Sony NEXVG10 Full HD Interchangeable Lens Camcorder (Black)

When I first read about this camera, I couldn't wait to get one. Interchangeable lenses, big sensor, tiny size, HD, 14MP stills and more for 2 grand. It sounded to good to be true, and it was.

I will say that the shot footage looks great, if there's adequate light. But if you shoot something with a busy, repeated texture, moire patterns show up very annoying. Other Sony camcorders in this price range show a very useful zebra pattern in areas of blown-out whites, Sony decided to omit that in this camera weird.

Another strange omission is in the still pictures yes it takes great stills BUT doesn't save them in RAW format, just JPEGs. The lesser cameras in the NEX line save in RAW. Why would Sony do this? It makes no sense. If this thing shot in RAW, Sony would have the hottest camera on the planet.

Controls -you can control most of the functions manually, but you have to go through an array of odd menu functions to do it. I understand that an upcoming firmware update will make this much easier, but for now it's just a pain. Another pain you have to leave the monitor door open all the time to access the controls you can turn the monitor off and just look through the viewfinder (thankfully).

Glass the included 18-200mm lens is very nice good quality glass with just enough drag on the zoom to keep it smooth-I don't miss a motor zoom at all. I bought the wide-angle 16mm lens-which I also like and it's a bit better than in low light than the included lens. I probably won't get the 18-55mm lens (it seems kind of redundant). Sony has promised more lenses in the E-mount line. Lens changing is fast and easy.

Mac Users

Sony and Apple what a sad story that is. You can import footage into Final Cut Pro with Log (Lag? and Transfer, but you won't like how it looks or performs. There are conversion and "wrapper" utilities out there that work, sorta. You're better off using Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 with files from this camera. I prefer FCP, but files from this camera look and work better in Premiere Pro. If you only use FCP, this camera is not for you until Apple and Sony can settle their differences and FCP is updated. Windows users have more options with Sony's own Vegas program, Avid and others.

Sound-The onboard mic is pretty good, and there is a mini jack for an external microphone (no XLR input) but Sony decided to omit manual level control only automatic levels for sound. Once again Sony omitted something that its other price-class camcorders have. If you have to use the onboard audio, everything sounds OK-until you hit a quiet spot then the auto gain pumps up and whatever room noise there is hits you at multi-decibels which means you'll spend a lot of time in post ducking room noise. If you're serious about sound, you'll have to use an external sound recorder. Zoom makes some good ones)

Camera Strap Holders The designers at Sony did not think this through. Really really bad placement. If you have a $2,000 camera in your hands, you have to put a neck strap on it. Sony put the strap holds in a place where your strap will cover the record button AND interfere with the open monitor door. It wouldn't be as big a deal if you didn't have to keep the monitor door open to access the controls. I've tried putting both strap clips on just the front holder-which is a little better, but still a pain. Why didn't Sony put the holders on the bottom of the camera, where they would not interfere with the controls? A mystery.

No memory card is included with this camera. If you order it, you'll need to buy cards so you can actually use the camera. Buy the fastest biggest cards you can afford. Memory is pretty cheap these days, and it's odd that Sony didn't include at least a 1 gig card. Not a big deal, but odd.

This unit has the potential to be a great camera for it's price. The annoying menus, the lack of RAW file storage, the auto-only audio levels, the moire patterns, no zebra pattern and the strap holders keep it average. Sony could fix many of these problems with firmware updates and perhaps they will. I'll add to this review after the upgrade comes out.

If you buy this camera for planned shoots (like indy films or web videos) and have an external audio recorder-you'll like this camera a lot. You can get beautiful work done on it. The glass and the big sensor can give you some of the best-looking footage possible in a camera in this price range.

If you're a live event shooter this probably isn't your camera, yet.

Event shooters would love to have a great hybrid video/still camera. No RAW files and the menu access to controls just won't make it for those who dream of the perfect camera.

One of these days, Sony or Cannon or Nikon or Panasonic or somebody will put it all together the right way and shooters will literally fight with tooth and nail to get their paws on that camera. The rest of the industry will then rush similar products to the market.

C'mon manufacturers! Which of you is willing sell us what we really want?

FIRMWARE UPDATE

All it does is provide auto-focus for Sony Alpha-mount lenses. Nothing more than that. I don't own any of those. Sony did provide a MAC version of the update, which is nice.

FURTHER THOUGHTS (after a month with the camera)

Another problem: the covers over the various ports (power, USB, etc...) are held on with plastic hinges, rather than the rubber "plugs" used on some other Sony camcorders. Not good. I'm really careful with my cameras, but still managed to rip off the one that covers the power supply port. On my older Sony cameras (some are more than 10 years old with heavy usage) this never happened.

This camera also has one of the loudest shutters I've ever heard (when you take a still shot). I've been informed (by rzero21) that it's a true mechanical shutter, so there's no way to turn off the sound. I hope that Sony can fix this in future cameras. Sometimes the photo/video guy doesn't want to be the loudest person in the room.

