Bell & Howell Splash WP7 Waterproof 12.0 MP Digital Camera (Black) with 8GB Card/Reader + Batte

good price for this item it works ok for the price... it worked for what i needed it for but the item does max out at 10 feet deep anything beyond that the buttons will stick..

I made the mistake of buying this waterproof camera based upon one favorable review the only review available. Although this product takes good photos it is bascially useless as an underwater (or above water in broad daylight) camera as it is impossible to see what you are looking at from the available view screen. In many instances I took underwater pictures thinking the camera was turned on when in fact it wasn't it's impossible to tell in the daylight. Once turned on it only stays active for 60 seconds before shutting off and it eats batteries. Because of the glare on the view screen it's almost impossible to see your target let alone get it properly framed. It's too bad really becuase the camera package comes with many extras. Skip this product.

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Sony DCRTRV950 MiniDV Digital Camcorder

great camcorder. the 3CCDs really make a difference in video quality in my opinion. unfortunately, you pay for this quality!

pros:

as expected from a 3CCD camcorder, the trv-950 delivers excellent video quality colors are reproduced accurately.

1 megapixel still capability.

miniDV media is widely supported.

12X optical zoom!

steady shot optical stabilization system works well.

ability to record mpeg videos directly to memory stick.

progressive shutter system.

offers color bars and zebra striping.

the 3.5" LCD screen is great.

built-in flash for stills.

built-in mic does a good job picking up sound from the target, not the operator.

great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.

buttons along the left side and back of the camera body control essential camera functions (manual settings for focus, white balance, audio level, shutter speed, and special lighting situations) so you won't need to dive into menus for these commonly used capabilities.

side-mounted cassette means you can change tapes while the camcorder is mounted on a tripod.

low motor noise.

intelligent accessory shoe very useful if you use the appropriate accessories.

allows a great deal of manual control.

cons:

no built in video light but you can get a video light for less about fifty bucks.

you could do better on the still photo department. for example, sony's trv80 and trv70 have 2 megapixel capability while panasonic's pv-dv953 delivers 3 megapixel stills.

as with most sony products, you pay a premium, pushing up the price.

don't expect miracles from 1 megapixel stills.

not as compact as i would like. dimensions are 4"H x 3-3/4"W x 8"D, weighing 2.4 lbs.

the included 8MB memory stick is unacceptable. be prepared to shell out more money for at least a 32MB or bigger memory stick.

does not have a NightShot mode (although i'm not a big fan of this feature).

MPEG movies saved to Memory Stick are much darker than the same scene recorded to a miniDV tape.

noticeable shutter lag for still captures.

bluetooth communication requires optional purchases = more $$.

touchscreen menu system is not intuitive.

this is great camcorder if you are looking for a 3CCD system. it sits atop sony's prosumer line. the competition is catching up though so make sure you also consider the panasonic pv-dv953. peace.

Pros: Compact three-CCD camera; large, readable flip-out screen; one-megapixel still-image capture; clean, clear video images.

Cons: Poor low-light sensitivity; low-capacity Memory Stick supplied; stills require more light than video; Bluetooth communication requires optional purchases.

Summary: I bought the TRV50 2 weeks ago.I returned it for the TRV950 because zooming with the auto focus made video blurry.The TRV950 is instantaneously sharp.I also had made a tape just filming around the home with the TRV50.I compared that tape with the one I just made with the TRV950,just experimenting around the home.Now I see why 3ccd's are better than 1ccd.My best overall experiment was the digital alarm clock(with the big red LED numbers)in the bedroom.With the TRV50 the numbers always looked fuzzy.With the TRV950 those numbers looked crisp and sharp.Hence, I guess that where they get the term "color bleeding"from.I noticed that alot with the TRV50 while looking at bright objects.I even experimented with an UV and Polarizing filter on the TRV50 with no success.I know TRV950 is getting some bad press because it doesn't have Progessive scan,like the TRV50, but TRV950 has what's called Progessive shutter.Sony says it 's a step up and I believe it is too.I compared some of the stills I captured on tape and to me TRV950 comes out on top.I wonder if the number of ccd's has anything to do with this.If not then Sony needs to do more marketing in the Progessive shutter business.TRV50 has and TRV950 does not have infared.Does anybody out there ever really use the thing.Especially when it's only good for what 20 feet at most.Go to your local gun shop and get the real thing.I know the Carl Zeiss lens gets alot of publicity, but the TRV950 does not come with those lens. The less quality TRV50 does. What's the story with that?Logic only tells me that the higher end Sony lens must be better than the Carl Zeiss lens.Also TRV950 eats up more battery time than the cheaper TRV50.Be prepared to spring for a larger battery.I wonder if this has anything to do with the number of ccd's also.

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We bought this camera in the summer of 2003 to replace our older video camera and have had a great experience. The video quality is excellent. The color is superb. Great audio quality. The video records at more lines of resolution than current televisions use, so I have no doubt that the quality will still look great after high definition televisions dominate the home television market.

Recently, my 4 megapixel digital camera needed to be sent in for repairs ... it is not a Sony :( ... We were upset as we did not think we would be able to print pictures until it returned...we decided to test printing out the Sony TRV950 digital pictures...we were amazed that we were able to print out wonderful quality pictures (3x5). So, we have been very impressed with a feature we never intended to use.

