Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch

Now I know that is a bold statement and I intend to back it up. However, before I do I need to explain what I mean. I am not saying this camera is the best at everything or even anyone thing. Cameras that are the best at something are usually specialized beasts that can really only do that one thing well. What I am talking about is a camera the is so good in so many categories that it can joyfully be used for just about and photographic or video graphic purpose you may have. The GH2 is that camera.

Now that is out of the way we can get to the meat and potatoes of the review. I shoot mostly Nikon and Panasonic and I primarily shoot stills. I dabble in Video but do not proclaim myself any sort of an expert. I can say if you are looking for the best handling combo/cam with the most features then the GH2 is the one you want. Panasonic went out of its way to make this a video camera so that was its primary focus with this camera. However, there are lots of payoffs for the stills part of this camera so this is the best m4/3 stills camera by a long shot also. I will also say that the hard core video market is a niche market compared to the stills market because shallow depth of field video is hard to shoot properly and hard to edit. The average home user has neither the time nor inclination to properly storyboard and shoot this type of video. However, with that said, it is really nice to be able to shoot stills and video. And basic home videos are a snap to shoot with this camera; much more so than any other DSLR with the exception of the Sony SLT A55/33 which at least has a fast auto focus also. To shoot nice home movies, put the mode dial to iA, press the red button, and you are shooting video.

This camera is the next generation of cameras as it successfully blends the advantages of Point and Shoot cameras with the benefits of DSLRs and creates and incredibly small and powerful camera. Listed below are some of the benefits and weakness you get from this next gen camera.

What's Hot

The handling on the GH2 is bar none the best handling "DSLR" on the market. WIth smart controls, great layout, fast autofocusing, swivel screen, full time double live view, etc. Even with how good the D7000 is, it still feels clunky after using the GH2. I get into most of the details of this down below so I don't want to repeat the info here. What I will say here is that you can do things with this camera you couldn't hope to do with DSLRs and you can generally set up your photo parameters much faster with this camera. The menus on the GH2 are not very good. However, the actual camera controls are so good you will rarely even need to use the menus.

Program Shift Forget using Aperture priority with this camera. You can leave the camera in Program mode. With program shift you can change the aperture setting and thus the shutter speed while in program mode. To do this you press the shutter release button down half way to set the exposure. Then if the numbers are in yellow you just rotate the rear dial switch to change aperture. Want a shallower depth of field or faster shutter speed, then dial in a bigger aperture (smaller number). If the numbers are not in yellow then you are currently in exposure compensation mode. All you have to do is click the rear dial switch and then rotate it. Snap. What a neat feature.

Extra Tele Convert (ETC) Mode in Video If you shoot video you are going to love this. This is even great for home/casual video shooters. The GH2 has a 16mp sensor but like every other consumer combo/cam shoots 2K video. That means the picture is usually down-sampled to make it 2K. This has some pluses and minuses. Enter the GH2. With the ETC mode the camera uses only 2K of the sensor. This gives you an extra 2.6x crop factor. Which means your total crop factor is now 5.2x. So that brand spanking new 100-300mm you just got is now 520-1560mm with no light loss. If you put a Nikon 135mm f2 then you now have a 702mm f2! lens for video. There are some drawbacks for using ETC also but they are pretty negligible.

Auto focus the auto focus on the GH2 is twice as fast as the GH1 and the GH1 was the fastest of previous generation. I have seen some very knowledgeable photographers saying it is as fast as mid-level DSLRs. While I think it is supposed to be a complement I don't think it is a very good comparison. I find the focus speed of DSLRs has most to do with what lens you have on. There are some lenses that focus slowly on even a D3. All of the lenses I have used on the GH1 focus very quickly except the 45-200mm. That lens tends to be my slowest. Non of the lenses I have focus as fast as a 70-200mm f/2.8 but the rest of them focus as fast if not faster than any of the other Nikon lenses I own. The best I can say about this is that you won't notice the focus speed on the GH2 as it is fast enough to get out of your way.

Smaller lighter camera I recently went on a trip to Egypt and carried nothing but my Panasonic gear. Two camera bodies, 5 lenses, 1 flash, an iPad, and camera bag. Total weight 10lbs (3lbs of that was the bag itself). My Nikon D300 and 14-24mm lens would have weight more just by themselves (I was carrying the Panasonic 7-14mm so I did have wide covered)

Swivel Screen with full-time live view You won't know what you are missing until you become used to this and how well it works. Want to reach up as high as you can and shoot down; No problems. Want to get as low as possible but can't lay down in the mud or water; No problem. Want to take a picture of you and your daughter but there is nobody around; No problem. Turn the screen around aim the camera at you and use the screen to frame. Something that makes photos interesting is showing the viewer something from a perspective they don't often see. The swivel screen actively encourages this. The other thing the swivel screen does is make shooting from a tripod a joy. Because of how small and light this camera is you can use a much smaller tripod. I have a 3lb tripod that can support 7lbs. Also, you can now set you camera up in all sorts of whacky positions and just rotate the screen to be able to frame and focus. Very nice. Also, with no mirror to flip up you don't have to worry about any vibrations.

Touch Focus implemented as slick as on the iPhone. As I mentioned above you can shoot from many strange angles because you can swivel the screen to almost any angle. However, if the camera did not focus on what you wanted it would be hard to change it. Now you can simply touch the screen on what you want to focus and presto it will focus on that. The GH2 is worth the price just for that.

WYSIWYG What you see is what you get. Since you are looking at either the screen or the beautiful EVF, you are seeing what the sensor sees. With a DSLR you are seeing what the lens sees. This is an important difference. If you forgot to reset your WB or Aperture or any camera setting, you will see it before you shoot. On a DSLR you would have no idea until you looked at the pictures. Also, if it is a low light situation, the EVF will start to noise up and start to lose some of its smoothness. This is a warning to you that you need to use flash or a tripod. With a DSLR the viewer becomes darker but you don't get a very good visual cue of how your camera is seeing it. For me the most brilliant thing with WYSIWYG is setting exposure. Because I can see what the camera is doing with exposure, I usually leave the camera in P mode. Then I change the exposure by changing where I aim the camera, lock the exposure and then reframe for the subject. It works something like this. I am trying to take a picture of a person but the exposure is picking up to many bright objects, thereby dimming my subject. So, I aim the camera to include more dark areas while keeping my subject in the shoot. Then I press the shutter release button down half way to lock the exposure and focus. Then I reframe back to the original photo. This works so quickly you can try several exposures in less time than you could set one with the exposure compensation dial (which is actually exceedingly well executed on this camera also.) In a DSLR, since you don't see the exposure, you are just basically guessing at what you want and then shooting, view the photo and fix. Much slower.

Shoot about any lens you want The distance from the lens to sensor is so short, that with the appropriate adaptor, you can put just about any lens you want on this camera. Canon, Nikon, Leica, Voigtlander, Pentax, Sony, you can use them all. Generally you need to use lenses which have aperture rings. Additionally, you do lose autofocus but there are many instances where this just doesn't matter. Macro photography is a good example. You can fit a Nikon 200mm f/4 onto the GH2 and then either get a 2:1 reproduction or a 1:1 reproduction with twice the depth of field. It is like putting on a teleconverter without the loss of light and depth of field. Brilliant.

Great for Newbies All DSLRs are easy for anyone to use and the GH2 is no exception. The great handling makes the GH2 better for newbies in my opinion. Anyway, all you have to do is put the camera into iA mode and start shooting. This camera gets the subject correct more often then not and will make you look good. In dynamic situation, I actually use the iA mode quite a bit. I do this because the camera is good a recognizing as scene as a person, flower, scenery, etc. The camera then instantly sets numerous setting to make that scene look as good as possible. If you tried to do it yourself it could take a few minuets to set and then a few to set back. Or even worse you forget to reset it and you next pictures look bad. If I have time, then I will set the camera myself. My daughter has been using the GH1 since she was 2. Here hit rate initially was only about 10% usable picture and 1% good pictures. Her hit rate now is about 70% usable pictures and 20% good pictures with about 5% really nice pictures. She has such a different perspective that it is really interesting to see how she views the world.

Image Quality I am reluctant to put this in the review because all modern cameras have such good IQ that it really is not relevant in most cases and any discussion encourages pixel peeping instead of photo making. I will say, if you are using this camera to make pictures to view on your monitor, or publish on the web, or print 8x10s this camera will more than meet your needs and if you do your part make some really nice photos. The GH1 has been my go to camera for the past two years and I have made some amazing pictures with it. The GH2 is better. You can argue the merits of FX vs DX vs M4/3 until you are blue in the face but the fact of the matter is it just doesn't matter in todays age and each year it continues to matter less and less. All cameras have their limitations and part of being a good photographer is know what those are and shooting around them. As far as ISO goes, with the GH1, ISO 800 was the highest I would shoot except in an emergency. With the GH2, ISO 1600 shoots clean (better than 800 on GH1) and 3200-6400 are perfectly usable.

Stills while shooting Video The GH1 would not let you take a still photo while shooting video. The GH2 allows you to take a 14mp 16x9 picture while shooting video. So now you can be taking video and when you see something you want a still photo of just press the shutter release and now you have a photo. Brilliant.

5 fps full 16mb resolution and 40fps 4mp pictures for up to 1 second Here is a feature I have not really seen anyone talking about. This camera has become a fantastic sports camera. It will shoot full resolution at 5 fps which is pretty pedestrian but still more than adequate for most sporting events. The 7D and A55 shoot 7 and 10 respectively. However, the GH2 pulls a trick out of its hat with an electronic shutter that will shoot 4mp pictures 40fps for up to 1 second. Now for those of you who think 4mp is yesterdays news. That is a 2400x1600 size photo. That is good enough to print a 12x8 photo from. Combine this with the fantastic new 100-300mm lens and you can shoot 40fps at 200-600mm equivalent. Wow.

