Nikon D90 12.3MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only)

Several months before the D90 came out, I bought a D60 to hold me over until the D90 was released. Well, I've enjoyed using both cameras, but this one is a huge step up and more suited to an advanced enthusiast, like me. It's a real pleasure to use.

ERGONOMICS The D90 is solid, tight, and well-balanced with the 18-105 VR lens. It's always ready and it shoots very fast. I love all the direct access buttons; they're easy to press, with good tactile feedback. And since you're not going into the menus as much, you can work faster. It's heavier than the D60, but that's OK. It's still very manageable to carry around and it fits my average-sized hand better too. The shutter sounds different than the D60 (if that matters to you). It sounds more like a professional camera; more like a fast "whoosh" than a "click-click". And there are so many internal customizations that you can set it up exactly as you want.

LENS Biggest surprise was the 18-105 VR lens which I expected would be ho-hum, but turned out to be pretty sharp and clear. Better results than the 18-55 VR. We've really come a long way from the days (30 years ago) when you were cautioned to ALWAYS to buy a prime lens, NEVER the kit lens because of it's poor image quality. With computer-aided design and new technology, that's not true anymore.

IMAGE QUALITY I shoot RAW for maximum detail and the ability to adjust settings afterward if necessary like exposure or white balance. Image quality is very good to excellent depending on your RAW converter. To my eye, best results are obtained with View NX/Capture NX, but Adobe ACR/Lightroom still do a very good job (2010 UPDATE; After using Lightroom the past year, raw conversions are beautiful and far quicker to achieve than Capture NX). When shooting JPGs using the Standard Picture Mode, images are sharp and colors are true, without over-saturation. You can always use different Picture Modes and customize any of them to get closer to the in-camera results you want. For example, you can boost saturation and contrast and save the setting as your default if that's what you like.

LIGHT METER Metering is fine and seems to be quite accurate in most cases. I use matrix metering mostly. As with any camera, you have to get to know the meter. If I had to be VERY critical, I'd say when it's pushed, it's more likely to preserve shadows than highlights, usually when Active DLighting is on. To me that's a good thing. Another website mentioned a slightly "over-enthusiatic" meter in its review. The good news is: if you really feel exposure results are not to your liking (whether over or under exposed), the meter is fine-tuneable, so go ahead and customize it as you see fit. I would just work with the meter first -get to know the camera and adapt yourself to it before you start making any adjustments. That said, I've used the D90 in a very wide range of lighting conditions and I can truly say that while exposures may vary occasionally, they've always made perfect sense for the situation. I've never been shocked or puzzled by the output.

LIVE VIEW is great for the occasional high or low shot. I didn't think would need it, but when I had the D60, I found myself in many situations where I really could have used it. Unlike a point-and-shoot, focus is slower in this mode and shooting seems somewhat clunky. I wouldn't use Live View if I were in a rush or trying to get an important shot. It's just a nice little extra.

MOVIE MODE this is a nice novelty and may be handy in a rare moment, but I'm generally not a video camera person. I'm surprised to read that some people have made movies and commercials with the D90. I keep promising myself to use this feature more, but I don't have a tripod and I'm just too jittery and uncreative to get good cinema-like results. Moreover, from the little I've tried it, I'm not impressed there's no autofocus during filming and the movie comes out over exposed and far from HD quality. The user manual is not very helpful either. But I didn't purchase the camera for this feature, so I'm not disappointed.

ISO I really like the new wide range of ISO settings, especially when coupled with the Auto-ISO setting. Mine is customized to keep the camera at ISO 200, but kick in at 1/30. In this example, anytime lighting decreases enough for the shutter speed to drop below 1/30, the D90 will automatically compensate by raising the ISO high enough (up to an ISO limit you set) to help keep your shutter speed at 1/30. Once the ISO maxes-out at your limit, the camera has no choice but to start bringing down the shutter speed. Noise at high ISOs isn't an issue. In fact, you have to zoom in pretty close for it to be even slightly noticeable. I use Auto-ISO mostly all the time. Its an amazing feature! I only turn this feature off when I want to stick to a particular ISO at all times (if its on a monopod or I've stabilized the camera in some way).

ACTIVE D-LIGHTING helps camera to preserve shadow and highlight detail. More important to use when shooting JPG because the exposure has to be right at the time of shooting, when the camera creates the JPG. RAW shooters can always adjust exposure in post processing. Even though I shoot RAW, I usually leave it on Auto so I can double check the exposure details on the LCD screen. It's available in various strengths from Low to Extra High. Again, another great customization.

CONS

-At this price, Nikon should include a robust image editing software, or at least a decent discount on Capture NX2, which works great, but costs extra.

-Kit lens is thick in diameter (67mm). Also, the front glass of the lens seems somewhat exposed, as if it's not recessed that much (it's just enough for a lens cap). I worry that it'll get scratched easily. Good thing Nikon included the lens hood.

AUTOFOCUS TIP I customized the D90 to autofocus using the AF-L button instead of the shutter release. Now I can focus with one press of my thumb on the AF-L button and shoot with my index finger on the shutter release. This allows me to focus first, let go, then take the shot. Since the subject is already in focus, I can take multiple shots, recompose or go vertical. I'm not forced to continually re-focus for every shot or move the AF point around in the viewfinder. This minimizes AF mishaps on unintentional subjects. And since the VR system remains off until you half-press the shutter (it activates only when you're ready to take the shot, not while you're focusing) you save on battery life as well.

Also, with the D90 set to AF-C mode (continuous autofocus) you can keep a moving subject in focus by holding down the AF-L with your thumb and shooting with your index finger. If the subject becomes still, simply let go of the AF-L button; focusing stops and is locked where you left it. Then shoot when ready. Now your D90 can act as if it's in Single or Continuous AF mode without you having to change settings all the time. This gives you more immediate control over the behavior of the AF system Try it and you won't go back!

SUMMARY Overall I'm extremely happy with the D90! It's designed for serious shooting, but it's still fun to use; noticeably heavier than the D60, but still not a burden. You do need to be committed to carrying around a solid DSLR in the first place. Once you get used to that, you'll come to appreciate that it's more substantial because it'll be less shaky during shots. Nikon really packed it with a ton of features and customizations. Now I finally have everything I want in a DSLR, without it being overblown and overpriced. I'm actually surprising myself with some really spectacular shots.

If you have your basic photography skills down, you can make any DSLR sing, however, I believe THIS camera, because of its superb sensor and spot-on feature set, can actually help you improve your technique and get better results. You'll take more chances and push yourself farther because now you have the tools (ie. features) to help capture more difficult, more creative shots. And you didn't have to spend $3,000 to get there!