The features included on the camera are great...but two that stand out in my opinion are the super steady shot to help get rid of the "jiggle" and the auto white balance...the best I've seen.

This camera does cost more than other consumer level cameras, but the value is well worth it in my opinion. We bought it to take good video of our baby growing up...we are convinced that this is, by far, the best option and we will never regret spending the extra money.

We purchased a 3 Watt light attachment, a 256MB memory stick card, and an additional M71D battery (250 minutes). I would strongly recommend these accessories.

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Product was exactly like described and came with a great amount support equipment, seller was fast and professional. This item was also a great price for its condition, excellent on both counts.

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Sharp VLZ3U MiniDV Camcorder with 2.5" LCD and Memory Slot

At the time my purchase, the Sharp VLZ3U MiniDV camera was the least expensive digital camcorder on the market. Price was very important for me. Here's what I have found to be "important" aspects of the camcorder that I didn't know before I ordered it.

1. The camcorder can record video on miniDV tapes or take pictures and store them on SD (secure digital) memory cards. However, the camcorder came without either media. Silly me, I had expected that the camcorder come with one miniDV tape to get me started, but no. I had to run out and buy a miniDV tape in the evening.

2. The camcorder comes with 3 ways to "download" images or video:USB, DV, AV. The USB port allows the computer to download digital pictures from the SD card, the DV (digital video, aka 1394 port) allows a computer equipped with a 1394 port to download the video to the computer, and the AV port allows connection to a TV to show the video. The camcorder does not support USB streaming, so you cannot download the video through the USB port, it has to be through the 1394 (DV) port. The camcorder also does not allow for the camera to store video on the SD memory card. So pictures has to go on the SD memory card, and it has to be downloaded through the USB port. The video has to go on the miniDV tape and downloaded through the 1394 (DV) port. More advanced (expensive) camcorders support recording on the memory card, and/or USB streaming. For the price difference, I found that it was easier (cheaper) for me to add a 1394 card to my computer. It was also very easy to download the video and start making movies using the camcorder, the 1394 card, and moviemaker on WinXP.

Overall, I was quite happy with the camcorder. I still think that they should have included one miniDV tape, but that's just a nitpick.

I have only owned this camcorder for two days, however there's so few reviews, I thought I'd post one. I used to have my own video production company many years ago (wedding videos and such), so I'm somewhat experienced with videocams.

First of all, I bought this as a small and cheap cam. It fits the bill. I decided to go for the vlz3u over the vlz1u because I wanted the 16 bit sound, and the ability to digitize old vhs footage straight in.

I didn't get the 5zu because it was more money, and i heard that black and white viewfinders are more accurate than color. All told, I think it would have been better to go for the color viewfinder of the 5zu, and to get the remote control as well.

At first I found the camera and manual a little on the complicated side. However, after a little while, the camera modes and menus became more and more intuitive. This camera has a lot of features.

A few things to remember is you have to pull out the viewfinder or else you can't see anything through it (thought my viewfinder was broken). Also, when you play back tapes, the lcd monitor has to be pulled out in order to hear sound. ie if you only view the tape through the viewfinder, no audio. The Sharp customer service rep I called at their tech support line had less of a clue of how the camera worked than me. I think he only had the manual in front of him, and no camera.

One feature that is totally useless is the digital stabilization which is automatically turned on in automatic mode. At first I thought the camera had a really bad picture until I turned off the stabilization.

The video is average to good, depending on the amount of light. This is definately not a low light camera. Bright outdoors, or well lit indoors.

The LCD monitor is gorgeous, really high quality like a top quality laptop screen.

Ergonomically, the camera feels like it should fit a smaller hand than mine. It kinda sits in my hand like a firm lump of hamburger. The little switch used to change the camera to various modes is hard to use. The rest of the camera, including installing the battery, installing the tape, etc is very intuitive.

Another feature is the timecode. This camera allows you to record the timecode out, which is great if you want to give somebody a copy of their tape, and then they pick out the frames they want included in and out of their edits. I plan to do a little video editing of other people's work, and "striping" output is key. This camera does it.

All in all, a very capable little bucket. Loses some points on the low light performance, ergonimic handholding, and the mode button.

But gains points in that it packs a lot of features that you will really appreciate should you choose to explore the manual and try things out.

Definitely a budget camcorder for the tech afficionado!

Buy Sharp VLZ3U MiniDV Camcorder with 2.5" LCD and Memory Slot Now

* This camcorder is one of the better buys for a cheap DV camcorder that'll give you solid performance and decent quality for the price. Don't expect it to blow away $800+ 3CCD high-end camcorders, but do expect about 350 lines of resolution under EIA 1956 test pattern tests.

* While video quality isn't the very best when viewed on a PC monitor (vs. high-end camcorders), watching the end results on most non-HDTV TV sets give you very good video quality and nice results.

* Menuing system and layout works well for me, and no manual needed. Overall, it's simple enough that my 3 year old niece took it from my hands and filmed her own birthday by herself. That easy to learn and use!

* A few manual controls such as manual iris, gain, white balance make this a nice beginner level videographer's camcorder as well -ie. good for learning, students.

* Stabilization isn't as good as on the more expensive, so tripod or simply hold it steady on wide angle. You can get nice results with the latter.

* Still pictures only 640x480 and grainy, but decent just to get a still image idea of what's going on for reference. Bring a digital camera if you really want good stills. Otherwise, works well and no real problems.

