Mitsuba DV9002 12MP 8x Digital Zoom Camera/Camcorder (Black)

The camcorder is a good product and is well capable of doin it's job. But the quality of what's being recorded is average af best. The led light does not see pass my arms, but it can serve it's purpose for home movies with my family.

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Nikon Coolpix P50 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Zoom

For me the equation was simple: I wanted a good camera at a good price. Nikon has a strong reputation for its optics, and they have produced high quality cameras. My wife and I owned an earlier CoolPix camera that took very good pictures, but was poorly constructed. The P50 truly lives up to its Nikon heritage. The camera is small, but has the heft and feel of a solid instrument yet it is easy to handle. The large Nikkor lens captures the light without a trace of distortion. The menus are intuitive, and the features are just right for a serious amateur photographer. Experimenting with the macro feature on camera, I inadvertently caught a bee in mid flight. The P50 captured the details of the cilia on the bee's head and thorax, and almost stopped its wings in mid beat. This is a fantastic little camera at a fantastic price. Above all, this is a camera that lives up to the Nikon reputation for quality.

I gave away my Nikon Coolpix 3200 and waited awhile before purchasing another Nikon. At the store I didn't go for the most expensive Nikon Coolpix--just one that was recommended for low light shooting. I'm moderately familiar with photography so I do not mind experimenting.

This camera is very nice! The many types of programmed settings for indoors and low light are very handy. Usually when I want to take a great photo I will fire off several shots (I have two 2 Gb memory cartridges) using a variety of settings until I get close enough. The built-in retouching functions (D-lighting) are nice and work well. When I'm done I download onto my computer and perhaps do some contrast adjustment and cropping. The results are great.

Please, PLEASE read the manual. It will definitely help anyone to use this camera to its fullest potential. I've ordered the AC adapter and charger/batteries to add to my tripod (already own). I also recommend purchasing a tripod; with the camera's timer you can take nice shots even in indoors and low light.

None of my pictures have turned out grainy (yet), and if they ever do I check the settings. Photography is not idiot-proof, you must experiment! I'd recommend only using point-and-shoot settings for daylight/outdoors. Oh, and take multiple shots of a subject, there is enough memory in the camera to do this. Back in the old 35mm film days pro photographers would take rolls and rolls of pictures just to get that ONE great picture. Try the same approach and do not be satisfied with just one shot. This camera will let you do this easily.

If I had a friend who had at some prior knowledge of taking photos I'd recommend it. If you are just a beginning picture-taker, look elsewhere.

Anyone who takes their time to learn all the ins and outs of this camera will be rewarded with a fine product for many months and years to come.

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I just purchased this camera after owning a few compact cameras and DSLR's. So far the camera is a gem. Small but easy to grasp, simple and fast to use, change settings, and above all, I've been thoroughly impressed with the image quality, color rendition, and image stabilization features. The optical and digital zoom combined with these features achieved sharp results.

The software that knits together panorama intended shots (using the panorama scene feature) is better than most with very little distoration.

A single 2 Gig SD card represents 500 best quality and size photos on this camera even at 8.1 megapixels.

The noise levels above 200 iso is diminished by the higher megapixels and NR builtin the camera.

This is a great travel camera given its wide angle for shooting buildings, landscapes, panoramas and people.

I highly recommend this camera.

Cons: No raw image support and movies are not highly compressed and use up the memory quickly.

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P50 is relatively inexpensive, so you can't ask too much. But I can say that this camera works pretty well as a travel mate. Pocket-size, wide-angle lens, AA batteries are what you really need abroad. Easy to hold with one hand. Overall image quality is very good. Coolpix P50 offers plenty of image details till 200 ISO. Noise shows up at 400 ISO and, quite obviously, above. Blurred shots can result in tele mode (102 mm max focal length). I haven't been able to take advantage of the image stabilization (electronic, not optical, vibration reduction): certainly, it's my fault. Compact, well-built, serious body. "Manual" is not very much so. At each focal length, you can manually choose between just two lens apertures (e.g.: 2.8 and 5.6 when at 28mm). On the other hand, "Program exposure mode" is very effective: better to relay on it. As usual, the optical viewfinder doesn't cover the whole picture, but in sunny days I experienced it's by far a better solution than the 2.4-inch display. Default images are a bit on the "soft" side: my advice is to increase contrast afterwards. At the end of the day I'm satisfied. Among the few pocket-size cameras sporting a 28 mm wide-angle lens, P50 is a relatively cheap and smart choice.