I really want to love this camera, I've shot many hours on it now, plus taken 100s of stills. For the most part, it all looks great. I've gotten used to the cranky menus (sorta) but I still don't like them. I use an external sound recorder, but I wish I didn't have to sometimes. If it shot RAW still files and had manual control over the audio, I'd buy another one. If Sony's lesser NEX cameras allowed longer shooting times, I'd buy one of those today. The NEX 3 and 5 also suffer the loud "shutter" problem.)

There are lots of folks out there writing Sony and asking (pleading, begging) them not to cripple their cameras. So far it hasn't been too effective. I'm guessing that some marketing genius decided that customers would be thrilled to pay more for an intentionally crippled camera.

TO SONY'S MARKETING DEPARTMENT:

Take a look at the NEX VG 10 user groups on Vimeo and other sites, plus take a look at the comments your own site. I know you've sold a lot of these cameras, but I guarantee that you won't be able keep them stocked if you just fix a few of the firmware issues that your customers are asking for. You could have the hottest camera in the world! Isn't that what you want? (Maybe you could release a few more e-mount lenses while you're at it?)

ONE YEAR LATER

I've grown more fond of this camera over the year but all of the things I mentioned above are still annoying. I see Sony will be releasing the NEX VG 20 in November, and it fixes my biggest beefs audio control and RAW stills. Plus it will have some manual controls that you can access without having to have the blasted monitor door open all the time. Interesting. When it comes out I'll either buy it or the costlier pro version of the same camera. The VG 10 will become my backup camera or a wide-angle camera for 2-camera shoots.

I read the other reviews and have to shake my head. Only one reviewer even mentioned, and only in passing, what makes this camera so remarkable. It has a huge sensor and creates fantastic images. If what matters to you is the arrangement of the shoulder strap or the layout of the menu, by all means stay away from this camera. If you want interchangeable lens, the ability to shoot shallow depth of field and to create great images, take a closer look. This camera is not for everyone, but it does shoot some amazing video.

Video cameras, because of their typically small image sensors, shoot footage that has a very deep depth of field and a limited color range. In recent years many videographers have taken to shooting on DSLRS which have much larger sensors and can produce footage which is far more "filmic" with shallow depth of field and richer colors. The problem is that DSLRs are much better still than video cameras. They are typically limited to shooting for about 12 minutes. They generally do not have auto-focus and sound can be problematical.

The NEX VG-10 is a DSLR that is designed to shoot video. It has the same sensor as the Sony NEX 5 DSLR. Unlike most DSLRs, it does have auto focus. The quad mike is quite good and it is much easier to shoot handheld than a DSLR rigged out for video. The steadyshot stabilization is really nice. The 18-200mm E-mount 11x Zoom is a very good lens that sells for around $800 on its own. I plan on buying the 16mm f/2.8 Wide-Angle lens as well.

The real magic in the camera is the 23.4 x 15.6mm Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor. There is simply nothing like it in a video camera in this price range. The shallow depth of field is beautiful. If you are used to a camcorder which is always in focus because the small sensor gives you a very deep depth of field, the VG-10 might take some getting use to. If on the other hand you want to be able to keep the subject of your shot in sharp focus with the background softly blurred, this camera can do it, whereas all the older pro and prosumer video cameras can not. The only video cameras out there now (or soon) with this sort of large sensor are the Panasonic PMW-F3 and the soon to be released Sony FS100 NXCAM Super 35mm, both of which cost over $6,000, without lenses.

I agree that I would like zebra stripes and more audio control would be nice, though I still can use my shotgun mikes with or without a Beachtek adapter. The menu system takes a bit of getting use to but isn't bad. I would like built in ND filters but can live with external filters. The camera shoots a native 30P. 24P would be good but I can do that in post. I am not convinced most viewers can tell the differences in most settings.

The VG-10 can also be used as a 14MP still camera, though it does not have a RAW setting. I was looking to buy a video camera, so having one that can double as a DSLR is a bonus.

Overall the NEX VG10 is a remarkable camera that shoots great video. It is not perfect and it is not for everyone. That being said, I am very happy with the camera and video I can shoot with it.

Buy Sony NEXVG10 Full HD Interchangeable Lens Camcorder (Black) Now

I have used this camera over the course of the last month and I would have to say that in general I am quite disappointed with it. However to begin with I would have to say that there are a number of aspects that relate to this camera that are very pleasing. In relatively low light it has produced an excellent picture and the quality of the microphone is very good. If you use the camera on a tripod it is very good but its use in other contexts is feeling much more problematical.

I think that in some ways I am surprised at Sony. I have had great pleasure from a good number of Sony products and that makes me inclined to purchase more of the Sony range. At the same time I have a hard drive high definition recorder that is a pleasure to use from Sony but does not produce the quality of sound nor is it as versatile in low light.

With the camera you do get the Vegas premium software which is excellent, though I did purchase the Vegas pro which is a superb piece of software.

There are a number of issues with the camera that I cannot even vaguely understand. The balance in holding the camera is very poor and it is very heavy in the front. So that if you are filming and pointing forward and move towards the vertical the lens unwinds itself. Now I was trying to photograph some old photographs and had these on the ground and I had to physically hold the lens to prevent it from zooming out.

My other Sony has the pleasure of a touchscreen and this has an unbelievably awkward system of manipulation to try and get to the screen and activities you want.