* Build is nice for the price. Solid and nice feel in hands. Comes with everything except a blank tape and perhaps a bag if you want to carry it in something.

* Battery lasts 1 1/2 hours or so -one battery, one tape. Just buy and carry one battery for every tape you expect to use easy to remember. Charges in about 2 hrs.

* Can't find a single big reason to return it for the price -just a nicely priced, beginner's DV camcorder that does quite a lot. A happy little toy!

* Sony DCR-HC40 is a big step up in build, image quality, stabilization, etc., but that's comparing a $600 to a sub-$300 camcorder now. Thus, 5 stars for the features & price. When compared to the very best camcorders costing $$$, it's only average but that's comparing the gold standard to something far cheaper. But if budget isn't a problem, the Sony is the better choice of the two.

* More accessories on Sharp Japan's website, but you'll have to find an importer for those items. Limited mostly to filters, extra battery, remote control (~$45), etc. Remote control is hardly ever used unless you're the type to plug the camcorder up to the TV far away from you because you don't have long enough cables to plop the camcorder in your lap for control.

* DV transfer to XP PC works flawlessly and w/o problems.

* Nice manual explains every feature in depth.

* Light and comfortably small! Almost like those smallest vertical camcorders. Can film for hours w/o weighing down the arms.

* A little bit of tape motor noise if the scene is quiet not like the Sony, which is silent but nothing noticed nor obnoxious when used in normal noise level scenes. Still, if you're filming something important, may get the Sony or an external mic & tape setup for the audio.

* Low-light performance is good. Grain level is decent and not glaring or bad although noticable, and you still can get a watchable image indoors at night. (again, not the best vs. $$$ camcorders, but decent for a consumer's level camcorder at this price)

* Overall, you can't go wrong with this low-priced, beginner's DV camcorder. Really nothing wrong with it, and if handled properly, it'll give years of solid use and fun w/o a problem. Don't expect the world from this camcorder, just a good average performance, and you'll be fine. (if you're picky, want the best/better, etc. get the Sony noted earlier, or any high-end 3CCD camcorder)

* Solid buy for beginner's, low-budget parents and kids, students gettting started, explorer's, teens, etc.

Read Best Reviews of Sharp VLZ3U MiniDV Camcorder with 2.5" LCD and Memory Slot Here

When I unpacked my Sharp VLZ3U MiniDV Camcorder, I was pleasantly surprised on how small the camera was. Sharp did a great job in designing the swiveling handgrip that allows you to shot ergonomically in almost any hand positions. The LCD is very bright and has a function that allow the user to turn off the backlight much like a Pocket PC to conserve battery when operating in well lit areas. The attractive feature of the camera that may be appealing to those that want simplicity, is the fact that the overall unit does not have an overwhelming number of button and switches and other thing that most laypeople will never use. Most of those settings can be found in the "Menu" that is tricky at first, but logical in design. Manual functions allow users to manipulate white balance, iris and gain, but to have to do this though non-designated function keys may deter people that prefer manual operation. The "Auto" setting does a very good job in evaluating white balance especially in indoor to outdoor transition shots and with incandescent lighting.

The most noticeable drawback to this camera is battery life, although it handles pretty good with the supplied 1000mAh Li-ion, the lack of the ability to use an oversized battery for extend shooting time is not possible since the battery compartment is enclosed within the fold-out LCD screen. This makes the LCD backlight override option even more attractive when trying to conserve battery. Most of my heavy use comes from my coaching position that requires me to recompose my shots almost every time I turn on my camera to take a shot. Even with the heavy use, the battery gives me about 1½ to 2 hours of standby and shooting time with the LCD on, a little less (about ½ hour) if I leave the LCD backlight on. I've bought 2 extra batteries which is more than enough, but highly suggested to avoid the dreaded "low battery" indication on those times that you wish you had a fully charged battery.

Over all I think this camera was a great purchase for the price that I paid. I have used more superior cameras before, and like most people, did not intend to spend over $400 even for a digital based camcorder. I and enjoy what sharp has put into this unit, especially the unique design for user-friendly operation.

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Update 6/7/05

After hundreads of hours of use, in all imaginable environments and places. This camera is still running strong and solid. Being that the CCD is so small, I didn't care all too much for the still images that it captures onto an SD card. But after using it to capture many enjoyable candid shots, espcially at 10X away, I have found a new love for this camera.

Using the with the free Movie Maker 2 by Microsoft, I am able to make some great highlight films of my athletes in action. The shutter speed is good enough on sport mode to accurately examine thier techniqe on film night.

I also want to again rave about the size of this thing. It is never a concern for space when I carry this thing along with me to my track meets or to my vacations since it is about the same dimensions as my digital still camera.

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When taking movies and living with a camcorder for more then a couple of hours or days you figure what is really important to you and the whole experience and what is not as important.

First I suppose is the format, digital is a given at this point, and mini DV seems to be a standard at this and higher price points. About price point, this camcorder is hard to beat there.

Then what are you using the camcorder for? To take digital still pictures? I sure hope not , judging this camcorder by that standard is unfair and for the most part irrelavent.

You are using the camcorder to take movies which this camcorder does a very nice job of and I would say a better then average job of. The viewscreen is much better then average and is bright and clear.

