Features

• 6-megapixel resolution for photo-quality 14-by-19-inch enlargements
• The world's first digital SLR camera with body-integral antishake technology and a CCD-shift mechanism
• Full compatibility with the Maxxum system of lenses and accessories
• 2.5-inch LCD large-screen monitor with ultrafine 207,000-pixel resolution
• Simultaneous RAW and JPEG recording, plus 3 metering systems (14-segment honeycomb-pattern, center-weighted average, and spot) for fine control

Amazon.com Product Description

HP's OfficeJet 5510 is an all-in-one color printer, color copier, color scanner, and color fax machine. This versatile unit is perfect for the home office or small business where space is at a premium. With HP's thermal inkjet print technology, resolutions for both black and color prints are as high as 1,200 x 1,200, with 4,800 x 1,200 optimized dpi color printing. Print speeds clock in at 17 ppm for black and 12 ppm for color (maximum, draft mode).

The 5510 has a standard input capacity of 100 sheets and up to 10 envelopes, with an output capacity of 25 sheets. It accepts a wide variety of originals, including paper (plain, inkjet, photo), envelopes, transparencies, labels, cards, HP premium media, and iron-on transfers. Supported sizes range from 3 by 5 to 8.5 by 14 inches (using the 20 sheet automatic document feeder).

The flatbed scanner provides up to 600 x 2,400 dpi optical resolution and 36-bit color, with software-enhanced resolution up to 19,200 dpi. The 33.6 Kbps modem fax machine has a 3-second per page transmission speed and is capable of color faxing. A 90-page fax memory ensures that your don't miss important faxes when you run out of paper, while fax auto-redial, delayed sending, and auto-reduction provide added convenience. Copy speeds are as fast as 17 cpm for black and 12 cpm for color, while up to 99 copies can be made at once, freeing up your time for other tasks.

The 5510 connects via a USB port. Compatible with both Mac and PC, it also comes backed by a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
HP OfficeJet 5510, HP 56 black inkjet print cartridge, HP 57 tri-color inkjet print cartridge, photo and imaging software, HP memories disc creator on CD-ROM, setup poster, reference guide, power supply and power cord, phone cord, HP photo paper sampler, HP photo paper storage bag ... Read more

Features

• Color printing, copying, scanning, and faxing
• Up to 17 ppm print speed, up to 17 copies per minute
• 4,800 x 1,200 maximum optimized print resolution
• Up to 600 x 2,400 dpi optical scan resolution, 36 bit color depth
• USB interface, PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (28)

A beauty, but with a wart on its cheek
The 5510 is an exceptional value. It copies well. Its print quality is excellent -- no support for the "photo" ink cartridge, but that doesn't seem to matter much. And it's surprisingly fast. Scanning looks okay, though I haven't really worked it hard. Having a multi-sheet fax/copier feeder and a flatbed scanner in this price range is amazing.

The weak point is in the software. Installation (on Win98) was no fun. Installing per instructions from the CD, it did not work right, and broke printing. HP's email support (one hour response from India at 1AM EST!) had the fix: Uninstall, copy the CD to hard drive (600MB), and reinstall from there. Keep that in mind if you buy one.

And, most disappointing, it often WILL NOT PRINT OVER A NETWORK. While not a Winprinter (it uses LIDIL), the fine print (on the support web site) says it won't. CS is more accurate: It prints "within a platform", so a Win98/ME box can print to a Win98/ME server (drivers transfer automatically), but not between NT/2K/XP and 98, or Linux and Windows. This is a real pain in a heterogeneous home environment. They really should fix this, though I fear it's a misfeature designed to sell costlier 6610s (which add network printing).

EXCELLENT machine!
I was skeptical when considering an all in one. I'd purchased a nnew Dell Dimention computer, and it came with a Dell a940 all-in-one. I'll be writing about that fiasco in a minute... yikes. Anyhow, after reading reviews here on Amazon and at other sources, I screwed up my courage and purchased an HP 5510. I'll never regret my decision... it's an absolute dream. Setup was NOT difficult as others say, albeit it did take a little while, but good things come to those who wait. I suspect that the reason that people had trouble installing this machine is that they did NOT take the time and effort to read and follow the directions. They are plain, easy, and informative. Also, this machine is for USB 2.0 and not below, as stated on the HP website. It is FULLY compatible with Windows XP, and is NOT loud as others say it is. It's a brilliant machine, and it comes with my highest recommendation.

Right now the best choice for AIO
I have been using a Brother MFC6800 laser AIO and cannot be happier. Recently I need another AIO in a different location and this time I want to try something different - a inkjet one.

Generally I like Canon inkjet printers. HP has the head on the cart (expensive) and Epson has it on the printer (once clogged, must go back to Epson for service). Even worse with Epson: it uses expensive ink to clean head all the time, even if you don't print anything. I have thrown out 3 or 4 Epson inkjet printers in last couple years and that's why I bought the Brother laser and never wanted to try inkjet again.

Canon changed my mind. It uses a replaceable head and ink is dead cheap. So I bought a i350 for $49 and I love it - very good photo and text, and it is tiny enough to sit on the top of my tower computer saving my clowded room. But Canon AIO such as MP360 looks so ugly to me (my 12-yr old and some reveiwers said it is the coolest though), and its prints are too wet (i.e. drinks ink).

I considered the Brother MFC3840CN for its built-in network and separated color carts for only $199. But after playing it in a store, I found it was like Epson: once there is a paper jam, ink fluds to everywhere; head is fixed to printer; text prints are no compare to HP.