8-MONTH UPDATE: Still love this camera which hasn't lost any of its original excitement. Very reliable never frustrating. I'm not craving an upgrade not contemplating a switch to Canon either I'm perfectly content. Haven't discovered any hidden quirks. In fact, the longer I use it, the more I realize how well engineered it is. The only extras I bought so far were a light monopod and a 50mm 1.8 lens.

I am far from a professional photographer, but I take it as seriously as possible while still referring to it as a hobby. I take mostly pictures of people at events and many of my baby son without flash in low light situations.

I had been using a Nikon D40x for 1 year and very early reached my limitation with that camera. The Nikon D40x has very nice image quality, but the camera's interface is not suited for a more serious shooter who wants quick single button or dial access to such shooting parameters such as white balance, shooting mode, metering mode, etc. I also felt very limited by the D40x not having an in-body focus motor that would allow me to use non AF-I/AF-S lenses (which are lenses without the focus motor built-in).

The Nikon D40x limitations were severe enough that I was about to consider purchasing a Canon 40D until the Nikon D90 appeared just in time.

PROS:

1. Fantastic set of separate buttons on the camera to control parameters like ISO, white balance, metering, autofocus, image quality, shooting mode, etc.

2. Two command dials

3. High resolution 920K pixel LCD screen (like the one on the Nikon D300)

4. 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor

5. Low noise high ISO capability (for low light shooting) I can shoot ISO 1600 with good image quality with this camera, while on my D40x I could only shoot with ISO 400 and obtain acceptable IQ. I will even use ISO 3200 frequently with very usable results!

6. Separate top-viewing LCD screen in addition to the rear high res screen, to show shooting parameters constantly

7. In-body focus motor which allows the use of Nikon's non AF-I/S lenses, including wonderful and CHEAP prime lenses such as the Nikkor 50mm 1.8 (~$100 lens!)

8. Continuous shooting of 4.5 frames per second

9. Small size, although larger than the D40/D40x/D60, it is still substantially smaller in the hand than the D300/D3

10. 720p 24fps MPEG video shooting capability with incredible ability to use depth of field that I cannot achieve with my Sony High-Def camcorder.

11. Eleven auto-focus points (not as nice as the 51 points on the D300, but substantially better than my D40x with its 3 points)

12. GPS option

13. HDMI output

14. Enormous number of options to customize camera and shooting settings to fit your style of shooting

15. Fantastic image quality right out-of-box if you don't want to do any post processing

16. Terrific build quality

17. Top notch camera ergonomics (but this will be a very personal opinion that differs for each shooter)

CONS:

1. "Rolling shutter" phenomenon while recording video: The D90 CMOS sensor has the same problem that other CMOS video recorders have when recording video. If you move the camera, especially horizontally, you get a "jelly" or "rubberbanding" effect where the image wobbles significantly. It is nice to have the video features, which looks very sharp at 720p, but it is NOT a substitute for a video camera. If you use a tripod, and do not do quick zooms/pans, the video quality is excellent. Without a tripod, however, you may get nauseous watching a wobbly video. The sound is also in monoaural.

2. 1/200 flash synch: Not a problem for me, but it might be for you.

3. No weather sealing: This is found on the Nikon D300/D3 and even on similarly priced models from other camera companies

4. The buffer will fill up after about 8 continuous RAW + JPG (FINE) shots. This number differs depending on the shooting parameters that you will choose. If you shoot primarily JPG, the buffer seems to allow a very large number of continuous shots, but I have not quantified this for JPG only.

TIPS:

1. Get the FREE Nikon ViewNX software from Nikon's site as your 1st step in your workflow. This will let you examine your RAW images that you can process for either Nikon CaptureNX2 to do further RAW processing or just export to JPG or TIFF for a JPG/TIFF editor such as PhotoShop.

2. Recommend buying the Nikon CaptureNX2. It is a RAW converter (if you shoot in RAW) that will read the camera settings properly for export to JPG or TIFF. Capture NX2, however, is not as slick as the Adobe products and Capture NX2 requires a fairly powerful computer, otherwise it can run pretty slowly on a PC > 3 years old.

3. If you use JPEGs out-of-camera, consider increasing the sharpness above the default 3 or 4. Nikon uses a very conservative sharpening default setting. Nikon has also decided to change the default JPEG images to match the higher end D3/D700/D300 cameras which produce more neutral images. Consequently, the D90 images that are less punchy than the D40/D40x/D60/D80, so you may also want to turn up the in-camera saturation and contrast.

The Nikon D90 has all of the interface features that serious and even professional photographers need with wonderful image quality.

Buy Nikon D90 12.3MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only) Now

There are plenty of reviews out there, and I don't want to be redundant. So here are some helpful points that I had a hard time ferreting out when doing my research before pulling the trigger on this purchase, given that I was upgrading from a D60 and that I am, like many who are reading reviews on this product, not a professional:

1. I owned the D40, then the D60. So this is my third Nikon. I had trouble deciphering how my lenses, purchased for the D40/D60, would behave when used in this new model. The answer is that the D90 handles all of them perfectly. This includes lenses that have the HSM built in (the Hyper Sonic Motor is packaged in the lens, because the D40/D60 range doesn't have a built in auto-focus motor) as well as those with no internal motor. The D90 has an internal focus motor, so all lenses built for Nikon cameras will auto-focus, including the Nikon 50mm f1.8 lens that I had to manually focus in the D60.

2. The D90 is heavier, but certainly not uncomfortable to hold or carry. Weight will not be a discouraging factor in purchasing this camera.

3. The D90 takes different batteries, so any spares you have for the earlier models will not work on it. Battery life is truly outstanding. I am not even going to buy a spare battery.

4. The user interface is completely different from the D40/D60. I found it intuitive however. The functionality is just superb, much easier and more flexible. This is a pro level camera with the ease of use of a high end amateur camera.

5. Live view is a great enhancement. Really.

Overall, there is nothing I can say negative about the D90. It's everything I was hoping it would be, and it's so worth the money to upgrade. I'm selling the D60 for half what I paid and doing it gladly because the D90 is worth more than it's being sold for. I absolutely highly recommend it.

I also thought I would offer some lens advice, because I had trouble finding a reviewer that just cut to the chase and said "look, just do this." So, look, just do this: I do NOT recommend the kit lenses that you can obtain bundled with the D90. Get the body only, and buy yourself that Nikon 50mm f1.8 (Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras). It's a no-brainer at the price point, and the images I have already achieved have been just excellent. For the rest of your lenses, I highly recommend Sigma. I own the 18-200 (Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras), the 10-20 (Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras), and the 150-500 (Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras). I cannot say enough positive things about the quality of the lenses or the images. Pack the 50mm and the 18-200 superlens for normal occasions. If you can stand the extra weight, you absolutely cannot go wrong with the 10-20 for landscapes, it just pulls in everything and the quality is shocking. The 150-500 is enormous, you are not going to want to carry that thing around, but when you need it, you really need it. I captured images of my son playing in a soccer game that blew me away; could not have gotten the shots without the big lens. Get the lenses in the order I have specified if you cannot afford them all.