Ever use a camcorder for a while and even though there is more to shoot you still put it down because it is not comfortable to shoot anymore. Your hand or arm or whatever is sore. I think that has happened to most of us. The ergonomics and design of this camcorder goes a long way to help with that kind of problem. It is easier to hold and shoot longer with it. I judge that as very important to me. Probably more important then the particular low light performance characteristics of this vs. that vs.something else etc.

You can order a remote for this camera if you want and the battery life is good but an extra is always a good idea.

The menu controls and etc. take some getting used to, but I assume you are buying the camera for more then a days use. Once you use it a little while, it is very functional and thorough.

This camcorder takes relatively effortless, decent quality movies, in digital format at a very affordable price.

Sony MVCCD350 CD Mavica 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

I bought the Sony Mavica MVC-350 camera to compliment my Nikon film cameras. I wanted a camera to build a website and to take photos of things that did not necessarily need to be printed out on photo paper. Most of the digital cameras I found were small and the controls tiny. Or they needed a memory stick with very limited photo storage space an then these memory sticks were expensive. Some cameras are so small you can barely hold them without fear of dropping them and this is not the case for the Sony. Also battery life was also a concern as my first digital camera ate AA batteries for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Floppy disks were ok, but again, photo capacity was not very large in the higher resolution modes. That's when I found the Sony MVC-CD350. It is a 3.2 megapixel camera with a 3x lens and built-in flash. It has a CD-R/RW drive in it for high capacity storage onto a 8 cm CD-R or 8 cm CD-RW disc. The MVC-CD350 uses a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery and it's life is about 130 minutes. It was exactly what I was looking for! The picture quality and the speed of the drive is very good.

After charging the battery (it comes with one and a charger) I dropped in a CD-RW and turned on the camera. No, I did not read the manual.... I was asked to initialize the CD-RW and after a few seconds I was snapping pictures. I also discovered, on my own and not by reading the manual, that it can take MPEG movies. I will never use this mode but I know it would be a handy feature for some folks.

After filling the disk with a few dozen pictures I finalized the disk (had to read the well laid out manual) and put then it into my computer. It was very simple. The MVC-CD350 also comes with a USB cable (version 2.0 compatible) and, after installing the software on my PC, I downloaded the pictures from the camera. There were about 50 MB (or so) of photos and the transfer process went rather quickly; I'll guess 3 minutes or less.

The controls for the camera are nice size, even for my fat fingers and the layout is fairly logical. The only thing I do not care for is the location of the power button. I think it's too close to the shutter release. A friend owns the same camera and she doesn't think it's a problem, so it has to be me.

The built-in flash does a pretty good job and it has the red-eye reduction mode. You can vary the light output from the flash to from "Low/Normal/High". I call it a "party flash." You can buy a better flash from Sony but, like any powerful flash, it's big. For a party or casual use, the built-in flash seems to work fine.

The display/viewfinder on the back is bright and quite large. It measures 2" wide and 1-1/2" high. The display is of high enough resolution so you can review all pictures you have taken.

Overall I like this camera. The CD drive and rechargeable battery are big selling factors for me. Also, since it is made by Sony I know parts and service are easy enough to find.

What would I improve? The lens. I wish you could change the lens out, like an SLR type camera. The lens is ok, but I would love it if Sony had a interchangeable lens system. Otherwise, no complaints from me!

I love this camera. I don't have to develop film anymore or find a computer to remove the pictures from my camera when I am on a trip. I just need to pop in a new cd and keep on snapping! This camera takes great pictures in all kinds of light--we have beautiful pictures of sunsets and the ocean on a bright sunny day and clear pictures of us around a campfire. I don't have the problem of waiting for the camera between pictures like I had with previous digital cameras. You can also film close to an hour of mpeg movies on one disc. The battery runs practically all day, too. The only drawback I found was it was a little heavy to lug around Disneyland all day. We solved this problem by rotating it among our family members, though (everyone got to take their own pictures then, too). If you are a novice at photography like I am, this camera is for you. It is easy to learn how to use features like the zoom and flash (even without the manual) and takes nearly foolproof pictures, although you still have to remember to keep your thumb out of the way! The cds are great for storage of pictures--no more boxes of pictures that can get ruined over time or big, bulky photo albums. To anyone considering this camera, I say throw away those old rolls of film and buy this camera!

Buy Sony MVCCD350 CD Mavica 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Now

After a couple of years of using a Mavica 73 for web shots and a Canon 35mm for vacation photos (the serious stuff), I decided to upgrade digitally for a much higher resolution with the 350.

After taking some test shots, I realized I could trust this camera with the vacation and family photos that required superior reproduction for prints. The resolution is terrific! This is coming from someone who made money with theatrical, model, and advertising photograpy and even had a photo published in the World Book article on theater.

This is actually a computer that takes pictures and movies, and is easy to operate if you limit your technical requirements. There is very little intuitive about using the buttons & controls through series of menus, so I brought copies of the most important instruction book pages along on our cruise, and did refer to them two or three times.

Just like with the 73, the results appear much better on the LCD screen than on the monitor, so most shots needed photoshop enhancing to increase bot brightness and contrast. Of course, the corner drug store photo processors will also increase brightness, but they ordinarily do not touch contrast.

Also, several shots needed -cyan for better color balance -just like the early 73 Mavica.

