Olympus TG-310 Tough 14.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD, (Blue)

We bought this as a wedding gift for our best friends. The reason we chose this item was because it was damage resistant and bright to find if set down outside. {The bride lost her first camera, so we needed something to help combat that.}

They took it to Cancun and had it in and out of the water for 7 days straight. The camera freezes if it goes past 10 feet, they learned, but if you follow the cleaning instructions, it'll come out unscathed. Which to me, is amazing and totally worth the money!

It has several features they've found awesome and helpful, the slideshow when looking for a specific picture, the option to take several pictures at once and have it merged together as one was another.

The reason for only 4 stars is the battery life. The camera dies after about 150 pictures, and that is honestly a downer. Especially if you want to take it anywhere that you'll be snapping several pictures...usually vacations.

However the quality of the photos, the amazing durability of the camera, and the fun color options, can outweigh the one negative. Just charge it often, or buy a second battery to keep as a backup.

I am going to buy one for myself, I'm that sold on it!

This'll be my third model and fifth camera of the Stylus Tough series. Already had this same one for six months, took it too deep skin diving. NOT a dive camera, but truly tough and weatherproof. I've lost three cause they go where a camera should not go. A high end card helps a lot with recycle speed. I'm trying orange to help with losing it problem. If you've ever drowned a camera in the rain or ruined one with dirt, think about this oneit's impervious, I would hand it to a three year old in a mud puddle!

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Bought this camera to take on a cruise to the Bahamas. Took a couple of pictures before the trip just to make sure it worked, and all seemed good.

The first 5 days of the cruise (including 2 snorkeling expeditions where I didn't get near to 10 feet underwater), it worked great. Good color rendition, and the panoramic feature was so much more simple than other point-and-shoot digital cameras that I have had. The pictures were nice, and it worked great under water. Sadly, towards the end of the 5th day, the view screen stopped working. It would come on for a couple of seconds and then go blank. I recharged the battery a couple of times, and even tried our spare battery, but that didn't help.

The camera didn't leak in the battery compartment, so if it was caused by water leaking in, it came from some other part of the camera.

Fortunately, we had our Kodak digital camera with us on the trip, so we were still able to take lots of pictures of the Bahamas and Key West.

Sadly, the Olympus went back to the store for a refund. If it couldn't hold up on a fairly tame cruise, I just couldn't justify getting a new one for potential future vacations like white water rafting that I would want a waterproof, shock-friendly camera for.

I have a good Canon DSLR for serious photography. We bought this camera to take snapshots on the cruise, and for future vacations. The camera has nice features, and worked great while it worked. Sadly, since it didn't last 5 full days, I really wouldn't recommend buying one.

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I purchased the Olympus TG-310 on a cruise when I dropped a broke my camera. It was my first waterproof camera and I was really impressed with the price and what it could do. WARNING: Make sure to LOCK the camera when you are using it in and under water. I did not and the second day of owning it I got it filled with salt water and couldn't use it for the rest of the trip. Thankfully, Olympus stayed true to their warranty and when I arrived home from the cruise sent it in to get fixed, free of charge. Good company and good camera! Very happy with my purchase.

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I bought this camera and floating case prior to a cruise with some friends and it is WORTH EVERY PENNY. We swam with stingrays, snorkeled, explored caves, kayaked, and hung out in the pool and got terrific pictures without having to worry about damaging the camera. Features are easy-to-use and can also do panoramic photos; battery life is a bit limited but I solved this by buying a second battery--extremely afforadable on Amazon. Takes great pictures EVEN UNDERWATER (I used a 8gig memory card and saved all photos on the highest resolution so they'll print out suitable for hanging up at home later) and good indoor/non adventure kind of pictures. Downside: lengthy time between when you push the button and when the photo actually takes.

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Nikon D5000 12.3MP DX CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR and 55-200mm f/4-5.6G VR L

