameras on the market. Add a 1 Gig IBM Microdrive and you can take 134 photos in the high res. Raw format which will easily make a perfect 13x19 print that is true photo quality. The minimum density is fantastic so skin tones are beautiful, I was shooting with a Nikon N80 and scanning the transparencies with a Canon 4000 DPI scanner. That is both expensive and time consuming. This camera is about 80% as sharp as that combo...but with a better contrast range! My average session with a model is 6-8 rolls. With 2 microdrives I can achieve that quaintly with no computer necessary! And the cost of a single drive is recouped in 3 sessions (Film and processing costs eliminated).

Cons: Horrible low light sensitivity...Slow saving in the HiRes modes and the camera controls TOTALLY lock up while the cache is written to the disk/drive (after 3 consecutive shots in HiRes ONLY). You can shoot, but not change ANYTHING manually. This problem disappears in the JPEG modes which are fine for many applications. Autofocus is slow at extreme telephoto setting and in low light. AND the shutter release button delay is intolerable when using flash or in low light.

So if you want to do a lot of action photography pick another camera. If however, you want the sharpest image for the least money then buy the Nikon Coolpix 5700. And buy several extra batteries and as large a storage device as you can afford.

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I read the user warnings: impossible low light autofocus, poor manual focus with no distance indicator, battery eater, buttons on the side can't be found when you need them but always hit by accident, no filter threads. I thought, "It's a Nikon. Must be operator problems." I was wrong.

This camera has a good flash and works well with Nikon external flash units, but there's a catch. The camera will not focus under conditions when you normally need a flash! No focus assist light, and the manual focus...you've got to be kidding: Hold down a button on the side of the camera while turning a knurled wheel on top. Under really bright conditions, you can sort-of tell when the image is in focus, but under those conditions, you probably don't need manual focus. If you think maybe you'll just estimate the distance under dim light and dial it in, well guess what? The focus distance indicator is a bar which slides between a flower and a mountain. How's that for precision measurement!

Yep, it eats batteries. Buy two spares ($$ ouch!) and a rapid charger plus a car adapter. You'll always have batteries on you mind when you use this camera. You can turn off Continuous Autofocus and reduce battery drain, and noise, significantly, though.

I found a press-on adapter for $25 to use standard threaded filters. That helped, but should not have been necessary on a $900 camera.

And just wait till you hit the file type button by mistake--and discover you've changed from Fine (JPEG) to RAW, and have to wait 45 seconds for the 15MB file to save to CF, while you scratch your head trying to figure out what happened.

Yes, the menus are a little complex and mastering the extensive feature set may take a while, but that's to be expected with this many features, although some would be better placed for quick access. Built-in macro focusing is good, too, but an aperture smaller than F8--at least F11 or F16--might give the depth of field you need for close-up photography. The 8:1 zoom is nice, with 35mm equivalent of 280mm, but the wide angle end is weak with only 35mm wide angle instead of the more usefull 28mm equivalent. And given the price of this camera, image stabilization should be included for hand-holding the telephoto zoom.

But it's the low light focus that will drive you screaming into the night. A helper pointing a small flashlight or a laser pointer at your subject will help the camera to focus (you'll get used to the Canon people laughing at you), but you'll still be guessing on the composition, since the viewfinder display goes nearly black in low light. If Nikon could at least update the firmware to display manual focus distance in feet--that would be a help, but just try and contact anyone interested! You get referred to the incredibly lame FAQs and "knowledge base" every time!

If you really want the precision framing of TTL viewfinders on a digital, save your money for a true digital SLR.

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After reading these reviews I am starting to wonder if we are even discussing the same camera; people either love it or hate it. I am of the former persuasion: I really love this camera. No, it's not perfect, but all in all it is the best digital non-SLR machine I've ever used. First I'll discuss the things I'm not happy with; then I'll cover the features of which I am. After that section I'll address some of the complaints that I've read in some of the other reviews.

Let's get started:

What don't I like? I do wish the buttons on the side of the barrel were moved as they are a bit too easy to push by mistake, though once you get used to their location that sort of goes away. I also wish the tripod mount was directly in-line with the lens, not in the middle of the bottom of the case (though to be fair, that's the way it is with most cameras).

Nikon refers to the included 16 MB Compact Flash card (think of it as your digital film, if you aren't familiar with the digital camera world) as a "starter card"; and that unfortunately is true. 16 MB only holds 12 pics at 5 megapixels.. For the price of this instrument I strongly feel Nikon could include a larger capacity card; 64 MB or higher would be ideal but I'd settle for 32. Finally, it would be nice if the camera would accept other forms of media in addition to the compact flash or micro drive. However, this final observation isn't really a major complaint. It's more like a wish.

The things I love

Picture quality is first rate! The color and clarity of the pics are superb, as is the tolerance of slight hand shake. I've taken quite a few snaps where I've known I moved my hand a little at the last moment, and the pics came out razor sharp (not so with other cams). It has auto bracketing (it will take a series of shots that vary between a range you select for white balance/exposure, adjusting slightly between shots, and display the results with the data, allowing you to choose which is the most satisfying), best shot selector (you hold the shutter release button down and the 5700 takes a series of pics-up to 10-and saves the best focused to the card), image sharpening, noise reduction, and about a million other settings. It also allows you to save up to three sets of options or settings as "user settings", so you can recall the settings with just one menu choice, instead of resetting everything again.