So, I turned to HP and tried the PSC 1210 for $99. The main problem is speed: way too slow for my old 266MHz laptop. Draft mode is fast enough but quality is not good enough. The $150 1350 has more modes to choose from and the fast normal mode (300x300) is fast and good enough. But, this 5510 is only $30 more than 1350, just slightly wider (1 to 2 inches) but has everything - ADF, Fax, etc.

Seems HP has realised its crappy software, so now there is an option for driver-only installation. I downloaded and installed the 40GB driver-only file from HP website and I can use all the functions without problem (printing, scanning, etc.) and I do can share the printer between my XP/2000 PCs.

Although Canon inks are much cheaper, but I think the HP ink will last much longer, especially I use mostly black ink only and fast normal mode. I also compared 5510 to PSC 2175 and it seems to me 5510 uses much less ink.

As long as the ink will last long enough, I'd say this 5510 is currently the best choice for its compactness (very light too), good price ($175 @ Staples), very quiet printing (very loud at loading though), superb graphics and text prints (better than all others I've tried in stores), speed (especially @ 300x300) and full features (fax, ADF).

Virtual Memory Hack for Mac
upgrading my hp 5100, at my home away from home, office depot, it did not print after print spooling -- so i went to the phones

surprisingly, a HP phone tech gave me the solution to get that sucker shaking again -- bump up the virtual memory to 512Mb (on a G3 B&W w/128Mb RAM

the flat bed scanner table is very handy and fast print is almost all i ever need -- well, that and world peace and a job with low accountabiility and high pay...

No USB cable supplied with this printer!
Nice printer. But be aware, HP does NOT supply a USB cable with this printer. It's an "optional accessory", never mind the fact that there is only a USB connector and no other way to get all those little bits into the printer. So you'd better buy one or have one before you eagerly open up the box only to find you can't use the d--- thing without a trip to the store...OTOH there were TWO power cables in the box, LOL... ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

With a footprint of just 14.6 by 10.4 inches, the S1+ sets up on nearly any convenient surface and weighs just 7 pounds, making transportation painless. An SVGA native resolution of 800 x 600 ensures that projected images retain their clarity even at great distances, while 24-bit color support of over 16.7 million shades results in accurate, true-to-life images.

A monitor out capability lets you display images on both the projected screen and on a monitor simultaneously, and compatibility with both PC and Mac operating systems ensures that your presentations a snap to set up, no matter which platform you're offered. The 500:1 contrast ratio provides sharp detail, and 1,400 ANSI lumens of brightness results in projections that are easy to see from anywhere in the room. The 130-watt UHE lamp provides over 2,000 hours of lamp life, while the internal power supply consumes 200 watts during normal operation and just 5 watts in standby mode. The S1+ has a variable aspect ratio of either 4:3 or 16:9 and an adjustable projection screen size of 30 to 300 inches. The digital zoom/manual focus lens has an F-number of 1.4 and an f-number range of 16.6mm, which combine with digital keystone correction of plus or minus 15 degrees to help achieve accurate, in-focus projections across the entirety of the image.

Features

• 800 x 600 SVGA native resolution, compatible up to 1,024 x 768
• 1,400 ANSI lumens, 500:1 contrast ratio
• Supports HDTV, NTSC, and PAL signals; S-video and component inputs
• 16:9 and 4:3 screen selectable aspect ratios
• PC compatible; 2-year warranty

Product Description

680,000-pixel CCD * variable-speed 30X optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 1,000X) * digital photo mode * records video on tiny Mini DV tapes * 2-1/2" color LCD viewscreen * color viewfinder * Digital Electronic Image Stabilization * wireless remote * ... Read more

Features

• 3-hour battery
• USB 2.0 hi-speed port
• SD memorycard slot
• 1.7 second quick start
• 30x optical zoom

Reviews (2)

Great Camera so far.....
Just bought this camcorder a few days ago and so far, I've been very impressed.The low-light capabilities appear very adequate.The ease of transfer to the PC via the DV-Firewire link is excellent.Haven't had a chance to check out many features yet, but easy of use for picking up the camera and shooting a video is great.So far, I think I've made a good choice.

Wow! Great camera!
I just got back from my local electronics store which, to my surprise, had the GS35 in stock and on sale. I was very pleased with the ease of use and accuracy of the thumbstick control. Though, the menu button was a bit out of reach for my thumb thus requiring me to use my other hand to push it. The built-in LED lights help shed some light on dark situations, but I noticed an even greater benefit from the increase in gain when the light was switched on. The lens used on this camera is out-of-sight! Not only does it offer high telephoto optical zoom, it offers what few other camcorders out there have: built-in wideangle. The lens is 1.9-57mm which equates roughly to a 35mm equivalent of 35-1040mm. So, go ahead, shoot video indoors and get the whole group in the shot at once! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Minolta's DiMAGE Scan Dual IV provides a high-quality 35mm film, slide, and APS film scanning solution. Scanning is achieved using the accompanying film and slide holders (APS film holder must be purchased separately), delivering up to 3,200 dpi resolution. Ideal for serious photo enthusiasts and professionals alike, the DiMAGE Scan Dual IV offers Pixel Polish, Auto Dust Brush, and Grain Dissolver to correct and enhance your photo images.

Pixel Polish restores film images that have faded over time as well as those that suffer from light-distortion (under-exposure, backlighting, and so on). Auto Dust Brush automatically cleans any dust or lint that may have been scanned with your film. It can also be used manually as a separate plug-in with certain Photoshop versions to give you more precise control of removal parameters and to let you preview results. Grain Dissolver removes excess grain that may be visible when scanning high-speed film or that may appear in images scanned at very high resolutions.