I've had this camera for 6 weeks now. Initially there was a recall on the D5000 for a failing power chip but my camera was not part of the recall. There are several nice features of this camera but none more important than it takes beautiful pictures. Shots taken at full 12.3 Megapixel fine outdoor have incredible detail. I've made blowup up to 12 x 18 and the clarity is stunning. The camera fits nicely in the hand. It has 11 focal points and 16 presets for specific situations (i.e. sunset, indoor party, sport mode, photograph children, etc. ) This makes it a very easy camera to use in the automatic mode but yet, it has all the manual settings for those who want to venture out into creative photography. One very special feature is the articulating 2.7 inch LCD display on the back of the camera. This display folds out allowing me to get low shots of the grand children without me bending over (I got a bad back) or allows me to lift the camera high and shoot over a crowd (like at a parade). Do not underestimate the advantage of this moving display. For me, it clinched the deal. The camera will shoot 4 frames per second for action pictures and that's pretty fast. You can also capture pictures in RAW format for those who want to work with Photoshop in super fine detail. Another feature that is pretty neat is the outline feature. Within the camera, you can select a picture you've taken and it will create an outline picture with white background. I take pictures of the grandchildren and print them in outline on white paper and they can now have very personalized coloring pages of them! For an artist who like to paint, they can use the outline pictures to have a sketched "canvas" that they can paint with everything being in perfect proportion. For educators of small children, imagine the possibility of the children coloring themselves on pages just like a coloring book. These "coloring/painting" pages are created WITHOUT destroying the original picture! This is a very nice camera that exceeded my expectations. The camera in automatic is rarely fooled and every snapshot I take makes me glad I choose the D5000. I got the two lens kit which covers from 18mm to 200mm. The camera even has some photo editing features you can do right from the camera like spot removal. All in all, I could not be happier with this camera. Nikon does a nice job with their products and this unit has rekindled a love of photography that had gone dormant in me.

Follow up after 5 months of ownership.

I continue to enjoy this camera very much. It is a solid performer. I recently bought rubber "armor" skin for the camera to protect it and that has worked out well. The camera does a very good job in Auto mode and you are tempted to just keep it there for all your pictures. However, I have branched out to the "program" mode which allows you to override the settings it chooses and play around with adjustments on aperture and shutter speed for "more creative" photography. I bought David Busch's book on the D5000 which gives you a lot of info not in the manual. The Vibration Reduction works very well on the camera and I'm getting good looking pictures on a regular basis. Our son got married and I gave the D5000 to my nephew and asked him to take pictures as he saw fit. From that I got a bunch of good family pictures that I will always cherish.

So, my rating remains the same with absolutely no regret. After moving to the D5000 from a point and shoot camera the difference has been night and day as to the quality of pictures I've been getting. I would encourage anyone who is thinking of a DSLR to consider this camera. It is fun to use and has a plethora of features that makes photography fun without breaking the bank.

ONE year ownership follow up:

After a year of ownership I am happy to report the camera continues to please me with it's great picture taking ability. There has never been any time in the last year that I regreted getting this camera. It has continued to perform flawlessly and I still have not used all the special features of this camera. The price has dropped (to be expected) and I think the D5000 is a great buy. One caution though. If you get this camera, be prepared to start loading up your hard drive with 12.3 megapixel pictures. With this great resolution, you never want to dial it back down, even though you can. Nice job Nikon!!!!

I've been using the D5000 for about a month now. Outstanding picture quality, really like using the GPS accessory with Apple's iPhoto automatically linking to maps. Just two drawbacks, though:

1. When using the 55-200 lens with AF and VR, sometimes the camera seems to get lost and simply do not take the picture at all, need to change subject or turn it off and back on to be able to shoot, and 2. When recording movies, the AF does not work, so you need to focus manually not a big deal if scene does not have big depth or subject does not move towards or away from the camera.

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I've been researching this camera for 6 months and I was kinda disappointed when I heard about the recall. I was not going to choose another camera because it seemed that Nikon would take care of the "bad" batch. I planned to get the camera in time for a trip I was taking early September. I delayed ordering it as much as I could and then one day I went ahead and ordered the camera with the 2 lens kit from Shutterbug. I spoke with Shutterbug over the phone and they reassured me that the camera I would receive was not part of the recall. Got the camera August 14 and I love it! I am not an SLR expert (this is my first) but I think I made the right choice. Many reputable companies issue recalls on their products. Nikon handled the issue the right way and I think it's not a reason to give bad reviews to a product based on a recall. This is a wonderful camera.

I decided to make the move to the D-SLR after using a prosumer/superzoom (Panasonic) for 5 years. I am still very happy with the superzoom but the poor ISO performance of the non-slrs was the deciding factor to get the D5000.

This camera has excellent performance at ISO 1600 and the kit lenses are pretty good considering you even get image stabilisation for the price. LiveView works pretty good if you can handle the ~ 2 sec focus delay. I recommend this camera for the amateur photographers crossing over to SLR.

For an expert review goto:

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I haven't come close to utilizing all the features of the camera but I love it so far. I used to shoot a lot with my film SLR years ago and was initially excited about going digital, but found that the shutter delay on all my digital point and shoots was terrible. I ended up taking fewer pictures! Shutter delay is minimal in the D5000. Still not as fast as a film SLR but the lag is not so long as to be irritating.