I have just learned all this over the past 2 years. I am no expert but I have discovered the joy of capturing great images that you just cannot get from a point-and-shoot. I think once you see the quality you can achieve with a better camera, you will be thrilled with the decision to spend the money and the energy. And Nikon has truly produced the best camera at this price point in the world. It's a pro camera with an amateur price and it's very easy to use. Words really don't do it justice; you need to experience it to understand.

Any questions, please send me a comment. Happy to help!

Update 16 Jul 2009:

I have now taken well over 4,000 images with the D90 and can confirm that it's still all I had hoped it would be. Every time I think of something I wish I could adjust, I find that the D90 has the adjustment capability in the menu somewhere. The active D-lighting is spectacular. The noiseless photos in low-light conditions have blown me away. I don't see myself upgrading from this camera for a very long time. My technique for most situations has become as follows: snap a few images using the Auto settings. Then switch to full manual and start playing with the depth of field by adjusting ISO, aperture, and shutter speed to fit the situation. Half the time, the Auto photos are so good that I can't do much to top them in manual mode!

Update 20 Jan 2010:

Over 10,000 photos taken with my D90. No new lenses purchased since last update. I have yet to find a situation the D90 cannot handle deftly. Over Christmas, I took a family photo of my wife's entire extended family, over 40 people involved. It was indoors, at night, with only weak overhead lights and the lights from the Christmas tree behind the group. I used an ISO of 3500, my small Nikon 50mm lens at 1.8 aperture, and my remote control (so I could be in the photo too!) Under these low light conditions, with no flash, I was able to capture 50 images in a very short time, and miraculously got several with everyone smiling and no one blinking, and out of these one was perfect! The group included several young kids who hate standing still, to name one challenge! The output was startling; in the natural light, its almost ethereal. I'm the new family hero. The reality is that this single photo is irreplaceable and worth more than the camera and lens. It could not have been accomplished with a lesser camera/lens combination, including the previous Nikons I have owned. I would venture to say that no other camera in the price range could touch what I did with the D90 in this situation. Over and over, the camera proves its worth to me. In the end, what is one fabulous photograph of your child, your vacation, or your life's important events worth?

Update 27 April 2010:

I noticed that I forgot to mention another very useful addition to the D90 the remote control. This device allows you to remotely trigger the shutter and I find I use it for group shots much more often than the timer, especially because I can trigger multiple shots without returning to the camera. It's very inexpensive and small (I keep it in the little pouch that it comes with, threaded into the strap, so it's always there when I need it.) Here is the item: Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control for Nikon D40, D40x, D60, D80 & D90 Digital SLR Cameras. Highly recommended!

Update 13 May 2010:

My D90 was stolen two weeks ago. What a bummer. Anyhow, I decided to upgrade to the D700, but not because there's anything wrong with the D90. I loved it. The D700 has the FX size sensor, whereas the D90 has the DX size sensor, which is smaller. The real benefit of the FX sensor is better sensitivity, meaning higher shutter speeds at a given aperture. Of course, the D700 is more sophisticated in nearly every way, but it's also heavier and more complex to operate. It's also over $2,000 for the body only. I sprang for it. But even so, after considering carefully all the current offerings, my conclusion is that for the money, there is still no better camera than the D90.

Update 15 Feb 2011:

I highly recommend Thom Hogan's "Complete Guide" series for the Nikon D90 (and for any other Nikons). I bought the one for the D700 and it's just incredibly useful, way more easy to understand and more thorough than the Nikon documentation. It's really essential reading; you get the why, not just the how, and practical advice on settings you should use for different situations. Thom really helped me understand why it's worth shooting in RAW (I now onluy shoot in RAW), and what tradeoffs are worth making and when (ISO vs shutter speed vs aperture). You can only get them off his website so google it. bythom dot com is the address BTW. (I don't know the guy and am not getting a kickback, I swear!!!!)

Also, I'm really enjoying having a good quality wide angle zoom, anyone who hasn't obtained one yet for their setup, I think you ought to look into it closely. I find myself using it more and more.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon D90 12.3MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only) Here

Pros

The same ISO capability of the D300.

Intuitive layout that Nikon is famous for

Fast focus, frames per second, and card access

First DSLR to have video, but . . .

Cons

Video has poor audio quality and no AF

Kit lens is not worth what Nikon says it's worth

Recommendation: Casual users who aren't concerned about how tough the kit lens is should buy now. Semi-pros who want a good lens might want to wait and just get the body (available about a month after the kit release)

Before making the leap to the D90 I researched this and other cameras for several weeks. I actually wanted the more expensive D300 because of the magnesium body and weatherproofing, but ultimately decided that the $600 difference was too big for just that one issue.

The D90 has the same sensor (or greatly similar depending on the source) as the D300 which means it shares the same great ISO capabilities. 1600 looks fine and you can definitely get usable small prints from even 3200. There are some reviewers on other sites claiming that the D90 has better noise reduction than the D300. Combine that with the the new Nikon VR lenses and you can shoot in low light at ridiculously slow shutter speeds. I've always hated using a flash and this camera is going to allow me to avoid using it in situations I never dreamed were possible. I took a shot in a dimly lit room at night and this camera picked up details I couldn't see with my own eyes!

The control layout is superb. The single button choices make complete sense ISO, image quality, white balance and previous shot are right there on the left side of the LCD.

I did not buy this camera for its video function. However, Nikon did not deliver the goods here. You can buy a several year old Canon P&S S2 or S3 that shoots video (VHS/regular quality, not HD) at 30fps with stereo sound AND autofocus. If they could put that kind of functionality on a $200 camera it should be possible on a $1000 one as well. It just seems that if you're going to add a function like this it should have been done well or not done at all. If you're buying this camera because of its video capability then I would urge you to wait until Nikon or another DSLR maker does it right. Or just buy a separate HD video camera at a fraction of the cost of the D90.

I realize a lot of folks like the kit lens, but it is not the same quality as Nikon's other zooms in this price range. I read that Nikon says this kit lens, the 18-105mm VR, would sell for $400. Thus the "$100 savings by buying the kit." I bought the Nikon 70-300mm VR at the same time for about $485 and the build quality is far better with a metal mount and rubber gasket to keep out the elements. The kit lens has a plastic mount with no rubber gasket and it just feels cheap in comparison. If you're just looking for a basic everyday lens as an average user this might not matter, but if you're an aspiring amateur/semi-pro this is really not acceptable.

Overall this is a great camera and it is, minus the lack of weather proofing (which I can't expect at this price range anyway), exactly what I was looking for. It does have its flaws, however. Thus the 4 star rating instead of 5.