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I purchased this camera for several reasons. First was the 28mm wide angle lens which is rare for a Point and Shoot (P&S) as most start out around 36mm and higher. The second reason was for the Manual settings, I have always used Nikon Coolpix in the past and had long sought this option. The third reason was that this camera takes AA batteries and thus I can use this to travel without having to buy a power converter so that I can recharge a battery pack.

So far I have been very happy with this camera, it does everything I could ever want and lives up to the Nikon name. Some people complain that it does not have a long enough zoom, but long zooms can lead to very bad pictures when using P&S as you lose a lot of light AND when using long lens you must compensate with quicker shutter speedsthis can be tricky for most and generally leads to low quality images.

Essentially this camera is great for going out and taking pics of family and friendsLandscapesand Travelling.

Sony Cybershot DSCW1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

I have been very happy with this camera since I purchased it over a month ago. My requirements for a digital camera were resolution of at least 5 MP, compact size for travel, and some scene or manual modes. Two features sold me on this camera:

1. Compatibility with AA batteries. Most cameras this size use proprietary batteries, which means if you forget your battery recharger on a trip, you could be in trouble. With this camera, you can take out the included AA rechargeables once they run down and use regular AA batteries. While lithium batteries such as Energizer's E2 series are best, even alkalines will work in a pinch.

2. Larger LCD area. The extra inch makes a huge difference. You can tell immediately whether people blinked, and the screen is large enough that family and friends will enjoy flipping through the photos you've taken without having to squint. The larger area also makes it fun to zoom, rotate, and crop photos right in the camera.

In addition to indoor settings, I have tested the camera in the Colorado mountains, suburban Chicago, and downtown DC. The scene modes did an especially beautiful job with the mountains and lakes. I had been worried after some reviews suggested that Sony cameras make colors look washed-out and faded, but I did not experience this. My images have also been very sharp, and I can see details far in the background, such as signs in shots of city streets. I also like that you can set the camera to record images in a 3:2 ratio, so that if you are planning to make 4x6 prints, the camera saves exactly the image that will be printed. My only complaint is that the red-eye mode doesn't completely eliminate red eye in indoor shots, but I understand that this is typical for compact cameras.

Since this camera and its LCD screen could easily be damaged in a purse or backpack, I would recommend a semi-rigid carrying case such as Sony's LCMWA model.

This camera will not be right for everyone. If you're looking for a simple point-and-shoot and don't want to worry about settings, consider Canon's PowerShot S500 Elph. If your photos mostly will be indoors and redeye is your major concern, consider Nikon's Coolpix 5200. If you'll be doing a lot of telephoto zooming, consider the Pentax Optio 555 with its 5X optical zoom. But if you're looking for a versatile compact 5 MP camera in the advanced consumer/prosumer segment, then look no further than Sony's DSC-W1.

After reading every online review I could find, I decided to purchase the DSC-W1 and after taking about 300 images, I am quite pleased with it.

The camera is light and small. It has plenty of "scene modes" that make it easy for anyone to take a picture. You can also take 640x480 movies with sound for as long as your memory stick pro will hold them. (If you are using a regular memory stick, the time is limited.) The camera is lightning fast, both in startup time and time to store an image after shooting. There is a "burst mode" too that can allow multiple shots to be taken in succession, but it is too buried in the menus to be useful unless you know that good action is coming.

Night photography seems to be working out quite well with this camera. One thing I liked over similar cameras in this category is the 30 second exposure time, which is fairly high. (Many didn't allow anything more than 10 seconds.)

I ditched the included Sony batteries after reading a review somewhere and bought some Powerex 2300 batteries from MahaEnergy. I haven't been able to go through two sets of batteries (the camera takes two AA's.) in a day's time. In fact, one set seems to do just fine almost all of the time.

The Sony supports up to 400 iso, though there is a fair amount of noise at this level. I've been using Neat Image to clean it up though and I have no qualms about shooting at this speed as long as I'm using software to clean it up.

