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Excellent. TO OT OT OT OT OTO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TOE why OK

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Highly recommended to add connectivity for your portable gadgets.

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Came just when I needed it .

Finally I can use my table, I just love it is just what I'd expected.

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Use it for tablet to monitor connection. No problem. I like it. Recommend anyone use for the same purpose. Good length.

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for the price I could not be happier. It's a cable that I use to run Netflix through my phone to a large TV. Shipping was fast.

Canon Powershot SD30 5MP Digital Elph Camera with 2.4x Optical Zoom (Rockstar Red)

I have used a few other digital cameras, and so I will compare

performance when I can.

Specific Observations

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

I programmed the camera to use its lowest ISO setting (50), spot

metering, spot auto-focus, largest image file size, and highest image

compression quality. The rest of this post assumes these settings.

1. The camera is quite fast, faster than my old Canon SD10. Both

shutter button response time, and shot-to-shot delay have been

improved significantly. Nice going Canon!

2. With "spot" autofocus selected, the camera seems to do very well.

With my old SD10, I would regularly obtain photos that were

grossly out of focus. It does not seem to happen with the new

SD30. Thank you Canon!

3. The "deluxe" kit features a very nice soft case. It fits perfectly

and looks good. I consider this to be a "must" for a tiny,

carry-it-everywhere gadget. All of the stores I checked stocked

the "deluxe" kit, perhaps there is no other kit for sale. But I

suggest that you confirm that you are getting the Canon SD30 soft

case with your purchase.

4. The flash intensity cannot be adjusted, as far as I can tell. It

is therefore difficult to photograph certain shiny objects, such as

circuit boards and small machinery. This is giving me fits. The

available flash power is not much either. This is no shame for Canon

really, since the size of the tube must be small in a midget camera

like this. By comparison, the Casio Exilim EX-S500 can produce

significantly more light.

5. After some practice, I am very pleased with the image quality that

I am getting from this camera, at least when there is adequate

lighting. The SD30 produces what I have come to regard as the "Canon

look." I'm not sure if the photos are especially true to life, but

they are extremely pleasing. I see highly saturated colors, sharp

focus, low noise, and pleasant "warm" skin tones. I also detect this

"Canon Look" in photos coming out of the Sony Cybershot DSCP200. I

suspect that Sony and Canon use the same image sensors. I compared

photos of the same objects taken with the Canon SD10 and a Casio

Exilim EX-S500. The pictures coming out of the Casio are fuzzy by

comparison. The side-by-side comparison also makes the Casio pictures

look a bit washed out. The Casio pictures have much more chroma

noise too.

6. The macro capability is excellent. The camera has a feature which

puzzled me at first. Now I understand that it is pure genius: the

best macro performance occurs when the lens is zoomed to its maximum

(2.4x). With the zoom at maximum tele, I can reliably fill the image

frame with an object that is 5 cm across (left to right) or smaller.

Where does the genius come in? Most other cameras are engineered so

that the most extreme macro performance is achieved when the lens

is at its full wide angle setting. If the SD30 was designed this

way, then the camera would have to be positioned very close to its

subject matter. When this occurs, shadows from the camera and the

photographer's hands would interfere with the photogaraph. The

performance of the flash unit would also suffer. Good job Canon! I

have taken some really amazing macro shots of ears, for example. It

sounds disgusting, but I was able to discern incredible detail in

the subject matter and learn how to use the camera's macro mode.

It was almost like working with a microscope. My macro photos

were all "hand held," no tripod used. Nevertheless, most of them

turned out well. Many looked "razor sharp."

7. The camera feels solidly durable. The various buttons and other

controls are especially firm. I also like the Casio Exilim EX-S500

in this regard, but the Canon controls are more solid, with no

side-to-side play.

8. The SD30 is not as amazingly small as the old SD10. I would not

want to carry it in the breast pocket of a man's dress shirt, for

example.

9. You must use the (included) cradle to charge the camera's battery.

Although the cradle is reasonably small, it still sucks for

travelling light. There is probably an accessory you can purchase

that travels better than the cradle and power cable that is

included in the "deluxe" kit. I haven't shopped for such

accessories yet.

10. The camera retains a feature of the SD10 that I absolutely HATE:

it resets its metering mode to "evaluative" after every power cycle.

Like all other digital cameras, the only metering mode that works

worth a damn is "spot." At power-up, it takes me 8 button pushes to

get the camera to "spot" meter. The main value of a tiny camera is

that you can carry it everywhere, and capture unplanned events.

Those 8 extra button pushes really detract from the value of this

type of machine. (Sorry for venting).

11. When connected to a computer, the camera will NOT emulate a disk

drive, the way many other cameras do. It is still an easy matter

to transfer pictures to the PC, but I prefer the increased

flexibility of disk drive emulation.

12. The quality of the motion video in the SD30 is pretty bad. There

is a 320x240/20fps mode and a 640x480x15fps mode. The 320x mode

has bad spatial resolution. I don't like looking at the "movies"

produced in this mode. The 640x mode looks jerky, because of its

15fps rate. By comparison, the Casio Exilim EX-S500 does a bit

better.

Conclusion

----------

The Canon SD30 is one of the smallest digital cameras available today.

This type of camera, by its nature, must have compromises. I find it

interesting to compare the different approaches to design evident in

the Canon SD30 and the Casio Exilim EX-S500. I believe that these two

are the best of the tiny cameras, though in different ways.

Both cameras are fast (shutter lag and shot-to-shot delay). Both are

handsome and appear to be constructed nicely. Both cameras use SD cards

for storage, which I prefer. This card format is physicallly small, and

it is not controlled by a single vendor, like Sony and its Memory Sticks.

Canon offers excellent image quality. Like the old Canon SD10, the

photographs have a certain "Canon look" that is very appealing. I suspect

that this "look" is the result of high color saturation, sharp contrast,

and low noise. White balance is nicely done too.

