Wireless/Wired IP Pan/Tilt/Night Vision Internet Surveillance Camera Built-in Microphone,two-way au

I was apprehensive about this camera because it was so cheap, but I am fully satisfied by the current state of it.

I fully recommend this camera if you are confident enough to get through the setup. In fact, I just purchased a second one before starting this review.

First off, the manual is garbage. Ive built a few ikea furniture pieces before and those instructions are vastly superior.

General review: The daylit picture quality is fine for me. Color seems to be ok. Im not broadcasting a movie, just monitoring my yard. Night viewing seems fine also. Quick moving objects show blurred in infrared mode. LOL, I just got a motion alert and then got a picture of the guy mowing my lawn while writing this review. There is no daylight motion blur but in the mixed bright light/shadow area (trees and sunlight) I got an over exposed picture and could barely make out the face. Might need to knock the brightness settings down a hair. See the note in the outdoor mounting below... The infrared and glass do not play well together.

Some background: My home network is a mix of apples and linux pcs. No Windows. My wireless network is set up with MAC (address) filtering.

The camera defaults its IP address to 192.168.1.126, if you have a network on a different subnet (mine is 192.168.2.X) then you will need to either switch the network back to .1, do it on someone else's network, or use a crosscable. I hooked up to an old router I had and configured through the wired. I figured Id set everything up through the wired connection first. Hit up the address and logged in (admin, blank password). The Device ID is supposed to be the MAC address...and it is, but its not the wireless MAC address. I still dont know how to find it through their software btw. Anyways, I updated the admin password 30 second reboot occurs. Next I went through the Basic Network Settings and this is where it took a while. In fact, I still need to go back and modify this again now that its working. Since I do MAC filtering, I couldnt set it to "Obtain DHCP" yet which is what I need to go back and switch now. In order to find the MAC address, I had to set the static IP settings and then turned off MAC filtering on the router. **IMPORTANT** Reboot the camera and while it is doing its countdown, unplug the ethernet cable. It took me an hour and a half of cursing and trying different things to figure that out. At this point the camera connected to my router and I was able to check the 'status' section in the router settings to pull the MAC address. Turned filtering back on and it was good to go. I set up the "Mail Service Settings" to my gmail account. I like that you can specify multiple recievers, I send to myself and my wife but I think you can specify up to four addresses. GMAIL SMTP settings Server: , Port: 465, Protocol: TLS, Need auth: check, username: me, password: my password. You have to click set before you can test, dont forget. Moving onto the Alarm Service Settings... Im still tweaking these. Now that the camera was configured, I mounted it outside. The manual says not to, but Im not too concerned about it. Last night, the motion sensitivity was set to 8. I didnt start receiving motion alert emails until about 5am, maybe four of them. Since 8am, whoa boy. I got an email every two minutes. Its now 1:30pm and somewhere around 120 emails later. I just dropped the sensitivity down to 3. Emails are still coming at the same rate. Checking the live feed, I can see the wind is blowing tree branches and there is a lot of shadow movement in the monitored area. Also, the shadows have moved from the sun location. I think I will need to set up the scheduler in the alerts to only run motion sensing at specific times during the day. I figured email option (smartphone) was the quickest way to get alerts, but its proving to be a bit annoying with my setup. Oh well, performing as advertised.

I wanted this camera to be indetectable and that was not going to happen with the obnoxious green flashing light on the front. Two pieces of electrical tape blacked it out. When the light sensor 'activates', you can see the ring of 'infrared' LEDs around the lens but it is fairly dim and not attention grabbing.

The install CD that comes with the cam isnt necessary. The manual implies that software will be installed on your windows computer that will help you configure and view the camera. This is not the case. Looking for the wireless MAC address, I ended up (always the case with computers) going down a path seemingly unrelated to what I was doing. I ended up having to update my vmware software compiling modules etc, ugh and fired up a Windows XP VM. I ran the CD expecting to have some more intimate connection with the camera...but it was just an executable version with a modified interface than the web interface....waste of time.

If I remember, I will post an update on the outdoor durability... Its currently mounted on the underside of an overhanging roof section. Its October 2011, hopefully it lasts through winter (NJ) into 2012. If not, lesson learned I guess. ***NOTE*** I originally thought I was going to sit the camera in a window to monitor a section of my yard. It was fine for daylit viewing, but once the infrared came on, there was a nasty glare on the window that made the night viewing nearly useless. Once moved outside, the picture was fine.

Hopefully this will help anyone trying to set up the camera, I felt like a fool having spent so much time setting up such a simple device AND being computer literate. Knowing the steps above, I dont think setting up camera2 will take more than 10 minutes, and thats with the camera doing its 30 second reboot cycle after each step.

I like this camera. I bought it to monitor my dog in the basement and it does a great job. It doesn't need to have the greatest quality. It just needs to be reliable. I was able to set it up on the basement ceiling. The camera settings flip the image. When the camera is setup so the base is down, it can't point down to the floor, so the ceiling setup is the best.

The output can be viewed from any computer using a service from dyndns.com. I have two cell phones (personal and business). One is a DroidX and one is an iPhone 3G. Both phones can view the live feed from either a web browser or a free app. I use NetCamViewer on my iPhone and IPCamViewer on my Droid. The droid app has Pan and Tilt functions. The iPhone app does not, but the camera can still be controlled from the iPhone Safari browser.

There are a couple of downsides to this camera. The response to changing light is very slow and it can't handle a large gradient in the light level. This means you can essentially make the camera blind by pointing a flash light at it.

Another downside is that the audio is horrible. I haven't been able to get clear audio from the camera.

I have purchased other similar cameras that use the same shell and go for about the same price. The big difference between the cameras is the software and the input/output ports on the back. I prefer the software for this camera, but this camera puts out a low current voltage. This can be used to trigger other equipment. The output of my other camera is connected to a relay which is what I needed to get control my garage door. This was a big deal for me, but I suspect most users won't use the input/output ports on the back.

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Camera works well after a bit of a set up but with exceptions. Still cant get any remote view over the internet after numerous videos and emails. Even just local use the camera view goes out at least every half hour and has to be refreshed often. A shame because the picture is good and pan and tilt work great also the night vision is perfect. No zoom but not a big deal. If I could see this cam from work (LIKE I BOUGHT IT FOR) or didnt have to refresh so much this cam would get a five. But until then....Im being generous at a three. Only because it frustrated me. I could have bought a cheaper webcam for what Im getting now.

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This product worked for a day. After that, video stopped. Everything else worked ... wireless networking, rotate the camera from via browser controls and so on. But no video. Black screen. Returned it. Great product when it works. Recommend you order twice as many as you need; then return the bad ones!

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Works well until it get hot then it tends to reset itself and hang. Then it needs power rest to recover.