The sound system does not allow you to control gain and this means that periodically you land up with other unpleasant noise that gets picked up when the microphone suddenly becomes very sensitive. This simply adds to editing hassle or no conceivable value.

It does not come with a strap and I made the mistake of buying one. It has to be the most awkward placement of any strap that you can imagine. It is right in front of the buttons and if you do have the camera on the strap it has to be the most awkward feel that you can imagine.

As a still camera I would have to say that it is excellent, but I do think that the designers that are very poor quality job in releasing this camera so prematurely. The battery housing in the back is so awkward, and there is a very tacky icky piece of plastic to cover the awkward back. My impression is that they want to produce a video camera did not have the courage to make it the same shape as a still camera. They still feel that people must have a video camera that looks like a video camera. However you now end up with this awkward system that is neither fish nor fowl. It is awkward to hold and not pleasant to use.

I first Sony still camera SLR was a similar premature release of a concept where it was not finished off properly.

Sony in many ways produces many outstanding products. At the same time it does do a number of inscrutable things with products that it does release. This camera has the feel of potential excellence, but has a serious lack of resolve from the developers to produce a proper finished product. My impression that they released a half baked concept that relies on the technology but fails on the industrial design and consumer test side.

For it to be a satisfactory camera it needs to have properly regulated sound, the balance needs to be sorted out and the lens cannot behave as it does. The battery needs to be easily accessible and the back needs to be sorted out. If it does need to look like a SLR, so be it! It must have touchscreen.

Read Best Reviews of Sony NEXVG10 Full HD Interchangeable Lens Camcorder (Black) Here

Recently, I went to Disneyland with relatives and shot with both the NEX-VG10 and the HDR-CX550V. While each has its unique advantages, I found I had more fun editing the NEX-VG10 footage. I actually want to watch it over and over, maybe because of the strong bokeh effect, I feel like my work is closer to what we see in movies and TV.

I wanted to support the reviewer before me, that this camcorder isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. Really wish I had this during my film school days... my dream camcorder is the upcoming NXCAM FS100, but not all of us can afford the $5850 retail price tag. Thanks to Sony though, for making the lenses compatible with both models.

Sound quality: I'm very satisfied with the NEX-VG10's microphone. The tiny fur cover is great, I can just leave it on, and the sound isn't muffled at all. One of my main gripes with the HDR-CX550V is that the microphone is too sensitive to wind. The NEX-VG10 doesn't have that problem.

My recommended accessories for the NEX-VG10: a high capacity battery (specifically, Opteka's cheaper NP-FV100), a spacious camera backpack (especially if you're going to get more lenses), 16GB SDHC memory card, 67mm polarizer filter, and quality lens cleaner supplies.

Some minor problems: in bright sunlight, it can be hard to see the LCD, which I prefer over the viewfinder. But if you attach a sunshade to the LCD, it blocks the side controls. Also, I find that the autofocus is a tad slow. Focusing manually is much more efficient. I encountered some moire in shooting rooftops and a chain link fence. Since I bought mine used, I had the misfortune of some weird residue on the sensor. Had to take it to Samy's Camera for a professional cleaning, but it was good as new afterwards (for only $35!).

If you look me up on YouTube, I have some sample videos that you can check out. I think one of the best ways to choose a camcorder is to see what it can do and if it fits your specific needs. For me, ultimately, it's storytelling. There are some NEX-VG10 videos out there that impressed me so much... the sheer emotion that you can evoke with its cinematic shots. Looking forward to making sweet, sweet art with this baby!

Want Sony NEXVG10 Full HD Interchangeable Lens Camcorder (Black) Discount?

i've had a mini dv for the last 10 years, it did a nice job. it finally died and gave me an excuse to buy a new video camera. i love shooting with a digital slr camera, exchanging lenses and so forth, so i love the idea of being able to do that as well on a video camera. i've taking video outdoors and the results are incredible. i recently shot video of my daughters birthday party at a skating rink, low light atmosphere. this camera still managed to take gorgeous video in low light. i've not played around with any of the manual settings, just left it on auto. i've not been disappointed at all so far, it's a huge improvement over my minidv camcorder. i'ts a bit pricey, but if it last me at least 10 yrs while my daughters growing up it's worth it.

15FT GOLD HDMI To HDMI CABLE FOR SONY PLAYSTATION3 PS3 LCD HDTV PLASMA Cables4PC

This cable looks very good on my big screen TV. The price is probably $50 cheaper for this cable than ones the same length that I have seen at electronics stores.

If you are looking for the best cable to connect your device to your HDTV the HDMI Cable is the one. When looking around the local market place for said cable I was turned off by the prices stores had for this item. But, one day when I was actually looking to purchase something else online I found the cable and it was just what the doctor ordered. You will be hard pressed to find a better price for this quality item. I had never used a HDMI cable before but this is a sweet, simply and low price must get item. I will get a couple more.

Buy 15FT GOLD HDMI To HDMI CABLE FOR SONY PLAYSTATION3 PS3 LCD HDTV PLASMA Cables4PC Now

PTC 35 ft Premium GOLD Series HDMI FLAT Cable - 24AWG and CL2 rated for inside wall applications

This HDMI cable is great for the price! I bought it to connect my laptop to my TV. I fished it under the carpet in my old apartment. It can be a little difficult to work with because it is quite stiff (TWSS).