The user interface of the Canon is spare. There are not a lot of features

for the user to play with. The simplicity will be a godsend for some

users. Personally, I would have preferred to have more control.

I believe that it is useful to compare the Canon SD30 to the Casio Exilim

EX-S500. The Casio offers a TON of features! It has more "scene" modes.

It can function as a sound (only) recorder. It can photograph documents

and force them to look rectangular (remove keystone effect). Best of

all, the Casio can be programmed to remember some of its settings, and

reset others, when it is powered off. The customer gets to choose which

settings are remembered. Too bad about the chroma noise and soft focus

though.

Before I obtained the Canon, I already had an EX-S500. I had planned to

keep one of these cameras and give away the other. But frankly, I don't

like the thought of parting with either of them. Comparing these two

cameras has made me appreciate both of them. A few monthes ago, I wrote

a review of the EX-S500 that was fairly negative, due to image quality

issues. Oddly enough, I respect Casio more now. This, in spite of the

fact that the Canon SD30 does produce superior photographs, as I expected.

Both cameras are engineering marvels! The Canon produces beautiful

photographs and stunning macro images. The Casio is a "Swiss Army Knife"

of useful features that can be customized to match the tastes of the

owner. Also, the Casio has a superior shape for carrying everywhere.

Looking Forward

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

In the next few monthes, at least two new cameras will appear that are

in the same size class as the Canon SD30.

Sony will soon deliver its Cybershot T9. The reviews that I have seen

indicate that the previous "T" cameras had pretty bad image quality.

This includes the T7, which is probably the tiniest camera available.

The T9 will be somewhat larger. Perhaps Sony will do a better job with

it.

Casio will replace the 5 megapixel Exilim EX-S500 with a 6 megapixel

EX-S600. The feature set won't change much, but it is already superb,

as I have claimed above. Perhaps the new camera will offer better image

quality? Increasing the pixel count is not likely to solve any noise

problems. But until the camera is delivered, who knows?

In my opinion, it is reasonable to buy now, rather than wait for these

new cameras to arrive. Both the Canon SD30 and the Casio Exilim EX-S500

are great.

I received this camera as a gift to replace my older s200 Elph. My camera is the Vivacious Violet, which in spite of Amazons statement, is actually available for sale almost everwhere but here. (10/26/05)

The SD30 has been my constant companion for over a week now. I have used it to take all the shots the s200 could handle, and have tested it with all the shots the s200 just couldn't quite get. The SD30 has exceeded the performance of the s200 on ALL counts. Indoor shots no longer have that yellowish tint. The flash no longer over brightens the picture. I can take pictures of my quick moving 9 month old and no longer get crystal clear backgrounds and a blurred child. These are all made possible with the preset picture settings, something my s200 was lacking. I have not had to alter or correct even one image taken with this camera, beyond cropping or cutting.

This is a true point and shoot camera.

Positives

Remembers your last settings so you don't have to reset for the same conditions if the camera shuts itself off.

Takes SD or MMCard memory. I have the 1gig card in and at the highest settings it will store up to 370 pictures. Lowest settings 2000+. My peferred settings, 700+

Has cables to allow you to browse the pictures stored in your camera, on the television with the remote control via the docking station. You can delete with the remote control as well.

Controls seem more intuitive than the older ELPH's, but this is a personal preference.

Negatives

You must use the docking station (which must be plugged in) or a memory card reader to transfer pictures to your computer. The cord is about 3 feet to short for me to reach my computer from my chosen docking station location. I would have preferred an optional non-power required method of transfer. If you keep the docking station within 4 feet of your USB connector, you should have no problem.

Extras

I truly enjoy the sound schemes. My 9 month old loves that my camera barks when I take a picture, and the older boys find it amusing as well.

My camera was the deluxe edition and came with a matching leather case.

This camera is SMALL. It's about the size of 2 packs of Trident held together.

If you are a parent that needs a reliable and good looking camera to take to soccer games and just to document your children's lives without needing to carry a manual around to ensure quality photo's, this is the camera for you.

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Many reviewers have noted the quality of the pictures obtained with the SD-30, and I fully concur. This is a fast, quiet, and well designed digital camera. For someone with little previous experience in digital photography, I was able to get up and running with just a scan of the quick start guide. A high speed SD card like the Sandisk Ultra II is highly recommendeda quicker write speed improved the quality of my video captures.

My first outing to the ski slopes captured great pictures, even with fast moving targets. I tried to tinker with the various shooting modes, but still ended up on AUTO. Until I muster up enough interest to experiment with all the settings, I would recommend the AUTO setting to all beginners. My second session was indoors, and while the pictures came out clear, I found the flash inadequate beyond 10 feet.

I disagree with a previous reviewer about uploading to the PC. Once the software installed, I did not have to plug in the Dock's power adapter to upload my pictures. Just turned on the camera while it was in the Dock, with the switch in review position, and the software automatically launched.

The carrying case is very well designed as its edges are wider than the center. This means if you drop the camera case, the sides cushion the impact rather than the corner that lands first. I found that I preferred the built in belt loop rather than belt clip that comes with other camera cases. There's zero danger of the case sliding off your belt.

Highly recommended. If you hunger for more technical details, check out the SD30 review at dcresource dotcom

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I've already been the happy owner of a sd40 "big" camera for over a year, and still consider it perfect for my serious photographic needs.

However, precisely _because_ it is so big, it can be very inconvenient to bring along, and also very intimidating to potential picture subjects.

I didn't realize just how _much_ smaller, or more precisely, how much thinner it is than all other digital cameras until I saw it in person. It not only fits in a shirt pocket, it fits in a shirt pocket _along_with_ a Treo or an iPod. Because its 3x zoom lens is folded, it does not protrude at all when taking pictures, meaning most subjects won't even realize a camera is pointed at them, let alone that it is zoomed in and high resolution. This greatly easy getting natural expressions in informal photos.