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Mitsuba MIT305 12MP 4x Digital Zoom Camera/Camcorder (Silver)

When I first inspected my Mitsuba DV305, I was surprised by the external quality and how complete the camera package was: owners manual, CD, battery charger, cables, camera bag and something called a "Power Box". The Power Box is a temporary battery, it holds two AA batteries, this is to be used when you recharge the battery. The engineering and design are remarkable, that includes many "Bells & Whistles" that are included in much higher priced cameras. I found that the camera was user friendly, easy to use, despite the lack of information in the owners manual, 14 eighth of a page is insufficient for any manual for any electronic device.

Now the down side. The camera has two lenses, one on top and one just below. The top lens is not a lens, just a view finder. It is the second lens, half the size of the view finder that is actually the camera lens, yet there is a lens cap for the view finder. 12 Mega Pixels, it is a given that the more Mega Pixels the sharper the picture will be. The 12 Mega Pixels are Resolution Interpolated, do the research, sensor Mega Pixels are 3.2MP. The lens is F2.8/f8.5mm with a 4X zoom, this is adequate for taking picture on a sunny day as long as your subject is facing the sun and not more than 3 feet away. 12 Mega Pixels ?, I have 1.5 Mega Pixel cameras that take better quality pictures. Built in memory is 32MB with additional memory to be provided by a SD Card. 32MB memory would be sufficient for 10 picture and 15 second of video. SD Card? , nothing in the manual tells you the maximum size for a SD card. Here is a clue, when the monitor screen is opened, you will find a Memory diagram, the maximum is 2GB. Do Not try to use a SDHC card, as the engineering has not been incorporated for this type of SD card. I installed a 2GB SD card and it gives me 100's of pictures and 2 hours of video. The digital zoom I found stiff and hard to use, especially with a very light weight camera without any built in stabilizer. Mitsuba does not support their product very well, it is difficult to find a replacement battery, CD, owner manual or general information about their products, such as the maximum size for a SD card. When I received my camera the CD was damaged and I still have not received any information for a replacement. I have searched the Internet for information, as well contacted Mitsuba, concerning the maximum memory for the SD card without an results.

I am "Old School" as I still have my 35mm camera and my Hi8 camcorder, but I am moving into the digital world. The Mitsuba DV305 is an excellent introduction for the new digital cameras, as it is inexpensive way for anyone to start collecting their priceless moments, with an easy learning curve. I would recommend the Mitsuba DV305, as entry level digital, still camera, movie camera and voice recording device, all in one. I continue to use my Mitsuba DV305, for many of my requirements. We are planning a trip and the camera will be the only camera that I will use. JW

wouldnt reccommend this to my enemy waste of my money now y I see the saying says nothing cheap most time dont have any use used it once still in the box

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Samsung WB2100 Digital Camera (Black)

It's a nice design and great zoom but it takes LOUSY action shots and low light pics. What's even more annoying is the time it takes to snap a photo very poor lag time.

Update:

I have several disappointments with this camera.

1) Even using the Kids setting from the Scene mode does not capture action shots that well.

2) The auto-focus does not always focus how you want, where you have to refocus.

I have found the video capture to be great, as it picks up sounds well even a noisy room.

-----------------

I bought the Samsung WB2100 on May 4, 2013 as this digital camera has what I'm looking for: a decent price and good features for a non-SLR camera. Before finding the Samsung WB2100, I was going to get the Canon PowerShot SX500 IS.

The Samsung WB2100 has the following features:

1) 35X optical zoom, which can be set from the zoom on the lens or zoom on the camera body.

2) Has a 70X digital zoom, which can be set from the zoom on the camera body. I don't know how good the images look at 70X.

3) Defaults to record videos in 1080p. The movie size set from 320x240 to 1920x1080.

4) Defaults to an image size of 16MB. Can take photo sizes of 3MB to 16MB. When scrolling through the picture sizes, the info states what paper size the picture size is good for.

5) Flash is not motorized, and has to be opened with the release button.

6) Has an AEL button to add exposure to your shot. I have to find out how to reset the exposure after using AEL.

7) Menu setting can mute video recording when zooming in-and-out. By default, muting when zooming in enabled for video recording.

8) LCD screen tilts out in several different positions. The LCD screen does not swing out or turn upside-down like other digital cameras offer.

9) The included charger can plug into a traditional socket, or be used as the USB cable. It seems the USB cable can charge the camera.

10) The bottom of camera can be screwed into a tripod.

11) When previewing images, you can rotate the image.

Aside from the features listed above, I like the following:

1) The only digital camera that I've had that does well in low light. In other words, during the daytime at home, I don't have to turn on my house lights to take a good image. I don't have to use the camera's flash either.

Here are some annoyances that I have:

1) The audio during the video recording is extremely sensitive. If you allow for audio to be recorded when zooming in-and-out, I found that camera picks up the audio of using the zoom on the lens. I don't know if the video recording picks up the sound of using the camera body's zoom.

2) You cannot turn on the camera with the lens cap on. The LCD will tell you remove the lens cap, power on the camera again, and then automatically powers off.

3) The traditional power adapter has no light to tell you if the camera is charging or not. There is an red indictor light on back of the camera body, just above the LCD screen.

4) You have to go into (camera) settings mode to change the menu sounds, the beep sound, shutter sound, and other sounds. Settings has other settings as well, like for the display, that you cannot get to with the menu button. I have not tried out all of the settings yet.

5) When the camera is on, you cannot put the lens cap on.

The following is not included:

1) No separate battery charger. You have to charge the battery through the camera, or buy the battery charger.

2) No SD or micro SD with an SD adapter is included.

3) There is no instruction manual.

4) There is no manual that tells you what the different knobs, dials, buttons, etc. do on the Samsung WB2100. I don't know if this is the way digital cameras are sold these days, or if Samsung assumes you have some digital camera experience.

I have the following unknowns:

1) If the industry or Samsung is going to offer a adapter ring or not. Without an adapter ring, I cannot add a UV filter.

2) If Samsung offers a more powerful flash or not for the Samsung WB2100.

To summarize, I recommend the Samsung WB2100 for someone--like me--who is sick and tired of the small optical zoom that compact digital cameras offer but do not want to have an SLR or heft around an SLR. It has 35X zoom! Other competing cameras, like the Canon PowerShot SX500 IS, only have 30X optical zoom.

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I bought this camera with the expectation that it would do everything that we want! However upon taking it out of the package and beginning to setup, it would freeze up and to power down you had to take out the battery. Once I powered it back up, it would take me through setup again only to freeze up after pushing any other button. When you have to call for troubleshooting a brand new item, it's time to replace it!