Two of my Sony disks failed in the camera, and my friend, who bought a 350 because she like mine, also lost all her photos when her Sony disk failed in the camera. The Sony tech support guy said "It happens," and sent me a replacement for the first one. But after 30 days, no more replacements. I did buy three costly re-writeable disks at $6 each from Sony on line, one failed with only 12 photos taken, but it was too late to get a replacement from Sony. "Sorry."

Luckily, I came across some software that lets users miraculously recover otherwise "lost" files on CDs and DVDs, and I was able to save nearly all the shots from disks that, when examined with Windows Explorer, showed NO FILES! I recommend non-Sony disks that are five for six dollar at retail, and the first five that I used not only worked flawlessly, but held about 30 more photos than the Sony disks. It's because of the latent possibility of such devastating disk errors that I took one star off the rating.

Also, the file transfer software supplied with the camera does not display any text, so I have to rely on using a magnifying glass to read the tiny screen captures in the instruction manual.

Neither Sony nor the software publisher's tech support could help with this stupidity, and each referred me to the other.

Read Best Reviews of Sony MVCCD350 CD Mavica 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Here

Everyone needs this camera because it's brilliant. My husband and I just bought it, and yes it's very costly on the front end, but we will never have to buy another roll of film, or waste money on processing. We can take tons of pictures now and not even have to think about printing them until we are much more fincially stable. Just last night we went to a Halloween party and took 132 pictures (I kid you not) and it didn't cost us anymore money than if we had taken 2, not so with regular film cameras. You do have to buy the pocket disks but they are dirt cheap, 10 for $6.00 or so and each disk will hold about 145 high quality picutres. I recommend the Memorex cool colors pocket CD-Rs because they are colorfull and therefore easy to keep track of. We haven't had any "technical difficulties" as far as the battery goes or the disks. If you are considering buying a camera you should definitley get this one, even if you have to do a payment plan of some sort. It will end up saving you money in the long run.

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I had no intention of getting this item since I already had a digital camera, but I was immediately drawn to buying one by the ability to use cheap CD-R and CD-RW media, and the unlimited movie mode (limited by media only). As of this writing, no other camera matches this series at the comparable price. Unless Sony releases a DVD-RW capable camera at similar cost, I expect that this camera will last me for some time!

Pros:

CHEAP media great for trips when you don't have a computer to offload pics, and you don't want to spend almost the price of your camera to get extra storage space. Since it's just normal CD's, you'll be able see the pics on pretty much any computer (make sure to do the "finalize" on the camera beforehand though).

Video mode get a cheap digital video device. It can store about 8 min per CD on high quality (640x460) mode and 1.5 hours on low-quality (160x160). (see related CON)

Picture quality blows my old Olympus digital camera away. Lots of options to configure and learn to make you feel like a wanna-be pro photographer.

Pretty good reaction time People worry about extra lag in burning each pic onto the CD, but I don't really notice it.

Consistent battery I had doubts about the proprietary battery, but it is BY FAR better than my old camera that used normal rechargeables. Each charge lasts about 2 hours and the indicator is pretty accurate down to the minute pretty much.

Cons:

Larger physical size This is probably THE biggest deterrent to getting this camera. You can't exactly keep it in your pocket to point and shoot at parties, or sneak shots without people noticing. So think about how you're going to use a digital camera, and if having a camera that fits in your palm is more important than the advantages of this camera, look elsewhere. To be fair, it's not that much bigger than my parent's non-digital camera.

Resolution 3.2 is not the highest resolution available at this price these days. however, it's DEFINITELY sufficient for my needs, and each pic takes up less storage space. heck, I'm not trying to print posters here!

Video mode Although it suffices to capture lots of things with accompanying sound, the camera has no lighting in video mode -making night-time movies not so great. The captured videos also seems to come out darker than other digital cameras without lighting, though that may be helped by some post-processing. This camera is also awkward for capturing lengthy events at high quality (changing discs every 8 min isn't exactly ideal). Again, think about what's important to you. At similar prices, devices that advertise themselves as multifunction video and photo probably take better video, but much worse photos.

Warnings:

I bought 200 mb discs for this camera ignoring warnings that 156 mb ones work best. Well, I found sometimes I did have some issues with reading completely-full discs in the computer, but just used the handy USB cord to transfer instead. Out of about 10-15 discs of pictures and videos I've taken, I also had one occasion where the disc got corrupted. However, that happened when I was at critically low battery trying to take video on an almost-completed 200 mb disc.

Bottom Line:

After I got this camera, I found that I didn't want to let go of my old (smaller) digital camera because I still liked the small size for some things. That's probably the only reason I wouldn't recommend this camera to anyone and everyone. It's funny to me that even with digital cameras, people still find themselves having to think about whether to take a picture or not since they don't have so much storage space, or haven't unloaded old pictures, or are not sure how much battery they have left. This camera solves these problems. I wouldn't want to go on a vacation with any other camera.

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

If I had to do it over again I would buy the camera and the longer lens separate and not buy the package. Cost wise I spent an extra $100 for the tripod, case and other accessories were cheap junk for the most part. I received a Zeikos tripod and Zeikos case with my package. The tripod is flimsy and cheap and the case was OK, not great. The Canon case is much better quality. The 16G SD card was OK for starters (get an extra one just in case) and the extra battery was OK. Stick with the true Canon batteries if you can. The cheap imitations go dead quick and don't have the lifetime of the Canon battery in terms of longevity. There was a card reader that didn't work and some dodgey SD card case that I chucked in the rubbish. Not very happy with the kit, seemed like a waste of money to me.