I can go on and on but this review is getting too long already. Some of the features I haven't talked about are Aspect Bracketing, Advanced Scene Mode, My Color Mode, Film Mode, Face Recognition, Fn1-3 button (Function) and the C1-3 modes (Custom Modes). You can really tell that someone who enjoys making pictures designed the layout and handling for this camera. There are not a lot of cameras out there that can make that claim.'

What's Not

1/4000 top shutter speed and 1/160 flash sync speed Panasonic has given us a partial Electronic shutter on the GH2. They were supposed to have released a full electronic shutter but instead wasted research resources on the fad know as 3D. A full electronic shutter, as we are likely to see in the GH3, will probably have a shutter speed of 1/16000 and a flash sync speed around 1/2000-1/4000. Also, it is like to be able to shoot 24+ fps for as long as the card can stand.

Construction The switches are a cheap feeling plastic. Please panasonic put some nice metal or composite switches on this camera. I never had it fail on my GH1 but I was always worried and careful of it. This is a bit of a double edged sword as the current construction keeps the camera very light and as I said I have had no troubles with the GH1. However, The mode nob rotates too easily. When I am pulling the camera out of the camera bag I often accidentally rotate the mode nob.

Panasonic Flashes are outdated, lacking in multiple features and are heinously expensive. You may wonder the relevance of this in a camera review but if you seriously want to make nicely lit indoor pictures you are going to want a flash.

3 years into M4/3 and we are still missing critical lenses 12mm f/1.4 25mm f/1.4 45mm f/1.4 35-100mm f/2.8 300mm f/4 300mm f/2.8 1.4/1.7/2.0 Teleconverters. All MIA. This and the flashes are the only thing really holding the M4/3 system back as a dominant professional system. To shoot events and wedding you really need the fast glass for the shallow depth of field and for catching special moments in poor lighting.

Conclusion:

The GH1 in my opinion was a truly revolutionary camera for its day and was the best all around camera on the planet. The GH2 continues the revolution and has added some amazing new features such as touch screen, 40fps shooting speeds, ETC mode, hi ISO shooting, and the list just goes on and on. Frankly, there is not another camera that can even come close to doing all of the things this camera is capable of. It is the new best all around camera on the planet.

Pros:

40 fps 4mp shooting for up to 1 sec

Touch screen focusing

Blazing fast auto focus -twice as fast as the already fast GH-1

Clean Pictures up to 1600 ISO -Same as D700

Best video in a combo-cam to date

Most shooting modes of any combo-cam

ETC 2.6x extra crop factor turning your 100-300mm into a 520-1560mm video lens

Multi-aspect 18mp (16 mp per aspect) sensor

Best M4/3 sensor delivering clean images at 1600 and useable to 6400 thanks to the 3 venus microprocessors for video

IMHO Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the best all around camera on the planet

Cons:

Still only 1/160 flash sync speed

Still only 1/4000 max shutter speed

3D is a Fad -No one wants to have to find/wear some goofy glasses to watch TV or read a book all of the time. There are good 3D picture solutions that don't require glasses but they are expensive.

3years into M4/3 and the format is still missing critical lenses. 12mm f/1.4 25mm f/1.4 45mm f/1.4 35-100mm f/2.8 300mm f/4 300mm f/2.8 1.4/1.7/2.0 Teleconverters. All MIA.

Stills Purchasing Thoughts

Panasonic GH2 with 14-140

If you buy a M4/3 system then you are going to want this superzoom as your all around lens. This lens cost $750 by itself. This means if you don't already own this lens you are faced with a tough decision. The GH1 with 14-140mm lens is selling for $950-1000. If you buy the GH1 now and then wait six months to buy the GH2 body, you should be able to get that for around $700 at that time. Then you would have two superb cameras for only $200 more than the GH2 system today. The downside is, while the GH1 is still a great camera it is not in the league of the GH2. If you do opt for this system, then the sister lens is the 100-300mm lens. This would give you a 35mm equivalent coverage of 28mm-600mm with only 2 lenses. Very very nice.

Panasonic GH2 with 14-42

This is the system that I bought simply because the body only was not available when I ordered. The 14-42 is probably Panasonic's worst lens. Optically it is fine but the construction is not up to the standards of Panasonic's other lenses. I would avoid this combo and buy the GH1 with the 14-140 lens for the same price as this camera. Then down the road buy the GH2 body only or wait for the GH2 body only. If you are just burning to have a GH2, and you only have $1000 to spend then you can still set up a good system. Get this, and the 45-200mm lens for a total of $1300. Those two lenses cover you from 28-400mm and should serve just about every need.

Panasonic GH2 Body Only

Great for anyone who already has M4/3 lenses or anyone just wanting to shoot with Leica lenses.

Video Purchasing Thoughts

Buy the GH2--period dot. There is no other consumer combo cam on the planet that can even come close to the GH2.

**First off, I have given the GH2 five stars because of its general excellence and how much I love using this camera, but that is not to say it's without fault.**

I am a huge fan of the micro 4/3 format. Point & shots are fine as such, but the lack of manual controls frustrates me as does image quality beyond a 5"x7" print. On the other hand, a full size DSLR feels too bulky in my hand and to carry around often. I learned basic photography using a 70's vintage Nikon FM, so the G-series size is more familiar to my hands than today's full size DSLRs. And with taking candids and street shots, it doesn't feel nearly as intrusive as a 1.5+lb DSLR kit does to me.

So this is my third G-series Panasonic camera. Without a doubt, this is the best one yet. The G1 & G2 are great cameras in their own right, but the GH2 advances the M4/3 format to whole new level. I wanted a faster camera but had too much invested in this format to look elsewhere. The GH2 is faster in every respect over the G2. AF is noticeably quicker, and better yet, very accurate. I've yet to see it really tripped up. Shooting rate is very quick; much, much faster than the G2. Unfortunately it seems Panasonic didn't bump up the buffer size to keep up with the frames per second the camera's capable of. So after about 10 shot burst, the camera freezes up for 5-10 seconds or more, especially if you're shooting RAW -and I'm using a class 10 8g card. Shooting in jpeg helps some. Don't think of using anything less than a class 6 card, even shooting jpeg. This is a shame as it keeps the camera from being a decent sports/action shooter

Handling is one of my favorite things about the GH2. It feels good in my average-sized guy hands. If you're used to a DSLR, it may feel too light and lacking heft. Coming from point-and-shoots, it feels pretty solid and stable in hand. The thumb grip, while adequate, could be a bit bigger and stickier. The body does have a little too much of a plastic feel and sometimes seems a shade too light. Still, I never have the feeling of it slipping or squirting out of my hand.

The ergonomics are very good. Frequently used settings have manual adjustments. If not, there are now 3 function buttons to customize, as well as 3 custom modes. Or you can drive through the menus. The touchscreen initially struck me as kind of superfluous: I could adjust everything without it. But after awhile, I found myself using the touchscreen much more than I thought I would. It adds another level of control. Sometimes I can't remember where to find setting, but often within two taps of the screen I'm adjusting what I want. It's very helpful in getting the focus point(s) just so on a tricky composition, setting white balance (see below) and reviewing shots.

I always will miss an optical viewfinder, but the GH2's EVF is about as good a substitute as it gets. Smearing and rainbow effect are negligible and only appear in very poor light conditions, as does, not surprisingly, a lot of noise. Otherwise it does fine, even during a fast pan.

I've never been much interested in shooting video, but in the little experimenting I've done, the image quality is absolutely amazing. A number of GH2 owners have posted vids on youtube. Some of these really got me salivating, even though I'm not a video guy. I suspect this may be the camera's better/stronger half.

As for still images, Panasonic is closing in on DSLR quality. The dynamic range and low light speed are much, much improved since the G1, especially daylight, high contrast scenes. Blown highlights are just about a thing of the past. Low light image quality is now quite good at ISO 1600. I can get usable shots up to about ISO 3200, at which point noise is really becoming prevalent. Image stabilization is fine, I suppose: I've not noticed it one way or the other. The new Venus engine seems to render colors closer to their true values than earlier G-series were able to. Images out of the camera (once the WB is properly set, see below), seem sharper and more vivid than the slightly soft look Panasonic cameras I've owned tended to produce.

However, there are two image related issues. First is the auto white balance. It's the camera's greatest weakness. AWB does a pretty good job in ordinary outdoor light, if on occasion a little bit off. Indoors, it's middling at best. In general, inside AWB is too warm, yellow actually, for indoor photos. Moreover, the preset modes, ie, cloudy, incandescent, etc, are quite off and are all but useless. I either set the balance myself -this is where the touchscreen is very handy -or use my custom presets. This bothers me less than it sounds. I've learned what to expect and adjust accordingly.

The second issue is really more an issue of preference than a problem. When I'm feeling slow on the draw or just lazy, I'll select the full-on point-and-shoot mode, aka intelligent auto. Shots are consistent and just fine. However, here again, AWB can be a little off. ISO 400 seems to be the default daylight speed when 100 or 200 would be much better, and images once in awhile are little underexposed. Most of which can be addressed post process. But in semi-auto modes where the camera selects the ISO, having it default to ISO 400 when 100 or 200 is warranted, is annoying. But to be fair, in full iA mode, the camera will almost always choose the correct scene -portrait, children, landscape, etc -that you're trying to capture and produce pleasing results. Perhaps a firmware update will correct the WB issues and have a better algorithm for the auto ISO.