One of my favorite features is the macro mode. You can take sharp amazing snaps up to 3 cm or 0.8". If any of you are interested in seeing a sample, send me an email.

The printed user guide is good; not great, but good. I haven't seen any that were better, and quite a few that were worse. You could buy a third party guide to the 5700, and they are usually worth the price, as they give you tips and lessons that the manual doesn't include. Also, the Nikon web site has a multimedia manual/lesson feature for the 5700, and it is a very good overview and covers the basics well. This is provided free of charge.

The case is metal, which makes it feel substantial and allows the quality of the build to come through. I don't feel that it is too small, in fact, it feels pretty much just right and I am rather ham-handed. I also love the fact the camera can save in the RAW format for use in programs such as Photoshop CS. Working with RAW images really opens the field of creativity.

Complaints Others Have Expressed

The most common seems to be the auto-focus at low light. I've not had any trouble at all with this feature. I've taken pics in pretty dim areas and the AF worked fine. I wonder if the folks who had problems had the selected the correct settings; a read of the manual could solve the apparent problems. In addition, you can turn the auto-focus off and use the manual (focus)

I've also read some have found the buttons confusing. Now here I feel I must get on my soapbox. "Prosumer" level cameras are called such and cost the amount they do because of the quality of the images as well as the user controlled settings/features/options. If you are going to spend the kind of cash these machines cost, then it only makes sense to devote some time to learning how everything works. Any camera at this level is similar, there are just too many options to be able to make everything appear when/where every single user expects them to.

I've taught enough people to know that some folks become very frustrated very quickly no matter what the subject. If this is you then I suggest you avoid the Coolpix 5700 or any of the other cameras at this level; you'll just drive yourself nuts. There are a number of good quality point and shoot models in the market and these will be a much better match. If you are one of the folks who enjoys learning new things and the challenge of such, then these types of cameras are great. In the case of the 5700 I found the menus quite intuitive; however, you do have to read the manual to get an overview of how the camera works.

Some people also complained about the battery life. I've not experienced any problems. In fact, I own dig cams from Kodak, Olympus, Pentax and Canon, and all operate about the same as the 5700.

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The Coolpix 5700 is my 5th digital camera (3rd Nikon) and no previous camera compares. The 8:1 zoom alone is worth the price of admission (it's what I'd been waiting for.)

Until this camera I had a firm rule of no camera without an optical viewfinder. I had seen too many digital camera users stuck in very bright or very low light, unable to use their cameras. I warily decided to make an exception based on the fact that in addition to other compelling features of this camera e.g., 8:1 zoom, 5 megapixels I got through-the lens-viewing, albeit electronic. Well, this electronic viewfinder is so good that in my opinion this camera really is an SLR. In fact, I don't know why they can't call it that. It does have viewing through the lens, whether there's a flip-up mirror or not. I would imagine terminology will eventually change to allow such cameras to be called "Electronic SLRs."

I disagree with other reviews I've read that talk about a steep learning curve. I found learning this camera rapid and intuitive. Especially if you've used any of the previous Coolpix models, you'll find everything just where you would expect it to be, but more refined and elegant than in previous models. It is very easy to navigate the menus and to set up. And of course in the default full-auto mode it works just like any point-and-shoot. There's no reason anyone can't pick up this camera and use it right out of the box.

A reason why I haven't bought any previous high-end digital SLR was a concern about size and weight. I had to have a camera I could carry around my neck for bicycle touring. Pictures I'd seen of the Coolpix 5700 made it look rather large and heavy. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's virtually the same size and weight as my previous Coolpix 995 like a compact 35mm camera. It also is the easiest to grip and manipulate of any camera I've owned it seems to cling to your hand. I love the easy shutter release button. A complaint about previous Coolpix's was that for me pressing the overly stiff and "clicky" shutter release button would cause the camera to move. No so with the 5700.

I love the fact that there is a large, REAL lens cap, cleverly designed so that it simply moves out with the zoom if you forget to take the cap off before power-up. I also like the real hot flash shoe. This camera's a winner the best of any I've had.

JVC Everio GZ-MG30 30 GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom

First the good: this camera is small and very convenient in MANY ways and you don't have the cost of tapes or mini CD's. And if you are a little computer savvy, the file format issue that people are always complaining about really isn't that big of a deal. I have Pinnacle Studio Plus 9.x (ie, with all the latest online updates to that version) and it handles the files just fine once you rename the file extension from .mod to .mpg. I've seen a lot of reviews here and elsewhere on the Internet that Adobe Elements Premiere 2.0 also handles the files just fine. I think ULead and a few others might as well. If you aren't that computer savvy (and don't necessarily want to be), then you may want to consider another camera just for this reason alone (unless perhaps you buy JVC's external DVD burner drive and are happy with mostly unedited clips).

However, I have learned my lesson by putting too much trust in Amazon's online reviews and discounting what is said in official reviews too much sometimes. I don't think any of the reviews here mention this camera's poor indoor (low-med light) picture quality... so I figured the official reviews of it I found elsewhere online were just being too picky. PC Magazine does a good job of describing the poor (especially low to medium light) picture quality in their Oct 17, 2005 review of this camera (you can find it by searching PCMag.com search on "GZ-MG30"). I'm sure there are many other reviews noting the picture quality issue as well.

