Canon XL1S MiniDV Digital Camcorder

Just short of a top-of-the-line broadcast DV camera, the XL1S is an extremely high quality DV camcorder. It's affordable and relatively easy to operate. Granted, my parents wouldn't have the slightest clue on where to start, and for most people this is WAY too much camera for general applications. But for semi-pros and amateurs alike you cannot go wrong with this piece of equipment. All the features you could want or expect are included, and transferrance to analog or to a DV editor isn't more than a button push away. I'm a freelance videographer, and I'm starting a production house and this is the base piece of equipment I use. Too much camera for weddings and picnics, but for any type of video project this is all you need.

i am currently in high school, in the media tech department. we do the school news, and produce some films. we currently have 3 kinds of camcorders, the sony dsr200, sony dsr300, and the canon xl1. most of the class perfers the xl1 for many reasons.

it is definately the easiest to use, it is very light weight, and has many options that other cameras just dont have. it has a firewire port directly on it to help get onto computers, though there are other ways.

i have personally used this camcorder, and i must agree, it is a wonderful piece of technology. a few months ago i had bought one of the new Sony handycams that burns to miniDVD, and i had nothing but disappointment, now i am looking into an XL1 of my own, because i know how to use it, it is easy to learn how to use, and there is so much more that you can do with it then most camcorders. if you are looking for something professional, and yet decent in price, you might want to consider the canon xl1

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As of now, the XL1S is a little outdated by some other cameras that are on the market, but the end product has very desirable results. I have used cameras like the Panasonic DVX-100, and the XL1 will suit your needs at least 90% of the time that the DVX will. There is no LCD screen, but the viewfinder does sort of double as one and the overall shape of the XL1 makes it unwieldy at times, and more convenient at other times.

Overall, if you have the chance to get this camera, then go for it if something like the DVX is out of reach. The XL2 is coming out soon apparently, which will probably drop the price of this camera and it would be a great opportunity for people on a smaller budget to pick up a camera that is capable of cinema quality pictures.

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Unfortunatly when shopping for a prosumer camera in this price range weighing the pros and cons is definitatly tough. The canon XL1s is and Excellent camera that captures the ENG style most pro cameras at this range misses. However before getting all hot and bothered over that the camera has trouble focusing in low light and a very pixilated picture when it does. The Mic on some of the the XL1s's pick up body noise which is extremely distracting since zooming is a loud function. They sell an adaptor for about $$$ but I have no idea how good it is. To boot there are no XLR plugs on the camera. So guess what. You got it another adaptor.

Ok its not all bad In fact there is some good. The 16:9 crop bars are excellent for professional shooting. The ENG camera build is of the professional style so you look like the real deal. For the Director in us all the focus ring allows for a makeshift short depth of field... excellent for a film look. At this price you have to bite the bullet and weigh the pros and cons and hope when your return peroid ends you made the right decision.

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This is the most popular DV camcorder with indie filmmakers and aspiring film school students from rich families. Excellent, broadcast-quality image captured by the 3-CCD system. I don't use zoom or pan or special effects much, so I wish I didn't have to pay for these features, but this is still a GREAT price for such a high-quality video camera. This is absolutely the one to get for professional-level videos. Of course, if you want more resolution for sharper images, try the new affordable JVC HDTV camcorder for about the same price, I think.

Panasonic Lumix XS1 16.1 MP Compact Digital Camera with 8x Intelligent Zoom (Black)

The Panasonic Lumix XS-1 is probably the best ultra compact digital camera currently available. It is far and away a better performer than it's rival the Nikon SO1. The intelligent auto mode makes it almost impossible to take a bad photo. Even photos taken in low light conditions are better than average. While the video is 720p HD, it's not much better than standard definition but for short clips it's fine. The battery is charged while in the camera via a usb or ac power source. A fully charged battery is good for at least a couple hundred shots. Build quality is good also. One note. Make sure you slip your hand through the wrist strap because the camera is so thin, it would be easy to lose your grip. I'm glad I bought it. Also, my first order got lost in shipping. Amazon immediately shipped me another one with free overnight delivery. Highly recommend the XS-1 and Amazon...