Finally Nikon DSLR technology and quality are affordable. I paid $965 I think, for the body and two lens package, which I think is more than reasonable. There is no point in getting a higher resolution camera at this point in time because I don't think the technology is there unless you are spending many thousands of $$$$.

Yes, shooting with the Live View on is a joke. It takes up to five seconds to get a photo depending on the lighting/subject. The workaround is simple. Compose your photo with Live View if you like, turn off the live view and the touch of a button and THEN take your photo. Yes it would be nice if this were not a problem but for less than a grand with video capability I am willing to put up with it. Besides, i am old-school and actually prefer TTL composition anyway. YMMV.

Hope this helps in your decision making process!

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My prior DSLR was a 3 year old Canon Digital Rebel XT--it took OK pictures, but nothing to call home about. A recent visit by a family member yielded some phenomenal pictures of my son. Before my nephew left, I borrowed his Nikon to take some pictures and they came out well, too. Then I got to thinking...everyone I know that takes good pictures uses a Nikon and my decision was made.

What struck me about this kit is the completeness and the quality of it. I purchased the 2-lens kit from Costco--it came with a Nikon case, a DSLR book and two DVDs on DSLR photography. I think it's a wise decision on Nikon's part to market its equipment with DVDs on how to use it because people will be left with the impression that Nikon equipment is better based on the results they get from it...a little education goes a long way.

The camera has a solid feel despite having a plastic case. The adjustable LCD screen usually stays flat on the back of my camera, but I have used it when photographing in crowds. It's also nice for environmental pictures because you can see what's going on in the viewfinder without having to draw attention to yourself setting up a shot. The menu system is very good and allows you to get to the controls very quickly compared to the menu system on my older Canon Digital Rebel XT. What is really nice is the picture viewing system on the camera--you can quickly make your way through your pictures and delete the ones you don't want without having to press all sorts of buttons.

Neophytes will also appreciate the help system on the camera. With every camera I've previously owned, I had to carry the manual around in the bag in order to remember how to alter all the settings and what the sometimes cryptic icons mean. On the Nikon, you can just press the help button on any setting and it'll give you a quick explanation of what a particular setting does. It also gives you example pictures for the various ISO settings, which makes life a lot easier when trying to set your camera up for a shot.

The autofocus is fast for a prosumer camera, the lenses are sharp, and the focus settings are very easy to manipulate. If you're looking for a nice DSLR to get your feet wet with, this is a wonderful camera. The only downside is the autofocus motor is built into the Nikon lenses...you're married to AF-S lenses, so if you expect to take your photography to higher levels after this one, you risk the investment in your lenses. For me, this camera is perfect and has opened up a new world for me in terms of where I can take good pictures.

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JVC Everio GZ-MG630 60GB Standard Def Camcorder (Blue)

I had read nothing but positive user reviews on another website and then read the negative ones on Amazon regarding the bundled software only working on systems with Vista. The camera itself had had such great reviews, and it was a great price, so I decided to buy it last week so I could film my son's school performance. The camera did an awesome job in a darkened auditorium -the video was nice and clear, there was minimal distortion when zooming in, and the audio was clear and at a good level as well. Afterwards, I installed the software on my Windows XP computer, hooked up the camera via USB, and was able to easily transfer the video to my computer. Playback was extremely clear! While I did have trouble with upload fails trying to get it to YouTube using the MediaBrowser software, I was able to upload from YouTube without a problem. I just fell compelled to write and let other readers know that the camera and software DO work with XP -no problem at all. I'm very happy with this camera!

Unless you want a High Definition camcorder, I highly recommend this camcorder to anybody who wants a camcorder that is small, light, and easy to operate, has a hard disk drive, gives high quality videos, and is still reasonably priced.

I got this camcorder about a month ago, learned how to use it in a few minutes, and shot quite a few videos with it including four test videos which you can see at Shoban Sen's YouTube channel.

I especially like the cameras zooming capabilities, strong built-in microphone, and the image stabilization feature (it automatically and effectively neutralizes camera shake to a great extent though the manufacturer does not advertise this feature much). The microphone is so strong that it picks up the noise made by blowing wind during outdoor shootings you have to turn on the "Windcut" feature from the camera's menu to stop this noise. The low-light shooting capability is also reasonably good, although the camera's built-in light is nothing but a gimmick (and the camera does not have a shoe to attach external video light). The laser touch scroll bar of the camera eliminates the need to touch the LCD monitor to select desired functions, and I love it. No more finger prints on the LCD monitor. The little remote control that comes with the camcorder is very handy almost addictive! I have not tried the Core Filter yet. I did notice some annoying background noise (sounds like rumble of thunder) in some of the scenes that I downloaded in my computer. The manufacturer says, "The core filter reduces interference caused when connected to other devices." I think when downloading videos to my computer, if I use the provided Core Filter on the USB cable, this noise will go away or will be reduced to a great extent.