I am giving this a 2 rating (really s/b about 2.5, no option for that) because I feel the low to medium light picture quality issue is enough to sink this camera for many people... especially at this price (I paid $550). If it was only $400, then I would have given it 3 stars (for overall price/value). If you will be using it almost exclusively outdoors, then I could probably give it a begrudging 4 stars.

For my all-around purposes, I am dissatisfied with this camera and wish I could return it. If you don't have good video quality, then nothing else really matters, does it? For some people, this camera might be just fine, but for the rest, I hope this review saves you from a costly mistake.

The image quality, small form-factor, small size, large hard drive, and battery life make this a winner. However, the .mod files are a pain in the butt. The only thing that you can view these with is the PowerDVD viewer. In order to convert these files to AVI or MPEG I had to by something called Power Producer, and let the computer work for an hour to convert a large file to MPEG. That's just wrong. The camara should have an option to compress to MPEG. This is similar to what the early Kodak digital camaras, such as the DC-120, did in saving images to the proprietary .kdc format. A royal pain.

Hopefully generation 2 will have MPEG conversion built in.

Anyhow, better and easier than converting from tape. A buy if you need a camcorder now.

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I waited a while before writing my review to really experience this camera. I have to say I love it. I went through some trial and error in the beginning but I really am enjoying the camera. I am not a professional videographer so this camera is fine for me. I have been taping all my son's basketball games and after a few times, I finally found a sports mode which works great. The camera is a perfect size. The convenience of not using tapes is incredible. I would suggest downloading your film often. It takes 11 minutes to download about an hour worth of filming. Since the camera can hold over 30 hours of information, I would not suggest downloading all the material at once. I have not used the software that came with the camera. After reading other reviews on the internet, I decided to get Adobe Premier Elements 2.0 which I am very satisfied with. The camera records in .MOD format so you need this software to convert it to MPEG. Yes, it takes a while for the process to complete, but once it is done, it is ready to be burned onto a DVD. You can also save the MPEG file to watch your entire movie on the computer in Windows Media Player. I would strongly suggest having at least a gig of ram and alot of hard drive if you plan on filming alot and keeping the footage on your computer. Even though this is the first hard disk camera, I am very happy with it for my use. Anyone that wants to record family events, games, etc., and is computer literate, this camera is for you. Would I recommend it to a professional videographer? No. The film quality is the same as a mini-dv or hi-8 recorder. The menu buttons are small, but easy to use and simplified. If anyone has this camera and has some good tips for me, please email me .

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Other people have covered the good aspects of this camcorder light weight, no tapes/discs to mess with, pretty good menu. However, these are easily outweighed by the lack of thought by JVC's engineers; and to add insult to injury, the downfall of this camcorder hinges on the very feature that is supposed to be it's selling point storing video files on a hard drive (and not other media).

You would think that if this was to be the camcorder's selling point, that these knuckleheads would have come up with an easier system for transferring the video files from the camcorder's hard drive to your computer's. The complete lack of thought is amazing. To come up with the goofy .mod naming convention is outside my comprehension. Why not give customers a naming convention with which they are generally familiar? (Besides the .mod files, I've also got .moi fileswhat the heck is that about? Are they important? Do I need to keep them associated with the .od files? And the uselessness of the Capty software (even its name is goofy) is astounding.

Finally, I don't mind having to actually read the users' manual. However, in this case it's useless. It doesn't explain anything about file transfers, the naming conventions, etc.

Obviously, the customer wasn't first in JVC's thinking. I would recommend staying away from this camcorder...What good is the convenience of recording on a hard drive is the files then become a mystery to access and edit. Stick with the "inconvenience" of tapes & discs...I wish I had!

Want JVC Everio GZ-MG30 30 GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom Discount?

I got this camcorder yesterday. After taking some video images, I transferred the files to my PC and renamed the file extension from "MOD" to "MPG". It turns out that there is no audio playing the recorded video files using Microsoft Media Player 10. My Studio 8 software also failed to "initialize the audio file". To listen to the audio, I have to use the "Power DVD 5" or "CyberLink PowerDirector Express" came with the camcorder. As we all know that the video image software came with the camcorder is very limited. To do anything meaningful, I have to buy their upgrade. So far, I could not find a way to convert the MPG files to a compatible format so that I can play and edit them in Studio 8 or Media Player. For this reason, I'm going to return the camcorder to the vendor soon.

Sony DCR-HC1000 3-CCD MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom

I bought this camcorder last December (2004) and it is absolutely the best picture I have seen out of a Mini DV camcorder. I originally bought the Panasonic 3CCD and returned it due to no ability to adjust shutter speed below 60 for low light conditions. This goes down to 4 fps which you better have it on a tripod or serious ghosting will appear. The perfect setting I have found for low light, for instance inside your home is 30 frames per second. This camera will also take MPEG4 movies to the memory stick for emailing. Overall, I must say this is the best camera on the market currently for the price. Buy one and you will not be sorry!!! Have fun shooting!

