Panasonic BL-C140A Outdoor MPEG-4 Network Camera (Silver)

This review is going to be somewhat technical and I'll mention some other choices. I've installed more than 10 Panasonic network cameras across the product line; so how does this one compare? The whole series is rock solid reliable. As far as the practical use as an outdoor cam, the BL-C140A is a middle of the road compromise. As other reviewers have discovered, the night time image quality is not very good. The BL-C140A has a 1/4" CMOS sensor which produces a little bit better daytime image than the 1/6" CMOS on the popular BL-C111A and BL-C131A models. If you're looking for a cam to mount in an outdoor location that is protected from direct moisture (like hanging under a sheltered roof eave) then I'd recommend the Panasonic BB-HCM511A instead. The BB-HCM511A uses a CCD sensor (vs. CMOS) that produces a richer dynamic range of colors during the day, and has much better low light sensitivity. It can still show the scene under moonlight, whereas the BL-C140A would show a pitch black view. If you truly need an "outdoor" camera because it's going to be exposed to the rain, then the BB-HCM531A is an excellent outdoor model. The only difference between the BB-HCM511A and BB-HCM531A is that the BB-HCM531A comes with an extra plastic cover for the connectors in the back. Panasonic charges more than $200 for this piece of plastic, so it you're crafty you can make your own weatherproof cover for the BB-HCM511A cable connectors and save some money (hint: silicone sealant works). Note that if you don't already have a POE enabled switch, the BB-HCM series doesn't come with a POE injector so you need to order that separately. Coming back to this BL-C140A model, the other thing I didn't like is that the POE (Power Over Ethernet) is proprietary instead of using the industry 802.3af standard. So if you have a POE switch then it won't be able to use all the neat power management features. The BB-HCM series however does support the 802.3af POE standard. If your budget is just enough for this cam, the BL-C140A still a wonderful unit. If you can afford to pay just a little bit more then check out the other models I mentioned and you'll get a superior night time view. Here's another tip, if you want to have the camera view on your desktop all the time in Vista or Windows 7, go to the Microsoft Windows Live Gallery and search for Panasonic to download the CoconutView Sidebar Gadget. Then you won't even need to open the browser windows to get a peek at what the camera is seeing.

It's great that this camera comes with a POE adapter so you can power it over an ethernet cable. However, it doesn't work with standard POE switches, which is a pain. If you already have a POE switch (like I do) then you can't power this camera from that switch, you still need to use their (included) power block. Ugh, just what I need, another little transformer wasting electricity in my basement.

Also, it's a pain to setup on Mac or Linux. After about 30 minutes of trying to find the camera on my network by looking at my router's DHCP table, I finally pulled out an old dusty Windows PC and ran the setup routine. It found the IP address for me and that was enough. Once I had the IP address, I was able to configure the camera from my Mac's browser.

Hey hardware manufacturers, please use standard mechanisms to setup your hardware. You know, like DHCP and HTTP. Not everyone has a Windows PC around to run you buggy setup software.

Buy Panasonic BL-C140A Outdoor MPEG-4 Network Camera (Silver) Now

I researched every cam out there before buying the BL-C140A from Amazon. I mounted it under the eaves of our garage above a motion-activated halogen light a super idea from one of the Amazon reviews. Installation was very easy basically plug & play and everything worked right out of the box. The included PoE (power over ethernet) means you only have to run a Cat5 cable to the unit. I mounted the small PoE converter 50' from the cam and it works great. (Note; The manual says not to exceed 98' from the cam to the converter.) Pic quality is excellent. The included viewnetcam.com website means you can monitor several cams on one page over the internet for free, which is really sweet. Panasonic has by far the best bang for the buck when it comes to security cams for homeowners, IMHO. I'll be buying several more of these in the near future for sure!

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This is by far the cheapest outdoor IP camera out there that does power-over-ethernet (POE). As a plus, it include its own POE injector, saving an additional fifty dollars on buying one separately. So far it works well, except the image gets very noisy in the dark. However, I'm very satisfied with this camera for the price.

The next cheapest outdoor one with POE is the Toshiba IK-WB15A IP Security Pan/Tilt/Zoom Camera, which I also own and costs over twice as much, but is superior in nighttime image quality, and include pan/zoom features. However, the Toshiba camera is also much bulkier and obvious when mounted on the outside of the house than this Panasonic camera is.