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Fujifilm Finepix A345 4.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

This was my first digital camera. My daughter has a Kodak Easy Share camera and I had played around with it some, but I wanted an easy camera of my own. After doing some research and comparing I decided to go with the Finepix A345.

This camera has a lot of features, yet it was easy to learn how to use it. I had to get used to mastering the Auto Focus feature. Some of my shots came out blurry if the camera couldn't auto focus. If you are too close to your subject or not holding the camera still it will flash an AF! warning which means it can't auto focus. Most of my prints have come out great, very clear and with great coloring.

I have taken this camera to a concert and was very pleased with the Optical Zoom feature. I got closer shots that I could have gotten with my film camera. I used the Action mode and got some pretty good shots considering how far back our seats were. I've also taken this camera to an aquarium while on vacation and was very pleased at how my prints turned out.

I also like the size of this camera. It's small without being too small. I like the large LCD screen as well. The price was also right. The Amazon price was about $20 cheaper than Target or Best Buy. I also bought a 128 MB XD card. The 16 MB card that's included only holds about 20 pictures.

My only complaint about this camera is that I couldn't get the software to load correctly on my home computer. I have Windows XP and from what I've read from other Fuji camera reviews, sometimes the software can't be loaded without calling technical support. I just haven't took the time to do that yet so I go through "My Computer" to up load the pictures. That works perfectly so I may not even fool with the software.

I gave this camera 4 stars because I am basically pleased with this camera. However, this is my first digital camera so I don't have anything to compare it to. But for a beginner camera I think it's great.

I've owned probably 15 digital cameras over the past several years, this is my sixth fuji finepix. My other digital camera (that I currently own) is a DSLR and I am a photographer by trade so I'm quite possibly a little spoiled by the BETTER cameras that I've owned.

With that said, I wanted a cheap (around $100) camera that I could stick in my purse and take everywhere, a camera that even (GASP!) my husband was allowed to touch. This camera fit the price guidelines so I bought it.

First of all, it's small. VERY small. It is perfect for that in the purse/glovebox camera. It takes AA batteries which can be found at any backwoods bait store if needed.

For indoor shots, it lacks. Yes, it can take a picture that is in focus (sometimes) but it's often over or under exposed. The macro mode is worthless because you have to be around four feet away from an object before the camera will focus on the subject. For me, this is really a non-issue because when I'm at home, indoors, I'll use my GOOD camera.

For outdoor shots, this camera shines. Crisp, sharp pictures with little effort. The processor in this camera produces rich, vibrant colors. This is especially noticeable in the bright blue skies.

In conclusion, if you are looking for a cheap, SMALL digital camera to take along on vacation this fits the bill perfectly. If you are counting on this camera to preserve your precious memories of your family, taken mostly indoors, I'd look elsewhere.

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I bought this camera back in July and I love it. some people complain about clarity and i get great shots. You truly have to know how to set any camera to get the picture you want. you can't take a picture in the dark with no flash right? so in other ward you need to change settings to get clear pictures. that's with any camera. about the battery life. i was using regular batteries at first that lasted oh about a week. then I found some digital camera kind for $10 at target and haven't had to change the battery since then. i even got concerned thinking maybe i changed the battery and forgot, but no sill have the whole pack left and its been 3 months and i use my camera almost ever weekend. This camera really is great for taking pictures on your every day journey through life.

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This is my first digital camera experience and with nothing to compare my praise with, I give it...praise. For $199, this camera performs and then some. I love the fact that it has a large LCD screen and that it's nice and bright. The pictures look nice and clear and thats all that matters. I still havent mastered the different settings and whyfore and wherefore but all in all I am pleased with this camera. The sound on the movies is lacking but again $199 later and I am not complaining.

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Before I begain, let me first say that my commets are backed by 7 years of professional photography. So I hope that I know what I'm talking about.

I bought this camera at best buy during chrismas season of 2005. Before buying it, I compared it to an olympus 900 and a Sony S60. In the end, I went for this one (obviously). After fumbling with it for 2 days, I have to sayIt's pretty good.

After further research, I am still semi happy about my choicethe olympus downright sucks (according to cnet) and the Sony...well, let's just say it is more complicated than I expected it would be.

One thing that I do wish this camera had was the ability to capture movies at "TV MODE", which is at 600 by 500 or something pixels, and to do it at 30 frames per second. This camera could do it at a max of 300 something by 200 (see the specs at the top). Really, the movies do look good but if you view them fullscreen on a PC they look bloated and choppy. The Sony can capture better at the same price.

But a digital camera is supposed to take pictures, right?

This is where the camera excells in. I don't know howthe other reviewers could say that the image quality is bad, but all I can say is that from where I live here in Washington, the pictures come out nice and beautiful.

How does it look from your state?

Generally, this is a good camera for the average casual person. I'm planning to get a better one for my family (likely something from Sony) this spring though. But what can I say? This one do offer satisfactery shots in a small package.

Be warned however, this is not the most durable camera on the market. Its left side sports 3 uncovered and open areas: USB, Video out and Power ports which are totally out in the open. So don't accendentally spill water on that side. Proberly not good when taking pictures in the rain either.

And do get recharable batteries. My first set lasted me 20 shots, although it says that the camera can do around 100 on one set.

256 mb memory card is also recommended. Everyone says that they're cheap. I don't know how $30 sounds cheap. But you'll need them.

That's it! Overall, great camera.

P.s.

I love the seemingly huge 1.7 inch LCD.

Canon EOS Rebel T4i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera w/EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens +

The lens and camera are great. Was a little disappointed in some of the other stuff. Bag is cheap , table tripod won't hold up camera. But the camera itself is great.

Panasonic DMC-LC1 5.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

So here's the scenario that led me to purchase this camera. After years of photography with a Contax RTS II system, I dropped photography almost completely for 10+ years. The problem? Enjoying the medium without the expense, overly complex process and lugging around 18 lbs of equipment. So I recently started to look at digital photography to completely replace my film equipment. I didn't want an SLR because a)while $1200 buy's a 20oz. technological marvel, it's still made like a disposable $100 EOS Rebel and b)I would be back in the trap of buying lenses and overcomplicating the process. I wanted to get back to simple pure photography withough relying on fancy equipment.

Here was the problem though. There are virtually no non-slr digicams that offer full manual controls in a user friendly, old style manor. Even the SLR's all rely on LCD displays, cheesey dials and buttons.

There was only one (two including the Leica branded version) camera made that offers a rugged classic rangefinder design, an APERATURE RING!, a SHUTTER DIAL!, and manual FOCUS! and ZOOM! rings. While some of these are only emulate mechanical linkages, the end result is a camera that feels exactly like a Leica "m" or other traditional camera would. Oh and by the way did I mention it comes with a fantastic bright Leica f 2.0 lens?