I'm just beginning to learn how to photograph things somewhat well, and I do have a few gripes. Most are very minor, and most would have been solved if I would have saved up the money to buy a digital SLR instead of trying to force this point and shoot to try to be a digital SLR.

First, macro mode doesn't seem to let you get very close. With my friend's Olympus Camedia, I seem to be able to all but rest my lens on the subject. With the DSC-W1, I can't seem to get much closer than 6 inches with it getting too blurry to take a picture. You can get some close shots, but if you are really looking at getting into macro photography, you might want to look at the Olympus, or at other cameras.

Night photographers will find it irritating that there is no sort of remote cable release or remote IR release. You can get around this problem with the self timer if necessary, but some shots you just aren't going to get. There isn't any sort of built-in stabilization either, though I wouldn't expect any on a $400 point and shoot. A tripod is required gear if you are going to take shots in dim light without a flash.

Also, it is worth noting that the camera doesn't have a hot-shoe. You are going to be using the built in flash. The built-in flash seems to be okay, and I'm imagining that the average point-and-shoot photographer won't care.

Overall, I'm really pleased with this camera. If you want to be really get into the technical side of digital cameras, save up and buy a Canon Digital Rebel or some other spiffy SLR. If you want a camera that you'll be happy to put in your pocket and take with you, the Sony is an excellent choice.

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I bought this in Jan 2005 and I love this one. I have done quite some research before I bought this one. Some research sites recomended are

PC World

Steves Digital.

ImagingResource( This site has a comparometer by which you can comapare images from 2 cameras side by Side. Although thi site is little biased towards cannon as they did not use the correct settings for sony camera.

But one thing was clear from my researchCannon Camera are the best in Image quality(I'll give 5 to Cannon on image quality and 4.8 to sony. 4.2 to Kodak, 4 to Nikon. But One ditinct advantage that made my choice to sony was the Spped of the shot. Basically sony cameras take shot between .2 -.3 seconds after the button is pressed and cannon takes 1.1 1.3 seconds to take the shot. With my kids it is imposiible to get a posed Picture I want with cannon.

Here are some of the feature comparison between Sony and Cannon(I ignored all others because of image quality)

1. Image quality Sony 4.8 Cannon 5.0. although at uptill 8x 10 the quality is same.

2. Image clarity and details Sony 4.7 cannon 5.0. Cannon has the lot more details. A picture of grass shows sharp edges of grass in cannon but sony is little blurry. But at 8x10 u don't need that kind of sharpness.

3. Color Sony w1 4.9. cannon 5.0. again cannon is better but not by far. Sony P93 and P73 are worst in color but W1 does a good job and V1 and T1 are closest to true colors

4. Night shots Sony 4.9 Cannon 4.5. Here is the difference. Sony's shots in dark lights are the best.

5. Shot TIme. As I said earlier Sony is the best by 2-3 times better performance than any other camera. Besides startup time on Sony camera is about .3 seconds where as cannon is about 1.7 seconds. This is due to faster processor of Sony.

6. Batery Life I could take 170+ pictures with sony using LCD and using the review mode Extensively. For cannon I don't have the numbers but I heard it is around 100 pictures(official number is 250 for both). Besides the charger is included in Sony but not in cannon using AA bateris. This saves another 30-40 bucks

7. Price Both are same with cannons Flashs card being cheaper than sony' memory stick. But amazon.com gives 128 MB stick free which gives you 60 images at 5 MP resolution. Cannon' Battery charger for A85,95 series is going to add 40$ to your price range.

8. Noise reduction Sony is the best. no comparison in digital processing with any other brand.

9. LCD SizeI've had couple of camcorders and trust me u need a bigger screen like W1 or else u miss details while reviewing, and while on a trip you try to take the best pictures only and delete the others.

10. Appearance and weight. All are same weight (couple of ounces here and there) but Cannon uses 4 AA bateries which makes is little more heaview and the battery torage space required in camera makes it even more bulkier(Bigger size) to carry.