This product is great, has an excellent price, and it was delivered in no time. I am using it for my projector so I needed a lot of cord to go from my receiver to the top of my ceiling where my projector is mounted. This was the first time I have seen a flat HDMI cord and it is very cool. I love the flat HDMI cord because it easiy blends in with the ceiling and going down the wall into my reciever with no problems. The picture quality is nothing but superb as you would expect from a 1080P HDMI cord.

Buy PTC 35 ft Premium GOLD Series HDMI FLAT Cable - 24AWG and CL2 rated for inside wall applications Now

Quick Pod, Arm Extending Self Portrait Device with Clips and Carry Bag.

I love the concept, since I go to places by myself and I take a lot of pictures. Usually I just use a tripod, and this works in places where a tripod does not work well. However, the plastic on the top broke the VERY FIRST TIME I tightened the screw. After a quick MacGyver move, I was able to keep it working until I got home and was able to super glue it together. So, it is good, just be careful with the screw.

I'm really happy with this little tripod. I saw it listed under a "cool travel gadgets" list and ordered one. It works great as a hand held, the little add on tripod legs are handy, I was tickled that a bag was included. I prefer taking pictures with a tripod, but when flying my good one is just to big to mess with. This baby fits in my briefcase. If you're a shutter bug I highly recommend getting one! I plan on getting some more to give as Christmas gifts.

Buy Quick Pod, Arm Extending Self Portrait Device with Clips and Carry Bag. Now

I took it to a party & the concept is great but after a few pictures the plastic broke where the top extender attaches to the clear plastic holder. It should be made of steel, not plastic. My camera is a Power Shot & very light. Disappointed!!!!!

Read Best Reviews of Quick Pod, Arm Extending Self Portrait Device with Clips and Carry Bag. Here

The clear plastic part that attaches to the camera broke on mine (as it did on other reviewers) the first time I used it. If your camera costs more than this toy, don't attach it and expect it to survive being dropped. If the manufacturer wanted to make a quality product they would have fixed this design long ago. They just want to get rich on impulse buys.

Amazon now has a similar device made of *real metal* at the same price. If you want one, I'd suggest buying that device; it can be no worse than this.

Want Quick Pod, Arm Extending Self Portrait Device with Clips and Carry Bag. Discount?

It broke the first three minuted I had it, and I had two of them. A little glue here and there and it seems to work fine. Two stars because it's kind of cheap and now I am scared my $400 camera might hit the ground. The extra star because now I can play survivor man in the back yard.

SIIG Wireless USB to HDMI with Audio Kit (JU-HM0211-S1)

HI,

First of all, I am trying to write a general review base on the users' point of view since most of the tech site already have all the tech info on the "Nitti gritty" testing of the chip spec and performance. I don't need to go there again and the key point is to look at the end product's total design integration and the easy use of the product + the impression of the video quality.

OK, Here we go

Package:

It is nicely packed in simple industrial type white box with a feature labels on it. I like it... didn't waste too much on the package and killing the tree.

It comes with

* The receiver unit

* The transmitter

* The HDMI cable (a plus since a lot of DVD player doesn't even include that anymore)

* AC adapter the power source

Overall the product is not bad looking besides that it doesn't feel or look like a cheap product.I am going to test it on different platform...

1> a HP Pavillion DV7t I7 2nd gen 8G system with ATI 1G video card... running win 7 HM Premium

2> an Older Toshiba M200 Centrino tablet pc (1.8G) with 785M + Win 7

3> a P4 desktop 2.8G / 1.5G M / Win XP HM sp2 (if I have time)

You can see that I am curious about trying to run the device at the older Laptop/Desktop and see if the PC's horse power is going to be a big factor on the device's performance. (if it is well designed that it should take away too much PC's CPU power)

I will test the SIIG device with the system 1 first

The product comes with a smart design by preloading the drivers onto the USB receiver (embedded a small memory in the USB with all the drivers loaded) so there's no CD included with the product. NEAT!

The installation is pretty easy... after plug the USB .. the Video Chip Display link driver is installed (not bad... on the market the most popular two Video chips for the external video is MCT and Display link, although the MCT is as good on paper but display has a little edge on the performance)

next I hook up the receiver... the BLUE LED power indicator light up and before I know it that the green led lit up... after few experiment I know the light is wireless connection status indicator).. Then the PC start installing the Alereon wireless USB software (this is also a top brand wireless USB chip set)

**NOTE on the light -

GREEN-As long as the LED light is green that you are is a high performance safe zone... that's about 12 feet away

Yellow/Amber This happened when I was about 15 feet away and put the laptop in another room, you can see that the movie start to have a tiny little bit delay that cause the movie to lost some of its smoothness in motion.

RED lost connection or it is not connected. This is usually due to the fact that the transmitter and receiver is too far away. Or the device is not properly synced.