Next, the specifications of the sd series is better than those of other similar Sony cameras such as the T1 and T33 in ways I care about, such as doubling the number of pixels in the 2.5" LCD screen, including an auto-focus assist lamp, and USB 2.0 support without needing driver software when used with Windows XP.

One of my pet peeves about digital cameras is that they are not protected from the elements. it helps this in two ways. First, its on/off switch is a solid lens cover. Second, the camera fits easily in the smallest size zip-loc sandwich bag, and can easily be operated while in the bag, providing serious dust and splash protection.

One further protection is needed, but easily handled. The LCD needs protection, which I provided by covering it with a sheet of screen protector plastic left over from an old PDA.

As you might expect from such a thin device, battery life is somewhat limited (about an hour of continuous use, set up for maximum brightness, continuous focus adjustment, and automatic flash. For that reason, I bought a spare battery, and since the charger is bigger than the camera, suggest other buyers do the same.

I bought this for my point and shoot wife to take on a week-long trip, and thereafter to have it with us whenever a shot might present itself, but not surely enough to carry the large camera, or in situations where keeping the large camera clean and dry might be an issue.

If you too are a serious hobbyist, do be aware of unavoidable limitations: 1) 5MP is good, but not as good as the 7MP of a few also (barely) pocketable cameras. I decided smaller size outweighed higher resolution, but you may feel differently. 2) F4 is 2 full stops dimmer than the F2 of my other camera, which matters quite a bit when the light is low, as does 3) the ASA maximum of 400, rather than 800. There's also 4) no place to attach a filter. For a second camera, these are all perfectly acceptable compromises, in my opinion.

Highly recommended as a second camera for hobbyists, or as a first camera for folks who want a very convenient and very high quality point and shoot camera.

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Admittedly, this is one cool camera and everytime I use it, I get tons of "ooooohhhh's" and "aaaaahhhhh's". People are continually amazed by how small and sleek this camera is and the compact size has made it convenient to carry around with me in my purse everyday and everywhere I go. Like a previous reviewer, however, I have found that the auto-focus sometimes is lacking and I have to retake the same picture several times to get a focused picture, in ideal lighting situations and with a perfectly still subject! Additionally, the flash covers a fairly limited distance and, if there is not enough lighting, even in night mode, the picture will come out dark. Of course, these are all primarily due to the fact that a lot of the features of the camera are compromised due to the size. All complaints aside, this camera is easy to use and is perfect for point and shoot and casual picture-taking. In fact, this is the only camera that my little dog is not afraid of when I'm taking pictures of him, I think due to the unintimidating size and quiet operation. Hope this helps!

eForCity 6FT VGA Male to HDMI Male Heavy Duty Cable For PC TV

NOTE: Your Video card must support digital signal output through VGA port function.

My bran new HP laptop and bran new Hdtv were not able to connect with this cable! You also have to purchase a VGA to HDMI converter box with scaler, in order to project from your PC to your HDTV. Be leary of companies that give you false hope! I was convinced it would be as simple as buying this cord. However, after buying it, I discovered that VGA is an analog signal, and HDMI is a digital signal. This cord does not convert the signals! You will more than likely have to purchase a graphics card for your pc that does this, or buy the converter box. The boxes are very pricey! The least expensive one I found, was around $45, and upwards of $300! Good luck!

Warning about VGA to HDMI Cables:

Please be wary of cables promising the impossible. VGA is an analog signal and HDMI is digital. It is impossible to go from one to the other without a converter. Beware of cables like the one pictured here. You will need to use an active VGA to HDMI converter like those described below, unless you have a specialized graphics card.

The buyer is not trying to mislead any of you! You need to do your research before you buy something. This cable does EXACTLY what it is supposed to do. You shouldn't give an item a bad rating because you didn't do your homework.

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I'm sure I will be blasted by many people in the 4 and 5 stars section saying "the product is great and you're just an idiot for buying it for a purpose that it's not designed for." Okay I guess they're right. But just in case you are reading this and like most of us, you have come to the logical conclusion that a cable with a computer attachment at one end and a tv attachment on the other will hook up.... a computer to a tv (what were we thinking:) than don't be fooled. My issue is that I can't help but wonder if the seller intentionally doesn't state that fact clearly because doing so would cost him/her money.

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This cable by itself will not get the job done, which is in the item description! Just because you choose not to read does not mean you have the right to call the seller a ripoff. Now onto the actual review:

This cable connects to your VGA out (the blue port in your machine) and connects to an HDMI port on a converter box. Now I say converter box for a reason, because VGA is an analog output and HDMI is a digital input. For those who aren't familiar with analog and digital consider this: remember when you were younger and had those rabbit ears on your tv? Try using them today, you won't get many channels when 3 years ago you'd get all local channels. The antenna is an analog reciever (the VGA port) but all airwaves are digital now (HDMI input), so you won't see a picture.

If you do not have a converter box to change the signal from analog to digital, pass over this item and consider getting a VGA-VGA cable, most HDTVs have a VGA port; just look on the input menu, if it says "PC" you have a VGA input.

I bought a converter box alongside this item and the quality is as I expected. It's not quite full HD, but it doesn't matter too much how the quality is to me. The only downside is my laptop does not have the screw holes on it and the screws do not retract far enough back for me to push the connector all the way in, but a simple smash will rid that issue (this thing is durable!)

All in all, if you have the converter, this cable is what you need to finish your setup.

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I ordered this cable and it doesn't work when I contacted them they told me I was doing something wrong. I then had my dad who it a certified computer tech look at it and there is something wrong with the cable. When I told them they never responded to me again.

Nikon Coolpix L18 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Navy)

My wife and I just recently replaced our Sony DSC-W5 (5 megapixel) camera with this one, and here are our impressions so far:

1) The Anti-Shake AE is something new for us, as the DSC-W5 didn't have it. Actually, we would get blurry pictures all the time in low-light situations with the DSC-W5 (which did not have Anti-Shake AE), and the new Nikon L18 does not seem to have as much trouble as the old camera did. Low light pictures seem to come out great.