In all honesty, I am not embarrassed to say that it boiled down to style and build quality. Sure there are histograms, program shifts, multiple spot and zone metering/focusing options, a bounce flash (neat feature), 30fps video mode, RAW image format, etc. etc. etc. blah blah blah. All $1000+ digicams have lot's of features, and franklly they are all capable of fantastic images. In the end if you want a camera that is SIMPLY designed the way cameras were made 20-50 years ago with all the bells and whistles if you want them, this is the ONLY choice.

Are there problems? Sure... The low light focusing capabilities leave something to be desired as with most EVF cameras. There is no RAW buffer so RAW images take a few seconds to store. But my initial feeling for this camera is that it is a joy to use.

This is not a cheap camera! With a list of $1599 and a street of $1099-$1399, it will be hard for some to justify not getting a Nikon D70 and 2 lenses in order to get this instead. It will be a certain type of buyer (you know who you are) that will buy this camera regardless of what I write. If you are a poser, buy the Leica Digilux 2 for $1850 street price and throw away $750. It is identical but the body on the Panasonic has a beautiful rubberized surface with just enough of a grip at the right to be effective. The black finish is very nice as well. It does however come with a few extras that would easily add $100+ to most DSLR's like an electronic cable release, a lense shade and filter.

So in the end I got exactly what I wanted and if you are like me, you will not be dissapointed.

A friend had one of these at a camera event in Amsterdam. He took my SD card and put it in his camera and took a few pictures, then gave the SD card for me to put back in my Optio S4. I then took the same pictures with my camera. The difference in the quality of the photographs was absolutely astounding! The Leitz Summicron lens gives stunning quality. The camera also had a fold up shade for the large LCD on the back (don't know if this is an accessory or standard) like the old Speed Graphic cameras had for their ground glass--so you can see it in bright light. I have never seen a digital camera that produced such a high quality image, and the fit and finish is worthy of the Leitz lens.

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The Panasonic DMC-LC1 reminds me of an overgrown Contax G2 autofocus 35mm film rangefinder camera and handles nearly as well as its more expensive sibling, the Leica Digilux 2. Panasonic and Leica have joined forces to create a line of digital cameras, of which this camera and the Leica Digilux 2 comprise a second generation. The Panasonic DMC-LC1 is very easy to use and the picture quality is superb, thanks to its new Vario-Summicron lens. This is not a camera meant for the casual user, but instead, one who is either a serious amateur or professional photographer interested in a high grade non-interchangeable lens digital camera. It will attract those interested in a much less expensive version of the Leica Digilux 2; at its lower cost, it lacks some of the software features present in the more expensive Leica digital camera.

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I've had this camera for about two years. Having cut my photographic teeth on an old SLR, I am familiar with manually manipulating lenses, dials, and so forth. I've owned several digital cameras from various manufacturers, and I usually end up shooting in "program" mode because digging through all the menu choices to set up a shot often means that I've lost the shot.

What a difference it is to work with this camera--a simple manual adjustment, made in a couple of seconds, is all it takes to do a set-up. The lens is larger and brighter than on most digital cameras, although the zoom range is a bit limited (a trade-off). And 5 megapixels on this camera definitely gives you more picture than 5 megapixels on a pocketable camera -the sensor is better, and I think the individual pixels are larger. (Get a big memory chip as soon as you can--this camera's files seem to be about double the size of those on an ordinary camera.) Images are beautiful, and worthy of the Leica lens.

One big minus I've found on this camera is the coarse, grainy viewfinder image--but on a digital camera you'll usually be composing on the screen. (I like the view that's nicely gridded into thirds.) There's also considerable "noise" when shooting at 200 ISO. But with the larger lens aperture, I don't use that setting much.

This is a classic--simple to use, great images. I'll be keeping it a long time.

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Digital Blue American Idol Mini Camera

I bought this for my grandson who really wanted to learn to take pictures. But he wanted to be able to see them or get them made into photos. This does not have an SD card. You have to load the pictures to your computer, burn a disc and then get the photos made from that. Too complicated for an 8 year old.

whats shown on the preview is a small square camera silver cameraShift3 Multi-function 3-in-1 Usb Mini Digital Camera with Keyring (VARIOUS COLORS), what i got was this oval shaped green thing that wont sit flat on a table picture at completly disipointed in this seller, the name says it all: cheep

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I bought this camera to keep in my backpack for whenever I need a photo. Unfortunately, I found out that it has no lasting memory AND it drains batteries very quickly even when not in use. When the battery dies, all my photos disappear. I regret this purchase.

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I really don't know why I bought this thing. But I haven't used and don't plan on using it.

Just one of those things.

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Panasonic SDR-H80-S SD and HDD Camcorder (Silver)

I bought the Panasonic SDR-H80 digital video camera from Best Buy yesterday (May 23, 2009). It cost $399 + extra for a backup battery and a warranty.

The Good Stuff:

The optical image stabilization feature is quite adept at stabilizing a shaky image.

The 70x zoom is kinda cool, though you really need a tripod for anything over about 30x.

The camera looks attractive, is light weight, and has a relatively easy to use interface. The buttons are mostly positioned well, except the zoom lever, which I couldn't easily reach without jostling the camera.

The Bad Stuff:

The image quality of this camera is utter trash. Pure garbage. My picture phone literally takes better quality video at a higher resolution. I was absolutely stunned at how bad the image quality is. It looks like some kind of highly compressed late 90's webcam or something.

And it gets even worse in low light. And here, by "low light", I mean anything less than direct sunlight. My first attempts with this camera last night turned out so bad that I couldn't see anything.

I did have the camera set to the highest quality, and I followed the instructions for the different lighting types (fluorescent, mercury, etc) with no luck.

The camera claims to have an intelligent auto (iA) feature, but I didn't notice it doing much but fiddling with the white balance at odd intervals.

There is also a special low-light feature called "magic ..." something or other. I forget. But it reduced the frame rate to 1 or 2 fps, which makes it completely unacceptable as a video recording device.

I am surprised at how good the reviews are for this piece of equipment. Really, people, set your bar just a little bit higher.

I returned this product this morning to Best Buy. I brought my laptop, and while I was there, I tried out other cameras of this model to make sure that mine was not simply defective. They were all trash.

I ate the $60 Best Buy restocking fee, but that's okay because I'd rather be out $60 than $400 for a camera that won't do anything but sit in my closet.

Bought this a couple weeks ago as my old Sony MiniDV camera bit the dust.

So far so good excellent zoom, audio quality, nice to have so much recording time to the HDD.

Didn't notice till I got it that it does not have an eyepiece only the LCD screen other than that I couldn't be happier.