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This was my first network camera to set up surveillance at my home/shop area. DUring the day time the picture is great. At night, I had to help it a little by installing a dual flood quartz security light system about 3 feet from it. This combination works pretty well. The security light is motion activated and brightly lights up the area where the camera is focused.

The PTZ features aren't something I feel I need, so the price is right on this camera. The power injector is included which is a nice touch, and it was easy to install. Very nice, neat mounting stand. Well designed, and just a great overall camera. I recommend it highly.

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InFocus IN2112 Meeting Room DLP Projector, 3D ready, SVGA, 3000 Lumens

We have used this projector in an open space venue during day time. The images were clear and crisp. We are very satisfied with this product.

This is my first digital projector, and I'm impressed with its design and image quality, but there are immediate things I've encountered that frustrate me. First, the product is clearly marketed as compatible with both PC's and Macs. I have Macs, and because of this a special cable is required to connect the projector to either the iMac or (more typically) my MacBook Pro. This cable is not included, of course. It is, apparently, only available from InFocus (I checked 2 local computer stores), and costs $59 plus $10 shipping. The remote does not come with even marginal Chinese batteries; the pair of AA's must be purchased separately. The projector's menu is not bad to use, but is touchy to maneuver on the projector top controls. There is no way that I've found to increase or decrease the size of the image on the screen without moving the projector closer or further away. Finally, it's not as quiet as would have liked despite the marketing claim for "quiet operation". Other brands must be very loud. I'll likely get used to it, and when my M1-DVI cable arrives I'll be able to use it as I'd like, but I didn't expect the frustrations I've had so far.

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I've used an InFocus before and liked it very much so when my pastor asked me for a suggestion, I recommended an InFocus. It is bright, crisp images and excellent for the price. I will definitely recommend this model and brand for years to come.

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My church purchased two of these projectors in January 2011 and are completely satisfied. Our auditorium has windows and it has always been difficult to watch videos in the morning with the sunlight shining brightly on the stage. We bought these projectors because of the 3000 lumens brightness, and they have paid for themselves time and time again. The picture is crisp and clear, and super bright as well. Easy menus to navigate, and super easy to set up. I have been purchasing InFocus products for quite a while now, and have never been disappointed. I will continue using InFocus products as long as I can.

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I used the InFocus IN 2112 a couple of times; then it died. I was not impressed. Sent the unit back for a refund.

On the positive side, the unit comes with a very nice carrying case and cables tied up neatly with velcro straps.

C2G / Cables to Go 29670 TruLink 1Port 60 GHz WirelessHD Video Transmitter and Receiver Kit (Black)

I picked up this unit with a HDMI switch box to avoid having a bunch of devices near the TV on the wall. Quality-wise, the video and sound are absolutely great, as long as the units have line of sight to each other. The signal slightly degrades if you put the receiver behind the TV, so be ready to use the included wall mount.

The one thing that really bugs me is the fan noise from the transmitter and receiver. You can't stop it. Even if you put the unit to "Sleep" with the remote, the fan never turns off. While watching a show with the volume up loud, it isn't a big deal, but expect to hear the fans anytime the TV is not on, especially if you have the units mounted in difficult to reach positions, since the only way to really get the fans to turn off is to flip the physical on/off switch on the back of each of the two units.

If they would fix the fan noise, this product would be worth every penny. I plan to sell this one once I find something that works this good that will actually turn off (or not be heard) when not in use.

I chose to purchase this C2G unit primarily because it (unlike others I researched) supported true uncompressed 1080p @ 60 GHz resolution & its 36 antenna array supposedly would provide a strong wireless signal. My PC is about 18 feet from the HD TV & the C2G was installed with a direct line of sight. The received television image was OK, but not near as good as I had hoped for; I was expecting utmost quality considering the specifications on this C2G and the price of it. The connection signal would go out once or twice per hour for approximately one minute leaving me with a blank TV screen; fortunately, I could revert to the PC monitor when this occurred. I returned the C2G; instead, I purchased on Amazon the "Sewell Hammerhead VGA to HDMI Converter" so as to just run a long HDMI cable to my Audio/Receiver from the PC. Yes, the cable will be exposed when I use it; but, at least I now have the quality I desire. I doubt wireless can accomplish my goal.