2) This camera removed red-eye in the camera AUTOMATICALLY. You don't know how much of a time saver this is! My old DSC-W5 took crappy pictures when we turned on the red-eye protection, and the L18's pictures are MUCH better with the anti red-eye.

3) This camera does a better job of focusing on people than my old DSC-W5 did. It was pretty impressive to see multiple focal points on the easy-shoot mode. The focus was spot-on.

4) The colors are bright and vibrant. Much more so than my old DSC-W5.

5) The screen on this camera is HUGE. We love the sharpness and brightness on it.

6) It supports the new SD-HC cards. That means we can put the new 4GB and 8GB cards in it, and aren't limited to just the 2GB ones.

7) The Video capture (640x480 VGA) takes great, sharp AVI video captures. Great for those times where you don't have your camcorder available.

8) There is some limited internal memory in case your memory card gets full!

9) You can have any picture come up on the startup screen. So we took a picture of our name and phone number, put it in the internal memory, and set it as the start up picture. That way, any honest person that finds our camera has the info to return it.

All in all, this is no SLR or any other high end camera, but it does well what we need it to do capture our four children and the wonderful moments in their lives.

I have enjoyed my Coolpix L18! It's a great camera! I purchased it after purchasing the L14 as a gift for a family member and hearing the continuous 'bubbling' reviews about it. The L18 is easy to use and also download your photos! Although I have had no problems with my L18, I have a word of CAUTION concerning Nikonshould you have any problems arise with their product, return it immediately!!! The Coolpix L14 Gift had an 'error' within the first 3 months. Following the troubleshooting directions, it appeared to correct itself. Unfortunately, 5 months later the identical problem occurred again. This time I retrieved the gift and returned it for repair under its one year warranty. Nikon has failed to honor their warranty. We were, however, able to reach their agreement to pay half of the original quoted repair cost. Had it not been a gift that has been thoroughly enjoyed, I would not have given in to the blackmail. Although the cameras are wonderful, the warranty is 'just a piece of paper.' Nikon has left a stain on its wonderful product line. I enjoy my L18 camera, but should anything go afoul, I will not go through that ordeal with Nikon again.

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This was a great camera, but unfortunately the key word is "WAS". I purchased the camera for general shooting, nothing fancy, and it worked great. I replaced my Fujifilm FinePix with this Nikon Coolpix. I enjoy the thinner design, making it easier to keep in a small purse. The red shell adds nothing to the photos, but I'll take that over a dull gray any day. Aside from aesthetics, there are many features packed into this stylish hardware, probably more than I've fully utilized. As with any digital camera, the most important feature is point and shoot picture taking. I hate the cameras that have 17+ picture modes and the rotating "option wheel" on top. 99 times out of 100 I am just turning the camera on and snapping a shot... I don't need to change any shutter settings. This Nikon has a handy toggle on top that allows for picture taking, picture viewing, or video taking.

The large LCD screen is vibrant and makes it easy to view photos. It saves space by eliminating the old-fashioned "eye hole," which is fine with me because I rarely use it anyway. I'll take the larger LCD. Red-eye was always a problem with my Fujifilm, but this Nikon did a great job of eliminating it; every photo seemed very clear and bright.

I've also used the video feature a few times. Unlike my Fujifilm, you can actually zoom in and out while taking video. Video quality is nothing spectacular, but it is tolerable for short clips.

Downloading the pictures and videos to my computer was a snap. Again, Nikon won big points with me because this is the easiest camera I've used... and one of the cheapest too.

However, as I mentioned earlier, there was a catch. After only 4 months of use, my photos began to have a hazy ring around them. It looked like there was some fog or a smudge on the lens. I've wiped the lens carefully, but the problem remains, causing me to believe that this problem somehow lies inside the camera lens a problem I, of course, can't solve without having to call the distributor and get the run-around on how to get it fixed, despite my free one-year warranty-with-purchase. A digital camera that takes blurry photos is no better than a paper weight, even if the paper weight is colorful and shiny. Either the lens is out of alignment or my entire family has developed astigmatism.

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I own this camera for two weeks now, buying it as a replacement for a 5-year-old Canon S400 (4MP) as the battery is dying, and it was not that good when new either to consider a replacement. The first few pictures I took from the L18 disappointed me but I gave it the benefit of the doubt citing my inexperience with Nikon products. After trying to like it for 2 weeks, I gave in! While I do not know the relation between this and the L14, I have to agree with most of the low rating reviews on the L14, and perhaps more. Here are my overall impression with limited testing:

1. Slow shutter speed: from the time you fully press the shutter button (after focusing) to the time the camera clicks to the time it actually captures the picture is long, very long. In the first few pictures I moved the camera thinking it was done only to have the wrong frame captured. This, albeit irritating, I can get used to. But trying to take kids' expressions can be challenging. Not to mention if you ask someone else to take your family picture while on vacation etc.

2. Un even focusing: 7 people lining across the width of the frame, only the middle three are in clear focus, it degrades from there. This is both with no zoom and 1/2 zoom, Auto mode.

3. Washed out color: I spent a lot of time testing indoors, as this would be the most common use for us, though a few outdoors pictures did not look right when the sky and clouds are a part of the scene. For indoors, it seems over-exposed with muted colors. I tried setting color to Vivid and/or reducing Exposure Compensation, the only two settings I can find that may affect this outcome, which only slightly improved the image.

4. Noisy: not audio but video. If you open the picture with some viewer at full resolution you will know what I mean. If you have some other camera to compare, try taking the same/similar resolution.

5. Miss or near hit: to sum it up, I went to a function, took a lot of pictures indoors, all well within the rated flash range but only 50% of them were acceptable, as in you can make out who is who and what is what. None I would even attempt to print and I had a huge disclaimer when sharing those to people who requested.