I can't say I'm enamored of the the kit lens. It's the same lens my G2 came with. I didn't care for its particularly plasticky feel and look. One good bump and it looks like the plastic casing will crack. In operation I think it felt a little cheap too. Given I already had several M43 lenses, I had no need for a kit lens so I ordered the body only. BTW, if you're thinking of a zoom, skip the Pany 45-200mm --it's slow without giving that much zoom -and go for the 100-300mm. Also, I highly recommend either of the Pany pancake lenses: the 14mm f2.5 or the 20mm f1.7. Both bring out a little something extra from the camera that I can't describe. Images just seem to have a depth, clarity, and tone that other lenses seem to miss. Plus fitted with a pancake lens the camera is small enough to fit in a large coat pocket.

Print-wise, this is where the camera really rewards effort. The rare times I've gotten everything just right have yielded a large print or two I'm proud of. The focus modes and various metering modes are spot on, that is, of course, if the dummy at the controls has configured the camera properly.

The issues with the white balance and the small buffer keep me from giving the GH2 an unqualified 5-star rating. 4 stars is too few for its overall excellence, so read the 5 stars as being 4.5.

On a final note, I wouldn't say this format is for everyone. There are compromises, which become less with each new model, but you pay extra to lose the weight and bulk of a full-size DSLR. For less money you can buy a DSLR with better specs -on paper at least. I get a kick out of using this camera, in a way like none other I've owned. Its size, its good handling and ease of use, and the way it rewards when you put it to work all justify the extra dollars out of my wallet.

Buy Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Now

Now I know that is a bold statement and I intend to back it up. However, before I do I need to explain what I mean. I am not saying this camera is the best at everything or even anyone thing. Cameras that are the best at something are usually specialized beasts that can really only do that one thing well. What I am talking about is a camera the is so good in so many categories that it can joyfully be used for just about and photographic or video graphic purpose you may have. The GH2 is that camera.

Now that is out of the way we can get to the meat and potatoes of the review. I shoot mostly Nikon and Panasonic and I primarily shoot stills. I dabble in Video but do not proclaim myself any sort of an expert. I can say if you are looking for the best handling combo/cam with the most features then the GH2 is the one you want. Panasonic went out of its way to make this a video camera so that was its primary focus with this camera. However, there are lots of payoffs for the stills part of this camera so this is the best m4/3 stills camera by a long shot also. I will also say that the hard core video market is a niche market compared to the stills market because shallow depth of field video is hard to shoot properly and hard to edit. The average home user has neither the time nor inclination to properly storyboard and shoot this type of video. However, with that said, it is really nice to be able to shoot stills and video. And basic home videos are a snap to shoot with this camera; much more so than any other DSLR with the exception of the Sony SLT A55/33 which at least has a fast auto focus also. To shoot nice home movies, put the mode dial to iA, press the red button, and you are shooting video.

This camera is the next generation of cameras as it successfully blends the advantages of Point and Shoot cameras with the benefits of DSLRs and creates and incredibly small and powerful camera. Listed below are some of the benefits and weakness you get from this next gen camera.

What's Hot

The handling on the GH2 is bar none the best handling "DSLR" on the market. WIth smart controls, great layout, fast autofocusing, swivel screen, full time double live view, etc. Even with how good the D7000 is, it still feels clunky after using the GH2. I get into most of the details of this down below so I don't want to repeat the info here. What I will say here is that you can do things with this camera you couldn't hope to do with DSLRs and you can generally set up your photo parameters much faster with this camera. The menus on the GH2 are not very good. However, the actual camera controls are so good you will rarely even need to use the menus.

Program Shift Forget using Aperture priority with this camera. You can leave the camera in Program mode. With program shift you can change the aperture setting and thus the shutter speed while in program mode. To do this you press the shutter release button down half way to set the exposure. Then if the numbers are in yellow you just rotate the rear dial switch to change aperture. Want a shallower depth of field or faster shutter speed, then dial in a bigger aperture (smaller number). If the numbers are not in yellow then you are currently in exposure compensation mode. All you have to do is click the rear dial switch and then rotate it. Snap. What a neat feature.

Extra Tele Convert (ETC) Mode in Video If you shoot video you are going to love this. This is even great for home/casual video shooters. The GH2 has a 16mp sensor but like every other consumer combo/cam shoots 2K video. That means the picture is usually down-sampled to make it 2K. This has some pluses and minuses. Enter the GH2. With the ETC mode the camera uses only 2K of the sensor. This gives you an extra 2.6x crop factor. Which means your total crop factor is now 5.2x. So that brand spanking new 100-300mm you just got is now 520-1560mm with no light loss. If you put a Nikon 135mm f2 then you now have a 702mm f2! lens for video. There are some drawbacks for using ETC also but they are pretty negligible.

Auto focus the auto focus on the GH2 is twice as fast as the GH1 and the GH1 was the fastest of previous generation. I have seen some very knowledgeable photographers saying it is as fast as mid-level DSLRs. While I think it is supposed to be a complement I don't think it is a very good comparison. I find the focus speed of DSLRs has most to do with what lens you have on. There are some lenses that focus slowly on even a D3. All of the lenses I have used on the GH1 focus very quickly except the 45-200mm. That lens tends to be my slowest. Non of the lenses I have focus as fast as a 70-200mm f/2.8 but the rest of them focus as fast if not faster than any of the other Nikon lenses I own. The best I can say about this is that you won't notice the focus speed on the GH2 as it is fast enough to get out of your way.

Smaller lighter camera I recently went on a trip to Egypt and carried nothing but my Panasonic gear. Two camera bodies, 5 lenses, 1 flash, an iPad, and camera bag. Total weight 10lbs (3lbs of that was the bag itself). My Nikon D300 and 14-24mm lens would have weight more just by themselves (I was carrying the Panasonic 7-14mm so I did have wide covered)

Swivel Screen with full-time live view You won't know what you are missing until you become used to this and how well it works. Want to reach up as high as you can and shoot down; No problems. Want to get as low as possible but can't lay down in the mud or water; No problem. Want to take a picture of you and your daughter but there is nobody around; No problem. Turn the screen around aim the camera at you and use the screen to frame. Something that makes photos interesting is showing the viewer something from a perspective they don't often see. The swivel screen actively encourages this. The other thing the swivel screen does is make shooting from a tripod a joy. Because of how small and light this camera is you can use a much smaller tripod. I have a 3lb tripod that can support 7lbs. Also, you can now set you camera up in all sorts of whacky positions and just rotate the screen to be able to frame and focus. Very nice. Also, with no mirror to flip up you don't have to worry about any vibrations.

Touch Focus implemented as slick as on the iPhone. As I mentioned above you can shoot from many strange angles because you can swivel the screen to almost any angle. However, if the camera did not focus on what you wanted it would be hard to change it. Now you can simply touch the screen on what you want to focus and presto it will focus on that. The GH2 is worth the price just for that.

WYSIWYG What you see is what you get. Since you are looking at either the screen or the beautiful EVF, you are seeing what the sensor sees. With a DSLR you are seeing what the lens sees. This is an important difference. If you forgot to reset your WB or Aperture or any camera setting, you will see it before you shoot. On a DSLR you would have no idea until you looked at the pictures. Also, if it is a low light situation, the EVF will start to noise up and start to lose some of its smoothness. This is a warning to you that you need to use flash or a tripod. With a DSLR the viewer becomes darker but you don't get a very good visual cue of how your camera is seeing it. For me the most brilliant thing with WYSIWYG is setting exposure. Because I can see what the camera is doing with exposure, I usually leave the camera in P mode. Then I change the exposure by changing where I aim the camera, lock the exposure and then reframe for the subject. It works something like this. I am trying to take a picture of a person but the exposure is picking up to many bright objects, thereby dimming my subject. So, I aim the camera to include more dark areas while keeping my subject in the shoot. Then I press the shutter release button down half way to lock the exposure and focus. Then I reframe back to the original photo. This works so quickly you can try several exposures in less time than you could set one with the exposure compensation dial (which is actually exceedingly well executed on this camera also.) In a DSLR, since you don't see the exposure, you are just basically guessing at what you want and then shooting, view the photo and fix. Much slower.

Shoot about any lens you want The distance from the lens to sensor is so short, that with the appropriate adaptor, you can put just about any lens you want on this camera. Canon, Nikon, Leica, Voigtlander, Pentax, Sony, you can use them all. Generally you need to use lenses which have aperture rings. Additionally, you do lose autofocus but there are many instances where this just doesn't matter. Macro photography is a good example. You can fit a Nikon 200mm f/4 onto the GH2 and then either get a 2:1 reproduction or a 1:1 reproduction with twice the depth of field. It is like putting on a teleconverter without the loss of light and depth of field. Brilliant.

Great for Newbies All DSLRs are easy for anyone to use and the GH2 is no exception. The great handling makes the GH2 better for newbies in my opinion. Anyway, all you have to do is put the camera into iA mode and start shooting. This camera gets the subject correct more often then not and will make you look good. In dynamic situation, I actually use the iA mode quite a bit. I do this because the camera is good a recognizing as scene as a person, flower, scenery, etc. The camera then instantly sets numerous setting to make that scene look as good as possible. If you tried to do it yourself it could take a few minuets to set and then a few to set back. Or even worse you forget to reset it and you next pictures look bad. If I have time, then I will set the camera myself. My daughter has been using the GH1 since she was 2. Here hit rate initially was only about 10% usable picture and 1% good pictures. Her hit rate now is about 70% usable pictures and 20% good pictures with about 5% really nice pictures. She has such a different perspective that it is really interesting to see how she views the world.