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Very good product and absolutely fine quality. There is WirelessHD standart inside no compression and 7 gigabit wireless channel. But works only in line of sight. Also, works with something (chair, table) or someone (human, dog, etc.) between Tx and Rx, but no walls, or any, to fully cover 360 range in round of devices. Also, not so cheap, as in China.

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Nikon D5100 16.2MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX "VR" and 55-200mm f/4-5.

This package is worth every penny. I shopped around and if all the components were purchased separately by any of the major retailers it would have cost hundreds more.

Camera is good one. I liked the functionality. But other accessories are not as per par.

I hate Stand. It felt so rough and not of any quality.

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This is an excellent camera for starters. Picture quality is great. Have to still explore video and graphic modes, but so far very satisfied with product.

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Excellent product made a great gift and produces a great picture of professional quality We are thoroughly enjoying this camera

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i love my Nikon D5100 16.2MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX "VR" and 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX "VR" Zoom-Nikkor Lenses + EN-EL14 Battery + 16GB Deluxe Accessory Kit

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Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras

The short version:

Pros:

The optical quality is great, the speed is terrific, and it compares well to the 70-200mm lens that people like to say blows this out of the water (I believe they are wrong but we will get into that later) and finally, the price cannot be beaten. Buy it.

Cons:

No hood, extends as it zooms, and the quality of the picture in low light situation lessens a little.

The long version:

I am writing this in simple terms. I found several, several reviews on this lens but they were all in technical terms and leaves you scratching your head a little. So, if you are like me maybe this review will help you.

I bought this lens a couple months ago from US1Photo.com (check these guys out. They regularly have significant sales and terrific customer service). I use this lens with a Canon 40D.

I take several types and styles of pictures so I needed a lens that would do the best job at several things and have a very affordable price (right at or less than $1,000). I looked through new, used, third party (Tamron, Sigma, etc) lenses, and read too many reviews and looked at too many images to count, and spent four hours in a photography store playing with lenses before I decided to spend money and take advantage of this lens. All in all I spent about a week's worth of time in research and testing before I bought this lens.

---

Edit:

Okay, so amazon won't let me put a link here. This is how you find me.

~Go to Flickr

~Then type in a "/" then "photos" then "/" and last type in "gman_five0"

And that should take you there.

---

Test of comment #1:

~The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM does not track moving objects very well and the farther to the end of the zoom the slower the tracking.

(Flickr Gallery page 2)

This, I have found, to be completely wrong. I have used the lens at several sporting events and found that it tracks rather nicely. I was able to track every step of a base-runner from first base to second, slide, and recovery after the play without losing ONE shot.

To see what I am talking about check out my gallery on Flickr. The older ones are NOT done with this lens or camera and taken, actually, several years ago. I will reference the pictures in question.

Safe, Got There By a Mile, Breaking Up That Double Play (please note that as time goes on from the date that this was posted the pictures may have been re-moved). Also, "Safe" was used instead of another shot taken at the same time and angle with a 70-200mm IS lens.

To take these shots I used "AI focus" and the "H" settings on my camera for quicker tracking and the H settings for about 6 frames per second.

Test of Comment #2:

~The 200-300mm range is nice in theory, but a tack-sharp photo from the 70-200mm f/4L at 200mm is going to look better cropped than a 300mm full-frame photo from this lens.

Again, I found this to be wrong. Though I have no actual "full sized" picture for this if you comment back with an email address then we can arrange a viewing of one. Otherwise, take my word for it, I own several lenses and this one stacks up well.

(Ref Flickr Gallery)

The pictures from the Dance Theater and Tashina were all taken at the 200-300mm focus lengths. Again, they are not full sized because of photo pirates, but if you email me we can see about full sized shots.

Test of Comment #3:

~The IS motor is loud

I do not know what these people are talking about, but if you call that loud...

On the other hand, I have heard (once), the sound of the IS motor, but if you are not listening for it you will not even notice it.

Things I have found about the lens:

If you spend some time with the lens will be one of your best friends. It is a great lens especially for people on a budget (like me). To take the best pictures you cannot just twist it on and go to shooting. Take the time to LEARN about the lens (change shutter speeds, ISO settings, aperture, white balances, etc) and it will show you where it shines just like the L series lenses and the 70-200mm IS.

This lens has a solid make and feels like it will last forever. Then again, as you zoom the lens does extend and is plastic. So, watch out if you are doing sports. You may get it knocked off. It did well for me, though. Extending while zooming makes putting a hood on the lens a bit (very little; so little that you cannot tell) awkward and it looks kinda goofy.