Anyway, I setup the video in extended mode and let the power DVD player, play the transformer 2 I pick the action movie so that I can see if there's any pixilation. By the way, I am able to push the TV resolution up to 1080P, but it is only good if you distance is less than 10 feet away. The transmitter and receiver better in the same room. (According to my experiment)

Brief summary:

* Video playback: 5 nice and smooth, I didn't notice any pixilation yet. I can even surf the net while the movie is playing

* Ease of use : 5 (very easy to install and use... almost like plug and play device)

* ID design and quality: 4.5 (not the pretties unit but good enough for me and the material it use is pretty good)

* Manual: 3.5 (the QIG is nice and clear to get you started, but for most of the uer that the complete manual is needed on website and I have called SIIG that they will put the full menu on web site later, but not yet.. this is bad for the user who is not expert with the PC)

* Overall impression: 4.5 (so I have to give 5 star for now)

Please stay tune... I will update and give you the older Laptop's general test result.

Oh, before I go...

**NOTE on the Audio... on Win 7 that you open the control panel -->device manager---> sound-->click on WUSB audio --> set as default if you didn't hear the Audio coming out from your laptop instead the TV

Dr. T

***** UPDATE.... finally got time to try the P4 system.... it also worked well it looks like the products' internal memory and processor able to handle most of the job....

I won't test on the Toshiba since the laptop it self has some video problem recently so I can't make judgement base on that PC.

hope the review help your guys out...

I bought this device as part of my cut the (pay TV) cord strategy. I have two TVs on the same level of the house that share video using an HDMI over Ethernet solution. My goal was to display the laptop to either TV regardless of where I was on that level of the house. I figured if it didn't have the range I could at least use it for the living room where I would benefit the most. My hope was that it would work through walls but I never found anything definitive either way in my research of the product. Most products like this require a line of sight.

The unit I received was a Hardware version 1. I plugged the base unit directly into a TV. I connected the USB transmitter into my Windows 8 laptop. There was no problem loading the drivers. After a reboot of the laptop, I was ready to try displaying it on the TV. It showed up as a secondary monitor and I extended the display to the TV. It seemed pretty decent just poking around Windows. I played a video and it was very choppy when displaying on the TV. I tried duplicating the displays instead of extending them, the result was about the same. When running as duplicates, the fact that the TV and laptop were different resolutions made the picture not fill the entire TV screen. That wasn't a huge surprise, I had to adjust to the TV to use a zoom mode. More toying around and I realize that just putting my hand around the USB transmitter would make it cut out. When I put the base unit up higher, I got better results. A good line of sight is required, it doesn't work through hands, knees, walls, or anything. I couldn't leave the room but I was getting somewhere. The range claims up to 30 ft. I got about 20 ft. before it would begin to cut out. It has some fluff features in the software that were less than useful. One is "Fit to TV" which did nothing to help with the different resolutions. The other, "Optimize for video" appeared to make no difference on video playback. Being that the manual didn't mention Windows 8, I tried it on a Windows 7 laptop. The results were the same except I had to go to the internet to get the drivers loaded.

Overall it's not an awful product but it's practical use is limited. I ended up setting up an HTPC and using VNC and/or a media center remote to control it.

Buy SIIG Wireless USB to HDMI with Audio Kit (JU-HM0211-S1) Now

This thing did EXACTLY what it was advertised to do! Installation was a little tricky on an older XP laptop.

Read Best Reviews of SIIG Wireless USB to HDMI with Audio Kit (JU-HM0211-S1) Here

Really disappointed, the product is faulty and will not power. Have contact customer services and hopefully they will be able to replace it for us and then I can give a more positive review.

Want SIIG Wireless USB to HDMI with Audio Kit (JU-HM0211-S1) Discount?

This device was purchased to replace another wireless HDMI device from 2009 that worked fine for a stretch, but it ran very hot and would eventually overheat and lock the display on the TV. On installing the device I was surprised to find that this device uses the exact same software as the 4 year old device and would not install. After subsequently uninstalling the old software and reinstalling what is essentially the same thing I could still not get the display component to be recognized. It finds the internal storage component with the on-chip software installation but not the display adapter, at least according to the confirmation process outline in the 4 page instruction pamphlet that came with the device. It also ran hotter than the other device it was replacing for its heat issues. A frustrating 40 minutes of failure, avoid this thing.

Save 10% Off

Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera with Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens - Refurbished

I'm an indie filmmaker, and while the Canon 5D Mark III is perhaps the best SLR on the market as far as HD video shooting is concerned, my movies, nor I, exactly make a great deal of money, and I probably scrape by on the minimum wage day job I have right now. That said, the Rebel t3i is the next best thing if you're on a budget. Some great specs, and slightly improved features over the t2i, makes this an ideal SLR for under a grand. Thing you gotta know, however, is that while the 5D has a MUCH better sensor, the t3i, t2i, t4i, 60D and even the 7D all have the same sensor. And, yes, I hear people rave that if you can't get a 5D, you get the 7D. That's probably true if you're a still photographer, but if you're just doing straight video, don't waste your money and go for the t3i. You'll get the same video for less. But if you're a still photographer that wishes to take some great shots, or a sports photographer always on the go, get the 7D, spend the extra grand. The t3i, however, is worth it for budgeted filmmakers, and I recommend!

THIS CAMERA IS GREAT!

the only reason Im rating 4 stars is because there was a large hair inside the viewfinder when it came.

I sent it to Canon to get cleaned free of charge since its still under there warranty when you receive it.