Make no mistake, all pictures looked really good when viewed on the 3" LCD, perhaps that is where they should stay. On a scale of 10, if I give my antiquated S400 a 7, the L18 deserves a 2. Perhaps I should rate it one star instead!

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I have had many digital cameras. At the moment I also own 3 Nikon SLRs, the D40/80/300.

When I am out walking the dog in the desert, the L18 is the camera I usually take. Picture quality is fine, and the really wonderful thing is you can use AA NiMh rechargeable batteries in it. Battery life is good.

For the price this is a great little light weight camera.

Pentax K-30 Weather-Sealed 16 MP CMOS Digital SLR (White, Body Only)

DISCLAIMER: This review is from a still-shooter's perspective. I don't use video that often so look elsewhere if you want an in-depth review of the video functions on this camera.

The K-30 is a really great photographic tool like most of its predecessors were. Despite Pentax trying to distinguish it from its previous offerings...it performs pretty much the same as the K-5 in almost all areas.

Image quality from this camera is excellent. It has the same look as files from the K-5 (except for slightly inferior dynamic range)..bright, punchy, and sharp. The camera produces exceptionally clean files right through ISO1600 and even through ISO6400 it does a good job balancing noise, noise reduction, and detail capture. The 18-135 WR is a good starter lens due to its focal length. It's sharp at the wide angle but gets very soft at the telephoto end (not an uncommon problem with zoom lenses). If you're looking for a good sharp zoom lens to go with the camera...the older Pentax 18-250 is a great choice. But it is discontinued and very hard to find these days, and also not weather-sealed like the 18-135 WR. The Sigma 18-250 is also a great choice.

Speaking of RAW files... Pentax saves RAW files in the Adobe dng file format exclusively with this camera and does away with the .PEF format on their older cameras. This is a wonderful feature because this universal file format will open in most photo editing software (I use Apple's Aperture and I had no problem opening the files).

The only real downsides to this camera image quality-wise that I can think of is that the camera has a tendency to underexpose a little and the colors are somewhat inaccurate (and a tad oversaturated) in its default setting. However, these are only minor demerits and are easily adjustable in the camera settings. And on the exposure issue, I would rather the camera underexpose and retain detail than overexpose which makes it harder to recover lost detail in some instances.

In other areas of performance... the AF performance is a distinct improvement over the K-x and K-r and is about on par with the K-5. In most shooting situations, it performs quite well, but it can struggle in low-light situations sometimes. One good thing about the 18-135 WR lens is that it has a built-in focusing motor so that helps AF performance overall. Shot-to-shot times are good, and the camera's burst speed performs as advertised with a decent buffer.

The K-30, like its predecessors, offers a pretty good set of still shooting features for the enthusiast crowd. Things like Chromatic Aberration adjust as well as the highlight correction option which helps preserve detail. You can also convert JPEGS back to RAW in this camera which is something very unique. It also has a RAW button on the front of the camera like the K-5 did. The viewfinder is great, 100% coverage with a high degree of magnification.

The camera is comfortable hold and shoot with. It is not a light camera overall, but it feels very solid and well-made and of course its weather-sealed. I have yet to test its weather-sealing so I can't vouch for how good it is, but from the reviews I've seen, it works as advertised (just don't completely submerge it in water though). I especially like having dual dials which is something that isn't terribly common on a sub-$1,000 DSLR. Overall the menu system is similar to its predecessors although the main interface has been redesigned a little to make it look more modern. The LCD on back is generally nice but has issues in direct sunlight like a lot of them do. One thing the camera does have is pretty snappy AF performance in live-view, which sets it apart from most other DSLRs. It's not lightning-fast, but it is faster than any other DSLRs I have seen, and is only bested by Sony's DSLT models and most Micro 4/3rds cameras as well.

The battery port is the same as the K-r. It comes with the same Lithium Ion battery pack which delivers okay battery life. However, like the K-r, AA batteries can be used with the same adaptor that was used with the K-r. So that's one bonus if you're thinking about upgrading from the K-r.

As for the video... it's good from what I have seen and an improvement over its predecessors. But Pentax does not offer an external microphone jack... which is a puzzling omission at this price point. If you are equal parts stills and video enthusiast.... the Canon Rebel T4i/650D is a better choice in this class of camera.

So, overall, a great camera for still shooters who only occaisionally dabble into video. It is an excellent choice for travelers on a budget who want excellent still-shooting performance in a rugged body with a flexible powersource. From a still-shooting perspective, it's photo quality is some of the best you are going to find from an APS-C camera. However, it's very clear that Pentax still views video shooting as a secondary feature on the camera and if that is just as important to you as stills are, you might look elsewhere first.

...GONE!!! Pentax, in my opinion, has smashed a home run with this camera. I am a current K-x owner and that camera has served me very well for the past couple years. I wanted to upgrade to a newer/better version of a Pentax. This camera offers everything that the K-x had going for it, and expands what made that camera great into what I consider is an awesome camera.

It's high ISO pictures are extremely good. I've cranked it up to ISO 6400 and notice no noise in my Christmas light photos. I'm sure that when you approach 12800, or expand up to 25600, you will notice significant noise. But I would have no lack of confidence in shooting 6400 and below.

The viewfinder is a pentaprism. Which in it's price range is a rarity. Most similar cameras offer pentamirrors. What's the difference? With the pentaprism you get 100% view coverage, what you see in the viewfinder is what will be taken.

I have not found fault with the 18-135mm lens I bought with the kit. I haven't and normally do not pixel peep. It seems like a very solid lens. I like that it covers a very nice range from wide angle to moderate telephoto.

Weather resistance is AWESOME for this price range. I've already taken it out in the rain, and have had my 3 year old son splash it while I was photographing him in his bubble bath. I can't wait for some snow storms (as long as it doesn't drop below 14 degrees F) or next spring/summers thunderstorms when I try to get a perfect lightning shot. You honestly don't understand the piece of mind this weather resistance offers until you have had it. I used to scurry indoors with the K-x.