The DiMAGE Scan Dual IV offers fast USB 2.0 connectivity for both PC and Mac users. It can perform batch scanning (up to six filmstrip frames or four mounted slides) or multi-sampling (2x, 4x, 8x, 16x), and lets you control a large number of factors such as tone curve, histogram, sharpness, brightness, exposure, and color balance. The system comes with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0.

What's in the Box
Minolta DiMAGE Scan Dual IV, 35mm film holder FH-U2, slide mount holder SH-U1, USB cable UC-2 (USB 2.0 compatible), AC adapter AC-U25, CD-ROM for DiMAGE Scan Dual IV, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 ... Read more

Features

• Delivers sharp 3,200 dpi color scans with 16-bit A/D conversion
• Multi-sample scanning; batch scanning using film and slide holders
• 35mm and slide mount holders; supports optional APS adapter
• Pixel Polish, Auto Dust Brush, and Grain Dissolver for optimized image results
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0; USB 2.0 interface, PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (12)

Superb precision instrument - but NOT a Plug & Play device
After studying professional reviews (including CR), I decided on the Dual4. Forewarned by other users' comments about troublesome startup, I followed the manual's detailed installation instructions step-by-step. No problem whatever! Realize well that this is NOT a Plug-and-Play unit you just plug into a USB2 slot; if you do, Windows will use its own lame-duck generic WIA scanner driver, and gone are all the wonderful enhancements that Minolta's marvelously sophisticated scanning software offers. THE big secret is patience; precisely follow the instructions (same goes for my HP flatbed scanner) -- install the software from the CD first, and *only then* connect the USB cable when you are instructed to do so. If you don't: well just read what dissatisfied reviewers have to say. Also, when the manual tells you to initialize the scanner "with the door closed", it doesn't explicitly tell you to remove the film holder [it's the only way you can close the scanner door, after all]. Although better written and organized than an Asian DVD-player manual, there are some dense spots that you will need to explore on your own. Still, you can't unlock all the treasures of the software until you read (painstakingly, I might add) the software capabilities. I've only had the scanner for a few weeks but, once I learned how just a hair on the negative will magnify to a tree trunk on the print, it does an astonishing job of converting analog film slides to digital images that you can enhance in the accompanying complete PhotoShop Elements 2 software. A magnificent tool indeed but, like any precision tool, it needs careful adherence to instructions and some experimentation to realize its full potential. An unbeatable harware product, with software fine-tuned to provide the ultimate in quality images. Even so, lack of online tech support, such as simple driver updates, is disconcerting. Ask Amazon for tech support? You must be kidding!

IMPRESSED
I am totally impresed with this scanner. I was scanning 35mm film with an Epson 2450. What a difference! More latitude in the tonal range. Very sharp, Scanner has auto and manual focus. Professional driver software. Images consistant in color from scan to scan.
Have not used the dust remove feature yet. So far all my negs and trans are flawless. Even thou it is only 3200 dpi, if you know photoshop, the quality of the scans are so good I have no problems enlarging to 36x24 poster. I did a test and enalrged in the computer to 100 inches and just checking it out on the monitor it still held together NO PROBLEMS!
Have had the scanner for about a month and use it everyday and have had no start up problems or any other sort of problems, yet. But then again I use a MAC. Read the instruction manual before you do anything!
Anyway, well worth the $270 I spent !

I love it!!!!
For the price this is the best film scanner I have ever used. I have scanned close to 9000 slides and negatives since I purchased it in February. It is easy to use and I have been quite pleased with the color balance and exposures it returns. Images are all sharp and crisp. I just wish it would scan 120 and 220 film.

Good scanner, startup procedure a little twitchy
Yeah, I hear what some of the other reviewers are saying about the documentation and the fussy startup process - however complaining that you have to follow the instructions _exactly_ when installing it seems a bit odd to me... I had no problem with the install but then again I don't have a problem following instructions ;->.

But all that said, once you get it right it's a very good scanner. I've used others and this is by far the best. I'm suprised to hear the one reviewer complain about the sharpness of the shots - my scanner does an excellent job. I've scanned in over 500 slides so far (archiving the parent's slide collection from the 60s) and they look great.

The dust remover feature works reasonably well, although I've turned off all the pixel polish and image adjustment stuff - it doesn't make that big of a difference on my shots and makes the resulting images bigger.

The batch scan is great - I just sit here and work on other stuff and feed in 4 slides at a time. I've tried both color slides and negative film, both look excellent.

For those still frustrated by the startup sequence - here's what I do and it works every time.

1. Turn on your computer, let it boot.
2. Once up, turn on the scanner with the door closed.
3. Fire up the scanning software you want to use (batch scan, easy scan etc...).
4. once it barks at you to put the film in properly, then open the door and feed in your tray.

After that, you're good to go. I find if you deviate from the process you can come to grief. Once up, I've never had it fail and I've crammed through 150 slides at a sitting without a hitch.