11. Lens extensions. Cannon has better acceries available but I'm not professional either:)

Overall I'll say Sony is the best overall camera. Image quality compared to cannon is not the best but it is not off by far either. But If you don't care about the time taken to get the picture after button is pressed and are very hung on perfect image qualitygo for cannon. But within 200-325 Price range , Sony is the best and W1 is the best in that range. It is also voted the best Point and Shoot camera by PC world(PCworld ratings are known to be best in electronics).

Summary

Sony W1 is good at.

1. Faster snap time

2. Best Night shots.

3. Very true colors(4.9 sony W1 and 5.0 to Cannon)

4. Excelent Scene Modes.

5. Decent Manual controls(You don't need them with scenic modes)

6. Very good image quality.

7. Lighter and better Look camera over all.

Cannon is good at.

1. Image quality.

2. Very true colors almost perfect.

Hope this helps

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cybershot DSCW1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Here

After two years of lackluster pictures from a 2MP Canon PowerShot S-100 (constant underexposure, short battery life). I began looking for a digital camera replacement. While I want to take high quality pictures, the bulk of what I take are family and travel snapshots.

After endless procrastination on my part, my wife surprised me with the new Sony DSC-T1 5MP ultracompact camera. It was very cool to play with and takes very good looking pictures with the default settings. The T-1 is a neat camera.

While I liked the DSC-T1 a lot, I had some core concerns with it that are fully addressed by it's sibling camera, the DSC-W1. Not only does the W1 have about a half dozen more features than the T1 it's also $100 less than the T1!

I want to emphasize that both cameras take very good pictures, especially for a person that wants to take high quality snapshots that is, pull it out and snap off a few, quickly review the shots and perhaps make some manual adjustments to optimize the pictures.

What's also appealing to me about both cameras is their movie mode support. Both cameras take credible mpeg movies, albeit without zoom support (I'm not aware of any digicam that allows you to adjust the zoom mode once the movie recording has started). In the "best" movie mode (30 frames/sec), you'll consume about 1 Mb per second of recording. However, I find that I only shoot 30 to 60 seconds of "useful and viewable" footage at a family gathering anyway, as well as 20 to 30 photos. In this regard, a 256 Mb Memory Stick Pro card gets me by just fine for a day.

Note that most digicams in this price range shoot 30 fps movies for only a set, limited time of 15 to 30 sec per clip, or they'll shoot longer clips at 15fps, which is pretty poor quality to me. The T1 and W1 allow you to shoot high quality 30 fps video up to the capacity of the Memory Stick Pro card you elect to use. This is very useful to someone like me who never has viewed the old family videos I recorded on my video camera. Now I load photos and videos on the PC and actually view the video clips!

I am also very impressed with the on-camera editing modes of both cameras. I can shoot images at a 5 Megapixel size and easily downsize them to 3 MP, 1 MP or VGA size, as well as crop them on the camera. With the long battery life of the W1, I do most of my editing on the camera and upload satisfactory images to the PC, lessening the need to open photo editing software. This is really fantastic!

The last general note is that some people criticize the quality of the photo software that comes with the Sonys. I wouldn't know. I never installed it. I learned a long time ago that you are generally better off getting a memory card reader for $20 and uploading the images via a USB connection, then using a third party application to edit the images.

The DSC-W1 has the following features that are important to me that the DSC-T1 lacks.

Cost $100 less for the W1.

Flash only a 5 foot distance for the T1, but 12 feet for the W1. Most of my family indoor shots are from 5 to 10 feet away. Isn't that true for most of us?

Tripod mount I need it a few times a year for family gatherings if I'm going to be in the picture. Also useful for obtaining the best steady shot composition for family portraits. The T1 lacks a tripod mount.

"AA" battery support I can't overstate how important it is on ANY digicam to utilize common "AA" batteries. No matter how well prepared I try to be, there have been occasions where I forgot to charge the proprietary batteries on my Cannon, much to my condemnation at that family gathering. In a pinch, you can stop at a convenience store and pick up a pack of "AA"s to get you through the day with the W1. Also, "AA" rechargable batteries and rechargers are so inexpensive right now. The propriety battery on the T-1 lists at $60. While the price will come down, I doubt you'll find them readily available at the convenience store.