Want Nikon D90 12.3MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only) Discount?

It is an amazing camera by Nikon, expecially for amateur and enthusiast level photographers. The feature list is fantastic, plus the fact that it has the sensor of similar quality as the professional grade D300 model, and of course how can you forget the HD video capabilities? The sensor is highly rated for amazing dynamic range and color depth (the blues and greens are dreamingly rich, see my images in the customer images section). Please watch the video for a comparison with Rebel XSi that I owned before this one.

[+++++]:

Great sensor, amazing colors out of the camera

Auto D-lighting to restore shadowed regions

Feels great in hand, very comfortable to hold... lighter than a Canon 40d/50d.

The optical viewfinder is bright and big, with great coverage

AF tracking points are easy to spot and switch to

Great 320K dots LCD

Video feature is great.. you can make some really slick short movies after some practice. It is a bit difficult to master both autofocus and zoom and exposure control in video mode, but I guarantee you a huge share of fun with it.. especially with DOF tests:-)

[-----]

My copy of the camera came with one big bright hot pixel that was ON even at low ISOs like 200 and at fast shutter speeds. I was just about to learn to ignore it by using the software to map it out, and 2 more developed within a week of normal usage. Not good for a $1K camera right out of the box. I searched online and found many many others with the same issue. Further, you will have to pay at least one way shipping to a Nikon service center to have them mapped out, and yet they say it may develop more with time. I dont understand why a brand new camera has this issue. And its not just my copy, you can search "Nikon D90 + hot pixels" and you will find many many recent posts on this topic.

The live view is just a gimmick. It doesnt stand in front of the implementation in a cheaper Canon XSI even. It lacks exposure simulation (the mode which brightens or darkens the LCD view based upon live shot setting changes like ISO/aperture/exposure time etc.). Further, it only goes as high as 6.7X while the XSi and 40D/50D go upto 10X zoom. To add to that, D90 seems to extrapolate the live view image at high zooms from a lower resolution image... showing bad interpolation artifacts like blocks at 6.7X zoom. You have to see it to believe it. Try a Rebel XSi and a D90 live view, and you will know what I mean. Also, there is no exposure scale overlay on the live view image to guide the user whether the shot is under/over exposed. You will have to switch to optical view finder to confirm the shot exposure level. All this renders the live view practically useless for anything but framing a snapshot or a video. In fact it should have been called an LCD view finder and not the live view, which it is not. D90 also only has one auto focus mode in live view which is contrast based, and too slow. Even 40d has a fast phase detect mode. Also, the D90 LCD refreshes only 15 frames per sec while a 40d/50d refreshes at 30 fps better for sports. If you wear glasses and are hoping this live view will help you take pictures without having to goto the top LCD or the optical view finder, you will be shocked. Having owned an XSi and tried a Canon 50d, I can say with confidence that Nikon really has to improve their live view, or at least stop calling it that. I have let the Nikon customer support know of the interpolation issue at least, and they say it may come as a model update later, probably not an easy firmware update. But their answer was not clear. It took many emails just to explain the problem.

The zoom (+/-) buttons are for the left hand. They may have been like this for most of the Nikons, but coming from Canon, it was a big discomfort to me to first switch the camera weight to the right hand, then move my left hand to use the buttons to the left of the LCD, then switch the hands back. This can be a pain if you have a heavy lens (like 70-300mm VR) and don't have a tripod.

The pixel depth is only 12-bit as compared to 14-bit in a Rebel XSi or a Canon 40d. This is not that obvious, and it is actually surprising that D90 produces great colors for a shorter pixel depth.

The video mode can possibly age your sensor quicker than it should. Because of prolonged exposures (upto 5 minutes in HD mode), the sensor may develop more hot pixels over time than usual. It is also hard to lock exposure while in video.. else there are jerks when the auto-exposure-compensation mode jumps in as the scene brightness changes.

In conclusion,

if you can live with a sensor that may come with hot pixels, or may develop more sooner than expected,

if you don't mind using both hands to manage controls while also holding a heavy lens,

if you don't use live view at all and will only use the optical view finder, and

if you have about $1200 to spare (as of Jan 12 2009), and a few hundred more down the line for expensive Nikkor zooms,

then this is a great camera for you. You will be more than satisfied with the colors that come flying out of it. Otherwise, allow me to recommend Canon 40d or 50d with pretty much all of the basic imaging done the right way.

The live view and the hot pixel issues are a big reason why I gave this camera only 3 stars. Especially so because it is a still camera first.. and if they ship out defective units (with hot pixels) in a brand new box, and ask you to use a software to take 30 minutes just to wait for them to me mapped out, I think they fail to provide the basic purpose of this camera. Plus the live view isnt useful at all except only for shot framing.

Edit to add: Here is a website that will let you compare the sensor quality between different models for your information. I am not sure how reliable they are, but they seem genuine.. still I advise you to interpret that data at your own discretion: %7C0/(appareil2)/267%7C0/(appareil3)/262%7C0/(onglet)/0/(brand)/Canon/(brand2)/Canon/(brand3)/Nikon .

Edit#2: I have since returned this camera and have ordered a Canon 50d. I want to take good still pictures first, and the video mode and the ineffective live view and the LCD werent helping me too much in doing that. Regardless, it may fit your requirements, in which case please enjoy all the features it comes with, and dont forget to share your first video:-) Here are mine:Edit#3 (1/19/09): After having owned a 50d, I would add one more star to this review, only the system doesnt allow it now. The reason being, I feel D90 handled noise much better... at least better than the 50d. Also, the 50d gave lens mount error right out of the box too... this is with firmware v1.0.3, the latest available.

Edit#4: 1/21/09. I confirmed that D90 had better noise performance in day-to-day use as compared to Canon 50d. Again, no lab tests, no controlled environment.. but just regular in-house pictures.. and I can see more chroma-noise with Canon 50d pictures. Also, no matter what I tried with the Canon pictures style editor, it was near to impossible to get the 'punchy' colors that nikon produces. In all fairness, Canon's picture style editor is a great idea, and it does help a lot too (see my blog here: ). But the limitations are with how we can only select and change 100 discrete/individual colors, and there is no easy way to just plain rotate the color cone for all the possible colors. I decided to return the Canon 50d for these reasons.. plus the fact that it started giving me lens mount errors right out of the box. Come what may, I have re-ordered the D90 kit (I know.. but at least I tried both and found out what I like). I know I will miss the tack sharp live view and the hot-pixel-less sensor from Canon, but I have come to realise that what counts is the ultimate aesthetics of picture-taking, and Nikon D90 gave me that. I caught myself frequently comparing D90's output pictures with the 50d's. And no matter what I did, I always spent more time staring at and panning and zooming in the Nikon results. In a way, they 'called' me.