The camera is everything I expected and the 55-250mm lens definitely works well. Went out shooting pics yesterday to get a feel for the camera and lenses and got good results. It's a big step up from my old Fuji S7000 so the learning curve is pretty big. Still it shoots far better pics than I expected and with digital fotos it's easy to delete the ones you screw up.

This was my first time at amazon and I had a great experience, the shipping was free and the pack came to my cousin's house in like 4 days. Everything was alright and I got all the stuff from the kit. The lenses are excelent, the cleaning kit, the memory card, all the kit! The tripod is kinda cheap but it also works. Anyway Im happy with the purchase because it was cheap with all the stuff I've got, If I would have done it in my country I would have expended like 1500$

I have a guarantee from Canon, and all the manuals. I am into the photography 2 years ago and Im convinced that the photographer must be great in the composition of a picture but this camera is really helpful and I strongly recommend it.

Otherwise the video quality is excelent, but the audio is not that good.. nothing you can't fix with a good external mic.

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

A lot of research went into this purchase. I used two T3i's that belonged to friends and made sure they would work in low-light conditions. I also reviewed consumer reports, and this was the overall highest rated DSLR under $1,000. I also used my sister-in-laws 40D. It is much more rugged, but the photo's aren't really any better.

About 1000 photos in, I haven't found anything not to love about this camera. It has functioned flawlessly. It has quick point-and-shoot modes or allows you to go as low-level as you wish. I shoot telephoto in some unusual lighting situations, and I have found that the custom white balance settings work perfectly. I've been able to take great action photos of night high-school football games using the expanded ISO option.

The T3i contains no weatherproofing, so keep that in mind. Increased toughness would be the advantage to going to the pricier professional-level cameras. The 1/4000 second shutter speed was fine to stop a hummingbird's wings in action so I can't imagine the typical user needing a faster speed. The ISO expansion allows you to go all the way to 12500, which is about as far as is practical currently. It allows decent photos under very weak light conditions.

The built in flash isn't that great, but you wouldn't expect it to be. It's mainly for have-to situations and anyone taking regular flash photos would want a better flash for the hotshoe. The viewscreen can be tilted to almost any angle, which allows some great shots over obstacles or from waist level. It's great for photos of the kids when they're playing. Can easily shoot from waist level and avoid the impish look you can get from photographing down on kids.

The only quirk I have found is that the wireless remote (optional) only works from in front of the camera. It's designed to use when you're helping a person pose or you're in the photo yourself. Being able to activate it from the rear would be nice for wildlife shots.

I didn't buy it for videos, but I was amazed at the quality of them. Sound is mono unless you buy additional microphones, but that's not why I bought the camera anyway.

Yes, I would like to have the 60D, but you just aren't going to beat the T3i for under $1,000. With a little shopping, you can get the additional 55-250 lens which is wonderful. The image stabilization works perfectly. Until I can afford the 60D, I'm very satisfied.

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Excellent package, good camera, specially the steadyness (I am getting old and my pulse is not so good!), with two great lenses that allows you to work as you like. Good price for a goof camera

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I received a lot of coin for Christmas and decided it was time I upgraded from a decent point and shoot to a DSLR. My niece has the original T1i and I've seen the pictures she takes over the years with it and have always been impressed with their quality and clarity. After doing a lot of research I decided on the T3i over the newer T4i. It was 200+ dollars cheaper and from what I read it wasn't going to shoot better pics. The video is better, but I don't plan on using it for that anyway. I added a Canon 50mm f/1.8 II cheapo lens to complete the package, so I have 2 good IS zoom lenses and a great portrait lens that can handle very low light and has great depth of field for portraits.

You have to understand that the last SLR I had was my trusty old Olympus OM-1, which was totally manual. A great camera but this thing just smokes it in every way. It's fast and I cannot believe the quality of the pictures for such a cheap body and lens set. While it would be great to own a better body and some L lenses I just cannot justify spending all that money on something I do as a very intermittent hobby. I just wanted to be able to take high quality pics when the opportunity presented itself.

Overall this kit is a great starter for someone like me. Sure the card is only 16GB and it's not a fast one, the extra battery seems to have less capacity as the original Canon, the tripod is slightly flimsy, the bag is a bit on the cheap side (though plenty roomy for a camera, 3 lenses, cleaning kit, and charger and extra battery), and the other items are not going to be used (card reader have one on my laptop, screen protectors cut to size? Nah that won't look good and is probably unnecessary), I still give it 5 stars since it's got everything you'll need from the get go for around the same price as buying just the body and the 2 IS lenses. Once I get more into it I'll look to replace the basically freebies with better stuff where I see the need.

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2.4 Ghz Wireless Surveillance System

This video was taken with a Kodak EasyShare DX4530 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom aimed at my Insignia HD LCD TV that is projecting the images from the Instapark 1.2GHZ Hidden Mini Pinhole Nanny / Spy Wireless Color Video Camera with Microphone.. The "Beeping" sound is from a Driveway Patrol Sensor and Receiver Kit that I have mounted inside a feeder........... Yes I live a boring life :)

BTW, The video did lose about 10% clarity from being taken with the Kodak from the TV.