Image Quality I am reluctant to put this in the review because all modern cameras have such good IQ that it really is not relevant in most cases and any discussion encourages pixel peeping instead of photo making. I will say, if you are using this camera to make pictures to view on your monitor, or publish on the web, or print 8x10s this camera will more than meet your needs and if you do your part make some really nice photos. The GH1 has been my go to camera for the past two years and I have made some amazing pictures with it. The GH2 is better. You can argue the merits of FX vs DX vs M4/3 until you are blue in the face but the fact of the matter is it just doesn't matter in todays age and each year it continues to matter less and less. All cameras have their limitations and part of being a good photographer is know what those are and shooting around them. As far as ISO goes, with the GH1, ISO 800 was the highest I would shoot except in an emergency. With the GH2, ISO 1600 shoots clean (better than 800 on GH1) and 3200-6400 are perfectly usable.

Stills while shooting Video The GH1 would not let you take a still photo while shooting video. The GH2 allows you to take a 14mp 16x9 picture while shooting video. So now you can be taking video and when you see something you want a still photo of just press the shutter release and now you have a photo. Brilliant.

5 fps full 16mb resolution and 40fps 4mp pictures for up to 1 second Here is a feature I have not really seen anyone talking about. This camera has become a fantastic sports camera. It will shoot full resolution at 5 fps which is pretty pedestrian but still more than adequate for most sporting events. The 7D and A55 shoot 7 and 10 respectively. However, the GH2 pulls a trick out of its hat with an electronic shutter that will shoot 4mp pictures 40fps for up to 1 second. Now for those of you who think 4mp is yesterdays news. That is a 2400x1600 size photo. That is good enough to print a 12x8 photo from. Combine this with the fantastic new 100-300mm lens and you can shoot 40fps at 200-600mm equivalent. Wow.

I can go on and on but this review is getting too long already. Some of the features I haven't talked about are Aspect Bracketing, Advanced Scene Mode, My Color Mode, Film Mode, Face Recognition, Fn1-3 button (Function) and the C1-3 modes (Custom Modes). You can really tell that someone who enjoys making pictures designed the layout and handling for this camera. There are not a lot of cameras out there that can make that claim.'

What's Not

1/4000 top shutter speed and 1/160 flash sync speed Panasonic has given us a partial Electronic shutter on the GH2. They were supposed to have released a full electronic shutter but instead wasted research resources on the fad know as 3D. A full electronic shutter, as we are likely to see in the GH3, will probably have a shutter speed of 1/16000 and a flash sync speed around 1/2000-1/4000. Also, it is like to be able to shoot 24+ fps for as long as the card can stand.

Construction The switches are a cheap feeling plastic. Please panasonic put some nice metal or composite switches on this camera. I never had it fail on my GH1 but I was always worried and careful of it. This is a bit of a double edged sword as the current construction keeps the camera very light and as I said I have had no troubles with the GH1. However, The mode nob rotates too easily. When I am pulling the camera out of the camera bag I often accidentally rotate the mode nob.

Panasonic Flashes are outdated, lacking in multiple features and are heinously expensive. You may wonder the relevance of this in a camera review but if you seriously want to make nicely lit indoor pictures you are going to want a flash.

3 years into M4/3 and we are still missing critical lenses 12mm f/1.4 25mm f/1.4 45mm f/1.4 35-100mm f/2.8 300mm f/4 300mm f/2.8 1.4/1.7/2.0 Teleconverters. All MIA. This and the flashes are the only thing really holding the M4/3 system back as a dominant professional system. To shoot events and wedding you really need the fast glass for the shallow depth of field and for catching special moments in poor lighting.

Conclusion:

The GH1 in my opinion was a truly revolutionary camera for its day and was the best all around camera on the planet. The GH2 continues the revolution and has added some amazing new features such as touch screen, 40fps shooting speeds, ETC mode, hi ISO shooting, and the list just goes on and on. Frankly, there is not another camera that can even come close to doing all of the things this camera is capable of. It is the new best all around camera on the planet.

Pros:

40 fps 4mp shooting for up to 1 sec

Touch screen focusing

Blazing fast auto focus -twice as fast as the already fast GH-1

Clean Pictures up to 1600 ISO -Same as D700

Best video in a combo-cam to date

Most shooting modes of any combo-cam

ETC 2.6x extra crop factor turning your 100-300mm into a 520-1560mm video lens

Multi-aspect 18mp (16 mp per aspect) sensor

Best M4/3 sensor delivering clean images at 1600 and useable to 6400 thanks to the 3 venus microprocessors for video

IMHO Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the best all around camera on the planet

Cons:

Still only 1/160 flash sync speed

Still only 1/4000 max shutter speed

3D is a Fad -No one wants to have to find/wear some goofy glasses to watch TV or read a book all of the time. There are good 3D picture solutions that don't require glasses but they are expensive.

3years into M4/3 and the format is still missing critical lenses. 12mm f/1.4 25mm f/1.4 45mm f/1.4 35-100mm f/2.8 300mm f/4 300mm f/2.8 1.4/1.7/2.0 Teleconverters. All MIA.

Stills Purchasing Thoughts

Panasonic GH2 with 14-140

If you buy a M4/3 system then you are going to want this superzoom as your all around lens. This lens cost $750 by itself. This means if you don't already own this lens you are faced with a tough decision. The GH1 with 14-140mm lens is selling for $950-1000. If you buy the GH1 now and then wait six months to buy the GH2 body, you should be able to get that for around $700 at that time. Then you would have two superb cameras for only $200 more than the GH2 system today. The downside is, while the GH1 is still a great camera it is not in the league of the GH2. If you do opt for this system, then the sister lens is the 100-300mm lens. This would give you a 35mm equivalent coverage of 28mm-600mm with only 2 lenses. Very very nice.

Panasonic GH2 with 14-42

This is the system that I bought simply because the body only was not available when I ordered. The 14-42 is probably Panasonic's worst lens. Optically it is fine but the construction is not up to the standards of Panasonic's other lenses. I would avoid this combo and buy the GH1 with the 14-140 lens for the same price as this camera. Then down the road buy the GH2 body only or wait for the GH2 body only. If you are just burning to have a GH2, and you only have $1000 to spend then you can still set up a good system. Get this, and the 45-200mm lens for a total of $1300. Those two lenses cover you from 28-400mm and should serve just about every need.

Panasonic GH2 Body Only

Great for anyone who already has M4/3 lenses or anyone just wanting to shoot with Leica lenses.

Video Purchasing Thoughts

Buy the GH2--period dot. There is no other consumer combo cam on the planet that can even come close to the GH2.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Here

I was fortunate to have the GH2 very early in its distribution cycle in the US, so I've had time to get used to its quirks and abilities, and frankly the "Best all around camera" title is well deserved IF put into context.

As with most pro and semi-pro cameras, the quality of output is mainly due to the PHOTOGRAPHER not the camera. I've been a pro photographer for 30 years, but gave up the craft for the past ten years or so, moving back to simpler point and shoot cameras for vacations. When it's your "job" taking photos, vacation pictures can seem too much like work. :-) The convergence of digital photography and videography finally prompted me back into the semi-pro field. And I've got to say, the GH2 has me totally excited about photography again!!

A few points to add to the other reviews made here:

1) Yes, the auto white balance is the GH2's one achilles heel. It's just not that good indoors. This can be completely fixed through RAW file conversion (more on that later) but is more of a problem with video. Just make sure to use the indoor white balance modes instead of AWB. They work fine.

2) The GH2 viewfinder is WORLDS better than most digital DSLR's, except for the full frame pro cameras that weigh and cost tons more. The APS-C DSLRS have pathetically small viewfinders. It's like looking through a toy periscope. Not so with the GH2. As an old film camera photographer, I had no problem getting used to the wysiwyg digital viewfinder, and it really helps indoors to see more detail than your naked eye can see.

3) JPG output straight from the camera can look a bit soft and muddy, but this is totally due to image settings, not the inherent data of the image. Panasonic uses a much more conservative "film like" setting, with low sharpening and contrast. It's always easier to add these items in post processing. Many newer digital cameras crank saturation, sharpening, noise reduction, and contrast up to ridiculous levels to give that "punch" so many amateurs seem to like. But remember, jpgs are "lossy" images. Every time you tweak the settings of a jpg in post processing, you reduce the quality a bit. The solution? Experiment with the in-camera settings (and there are plenty) to get the perfect image values you prefer. By altering the contrast, saturation, and sharpening settings from the menu, you can achieve a punchy shot to rival any other semi-pro camera.

4) If you're a point and shoot amateur looking for a simple camera that requires no thought or creativity to crank out mildly decent photos, then the GH2 may not be for you. In fact, stay away from digital SLR's altogether. You'll be happier. On the other hand, if you want SUPERIOR photo quality, then start shooting with RAW files. I love setting the GH2 to JPG+RAW. That way, I can punch up the jpg settings to get that "amateur" punch straight out of the camera for viewing while on vacation with friends, but I have the excellent RAW files to tweak to my heart's content later, when I want the best quality possible. And since RAW is a lossless format, you can tweak anything and everything. That's when you will really start to appreciate the professional quality possible with the GH2.

One software package I HIGHLY RECOMMEND for the GH2 is DXO Optics Pro. This post processing software is close to a miracle and has tuned modules for the GH2 and lenses. It automates most of the post processing of images, in both jpg and RAW formats. Take a RAW image and run it through DXO, and you will get an almost perfect combination of noise reduction, contrast enhancement, highlight recovery, lens distortion correction, and white balance. I find most of the images turn out perfect with the default settings. It's the "lazy mans" Photoshop without all the tweaking. Check it out at dxo.com.