Note, I originally tried to save money by buying from one of those New York Electronics dealers guy tried to convince me it only came with a 30 minute battery and I needed to spend the extra $100 with him to upgrade. Looser -

It's good for at least a couple hours.

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After some research and because I own a Panasonic Camera. I decided to buy this camcorder. First impression it looks good (small and very light), the optical zoom 70X and 60GB hard drive make it very impressive.

The biggest downside to this camcorder is the video quality. I shot a couple of shots in the morning under daylight and the image quality was very good. However, with no sunshine the image quality is very shady and bad. Imagine even with a house that is brightly lit the image looked very grainy and not good quality. The backlit feature does not help either.

Am going to return this camcorder and would advice you to stay away.

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First off, I was looking for a replacement for my JVC mini-DV camcorder which I used extensively last year. It worked well until one day, it fell to the floor and since then, I would get errors while recording after 30 minutes of use. If I used a cleaning tape, I could get it to work somewhat. But, the biggest thing I disliked about it was that it would take 1 hour to transfer to my computer 1 hour worth of video using firewire.

So, I was looking for a good Standard Definition camcorder which would either use a hard-drive or flash memory card to transfer video to my computer for further editing and DVD authoring. And, this camcorder does that and very elegantly as well. I tried out some HD quality camcorders but to edit those would require a new PC, better software which doesn't seem to be available right now and more frustrations than I was looking for. I was looking for an easier way to do what worked.

I read where some do not like the quality ( primarily of photos ) which I'm not concerned with. The video quality to me is as good as my old JVC mini-DV. I have captured snapshots from the video taken on this camcorder and, considering all, they're not too bad but if I want a good photo, I'll use my digital camera. The software supplied with this Panasonic transfers the .mov files from the camcorder to the PC and renames them .mpg files. The files are identical so I'm assuming the camcorder records in mpeg format using a .mov file extension on the camcorder itself. I have thought I might just copy to my PC directly but the software is fairly straight forward enough, I use it. For editing video ( and photos ), I use my regular video/photo editing software once the files are on my PC. I used Sony Vegas Movie Studio 8 Platinum for video and PSP X2 or Photoshop Elements for photos and they work well.

What I like most about the camcorder are:

1. the zoom -I recorded our son's football game and from across the field up in the video booth, I could zoom in on players and see their face quite easily zoomed in,

2. optical stabilization -at zoomed in level, the stabilization worked very well. I held the light camcorder in my left hand as steady as I could and used my right index finger to zoom and thumb to record/pause the video. This worked very well,

3. audio -I picked up audio from below, close up and far away while recording and was truly impressed with the resulting DVD I created from the captured video,

4. transfer to PC -instead of 1-to-1 time transfer with a mini-DV, I could send 15 minutes of video over to my PC in 2-3 minutes max time -and I didn't have to view/listen to the video being played while transferring.

What I like least about the camcorder are:

1. it is light -almost too light but I'll get used to that,

2. the battery only lasts about 2 hours before charging so I've bought a longer-lasting battery which should help there,

3. the AC adaptor plug and file-transfer USB cable plug in under the battery. Somewhat awkward yes, but to do file transfers properly, I should be using AC anyway so it's impossible to mess that up using a low battery and losing power in the middle of a file transfer,

4. there is another feature called aI which I haven't completely figured out yet but from what I can tell so far, it may be something I would add to what I like Most about the camcorder. If I find this is so, I may wish to update this review.

So, for my purposes, this is a great camcorder!

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I've read the other reviews and have to say, the one's that claim the image is bad quality or grainy need to go to school. Just read the manual and learn how to adjust the settings to the surroundings. It's a camera, not a box of ready to eat cereal..... it takes a bit of talent and practice to make a good video.

I also have a Laptop that's running 64 bit Vista and had no problem with the software, as well as on my 32 bit desktop with XP. I'm not sure what her problem was.

Take the bad revues with a grain of salt, these people probably can't tie their shoes right.

Canon EOS Rebel T4i Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens with 55-250mm IS Lens + 3

The BEST Camera I have ever had and for the price "Do not miss this deal it is the BEST"

So far it takes excelent prictures with such an incredible speed, I don't miss any moment waitting fo a camera to be ready anymore; thats the difference between a Point and shoot; and a SLR

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After our last vacation it became clear that I needed something much better than my little point and shoot. This camera is simply awesome! It's very easy to use, even for people who know very little about photography like me. What few pictures I've taken so far have been absolutely amazing! I've done a few shots in fully automatic mode and a few in manual mode, and everything is very easy and intuitive to use. Couldn't be happier!

This is a great package with a great camera for a great price! If I had to nitpick and find something to complain about, and I'm really grasping at straws here, it would be that there isn't a lens hood for the 55-250mm lens. It uses a different lens hood that's a bit longer than the one that comes in the package (ET-60). But that was only another couple dollars, so no big deal.

Read Best Reviews of Canon EOS Rebel T4i Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens with 55-250mm IS Lens + 3 Here

Even though this kit contains stuff I'll probably never use, the price value is unbeatable. Love the T4i. Would recommend.

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The camera is known for its greatness. and the additional components makes it even better, especially for the cost paid.

LG HX350T 720p LED Front Projector with Digital TV Tuner

• The HX350T offers XGA resolution in a small compact size and comes with a carrying case
• The projector provides a bright image (300 lumens) but is still extremely portable weighing in at 1.7 pounds
• The built in file viewer allows you to view Microsoft Office documents, images and DivX videos without having to connect to your computer
• 30,000 hours of lamp life means you will likely never need to replace the lamp
• The built-in ATSC digital TV tuner allows you to use your projector like a big screen TV

I am as pleased with this LG HX350T 720p Front Projector Black as I could possibly be. Video projection has been improving by the proverbial leaps and bounds and this particular one is an example of a type which didn't even exist just a few years ago.

It is essentially a PORTABLE giant screen television its image can be far larger than almost any other television you could buy and like those 'regular' flat-screen TVs, it has other video and computer capabilities thrown in! (It can even play directly from an external USB hard drive or USB thumb drive.)

Its dimensions are amazing: 2.4" height by 6.3" width by 5.3" depth, tiny by any standard (smaller, as I show in the video, than most portable radios). It is packed with many of the necessary cables or adapters most people will need (though it would have been nice had an HDMI cable been included too).

It even comes with a very well-padded carrying case which has plenty of room inside for the projector itself, its power supply, the included cleaning cloth, the supplied cables, and any other cables/accessories you may wish to carry about. The case offers plenty of protection against damage.

It uses a common video projection technology with a twist: DLP, which is familiar to many people, but, instead of a color wheel, with all its attendant faults (VERY noticeable "rainbow" effects, color fringing, noise, etc.), it uses LED technology, thus offering the best of both worlds: DLP without video artifacts.