Takes amazing pictures bought it for video capabilities !

Buy Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera with Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens - Refurbished Now

This camera has helped me expand my photography skills. It works great. I'm shocked at how long the battery lasts. I left the camera on for a whole week and the battery was not empty. I don't know what else to say about this camera. I think as long as you know how to work the settings like iso, aperture, and shutter speed, you'll be able to take great advantage of this camera. Overall, great camera.

Read Best Reviews of Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera with Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens - Refurbished Here

I have owned everything from The Canon XL-H1 to the Canon digital Rebel and no matter what I shoot I love the quality of canon lenses and canon value! this is awesome!

Want Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera with Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens - Refurbished Discount?

C2G / Cables to Go 54191 Mini DisplayPort 1.1 Male to HDMI Female Adapter Cable with Audio

Output at 1080P to my projector with audio.

Surface automatically detected the cable and output and adjusted video output to mirror on the surface and projector. Audio switched over a couple seconds later.

Save 51% Off

Canon PowerShot SD960IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and

My old tiny Casio Exilim 5 MP camera diedI loved that thing because it was so tiny and I took many more pictures because it fit in my pocketand I had to get something for my trip to France. First bought the 970 thinking, ooh, 5x optical zoom. For someone used to ultracompact, that thing was huge and I didn't notice much difference between the 5x and the 4x or 3x zoom. I returned it and got the 960, which I stuck with. It is much smaller than the 970 though bigger than my old camera (won't fit in pants pocket too comfortably), but the wide-angle zoom makes a huge difference to the photos. I travelled with someone who had the 780, and we frequently traded the same shot with both cameras, and the picture quality was much better with the 960, though it is larger than the 780. The controls were easy to navigate, the viewscreen very wide/ large on the 960. The video quality is amazing. Aside from the size, the only downside was that it is a little slow to take repeat shots in action situations. However, the motion control is excellent and you can take shots while jogging without blurring. Sadly, I lost my new 960 at the airport (thankfully, I had downloaded the photos). I decided to replace it with the 780 because I'm not a photographer, thought having the very small camera would make up for the difference in picture quality. After 250 photos on the 960, and 2 days with the 780, I miss the wide-angle zoom and am considering getting another 960. It's not that much bigger than the 780, and the picture quality difference is significant.

The true market for this camera is someone who wants to have one device that is compact, shoots excellent quality pictures, and has the capability of capturing 720P HD movies.

It's a Canon, so the image quality is a given. Tons of examples on Flickr if you simply search for "canon SD960" or "IXUS 110". Colors are true, not highly sharpened, low chromatic aberration, and rich with detail. Do not, however, mistake this power of the DIGIC IV processor to be perfect and free of noise at high zoom or ISO above 400. Compared to its class, however, the results are just great for the price point.

But the odds are you are looking at this camera not just for its stills ability, but the fact that it can also shoot HD movies.

So how does the HD perform. Here, the optical stabilization and optical zoom make this a far better choice than it's nearest hybrid competitor, the Flip HD. The Flip is a fun, very easy to use device, but the lack of image stabilization in camera makes the output very choppy and prone to a "jello" wobbling effect. The Canon has a much smoother output. A strong performer in low light (but expect more noise) and a really excellent result in natural light. For samples, my best recommendation is to search Vimeo -they have the best HD streaming of uploaded videos, and looking at results on Youtube (even if "HD") doesn't do the camera justice.

In practice, Mac users will be happy to see that iPhoto can handle the whole offload process -stills and movies. Launch iPhoto, turn on camera and load what you'd like. The movie files are H.264, and can be quickly edited in iMovie or Final Cut.

One worthy note on shooting movie and zoom. You frame your shot and set focus with a half push of the shutter button. Press all the way to record. Once you start recording, you are set at your original zoom level and can not use the OPTICAL zoom to pull closer. Instead, the camera uses DIGITAL zoom to get closer. In practice, I found this did not produce a terribly degraded result, but it is worthy noting before you purchase the camera.

Mono mic on the camera, which pics up sound very well -even on the crowded/noisy streets of NYC.

The cheaper Canon SD780 is very nice also if you are looking to save $50. The newer jog wheel and extra zoom, however, was worth the upgrade (IMHO).

Budget for one of the 8G or 16G SDHC cards sold on Amazon for 50+ minutes of HD recording. And probably worth buying a 3rd party second battery to have on hand.

Buy Canon PowerShot SD960IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and Now

Unfortunately after 30 days of review and over 1000 pictures later I am returning this camera.

As an avid Canon user (Canon AE-1, S500, and S550), I decided it was finally worth the effort to upgrade out of the world of slow compact flash and go with the latest and greatest. What I found was a major disappointment.

PROS:

-Size of the camera is great for your pocket. It slips neatly away and is easy to retrieve.

-When pictures are clear, they look great for a point and shoot.

-I enjoyed using the wheel interface along with the actual UI that is on the camera.

-The HD movies were great both on the computer and played directly to my 46" Samsung LCD

-Transfer speed to the computer was very fast, especially since I am comparing it to my last camera that was the S550.

-Battery life was great as well as compared to my S550. At least twice as much use from the 960.

-The HD video constantly adjusted the white balance during capture which was very nice.

