Nikon D7000 16.2MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR w/ 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR ED + 18-55 f/3.5-5.6

I bought this package about a month and used it in various settings and environments. I do not need to leave feedback about the D7000. For that look up CNET or any other tech site. For the package and seller though here is the feedback

Package

The package contains all items as described in the description above. The items are of three manufacturers: nikon (d7000, + 2 nikkor lens), vivitar (bag, tripod and some accessories) and zeikos (wide angle lens, filters etc)

All the parts fit well into the bag. Except the big tripod. The tripod is a little disappointing since its about 4 feet. I'd like it to be at least 6 feet. ALso the small tripod cant bear the weight of the 200mm lens with the camera. But that's a small concern considering the rest of the package rocks.

2 SD cards of 16GB each. Both are high speed and I used them in overflow mode.

Really happy with the lens package. The filters fit well.

Got some real good pictures with closeup and landscapes.

Definitely the package is cheaper than the individual costs of the parts. Sum of the parts is definitely higher than the single items.

Seller Feedback

Package was sent via UPS ground. I got the package in a couple of days after shipping. Time was as estimated. UPS couldnt deliver it home for a few times since seller needed signature for dropoff. So I had to wait for a few days before I had freetime to pick it up at UPS office. Seller (Davis MAX) was very good at replying bacl to my queries.

I couldnt figure out if the wide angle lens needed a adapter ring. Some of my other cameras needed adapter rings and they responded within a business day with the answer. Here it is verbatim

The wide angle lens made by zeikos is made to be used with the Nikon 18-55 VR Lens that you received. It's a 52mm mount and does not need a step up ring adapter it goes directly on to the lens.

Please let us know if we can assist you with anything else We're here for you,

DavisMAX

Shop Smart, Shop DavisMAX!

Overall I am very happy with the camera and package. and I would recommend this package to buyers.

FUJIFILM FinePix JX310 14.1 MP Digital Camera (Black)

This is a wonderful camera! I've used it for a few months now and it's great for the "Point & Shoot" type. I only have one complaint...the slide and lock cover on the camera used to protect the SD card and Battery is way too loose. The cover pops open every...single...time I try to take a picture or pull it out of my pocket. I find that a piece of electrical tape keeps it secure during use.

I am very pleased with the camera and the speedy service I got in recieving it. The camera works very well and have taken several pictures with it.

Buy FUJIFILM FinePix JX310 14.1 MP Digital Camera (Black) Now

Panasonic PV-GS9 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom

I've been looking for a camcorder for several months, and have been comparing prices and features both on the web and in the stores. Based on my needs I was looking for the biggest bang for my buck. I saw this Panasonic PV-GS9 Palmcorder for $349 that included an extra free, longer life battery. I couldn't go wrong.

My needs were simple. I wanted something palm-size, and this fits the bill. It doesn't take still digital photos, but I already have 2 digital cameras. It will, however, allow you to snap single photos on the tape, which you can transfer to PC, as opposed to a Secure Digital card that the more expensive models have. It has a USB connection, a firewire connection, and an analog audio/video connection. The cable is provided for the latter, but not the first two. You can use the USB connection to allow the camcorder to be used as a web cam, but you will need software for that. I hooked up the analog connection to a USB Pinnacle Studio USB box I have, and it worked great. My Pinnacle Studio v.8 transferred the clips on the tape. You can save to CD or to your PC. I then tried a firewire cable connected to my laptop. Instantly, Windows Movie Maker opened up and automatically rewound the tape, then it transferred the movie, and allowed me to edit it, and save it as a WMV file. I use WinXP, which requires nothing else to work. You will need to download some drivers if you have Windows 98.

I have not tried the connection to the TV yet, but will soon. It works great in low light situations. It has a stereo zoom microphone. I could not hear any motor noise in my playback on the PC. Sound was crisp and clear, and the full screen video was crystal clear and very sharp. Depending on how hard you touch the zoom button, you can make the picture zoom in as slow or as fast as you want.