However I do have to tell you that in certain rare circumstances I have been able to see some very minor "rainbow" color flashes; please note that I am unusually sensitive to such artifacts (my wife cannot see them). This may be due to the sequential nature of LED pulsing. In any case it is far less distracting than that of ANY "regular" color-wheel-equipped DLP projector I have ever seen. I think that many, possibly most, people will not notice any such artifacts at all.

As you'll be able to see in the video, the image it produces, even in daylight, is VERY bright indeed. At night, or in a darkened room, it looks even better! You need never worry about brightness there's all you'll ever need or want, night or day. (The brightness in the video is set to default, 50%.) As a matter of fact, if your image is smaller, you may even want to reduce the brightness.

Black and white images look really, really good and color images are truly spectacular. Unlike LCD 'flat-screen' televisions, there is no fall-off in light regardless of your viewing angle.

Its native resolution is 1024 x 768 (1.33:1) but it can be adjusted to different ratios, such as 1.78:1 (16:9 which is what I'm currently using) and some others. (I wish the projector's native resolution were 16:9 instead of 4:3 but this is not necessarily a disadvantage.)

As you can also see in the video, illumination is quite uniform across the image, with no bright or dim spots. There is no pixelation that I can see. And the image is sharp very sharp indeed. The fact that it is a 720p projector makes NO apparent visible difference when viewing 1080i television or 1080p Blu-ray discs, at least to my wife and to me. The large, sharp image is breathtaking.

As it uses LED technology, there is no actual projection bulb as with most other projectors. The LEDs, which supply the light output, are rated for 30,000(!) hours that means that if you ran it FOUR HOURS A DAY EVERY SINGLE DAY (with no exceptions), this projector would last for over twenty (20) years! And that's with no maintenance at all (other than an maybe an occasional wiping or dusting the case).

Connections? Just about any you could possibly need: composite video, VGA, HDMI, a USB port (for viewing of photos and documents, playing MP3 music files, watching videos), a means for connecting component video (the three-cable type), a 3.5mm (1/8") audio input, a 3.5mm headphone/external speaker jack, AND a coaxial antenna port.

Why an antenna (and cable) connection? Because this projector has its own TV tuner built-in! It can handle your cable connection or even an ordinary TV antenna; it will play any type of television signals available in the United States (including the old analog ones of which, at our location, we still can get two channels).

It has a 1.0 Watt/Channel stereo amplifier built in and, attached via its headphone jack to amplified computer speakers (or, as I am connecting it, to a stereo amplifier), it produces full, rich sound. (Obviously you can also use headphones.) Its built-in speakers are of little value, however.

Unlike most projectors with which I am familiar, this one is very quiet; I have it positioned right next to my reclining chair and I can barely hear it.

It turns on instantly; likewise it turns off instantly.

Any disadvantages? Yes one possible one. Its lens is of the fixed focal-length type rather than a zoom lens. That means that to adjust picture size, you must physically move the projector back and forth (just like in the old days with an 8mm home movie projector). Some people may find this to be a disadvantage in certain rooms.

But I think that this is a small price to pay. Fixed focal-length lenses are inherently sharper than variable focal-length (zoom) ones. And as this projector is so tiny, it is easy to move it to wherever you'd like.

It can be mounted on a stand, a table, a ceiling-mount, or (as it comes with the proper fitting) a tripod (as you'll see in the video). It can even be used for rear-projection (the image can be reversed).

As my room has a flat-white-painted wall, I need no screen. But even if you do need a screen, the additional cost is not too high.

This projector is as flexible a unit as can be imagined.

While as of this writing I have had mine for only a short time, I have watched a number of DVDs, Blu-ray discs, TV, and streaming video via this projector and I am very, very impressed.

For its portability, convenience, versatility, and maintenance-free operation, I think that this LG HG350T is one of the best of its type. Can it be matched? Maybe. Can it be beat? I don't think so. Did I mention that it appears to be constructed with the highest level of integrity? It is and that should be just another reason you would want one. (It comes with a 2-year warranty, parts and labor.)

Now think about this: I have mine mounted (in my relatively small room), approximately six and a half feet from the wall (as mentioned the wall is painted flat white). At the 16:9 ratio setting, I'm getting an approximately 68" (diagonal) image. 68"!

How much would a 68" flat-screen TV cost? A whale of a lot more than this projector does!

Since I created the video placed here, I have removed that old Proton video monitor and I now have the whole wall (between the wire sculpture and the painting seen in the video) to use. When I project using the native 4:3 ratio, the image diagonal is 72"!

And the viewing angle matters not!

Please consider that the size of the image I am getting is completely dependent on the size of my room, the available space on my white-painted wall, and the 'throw' distance available in my case 6 1/2 feet. If your room is larger, if your wall has more available space (or if you have a bigger screen), and if you can have a longer 'throw,' then your image can be much larger. I understand that creating a 100' diagonal image is no problem for this projector and you may even be able to achieve an even larger one.

The color settings "out of the box" are so good that, unlike with most video projectors, you may not need to 'tweak' the settings at all (though you can if you wish; a nice touch is that, if you totally 'mess them up,' you need only click on the Reset option in the particular setting's options and that setting instantly changes back to its factory default). In my opinion, these default settings are good enough for most people (including me).

There are also two "Expert" color settings with which you can experiment should you desire to do so. In their sub-menus are contained just about every color adjustment possible (and even these have the reset-to-default button). You could adjust these settings using one of those Blu-ray or DVD color calibration discs.

You can move this projector into any room of your house or even out of doors.

Personally I think that, if you are the least bit interested in having the largest, highest quality, image in your house, at a reasonable price, you should really consider buying this LG HX350T video projector.

Basically what I am saying is that, instead of buying a relatively cumbersome flat-screen television, why not buy this portable unit instead? It's much less expensive, it's much more versatile, and its picture quality is, at the very LEAST, the equal of any flat-screen TV I have ever seen (plasma or LCD). And the picture size is much larger.

I can't praise it highly enough. My wife and I, as well as a couple of friends, have been truly astounded by the capabilities and the video quality of this tiny LG projector. DVDs and Blu-rays looks superb as do TV and video output from a USB source. Sound is first-class. The price is amazing. And its portability is second to none. For what more could you ask?

I'd be willing to bet that if you buy one, you'll be as pleased with it as we are.

I sincerely thank each and every person who has taken the time to read this, to watch my video, and who has considered my opinions.

Buy LG HX350T 720p LED Front Projector with Digital TV Tuner Now

This projector is well suited to business travelers or teachers who can't assume there will be compatible on-site presentation equipment for small groups. It also has possibilities for home use, especially for those who might only occasionally want a large-screen image at some location (Super Bowl party, video for family gathering, etc.), since it's easy to set up, move and store. The onboard TV tuner may add to the home appeal for those who still rely on broadcast TV.