I like the lens because it is not as bulky as the 70-200mm lens and it is extremely mobile. It is as quick as some other lenses, not as quick as some, and quicker than others. It will give you great quality pictures. It does have its limits, however: in low light situations not being able to take it back a couple stops and get a wider aperture will not give you the same shot as a 70-200mm. Then again, like I said, it doesn't drop to that f/2.8 and does not cost all that money. This has been the single drawback for me about the lens.

I use this lens for portraits (Tashina, Samantha), for sports (see gallery), and music (Shawn Pander See Gallery). So, it's pretty versatile. I have yet to use with it flash, but that is because I simply do not like to use flash. I have yet to use it in a studio setting, but when I do I will amend this review and add a couple of those pictures as well.

This lens comes highly recommended from me. I am not a big time, highly paid, or well known photographer. I just like to shoot and like what I shoot to be of the best quality that I can have AND afford at the time. So, if you are like me and cannot spend the needed $1,500 $1,700 on a 70-200mm IS lens then spend your money on this lens. You will not be sorry for it.

---

On another note, comments are welcome. This is my first ever review on here so let me know if there anything else that you would like to know about and I will do my best to answer the question in the most plain terms as possible.

After debating between this and the 70-200 L series I decided to purchase this lens. I have been pleasantly surprised by the results. I also own the 17-85 and the 50mm 1.8 lenses and I have found that I have gotten the "most pleasing" results from this lens. The pictures have been very sharp from my 20D even in the 200mm 300mm range. I've also been happy with the quality of the bokeh.

The primary drawback I see is that the AF tends to hunt a fair amount when confronted with low contrast images. That being said, I used it for some flying bird shooting at the wildlife refuge and was surprised to see how many of the shots were in sharp focus. However, it was a little bit of all or nothing. Several shots were also wildly out of focus. Since the lens is fairly slow to focus, you never know what you're gonna get with such a fast moving object against the distant sky.

I had much more consistent results when shooting soccer, softball and football in the park. The AF speed did not present an issue for any of these activities and the results were excellent.

I wish the lens were a little less expensive but I the prints I have gotten from my 13 X 19 printer have been worth the extra money.

Buy Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras Now

I bought this lens as a replacement for the earlier 75-300mm IS lens. I was generally happy with that lens, but it had definite limitations I needed to shoot at f8 or f11 and bump up the ISO to get a decent shutter speed.

This new version seems sharp at full zoom even wide open, allowing me to use a lower ISO setting. Size is similar to older version, but the IS seems more effective looking through the lens when it kicks in you can actually see the image become more stable and less shaky. I got this over the Canon 70-200 f4 L because of the extra reach, smaller size (slightly) and the images I've seen from both are very similar.

UPDATE: There have been reports of soft images when using this lens in a verticle orientation however I have not experienced this on my copy. I'm happy to say that after months of using this lens, I still consider it great.

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I owned this lens' predecessor, the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS. That lens was horrible. When I read many good things about this new 70-300mm IS lens, I thought it was time to upgrade. But, it was difficult to decide whether buy this lens or the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L. I bought this lens and it was my mistake.

While it has numerous improvements over the 75-300mm IS, there are still some shortcomings with this lens that keep it from competing with the similar-priced 70-200mm f/4L.

First, starting at around 150mm-200mm and getting worse as you approach 300mm, this lens gives images that look soft (no, I'm not using any filters!). This is not an issue of focus, but of low-cost consumer-grade optics. You can stop the lens down and get some improvement, but then you lose your depth of field. (EDIT: The sharpness problem with my lens was the result of using it in portrait-orientation, a defect among the first batches of this lens. Canon repaired the lens for free and it became sharper, no matter the orientation, but still not as good as the 70-200mm f/4L).

Second, the focusing speed is slow. New in this lens is variable-speed focusing; as the zoom passes 200mm, the focusing speed slows. I assume this is to prevent the missed-focus hunting common with its predecessor. But, this makes it harder to track moving objects and keep them in focus.

Third, this lens suffers from very ugly purple chromatic aberration. This lens really shows this problem too, in that even small bright objects develop purple halos.