-Screen was clear and well integrated into the body of the unit.

NOTE: I didn't hear any strange sounds when zooming in/out using the movie mode (during playback).

CONS:

-Bright daylight images would show purple fringing around diffuse edges such as hair, trees, water, etc... Was made even worse if zoomed.

-In AUTO mode the camera constantly thought it should go into MACRO mode and pictures consistently were blurry. This was even worse at night, and absolutely HORRID if you gave the camera to a 3rd party to take a picture. 3rd parties usually don't use the method where you hold the button halfway so the camera can figure out what's going on. So feel free to instruct that 3rd party if you like and then you *MIGHT* get a clear picture half the time... and at night you might get 1 out of 10 that are clear. Even some of the daytime pictures that did not display the MACRO mode in AUTO came out blurry.

I'm so disappointed in this camera since I had such high hopes for it. I researched for at least 8 hours over a period of 4 weeks before I made my purchase. The Canon SD960IS suffers from great ideas implemented without the final touch that would make it worthwhile.

Take my review with a grain of salt; however, I would steer clear of this one until they fix the CCD so it doesn't have nasty purple fringing (which my s500 and s550 never had) and when they fix the firmware in AUTO to go back to manual macro mode.

About me: I am not a professional photographer; however, I would consider myself very capable. I have developed my own pictures, when I was shooting black and white, in my own darkroom. Also, I am the person that is always called by friends and family when they have a technical question. If I wanted to take slow pictures where I have to think about shutter speeds, exposures, f stops, etc.. I'll gladly go by the Canon Digital SLR and take the time. This purchase was not for that. I want a camera that I or anyone in my family can take halfway decent pictures without thinking too much about it. At this point my S550 did a much better job.

Read Best Reviews of Canon PowerShot SD960IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and Here

Got this camera a month ago just before the Coachella festival, where I shot ~4GB worth of jpgs and ~2GB of video. I used max resolution for both and did not use the fully automatic modes and other gimmicks. Being an all day festival in the desert, I had plenty of opportunity to test the camera under harsh light, shadow, twilight and artificial lighting at night.

Video wise no complains; this is not a video camera and whatever you get out of it is a plus IMHO. I got usable footage of bands at night, with reasonable sound quality, and I suspect the image stabilization improved the shots, since I don't have very steady hands.

Still photography is another matter. I got plenty of purple fringes under sunlight and way too much noise under low light. Going beyond ISO 400 is reckless, and the lens stops down too much as you start zooming, making matters worse. 12MP is a marketing gimmick; you'll seldom get good enough quality shots that you can enlarge where such resolution would be needed; half the pixel density and much lower noise would yield plenty more enlargement worthy pics.

Controls are limited, you can tweak exposure compensation and sensitivity and that's about it. The flash is best for harsh sunlight situations. Having said that, this is a very compact point and shoot, with a very nice LCD and good focusing; a good camera for snap shots and 4x6 prints.

Want Canon PowerShot SD960IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and Discount?

8-4-09 Update: I think it's time to update my review. I really do love the video this camera shoots. If that's all I wanted it for, this would be a 5-star product. But over time I am getting more and more disappointed with the quality of the photos. Maybe my unit is a dud, but the noise seems to be getting worse. I just think that an outdoor photo, taken in full daylight, should NOT be a noisy as the pix from this camera are. I miss my SD550. I may have to just suck it up an switch back, or look for something else to use as a point and shoot for when I don't want to carry my XTi around with me.

==================================

I finally upgraded my SD550, which was getting pretty beat up and tired. I was really looking for a >3x optical zoom (4x isn't a huge improvement, but it's enough for a 12.1mp camera) I actually really like the layout on this one, the huge screen (I never used the viewfinder on the 550) and the playback button at the top right.

The HD video quality seems good to me (I have a more expensive HD videocamera, so this for me is not going to be used when I know I want to shoot a lot of video), but I found the controls for playback confusing (it's not clear at ALL just looking at the camera that you have to press up on the control wheel and THEN press the set button. The 550 used Set/Set to playback. I have to be careful not to use Set/Set because the first Set launches the delete function (!)

I also found the purple lines caused by bright lights to be much more harsh on the 960 than they ever were on the 550. In fact, I had to go back to the 550 to see if it even did that (It did). It's just more noticable on the 960 but that could be because it's filming in HD. There are no purple lines when I am taking still photos (even if you see it on the viewfinder) so you just have to be extra careful about pointing the camera toward the sun if the sun is fairly low in the sky.

I'll update this review as I have more feedback.

======

Update to review on 4/15: I still like the camera, the HD video quality is AMAZING, but as a pixel peeper, indoor shots tend to be REALLY noisy. Now maybe I shouldn't be zooming that far in on a 12 megapixel image shot indoors, but it is something I want to warn people about. I'm going to try printing one of the noisy shots to see what it looks like when compressed down into a 4x6 size. I also find some of the shots blurrier than I'd like. Like the other reviewer, this was a move from an sd550, and maybe that is just the greatest pocket camera ever, because both of us are a little disappointed with the quality when you compare the two. If the video wasn't so much better, I may have exchanged this one. As of this moment, I'm at about a 3.5. Will be taking it on vacation next week. More feedback to come.