Compact and light

For the business traveler, this unit has many attractions. It's remarkably compact and light. The included carrying case (sturdy, soft-sided, well compartmented, including a strap with shoulder pad) is 9 x 11 x

Vivitar ViviCam 5188 5MP CMOS, 8x Digital Zoom, 2" LCD Digital Camera (Black)

I bought this to test for an upcoming trip to Hawai'i (want an underwater digicam for snorkeling). I was initially impressed by the housing but the camera was awfully light. A quick inspection showed why. The SD port cover is a rubber "plug" (similar to the covers for USB ports, etc on most digital cameras). No big deal, but I could see it coming off with rough use. The menu was extremely basic and didn't even have an option to turn off the barely audible "beep" that followed each button press. You also couldn't change the length of playback which was barely a second. Switching "modes" resulted in the display disappearing while the change was made then reappearing (the first time I set flash to 'always on" the display didn't come back up for 5-6 seconds). "No big deal," I thought, since it was a $60 u/w digicam (I own a Nikon D200 so certainly wasn't expecting to use this on land). I took a few shots then pulled them up on the computer. Aye, there's the rub...

The shots are really quite poor. The lens may be fixed focus, but it's a relatively narrow cone in front of the camera. Approximately 60% of the image was out of focus. There's a noticeable circle in the middle that was reasonably focused with increasing fall-off towards the edges. Furthermore, the shutter speed was iffy at best. A shot of my refrigerator with flash "on" resulted in a very blurry picture. These shortcomings might be mitigated underwater, but I doubt it. Judging by my brief experience, I would strongly suggest avoiding this for any "meaningful" photography (above or below the water).

I give it 2 stars because it's probably ideal for a child as a first camera. The waterproof case was pretty tough and seemed to be up to the task of protecting the camera from rough handling. The poor picture quality would not be a huge issue for a child. The latch to open the case required enough dexterity that a curious child would not be able to open it on accident.

All-in-all, I could see a 4-6 year-old having hours and hours of fun with this at the beach or pool. Mom and Dad, on the other hand, are likely to be sorely disappointed.

While the quality of the camera is not state of the art, it is pretty decent for the price. My 12 year old daughter is thrilled with it.

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Even at the top level of fidelity, called FINE, the pictures have a lot of blurry areas because of image compression. End result is that the pictures with this 5M camera look worse that a similar picture with my 2M Canon. If they really have the 5M pixels on the sensor, they should improve the software to take use of this.

The only saving grace on the camera is the waterproof case. It is nice to take it rafting without having to worry about getting it wet. As soon as you hit dry land, however, dump this thing for a real camera!

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I got this because it was the cheapest underwater camera I could find. It worked great when I went snorkeling in Mexico, but then the clasp on the case broke and I haven't been able to fix it. It's worth taking a chance on this I think, just be very careful with the case. The video quality is actually very good for the price.

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I bought this camera to take to the beach and on canoe trips. for this it is great. No worries about it ever being ruined by the water, and the fact that it will take video with sound, even with the case on it was a plus. However I would not reccomend this as your everyday camera because it is slow and alot of the pictures(not all) will come out blurry. So I just usually snap two shots of everything. If you want a cheap, take to the beach camera, than I can reccomend this for you.

Optoma EzPro 737 Digital Video Projector

On a "tight" budget for your home theater needs? That was me. I decided not to go above $1,500 between audio and video... well, that is a bit unrealistic if you also count cables and setup, but the Optoma EzPro 737 will get you one step closer to your goal. Here's why.

It is by far the best bang for your buck, among the sub-$2,000 projectors. It boasts DLP technology for a crisp picture, with a very decent 1800:1 contrast ratio and 1,500 ANSI lumens which -along with the native XGA 1,024x768 resolutionmake it a great solution for your projection home theater needs. If you are not extremely critical, you will even find that it performs very well even if the room where you project is bright (during the day), but I'd recommend making sure you have proper blinds or projection at night for best results. In any case, if you don't pick this projector, make sure you don't purchase anything that's under 1,500 lumens.

Ah! Did I mention that it supports HDTV? That's what the XGA resolution is all about!

Now, on to the hidden costs. Since you will be mounting on the ceiling (most likely), unless you are extremely handy, count on some $400-$700 in installation costs, which may only include labor for running cables to your receiver/box plus the actual upside-down-mounting to have it hang upside down, etc. As for your cables, depending on how far you need to run them, they may cost anywhere from $50 to $150 bucks (tip: get the 50 ft M1-A to RCA -componentextension cable from Dell for under $50!)

All in all, this projector is the best thing I've found out there to meet all my video home theater needs: quality image and support for HDTV, plus it won't cost you an arm and a leg (compared to almost everything else out there these days). Just jump into it knowing that you will have to spend some $600 or more to get it set up for good.

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GoPro LCD Touch BacPac for HERO Cameras

This BacPac does extend the life of the Hero3. However, it does NOT extend the life of the Hero3 like it did for the Hero2. I do recommend it to help with the Hero3 battery life issues. If you can buy 2 of these so they can be swapped out quickly and I also recommend the Wasabi replacement batteries for the GoPro as the are 1200mAh vs GoPro's 1050mAh.

NOTE: In the Hero2 you could switch out the battery in the BacPac. THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN THIS BACPAC. Once the BacPac is depleted you have to recharge the BacPac. I wish GoPro would have left it like it was. This forces you to either wait for it to recharge or buy 2 of them.

The ability to review video and photos via the LCD bacpac was the most important thing for me going for a ride you can position your hero3 in any position you want to via the Smartphone app but this doesnt give you any indication of the lighting and how well the video is captured whilst in motion eg is protune and 1080p 30fps in wide going to be the best for the environment I'm in? etc .. easy take out your lcd screen attach to the back of camera or leave it attached and review footage at whatever time mid ride without a need for the pc so the whole ride can be captured correctly. This screen isnt spectacular by any means but it is good enough, adjusting the camera settings by touch screen is also easier the package includes several case backings so touch screen is usable while in the case... plenty of options. The touch screen can take a little getting use to and is a slight delay in accessing files and replaying videos etc but once it plays can watch everything quite clearly.

I did a bit of a check on this item and most forums report there are compatibility issues for other Hero cameras so I'd would only recommend this for Hero3 all functions work perfectly. NOTE if planning on using the screen for extended playback out in the middle of nowhere take a spare battery with you as the LCD drains the battery fairly quickly.

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Used for going through menus and settings easier than the front buttons of the camera. Saves time, and allows a more interactive menus format.