It comes with no editing software or cables, except for the AV cable. But then I didn't need anything extra, as I already had all the hardware and software I needed. It does not come with any digital tapes, so you will have to buy those. It comes with a Li-Ion battery and charger, and a cable to allow you to use the camcorder while plugged into the charger. In fact it is suggested you do that while hooked up to the PC to prevent battery drainage. Battery charging is very quick. The manual has 82 pages, is for this model and three other models, and is packed with information; and for my age, I need reading glasses to see all the small print and illustrations. It has Image Stabilization, but no remote control. The 2.5 inch digital viewfinder is very clear and easy to see, even with these "aged" eyes. The camcorder has an easy to use menu button, which is accessible when the digital viewfinder is opened.

For my needs, it is perfect. I love it, am very happy with it, and expect to get a lot of use out of it. Even with the tiny print in the manual, I still give it all 5's.

Hi! Just wanted to let others know out there that after reading the reviews left on Amazon I was a bit leary about getting the accesories for this camcorder given to me as a gift. However, I called the phone number in the manual and immediately had the cable and software shipped to me. I had no problems getting through on the phone or recieving the accesories. Just an F.Y.I. for others who might read the previous reviews regarding accesories and make their decision from them, they weren't that expensive (under $20 for both) and worth it if you are trying to get good use out of a nice camcorder for a minimal price.

Buy Panasonic PV-GS9 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom Now

I was looking for a simple, low cost digital camcorder. This fits the bill. There are a bunch of interesting effects built in, none of which I'll ever use because I plan to edit video in iMovie on my Macintosh and output to DVD using iDVD. For $350, it did the job straight out of the box.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic PV-GS9 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom Here

I have just finished recording my first videotape with the Panasonic PV-GS9 and would like to make the following comments.

First, the camcorder is easy to use and is a basically a point and shoot camcorder.

For the more discriminating users I would like to point out some of the shortcomings of the camera.

1) I have found that the automatic focus is quite slow sometimes and sometimes would not work at all. I was photographing some hummingbirds up close and the camera would not focus on the feeder maybe because the color was white.

2) Dark subjects came out overexposed rather than rendering the intense colors one would like to have gotten.

3) Panasonic does not provide the software or cable to download to one's computer and it has been a real bitch trying to get the folks to respond to e-mail. I currently have three e-mails out to the service folks trying to find out how I might get the software. I received an answer to one e-mail directing me to a site where I could download the software but when I got there the link was a dead link. I have written three times about this and no one has answered my e-mails. Additionally, the e-mail with the dead link stated that the cable for downloading the movies to the computer "...is currently on back order with the factory for 4-6 weeks."

I cannot imagine what one might do if something goes wrong with the camcorder.

Despite the negatives I love the fact that I can get close up shots of birds from a safe distance without disturbing the birds and the camera will focus almost right at the edge of the lens. One could do close ups of ants if he wanted to. One really needs a tripod for the extended zooming range. You cannot hold this camera still at the 50X digital zoom.

Want Panasonic PV-GS9 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom Discount?

I bought this camera, hooked up the firewire and loaded movies into MovieMaker on WindowsXP a couple of times. Then, I tried to use it and it did nothing. I tried other cables, other firewire devices, and determined the problem was in the camera, so I returned it. Amazon was great about the return and sent me a new one and the same thing happened. The firewire worked a few times and then did nothing. I even tried it hooked up to another computer this time with no results.

I found a piece of paper tucked in the instructions saying that you must turn off your PC and camera, connect in a certain order and then turn them on or else the camera may be damaged. Are they serious? They expect me to shut down my PC and restart everytime I want to load video from this camera? I sure wouldn't recommend this camera.

Levana Lila Digital Baby Video Monitor with Night Vision and Talk to Baby Intercom 32000 (White)

This is my first exposure to baby monitors. However, I have wireless internet security cameras, so I used that as a starting basis for my evaluation. The product came in eco-packaging. There was a camera, receiver, battery for the receiver, and two wall-wart power supplies. The camera does not come with a battery and needs to be installed within a few feet of a power receptacle. The receiver unit can be plugged in or used with the battery. There is a clip on the unit to allow you to carry it with you (such as on your belt). However I found the clip to be a bit questionable. It is mounted low on the receiver and the clip is not spring-loaded. The clip is much better suited as the flip-out easel stand.