Finally, the lens gets larger as you zoom, the lens gets larger when you focus, the front of the lens moves when focusing, the focus ring moves when auto-focusing, the zoom retracts by itself when pointed upward (EDIT: last item was fixed by Canon during the above-mentioned service), and I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting... But none of these problems exist with the 70-200mm f/4L.

This is not "the hidden L lens" as one reviewer said, it is nothing but a common consumer lens with a big price tag. The IS feature is the single sole benefit. If you have very shaky hands you might just need this lens. If you have very steady hands, with IS you can use this lens in the dark of night (assuming you have a very still subject). The 200-300mm range is nice in theory, but a tack-sharp photo from the 70-200mm f/4L at 200mm is going to look better cropped than a 300mm full-frame photo from this lens.

If what you want is a very high quality lens that will give you sharp photos in daylight; buy the 70-200mm f/4L lens instead, it even comes with a hood. The hood for the 70-300mm IS lens is another $40, making the 70-200mm f/4L a lower priced lens (and it even comes with a bag!).

UPDATE 10/3/11: I'm now using my 70-200 f/4L with a Canon 7D and it is fantastic. I cannot fathom why people even consider this 70-300 given the economical availability of the 70/200 f/4L. The extra 100mm and IS isn't worth it given the major drawbacks of expanding size, rotating front element, plastic construction, and lack of comparative quality. You don't need IS as much as you think you do, especially if you've been taught how to shoot steady and follow the simple rule of using exposure speeds that are numerically higher than your current zoom setting (at 200mm make sure it's at 1/200 exposure time or faster).

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The Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM telephoto zoom lens replaces the first Image Stabilizer lens of its kind, the Canon 75-300mm f4-5.6 telephoto zoom lens. It offers now up to three as opposed to two apertures in image stabilizing mode, as well as slightly wider focal length. The current June 2006 Popular Photography issue has a fine test report on this lens, showing that it is capable of excellent contrast and resolution in the range from 70mm to 200mm; at 300mm, both contrast and resolution decline slightly to very good, but still an excellent result for a zoom lens in this class. It is also fully compatible with Canon's digital SLR cameras (112-480mm equivalent), with improved lens coatings optimised for digital sensors. Without question this is an excellent lens for the Canon photographer interested in excellent nature and landscape photography, without resorting to a sturdy tripod to hold both the camera and lens; thus it is also quite suitable for handhold panning shots at most outdoor sporting events held under good weather conditions.

StarTech.com MDP2HDMI Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Video Adapter Converter

After researching this cable, emailing the company, AND calling them, it was only after I had purchased this cable that I was informed that it only provided audio conversion from mini display port to HDMI1, the type of HDMI that no TV's are anymore. Highly dissatisfied, if I just wanted a video converter I would have bought one for 1/4th the price somewhere else.

All the functionality at 1/8th the price of the Microsoft version.

Works great and have had no issues after one week of ownership.

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Works perfect for my surface pro, hooked up to a Acer H236HLbid Black 23" 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LED Backlit LCD Monitor, IPS Panel 250 cd/m2 ACM 100,000,000:1 (1000:1). By the way this is a beautiful monitor for anyone looking for a cheap IPS display, Acer has a winner on their hands. I get full 1920x1080 HD output, great for using my surface as a desktop. I keep mail open on my surface and run all other programs on the extended desktop of the Acer monitor. Try that Apple, can't be done!

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This is going to be great when I go on vacation and I can plug my Surface Pro into the hotel TVs at night for Movie watching. Nothing to install, just plug and play!

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Well made adapter, works like a charm and does not take up much space in the gadget bag. Price was way better than Microsofts, which didn't even have this adapter on their site; my price comparison is for the one for the Surface RT, which uses mini-USB. IF you have a Surface PRO... this is the one you NEED.

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Nikon Coolpix S710 14.5MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom

I recently sold my Nikon Coolpix 8700, and was looking for a new camera that gave me picture quality equal to or better, and was a much smaller camera. I like taking pictures, but I'm not a photo guy. I basically want to aim, press the button and let the magic happen. Taking a chance I decided to try this camera, and I wasn't disappointed.

It's got a lot of options to go beyond just auto mode if I want to dive into that. My main thing was the picture quality though and the quality of photos is excellent. My wife has a Canon A700 that takes decent pictures so we did a comparison just using the auto settings. A picture of our dog in the house with all the lights off in one room, a picture with one light on, and a picture with all the lights on. I figure if the low light pictures are good, then I'll be pretty happy with the daytime pictures.