5) The addition of video makes the GH2's "world's best all around camera" claim a reality. If you've never done video, like me, the option to capture 1080i video right from my digital camera is truly enlightening! The secret to good vacation (or pro) photography is to be ready for the perfect shot whenever it occurs. Having ONE camera with a 14-140 zoom (28-280 35mm equivalent) that can also take breathtaking video, ensures that you won't be fumbling around with lenses and camcorders while the action passes you by.

6) Low light capability with this camera is amazing! Just make sure to set ISO to automatic, and set the upper limit to 3200. (from the menu) You will get perfectly usable images, especially if you post process RAW files through Photoshop or DXO. But remember, a 14-140 lens on a sensor this large is never going to be a fast indoor lens. Get the 20mm 1.7 for excellent indoor images. It also makes the camera much more like a point and shoot for those indoor parties and children shots.

7) Depth of field: This may be one area where amateurs get confused and disappointed. Smaller sensor point and shoot cameras have inherently greater depth of field, making it easier to keep a video or quick photo in focus. The shallower depth of field of the GH2 and other DSLR's takes some getting used to, but it is also why the videos will look so professional when done right. Most movies use shallow depth of field as a key technique in focusing the viewer's attention. You can literally take movie quality videos with the GH2, which is why the amateur film movement has embraced it.

8) Lens interchangeability: This is great feature, especially for video! I have many old manual Nikon lenses that work wonders on the GH2. Yes, you lose autofocus and aperture control, but if you put the camera in aperture priority mode, and turn on auto-ISO, the camera will still expose images properly and automatically. The lack of autofocus is not that big of a deal. I've taken plenty of excellent photos during my career with manual focus. The REAL advantage comes with video though, where manual focus is an ADVANTAGE, not a liability.

So is the GH2 perfect? Of course not, any more than any other digital camera, but its flaws can be easily circumvented with post processing. You simply will not find any other camera on the market that combines so many different professional features into one, small, inexpensive package.

Want Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Discount?

I have recently owned the Panasonic G1 and GH1, been very pleased with them, and thought that getting the GH2 would be 'just another upgrade'. Not so. The ergonomics give a camera that is an absolute joy to use. The touch screen totally transforms macro and tripod shooting, while the buttons, knobs, dials, and switches bring every major photographic parameter to your finger-tips. I agree with the earlier 5-star reviews here, but must say that on my camera, I find the knob action is firm (much firmer than G1 or GH1) and will never be accidentally knocked into a different setting, and that the other switches are adequately robust. I have found the Olympus flashes (FL50, ring, twin) all work perfectly with the Panasonic. I'd recommend the 14-140 lens, its a great all-rounder and takes 80% of my shots, even though I have the 7-14, 14-45, 20, 45-200, 45 macro, and 100-300 in my bag.

Casio Exilim EXZ750 7MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

I have been giving less and less credibility to the so-called digital camera reviewing websites lately as digital cameras get past the gee-whiz-gadget stage and become true instruments of photography. The review sites are ok when they talk about their interpretations of published specs but they leave me cold when it comes to how good a digital camera is at making a memorable photograph. Yes, things like start-up time, internal memory capacity, and battery life are good to know because if a camera scores really badly on certain specs it can become a chore to use. But how well a digital camera helps create a photograph is still the most important thing that needs to be considered.

I have preached the mantra that "more megapixels doesn't mean a better picture" for years and I still believe it, but I also believe that some of the newer high megapixel cameras are also now giving us better lenses and processors, which are the two main things that make one digital camera better than another. And I've resisted getting suckered into the hype about some manufacturers putting exotic-sounding names on their lenses. All that really means is that they paid to license the lens name, it doesn't mean each lens is hand made in the Black Forest by old bearded craftsmen.

The same review sites mentioned above seem to kiss the feet of anything with the name Canon on it to the point of putting their independent review status in severe jeopardy. Yes, Canon makes some good cameras but they really don't have any more real experience in the business than most other DIGITAL brands and in my estimation they consistently fall just slightly short of the mark. Yeah, most people buy them, but then again most people eat at McDonalds.

So what do I think is the very best all around consumer digital camera on the market regardless of price? To me it's the Nikon D70S priced right, near perfect design, and slightly more accurate at capturing images than the Canon counterpart. But I don't want to lug a huge camera and a bag of lenses around with me all the time, that's why I was so excited when high-quality pocket-size digital cameras were invented, so I could leave my old Nikon SLR on the shelf and be prepared to make good photographs wherever I happened to go.

Since I put the old film cameras into semi-retirement, I have had digital cameras from Panasonic, Canon, Olympus and HP and they were all adequate but suffered from that "chore" syndrome mentioned above with their horrendous shutter lag, dismal startup time and wretched battery life. This time around I wanted a camera I could truly carry in my pants pocket, yet has a good (no make that great) lens, excellent battery life, as many manual features as I could get in a tiny package, and something that didn't feel like a plastic toy.

I considered Panasonic Lumix, Canon, Nikon and Sony. The other brands I looked at had some good stuff but didn't seem to fill my desire for a true photographer's quality instrument. Sony got booted off the list fairly fast. They are such a fine company, why can't they make a camera that actually takes a great picture?

I am intrigued by Lumix, the quality of the pictures seems first-class, I love the image stabilizer, and they are very feature-rich, but most of the pocket-size models feel just a little cheesy. Canon makes pocket cameras that take good pictures, but I feel Canon is resting on their reputation instead of trying to build a product that's worth the asking price.

And Nikon would have come in a strong second, just missing first place because of weak ergonomics. I never seriously considered Casio, ok maybe for a watch or calculator, but I asked myself what they would know about photography. Turns out they know a lot. They've actually been making digital cameras longer than almost anyone, and when it comes to the right buttons in the right place they are geniuses. I'll go further than that, the whole concept of the Exilim EX-Z750 is genius. It you total up all it offers I would have to give it the honor of being the only perfect pocket-size digital camera on the market.

As soon as I touched on I was impressed by its quality. It feels like it's machined out of block of solid aluminum (its not). The controls give you nearly everything you will every want using buttons that make sense and don't require you to go many levels deep in the menu. I love the HUGE 2.5" LCD screen but no LCD screen is fully useful in direct sunlight no matter what anyone says, so Casio thoughtfully brought back the optical viewfinder.

It seems 9 out of 10 reviewers who mention the optical viewfinder say they hate it because it's so tiny. Who cares? It's there when you need it, and it's sharp and clear. If it makes the difference between getting a priceless picture or missing it, I'll take a tiny viewfinder instead of none anytime.

The EX-Z750 starts up and is ready to shoot by the time I get my finger from the off/on switch to the shutter release. Can't be any faster than that. I have still not found any instance where shutter lag has caused me to miss what I wanted to capture, in other words there really isn't any shutter lag in real life.

Rather than go into every detail of the camera, I'll mention a few of the biggest high points that sets this camera apart from every other one in the category.

1. The EX-Z750 remembers the zoom position when you turn it off and back on again. I have dreamt of a feature like this! There are so many times I have had the camera all set up and had to turn it off to wait for something to be ready, only to have to turn a camera back on and make several readjustments. With the EX-Z750 I can turn it back on and EVERYTHING is set exactly the way I left it.

2. Some cameras have some limited function to remember other favorite settings, the EX-Z750 seems to have the ability to remember nearly everything without having to commit it to a special "favorites" position on a switch or dial. So if I like -1 saturation (and this camera is slightly oversaturated in its default position) I can leave it at -1 forever.

3. You can turn the camera on and off with the on/off switch, or you can turn it on and off using the "record" "play" buttons to go directly to that mode. How cool is that?

4. The EX button makes it possible to very quickly adjust four of the most important shooting parameters without ever going into the menu mode.

5. The movie mode is incredible, and offers several unique features including a unique pre-movie that's already recording before you push the record button ... kinda like the way TIVO works ... it's weird and insanely brilliant. After seeing the quality I wonder who in their right mind would lug along a camcorder no matter how small it is on those trips to Disneyland when the EX-Z750 can take outstanding still pictures AND decent video in a camera you can hide in the palm of your hand.

6. Live RGB histogram? On a camera the size of a deck of cards (smaller actually)? WOW!

7. Battery life is one of the best in the industry.

8. 30 scene modes! Yeah I know I said I wanted something to take professional quality photographs and I wanted manual overrides, but sometimes you don't want to spend 10 minutes setting the camera like when the sun is setting in 30 seconds. I can't believe how versatile the scene modes are.

Last but not least, the picture quality is shocking. I compared two pictures taken at the same time of the same scene with the EX-Z750 and the $1300 Nikon D70S. I showed them side-by-side to several people who should have been able to tell the difference. Nobody could.

The negative side? Slight oversaturation as it comes out of the box. For snapshots it may help most people make a blah picture look a little more exciting. For someone more critical, just set the new default to -1 and you've got yourself a low-price, pocket-size D70S. To the reviewers who can't figure that out, get over it and go get a job at McDonalds.

The other small negative is that I love panorama assist. I take a lot of panorama pictures and I can't figure out how Casio missed putting in this one obvious feature. Must be some fear they have of absolute total perfection ;-) I rate the Casio EX-Z750 a 10 out of 10

Footnote: I've had the EX-Z50 for a week now. I've taken it on a trip and taken a variety of photographs and even submitted a few to be judged. The sharpness of the lens on this little pocket camera is unbelievable. The realism of colors is uncanny. Overall I can say photographs taken with this camera are so far beyond my expectations I would call them thrilling. I'm still going to buy a digital SLR but I'm in less of a hurry now that I see what I can do with my pocketable Casio.