The receiver video screen is in color. The color tends to be a little on the magenta side, but the resolution is excellent for the size. The camera optical quality also seems to be quite good. I was very surprised by the high quality of the images. The camera also uses infrared leds so it illuminates a dark room when viewed with the receiver, and yet no visible light is seen from the camera itself. The brightness of the screen can be adjusted with the controls on the receiver, so it can be used in sunny rooms or even outdoors, or inside rooms with no lighting. Speaking of outdoors, the camera is not suitable for outdoor weather, but it looks like it can be used outdoors on nice days if protected from moisture and extreme temperatures.

The camera also transmits audio back to the receiver. It does this surprisingly well and it also has intercom capabilities. There is a row of green and red leds along the top that light up according to the sound that is picked up. A crying baby would cause the red leds to light, but ordinary sounds only cause 1 or 2 green leds to light up.

There is a foldable antenna on the reciever, but I could use the camera anywhere in a 3500 sq-ft single-level house without needing the antenna to be extended. It may be needed in a multilevel house.

The system did not come with a manual, and no manual is on the website as of this date. It took several minutes to figure out the functions and settings of the buttons on the receiver. It isn't that hard to figure out, but really there should be at least a one-page document to explain the controls inside the box.

I plan to actually use this device in my outer office. When the receptionist is away, I can see people come into the outer office and actually speak to them if needed using the intercom capabilities of the camera. It doesn't take the place of a security camera because it has no recording capability, but it will be nice to see who comes and goes while I'm in another room. The receiver can link to several more cameras, but I have no ability to test this feature, and I don't know if it cycles through each camera automatically or if you have to press buttons to manually cycle.

I'm really impressed with this camera system!

This is my second Levana baby monitor. I also have the more expensive model ERA 32102 which looks more like a cell phone than a baby monitor. It has the same 2.4 inch screen except in portrait mode which somehow makes it look smaller. The Lila is landscape mode which has a wider horizontal coverage. It is very sensitive that you can hear the baby breathe.

One really cool feature that I like and extremely useful is the two-way intercom. I also use it with my middle schooler who is studying in the room to come down when it's time for dinner

It's much more simple to use. You don't have to dig deep into the menus to adjust or find the feature that you need. I like the bigger buttons much more than the ERA's, the later is similar to an iPod's clikwheel which is hard to feel when you are pressing it. The plain white looks makes it looks much cleaner.

Another feature that I like with this monitor is that it doesn't have the red LEDs around camera even when it is on. You can put it on top of the shelf and nobody knows it is on. It is almost completely discreet except for tiny green LED on the side.

It uses a replaceable Lithium-ion battery at 3.7v with 1050 mA. The battery lasts much longer than the ERA 12103, even with the video on. The power adapters that came with it is rated 100-240v.

Cons:

Unless the room is well lit, most of the time it is in night mode and there is no color.

It has a stand but no clip to hang to your belt or clothes.

Buy Levana Lila Digital Baby Video Monitor with Night Vision and Talk to Baby Intercom 32000 (White) Now

I'm very impressed with the video ability of this monitor, particularly the night vision. I didn't expect to be able to see that well in a dark room but this little camera provides what looks like a light on your baby or other subject without any visible light coming from the the camera itself. This camera has 8 invisible infrared LEDs, not the red lights like some other cameras. You can see up to 12 feet away with the camera and monitor. The image on the 2.4 inch monitor screen is very clear and in color when it's light. It gets a little grainier when it's dark in the room and then the images are in black and white. But all of the images are still distinct. The camera can be adjusted 240° horizontally and 65° vertically as you swivel it in its base. It can be mounted on the wall (hardware not included) or you could just set it on a table, pointed in the direction of your baby or other person, pet or object. It's easy to adjust the brightness on the monitor unit. You can use as many as 4 cameras to view different angles and sides of the room and switch between them on one monitor. There is a stand on the monitor, but not a belt clasp but presumably with a video monitor you'd want it in front of you, rather than on your belt where you couldn't see it. You can turn the video off to save on battery power or set it in the power save mode which will turn the screen off automatically if there isn't movement for a minute or more. It turns back on when movement is detected.