THE SOFTWARE THAT COMES WITH THE CAMCORDER WORKS FINE WITH WINDOWS XP (BOTH HOME AND PROFESSIONAL EDITION WITH SP2/SP3). BUT DO CHECK THE CPU AND RAM REQUIREMENTS. THE MANUFACTURER CLEARLY TALKS ABOUT THE OPERATING SYSTEMS ON PAGE 29 OF THE ENGLISH MANUAL THAT COMES WITH THE CAMCORDER. THE SOFTWARE WORKS WITH WINDOWS VISTA AND WINDOWS XP. Only the Direct Upload to YouTube failed when I tried it once. But I won't say, it is the fault of the software I may have made some mistakes myself. I tried it only once. I do not use that feature anyway.

I have one negative point to talk about. The first Everio camcorder I received had a faulty rubber cap or cover on the USB port on the front side of the camcorder. It didn't close after I opened it for the first time. But thanks to Amazon.com's excellent Return Policy. They immediately shipped a replacement camcorder to me, even before they received my return!

A word of caution: do not swing or jerk the camcorder while carrying it. Its Drop Detection mechanism is very sensitive. The camcorder shuts itself off if you unknowingly swing the camera a bit while carrying it.

In conclusion, TWO THUMBS UP to this product. You cannot buy a better camcorder at this price.

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I'm very happy with this device. It does everything I wanted it to do. I don't do broadcast, but I do post video to iTunes for use on my college campus. The good video quality and the included software make file conversion and uploading to iTunes very painless. I really like the hard drive; I doubt that I could ever go back to tape storage. It seems to have good picture stability when zooming. If I could change anything about it, I would consider two things. First, I would make the documentation a bit more understandable. I have a PhD and it still took me quite a while to understand the conversion and uploading process. There are two sets of documentation, one print and one on the CD, and both continually refer you to the other. I eventually got where I needed to get by trial and error. The other thing I would change is that I think it would be nice to have an input for an external microphone. In general, I am pleased with this product.

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I purchased this camera a week ago, used it for the first time yesterday, filming a concert, and it worked flawlessly....I was very pleased with it, especially since the light was very dark in the club where the band was playing...I downloaded the video to my computer using their software, and after I figure it all out, I think it will work fine, seems to be simple to use...the picture quality is very good, the sound could be improved, but, all in all, not bad for a built in mic..I was concered by the negative review I saw here, but since having the camera, Im pleased with my purchase....the only thing it needs, is a longer life battery, I will have to buy the bigger battery for filming a concert or a trip, the one provided is only 90 minutes or so..bottom line is, Im happy with it, and would recommend it to anyone

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This is an outstanding camera. Out of the box it was easy to use and performed flawlessly. Took it to NHRA drag races and captured all the action without a hitch. Sound quality is outstanding, picture quality is almost as good as HD. Software included makes backing up the video a snap. Great lowlight enhancement also.

GE DVX Waterproof/Shockproof 1080P Pocket Video Camera (Bubble Gum) with 2GB SD Card

I really like this camera. There are a few things that I need to figure out with it still, but thus far it has done everything that I have needed it to.

I absolutely love this camera! This is a video camera in the compact size of a cell phone. It's very easy to use and we take it everywhere in our diaper bag to get spontaneous cute moments of our 2 month old daughter. I'm also going to take it on a trip next week with my 10 year old daughter. She loves to swim so we'll use it at the pool and at Sea World. I couldn't be happier!

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This is my first video camera. It is easy to use. A complete manual is available online and can be mailed if requested. The video is clear from edge to edge. The pictures are clear. I do have a complaint about the audio, it is clear, but it doesn't sound loud enough to hear in playback. A loud noise or voice would probably be hear-able in playback. Strangely, the audio does pick up every breath and grunt of the user. I am very pleased with the quality, the clarity, the ruggedness, the ease of use and the affordable price.

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Very good video and still camera. Excellent for short videos that can be posted to Facebook or YouTube. Picture and video quality very good

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I love it! I bought it to record my son when I was pregnant and now I use it everyday! Bath time no worry it's waterproof! All his grunts and groans on the sound, you hear perfectly! I love it! Highly recommend this!!

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