I really wanted to like the XS1 because the small form factor was perfect for dopping in my pocket and taking along wherever. As they say, the best camera is the one you have with you. But if the camera's software locks up after taking multiple photos and doesn't save the photos to the card, it's worse than having no camera because of the disappointment of losing once-in-a-lifetime shots that should have been captured.

Aside from the lockup problem, which happened three times before I decided to return it, the camera's processor is very slow. Sometimes button presses don't register immediately or at all, and it takes a long time for the camera to process and save photos. Maybe I just got a bad one it is early in the production cycle but this thing is way too glitchy to rely on. It's a shame because I think Panasonic generally makes very good cameras. I have a Lumix LX-5, which is fantastic though not very pocketable.

On a positive note: when the camera did function properly, the photos were generally pretty good. The lens is nice and wide and captures a lot of scenery. The color was fine and the auto exposure does a good job. The zoom is impressive for a camera of this size, too. It doesn't shoot in RAW, so it's really just a snapshot camera. And that's fine for what it is. If you get one that doesn't have the problems mentioned above, you'll probably be pretty happy with it.

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Looking is good. I bought the white one. It is very small like a mobile phone,just a little thicker.

The image is not good although it has wide angle function (to 25mm). If you take picture in the night, you can not get good image.

So I give the 3-star meaning it is small and beautiful but you can not get the good picture quality.

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Love this new camera from Panasonic. It is so portable, and practical, and the best part is that it takes superb pictures.

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Instructions for deleting pix were not easy to understand. Those are my thoughts and they do not need to be any longer

AXIS Communications M1054 720p Network Camera (0338-004)

I am testing the Axis M1054 and a Panasonic BL-C210A. The 201A is only 640x480 resolution, but has pan tilt and zoom (PTZ). The static image quality of the M1054 is much higher (I'm running mine at 1280x800 pixels). When the Axis is online, its images are very good, certainly better than the 210A but not $250 better. I need hi-rez images for security purposes and hoped that the M1054 would out do the 210A. Both have been in my lab and running for 2 weeks now. The 210A was easier to set-up and more importantly, it has stayed up the whole 2 weeks. I've had to re-boot the M1054 dozens of times, re-assign IP addresses, unplug and plug it in again to keep it connected to my monitoring software. I've even had IT guys in trying to figure out why the M1054 keeps dropping off the internet. Haven't solved it yet. For the price, it's server software and ability to remain online (or at least reboot itself when it looses connection with the monitoring host should be far more robust.

I am starting to build my surveillance system at home with Axis Cameras (PoE) and SecuritySpy, as controller. It's working great on Mac OS (iMac, iPad and iPhone).

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First things first, the camera is NOT wireless as titled here in Amazon. The M1054 is part of the Axis M10 network camera series. There are four cameras in the series and two of the four (including the M1054) are not wireless. The wireless M10 cameras end with a "W" in their model name. The difference between the M1054 and the rest of the cameras in that series is that it has the following:

higher resolution 1280x800

min. illumination of 1.2 lux

1MP 720p

alarm inputs/outputs

I am no expert in surveillance and equipment. This is my first camera. I am managing this camera using my Synology DS211+ running the Synology Surveillance Station app. It works great and no problems whatsoever. Setup was easy on both the camera's built-in settings (there's plenty settings to mess around with in terms of video/audio/events/triggers/etc) and under the Synology DiskStation as well. The reason why I decided to go with Axis was compatibility with my Synology DiskStation but most importantly because of the reputation Axis has with its products. Yes, this is an expensive camera but when you compare video quality and the amount of settings you realize the value of it.

Running the camera for the first time, you will be instructed to set the password to the camera. This is done by entering the IP address to the camera on your browser. After that, you have access to the setup page. I reserved an IP address to the camera on my router to make things a lot easier. Depending on your network setup, you will need to make sure you allow incoming connections to ports 80, 554 (RSTP to allow H.264 streams). This is all documented in the manual it comes with. Again, this is my first camera and if you have general network knowledge you should be fine setting it up and making sure the ports are forwarded on your router.