I plan to deal with the hot pixels with Adobe Lightroom which automagically maps them out from raw images. Or I will write scripts to map them in batches from both RAW and JPEGs in Capture NX2 (yes.. I found out that Capture NX2 allows you to remap hot pixels even in JPEGS.. so you dont necessarily have to shoot RAWs to avoid the hot pixels. as is the common misconception!).

So if you have read this review so far, please know this: I chose aesthetic pleasure over technical (or specification) superiority.. a personal choice. And if I could change the star rating of this camera, I would now make it 4-1/2. The half points will still be gone for hot-pixels and inferior live view with no exposure simulation.

There. I lived through two great cameras, and embraced one. Its your turn now. Good luck.. and whichever one you choose, make sure you like the end result.. and not just the camera's specifications or mega pixel count:-)

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Sharp VLAH150 3" Hi8 Screen ViewCam Camcorder

This is my second camcorder, and it did take some getting used to. I guess I was used to my older one, even more so than I thought. Once I played around with this camcorder for a couple hours I got the hang of it and started to really enjoy it! I love the photo shot effect, as well as the fact that I can shoot in black and white. At first, I missed my old camcorder, but now I love this one!

My wife and I looked at many camcorders and she instantly liked this one. I asked her why and she said the design(non-flip 3" screen) and the main reason was that there wasn't a million buttons all over it. Buttons scare the average person. Once we started using it she told me thats why she would not use our old one. This model is very simple and gives new meaning to 'point and shoot'. Personally I like lots of features and boy, does this camera have features! Letterbox recording, black and white, sepia, strobe, photo shot, pic-in-pic, awesome zoom. All this and lots more!! You can't beat it for the price (...).

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Great zoom features and the camera is light and Easy to use and has great features such as 16x optical zoom and 400x digital zoom. The only problem I have is that it doesnot connect to the computer. The image in the camcorder is OK for the price point and image shakes violently in digital zoom mode if you are zooming in too much.

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I have had this camera for approximately 4-1/2 years now, and it's still a good product. The only complaints I have are that (1) it doesn't connect to the computer in any way, and there are no longer products out that will convert the RCA cables into a USB input. (2) The battery will not hold any type of charge whatsoever anymore I have to plug the camera into a wall to be able to use it, and replacement batteries are near impossible to find at ridiculous prices. From Sharp directly it's a $50 battery. I managed to find one at Fry's for about $30, but it's still NiMH and I would like to find a lithium-ion so we don't have this problem again. Other than that, it's a wonderful camera, and I absolutely love it.

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I had a AH151 and it malfunctioned. I have a bunch of Hi8 tapes so needed a cam where I can continue to use them. I saw the AH150 from Classic Camcorder and the price was cheaper than the Authorized repair facility to fix the 151. There was a slight delay on shipping but the Company notified me immediately and it was resolved and shipped. It arrive in quick time. For the price they threw in a few extras, a beautiful camera case, an EasyCap adapter to connect to the computer, and a lens cleaning kit. I tested the cam inside and outdoors and it works perfectly.

I give Classic Camcorder an A+ for Service and Delivery.

Samsung HMX-U20 Ultra-Compact Full-HD Camcorder (Silver)

We purchased this camcorder to record of the birth of our twins (they are still in the oven:), and were excited to test it once it arrived. We love the size of it, so compact and easy to carry around, unlike my previous camcorders. The quality is pretty good, the only thing is when you zoom in and out, the audio makes the clicking noise. We purchased a 32G SDHC for it so we didn't have that many problems mentioned in other reviews. We've made some test shots and videos and edited it, a real cool feature is while you are filming a video you can take pictures. Here is a test movie you can view on YouTube:Overall, we are happy with this little camcorder with its price!

I should have paid attention to all the reviews. Yes, there is something WRONG with this camcorder. It has this annoying clicking sound on playback. Unfortunately, authorized Samsung service centers here in Australia don't even know what HMX-U20 is, so they can't do anything about it. What I total waste... I bought another mini camcorder from another brand, which I am quite happy about. Don't buy this product unless you've read better reviews.

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This little video camera works like a dream. It even does well when riding in a car and filming. The only thing that would be better is if the controls were a bit easier to operate. I have to keep looking back at the manual to work it. For the dollar, I definitely give this a thumbs up.

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Nice design, very compact, and light weight... and that would be the end of what I like about it. The camera is sub-par. The motion stabilization is ineffective. Low light is atrocious. Software was clearly an afterthought. Battery life is bad. Video is classified as HD but one of the worst actual pictures I've seen to date. Not impressed Samsung; back to the drawing board.

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I received this for Christmas. The specs on this this camera are great. Unfortunately the video recording quality is terrible. The images have the detail, but it looks like there is a film or noise over the entire image. The recording looks no better than our HI-8 SD recorder. Very disappointed. All the features function correctly, such as output via HDMI to a TV set. Also the video screen on the back has a very limited viewing angle. Will be returning for a refund.

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Vivitar 5 MP Digital Video Camara

I bought this camera last summer (not from Amazon). It takes pretty good videothe zoom is fair. But the photos are a disappointment. If you use any zoom at all the photos turn out grainy. I experimented extensively with the settings and there was no improvement. The unit itself is pretty cool otherwise. The voice recorder works fine. I haven't downloaded any music to it so I can't speak to using it as an mp3 player. The e-book reader works, but it is limited in space. I downloaded a public domain book just to see what it would look like and could only get a portion of the book onto the unit. I have the 1 gig card that came with the unit so maybe a bigger card might be the answer.

I take the camera with me when I go places because of the video and the voice recorder. I've gotten good video outdoors and indoors if there's enough light. If you don't mind the problem concerning grainy photos when you use the zoom, the unit is good, though I think a little pricey.

I got this for my 11 year old son to get him off our 'good' camera. I had a Vivitar enlarger in college, so I know their lenses are good quality. I'm impressed by the photo quality, he figured out the interface almost immediately, and the price is more than right. I wonder about its durability but so far it's performed like a champ.

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This is a great buy for small projects and such. the only problem i have is that i saw the pic of the wine colored one and fell in love with the color and got a blue one in the mail! :( i was a little dissapointed that nowhere on the page does it say anything about a blue one or even other color options so i assumed we were getting the wine one! but other than that it is hard to get a clear focused shot after zooming in. if you stand far away and walk towards the object it is ok but standing in one spot and using the zoom is not so great. but it does do what has been descriped otherwise! it is still a great buy for web videos or school projects though!

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Optoma EzPro 737 Digital Video Projector

On a "tight" budget for your home theater needs? That was me. I decided not to go above $1,500 between audio and video... well, that is a bit unrealistic if you also count cables and setup, but the Optoma EzPro 737 will get you one step closer to your goal. Here's why.