The microphone is very sensitive and picks up any sounds in the room. There are little green lights on the front of the monitor increases from a single light to as many as 5, depending on the amount of sound. A loud noise will turn the lights red. Since you can mute the sound on the monitor unit, even if you had the sound off, you'd be able to see if a noise is made, such as a baby waking up and crying (or talking about his E-Trade financial adviser :) ). I was impressed by the sensitivity of the mic to pick up even very faint sounds. You can also push a button to talk to baby but the sound that comes through the camera is kind of harsh sounding. One thing you want to be careful of is walking into the same room as the camera when carrying the monitor. The feedback makes a loud screeching sound. I've found this to be the case with other monitors as well.

The camera is always plugged in and comes with a power adaptor. The monitor also comes with its own power adaptor and is plugged in to charge its rechargeable battery. With the video on, the battery lasts for about 6 hours. But since you can turn it to standby or turn it on only when you detect a sound in the room, it usually lasts more than 24 hours. My review unit came without any instructions but you can download a manual at: mylevana.com/files/30000/manual.pdf It was pretty intuitive and I only used the manual to check on a couple of features after I already had it set up.

I love the compact size of this camera and monitor and its attractive design. The night vision without emitting any light of its own is really kind of amazing. It has a good range of at least 500 feet so I was able to go anywhere in my 3700 sq. foot house without losing the signal. The color screen is very attractive. And this monitor could be used for many other purposes such as monitoring a sick person or pet, or monitoring a door or area of your home or office without spending a lot of money. The small size makes it easy to pick up and move to another area without a lot of installation worries or expense. I'm impressed that technology has come this far on such an inexpensive little unit.

Read Best Reviews of Levana Lila Digital Baby Video Monitor with Night Vision and Talk to Baby Intercom 32000 (White) Here

Note: Levana has a twenty page, illustrated manual for the "Lila 2.4-Inch Digital Video Baby Monitor with Talk to Baby Intercom 32000" available on its website. Like other Vine reviewers, my components arrived in the recyclable box without a users manual. So I got on the Levana website, and engaged the "Live Chat" function. "Charles" came on and gave me the address for a pdf version of the manual. Its a 20 pager with nice illustrations describing all the many functions available in this small but powerful unit:

"mylevana.com/files/30000/manual.pdf" (yes, 30000, not 32000).

"Charles" said that the "Lila 32000" was released just a few weeks ago, and a direct link on the website will be available soon.

The monitor has excellent fidelity in both bright and low light situations. With plenty of light, the color is OK. In low light situations the reception goes to black and white but again, fidelity is actually amazingly good. The audio reception (gathered by the camera and broadcast by the monitorr) is very good and includes a volume control. From the perspective of the "baby," the audio transmitted from the monitor and broadcast by the camera is also quite good. Although you have to wonder what the baby is thinking when she hears Mom's voice, but can't see Mom.

Other reviews detail most of the controls, but here are some specific items which aren't intuitive you actually have to read the manual to figure this out:

1. Push the on/off button on the monitor and you turn off the video, but not the audio. Hold the on/off button down for a few seconds and you turn off the video and the audio.

2. In order to speak to the person on the camera end, you must depress and hold the button on the monitor marked with the "microphone" icon. You must release to listen again.

3. There is a screen brightness setting (five different levels) that allows the user to pick a preferred tradeoff between brightness and battery life (most important if you aren't plugged into AC).

4. There is a battery saving mode that causes the monitor to enter standby/sleep mode after one minute of inactivity. When a sound is detected, the screen changes to live view.

5. The monitor can be set to pair with as many as four different cameras! Press the "pairing" button on the camera to acknowledge and lock in that specific camera to one of four numbered camera icons on the monitor.

The reachargeable battery comes separately in the box and once in place, the back of the monitor is difficult to seat easily, but eventually everything snaps together. There is a strip of green lights on the top of the monitor which give a visual measure of the amount of sound coming into the monitor.

For the price, the Levana "Lily 32000" is a very nice, high quality video and and audio monitoring device. If yours arrives without the user manual, download it using the website address above, and it won't take you long to learn all of the features.

Want Levana Lila Digital Baby Video Monitor with Night Vision and Talk to Baby Intercom 32000 (White) Discount?