This is the best quality you can get in a semi-pro camcorder from Sony prior to the 1080i release, which has not been released prior to this writing. You just can't bet the 3 ccd quality. Just recently I shot a lunar eclipse with this little cam and as I was getting the cam out, I remarked that it probably wouldn't show-up, I was very wrong. At just the 12x optical zoom, the detail even on the 3.5 inch monitor was better then the naked eye. Amazing!

Buy Sony DCR-HC1000 3-CCD MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom Now

This camcorder rules!!! It has superb low light video quality. Remember those grainy, yellowish pictures that you typically get when recording indoors at the normal bulb light? You can forget about them now: the camera records outstanding, grain free, rich color video in any environment you'll take it. The touch menu is a superb ergonomic achievement, albeit I thought initially that I'll hate it, upon use I came to love it. Taking about ergonomics: do you remember those hand joint pains when recording for an extended duration? You can forget about that too, since this cam is the only one in the market that has a swivel handle, so that you can choose you own natural angle for holding the camera.

Did I mention video quality? or the native 16:9 wide format? The optical stabilizer also rocks. Most of the other cameras have electronic ones.

Minuses? The picture (non video) quality is no worst, nor better than that of other video cams. Get a digital SLR for real picture taking.

Read Best Reviews of Sony DCR-HC1000 3-CCD MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom Here

It is an excellent camera, probably the BEST on market for the price you pay, excellent video quality, and good pictures too.

But need to improve 3 points:

1You Cannot wath it on a PAL System TV, Thats important to me because have to travel a lot to Europe, but cannot show what i have recorded to my family there. All my olds cameras have that option.

2The Microfone is not as good as the cameras with the Mic on Front. This camera havi it on top, ¿why? i don't know

3Most of the funtions are on the touch panel, i want the white balance out, and maybe some others funtions.

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This is the greatest little camcorder in the world with lots of bells and whistles that would have been way more expensive a while ago. I do wish that it had actual fstops rather than a slider on the touch screen for more accurate adjustments, ditto shutter speed and the manual focus is a bit fussy. More easily accessible manual controls would make it close to perfect. the touch screen takes a little getting used to and is not the very best idea. Other than that image quality is terrific under all sorts of different conditions, a camera mounted mike has decent sound and it is really a pleasure to use.

Nikon D7100 Digital SLR Camera Body with 55-200mm VR Lens + 32GB Card + Backpack + Battery + Filter

Love the features of this camera. Spent a lot of time deciding between the Canon Rebel and Nikon. For my photography interests this was absolutely the best choice! Love the auto focus lens, 24 mega pixel feature and all the items in the package. This camera produces amazing sharpness and clarity of color. Took track pictures from the stands and was like I was close by with the 55-200mm lens. The Vibration Reduction is amazing as well. I highly recommend this camera!

Sony CCDTRV37 Camcorder

If your are looking for a less expensive camcorder that still offers some fun features, than the TRV-37 is the way to go...it's not Hi8 or digital...but it has a color LCD, offers some nice title and editing features, has the night vision option and is very comfortable to hold.

I tried to be realistic when making this purchase. Am I going to edit these tapes, do I need the stabilizer, do I want an LCD, what about the tape quality, how much do I want to spend?...in the end the TRV-37 was the best option for me...now that I have used it several times I am absolutely sure I made the right decision!

When I first started looking for a camcorder all I knew is I didn't want to spend the money on a digital one because the picture isn't as clear as even a 8mm camcorder relative to price...Because it's digital you get hazy or pixeled pictures on low end digital camcorders. When I finally went to purcahse a camcorder, it came between sony and canon. Canon had 2x more optical zoom and 300x more digital zoom, but the Sony had better picture and the camera just sat better in my hand. The buttons were placed in more manageable spots, except for the light switch. Anyhow, the picture on this camera is crystal clear, even when I use lower quality 8mm tapes. The only additional feature I would've liked it to have is a stablilizer... All in all it's a great camera that has the most important feature of all, GREAT PICTURE!

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Its a great product for its price. It has lots of features and the color LCD is great. All it lacks is a case which you will have to purchase seperately.

Read Best Reviews of Sony CCDTRV37 Camcorder Here

I have owned my camera for over three years and have enjoyed it immensely. Contrary to what the specs say, it does have preset titles, and you can also make custom titles. It also has good quality pictures. I don't mind the battery charger, and I like being able to use the view finder or LCD screen. I have certainly gotten my money's worth. Too bad it's not a digital. It is a really good, dependable camera that is easy to use.

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I've had this camera for a couple years with no operational problems. It does suck battery a bit, so one may wish to obtain a more powerful battery pack. The only feature that I would like to have added is a stabilizer. When zoomed out, the picture tends to get pretty jumpy. But at no zoom to about half zoom, the picture is pretty solid. The sound quality and night vision capability are pretty impressive, too, for a camera in this price range.

As the title says, a good entry level video camera.

Swann SW244-BVD DIY BandW Video Doorphone

First of all, the item description is incorrect. This unit does not have an LCD screen, nor is the screen flat. It uses a mini projection CRT that projects up at the curved screen surface. Consequently, there is distortion of the image (stretched on the edges), and definitely not high-res. Also, the manual claims a larger field of view angle than it actually has. I'm an engineer and I measured it to be about 40 degrees across the center of the screen. Consequently, you won't see that much of your visitor and there may be a problem viewing both short and tall visitors. Well, the item is pretty inexpensive at just $92, so all this might be excusable, but there were also a serious functional problem. The doorbell button on the camera would not work correctly up to 50% of the time. I had to return the unit as defective.