It is by far the best bang for your buck, among the sub-$2,000 projectors. It boasts DLP technology for a crisp picture, with a very decent 1800:1 contrast ratio and 1,500 ANSI lumens which -along with the native XGA 1,024x768 resolutionmake it a great solution for your projection home theater needs. If you are not extremely critical, you will even find that it performs very well even if the room where you project is bright (during the day), but I'd recommend making sure you have proper blinds or projection at night for best results. In any case, if you don't pick this projector, make sure you don't purchase anything that's under 1,500 lumens.

Ah! Did I mention that it supports HDTV? That's what the XGA resolution is all about!

Now, on to the hidden costs. Since you will be mounting on the ceiling (most likely), unless you are extremely handy, count on some $400-$700 in installation costs, which may only include labor for running cables to your receiver/box plus the actual upside-down-mounting to have it hang upside down, etc. As for your cables, depending on how far you need to run them, they may cost anywhere from $50 to $150 bucks (tip: get the 50 ft M1-A to RCA -componentextension cable from Dell for under $50!)

All in all, this projector is the best thing I've found out there to meet all my video home theater needs: quality image and support for HDTV, plus it won't cost you an arm and a leg (compared to almost everything else out there these days). Just jump into it knowing that you will have to spend some $600 or more to get it set up for good.

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Konica Minolta Dimage Z6 6MP Digital Camera with 12x Anti-Shake Zoom

This camera literally blew me away when I started using its zoom feature. First of all let me start by saying I am a practicing amatuer astromoner, and quite familiar with quality..This camera posesses an APO lens..Apro chromatic for those who care. I took a picture of a distant mtn in NM, of a feature called "turtle back".

I was zoomed 12X and after examining the photo on my laptop, I discovered I had captured a pair of hawks in flight against the mountain. In the second photo, one of the hawks was framed perfectly aginst the turtle's front foot, and I was able to blow it up on my laptop further where I could actually see feathers on the wingline, and the hawk's beak with little or no pixel distortion..The 6MP really works. I would recommend this camera to any amatuer photographer

Well, I searched and searched and read every review possible--so I thought--during the summer once I decided to put down my Kodak dx4530 and graduate to something with a little more "umph". I made a decision on the Canon S2. Due to some confusion my order was cancelled and I had to pick something else quickly. I did--the Dimage Z6. This camera does everything imaginable! I am not going to rehash in detail the previous reviews. If you have the money and want fantastic pictures--this is a GREAT investment! The instruction manual is a little jumpy but with patience you will get it. The features on the Z6 are never-ending. Buy & Have fun!

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I have a digital SLR camera in a different and higher class than this camera. We bought the Z5 for my son and I found myself drooling over some of the functions in his camera. Don't let the term son fool you. Although 10, I was brought up by a photographer who never cut the corners on photo for him nor the family despite not being well off. My son has taken fabulous pictures on the Z% and the new six has very few if any changes. It did not need them.

The new Z6, is an absoloutely incredible machine with for me, only one major drawback, which is the manual need to lift your flash. As a semi or part time pro I have my flash attachment on all the time and even though this camera can change, by a convenient push of a button, thru several flash modes, the manual pulling up of the flash would be hard for me but may be due to habit. You would just have to always have it up and rember to turn off your flash if you ever want to. Fill flash is measured with the ambient light in the Z^ so the heavy shawdows are removed or the shade of darkness of he face by the brim of a baseball cap or the shade of tree branches in some of a person's face is gone. Right there your picur will be much more pro looking. There is a hot shoe for a flash attachment if desired. The perfect next step up from the pocket cameras and even if boasting 7 or 8 megapixels the optical zoom of this camera and the speed of the compressor chip are far more important.

The zoom is to 420 (yes I said 420 and in old film talk) and an automatic feedback as to whether you just took a picture within the correct ecposure. Also a little camera icon shows when you are zoomed to far out on your subject or to little light, showing you you need a tripod or do not take. The macro and fine macro modes are fabulous allowing you to take that flower or anything from your puppies face close up. No lens filters make it so your lens is suseptible to scratching but is well incased in the lens covering. The features of this camera including the use of the histogram, the editing features within the camera will probably never be used by some but who cares at this price.

Smaller cameras will never match this in terms of optical zoom and also the portrait, landscape, and sports functions all work while still in automatic focus. This means you can hold your finger on the button and take one shot after another of your kids stealing first base and be in focus. I took my daughter jumping from a high dive on rapid spots fire and the water splashing back up is just gorgeous and in perfect focus as is she and her varring expressions as when climbing the ladder and coming down. The camera will stop if it does not detect enough motion and will chage back to a more normal state of autofocus which in most cases means you have to keep hitting the button versus holding your finger down on it.. Perfect for the multi use camera shooter. Can zoom in from a distance and can take moving so perfect for sports filming, portrait filming and landscape as well. Only those of very high calibder photography experience or ones activley photographing architecture or landscape may feel they need a wider angle lens and yet if this is a move up for you, this is not and will not be a problem. Most people feel a 28 lens to be wide angle to begin with and it may start at 17 I am not sure. I just dont shoot wide angle. Don't let Dimage fool you, even I a Cannon loyalist would never buy the Cannon in this league over this camera.

The camera uses print image matching so works great with almost every photo printer which for those newer to digital means the information on the s-disk talks to the printer when you are printing so your shots are clearer, moe detailed and the colors more accurate to what was taken or seen on the screen. Don't let the featrues scare you. They are there but a very great point and shoot camera as to the quality and the abilty for the camera and a photo printer to do it for you.

If buying the camera consider the best charger and best recharageable batteries as more expensive but better on batterey life and yet if you aare one to swear away anything but lithiom batteries this camera does extremely well when my husband's dimage of 3 years ago is an energy hog. If picking up in a store, remember you can take pictures through the large two inch LCD screen or the veiv finder. The veiw finder has vision adjustment so if it does not look good at first please adjust this. The Z6 gives one more megapixel than the z5, basically incresing you cropping ability as you probably wont be printing 24 by 24 posters. The processor somewhat faster then the z5 as well making what you snap your finger at what you take as no delay of notice. The z6 is about 1/5 more efficient battery wise which in some cases can save you. Not much better than the z5 as the z5 was and is a wonderful camera and was acually $100 more. It did not need changing.