I mainly, almost exclusively use the camera for photos, not video. The K-30 shoots video in 1080p/30fps, so that is a selling point for some of you. Although is doesn't have stereo mics. Again, no biggie to me, I photograph things, not video record them. I could purchase a $250 video camera that would blow almost all cameras out of the water if I wanted to take videos.

The display is worlds better than the K-x, I can't do justice to the upgrade it is versus the K-x. 3" and 921K. A very solid display, sure no flipping and moving, but the camera is water resistant after all. Doesn't bother me that it's fixed. I do 99% of my photography through the viewfinder anyway.

I can't really give a fair review of the live view composing, I have tried it, and with the new bigger, crisper display it seems to make it easier. Focusing is much faster than the K-x, and it does have focus peaking when composing your shot/vid. Again, I can not fairly review this feature.

I bought this camera instead of the K-5, K-5II, and K-5IIs mainly because it's cheaper, but in all honesty I like that fact that if I am pressed for time I can choose a scene and let the camera do the computing, and if I want to set into full manual I can do that as well. Pentax also offers Av, TAv, Tv, User modes, etc; in which the camera selects one (or more) of Exposure, Aperture, ISO, and you choose the rest. Very nice feature.

Honestly I can't think of anything to bash this camera on. For the price, compared to similarly priced DSLR's; in true Pentax tradition, you get A LOT of bang for the buck. Class leading APS-C images, weather resistant body, fantastic ISO images, etc. I only wish that Pentax spent more money on marketing, and re-introducing themselves to the USA market/stores. These cameras are extremely good, and I love the fact that nobody seems to know this.

Please ask me questions and I will try to respond...if you've read this, and were hesitating on purchasing, DON'T...this camera ROCKS

Buy Pentax K-30 Weather-Sealed 16 MP CMOS Digital SLR (White, Body Only) Now

FIRST OFF I am not a PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER there are plenty of reviewers who can tell you the facts of this camera from a true photographers perspective. I am just an average consumer guy who likes to take QUALITY STILL PICTURES of whatever strikes my odd AUTISTIC WEREWOLF fancy's! My problem, I've found the standard point and shoot camera's lack the enhanced image quality I demand. Point and shoot cameras are designed with built in compromises to compensate for its single lens. Most point and shoot camera's are horrible in low light conditions. Most point and shoot cameras create images with too much image noise in them for my liking.

I think the Pentax K30 is the best Digital SLR Camera you can buy. Right out of the box on automatic mode you will take pictures that will likely astonish you and make friends drool. The standard low end kit lens does a perfectly acceptable job photographing most subjects. The built in flash does a great job illuminating most close range subjects. If you just used this camera on fully automatic mode you would have at your command a photographic instrument capable of producing picture quality far superior to any mere point and shoot mongrel out there. If ever you decide to be adventurous the Pentax K30 Camera has ample button's knobs and other controls needed to manage iso, aperture and other vital photographic settings. The full color display is large and clear. There is a rare and great optical view finder, I think goes the distance in making this a truly awesome camera. For those who love using video only to frame their shot that mode is made easily available with the change of a few settings. This camera is killer awesome in most low light situations which is much better than most other camera's I have used. The pictures have VERY LITTLE NOISE in the final images. This camera takes pictures in RAW formats that are compatible with Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements 10 and Adobe Lightroom 4. The advantage of capturing images in RAW format is that you do not lose any video information. You see exactly what the video sensor saw without loss caused by processing images into JPEG \ JPG format images. More video image information contained in the RAW image format gives you greater freedom to manipulate your raw images during post production.

The Pentax K30 is a camera the average customer can grow into at their own pace. The Pentax K30 camera makes it easy for a DSLR newbie like me to experiment with light, shutter and focus settings without fear of breaking something. The Pentax K30 Camera has an optional adapter that allows it to take conventional AA Batteries which means fresh batteries are always close as the next market, pharmacy, mini mart or other full service store. You will never lose the opportunity to take that terrific shot because your special camera specific batteries lack sufficient charge. The Pentax K30 Camera uses any of the K TYPE LENSES which are numerous and made adequate for most any situation.

The Pentax K30 Camera is on a whole well made. I find the battery closure mechanism to be the cheapest most ill engineered part of The Pentax K30 Camera and its not bad just it should have been more strongly engineered. I have a Pentax K5 Camera and the Battery closure mechanism is far more secure. The Pentax K30 Camera is made out of plastic and while I like the feel and weight of a metal Pentax K5 camera more, The Qaulity Thick Plastic Pentax K30 Camera does not feel at all cheap. One of the finer things about the Pentax K30 Camera is its size and how it feels in my hands. I have small hands with unusually long fingers and the Pentax K30 Camera feels as if it was made exactly for my hands to hold. The Pentax K30 Camera is so perfectly sized for me; it is almost as if the Pentax K30 Camera is part of or an extension of my body. The camera is not heavy at all. My brother is a really BIG DUDE, 6 feet 8 inches tall and about 320 pounds, he has HUGE hands about the size of baseball mitts, with huge fingers. While my big brother can use the Pentax K30 Camera it is less comfortable for him. My MUCH larger \ younger brother favors my Pentax K5 which by it self is still on the small side for his BIG HANDS but becomes better suited for his HUGE GRIP with addition of its optional extra AA battery compartment. Despite its plastic \ Polycarbonate body the Pentax K30 Camera feels surprisingly solid in build quality. The Tripod Mounting Point is metal not cheap plastic. The Pentax K30 Camera hot shoe is covered but easily accessible. The Pentax K30 Camera has various doors and flaps that are on a whole easily accessible. The rubberized flaps used to access the USB and hot shoe take time to access until you get the "Hang of It!"