While the T1's battery life was acceptable, my perception of the W1's battery usage is that it is VERY good. I do a tremendous amount of shooting photos and movies on the W1 in the course of a day, as well as subsequent replay and editing on the camera itself. I still can't believe I have battery life left on the same set I started with after my typical photo and movie session with the W1...

Viewfinder Both cameras have the excellent 2.5" LCD display. Both cameras are well suited for taking pictures through the LCD viewfinder. However, there are times in bright light, in crowds, in busy/moving situations where the optical viewfinder is useful and warranted. The W1 has the optical viewfinder and the T1 does not.

Manual exposure The T1 and W1 both take very good snapshot pictures in a variety of lighting conditions. However, it's nice to have the flexibility of controlling the manual exposure if you need it.

Other features While I don't need them, the W1 allows for the addition of wide and telephoto lenses and special filters with an optional lens adapter.

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I've just read all these complaints about blurry pictures, and felt compelled to write as it is obvious that some people just don't understand how photography works. The W1 starts by reading the available light, just like any other camera. When it has done that it decides on an appropriate aperture and shutter speed. In actual fact, it tends to choose rather larger apertures and therefore faster shutter speeds than other similar cameras. It can't do anything else if it set much faster shutter speeds the pictures would only be underexposed. Compare the exposure settings to those on any other camera in the same situation and you will find they are the same. The big difference with the W1 is that, because of the large screen, you tend to hold the camera well away from your face when you shoot, inevitably causing camera shake.

One solution if you want to hand-hold indoors is to increase the ISO setting to 200. Incidentally, you are hard-pressed to take hand-held pictures OUTDOORS on any camera at ISO100 in the UK at any time of the year except in mid-summer. Increasing the ISO to 200 doesn't seem to cause too much noise. You can also try using the viewfinder and propping your elbows on something.

I've only had this camera a few days, but it seems very sharp to me. You just can't expect it to defy the laws of physics.

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.

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

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.

LiveWatch ADC-V720W Wireless Outdoor IP Bullet Camera w Infrared

In short, I disagree with all the comments of the 1 star rating from others. This is the best quality for this money. I think the issue is that pele are perhaps not clear with configuration and setup flexibility. Very happy with these.

This camera sounds expensive at first, but for the features it is a reasonably priced camera compared to others. Shop around and you can find prices in the mid-200 range. I bought this to replace a motion sensing still camera for keeping an eye on our porch, and it does a great job if configured correctly.

Images: It supports multiple resolutions, so you need to set it up correctly for your needs. It has 1280x800, 640x480, and 320x240 for live and recorded video (and 176x144 for live).

Dimensions: (D x W x H) 27.94 x 88.9 (mm), 5.9 x 2.3 x 2.3 (in)

Weight: 22.2oz (629.36g)

Operating Environment: -4° to 122°F (-20° to 50°C)

Field of view is 56° x 42° (Horizontal x Vertical)

Low-light sensitivity: 0lux at F1.8 (IR LED on) at 30 feet

Image Adjustments: Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Sharpness, Exposure

Video Motion Detection has 3 Windows, Adjustable sensitivity and threshold

Digital Input Trigger, and a 10/100Mbps RJ-45 Ethernet connection

5 Simultaneous viewers

Supports power over Ethernet (with an injector) or uses the included 120v adapter

The frames per second can be configured up to 5FPS, as it is a progressive scan image sensor. This is more than sufficient for security purposes as someone cannot run past it fast enough to avoid it. Keep in mind this is not a live motion camera for recording sporting events and such it is a security camera. The night vision is reasonable up to about 25-30 feet away. It is easy to configure if you have WPS on your router, otherwise you have to manually configure the camera. I found I had to open the ports to the camera on my firewall to fully communicate with it. Your monitoring station tech support can help with this if you can't do it yourself.

Also, to ensure clear pictures, make sure you remove the plastic protective coating sheet from the lens when installing it. I've even used it through a window and gotten great pictures (still and video clips). Power is the biggest problem, as you want to install high to prevent theft. A POE injector makes this more convenient.