The z6 has a Sleek new disign with the same size but looks gorgeous. Try not to use as a garbage can as it will use more energy and yes, there is a reson that some disks are cheaper than others. Do not go cheap on you disks. Nice battery feature in which the camera shows no batterey when plenty of juice, then a battery when about at the half way mark and one more with a little juice left. Draws your attention to it as it appears vs. changes. Stop at the last symbol of closly after that. A digital will never work it's best when low on power nor getting completley full on a card. At the highest shooting level at which all people should be on or buy a two megapixel to begin with a 516 chip has room for around 320 pictures. No case is made specifically for the camera and yet we found a great promaster for $35 that is cushioned and can be worn as a fanny pack or over the shoulder. MY moms smaller credit card canon fits in the front part of the case as altough this a "small camera to me" she feels otherwise and wants to take both on her upcoming cruise so she can slip the other in her evening bag. I myself would love this camera for a second one of lighter weight and yet under many situations could get the same as my SLR of much higher price,features and therefore quality. Although it hurts me to say it, computer leary people could add to this with the epson picture mate 4 x 6 printer with the lCD could never use a computer and still get bettter than costco processed disks. The HP and ohers would also work and yet he new epson at $250 but $200 onlin with a rebate has many more ediining functions. IF a previous camera uses a compact flash and you have to change over adding to the expense so be it. They are better, the way of the future and will last mush longer.

I can not say enough about this camera and I would never thought I would be suggesting anythig over a canon. Anoher nice feature which sounds like a gimic but is not is the anti-shake mechanism. It actually does help to lower the effects of a less than steady hand and so your pictues wiil be more likely to have the just right focus. If planning for an event please buy early and practice however whether you have experience or not. Due to the incredible zoom power you do need to have practice keeping your eye on things as the camera will not beep if a not a good shot and yet this camera wll tell you why so easy corrections can be made. The beep the camera makes when the camera locks into focus when pressing half way down is quiet and a good guide. It can easlily be shut off say at weedings, plays etc. Beep, solid white circle, press down, look at LCD for proper exposue OK and a glance at the picture and within a couple of seconds on to the next.

The camera has a playback mode to check pictures with magnigication to check for focus at the molecular level practically but a waste of time as you may be missing the next shot. Rapid fire is available and 3 consecutive quick shots so getting 3 but each slightly different. As with all cameras and with all kids, dont use the red eye reduction. This means the flash puts out usually 3 small flashes and then takes the pictue wih a bigger flash. You wiil have the kids in the next room and far to long for candid and making people look at you insread of getting that perfect side portrait veiw. Although a fine camera and a tendency of many of us to tend towards protection plans due to chips and complexity keep in mind the cost. The best of warranty plans and some worse than this do not cover theft and althogh they will tell you for even dropping the camera you must have a significant part of the broken up camera and must have the serial number intact. If you drop over the edge of the ocean, off the side of a cruise ship or inside indiana jones at disneyland are you actually going to go back and get the camera or jump off the cruise ship?

Using the stap is a much better insurance policy! You will be more upset about the pices than the camera so consider that when puchasing your s-disks. Better to have all shots on one card in the camera but if you lose the camera all gone or better for a few smaller so that all is not hopefully lost.? Depends on the person. JUST GET GOOD ONES. Also take a ton of pictures. This is what digital is about and at the hightest setting. Do not try to get more pictures by setting the camera at a lower resoluton. If you feel conscious of not having enough memory consider buying some thing like an IPOD with the capability of carrying pictures for you whille on a trip. This way you just have a great time with your camera and then can clean out on computer as should be when you get home. If intimidated get a hired person for $89,00 an hour in California to come, set up your system between your camera or card reader, your computer then to your photo printer. IF you use a printer for regular documents then this is your normal printing and can easily tell the printer to gear up the color and ink for a photo. Writ it down and do it.

Phot editing Programs can be hard but those in the high hundreds to the 2000 dollar range. For fifty dollars you can be storing, cropping, edtiting and burning to disk fun slide shows and burn them to dvd to watch and store forever. Remember the kid running bases, set the digitlal photos to a one second show and it will look almost like a movie in your slide show.

Playback on the camera is also in the version of slide show if you wish, so if traveling with friends or at grandmas house and the disk has been cleaned up they can see the ones you took that morning and haven't had the time to even go home and download to computer. Buy a good high speed charger, THE BEST BATTERIEs AND TWO SETS and good memory cards, a cushioned case and go for it. IF not there, the ability and faith of digital will grow. Then the passion comes and you would never dream of having anyone but you print your pictures. Much more fun to have a file and slide show of each Chistmas for a few years, a little of each, with music and typed christmas lists and now if you want can record the annual reading of twas the night before Christmas and have that play on DVD while your pictures show. Hard. NO. Need to learn. YES. For those hesitating come on over to the other side and join the speed and abitlity of the reality and reason for digital, Never again will you pick up the doubles you ordered with only one good shot for $25.00 and for the others with a slower processor, less meagapixel or less optical zoom digital camera you will always be frustrated with the quality of your pictures as your dont have the resolution to crop and get rid of uncle Harry and his eyes shut. This is truly the best camera in it;s class on the market and I have tried the Canon. I have reserched this to the extreme, macworld agrees with me as does several of the digital photo mags that rate cameras. Buy and enjoy. Use it as a point and shoot if you want and learn a new feature one at a time. Also , forgot a wondrful feature increasing where you can take pictures. It has the ability to change the exposure of light while still remaining in autofocus so can get great shots in say museums, the monterey aqauriam and other places not allowing or appropriate for flash, IF you are debating this camera over a $300 one becasue of size or money you don't know digital cameras!!!! Sorrry for any poor spelling. Ill and numb hands makes tuping hard. IF you are questioning the 400 camera, the 35 dollar case, the 100 on two good 256 s-disks and the 50 for the battery charger nd the 15 for the extra batteries you are fogetting all the pictures you have in envelopes blurred and no good as you did not throw our or go look at them. IF you ex whatever wasnt in the picture because you could now crop them out would you like it better? Do you have fair haired kids with bright red dots staring back at you looking like aliens. Do you have a garbage can on the side of perfect shot of the family all together for once and dressed up. Is it slightly out of focus. All of those would be good if digital and all that money spent for all those prints that need thrwoing away would be gone and would you enjoy some occasionally if you had a slide show of that child now older and driving you crazy, would you like to havw on the tv via DVD pictures showing for a while you can walk by and remember whar once was also deinving you crazy and thru time brings out you oooh and ahhhs while they play to your or their favorie child hood memories. Or how about the trip to Hawaii you are still doing laundry from and yet seems so far away flash by you on your computer at work. Within minutes you can have 50 pictues with the same or different titles or comments on the web with notices to all the family that the baby is here. Young or old, digital is so enjoyable and you can even buy programs to make your bes freinds faces all distorted to play at a party or at a 3oth the person growing up and the growing old to 80, This camera will get you to what ever you want as so easy and so good. You will want to show off your pictures. Have fun. Start saving money and get those pictures out and going.