While both cameras did a good job, our preference was the Nikon's photos. The colors were closer to what we expected they should look like, and to our eyes appeared more natural. There wasn't any noticeable noise in the photos, and the quality is very, very good.

The size of the camera is great. Shorter than my Blackjack cell phone, and about 2.5 times as thick. Definitely a camera that I could carry in the pocket of my jeans, or a jacket and not feel weighed down.

I recently got this wonderful camera for Christmas. Its perfect, just what I wanted. Its small, goodlooking. It takes great pictures. It has endless options for any type of picture taker.

I love the automatic scene selection. The camera decides by itself the perfect setting for the perfect picture id say about 90% of the time it makes the right choice. It is possible to confuse it if the picture has a lot of different things going on.

For instance if you are outside it will automatically switch to the outside setting and if u go inside it will automatically change to the inside setting without you having to do a thing.

One time when i was in the bar it got it wrong though. It changed it to night time setting automatically instead of party setting so it was a little blurry. No prob though, i deleted that picture and set it on what i wanted. C'mon, the camera cant know everything. Im hugely impressed at what it does know.

In general though I also love the automatic setting. Its foolproof. You simply cannot take a bad picture on the automatic setting. All of my pictures are clear and crisp.

OMG the editing! You can edit your pictures while they are still in your camera! I LOVE IT. You can turn a crappy picture into gold, the editing is limitless. You can take a picture of like 10 people at once then go and edit each face out to make portraits!

It zooms in great and the zoom does not mess with the quality of the picture, no graininess whatsoever.

Ive got lots of friends with similar type cameras and have seen their pictures and i swear up and down theirs compared to mine are complete crap.

Do not get anything else if you are looking for a "git r done" camera. Its so versatile. If your a serious photographer that wants something small and cute this camera is perfect. But if your like me and wanted something to carry in your purse to make memories wherever you are, its also perfect.

Its fast, and easy. Hardly any delay. I love smile finder too! It also has a ten second timer so everyone can be in the picture.

This is my first digital camera and im not embarressed to say i was worried about being able to run it. The owners manual is clear and easy to read. I highly recommend not just a thumb through but to actually sit down and read it. After you do that, its a breeze to run it : )

I have zero complaints. Its perfect for everyone! I give it an A+ hands down, everyone should own one!

LOVE IT!

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I have had this camera for approx. 4 months. I am so happy with it in every way but one. After about a month, the camera read "lens error" and would freeze open. I assumed this was an isolated incident, but it is now happening with more frequency. I contacted nikon, who told me that this is not a warranty issue. I have searched the internet and have found that this is a surprisingly common issue. I really would have expected a company like nikon to stand behind their products. I would be very leary to buy another one based on this, which is really sad, as I do love the quality and features of this camera!

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Got this camera for a month, did a wedding and a few travels with it, overall among the best sub-compacts but not perfect.

Good points:

Manual mode: surprisingly useable, I usually leave it on this mode, click the side of the thumbwheel to switch from ISO to shutter to aperture, turn the wheel to set each in turn, a little exposure scale shows up to guide selection. Easy to select ISO up to 12800 (hardly useable, very grainy, 3200 is practical maximum).

High ISO: 3200 fairly smooth, 800 to 1600 very decent, I ended up not using flash for any of the wedding (inside) pictures.

Bad:

Night flash mode good but not tyro-friendly, lent to a friend for pictures and most of them turned out blurry, she did not have a steady hand. Regular flash rather ugly, not what I'm used to with Nikon

Pictures show perfect on the camera screen but a bit dark on my computer monitor; not sure which is "wrong", or whether there is some automatic D-Lighting during playback, anyway annoying.

Overall good camera, would buy it again, but need to dig into it a bit, the pictures on my computer did not turn out as good as I expected based on what I saw on screen.

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First off, I have to say that this is possibly the best ultracompact camera to buy at this price range. It's full of great features and can make amazing quality pictures. The different shooting options are fun to play around with and are actually usable in their respective situations. It also has a very high ISO capability something I was looking for in a camera this small. Also, the shutter/aperture priority settings are really neat and fun to play around with.