Good but Quirky
1) The lack of any product support is infuriating as stated by the others.
2) The resulting images and flexibility of features provided are amazing... and I did not say "at this price." I don't consider a $270 gizmo for a $1300 computer cheap. It's over 1/5 the price of a high end host machine.
3) The scanner works well, has user friendly film strip and slide holders, does everything I expected it to do. A lot of flexibility in resolution and a lot of features for fixing freckles.
4) The main complaint is the overly sensitive startup procedure. Do it just right or it doesn't work, won't say why and just sits there. On the other hand, Do It Just Right and it may do the very same thing.
5) The documentation is helpful but poorly organized and vague. NOWHERE does it state a simple 5 step procedure for starting the device, bringing up the software and getting on with the scanning. That is THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL basic any manual should obviously provide. The booklet rambles from topic to topic throwing in a dire warning every few paragraphs and never offers a simple "Here's how you use it" sequence.
6) One of the problems with film scanners is LOW VOLUME AND POOR SHOPPING ACCESS. For most buyers, there is no place you can go and see the physical units nor see them demonstrated. Neither Circuit City nor Best Buy stores in MD stock them or demo them.
7) Overall impression: A great product that can do all you expect of it within specifications BUT an immature product that was not debugged and idiot-proofed before being thrown on the market. That is especially strange since there was a II and a III prior to this IV model. ... Read more

Features

• 4.0-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 11-by-15-inch prints
• 10x optical zoom, 3x digital zoom (30x total)
• Store images on 16MB internal memory, with MMC/SD card expansion slot
• Powered by lithium-ion rechargeable battery

Reviews (12)

Wonderful Camera!!!!
This is one of the best cameras anyone could ever buy. So easy to use, it'll make you want to take it everywhere. I sure do! The camera's ready right out of the box. The pictures come out wonderful and the battery life is great. Only a few minor flaws (no image stabilization on extreme close-ups and the auto-focus makes you wait sometimes before you can snap the picture) but they do not transfer onto the pictures. Even with the jittery close-ups(when you use the digital zoom @ it's max) the pictures come out clear. With the auto-focus problems you just have to wait for the green light when the camera's ready. All-in-all you cannot go wrong with this camera. It, as with any new piece of equipment, takes time and practice to learn how to use it (to get the full advantage of its features). So just practice, practice, practice!!!! I took some pictures of my son in the park playing...they almost look like I hired a professional and I only have had the camera since December 2003. I would recommend this camera from the beginner to the enthusiast. It's worth the price just for the zoom and manual controls it offers.

Best 4MP digital on the market!!!!
Tested at least 20 different digital cameras (ranging from $300 to $1000) before deciding to buy the Kodak DX6490. This camera is awesome...a digital treasure. I also lucked out (accessory-wise)when I bought it ($399). Among the INCLUDED items were a 128MB SD card, 6000 dock station, battery AND charger, leather camera bag. Am a professional photographer and have never used a digital camera until now. The DX6490 is now 'attached to my hip', along with my Nikon F4 and Fujifilm GA645Zi (medium format). Both of these cameras (combined) cost well over $4000...so that should tell you how much the DX6490 impressed me. It's a lifetime keeper!!! Anyone interested in buying an exceptional digital camera at an affordable price would be downright foolish to overlook the DX6490!!!!!!! Besides being an exceptional 'digital machine', it has a professional look as well (unlike other digitals which cost much more).

FANTASTIC CAMERA BUY IT NOW!
I absolutely love this camera. I take a lot of personal photos of friends, family, and sunsets ect.. and then frame them for my walls. I was paranoid to switch to a digital camera at first. I bought this camera when it first came out a year ago and if anything was to happen to it I would replace with the same one or possibly there new one.
I also own a website for real estate rentals that I photo each and every room of the properties and display on the site. I have never been more impressed with a camera than this one. I was always an Olympus Fan and Kodak to me was bottom shelf for beginners. I am so glad I took the chance.
It is easy to us for beginners, and easy to learn the more advanced steps. I have used it for Fireworks displays, (including Disney) with out a tripod in night mode and could not believe the results.
For the down side I dont care for the software program they use. However, it is great for beginners to learn on and I do use it to keep my photos organized in albumns.
I do most of my editing and so forth thru Adobe photo suite.
If you are leary about this camera, dont be. My webmaster (who owns a $1000 Minolta) went and bought this camera after using mine for a day. We both have had photos purchased from us that were just look and shoot photos, spur of the moment shots.

Good Camera, Not So Great Software
My husband purchased this camera for me Christmas 2003. I love to take pictures using my daughter as the subject. This was my first digital camera. I love the quality of the pictures and its ability to capture images in b/w, sepia, color... It is very easy to use. However, the software is not so fantastic. The worst part is that when upgrades to the software become available you have to download them from the computer which takes over an hour. Kodak will not send you a courtesy upgrade cd. I would even pay a few $ for this convenience. They do provide online help where they respond to your email the very next day. I did have loooots of problems with this software and I am familiar with technology. I was impressed when I found out that other lenses could be purchased (I guess it is sort of a SLR camera a little...). I turned off the lights and took a picture of my daughter with her lighted jack-o-lantern for Halloween and took a picture using the night vision and it was so clear, you would have thought that the lights were on. Overall, good camera, not so sure about the software.

ONE HECK OF A CAMERA!
WOW! I had this camera given to me as a gift knowing its quite demanding price of $500. But it's worth every penny! It has everything! You can take any shot you want to with every feature known to man to help you out. Check it out:

- PASM mode equipes you with not only full creative control of F-Stops and aperture, but also with a 16-second to 1/1000 of a second shutter speed to really keep the action shots sharp or to create a purposely fuzzy image

- Burst feature helps you really get multiple great shots at say, fireworks, or a baseball swing. This feature can shoot six photos per second!

- Ten-second timer

- Once you have focused on the image, the camera will give you warnings if you are about to take a pretty crappy photo!