The picture is good.

Installation easy.

My complaint is: Someone at your door must push the button for you to see them.

I would like to be able to turn the camera on from inside my house.

I would like to be able to start the conversation from in the house if they don't push the talk button. With this system I can't.

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Just installed it a few weeks ago. Works great. easy to install. I wish the camera tilt upward had one more step (I had to use the existing audio-only location for the outdoor module, it's a little too low) but this is my problem, not the device.

Not worth the extra $100 to get a color version, this is more than sufficient and half cheaper

Read Best Reviews of Swann SW244-BVD DIY BandW Video Doorphone Here

I don't review products often, if ever, but this video doorphone needs another good one. It's super easy to install and works great. I bought this one for my office and may buy another for my home.

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This is an excellent product and was very easy to install. I has it up and running in about an hours time. It's great security to see who is at your front door before you open it.

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Nikon COOLPIX P7700 Digital Camera (Black) with 32GB Card + Case + Battery + 3 (UV/CPL/ND8) Filters

Wanted a camera that has ability to grow with me but simple to get started. Had purchased a different one last year that was too complicated. Gave that to my daughter & bought this for myself. Happy now

Pentax Optio W60 Waterproof 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom (Ocean Blue)

UPDATE: This review was updated on 9/1/08 to reflect the announcement of the Olympus 1050SW.

I am a self confessed camera freak. I have owned the Pentax WPi, W10, W30, and now, the W60. My other primary cameras are the Canon SD 870 (with waterproof housing for diving) and a Canon SLR system with L series lenses, etc. I live in Hawaii and I travel for a living and I can say that without a doubt, the Pentax W series of cameras have been my "go to" cameras for any activities that involve water, snow, sand, or dirt. They take A LOT of abuse even if they don't advertise that fact like Olympus. For optical quality in a "friendly" environment when I don't want to lug my SLR, I prefer my Canon SD 870 which has noticeably better optics.

Like many people who somehow trashed their previous W series camera, I have been waiting over a year for the W30 upgrade and I can report that all in all, the W60 is a worthy upgrade to the W30 if only for the 28mm lens. In addition, it's lighter, the screen is brighter, and it's got a couple of useful software upgrades. I've been using the camera for a month now.

Make no mistake, this is a "fun" outdoors camera. If you're not going to take your camera in the water, to the beach, or mountain biking stop reading now and find a camera with better optics. The W60 is just o.k. and certainly no worse than the W30. As for the barrel distortion at 28mm, it's probably just slightly worse than my Canon SD 870 which means that the distortion is there and is noticeable, but for a group shot at the beach or trying to get the full length of a kayak AND an isle in the background, I'll live with the ever so slight distortion. You can always just click the lens down to 37mm and eliminate the distortion just like any other compact.

I'll also confess that I'm a Mac user and therefore don't know how to read manuals. Because of this, I find the "smile detect" and "blink detect' features amazingly annoying although they seem to work as long as your subjects are not wearing sunglasses. Fortunately, for illiterate and/or lazy idiots such as myself, you can ignore most features and easily find the important ones like underwater white balance.

Here's what I like and dislike about this particular model.

LIKES

1) Nothing beats not worrying about sand, water, dirt, or mud. I had the Olympus 1030SW for two days before sand screwed up the retractable lens cover (great idea, poor execution which has been addressed on the recently announced 1050SW). Also, if you let your kids take photos like I do, you can worry less about camera damage when one of them inevitably throws your camera at the other one or tries to hit them over the head with it in the pool.

2) 28mm lens. Wide angle (vs. the typical 38mm) is an option I'd rather have than not. Also, there is a crazy "wide" feature that's a bit different than panoramic stitch that actually works pretty well. In a nutshell, two portrait shots are stitched in camera into a 5MP 21mm image. It's by no means "publishable" quality, but I've actually been having quite a bit of fun with it.

DISLIKES

1) HD movie clips. I was very disappointed that the 720p movie clips are only 15 fps. My old Canon S80 had the same specs and I find the jerkiness at 15 fps too distracting. The initial press release (specs since updated) didn't disclose this. Oh well. I'd still buy it. 640 movie clips at 30 fps are as clean as expected and the shake reduction works fairly well (but reduces the frame to something less than 28mm). Also, a note on reviewers who complain about sound recorded from the focusing drive, switch to infinity focus which works fine in 90% of all situations and that annoying sound will be eliminated).

2) Noticeable barrel distortion at 28mm. Like I said earlier, better to have the option available and zoom in when able. Even at 28mm, your shot won't be ruined. Also, if you have a mother-in-law you can cleverly position her at the end of the frame and the distortion will make her look slightly thinner (in case she accuses your SLR of making her look fat).

3) Still no travel charger included or officially available (which I find inexcusable) although inelegant third party solutions exist online (and the multi battery use ones still work even though they've changed the battery model).

4) No external user replaceable lens protecter. Come on Pentax engineers. How hard would it be to design an exterior casing that allowed for a user replaceable transparent protective "filter" like an SLR. There's a reason I've bought four models. I trash them.