Overall a nice wireless video spy camera, but a 500' range? More like 50'-75' range.

UPDATE: 04/25/12

I had to take down the camera and feeder (along with all the Peanuts) :( because the Squirrel's UGLY "Cousins" aka the Rats started visiting!

I wish I took videos of the "Mexican Standoffs" and seldom skirmishes between them.

BTW: The Squirrels always came out the "Victor"

Camera is small and discrete. It works great and the picture and sound is acceptable. The downside is that the camera eats up 9V batteries when you use wirelessly and the camera and receiver cannot be too far apart or you will lose the signal. Also on the signal, there is intermittent static and distortion at certain times and if the camera and receiver are placed too far apart.

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We use this as a supplement to a standard baby monitor. It allows us to see *what* the little guy is doing, without peeking in the door, which will guarantee that if he's awake he *will* see us, and that's it, even if he'd otherwise go back to sleep on his own.

Now for function. This is extremely easy to set up, and doesn't seem to have any interference from our wifi N home network. We use the wall-wart power supply, so I cannot comment on battery life. We're only transmitting about 10 feet, through the front and back walls of a closet.

The picture quality is pretty good -not excellent, but pretty good -*IF* the light levels are high enough, that is.

As the light level drops off, the quality of the image drops with it. We have it in a room that at night is lit only with a 40 Watt bulb, and the picture is grainy, but more than sufficient to tell what our baby is doing. We can't see if his eyes are open, for instance, but we can see if he's still, looking around, moving around, etc.

If you application is not dependent on high image quality, then you're likely to be happy. If it is, then you probably won't be.

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I just received my camera today and was impresses with the color quality.... not so much the sound and low lit environments. Great deal for the price though. Just make sure you have a good supply of 9volt batteries on hand because the camera powers through them pretty quick, but for the overall performance that is alright with me. Good buy!

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I purchased four of these units, a couple DVRs, a couple receivers, and the adapters to interface to my computer. While these may work OK when plugged directly into power (I have not tested this), the 9v functionality is very very limited. At a range of 2-3 feet, I had unreliable signal quality, and would frequently lose signal completely.

This product could be useful if you can keep everything plugged in constantly, and particularly if you can plug things in directly at the camera... but then, why did you go with wireless?

Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

This was one of the first lenses that I purchased with my Rebel XT. Now after taking several thousand pictures with it I can honestly say it was well worth the cost. I very rarely have any unsharp pictures with this lens unless it is my own fault by trying to use too slow of a shutter speed without a tripod.

I also have the 180mm f/3.5L Macro Lens, which costs about 3 times more than this lens, and although it is very clear and the extra reach is nice at times especially since it can be used with both the 1.4X and 2X TC's, it is very difficult to use inside without a tripod. The 60mm can be handheld if needed with very good results even if you have to bump your ISO up a little to do so.

I have also used this lens for both inside and outside portrait work with very nice results.

All-in-all, given it's small size and light weight I very rarely leave this lens behind when I go out because you never know when you might see a great macro shot.

I once thought that macro lenses were too specialized and that I would seldom need something so fine that I could photograph the segments in an insect's eye. That was until I bought this lens.

I use it with a Canon 20D. My other lenses include the 17-85 IS zoom (versatile range but slow and not sharp), the 70-200mm f2.8L non-IS zoom (great for those moderate telephoto needs), and a 50mm f1.8 prime (very good for the price). But the 60mm is now my favorite lens, by a large margin. It's on my camera all the time, and the other lenses spend most of their time in the bag.

It's very sharp; it's not heavy or conspicuous, and it handles fine macro photography or standard walking-around work (though not useful for wider angles).

It's a little unfortunate that it doesn't come with a hood Canon must make a fortune selling those hoods at the prices they charge. I'm probably going to have to buy a hood or hope somebody sees it on my Amazon wish list. It also doesn't come with a case, but if you're keeping the lens in a decent camera bag you don't need a case for the lens.

More important than a hood is some kind of support for camera if you're doing any serious macro photography. With the lens wide open at f2.8 and the subject close to the lens you will only have about 1/4 inch (2-3 mm) of depth-of-field. Your breathing can move the camera enough to ruin your composition or knock the subject out of focus. So I'd suggest investing in some kind of small tripod or a bean bag or something to help hold it still. Of course, you can also boost the ISO and thereby get away with a faster shutter speed, but that's at the expense of a slight loss in quality. Depending on how your pictures are being used, that may or may not be important.

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4 starts because otherwise 5 stars is inevitable:

1) Slow autofocus (hunt at times) but is to be expected of a macro lens.

2) built quality not as solid as expected at this price range.

I bought this lens instead for two purpose: Macro and Portrait! I was thinking of buying the 100mm macro plus 85mm f1.8 but this lens saves me buying two lenses! I have been very happy with it as what it is. I don't do flying insects very much so it is not a problem but that said I was able to get 1:1 shot of a fly, see sample here:

[..]

There are other samples in this gallery here:The large aperture (F2.8) means that one could have shallow DOF and great for low light such as this pic:For portrait, I accidentally took this photo during the London Bombing of a women 'Shocked' by the incident unfolding in the public TV display. It was a coincident that her background inmage was the winning Reuter's photo of Tsunami tragedy and the matching colour of their dresses! I was quite far away so was able to capture her from head to toe:This illustrate the capability of both macro and normal photography using this lens. You will not regret it unless your primary aim is to shoot flying insets where longer 100mm or 150mm macro lenses may be needed in this case.