The Pentax K30 Camera's digital view screen color is rich and true. The lettering on the menu screens can be sized to normal or LARGE for those like me with older eyes. The Pentax K30 Camera has many do-dads and special features that let you do lots of in camera processing too many for the likes of me to list. Another cool thing about the Pentax K30 Camera is the radical luminescent cobalt blue color that literally jumps out at you. The blue color dances in your eyes and is so different from the standard plain jane black cameras. The blue camera makes a bold statement even when it is sitting still not being used. For those artists who demand their equipment stand out from the photographic equipment pack this camera is sooooo YOU! I am not prone to writing great reviews for any product at a drop of the hat BUT this Pentax K30 Camera is no ordinary photographers best friend. Some time effort and thought went into designing this Pentax K30 Camera and in almost every aspect of its execution the lavish attention to detail certainly shows. This Pentax K30 Camera is the perfect crossover camera for those tired of the point and shoot dull-drums that are not ready for the high-tech buttons of a full out professional grade DSLR. The Pentax K30 Camera puts and keeps the fun in entry level DSLR photography. The Pentax K30 Camera is the perfect storm of near perfect out of the box ease of use and mind blowing options for the experienced photographer. Finally this Pentax K30 Camera is a workhorse camera that is sealed against weather if used sensibly. This Pentax K30 Camera is not so delicate it will break at the slightest environmental challenge. Yes there are better cameras in the world but, the Pentax K30 Camera is a near perfect fusion of form and function that is solidly built. The K30 lacks some of the versatility of the K5 but the K5 lacks many of the consumer driven ease of use and image manipulation features of the K30. The Pentax K30 Camera appears to be aimed squarely at consumers looking to trade up to entry level DSLR's from Point and Shoot Camera's and if I am right the Pentax K30 Camera hit almost center of its intended audience bullseye!

Read Best Reviews of Pentax K-30 Weather-Sealed 16 MP CMOS Digital SLR (White, Body Only) Here

I have 40 years worth of Pentax SLR and DSLR cameras. The K-5 and the K-30 can stand right along with their 35mm equivalent cameras. They are great cameras. I bought the K-30 a few months ago, and have used it for portraits. It has far more features then I need, since I really only need a camera with a manual setting.

It is an advanced camera for advanced users. It can use any Pentax lens made for any previous Pentax SLR or DSLR model, including the older 35mm film cameras. All Pentax digital models have been water resistant. They simply tightened the seals for this camera.

Many people here will list all of the benefits of this camera, and it has many really nice features.

But it also has two down sides.

1. Unlike the K-5, this camera does not have a PC plug for external flash units. I use a wireless transmitter which sits in the hotshoe. You can also use an adapter with a PC Plug. (The camera has a wireless system for using a wireless flash, but I have yet to get the camera's wireless system to operate correctly with studio flash units.)

2. Like all auto-focus cameras, it does not always auto-focus correctly on very black skin.

In the end, all that matters are the photographs. This camera makes great photographs. If you don't want to spend enormous sums of money on Nikon or Canon DSLR cameras and lenses, but you want the same great photographs, then this is the camera for you. Plus it will go where Canon or Nikon wishes they could go.

(I like Nikon and Canon cameras. Mainly, I like Nikon. But I don't like the amount of money that you wrap up in them. That is why I have always ended up with Pentax. Same quality. Nearly the same features. Less price.)

OK, I read a review here where a person purchased this camera, but didn't like it because they couldn't figure it out. I understood the feeling. I am now 62, but when I was 14, my Aunt, who had been a magazine photographer, gave me a Leica 35mm camera. I took it home and tried to figure it out, but couldn't. I had been used to using drop-in cartridges in cameras with simple lenses. No one at home knew how to operate it either. I gave it back to her a couple of months later. In later years, I wished that I still had it.

DSLR cameras are great for advanced amateur photographers and professional photographers. People who get into doing things with cameras that automatic features and setting just won't handle. Or they need to sometimes use a +1,000 mm telephoto lens, or a 15mm wide field lens, or some other uncommon situation. Or these cameras are for people who want to learn to do these things.

If you are not in this group, and you don't wish to invest the time and effort necessary to learn the art of creating nice images, then a small point-n-shoot camera is probably a better choice for you.

I hope that this helps. I really like this camera.

Want Pentax K-30 Weather-Sealed 16 MP CMOS Digital SLR (White, Body Only) Discount?

Sold my Nikon D40 and had some decisions. Was looking at the Nikon D5100, D7000, and the Canon T4i. Considered waiting to decide until Nikon introduces the inevitable D5200, but after weighing all the options, and considering the phenomenal value that is the K30 I bought it. (white body w/standard 18-55 lens sexy) I'm new to Pentax and glad to have made the change. Nothing against Nikon or Canon, but on top of taking excellent pictures, there is something unique about having the Pentax. I prefer the menu system over both Nikon and Canon simpler for me to navigate. (Though deleting photos on Nikon remains simpler hitting the 'delete' button does it all.)

I'm waiting for Sigma to release their newish 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM in a Pentax mount then all will be perfect. They already have it for Nikon/Canon gets great reviews. Not water-resistant (the Sigma lens), but that was never a decision making factor in the K30. (Though nice to have.) I wanted a great camera to fit a good all-in-one lens onto and be done. It lets me take great photos (and it does even with the stock 18-55 lens) and ease into more complex picture taking as I feel fit.

People dog the video, on this and other DSLRs. My response is get a video camera. Video in the DSLRs has been something of a gimmick since introduced. DSLRs aren't great for video, camcorders aren't great for stills. I wanted great stills the K30 fits that bill.

Love the grip, ergonomics, the picture quality, build quality, and value compared to competition. Highly recommended if new to the DSLR world, or like me upgrading from D40 or the like.