Buy LiveWatch ADC-V720W Wireless Outdoor IP Bullet Camera w Infrared Now

The camera looks solid and it connected very easily but it has the worst picture ever.... Its like comparing a Nintendo DS to an ATARI. Only 5 Frames Per Second recording, bad graphics and really bad alert triggers, not to mention that night vision is really good for 10' at most. Not worth $300.00

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Nikon COOLPIX L610 16 MP Digital Camera with 14x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 3-inch LCD (Black)

As an experienced DSLR photographer, I needed a small and simple do-all vacation camera that would work for both my wife and me. The Nikon L610 is a superb camera for its size and price and meets our needs perfectly. I suspect it will probably meet the needs of most casual photographers.

The quality Nikkor glass lens provides crisp and accurate images. The 14x zoom range is appropriate for most hand-held shots. The manual pop-up flash has a bit more output than most point & shoots and offers nice illumination. AA alkaline batteries are relatively long lasting (for still photos without flash) and can be purchased easily anywhere in the world. Regarding camera setup, for the vast majority of our photos, I select the AUTO setting and adjust the ISO sensitivity to 125 and simply point and shoot. The photos are very sharp with vivid color and we are pleased with the results nearly every time.

For what it's worth, in reading some of the critical reviews on digital cameras, it seems the problems most people have occur in three areas: (1) battery life, (2) memory speed, and (3) user familiarity. Many seasoned photographers know that AA alkaline batteries offer the advantages of reasonably long life, affordability and availability -especially when traveling overseas. No chargers, no voltage issues, no waiting, just plug & play. For improved performance, I use non-rechargeable Energizer Lithium AA batteries in my L610. These offer hundreds of trouble-free shots and battery life virtually becomes a non-issue (about $5 for a 4-pack on Amazon). As to memory, my choice is the SanDisk Extreme Class 10. The high-speed data transfer rate this memory card offers is particularly important when shooting videos. The current price for a 32GB card is about $30 on Amazon (a 16GB card is about half this price).

As to ISO sensitivity, nearly every technical analysis of digital cameras shows image quality noticably degrades at settings above ISO 200 (ironically, similar results occur with film speeds). Unless there is a specific need, such as extremely low light or fast-action photography, lower ISO settings will give most folks much better photos under a broad range of conditions. Lastly, there is a lot of technology packed in these little automatic cameras. Obviously, we are much better off reading the camera user manual and becoming comfortable with the features and functions of these gadgets. As the saying goes, it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

As an experienced SLR user who's had his own darkrooms back in the dark ages, the L610 is the camera of choice to take along everywhere. Dr. A's review is mandatory reading.

The main reason to choose the L610 over the Canon PowerShot 160 IS is that the L610 is lighter, has a better ergonomic access to controls and better feel in your hand. It also gives you more complete control of the flash in Nikon's "Auto" mode for "aways on" for excellent fill flash, "auto" for camera selection, or "red eye reduction", which I never use. Lastly, the camera's set up menu allows you to program it's power supply for the type of AA battery you're usingAlkaline, NiCad, or Lithium.

I also own the Nikon L 810, which is an excellent camera, if you want an 585mm zoom. Anything beyond the L 610's zoom of 350mm usually requires a tripod or a friends shoulder for clear pics on any camera, despite any claims for image stabilization. The L 610 also gives you the option to turn off "digital zoom" which only degrades the image. The L 610 and the L 810 have the same CMOS and internals and you don't have to bother with the L 810's dangling lens cap.

Recommended accessories for the L610:

1Lithium AA batteries from Energizer. These make the "battery issue" largely disappear. Two will last for well over 200 shotsyes there is a one to two second lag time as the flash recharges. Best vendors are Best Deal USA or PhotoLand for the 24 Pack.

2Memory CardGet the best, a San Disk Class 10 card with 45mb/Sec transfer rate. Greatly reduces lag time and this camera is set up for Class 10. 16gig capacity for ~ 3000 stills at full resolution or 32 gig if you're going to shoot movies. From Amazon.

3GGS 3" Optical Glass LCD screen protectorit's the bestbut this is now a real moving target on Amazon. Make sure you get the OEM from GGS in the red and black retail package. Best Deal USA previously supplied the real thing. (There are Chinese knock offs out there.)

4Camera StrapInexplicably, Nikon gives you a camera with two strap connection points, but ships a one point "wrist strap".

Solve this by ordering the slim two point neck strap that Nikon supplies for other similar cameras: The Nikon AN-CP-23 strap.