Now for the important feature: Underwater Imaging

If you want a camera for scuba diving stop reading now and go buy yourself a Canon with any of their factory built cases. This is not a diving camera.

If you want a camera for snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, or kiteboarding; or if you plan to take your camera to the beach; or if you like hiking in the rain or mountain biking, you will be stoked with this camera. (Previous W series models I owned worked fine in the snow and cold whereas my compact Canons sometimes freeze) The Olympus 1030SW is a close second for me for the following reasons. 1) I like the rectangle form factor of the Pentax a tad more; 2) I find SD cards more convenient than XD cards (plus I own a bunch and my computer has a slot for them); 3) a personal bad experience with the 1030SW retractable lens cover; 4) movies on the Olympus models are capped at 10 seconds (vs. the size of your memory card on the Pentax 30 minutes on my 4GB card); and 5) the Pentax is noticeably lighter (but does not feel cheap). I think there's also some merit to the fact that this is Pentax's sixth generation of W series cameras. They've learned a lot. Also, I should mention that I used to use a Sony compact with a waterproof "Sport" case and besides making the whole camera "fat", the picture quality suffered greatly.

UPDATE regarding the new Olympus 1050SW: While i have not used this camera (to be released on 10/31/08) from the specs and photos I can see that they have addressed the retractable lens cover issue with a Sony style system however they have increased the focal length to 38mm (equivalent). I'd still prefer a 28mm. Also, 640 movies are still inexplicably capped at 10 seconds vs. the size of you memory card for the Pentax models.

Underwater videos of kids in the pool rock (set focus to infinity in the Settings menu to avoid mechanical noise). Videos of them surfing are priceless (buy yourself a neckstrap). Being able to wash your camera off at the end of the day is amazing. It's also kind of fun to drop it in a mug of beer at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich and freak your friends out.

I highly recommend the Pentax W60 for anyone that has an outdoor lifestyle and likes to record memories. It's a great secondary camera when paired with something a bit more serious like an SLR. It is not the best camera for going out for a night on the town and it's not the best camera if you're going on the vacation of a lifetime that doesn't involve a lot of water or dirt. Have fun!

UPDATE: This review was updated on 9/1/08 to reflect the announcement of the Olympus 1050SW.

I am a self confessed camera freak. I have owned the Pentax WPi, W10, W30, and now, the W60. My other primary cameras are the Canon SD 870 (with waterproof housing for diving) and a Canon SLR system with L series lenses, etc. I live in Hawaii and I travel for a living and I can say that without a doubt, the Pentax W series of cameras have been my "go to" cameras for any activities that involve water, snow, sand, or dirt. They take A LOT of abuse even if they don't advertise that fact like Olympus. For optical quality in a "friendly" environment when I don't want to lug my SLR, I prefer my Canon SD 870 which has noticeably better optics.

Like many people who somehow trashed their previous W series camera, I have been waiting over a year for the W30 upgrade and I can report that all in all, the W60 is a worthy upgrade to the W30 if only for the 28mm lens. In addition, it's lighter, the screen is brighter, and it's got a couple of useful software upgrades. I've been using the camera for a month now.

Make no mistake, this is a "fun" outdoors camera. If you're not going to take your camera in the water, to the beach, or mountain biking stop reading now and find a camera with better optics. The W60 is just o.k. and certainly no worse than the W30. As for the barrel distortion at 28mm, it's probably just slightly worse than my Canon SD 870 which means that the distortion is there and is noticeable, but for a group shot at the beach or trying to get the full length of a kayak AND an isle in the background, I'll live with the ever so slight distortion. You can always just click the lens down to 37mm and eliminate the distortion just like any other compact.

I'll also confess that I'm a Mac user and therefore don't know how to read manuals. Because of this, I find the "smile detect" and "blink detect' features amazingly annoying although they seem to work as long as your subjects are not wearing sunglasses. Fortunately, for illiterate and/or lazy idiots such as myself, you can ignore most features and easily find the important ones like underwater white balance.

Here's what I like and dislike about this particular model.

LIKES

1) Nothing beats not worrying about sand, water, dirt, or mud. I had the Olympus 1030SW for two days before sand screwed up the retractable lens cover (great idea, poor execution which has been addressed on the recently announced 1050SW). Also, if you let your kids take photos like I do, you can worry less about camera damage when one of them inevitably throws your camera at the other one or tries to hit them over the head with it in the pool.

2) 28mm lens. Wide angle (vs. the typical 38mm) is an option I'd rather have than not. Also, there is a crazy "wide" feature that's a bit different than panoramic stitch that actually works pretty well. In a nutshell, two portrait shots are stitched in camera into a 5MP 21mm image. It's by no means "publishable" quality, but I've actually been having quite a bit of fun with it.

DISLIKES

1) HD movie clips. I was very disappointed that the 720p movie clips are only 15 fps. My old Canon S80 had the same specs and I find the jerkiness at 15 fps too distracting. The initial press release (specs since updated) didn't disclose this. Oh well. I'd still buy it. 640 movie clips at 30 fps are as clean as expected and the shake reduction works fairly well (but reduces the frame to something less than 28mm). Also, a note on reviewers who complain about sound recorded from the focusing drive, switch to infinity focus which works fine in 90% of all situations and that annoying sound will be eliminated).