As other reviewers have already noted, the EX-Z750 is nearly unbeatable in terms of its design and feature set. It is the only subcompact camera to offer such a comprehensive amount of control in such a small package. However, my experience indicates some troubling quality control issues that potential buyers should be aware of. First, however, pros and cons of the camera.

Pros:

--Excellent battery life.

--Excellent menu system and ergonomics.

--Very, very fast and responsive both in playback and record modes.

--Small size, all-metal construction.

--Included docking station.

--Good movie mode.

--Large LCD screen.

--Good flash performance.

Cons:

--Default saturation is really too high. I suggest setting it to -1 in the menu. Even with this corrected, though, I tend to prefer the colors produced by Canon and Fuji. That, however, is a personal preference.

--Images are slightly noisy. (Not enough to mar reasonably-sized prints, however)

--The zoom has relatively few steps between wide-angle and telephoto. Not a big problem, certainly not an uncommon one in point-and-shoot digitals.

Having said that, however, I should mention that my unit was defective. The autofocus system missed consistently (If I had to guess, I'd say that 75% of the shots were blown). Also, mine had a completely bizarre sensor problem; the images were blocky and pixelated even at full resolution and full quality, appearing as though they were of much lower resolution. I took these images to my local camera store and had this impression confirmed.

Anyway, it turns out that I am not alone, especially with the autofocus problems. A not-inconsiderable number of users have been reporting problems with the autofocus system, optical problems with their lenses, and another troubling mechanical problem that I'll explain below. (For these discussions, head over to dpreview.com, select "Forums" on the left, followed by "Casio Talk")

The troubling mechanical problem I mentioned earlier is this: If the camera is ever accidentally powered on while the lens barrel is obstructed, you will probably receive a "Lens error" message. To my understanding, this situation can also damage or break the autofocus motor. It seems like common sense not to turn it on while it's in the case, but accidents happen to the best of us (and other models do not seem nearly as susceptible to this problem). The Casio's easy-to-press raised power button makes accidental power-on more likely; so does the ability to turn the camera on with the "Record" and "Playback" mode buttons (also raised) on the back of the camera. This behavior can be disabled through the menu system; I recommend doing so.

In conclusion, then, the EX-Z750 is endowed with a nearly unbeatable combination of design, features, and image quality at this price point. And despite the problems that I mentioned, realize that all consumer electronics have a reasonable rate of failure. Nonetheless, my impression (both from my personal experience and from the anecdotal evidence I've gathered from the forums) is that this might not be the most trustworthy and reliable camera around.

If you decide to go with the Z750, shoot a LOT of pictures when you receive yours. Shoot some houses on your street; definitely shoot some portraits. Put the camera through its paces in the first couple of days, then examine all the images at actual size on your computer screen and make sure that the focus is accurate and that the resolution and detail is all there. Especially when dealing with third-party merchants who sometimes have VERY short return/exchange periods (mine required getting it postmarked for return within seven days of receipt), it is important for you to establish that your camera is working well right off the bat. And, again, make sure to disable the power-on function for the record and playback buttons on the back of the body.

Some other models you may want to consider in the same (roughly) size/price range:

--Fuji F10. Terrific noise control, very fast-operating camera. A little bigger than the Casio and short on manual controls, but endowed with good battery life, beautiful 6.3MP images, and Fuji's (to my eye) excellent image quality. It has some downsides, too; be sure to read up on it.

--Canon SD500. A very popular choice-watch out for fragile LCD screens, though. Limited manual controls. Many have reported breakages that Canon will not cover under warranty.

--Sony DSC-P150. I'm not too familiar with it, but it is favorably reviewed.

Lastly, make sure that you really need a camera this small. There is something to be said for the way that a larger camera feels in the hand, and there are plenty of attractive super-zoom models for similar prices as these point-and-shoots. Making things smaller always entails some kind of compromise. However, the good news is that these small point-and-shoots (in my opinion, particularly the Fuji) deliver outstanding images on par with much larger and much more expensive cameras. Just make sure that your particular camera's optics and focusing systems are delivering the results you expect.

My four-star rating for this camera combines impressions of my actual experience with the expected image quality of a non-defective unit. I gave it four stars instead of five because of reliability concerns and slight image problems (too-high saturation, noise levels, good but not great color rendition, in my opinion).

Buy Casio Exilim EXZ750 7MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Now

I've researched and debated on buying a camera in this class for a couple months and my choices were the Casio Z750, Casio s500, Casio s600, Canon SD450, and the Canon SD550. Lots of great reviews for all these cameras, and all seemed to have their pros and cons. In the end, it came down to the Z750 and the SD550 (wanted to go for the 7 megapixels because my wife really likes to do stuff with photoshop and print large layouts of pictures).

I'm not a photographer, just the average person who likes to take pictures at social events and vacations, and wants a good camera that I easily take with me in my pocket. I can't really tell the difference that a lot of reviewers talk about in image quality, and frankly I don't really care about purple fringing, softness, contrast, saturation, blah blah blah...as long as the picture looks good to me and takes me back to the moment then I'm happy. Therefore the images produced by both the Z750 and SD550 (and the others as well) were all good enough for me.

Here's the dealbreaker that led me to buying the Z750 over either of the Canon's...SPEED. I've read just about every review out there and although they talk about how fast this camera is, they don't really relay just how much faster this camera is when you simply push the button. I'm the guy who's on vacation who will bother a stranger to take a picture of me and my wife or friends, and I can't tell you how many times we've had to tell these strangers how they need to hold the button down halfway, let the camera focus first, then push it all the way down. Only for them to not understand or not be able to do this. Then we end up getting crappy shots or have to ask someone else who looks younger and more in tune with today's digital cameras. I'm sure a lot of you know what I'm talking about. So a major concern of mine when selecting a new camera was the ability to hand the camera to anyone walking along the street and let them simply push a button and take my picture. Here is where the Z750 sealed the deal for me.

I went to a couple of stores, turned on each camera, pointed at something in the store and pushed the little button to get a picture. The Canons (both SD450 and SD550) wouldn't take the picture, and I ran into the same "hold the button down halfway" problem. Even though they were quick to focus once I held the button down halfway and quick to take the picture once I fully pressed, neither would take a picture if I simply pushed the button all the way. On the other hand, all the Casio's took a picture immediately. They all have extremely quick autofocuses and in combination with this, if your finger is too quick for the autofocus there's a quick-shutter option that will allow the camera to bypass the focus and still take the picture. Some reviews say the autofocus is so fast that it's hard to even get to the quick shutter phase, and some say that the quick shutter sort of guesses on a focus and takes the picture based on this guess. I don't really know what to believe, but what I do know is that either way when I just press the little button, I get great looking pictures.

So if you're like me and need a camera that will take a good picture while handing it over to a stranger , then the Z750 is the better choice. If you're the only person who's going to handle your camera and know all the ins-and-outs of digital photography, you'll probably have a much tougher decision.

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The lens error problem is real. It is a design flaw (in my opinion as a Electrical Engineer). I experienced the problem about 10 minutes from opening the box.

The sensitivity to go into the lens error failure mode is too high. Any pressure (even the slightest) on the lens at opening will shut the camera down w/error. After that, each time you try to power up the camera it will keep displaying the lens error and power down immediately. The only way to get it working again is to re-apply very slight pressure to the lens. I know this is counter intuitive and in fact scary, especially on a new camera w/warranty disclaimers on power lens failure due to the blockage / abuse. It may take several trys. You may even hear a ratcheting sound from the lens. But it works !

If necessary, you can recalibrate the autofocus by zooming in / out completely.

Turn off the digital zoom. It seemed to aggravate the probability of the lens error problem when zooming the lens in and out specifically when switching (crossing over) to/from digital zoom mode. Digital Zoom doesn't really help anyway.

The case also has a padded insert causing the case to be way too tight remove the padded insert !

Out of the box the unit powers on in multiple ways. This can cause inadvertant power up w/lens blocked. Turn off those power up options.

Double check the picture mode each time you start taking pictures the dial tends to rotate when handling the camera out of the case.

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Hi all. First of all, I must say the main idea of this comment. THIS IS A DIGITAL CAMERA... AND ITS MAIN FUNCTION IS TAKING PHOTOS.

I bought this camera a couple of months ago, after a very deep research, investigation and comparissons. The first thing I was looking for, was a good resolution and high quality photos. Then I wanted a big LCD screen and of course, good image stabilization. After that, the size of the camera was very important, memory and storage features and then, price and brand.

When I saw this camera for the first time, I got very interested with its 7.2 megapixeles. When I took some trial photos (when I had already bought it, of course) the results where amazing. Its 3x optical zoom is just enough if you have modes to take huge photos (fixed to be printed in a A3 paper). So, my first conclusion was: If I don't have the 5x or 10x of optical zoom that other cameras offer... I can select the biggest printing size for my photos and equal that quality. it's not dissapointing at all, I swear.

Then, I read carefully about the different modes it has to fix images according to light conditions. You can easily go from a sunset landscape to a fireworks scene, from a backlight picture to a night portrait... and it really works well. And you get it, just selecting the auto-configured modes. One trick I always do is (if I'm in doubt about which mode to use) taking trial photos with the possible modes, and then compare them (the huge 2.5" LCD screen is very helpful here). The result is the perfect photo, the best flash setting, contrast and white balance. Simply awesome. I almost forgot, if you take an action scene with the standard mode, you get a great picture too (this camera has an almost instant photo taking from the time you press the buttom).