- Multiple zoom zones so putting what you want to see into focus is easy

- Catch a beautiful, wide lake, or a tiny red flower with the landscape feature, and the close-up feature!

- Flash modes include:
- red-eye
- automatic flash adjustment (auto)
- regular flash

- You can choose weather you would like the date stamped onto each picture

- You can also choose between many different special effects (this list includes some effects you can use on the free software)
- sepia (western)
- black and white
- saturated color (intensified color)
- cartoon
- coloring book
- fish-eye

- You can tag a photo to be emailed right when you dock it into your computer

- You can even protect a photo from being deleted

- With a four megapixel sensor and a whopping ten-x optical zoom, you can still have a breath-taking photo from a distance!

These are just a few of the hundreds of features on this camera! I would seriously suggest this for your all purpose shooting!

- ... Read more

Product Description

Capture high-quality digital audio and video with Sony's DCR-TRV280 Digital8 Handycam camcorder. The DCR-TRV280 features Digital8 recording for 3X the color bandwidth of VHS, providing you with stunning video performance. The CCD imager captures clear and detailed images for consistently outstanding image quality. With Sony's NightShot Plus infrared system you can capture natural looking video, even when shooting in low light. Don't let its compact design fool you, the DCR-TRV280 carries great power with the Stamina battery power management system, which allows you to continuously record for up to 12 hours on a single full charge1. Editing and sharing hours of video is easy with the i.LINK DV interface, which allows you to easily connect your camcorder to your TV or PC. Keep Subjects in Sight with 2.5-inch Swivelscreen LCD MonitorGet up Close with 20x Optical and 990x Digital ZoomUSB Streaming for Webcam Utility or video Conference ToolMinimize Shaking with SteadyShot Picture StabilizationRecords Superior Digital Video on Affordabel Hi8 or 8mm Tapes Stepping into the Digital age has never been easier with the DCR-TRV280. Featuring Digital Recording along with SteadyShot Image Stabilization and NightShot Plus Technology. ... Read more

Features

• SteadyShot picture stabilization system
• Go digital. Capture high-quality digital audio and video with Sony's DCR-TRV280 Digital8 Handycam Camcorder
• 1/6-inch CCD imager with 290K effective pixels
• 20x optical zoom lens with 990x digital zoom
• 2.5-inch SwivelScreen LCD display

Reviews (5)

The BEST top bang-per-buck value in digital camcorders!
This is easily the best value DIGITAL camcorder out there today, hands down.'Digital8' is just as good as 'MiniDV' in terms of resolution and picture/audio quality.Why pay more for MiniDV?For under three 'Benjamins', you get reliable digital video and audio quality with over 500 lines of resolution, and a proven medium (Digital8) whose videotapes cost half as much or less than MiniDV tapes.The video quality in low light is also excellent, with a low light switch and feature that works great. And size-wise, the camcorder is not much larger than a MiniDV unit.It is feature-rich and comes with all the accessories you would need, including a charger, battery, lens cap, A/V cable for connection to your TV, a USB cable and software for connection to your PC or Mac.The owner's manual is one of the best i've ever seen, with very intuitive diagrams and easy to operate instructions.And the battery level meter and 'time left' indicator on the LCD view panel is very useful and amazing in it's detail and usefulness.Folks, this is one serious digital camcorder that is available 'for a song'!Great job Sony!!!

A Perfect Family Camera
For under $300. you get a camera with a lot more than anyone would expect.Besides VERY good camcorder recordings, it also takes good snapshots.I've only owned mine a few days, but I'm already wild about it.Unless a person must have professional quality in a camcorder ($3,500+ and maybe a lot more), the DCR-TRV280 is a good choice - it is certainly a good buy.

Great camcorder
My husband and I were looking for a good camcorder that was functional but not too expensive. THIS is it!! For $300 we got a great camcorder that you can also take still shots with. Lots of features and very very easy to use. We have had it about a week, not really used it for lots of videoing, just getting used to it. But the quality of the recordings are great, the light is VERY BRIGHT and it picks up sound good too. We both give it 5 stars. It was just what we were looking for.

Great value camera
I bought this camera for family videos and I wanted the ability to edit on my Apple Powerbook in iMovie.This camcorder is great for that.The video is very good, the tapes are cheaper than MiniDV, and the camera has a solid feel to it.If you want something smaller or more pro, you want to go with MiniDV probably anyway, but for home use and some basic editing and such, this is a great camera, especially for only $300.

Awsome! (for the price)
For $300, THIS IS AWSOME! The + are: 20x zoom, USB connection, Effects, Titles, Lights, Small price, Nightshot plus, Stereo sound. The - are: Low lighting inside without all lights on, Low picture quality without computer editing. You can also play back video on your TV. Hope this review was usefull ... Read more

Features

• Ultra fast down load and uplode speed up to 10 MB per second
• Very small size
• Lifetime warranty
• 2 GB Memory Capacity
• Work with any Compactflash enabled device

Features

• 5-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 13-by-17-inch enlargements
• 2.8x optical zoom lens combines with 4.3x digital zoom for 12x total zoom
• .5-second start-up time; 2-inch LCD monitor; PictBridge compatible
• Store images on Secure Digital (SD) memory cards; 16 MB SD card included
• Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery (included with charger)

Product Description

A new level of film-like realism and impact.

The PT-AE700U is the most impressive home cinema projector ever from Panasonic. Compact enough to sit on a bookshelf, it is packed with advanced features designed to bring you a whole new level of home theater enjoyment.