2) Noticeable barrel distortion at 28mm. Like I said earlier, better to have the option available and zoom in when able. Even at 28mm, your shot won't be ruined. Also, if you have a mother-in-law you can cleverly position her at the end of the frame and the distortion will make her look slightly thinner (in case she accuses your SLR of making her look fat).

3) Still no travel charger included or officially available (which I find inexcusable) although inelegant third party solutions exist online (and the multi battery use ones still work even though they've changed the battery model).

4) No external user replaceable lens protecter. Come on Pentax engineers. How hard would it be to design an exterior casing that allowed for a user replaceable transparent protective "filter" like an SLR. There's a reason I've bought four models. I trash them.

Now for the important feature: Underwater Imaging

If you want a camera for scuba diving stop reading now and go buy yourself a Canon with any of their factory built cases. This is not a diving camera.

If you want a camera for snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, or kiteboarding; or if you plan to take your camera to the beach; or if you like hiking in the rain or mountain biking, you will be stoked with this camera. (Previous W series models I owned worked fine in the snow and cold whereas my compact Canons sometimes freeze) The Olympus 1030SW is a close second for me for the following reasons. 1) I like the rectangle form factor of the Pentax a tad more; 2) I find SD cards more convenient than XD cards (plus I own a bunch and my computer has a slot for them); 3) a personal bad experience with the 1030SW retractable lens cover; 4) movies on the Olympus models are capped at 10 seconds (vs. the size of your memory card on the Pentax 30 minutes on my 4GB card); and 5) the Pentax is noticeably lighter (but does not feel cheap). I think there's also some merit to the fact that this is Pentax's sixth generation of W series cameras. They've learned a lot. Also, I should mention that I used to use a Sony compact with a waterproof "Sport" case and besides making the whole camera "fat", the picture quality suffered greatly.

UPDATE regarding the new Olympus 1050SW: While i have not used this camera (to be released on 10/31/08) from the specs and photos I can see that they have addressed the retractable lens cover issue with a Sony style system however they have increased the focal length to 38mm (equivalent). I'd still prefer a 28mm. Also, 640 movies are still inexplicably capped at 10 seconds vs. the size of you memory card for the Pentax models.

Underwater videos of kids in the pool rock (set focus to infinity in the Settings menu to avoid mechanical noise). Videos of them surfing are priceless (buy yourself a neckstrap). Being able to wash your camera off at the end of the day is amazing. It's also kind of fun to drop it in a mug of beer at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich and freak your friends out.

I highly recommend the Pentax W60 for anyone that has an outdoor lifestyle and likes to record memories. It's a great secondary camera when paired with something a bit more serious like an SLR. It is not the best camera for going out for a night on the town and it's not the best camera if you're going on the vacation of a lifetime that doesn't involve a lot of water or dirt. Have fun!

Buy Pentax Optio W60 Waterproof 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom (Ocean Blue) Now

Clearly, this is not a camera for everybody. It's designed for those outdoor enthusiasts who's willing to trade the picture quality for the taking anywhere feature. I wish I could have a compact camera that can be used anywhere but still has DSLR picture quality -but that camera doesn't exist!

If the underwater capability is important to you, then there are not so many choices out there -and the only two get head to head are Olympus 1030 and the Pentax W60. Both are 10M pixels which I don't think it's really needed -you can't fully use the 10M capability because of the lens quality. Some important difference:

Olympus can go 30 ft deep, Pentax 10 ft.

Olympus is crash proof, Pentax is not

Olympus's lens is 28-105, Pentax is 28-140

Both can take video of 640x480, up to the size of the flash card (Olympus may need a firmware upgrade), but Pentax can take 1280x720 in 15 fps.

Olympus can't use zoom during video taking, Pentax can, but records the zoom sound as well.

Pentax has slightly better picture quality, but little noisier.

Pentax uses SD/SDHC card, Olympus uses xdpicture card, which is more expensive.

Finally I decided to go with the Pentax.

Things I like besides the under water capability:

Feature rich. There are 24 different scene mode, a good fit to novice users, and there are also face detection, blink detection, smile detection and some on-camera editing capability. You can also do the slide-show on camera.

Easy to follow interface. I learned to use more than 90% of the functions without even reading the manual.

Macro that closes up to 1cm, not so many cameras are capable of that.

Picture color is normally good.

Live histogram view

Things I don't like:

Poor low light performance, very noisy

The so-called image stabilizing is just to bump up the ISO, which cause noisier image

Below average image quality (comparing other point and shoot)

Metering/White Balance/EV Adjustment only available in the P mode! This is my biggest complaint. I don't know what's in Pentax engineer's mind. I can live with no AP/SP/manual mode, but I still need these adjustments!

No lens cover. Even though there is a protective layer in the front, so one can't touch the real lens, but that layer can still get dirty and I'm also afraid to simply put the camera in my pocket with other stuff.

With all that said, am I returning the camera? The hell no! I have my DSLR for better image quality, but I still need a compact one that I can bring with me on trips to ski, beach, or even snorkeling!

Read Best Reviews of Pentax Optio W60 Waterproof 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom (Ocean Blue) Here

Because of serious spray I needed a waterproof camera with a wide angle lens for an August 11 trip to Niagara Falls ("Slowly I turned.."). I saw the Pentax Optio W60 on Amazon with an expected release date of August 5 so I was preparing to settle for the W30. Then, while surfing the site it came up as "in stock" on July 10. I immediately ordered it with Super Saver shipping and had it in my hands by noon on July 16. This was way faster than I had hoped for. I spent the next 11 hours studying it and the manual.