In the field, I turn the LCD on with the camera, set up what I need, compose the shot, then before hitting record, turn the LCD unit off to conserve power.

Works well, is always there when I need it!

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I've tried the BacPac with both a H3 White and an H3 Black and have found it definitely doesn't double capacity, but it adds a reasonable amount of additional time, perhaps 50 minutes of continuous recording. It increases the overall thickness of the camera to about what it was with the previous generation Hero 2 HD.

The one issue with the BacPac, and my reason for four stars instead of five, is I could never get the pass-thru charging to work; I always had to charge the BacPac first, then move the USB to the Hero to finish; same behavior on the H3 White and H3 Black.

Unfortunately, my experience with the Hero 3's themselves have been pretty poor. I have three total; two H3 Blacks and one H3 White. Two of the cameras, after about three days of regular use of several hours per day, will no longer charge their internal battery. A third no longer functions at all. I flashed the firmware to current on all three of them before they were put into use. The two that won't charge the internal will at least still run off of the BacPac so they weren't completely out of service. All in all I think I'm about done with the H3's and will be sending them all back.

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This LCD is small and nothing special... the touch controls are a little finicky. But, it helps you frame your shots live with your GoPro, and for that, it's worth it.

Samsung Digimax 240 2.1MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

Finding a digital camera in the under $200 range is not easy. After doing a bit of research, I finally purchased the Samsung 240. It takes only two double "A" batteries, keeping the unit light and compact; easy to fit in a coat-pocket or bag. Do not make the mistake however of trying to use standard batteries with digital cameras. Buy a set of rechargeables and an AC adaptor for home computer hook-up. One set of NiMh batteries easily lasted me through eighty-two photos and seven avi files on a a busy birthday weekend.

If you are familiar with the use of computer, electronics, and cell phone menus so prevalent with today's devices you'll have no problem with the screens and menus (though the screen is hard to see in brilliant daylight). If, however you are not comfortable with electronic devices ask a friend who is, to walk you through the menus as the manual is cumbersome and stiffly worded. The software that comes with the camera is passable, but most computers have something that will allow you to manage your photos more readily.

A memory card is a must, but in a pinch, the on-board memory is fine for ten or so shots at medium quality resolution. There are three photo qualities available. The middle resolution is fine for just about everything. I have even been able to take shots of architectural drawings and e-mail then to contractors for review within the span of a few minutes. 2.0 pixels is more than adequate for most applications. The avi movie files are a fun addition, reminiscent of old 8mm footage, but great for catching the sense of space in a landscape or two children playing in a treehouse. And like 8mm there is no sound.

Some points for improvement: A built-in lense cover would have been nice. The rubber AC adaptor-cover needs to be pressed firmly in place to make a good seal (difficult if you have poor dexterity in your hands). Flash recharge is a bit slow, about three to four seconds which doesn't sound like much until you have all the grandchildren lined up for a group shot. :)

All in all a nice camera to take you into the world of digital photography and at a price that won't make you worry about taking it everywhere with you!

It is easy to switch between modes of the camera. The included video cable allows you to display video or photos on a t.v. with the setting of only one option.

It seems to eat batteries though. I was surprised when after shooting a few minutes of video and taking 8 photos with the LCD screen on, I didn't have enough battery power to download them onto my computer. In two days, I had used up 3 new pairs of AA alkaline batteries. Perhaps that is normal this is my first digital camera. The service department recommended I buy lithium rechargeable batteries.

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Being that this is my first digital camera, I was a little skeptical of its capabilities. The samsung was given to me as a gift by my dad, but not before doing quite a bit of research on digital cameras and choosing this one. Being that my dad is a professional photographer, he was looking for a camera that would fit my needs. Someone who occasionally takes pictures, dosen't want a lot of gadgets & buttons galore. Basic quality pictures with a few amenities. For the asking price this camera has much more megapixels than a camera that is twice the price. It's ease of use is straight forward, and uncomplicated. I had the camera 2 days b4 going on a road trip to monteray calif, and I didn't even read the manual. Within a few hours I knew how to use all of it's features as if I had owned it for many months. I took some great pictures in all different lighting situations, and even a few movie pic's. After downloading them onto my computor, I was amazed on how clear and precise they came out. One of two drawbacks this camera has is it's view screen. When trying to see what it is your taking a picture of during the day, the screen becomes so washed out, it turns white. The other draw back is that it goes through two double AA'S in one day (no lie) And that isn't even having it on but for only a few minutes here and there!! My solution was to purchase "NIMH" rechargeable batteries that should last a least two days. On a 2 or 3 day trip a couple extra sets should be plenty. A week trip or longer, you should carry a least a dozen and don't forget to bring the charging case! In all fairness talking with other owners of digital cameras, The general consensus is that they too with their different brands of digital cameras, have the same issues.

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This Digimax 240 is a compact unit, light but solid, with well placed dials and switches, and easy to handle. Provides a person with many options in a number of regards. The photos are high to excellent quality, just right for the average person. A big plus is the autofocus for providing sharp images and so is the macro mode for taking close ups. There is a little parallex problem in the latter regard, so in order to not to cut a portion off, you need to aim a little left and high for very close work. The provided software works just fine, though I had to call the Samsung 800 number for help in installing the camera driver from the CD to my computer, but the help was fast and accurate. The 2.00 megapixels may not be enough for you if you plan to take many pictures on a trip, so you may want to buy an optional memory card. It works on readily available 2 AA batteries, but it does eat them up fairly fast, though turning off the LCD viewer helps. It may be wise to invest in rechargeable batteries or a AC power converter from Samsung. So far it has worked flawlessly; I have encountered no mechanical problems at all. If I should, I will let you know by revising this review. I would highly recommend this camera for its ease of use, high quality images, and reasonable price. (The Samsung Digimax 201 is a good little camera also, but without the autofocus, for less money, and with a more compact body.)

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I am Drew Corey, a small time travel writer (you wouldn't have heard of me). I am only 25 years old, but I have 15(!)digital cameras, including this 1.

This was my 10th digicam, to be precise. I have taken this with me to Kenya, New Zealand and Mexico. All 3 times, I have got fabulous photos, whichi magazines have accepted.

True, this IS a beginner's camera, but one easily gets fooled by the looks, style, price and brandname. I got fooled, to tell you the truth. But even a professional photographer would be amazed at the quality of these photos;they come out ACE!! I mean, they ALWAYS come out ACE!!

So the bottomline:

THIS CAMERA IS A SNATCH. IT'LL BE THE ENVY OF YOUR FRIENDS, AND YOU'LL BE WOWED BY IT TOO. SO DON'T HESITATE:GO AHEAD AND BUY IT;YOU CAN WORK WONDERS WITH IT!!