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Lorex Wireless Video Monitoring System with 4 Cameras (LW2714B)

Not being a tech girl, I opted to find a wireless security system to allow viewing of outside my home. I didn't want to pay monthly charges for someone to do what I could do. This fits the bill. Plug it in to a power adapter and your set. Mount the camera where you want it, inside or out. I have had mine a little over 2 weeks, and you have the option to record motion only,certain times of day only or opt to record constantly. It does a great job, particularly during the day time. Night time, maybe if I had it installed outdoors it would pick up further, but for now, it is on my patio and picks up about 25-30 ft at night, I think it is due to the infrared reflecting off the screened patio. Daytime is pretty awesome. Can you tell what color someones eyes are, no. But you get the general description of the person or car, and the closer they get the better. I have had no issues like others complaining about the monitor having to be right next to the camera or missed recording. I have moved mine throughout the house and it works fine. Stucco walls. Read some reviews at Best Buy and they have mostly good things to say about it, like picking up from a barn. I picked mine up from HD just in case there was an issue I can look someone in the face or return it if need be. I did opt for a 16gb which I purchased and it records for about 3 days continuous and you can mark it to overwrite day after day as it fills up. I generally go in and view the files on my lap top, erase what I don't need and have 3-4 days of files. I got mine due to recent burglaries in the area, and without some kind of description around here, your case goes to the trash bin. You get a cd/cable to use with SKYPE to monitor from you phone or office computer. I am very pleased with it and will be purchasing a additional camera soon. You do have to place this near a receptacle, hence why mine is indoors on the patio. About 6 ft comes with it, or you can special order a 15ft. No interference from my cordless phone about a foot away. No interference from by cable modem or internet. I constantly get 5 bars for signal strength. With the 2 gb that comes with it, you can record about 4 hrs straight and then it is full or you can set to overwrite and it will keep going. I use the 2gb as a temp while reviewing the files on my 16 gb. You can speak to people via the camera without opening your door to strangers. Just press a button on back of monitor and ask what they want, release for them to speak and then push to talk back. I turned the beeps off that alert for motion detected, but you can leave it to attract your attention. Monitor comes with wall mount or as a picture stand. It has built in photos, 5 of them, that you can set to make it look like a picture frame instead of viewing whats recorded. For the price, you get quite a bang for your buck. At least I think so. Also the price listed on Amazon is one of the best I have seen so far for this unit.

I purchased this Security Camera system 07/21/12. I received the package 07/24/12. I had no problem setting it up as instructions indicated. I liked the Monitor because I could keep an eye on everything out my front door all the way to the street, including my car and front steps and still watch TV. On 07/25/12 I pulled the SD card and watched all the videos that I set up under Motion Detection, but realized it had recorded me putting cat food out at 6:44 am, and an automobile driving by at 7:07 am; however, it did not record me walking down my steps, getting into my car and backing out of my driveway around 7:00 am. As someone had broken the locking gas cap off my car recently I need this camera to pick up anyone walking up to it or approaching my front steps. I called customer service that day (25th) and was 14th in line @ 1:14 pm. 9th in line @ 1:18 pm, 6th in line at 1:22 pm and 3rd in line @ 1:25 pm then a man came on and wanted my phone number and they would call me back. I told the man I wanted to hold because I did not believe they would call me back; he said he had no way of putting me back in the Que so I gave him my name and phone number. At 9:14 pm CST (I was going to bed) I received a return call. After explaining what was wrong the man said he would replace the camera but he would need to send me an email telling me all the information they would need and I would have to send them a copy of my sales receipt. I told him that was no problem. I did not receive an email from him. I called them back the morning of the 26th, left my number for a return call and was called back in approximately 2 hours. I once again explained what was happening with the camera not recording properly and that I had not gotten the email. I received the email while this new man was on the phone. As of today I still have not heard back from the email I sent them on the 26th which means I will have to call them again and wait again for them to call me back and explain everything all over again. I guess I'm expecting too much to be able to call a company and get service or for a product to work as advertised. I do not recommend this company to purchase from.

Buy Lorex Wireless Video Monitoring System with 4 Cameras (LW2714B) Now

Piece of junk, it wont record anything unless its within 10ft of the camera, did extensive testing over a couple hours. Within 10ft it records fine, beyond 10ft and any movement, including my wife frantically waving her arms and jumping up an down, never triggered the recording feature, picture quality is poor, but for the price the picture quality wasn't the primary reason why I sent it back. Really need the motion recording, but if it only records within 10ft of the camera its worthless to our family for any type of protection.

Take Care.

Read Best Reviews of Lorex Wireless Video Monitoring System with 4 Cameras (LW2714B) Here

This product is great. The day and night view and very accurate. My camera records when motion is detected from approximately 20 feet, but does not include minor things (such as a bird flying or mosquitoes). Installation was about thirty minutes because I had to drill through concrete to get the camera's cord through my wall to plug in, but other than that it was very easy. The wireless feature is superb because I did not have to run wires through my attic or drill more holes in my house (something big to consider). Overall, I would highly recommend this and have already added a second camera. By the way, the power cord for the camera is about 7 feet, which is something I was hoping someone else would mention to take into consideration for the camera mounting location.

Want Lorex Wireless Video Monitoring System with 4 Cameras (LW2714B) Discount?

I wish I could give them a negative star rating. I ordered the wireless monitoring system that records onto an SD card. Set up was fairly easy and it worked fine for 5 months then the monitor quit recording, I can still see the cameras on it but it won't record which was the main reason for the purchase. After 3 calls to support, with an average of 20 minutes wait each time resulting in 3 promises of a call back from a higher ranked tech person, I'm ready to give up. I've wasted too much of my time trying to get this sorted. My unit is still on warranty and they have never called me back, they didn't even try. I am now stuck with the defective monitor. I DO NOT RECOMMEND ANY OF THEIR PRODUCTS AND WILL NEVER BUY FROM THEM AGAIN. I wish I had gone with another brand. So if you want a monitoring system that works short term, Lorex is for you, just pray that nothing goes wrong because they will do nothing for you.

DO NOT BUY FROM LOREX!!!