Now, some things that get a little annoying. First, I have to say the menu system was tough to get used to. It took a couple of minutes of going in and out of different picture stuffed menus to find what I wanted. Not to mention the fact that there's a lag between exiting a menu and taking a picture and zooming and taking a picture. And like some other point-and-shoots, the lens tend to cause the purple streak to form at the sides of a picture.

Obviously taking snapshot photos at 14MP will cause the camera to slow down a little that's a lot of data that has to be stored in a memory card, but to take that first shot, it takes well over four seconds to load up the camera, something not too appealing to a couple of people who want a camera with lightning fast power on.

All in all, the Nikon Coolpix S710 is a great buy for any experienced, beginner and multi-use camera user. It's fun to play around with all the different options, and it's great when it actually is in use. All I want to wait for now is a Nikon ultracompact that can record 720p HD movies.

Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens with 32GB Card + .45x Wide Angl

Great camera and good price on the bundle. The kit lens is actually pretty good too which is unusual. I have added another lens and think my needs are complete.

Package has a lot of items I would have had to buy separately and some others probably not so much but overall a very good deal, minus one star because immediately after it was purchased, the price of the Nikon D5100 and 18-55mm package was reduced by $50.

Buy Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens with 32GB Card + .45x Wide Angl Now

Excelente compra, realmente el producto es muy bueno. Estoy en mis primeros pasos en la fotografia y se que voy a disfrutar mucho esta compra.

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Swann SW-C-BDOGC Bulldog CCD Day/Night Security w/ LEDs for Night Vision 32ft/10m

The picture quality is ok and night vision functioned as expected. The camera's field of view was too narrow and zoom was too far for my requirements as a backyard camera. I had to twist off the lens cover, buy a separate wide-angle fish-eye lens to get the proper coverage. The picture quality suffered of course. I highly recommend that buyers understand how wide an area they need to monitor. Installation was simple and I'm glad that many CCTV cameras are using standardized 12V power cords and BNC to RCA connectors so any DVR/VCR system can be made compatible with a simple adapter.

Interesting toy, no support. When first installed picture was great both during the day and at night. Picture quality started to break down over time to the point that IR was all but useless. Replaced cameras and had same result. Installation is simple. Don't expect any support or warranty backup from Swann. Swann does not seem to be interested in taking care of their product and our experience was that they were grossly unprofessional. Even getting a phone call returned was a major task.

PRO: Inexpensive, easy to install. Interesting toy.

Con: Picture quality breaks down over time with IR mode worse than daylight mode. Don't try to ID anything from it as the picture quality is too poor. Don't waste your time trying to get support or warranty service from Swann.

Having purchased these units and replaced them twice, if you are interested in any serious level of security or ID go to a better quality unit not Swann.

Buy Swann SW-C-BDOGC Bulldog CCD Day/Night Security w/ LEDs for Night Vision 32ft/10m Now

I am very happy with the Swann Bulldog security camera. It is easy to use and set up. I have it hooked up to my TV/VCR and I pop a tape in every night to watch my car which had been vandalized. I have it in my apartment window and I can easily park in 4 spaces and can easily view it. It's very clear. I can also adjust it if I am parked a little out of it's current range.

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Now this is a fun little camera. It has great specs for its price, and is incredibly easy to install. I spent about an hour crawling through my tiny attic to run the wiring, but the rest was a cakewalk. This camera uses the CCTV connections, but includes an RCA adapter so you can hook it straight to your DVR or TV. I have 2 of these hooked up to a SWANN PC DVR for Net to provide security to my driveways, and they work great day or night. It surprised me when I got such great night vision footage from the very dim-looking red LED's in the Bulldog. The only downside I see to these cameras, is that you have to really crank the tensioner down tight to keep the camera from wobbling when brushed by wind. Overall, I am very pleased with the image quality, frame rate, and night vision of this camera.

Want Swann SW-C-BDOGC Bulldog CCD Day/Night Security w/ LEDs for Night Vision 32ft/10m Discount?

I'm using 2 of these cameras, 3 Q-See cameras, and 3 Sylvania cmeras. This camera has excellent daylight picture, and good night vision capability from 20-30 feet. The Sylvania cameras have good daylight pictures, but not quite as sharp as the Swann Bulldog. Stay far, far away from the Q-See cameras. They are advertised as having similar capabilities as these, but daylight picture is grainy, washed out, and extremely dark. Night vision was useless. I've got 2 Q-See 4-channel PCI capture cards, which work well.