Save 2% Off

Accell UltraAV B142C-010B DisplayPort to DisplayPort 1.2 Cable with Latches (10 Feet / 3m)

This review is of the 2 meter (6ft) Accell UltraAV B142C-007B cable. I purchased this to daisy-chain 2 monitors using a single Displayport 1.2 out from my Nvidia GTX 680 graphics card. For those of you who don't know what daisy-chaining a monitor means, its basically connecting your primary monitor with a displayport cable to your graphics card display port and connecting another monitor with the 'displayport out' from the primary monitor (if it supports such a feature) to a secondary monitor that has a displayport input. Both the primary monitor and graphics card must support displayport 1.2 technology to allow for the extra bandwidth needed to feed two monitors with high resolution display. The secondary monitor does not have to have a displayport 1.2 input to display maximum resolution.

So, my primary monitor is the the Dell U2713H and the secondary monitor is the NEC PA271W. I have been able to use the supplied display port cable that came with my NEC monitor to connect my main (Dell) monitor to my PC, and use a "StarTech" brand displayport (version 1.1) to daisy-chain with my second (NEC) monitor with perfect result. But for the peace of mind of knowing I'm truly getting the full bandwidth of displayport 1.2, I ordered this product to connect my primary display to the PC. Within a few days, I started getting intermittent, random flickers and weird 'snowy' artifacts on my second (NEC) monitor. I have experienced this twice within a 3 day period. Once the random flicker started, it would only go away upon power-cycling the main (Dell) monitor. First I thought it could be caused by a graphics card malfunction, but realized it wouldn't have gone away by simply power-cycling the primary monitor. So I then swithced back to the original NEC cable for my primary connection, and now been using it for a month with absolutely no issues. This leads to believe that the Accell UltraAV B142C-007B has issues transmitting high bandwidth signal required for daisy-chaining 2 monitors. Your result may vary, but I would not bank on this product.

Had some issues with my older HDMI -> DisplayPort adapters not switching on my display after display standby. Replaced with this pure DisplayPort to DisplayPort and haven't had the same issue again.

Buy Accell UltraAV B142C-010B DisplayPort to DisplayPort 1.2 Cable with Latches (10 Feet / 3m) Now

This DisplayPort to Displayport 1.2 cable works like a charme. Just plug it in and it does what it should delivering a sharp picture.

Read Best Reviews of Accell UltraAV B142C-010B DisplayPort to DisplayPort 1.2 Cable with Latches (10 Feet / 3m) Here

I have felt good and bad cables before and seems to be a really good quality cable. I am using it with a Dell 24" monitor and it works just as expected.

Want Accell UltraAV B142C-010B DisplayPort to DisplayPort 1.2 Cable with Latches (10 Feet / 3m) Discount?

So if this is what you need then the cable is great. It was a bit hard to find even searching on here. Make sure you check your monitor and video card to make sure you're getting the right one.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 I

I got the camera in a big nice package with all the items & camera properly packed.

Camera is working perfectly ok. All the parts sent as part of the deal is nice & new as promised by Big Value.

I strongly this retailer to everyone else.

Everything arrived five days early. The camera, SD card, everything works great except a few items were missing from my kit that I ordered. I'm missing

1Lens/LCD Cleaning Kit

1Mini Table Size Tripod

1Pack of LCD Screen Protectors.

I managed to grab this deal at a price of $812. You can't complain when the camera is $850.00 and you get that at a cheaper price and get all this other stuff for free basically.

Another reason I downgraded it one star was because of the level of cheapness that some of the items were. The lens aren't entirely that great but do the job until you get canon ones, I got an olympus bag (not a canon bag), The SD card reader fell apart on me during the unboxing.

I'll upload an unboxing of this kit soon so you can see that this is a legit deal in case you're thinking about buying it.

Update:/ 4/21/12: I received my missing parts days after I complained. The package was in a small case and was a simple mistake. I give them back another star for their quick customer service.

Ryan

Buy Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 I Now

This product was given as a gift, when I opened the box everthing was packed in great condition, the camera took great pictures and the battery lasted several hours on continual shooting

Read Best Reviews of Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 I Here

I can't say enough about the camera as far as the quality of the images produced and the functions you get. It is a great entry level DSLR packed with amazing features at a very reasonable price. In fact the price is so close to a point a shoot digital that it is almost a no brainer for the average Joe/Jane.

The body is plastic compared to professional grade Canon cameras which makes it feel lighter than say the 60D. This is a plus if you like light weight cameras, but does leave you feeling cheated when holding the 60D in another hand. Still the flip out screen, HD video and easy to use interface makes this an amazing deal.

As for the bundle, the only thing I really value is the memory card, filters, and the extra battery. Everything else is very poor quality and the tripod is a hazard. If you can get just the Battery/Memory bundle do that and save some money for higher quality supportive accessories. I recommend Magic Lantern installed for those wanting to maximize the functionality of this camera.

Want Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 I Discount?

My bundle arrived 4 days after I ordered it. Everything came neatly packed in the box and works great. The extra battery came fully charged, so I could use it right away. The camera's image quality is amazing. I would recommend to everyone, especially if you can find this bundle for a great price like I did.

Save 50% Off