It runs smooth. No issues to report so far. I've had it running for about a week now. No disconnects as stated in some of the other reviews here. I have it connected to a DLink 1008P PoE switch and that is hooked up to my Apple Airport Extreme wireless router. The camera is hooked up with a Cat5E 100 ft cord. Again, no issues to report. Works great and wish I could afford to get a second one for more coverage. I may end up doing this later down the road. I'm very happy with this camera.

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The is a great camera, I have it on my front yard, the low lux allows for color display with the street light. However, it was advertised as being wireless, it is not. Thus the reason for a three star. I think Amazon needs to correct title since it is misleading. Otherwise, excellent small HD camera that does what it says it does. I especially like the C-Clamp attachment. I was able to clamp it to the window sill.

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This is an expensive camera. You can find others that are half the cost and have similar specs.

But this camera is worth it. It's far better than cheaper units. You get a high resolution stream, with a mild fisheye lens which lets one camera, placed in a corner, monitor an entire room with no hidden spots. In other words, this camera has 90 degrees of coverage, and enough resolution to have clear identifications within that 90 degree radius.

It's also small and nice looking. I'm happy with it. I will update this review if anything changes as we get more experience with it.

I like that it has power over Ethernet. This means we run one Ethernet cable to it and we're done. Greatly simplifies wiring, and has the benefit that if your POE switch is on UPS, then your camera is also on UPS.

It's made in South Korea.

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Canon EOS Rebel T3i SLR Digital Camera Kit w/ Canon 18-55mm IS Lens + Canon 55-250mm IS Lens + Huge

I received this package last week and must say i am real happy with the overall package price. How-ever there is a few items that i must say is so low quality & really isn't suitable for the camera it came with.

The full size tripod is not close enough to be sturdy enough for this camera & would only have the worry that it would fall over at some point. Mini Tripod also, is only good enough for a small point & shoot digi cam.

The flash gun, again too under-rated (specs) & low quality for a camera of this type.

The camera bag is far to small to carry the camera & equipment that was in the package. Barely enough room to carry the camera with Lens attached & battery charger and that is all you get inside it.

As i said though, overall this is a great deal. But i had to go out & purchase a new bag, tripod & a proper flash which has cost me approx. $500 at the local shops. No heartache really, but it did cost me more time to go and get these items. If i had known at the time of the order, i would of purchased these extras through Amazon at the time of the camera order & also saved more money this way.

What i would rather see included in this package, is for the above items to be removed and have the suppliers include a more suitable backpack style bag. I just think it's better to have less in the package, but have more quality & suitable items especially with a camera of this quality.

I hope this helps spme people out there that are looking to buy this or a similar package.

I bought this package for the t3i's hd video capabilities. First day I took it out on the job the case's strap broke. Next the charger broke. The tripod was terrible from the start. And just now while shooting a music video for a dj for my internship the sd card broke on me for no explainable reason. All of the Zeikos and Digital Film accessories are absolutely horrible. If you're willing to spend this much money on the camera and lenses alone, go for it. If you want quality accessories to go with it, don't buy from Sunset.

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I've not had my camera long and have only taken 200 pictures, but let me tell you, I am impressed! Don't get me wrong, I know very little about cameras. I am not a photographer. I just want to take good pictures of family, friends, places and everyday life in general. That being said, I am an outdoor person, hunting & fishing and wanted to take better wildlife pictures. I chose this camera because of the reviews and all the auto features. I chose this package because it included the "IS" lenses and the best price. I took pictures of deer in the woods behind my house, that I literaly couldn't see until viewing through the camera's zoom lense and the pictures were great. The everyday pictures around the house are great as well, there is much more depth in the pictures. As I am not a photographer I do not have the word bank to describe the difference. Auto focus is for definitly me. I do plan on taking classes so that someday I can play with all of the manual features but until then, THIS CAMERA MAKES ME A MUCH BETTER PHOTOGRAPHER!

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I ordered the Canon EOS Rebel T31 complete package deal. Opened up the travel quick charger and found out the hard way that the battery doesn't fit. I looked at the package and it states that the charger is for Canon NB-7L batteries.

Please pay close attention to everything when unpacking the box and not assume everything is going to fit together.

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So let me start by saying that this is a fair price for what you get.