This is a good option for a portable baby camera solution. It has good color resolution, night vision capability, and is fully portable -with a rechargable backup battery. It also has audio, and allows you to push a button and talk back to the camera. (Unfortunately when you talk back it sounds very Darth Vadery and creepy, and definitely NOT something that would easily calm down a crying child.) It also has an antenna that can be flipped up to give you a full range of 500 feet. Finally, it allows you to turn the brightness up or down which is what you'd need to do if you wanted to use this outside.

PROS:

+++ CAMERA IS COLOR. Aren't they all, these days? But, in any case, it is color and looks nice.

+++ HAS NIGHT VISION. Once the room gets dark enough the color disappears and the picture becomes black and white, but allows you to see in the dark.

++ NO VISIBLE LIGHTS. Well, only one, a green LED, on the BACK of the camera... but nothing to keep baby up, like the red LEDS that used to be used for night vision use in older cameras.

+++ GOOD AUDIO. You can hear pretty well from the camera's microphone and there is a neat LED across the top display which lights up more LEDs the more the camera picks up noise. So, there would be a visual indicator of red LEDS if the baby was crying. (Presumably you'd hear the crying, too, but I suppose if you muted it you'd still know the baby was crying by the LED indicators.)

++ TALKBACK FUNCTION. You can press a button and talk back to the camera -it acts just like an intercom. This might be useful if you were using it in the house with young children.

++ EASY VOLUME UP OR DOWN. Right below the screen there is a very simple to use volume toggle.

+++ RECHARGEABLE BATTERY. This is pretty awesome. You can unplug the monitor station and take it with you around the house.

++ CAN HOOK UP MULTIPLE CAMERAS. I didn't use this function but I found the menu on the device. It clearly can hook up to three other cameras, and you can view them at the same time (I believe) while then selecting the main camera to watch. I did not test this function so please do your own research on this capability.

++ MONITOR FLIP OUT STAND. This means you can place the monitor almost vertical, which provides an easy viewing angle.

CONS:

-TALKBACK FUNCTION SOUNDS WEIRD. It sounded ok, but metallic, and a baby might not be soothed. I see it more working as an intercom for adults.

-NO INSTRUCTION MANUAL. I did not receive a manual in the box. I didn't really need one, but it would have been nice. (NOTE: the manual MAY have been missing because it was an Amazon Vine Product. This may not be standard for new purchases.)

SOMEWHAT HARD TO INSTALL BATTERY. I almost broke the case when I was installing the battery. It was close, so take some time to take it apart and put it back together carefully. There are little ridges of the battery holder which can snap off. Mine didn't, but when I was blindly trying to force the battery compartment closed they almost snapped.

-NO BELT CLIP. This kind of cripples the use of this as something you'd wear while working outside. But, on the other hand, presumably you'd want to SEE it, and wouldn't want to carry it around on your belt. That said, it would have been nice, at least to help in monitoring a baby sleeping.

Overall, I am happy with this product. Recommended.

Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 Aspherical Fisheye Manual Focus Lens with Tripod + Cleaning & Accessory Kit f

awesome lens, manual f stop adjustor. perfect for skateboarding and other extreme sports. theres no autofocus, but that doesn't matter intensely with these fisheyes.

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

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

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

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

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

Pros:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cons:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Likes:

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

When reviewing pictures, very responsive and populates the pictures quickly

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

Tog wheel is easier to turn (compared to HX9V)

Display screen is beautiful and crisp.

Improved focus speed and 20x optical magnification

GPS (works great with Google Earth/maps)

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

Stereo microphones seem improved over HX9V

Not a fan of:

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

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

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

Peace and much love,

Rob Blackthorn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have fun deciding!

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

Here's a short version of my review:

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

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

Sony HX30v vs Canon S100

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

Picture quality: S100 Winner (also shoots RAW)

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

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

Zoom: HX30v (20x vs 5x)

Macro: HX30v (1 cm vs 3 cm)

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

HX30v motor mechanics are more silent than S100

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pros:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good Macro

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

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

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

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

Cons:

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

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

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

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

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

No aperture/shutter priority manual control

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the WIFI feature does not work for uploading videos

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

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

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

screen without the lens retracting in playback mode)

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

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

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

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

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

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