Dynamic contrast is now 2000:1, by far the best in its class, so the picture is sharp and clear even in a well-lit room. New integrated cinema quality circuitry includes a Dynamic Iris optical system that constantly adjusts the brightness and gamma characteristics in real time, so the picture is always optimal and transitions betweens scenes are more natural. An innovative color correction system - developed after consultation with top Hollywood colorist David Bernstein - incorporates Cinema Color Management technology to ensure faithful color reproduction. This cinema-quality integrated circuitry brings you on-screen colors just as you would see them in a movie theater. And the PT-AE700U comes with advanced Smooth Screen technology that effectively eliminates the typical "screen door" effect, so the images you see on the screen are natural and lifelike.

... Read more

Features

• Smooth Screen technology for smooth, film-like images
• Measures 13.2 x 3.7 x 10.6 inches (W x H x D) and weighs just 7.9 pounds
• High-definition HDMI, component-video, composite-video, S-video, and RGB inputs
• 1,280 x 720 native HD resolution (displays 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p, and 1080i inputs)
• 1,000 ANSI lumens brightness, up to 2,000:1 contrast ratio; widescreen (16:9) native aspect ratio, 4:3 compatible

Reviews (2)

Great projector for the price!
This was my first projector. I researched a lot of different models and finally decided on this one because on paper it looked to give the most bang for the buck (my price range was $2000-$3000).I also wanted native 16:9.
After owning it for over a month, I'm quite happy with it.It has none of the flaws usually associated with LCD projectors.There is no "screen door" effect at all, and the black levels are very impressive.
I have the unit mounted to the ceiling (purchased RPA mount for $190) and project onto a 120" gray screen.
One feature that helped clenched the deal for me is the 2x zoom lens - I have the projector situated less than 14 feet from a 10-foot diagonal screen.
I had a little trouble with the mount I purchased, but the projector itself is incredibly easy to setup and operate.The joystick next to the lens lets you to control the horizontal and vertical shift without tilting or moving the whole unit.Remote is back-lit.Menus allow plenty of tweaking.You can store user-defined settings or use factory presets (like cinema, natural, dynamic, etc.).
I have the projector in a dedicated home theater room with no windows and keep the lights turned off while it's running.If I had to deal with ambient light though, I probably would have chosen a brighter projector since this one is only 1000 lumens.
I mostly watch DVDs on this, but also use it to watch cable and play video games - playing Halo 2 on this is an awesome experience!

Best Value for your money!
Don't be fooled by the low price of this projector. Until DLP HD+ Projectors drop to this price range there is nothing that can come close to beating this projectors value for money. The new breed of LCD projectors have come a long way in displaying BLACK close to true black with high contrast ratios.

I shopped around a lot for projectors and seen projectors from Runoco, Sony, Sim, Marantz, etc which vary in price from 3k to well over 15K. I wouldn't say this Panasonic is the best but for the price I am paying, I am really not losing much of quality gain. I project the picture on 100" screen from Carada (another value/quality company) and it did nothing less than 'WOW' many of my friends who watched movies on it.

The picture looks very bright and sharp and colors are very vivid. The build quality of the projector is also excellent. You will not go wrong with this purchase. With little tweaking, the picture quality can be improved a lot. You can find intructions to do that at avsforums another well known Home Theater forums. But, please make sure you know what you are doing before you attempt the tweaking. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Epson's Stylus Photo 1280S is a large format, photo-quality printer perfect for a wide variety of professional and home uses. With a high 2,880 x 720 dpi resolution, six-color ink palette, and Epson's Micro Piezo inkjet technology, the 1280S produces exceptionally crisp and detailed prints. This printer also offers BorderFree printing--the image goes right to the edge of the paper.

Supported photo sizes include 4-by-6, 5-by-7, 8-by-10, letter, 11-by-14, and 13-by-19 inches. A wide variety of paper types are also supported, including photo papers, roll papers (with included roll paper holder), inkjet transparencies, self-adhesive sheets, greeting cards, banner paper, labels, and envelopes. Media sizes range from 3-by-5 cards up to large-format 13-by-44-inch posters. Epson claims that when stored under normal conditions, images are water and light resistant for up to 25 years.

Compatible with both Mac and PC platforms, the 1280S's software bundle comes with both Epson's Film Factory and Adobe's Photoshop Elements 2.0 to help users get the best possible prints. Epson also provides a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
Epson Stylus Photo 1280 inkjet printer, one black ink cartridge (T007201), one color ink cartridge (T009201), roll paper holder accessory, printer documentation, Epson Software Film Factory, PRINT Image Matching Plug-In for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0; cable not included ... Read more

Features

• 6-color photo ink system
• True borderless photo printing in 6 popular sizes
• 2,880 x 720 dpi maximum resolution
• 4-picoliter variable-sized ink droplets for fine detail
• USB and parallel interfaces; PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (21)

One of the best Photo Printers Available
I've read all the prior reviews with interest. I bought my 1280 over a year ago based on reviews on several well known and trusted Digital Photography sites. I have been very pleased with the output of this printer. Yes, the printer takes more work to get a really GOOD print then the HPs. But then I have the HP printers also and they do not measure to pure quality of print. Yes, the ink cartridges are small and do not last long if you print alot of 8x10, 13x19 like I do. But, for 250 bucks you can buy a CIS (continual inking system) that pays for itself in 3 months. Yes, the Epson ink will jam the heads IF you do not use the printer at least once every few days. Again, the printer is for PHOTOGRAPHS, not text, not the occasional print job and certainly not the occasional picture. This printer is for the professional or serious amateur photographer. I have seen alot of prints from other printers and even with the flaws, this printer is the best. I wish a few things. Epson would update the drivers more often. The supplied software is marginally usable and they ding you 30 bucks for the real package. At 400 dollars for a printer, Epson could have given us the software given the price tag of the ink cartridges. I have run Epson, Illford and Inkjetart paper through this printer will very good success.