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I recently purchased this Canon 60mm f/2.8 macro. The images it produces are sharp, and the color is just awesome. I would say the images are on par with those produced by L-series lenses. The only reason why I give it 4 stars is because it is not built like L-series, but it is still solid enough for heavy use but not abuse. It is mostly plastic on the outside. Many complain that this lens hunts while focusing, ususally in low light. I find this sometimes true, but I've found a work-around. If I know I will take portraits or images farther away, I'll manually pre-focus the lens in that range (near infinity). If I know I'll take macro shots, I'll pre-focus toward the macro side. (This lens doesn't have a focus limiter like the Canon Telephoto zooms.) Then I just let the autofocus mechanism fine tune the focus. Since this lens is so versatile (having the ability to take macro AND far away shots), the autofocus mechanism must rack the optics a lot from near to far. So if your focus starts way off, it takes an extra second for the computer to figure out whether you are trying to focus close or far. So it hunts. I find that a rough pre-focus speeds up the autofocus once you are ready to take the image. Once I pre-focus, the lens has no problem autofocusing even in low light. The 52mm filter size is SO convenient. I can re-use my filters from my manual focus Nikon lenses, and filters of this size are inexpensive. Try pricing a 77mm polarizer and you'll see how expensive those get.

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This lens is my favorite as I keep it on my Rebel XT at all times. I enjoy taking macro close-ups and portrait-type shots, which makes this a great lens for everyday use. It is light-weight and not bulky. My last SLR camera (years ago) was a Minolta with 50mm f/1.8 lens, and various other lenses that I rarely used. I usually don't use a zoom lens due to the extra length and weight. Also, most non-professional zoom lenses are much slower at the closest tele-position due to the higher f/stop. With a fixed focal length of 60mm, I don't mind moving myself toward or away from the subject (not a big deal). The pictures always appear to be sharp with good contrast and color saturation.

My opinion on this lens is: "buy it ... you'll like it".

I did ... and I love it.

Good Luck!

Celestron 44340 LCD Digital LDM Biological Microscope

I'm pretty happy with this microscope that I purchased to use with my daughter. The screen is clear and responds to movement (rotifers) without any kind of low fps problems.

There is a distracting dark patch in the center of the LCD. The spot does not show up when you record a video, so it must be a problem with the LCD. The company has not yet replied to my support email on this subject I sent 4 days ago. Paint on the objective lens housings is worn looking and there is a scratch on the upper illuminator's plastic housing. Because of these things, the finish of the microscope has a used look.

The photo and movie recording interface is simple and easy to use. There is at least one misspelled word in a menu which makes the interface seem unprofessional. However it records acceptably. The video it creates is in the Windows .wmv format.

This is the only budget LCD microscope I was able to find through the Internet. The support structure is not metal, but appears durable. There is only one adjustment knob, but it is capable of rather fine adjustments, even at maximum resolution. Specimen adjustment has considerable range and allows for satisfactory fine tuning. Compared to viewing through stereoscopic lenses or the way-back-when single eyepiece, this is a tremendous improvement. Being able to take pictures just makes it that much better. I am very satisfied.

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I had an ordinary optical "200x" microscope and saw a few shaky, interesting things in a drop of water on a glass slide, I but had no good way to take a photo. Holding a digital camera up to the eyepiece was problematic at best. I'd heard of USB microscopes that connected to a PC, such as the QX3. Checking the reviews on Amazon quickly dissuaded me from that. Then I found the Celestron 44340. It had a built-in 2MP digital camera. Images were saved to internal memory and transferred to the PC via USB cable, or to a SD card. I was also concerned about getting good images. In books like Guide to Microlife (ISBN 0-531-11266-7), there were excellent photos in darkfield illumination, as well as the usual brightfield. The Celestron 44340 did both, although darkfield only worked at the 4x and 10x objectives. I got a set of glass slides, glass cover slips, some depression slides, eyedroppers, and containers. After the summer rains, there were many places to collect samples, as well as from shorelines of rivers and lakes. I was able to successfully image in brightfield and darkfield rotifers, amoebas, flatworms, copepods, ostracods, shrimp hatchlings, vorticella, bursaria, diatoms and algae, and a variety of fast-moving ciliates. In addition to digital photos of up to 2 megapixels in size, I also recorded movies of a few seconds to a few minutes, sometimes switching between 4x magnification to 10x or 40x to get more details, and even switching between brightfield and darkfield. If I found something interesting, I could use software to extract a still image. The only CON I can think of is that when the microscope is turned off then back on, the internal date and time resets to 1/9/2031 8:00 PM, so any photos or movies taken all have that date, unless you manually set it every time.

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I ended up returning this item for a replacement because it had a dark spot in the middle of the LCD. Once I received my replacement it did not have a dark spot but now there was debris internally that could not be removed. I ended up sending it back for a refund. However, I did order another style of a Celestron Microscope without the LCD screen. I give this product 3 stars because the concept and viewing options for this unit is incredible. It is also very easy to use and very lightweight. it just so happened I did not receive a "keeper".

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The microscope/camera combination is great in every way except one very important feature, the top light is inadequate. It is too far away and not bright enough to light solid specimens. It does work fantastic for specimens that light can pass through.

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