Awesome Camera!, Good lenses and filters. That was worth it. What is completely useless are the tripod, camera bag and I received an 8gb SD card not 16gb. The seller did try to contact me before he shipped it out...that said I called back 3 times and got no return phone call...I assume it was about the 16gb card. I got the bundle a day later. it seems he threw in a few extra camera batteries to make up the difference...which is fine...I don't care about that so much. But the tripod is way to flimsy for the weight of that camera. The Camera Bag is way to small. It also came with a sub par flash...however it's not useless. I bought a Canon 580EX II Speedlite flash separately and will use the flash that came with the kit as a secondary slave. If it were a dream kit...I would take out the current tripods, camera bag, and flash and replace them with a decent tripod that can handle the weight of the T3i.

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New Kamerar Tank TK-2 cage with rods support

This was my first camera cage. I run a small video production business as a hobby-gone-horribly-wrong, so take this all into consideration.

PROS:

* Affordable...This is the best cage I could find for the money.

* As the name "Tank" implies, it is very tough and sturdy. Nothing feels cheap or flimsy.

* The fit and finish is very nice and I noticed no scratches or overly sharp edges. The packaging was decent and it was really easy to figure out how to set it all up.

* The Tank will fit a T2i/T3i/T4i with battery grip or camera-only on a quick-plate. I hear it will fit a BMCC although mine is still on back-order so I was not able to confirm it.

* This beast has so many attachment spots that you will never outgrow it.

* The rods and tripod assembly are great quality just like the Tank. The rods are threaded on both sides so you can attach longer rods or use them in conjunction with other 15mm rigs.

* The Tank is very versatile and configurable. I was able to flip sections, subtract rods and configure it to my specifications quickly and easily. You may need to get a little creative to make it perfect for your camera.

Cons:

* The red twist knobs are not ratchets, they are static and may stick out depending on how much you need to twist them. Ratcheting twist knobs would be awesome, but you can always upgrade them later.

* This may not be the best rig for a Canon T2i/T3i/T4i (although it's what I use it for and will keep using it) for a few reasons. The battery cut-out on the bottom plate does not line up with the battery door on the camera (not sure what DSLR will work, maybe 5d/7d?), the Swiss rods interfere with the HDMI cable placement when using an external monitor,and the Swiss rods do not allow enough room to open the SD card slot. I was able to make all this usable by mounting the camera backwards on the Tank and removing one of the Swiss rods from the SD card slot side to fix all these issues. The Tank is still very stable with only three Swiss rods holding it together. The only problem I have not figured out yet is changing the battery while keeping the camera in the rig, I think an external battery option may be the best solution.

Overall the Tank is an awesome affordable cage to build upon. The rods are very usable and allow for a follow-focus and matte box in the front and you will need another set of rods with an adapter for the rear if you want to turn it into a shoulder rig. I have a 7 inch monitor on a magic arm, a zoom recorder, matte-box, follow-focus, and there is still plenty of room to spare. The possibilities are endless. The pros outweigh the cons. I am certain this rig will outlive my camera.

I hope this review helps you.

This cage is quite solid and large enough to fit my d800 with the zacuto zfinder pro guerrilla plate.

Made in the USA, at china prices. What else can I say?

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Yep it's true. Very solid aluminum construction and works great. Nice finish. You can attach almost anything you want and then some! Would be kool if it could accomodate a battery pack for my DSLR not tall enough. It is very solid and works with just the camera and has a spot to change the battery. 5 Stars for a taller one.

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This is going to add some weight to your rig, so make sure your tripod head can handle it. It is now too heavy to counterbalance on my 701HDV.

It gives me a ton of options for mounting mics, lights, monitors, etc. I had to remove a swiss rod to use the screen on my 60D, but it still works great.

The thumbscrews on the cage are not ratcheting. I had a problem with the one on the right rod blocking the battery door. I had to put some washers under it so that it would snug down out of the way.

I wish that some of the holes were either unthreaded 1/4" or more threaded 3/8" so I can bolt cold shoe adapters on without having them face the wrong way.

Overall the quality is very good. I would recommend this to anyone looking to add a support system without breaking the bank.

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I read several reviews before purchasing this cage, and I am glad I did. I love the build quality. Perfect for my needs.

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