Read Best Reviews of Konica Minolta Dimage Z6 6MP Digital Camera with 12x Anti-Shake Zoom Here

12x Optical Zoom, 6MP, Movie mode, Auto Focus, Rapid Fire Shooting..................what more could you want for this price. I was looking to replace my 2.1 feature loaded digital with more megapixels and more optical zoom capacity for less than $250. Wasn't going to happen unless I settled for 4, maybe 5X optical zoom. I quickly figured out that for another $100 I could have much, much more than what I wanted and would not be looking to replace the Z6 in less than 2 1/2 years as is the case with the 2.1 mp I was using. No brainer in my book.

My soon to be 13 year old son has taken to it like a duck to water and has figured out nearly all of the main features. He delights in making movies which usually have to deleted the next day but this camera will teach him the craft and serve my purposes very well. Love the slightly larger size of this unit versus the rectangular box digitals that are myriad. It allows me to wrap my hands around it oh so securely and easily with the rubberized protrusion on the right side and I do not have to check every 3 seconds to make sure I am not obstructing lenses or pushing buttons that I ought not to be pushing.

Oh yes, the picture quality is tremendous and there is not a conceivable lighting situation that this camera can not handle.

If you learn the features this camera offers you will use it happily for a long time.

I upgraded to the 512mb Sandisk Ultra II flash card and it is very fast. Another reviewer on another site said that it increased processing speeds noticeably. Rebates are available until mid-November '05

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I had shopped and researched for several months before buying this digital camera. Part of what played in my decision was the fact that I owned a Konica SLR for many years until it was stolen and was so happy with it. I also owned a Minolta with the same experience minus the theft. I compared this camera with some of what Nikon had to offer and felt that I made a good decision based on quality and price. I was so excited when my camera arrived and I pulled it out of the box. It is such a nice looking camera and I love the fact that it is more substantial with the bigger display operating more like a slr I am used to than a tiny little digital that you have to watch your fingers to keep them out of the shots. I have taken quite a few pictures in the last week since receiving this camera. Still shots and close ups of my adorable grandson are awesome right down to the dried milk on his chin. I am still working on the action shots but those seem to be my lack of skill and not the camera. I did take a short movie clip of my sons basketball game that came out really well. All in all I am very pleased with this purchase and now that I have bought a bigger sd card, come on guys a card that will only hold 4 pictures taken on a fine setting or 16 at standard lets get a little cheap here though I did appreciate the included batteries. That aside now that I am set with a reachargable set of batteries and the bigger card 512 mb takes 300 or so pictures on the fine setting. I am ready to go and having a great time taking pictures. I had one interesting thing happen which I don't think is the camera as the picture shows perfectly on the lcd screen but when I uploaded it to my computer and I click on the picture it is fragmented this has happened on 2 pictures and I am not sure if that is a memory card malfunction, the software that came with the camera, or my computer? Once I track that down I will feel better. Anyway I look forward to some long and happy fun taking pictures with this camera and also have already enjoyed the editing software and printing my own pictures. I intend on spending some time also learning the more advanced aspects of this camera and will come back and rewrite my review after I get a little more digital savvy.

Casio NP-40 Battery for EXILIM Cameras

If you can spring for it, the brand name battery is the one to get, because then there won't be any question as to whether you can depend on it or not. Buy a generic, and who knows where it came from, or what it's really made of. This Casio NP40 is the one to get. As far as performance, this battery has endurance..........400+ shots with a full charge.

This tiny battery (weighing about 1 oz.) can power an Exilim Z-series camera for a long time. Casio has done an excellent job. This is the official Casio battery (made in China) and it's always a good idea to get a second battery as backup.

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This battery was the exact match for my Exilim EX-Z750 camera and works perfect. Don't mess with generic brands that may or may not work when you can have this original equipment battery at such a great price.

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I had tried "generic" batteries for our Casio cameras and the life on them was horrible. They lasted maybe three months and didn't seem to hold a full charge. So far we haven't had a problem with the Casio brand name batteries. So if you have a choice don't buy the off brand batteries for your digital cameras.

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I am using this in my casio Exilim 6 MP camera.

SO far there is no problems with the battery.

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Turn-key ProAm USA 8 ft to 12 ft DVC200 Camera Crane Production Package

4.5 stars on the non-HDMI monitor and I would have gladly paid for the optional locking arm but everthing else is a 5 star. Everything is solidly built and looks just as good as it performs. The set up time is nothing and it is simple. This looks great in front of clients when they see you are using professional gear instead of homebuilt jokes. It came with everything advertised and nothing wiggles or has any slop. The bag is large enough to include my tripod dolly and there is a face pocket large enough to fit lots of cables in.

I would suggest using a tripod dolly to move it around and a motorized tripod head with extended cable so you can pan and track while the crane is locked. I am really glad I bought this as a kit instead of trying to fool around with a regular tripod or get by with less.

I will make a video review soon like Han did on youtube. If your reading this Han, thanks for the suggestion.

If you are a serious player in the video industry and you have a desire for shooting great videos, than the DVC250 is a must. This camera crane case package has allowed me to produce some stunning shots where otherwise I could not. Having the advantage of reaching great heights, literally, I was able to shoot video in great angles where only ladders could have helped before. The 10" screen, which I attached to the right side of the tripod, enabled me to see what I was shooting without any strain or effort. The zoom controller, that attaches on the tripod, controls the zooming, and power on/off of the camera. This eliminates the guessing as to what you are shooting. You have total control on what you are shooting and the angles and movement of the crane. All this can be done with a one man crew. If you balance the weights on the "jib", you literally can move the whole crane with your fingers. There is absolutely no resistance to aim low or high to get the right angle for your shots. I specialize in corporate, small business and real estate videography. To be different from your competition, you must have the advantage of shooting great videos. This ProAm Camera Crane is very well built, stable and easy to maneuver. I will recommend this package to anyone who is serious about great videos.

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I ordered the DVC250 and instead got the DVC200. Parts were missing. The remote to control the focus and zoom didn't even work. The only positive thing about the order was the crane, which works pretty nice.

Update:

They were very helpful with my order and did what they could to make everything right. And they did. I'm impressed with the awesome customer service they showed me.

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It is very easy to assembly and use but I had a few issues after few uses. I needed an allen key to always fasten the joiners. It looks like the PD170 is a bit heavy on it as it always lean to the right a bit making my shots a slight skewed. Overall I am happy with for the price but not sure about its durability especially since I am shooting every week and I always need an allen key foo it, I am wondering if those screws will not give in soon.

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This was an excellent purchase for us.

We received the wrong LCD monitor but we called BC and they gladly helped us upgrade and replace the HD monitor.

The crane works fantastic.

We've been using it consistently since we received it and have had only one tiny problem with a screw but again, we contacted BC and the replaced it.

Their customer service is exceptional, we always get a hold of Jennifer there who is amazing.

Keeping in mind this is a quite affordable package I would recommend it to anyone.

Excellent Purchase!!!!

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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.

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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.

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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.