Search it on Amazon. The other option for a neck strap that fits is the OP/Tech USA 220 1021 Bin/Op strap with a thicker neoprene strap. I prefer the Nikon strap.

5Camera CaseThe Tamrac model 5292 case fits the L610 perfectly and gives you room for 4 extra lithium AAs, the USB cable and extra memory cards. It's also just tall enough for you to tuck in your aftermarket neck strap. Enjoy.

Buy Nikon COOLPIX L610 16 MP Digital Camera with 14x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 3-inch LCD (Black) Now

I bought this camera based on the pre-release reviews the first day it was available. I have now used it for several months, having taken vacation pictures as well as random shots, both scenic and casual shots of people.

On the positive side, the camera is really well thought out, fits nicely in the hand, feels substantial and has relatively intuitive adjustments. On the negative side is it consumes batteries at a terrific rate.

Since I really bought the camera for vacation, I was pleased that it would take AA alkaline batteries, however when using it with alkaline batteries it didn't take long to learn that it goes through them at a very rapid pace. I was not getting anywhere near the number of images suggested by the reviewers. During a busy day with a lot of shots, I would go through a set of alkaline batteries. I just wound up buying a lot of batteries during the vacation.

Since returning home, I have gone to the rechargeable NiCads and it seems to give me more images with these. When you change battery types though, you must use the menu to reset the camera to the appropriate batteries, apparently to maximize the lifespan. Something I don't like though, is that every time that you take out the memory card to put some pictures into your laptop or PC, the batteries fall out. It is an annoyance. The card itself takes some getting used to in that you really have to push it way down to get it to click into place.

The zoom is very responsive............I mean very responsive. I have no complaint about the zoom itself, but adjusting it is so sensitive that you cannot tighten up the field with people shots. You either get them too small in the image or you cut them off. A slower zoom would be so much better so that you can have more control. Even though I am much more familiar with the camera now, the zoom is still way too touchy for small increments.

One real complaint I do have about the camera, is that it is slow on recovery of the flash, and with the other cameras I have had, if I were trying to take a flash picture, and waiting for the flash to recover, I could hold the shutter release down and as soon as the flash had recovered, the next image would be taken immediately. With this camera, you must release the shutter button and depress it again for the next flash picture. Of course, this means that you are guessing when the flash has recovered before taking the next picture.

The final thing is one on which I made my own mistake. I find that having a real compact camera I can put into my pocket is very important to me. This one is too large for that. While this camera is quite small, it isn't small enough to put into your pocket. It will fit into a purse, but not a pocket. Whereas I used to carry a small pocket camera much more, because I never knew when I would get a shot, this one must be taken along when I am anticipating using it.

Overall, I really like this camera and would recommend it to others. It is a nice design, and perhaps none of what I consider as drawbacks may be important to others. I will keep it as an adjunct camera, but I am still going to buy a different compact which will really fit into my pocket, but which has a longer zoom than my present Sony.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon COOLPIX L610 16 MP Digital Camera with 14x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 3-inch LCD (Black) Here

If you do most of your photography with DSLR & interchangeable lenses, point & shoot cameras do take some adjusting. For travel we've had different 'wafer sized' cameras...then upgraded last year to a mid-range point & shoot from another manufacturer. But programming/settings were not intuitive. In that same range, this Coolpix L610 competes well. Settings & programming are more intuitive to us and after 200 photos this camera feels right, though we're still taking it through its paces. Rechargeable batteries are a must as this is a high drain device. We purchased a kit/package that exceeded our expectations regarding quality (mini-tripod, case, rechargeable batteries/charger/European adapter, 16g SD card).

Want Nikon COOLPIX L610 16 MP Digital Camera with 14x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 3-inch LCD (Black) Discount?

I took this camera on my vacation to China & I shot 2700 photos with it(over a three week period). The photos were all sharp, clear with excellent, accurate color. I did not use the video functions, so I will reserve comment on that function until I try it.

Samsung SCD67 MiniDV Digital Video Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Picture in Picture, & Digital Still Cap

I actually originally purchased a JVC digital camcorder. I should have listened to the other Amazon reviewers and steered clear of that one, as within an hour of use, it stated that it needed head cleaning, and wouldn't operate.