Excellent Quality but Helps to Know What You're Doing
I have used the 1280 for about a year-and-a-half, mainly to print fine art photographs in large format. I use a quad black ink set from Lyson, rather than Epson inks. The machine absolutely delivers. It is consistent, reliable, and has remarkable paper handling ability.

The head does have a propensity for clogging, since it is permanently attached to the printer and does not get replaced with each cartridge. However, I have found that cleaning the storage cap (right side, parked position) from time to time (with lint-free cloth!) helps. I also print a small full-gamut image once a week, if I am not cranking out the big stuff.

Always check a company's web site for updated drivers when installing! My drivers (XP Pro/Presario) have been well-mannered. Also, if you aren't satisfied with the image, keep testing the profiles that come with the 1280. Be patient. It took me a while to get the right combination, even though Lyson provided profiles for its own ink set. But once I got it, I was off to the races.

I am about to start printing fine art color, and for that I will buy a second 1280. Call me satisfied.

I just got it...
I just set up my new Epson Stylus 1280 printer. It works great with my iMac computer. The only drawback I can see is that I was looking for a printer that used separate cartridges, and this one doesn't. Otherwise, it prints beautiful pictures, although I like the ones I printed on the Matte paper better than the ones I printed on the Glossy paper. It prints great documents, too. I think I'll keep it, for awhile.

Save your $$
These inkjets are OK but you can get superior results at a cheaper cost by taking your digital images to someplace like Walmart or CVS or Walgreens. Ink is way over-priced and the photos are not as good as what you can get elsewhere.

Driver issues and OS 10.3.3
I have been using this printer for about 2 years now with a Dual PowerMac G4 with 1GB RAM. Most of the time it delivers good prints, therefore it receives at least 2 stars. I said most of the time because the printer works a bit unpredictably. On upgrading to OS 10.3.3 and upgrading the driver to 1.6bA (release date March 6, 2004), the printer refuses to finish prints once they begin. I have been printing 13x19 pages and it works fine about 50% through the document. It will then stall, stop the print, extract the paper, put the print on hold and when you go to the printer utility to the start print button, it will print from the beginning again and stall midway.
I contacted Epson about the situation and they emailed me back with their copy and paste email response with the generic (condenesed version): go to the macintosh HD and delete your Epson Driver Folder and go to support.epson.com and download the driver, follow the instructions and reinstall. And of course, it did not work. The problems persist which means the printer is not compatible yet with OS 10.3 no matter how much Epson swears it does. I have resent Epson emails and they have not responded. ... Read more

Features

• 5-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 13-by-17-inch enlargements
• 3x optical zoom plus 2x digital zoom for 6x total
• Carl Zeiss optics; high-resolution movie mode with sound; large 2.5-inch LCD
• Compatible with Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro media; includes 32 MB card
• Powered by 2 AA batteries (NiMH rechargeables included); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 2.0

Reviews (20)

Great 5MP Value
This our third digital camera. Our other cameras are from Canon and Nikon. I was leaning toward the new Canon S60 because we love our other Canon and they both would take the same CompactFlash memory cards. This camera was going to be mine and I wanted 5MP so I could do some cropping of pictures and still keep up the quality when printing in 8 X 10 format. The Canon S60 kept being delayed, so I started looking at alternatives.

The DSCW1 seems designed to compete with the Canon S60. Both are 5 MP, both are compact, both have manual modes which allow you to be creative with your pictures. The Sony pulled ahead with its larger LCD display and its ability to use standard AA batteries. The Canon relies on a propriatory lithium-ion rechargable battery. The Sony comes with AA rechargables, but should they go dead at an inopportune moment, you can pop in any AA batteries to keep you going.

I bought the Sony and have had it for almost a month. The batteries don't seem to last quite as long as our Canon, but I picked up a couple of spare rechargables for less than $10 and just alternate them in the charger. The DSCW1 downloads using USB2 so even though each picture is larger than 2MB each, they download FAST. The picture quality has been great. Indoor low light shots have a bit more blur than I would like, but they didn't come out at all with either of our other cameras. Colors are crisp and true and prints from the pictures (on a Canon i470 printer) are excellent.

One word about the included software. Yuck. It is useful for downloading and for doing a quick view of what you took, but beyond that it is very limited.

Overall, I am very happy with my Sony DSCW1.

Compact and fast, with a big screen.
Great camera.

My last camera was a Sony Mavica CD300. Aside from recording onto a mini CD, its best feature was its large 2.5" screen. It's almost like having a Polaroid instant camera. You take a picture and pass it around. People love looking at pictures on the camera. You can't get that same effect with most digital cameras today.

I bought the W1 because it also has a 2.5" LCD screen, but the camera itself is 1/4 the size. And this screen is actually much clearer than on my previous camera or on the Sony V1 (which this camera replaced).

The picture quality of the photos is decent. (I'm no expert.) Startup is super fast. There's no lens cover, which is convenient. And it uses rechargeable AA batteries. I bought an extra pair for $10. It's also got an optical viewfinder so you can turn off the screen to save power while you're taking photos.

A lot of usability improvements - They finally replaced the directional pad with buttons; the center used to be difficult to press. The on-screen menus are easier to read. A cool new feature is that when you select the camera mode by rotating the dial, it temporarily displays the icons rotating on the screen, so that you don't have to look at the top of the camera.