The manual is 240 pages, all in English, soI am not going to bore you with a list of features. You can see them for yourself on the Amazon and Pentax web sites. What I will say is that the pictures I took while learning the camera last night were excellent. If this camera does not meet all your needs in a point and shoot camera then its unlikely anything will. It definitely meets my needs. Its waterproof and shockproof and has a 5X zoom (28-140, 35mm equivalent) as well as 5.7X digital zoom and movie mode with zoom and sound.

My only suggestion, at this time, would be that the battery compartment door latch button could be a little more substantial. You will need an extra D-LI78 battery or its higher mah equivalent. The supplied battery is only 680mah.

I spoke with Paul at Pentax customer service. His recommendation was that there was no need to spend extra for class 4 or class 6 SD cards, class 2 cards would be fine. Because of built-in camera hardware limitations I would only gain minimal write speed with class 4 or 6 cards. I did as he suggested and the write speed is very fast with the class 2 (standard) Sandisk cards.

As a former photo retailer with over 20 years experience in camera sales I feel safe when I say "BUY THIS CAMERA!" You will not be disappointed.

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I just got this camera the other day. So far it seems like a good compromise camera. I kayak a lot, and I don't want to risk my digital slr when I'm out on salt water. I've hesitated a lot before buying a waterproof camera because their quality for the price has always seemed less. I finally bit the bullet on this camera because of the 5x optical zoom and the ability to take macro pictures from 1 cm away. Unlike the olympus underwater camera this takes SD cards I couldn't see buying an xD card. This camera is capable of taking beautiful photos, the 1 cm macro is fun shove my camera into a flower and see what I get.

Negatives so far:

Lots of noise in low light, especially when zoomed in

I don't like that there's not a cover that closes over the lens when you turn off the camera. It means you should definitely have a dedicated case for it.

Optical image stabilization would have been a great addition to this camera.

I bought the kata snapshot D camera case for the camera and it fits well:

Kata Ergo-Tech Series Snapshot D Small Flap Pouch

http://www.amazon.com/Ergo-Tech-Snapshot-Digital-Personal-Electronics/dp/B000I3XY2A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1216695649&sr=1-1

samples pics and more details at:

D-Link Securicam Network 10/100TX Fast Ethernet 2-Way Audio Internet Camera

I paid ~$50 under retail for this on some special deal. I wasn't going to spend retail price on it, as I'm on a budget.

I've tried many other units, as I setup a DVR on the parking lot in front of my apartment. I tried a Leadtek capture card with Linux Zoneminder, but the quality wasn't very good. For camera, I used a Q-See infared 420line outdoor b/w camera, with very bad results. The image quality was horrible. I couldn't make out a person's face on camera at ANY distance. The only perk was the night-vision was decent maybe good if you're ONLY watching for large objects moving.

Okay on the DCS-3220, I'm very happy with it. The 10/100 is a very good feature of the product. I have it in an outside enclosure recording a parking lot. The night vision is very poor when in low-light, but that can be expected. The C-CS mount is good because I plan on getting a zoom lens for ~50 dollars to zoom into certain things. The management interface and program is very good. It is setup to handle 16 of these cameras without any problems so scaling up is no problem in the future. When recording, this thing eats up alot of disk space. I gave mine a dedicated 300gig drive to put its recordings on. All-in-all, it offers more than I need, which is exactly what I need.

If I can find a need for another in the future, I'll buy another.

I bought this camera after an incident at my house while I was at work. Luckily a neighbor witnessed the incident and helped me recover damages, but I realized that I needed something to watch over my property when I was not at home.

This camera has proven to be a great match for my needs. I have it set up to record to my computer hard drive. It sends me email alerts when it detects motion in the covered video area, which is my driveway. I can easily review the video of anyone who drives down my driveway and what they do in front of my house.

The video quality is great, you can read license plates very easily, and can take snapshots from the videos or export the files to avi format.

One minor complaint is that the exported avi format isn't as good as the source format. But I really haven't had a need to export video from the supplied software application.

The software that comes with the system is great. You can monitor one camera or 16. The software wizards have you up and running in minutes. You can even access live video from your camera over the internet also real easy to set up and access.

I plan to purchase an additional camera to monitor the back side of my house.

The optional weatherproof outdoor housing unit is of good quality and is recommended for outside use.

The system has been up and running continuously for almost 6 months now with no problems.

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Camera and the web interface work well. But, I had problems with the management software. D-Link said to downlowd v3.20. That worked the first time.

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I just purchased and setup 6 of these for a customer. I used 2 1TB HDD's in Raid 1 and 2x80 gig drives also in raid 1 so I had some good redundancy. The camera's are great compared to their little brother the DCS-2100+. The software on the D-Link website is great, you must download it. Stick with a good D-Link Switch and router and everything will work flawlessly. I have over 5 years working with D-Link products and have even written software for D-Link cameras. I see a lot of complaints online but I think most of the issues are user based.

This is a great product at a even greater price. Buy it now!

Chris Fields

Grantsville, UT

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