After those photo features, I found a very friendly menu. it's really easy to change settings and modes. You can do it from the complete menu, or the wonderful quick access buttom to edit or modify the most common settings for a fast configuration. You also have to buttoms to switch between the play mode and the camera itself. Then, you have a very friendly and easy to understand menu and structure.

Another outstanding feature of this camera is the use of SD cards. This cards are widely used in many other devices as PDAs, cell phones, other brand cameras, whatever. This is not as the nasty and "exclusive" Sony's Memory Sticks, so, you won't have to buy many memory storage cards for each device you have (but you'll have if you have a Sony). Its LCD screen is simply wonderful, a great colour display and even the digital zoom (8x) is a helpful tool.

Then... and finally... the video feature. This camera has 3 basic video modes. The first one, and the most common in other cameras is a poor video quality (320 x 240) which can be used for quick videos to be sent by Email. As I said at the beginning of this review, you're buying a photo camera, not a video recorder. But, this is your like day... If you use this camera's best movie quality mode (640 x 480) you'll get really GREAT and enjoyable videos. I went to Las Vegas for a holiday week and I spent a complete day taking videos with my camera. The quality is incredible for a photo camera (for both, images and sound) which can easily be played in a 15 inches screen without losing resolution. It's really cool.

For video editing, this camera comes with a CD containing an editing software to brun a VCD or DVD file, so you can enjoy in both two ways of your videos. Of course, you have the .mpg and .avi files.

So, my conclusion: This is the best camera I've ever had, about its price... I think it's fair, you have the best photo camera and a pretty cool video recorder (but, be sure of buying a 512 MB or more SD card to storage lots of video).

Polaroid IP200B wireless IP Network Security Camera, Pan and Tilt, Black

I recently bought 2 cameras and I am very happy with them. Setup was pretty simple and it works well with my email account, it's a decent camera with a decent web interface that does what it's supposed to do and works reliably, supports modern features and multiple users can be configured with different access levels.

The pen and tilt moves almost silently, and are quick and precise. The LEDs on the rear panels can be disabled to be less conspicuous, in a nice touch.

I really love these cameras so far. They are good budget priced cameras and other cameras with an image that's no better and software that's much worse are priced much higher. It's a great balance of modern features and decent quality.

I bought 2 IP200's and an IP300 and only 1 IP200 still works. These are junk don't waste your time

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Absolutely the worst set up instructions I have ever seen. I own a mac and work with macs professionally on a daily basis. The software comes on a CD which won't play on your mac...and there are no drivers to download from their website. I tried doing this manually but the booklet of instructions that's included doesn't address this on a mac...only on windows machines. Oh wait, it does say, if you own a mac, "it's pretty much plug and play". Btw, the manual reads like a 5 year old wrote them, spelling errors in every paragraph which really makes you feel confident about the product. This will be going back.

*Update. Just got of the phone with their tech support. After 45 minutes of waiting, they realized that they haven't tested the product on the TWO most recent Mac OS systems...thus they have no idea if it actually works on Macs. They asked me to call back in two weeks to see if they would have an update. Impressive, isn't it?

Update 2. Stay away from this seller. Extremely unpleasant to deal with...will charge you shipping and restocking fee regardless of reason for return.

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Purchased this camera for an experiment, for the money and features it had to offer it seemed like a no brainer, after comparing it to similar

cameras in its price range and reading several reviews it has proven to be a wise choice, the camera is very easy to set up, and provides a very

clear picture, the user interface leaves a little to be desired, and the audio will not work for some reason, but audio is illegal to use in security

surveilance in many states anyhow, dollar for dollar , I would recomend this camera , it moves very smooth and almost silently, would be nice if they

improve the interface so that you can choose limits on auto scan movement, but I have yet to find a low end IP camera that does, and zoom again would

be a valued upgrade to it's performance, but is only available in more expensive cameras as well, try one, you should be pleased with it's performance

and appearance,

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The camera may be OK, I'm not sure as I never got it working. The software is terrible. The web server on the camera repeatedly prompts for a userid for any operation, but will not accept the default userid provided in the instructions unless it is typed in three times in a row. It looks like you can provide any old userid three times in a row and it will let you in to the site. Clicking on any page within the site prompts for userid once again. Looks like you can also hit "cancel" when prompted for a userid and still get in! Once in though, I couldn't get a video feed with either VLC on IE or Google Chrome or the Server Push Mode. That makes this thing pretty much useless to me. I'm sending it back.

Update: I skipped using IE and went to a Chrome browser, using the userid "admin" rather than the specified "Admin". It worked! Setting it up for wireless access was a snap. Next hurdle is setting up DDNS.

Sony Cybershot DSCT7 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

I've already been the happy owner of a Sony DSC-F828 "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.

Enter the new Sony DSC-T7. 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 T7 are 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. The T7 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.

Similarly, plan on getting more memory immediately. The supplied 32M is good for only 14 pictures at top resolution. I settled for 512M, the largest I could actually buy at time of purchase, but would recommend the new 1GB size if available to you as you buy. The memory door appears a bit flimsy, so it seems best not to need to open it too often.

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.

My main criterion for my 2nd digital camera was: can I jog with it in my pocket? Of all the 5mp+ I looked at, this is the only one that really won't be annoying. And has now been tested on several jogs with great success. It is very solid, sturdy, and dense. It really is as wide and high as a credit card, and LESS than a cm thick, not counting the sturdy lens cover. That cover was a big selling feature for me, as I am afraid of those flimsy metal leaves that close to 'protect' some lenses, while in my pocket. Although it has slid open by itself in my pocket, but the auto-off protected its battery.

After 3 weeks, I have taken many great photos with it. It has an amazing macro capability: better than 1:1! It really is like a magnifier, the icon they use for that mode.

I miss the time-lapse feature of my Canon S50 ("intervalometer") and hope Sony gets a firmware upgrade to include that. Although this is not a full 'manual' camera, it has many adjustable features, and seems to choose well when you let its AI do the adjusting. The video is awesome, esp. at full res (640x480) as is the sound. In fact, you could set it to low res, just to use it as a sound recorder-well over an hour on my 512M stick. At high res, you get only ~10 min on a gig stick, but considering this is not a camcorder, that is fine for capturing many moving 'images'.

I LOVE the very fast start-up, well less than 1 sec. Great for catching those spontaneous shots while riding in a car. And it is quiet: no motors whining to give away your photographic intensions. (The zoom motor is virutally inaudible).

I was very pleasantly surprised how intuitive all the buttons are laid out, and menus too. Sony did a lot of usability testing. Much better than my Canon. And the buttons are the sturdiest of its class of tiny cams.

It has a tiny tripod hole, so needs their adaptor/desk-stand to mount (included). Battery is tiny but not as feeble as some reviews reported. I love Sony's 'infolithium' that tell you how many minutes you have left. Get an extra, tho. The screen is awesome, and can be booped up for easy view in broad daylight. Who needs a viewfinder?

Sensitivity and noise are pretty good-night images possible. Image colors are over the top, so I turned down the 'saturation' setting.

It is so tiny, you better use that long neck strap so you don't lose it. I keep it tied to my belt loop and forget I have it with me at all times now.

If you want the best really small digital camera out now (May 2005) then this is the one.

Buy Sony Cybershot DSCT7 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Now

I had this camera for several weeks now and took over 100 pictures. The pictures are really good with this size of camera. People who complaint abut the picture quality of this camera either they expect too much from Sony or they never use an ULTRA-COMPACT camera before. You cannot compare this camera to the bigger (compact) camera from Canon, Nikon or Pentax. The depth of this camera is about half of the Canon SD lines (ex. SD400) and Pentax S5i OR 1/3 of the Canon S lines (ex. S410).

I currently own both Sony F828 (8MP) and Pentax S5i (5MP). I get this camera because it's thinner and has a larger LCD screen than the Pentax .

Of cause, the picture quality cannot compare to a semi-pro camera like Sony F828 but it's about the same as or better than Pentax S5i. This camera is great to take outdoor pictures or indoor pictures with short distance (under 5 feet). You cannot use this camera to take group photos (saymore than 4 people) because the flash is not strong enough to produce a good picture. Some people complaint about the noise but all they need to do is to lower the ISO to 200 or below to avoid those noises.

I did not notice much about blurry pictures. The pictures come out great 90% of the time for indoor. Outdoor pictures are always great. Color is very decent also.

Pros:

1. Small easiest to carry and decent picture quality

2. looks great

3. high quality built and feel great to hold

4. battery is very decent compare to my Pentax

5. histogram

6. very good movie resolution with no time limit.

Cons:

1. add a charging station so that the battery does not have to come out when charging

2. a little bigger and stronger flash is good

3. a little bit pricy but built quality is great compare to my Canon or Pentax. Hey, why people are willing to pay more $$$ for an entry level Lexus when they can get an Avalon or a Camry with same options for thousands less.

if you're looking for a camera to fit all situations (day, night, group photos), you need to get a BIGGER cameras but it's more difficult to carry around. I got rid of my Canon S410 and got a Pentax S5i about 6 months ago because the Canon is too fat to fit in the pocket

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Outstandingly awesome! Feature rich, yet simple to use and YES, it does have an OPTICAL zoom. The quality of the photos are great. And it's very small I can wear it around my neck and forget it's there because it's so light. As an avid photographer for many years (even back when the equipment wasn't digital!), I can say this is an incredible piece of technology.