This Samsung camcorder replaced that one the day after I purchased the JVC, and I am very pleased. The picture and sound quality are great, and it is very easy to download the video to my iMac via firewire. I'm not sure how well (or if) it would work on a PC, so you may want to investigate whether it will work with your system.

About the only thing that keeps this camera from getting 5 stars is I have had difficulty trying to retrieve still photos when the camera is connected to the computerbut then I haven't fully read the manual, so it could be very simple.

Basically this is a great camera, and it's not much more expensive than a high-quality digital still camera. If you enjoy having multiple-use products as much as I do, this is a great bet.

I purchased the Samsung SCD-67 for all of it's great features and low price. I was very pleased until I needed warrany service to fix a broken firewire (IEEE1394) port. I called Samsung support for 3 weeks before speaking to someone knowledgable enough to ascertain it was a true problem (his name is Mike . . he's the only one there who knows anything about this camera). I mailed it to CVE for warranty repair. 4 weeks later I started calling to inquire. After 2 weeks of calling, I finally got through to learn that the unit could not be repaired and would be replaced with a refurbished unit. The camera had 45 minutes of use on it when I sent it for repair and I get a refurbished unit in exchange? What kind of warranty is that? I submitted a Better Business Burea complaint. I'd encourage others to do the same. You can submit the claim online...Just look up Samsung in Mt. Arlington, NJ.

I will never buy another Samsung product again. Buyer Beware!

Buy Samsung SCD67 MiniDV Digital Video Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Picture in Picture, & Digital Still Cap Now

After downloading the manual from the Samsung web site and seeing that it support the Mac OS I decided to try this camera. The camera specs are great but I had problems with the camera. First off, it has a real SLOW focus and there were times the system picked up on foreground objects and tried to focus on them. Not a bad thing but it takes about 3-5 seconds for objects to come into focus.

The second problem is the IEEE-1394 port does not work with the Macintosh. After 4 calls to Samsung tech support I got the promised call back about Macintosh compatibility. They recommended a few windows programs for the data import. The 5 call into them they admitted the SCD67 did not work with a Macintosh. If you plan to use this camera with iMovie or Final Cut Pro get a different camera. The applications can not even see the camera. I tried 4 or 5 other IEEE-1394 capture applications on the Mac and none could pull data from the camera.

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The power switch broke after 180 minutes of video. I am unable to turn the camcorder off. It's the switch that goes from, "camera-off-player". In the official review, it notes that the switch is flimsy. I should have listened.

In addition my camera has problems keeping date/time settings. It will revert back to Jan 1, 2001 often. During the use of the camera with the first 3 tapes, I've had to reset the date/time over 15 times.

Want Samsung SCD67 MiniDV Digital Video Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Picture in Picture, & Digital Still Cap Discount?

After researching for months I found this great machine. It is easy to use and a awesome price. Why bother with features you will never use, I already own a great digital camera (Canon Powershot S100)and basically wanted a camcorder for video. If your looking for a great looking cam at a good price search no more Samsung is the way to go. Great job Samsung!!!!!

VideoSecu 2 Wireless Security Cameras CCTV Home Surveillance Kit Night Vision with 2 Audio Video Da

Ordered these cameras with the highest of hopes. There discription sounded great. When I rec'd them I was delighted. After setting up (very easy) day viewing was ok. Night nothing. Tried all that the seller suggested with no results. Refused new item. Doesn"t work 1st. time I'm out. (no 3 strikes) Waited almost three weeks for return to find that they charged me for the shipping twice. Had to contact Amazon to ajust. Update. They told Amazon it was scratched thats the reason for the double charge on shipping. THEY lie. My suggestion. Stay away.

The cameras seemed of good quality. I think for indoor use and close range, they will work good. My application was for outdoor use and was unsatisfactory. I returned the kit and got a message that my credit card would not be charged and a credit would be given. If that dosen't happen, I will be writing another review.

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Minolta NP-600 Lithium-ion Battery for Dimage G400 & G600 Digital Cameras

Working well so far... I've had issues with generic replacement batteries in the past much shorter life span (I got what I paid for) so I prefer to get the brand batteries.