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I was looking for a ultraslim camera to replace my 2 years old Canon S400 which is still too thick and heavy for me as a snapshot camera. When I first saw the T7, I was attracted to its super sexy style. So the T7 automatically sit on top of my short list for the next camera. (the others are Panasonic FX7, Canon SD400 and Nikon S1) Before I made the decision, I have read a lot of reviews online regarding the T7, people are either love it or hate it, and I understand why soon after I got my hands on the it...

I purchased the Sony T7 from a local store (although Amazon offer a better price, it would be a huge hassle if I don't like it and decide to return it). But soon after taking a few pictures with the camera, I discover that this is definitely not a camera for me.

For those people who highly rated this camera, those are the people who love sexy and stylish gadgets, in this category, T7 should be a perfect choice. It is super stylish, slimmer than anyone could imagine for a 5MP camera and it is definitely an eye-catcher and a head turner that people just can't keep their eyes off it!

However, after I calm down from it's stunning appearance and start using it, I immediately realize the reasons why so many users of T7 left negative feedbacks. The camera is too small that it is awkward to hold and take pictures steadily. Lens and the large LCD screen are prone to the fingerprints. All of the pictures took indoor is grainy and noisy, even with the help of flash. The flash is so weak that it hardly reach over 6 ft. Using the red-eye reduction function will further induce handshaking effects and ghosting effects when taking pictures indoor due time required to steadily hold the camera is longer. Ironically, a camera of it's size is prone to red-eye since the lens and the flash is so closely located.

In short, the image quality of all the pictures T7 took are disappointingly lower than the pictures took with my 2 years old Canon S400. The supporters of T7 may argue that T7 is much smaller than S400. That's true, however, personally, at this price, I would expect the picture quality is on par or at least come close to my 2 years old S400.

PRO

Super slim, super stylish and attractive

Body feels sturdy and well build

2.5" large LCD screen

Very fast start time

CONS

Difficult to hold steadily

Weak flash

Weak battery life (Additional battery pack cost $50)

Use MS Duo/Duo Pro (Which costs approx 50% more than SD with similar speed)

Pictures taken indoor are noisy and grainy

Prone to red eye, but prone to hand shake when using red eye reduction

Lens and LCD screen are prone to fingerprints

After playing with the T7 and the comparison tests with my old S400, it is very clear to me that T7 isn't a camera that worth its price. The bottom line, how good is a camera if it can't take even decent quality pictures even though it looks cool on the outside? I am going to return it to the store and luckly they don't charge for restocking.

I am going to continue my research on the other cameras on my list (Nikon S1, Panasonic FX7 and Canon SD400) which are just a little thicker than T7 and cost approx $100 less! So far, I have seen less complaints on each of these cameras than T7.

Sony CCDTRV108 Hi8 Camcorder with 2.5" LCD

I have used many video cameras in my life, but I have never owned one until now. I worked at audio/video stores for several years and saw lots of different formats and brands come and go. Never a fan of the VHS format or its junky little brother, Compact VHS, I knew 8mm was the way to go, at least back then. Nowadays, though, Mini DV seems to be taking over with even smaller cassettes and better picture quality. However, I don't have that kind of money to afford a DV or Digital 8mm camcorder. Yet.

Enter the TRV-108, a nifty little video camera that uses the HiBand 8mm format, superior to 8mm, but certainly not in the ballpark of Digital8 or DV. Still, its compact size and light weight make it easy to carry around almost anywhere and given the first 8mm camcorder I ever used was big enough that part of it sat on my shoulder, this is a great improvement. It comes with a 160 minute `InfoLithium' battery and little else except a lens cap and strap. It takes great pictures and has a nifty menu system navigated by a little wheel at the back that works like like a volume control and when you have selected what you want from the on-screen display, you just press the wheel to make it happen. This makes titling a snap. I do miss the title image-grabbing function from older 8mm cameras, though.

The 2.5" color back lit LCD screen is clear and easy to read in all but the brightest sunlight and failing that, it also has a small .5" black and white display through the view finder. The 40x zoom is fantastic, but you better have steady hands in order to use it. And using the 460x digital zoom is impossible with anything but a tripod. The camera is equipped with a nightshot mode that actually does work, amplifying light in dark areas, making the image more visible, if green. The TRV-108 also comes with some neat digital effects like sepia tone, which gives video a nice old movie look, a pastel effect which gives everything a cartoony look, black and white, 16:9 aspect shots, plus other effects. It can also do snazzy digital fade-ins and fade-outs.

This camera only really has two failings. For the most part, built in camera lights are useless, but the TRV-108 doesn't even have an accessory shoe for mounting an external light source. Something I found kind of maddening to the point where I even toyed with the idea of finding a camera at a garage sale, ripping it apart, and super glue the shoe to the top. Second, while the built-in microphone is very sensitive at picking up voices and ambient sounds, it does not have a foam wind sock. In moderate winds the roar of the air as it passed over the mike caused a lot of noise. And if it's too loud, like when I shot at the base of a waterfall, the noise caused image distortion lines! These two missing features cost the camera a full five-star review.

All in all though, this is a pretty decent little toy. It's not a serious camcorder and a far from a Canon GL-1s or Xl-1s, but for what I use it for, it's still pretty darn good. It's also low cost enough that purchasing it and using it as a good way to find out if you want to go for a bigger and better camera with more features, whether it be a Digital8 or Mini DV camera. It has taught me a lot about framing shots and what a pain the noon day sun can be. The long life of the battery means that, with a little mental effort, you can shoot a full 2 hour tape on one battery. Not bad for a trip to the zoo to send a tape to your folks.

Hi8 is fast fading into oblivion as MiniDV takes over the world and gets cheaper. If you want good video quality, you should go with a namebrand MiniDV camcorder -I recommend Sony, Panasonic and Canon. On the other hand, if you don't shoot a lot of videos and want something cheap, the Hi8 is still a good way to go. (I bought the TRV108 as a gift but tested it before giving it to my uncle-in-law.)

To someone who's used to MiniDV camcorders, the TRV108 feels big. It's actually normal for a 8mm camcorder. The LCD screen is sharp and bright -but as we shall see later, also a battery hog. The traditional eye-piece viewfinder is b&w, which is bad if you want to use it to conserve battery power.

The TRV108 gives out good video quality on Hi8 tapes. I would rate it "high" for a Hi8 model, but even the cheapest MiniDV camcorders (except for Samsung) can match such quality -plus they offer more bells and whistles. One nice thing is the inclusion of Sony's NightShot infrared technology -now you can turn your lights off and make those ghostly videos like in Blair Witch Project and Silence of the Lambs. :) The TRV108 also includes a host of effects you can add to your video footage.

One bad thing, though, is this model does not have the stabilizer. The TRV308 and other more expensive models include Sony's digital stabilizer. On the other hand, digital stabilizers degrade quality, so they work better on a digital camcorder than an analog one like the TRV108. Just make sure you have sturdy hands and arms.

Now the battery. The battery is definitely a problem and you'll want to buy an extra capacity battery. While the LCD turned on, you'll run out of the included battery in a matter of minutes. You can save power by using the b&w viewfinder, but that defeats the purpose of having the LCD, doesn't it? One plus feature is the included AC adapter works at both 110V and 220V.

If you have [the money], I highly recommend a MiniDV camcorder. Otherwise, make the TRV108 your entry-level home video making machine. You just can't beat its price and good quality for a Hi8 model.

Buy Sony CCDTRV108 Hi8 Camcorder with 2.5" LCD Now

I've been waiting and waiting for the best value in a Sony Hi8 Camcorder and by far this is it! This is my very first camcorder. I've been doing a lot of research and comparison on which sony model will suit me best, then this came out. I quickly grabbed it after finding out how reasonably priced it was. I bought it at [a local store] during [a] Sale... I've never laid hand on a camcorder before and I am very pleased to find out how easy it was to operate. I was able to do the playback on my TV and dubbing on my VCR with ease. It has great features, great sound and best of all best picture quality. I know there are a lot of people out there like myself who are not ready to spend a lot of money on a camcorder especially for the very first time. Well, you will not be disappointed with this one! It comes with all the accessories to get you started. Battery charging is very fast, instructions are easy to follow when it comes to recording, playback and editing, the night shot feature is great, best of all the LCD screen is so fun to use especially when you have a "little one" to capture on video. This is definitely as great buy!

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This was our family's first camcorder and I'd have to say that it does its job wonderfully. This camcorder has all the basic features you need to create great home videos. Our results so far are very satisfying. The only drawback is that you must buy an extra battery AND a camcorder bag! These are essential accessories that you must get if you plan to travel with your camcorder. What I love about this camcorder is that it could automatically convert to 220V, which is great when you travel. There's also the nightshot feature. I guess what this lacks is the 'image stabilizer.' However, I heard that stabilizers may actually worsen the picture quality on Hi8 camcorders. Whatever the case, we are very happy with our purchase and would highly recommend this product. It's high quality by a great brand and it would last you til you upgrade ...

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My old hi 8 went caput after 10 years use that was very trouble free.The new one has way more features that the 100 and costs much less. ...

I use the viewfinder instead of the display as I am used to it and so far have recorded 3 hours on it and it tells me I have 2 hours left. I used the telephoto constantly which takes power put am very happy with the results

I recharge the battery after use with the no memory effect so no problems. I use the supplied battery for dubbing and it will run 2 hrs in the dubbing mode which is great.

I dub hi 8 super vhs output to a super vhs vcr and do not notice andy difference in the quality of the dub.

Yes there is a more blurry picture if you dub to standard vhs but that is normal.

Unless you want to do some super pro stuff this camera is the one to get. Dave PS get metal evaporated tape for top notch 400 lines picture quality.