And even the manual is much improved.

The flash seems a bit small, but I haven't tested it out fully yet. My only real complaint is that it doesn't come with an AC adapter to directly recharge the camera. A cradle would be nice too. You have to take out the batteries and use the included battery recharger. Perhaps this is a better system, but I'm not used to it yet.

Overall I'm thrilled with this camera.

Good pictures, lousy software
I just bought this camera a week ago and it takes excellent pictures (not good for sports or action shots). The problem I have is the movie mode. It's great for being compact and taking short little clips. Unfortunately, it's only compatible with the software that Sony includes. I can't burn to DVD or create a memento CD with editing or music. Which is what the salesperson told me I could do.

Doesn't live up to its 5MP potential
Only one review site mentions this problem (...) but now a lot of users are starting to see it. This camera's noise filtering causes pictures to look 'soft' or in my interpretation - slightly out of focus.

In outdoor scenery shots it isn't very noticeable - the 5MP is able to give you a lot of detail especially in the area of the picture that is not your main subject (background trees, roofs, etc). However in portraits, or pictures of pets, the problem is VERY apparent.

Going from a 1MP to a 2MP camera, the 2MP camera "wow'd" me. Going to this 5.1MP camera, I look at the pictures and say "eh?".

I've tried what other people have suggested - set camera to manual or programmed mode, turned up sharpness, turned down contrast, set autofocus to center only - yet still pets, portrait
shots are smooth. Facial features are ever so slightly blurred - detail is lost in the hair, contrast around the nose and eyes. It's like looking at a flat/matted picture!

Do I think I got a bad one? No. There have been a few other owners on some of the digital camera discussion forums that at first said "No way, this camera is great!" only to come back later and say "Wait, I spoke too soon, there is an issue".

Then there is the poor flash capabilities - not very powerful. Yes, a lot of compact digital cameras suffer from this but this camera seems especially bad. There's a user that took a bunch of indoor photos at their son's birthday part and every one was blurry - not one was printable!

The camera is physically gorgeous. The LCD is HUGE and very nice and clear! The camera is very responsive, fast, WELL built, and a nice size, but the pictures don't live up to the "Carl Zeiss, 5.1MP" advertising!

Don't be fooled by reviews that take pictures of posters and resolution charts - this camera does great with those items. Take a look at their portrait shots of live people and zoom in on the facial features. Compare that with another camera and you'll see the difference. Again, far away shots of scenery looks great. It's when you're doing closeup work of detailed items where the problem shows up.

My W1 is going back this week. I'll bet in a year, Sony will address these problems and THAT camera will be fantastic.

One nice digital camera
I have owned two previous Sony digital cameras, the DSC-S70 and the DSC-V1. This is simpler to operate than those and is ideal for the everyday user.

Highlights - extremely fast start up time and between picture shot time. Large LCD screen. Uses AA batteries. Gorgeous color output, equals or exceeds 35mm.

I would recommend, as a previous reviewer did, to at least set sharpness to the "+" setting. The camera does seem to over process the image a bit in the full auto setting. Also, it seems you have to hold this camera more still than most. The movie function works ok, but not a video camera replacement by any means. Be sure to take advantage of the lighting condition pre-sets, e.g., beach scene, flourescent lighting, etc. ... Read more

Features

• 5-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 13-by-17-inch enlargements
• All-weather construction allows for outdoor use even on a rainy day
• 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD; 3x optical zoom, 12x total zoom
• Movie mode takes QuickTime movies with sound--easy to e-mail to friends
• Store images on xD-Picture cards (32 MB card included)

Features

• 4.0-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 11-by-15-inch enlargements
• 8.3x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom
• 15 versatile scene modes automatically handle focus, exposure, and white balance
• Store images on 13.5 MB internal memory or use SD memory card slot
• Powered by EN-El1 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery

Features

• Designed for use by digital cameras and devices that accept the XD-PictureCard
• Up to 512MB Storage

Reviews (3)

perfect
Whats there not to like about this card?? A little pricey maybe, but you wont have to get another one any time soon!!!

Does not work with Olympus C-50
Be warned: this memory card is not compatible with the Olympus C-50 camera. The best you can get in the 128.

Plenty of Storage
This is a great card if you plan to take many photos. The only caveat is that for use with an Olympus C50 you must get a firmware upgrade which can take up to 10 days and requires you to ship the camera to Olympus. ... Read more

Product Description

The FinePix F10, a 6.3 MegaPixel Super CCD HR digital camera with Fujifilm's Real Photo Technology for improved picture taking in low light situations, more efficient power consumption and faster overall operation.Real Photo Technology, the latest imaging innovation from Fujifilm, is a synergy of three key devices: a sharp Fujinon 3x optical zoom lens, Fujifilm's 5th generation Super CCD sensor and the newly developed RP Processor, which possesses all of the advance signal-processing know-how of the professional FinePix S3 Pro digital SLR camera.With Real Photo Technology users of the FinePix F10 can capture beautiful digital images with very little noise at ISO settings all the way up to 1600 at full resolution. This allows the photographer to shoot without a flash in the "Natural Light" scene position, preserving mood and reducing red-eye. Real Photo Technology also allows for higher shutter speeds that minimize blurriness in photos at even the highest ISO settings.This combination of devices in the FinePix F10, particularly the sensor and processor, has also led to advances in power consumption and operating speed. According to research conducted for Fujifilm U.S.A., consumers are searching for digital cameras that run more efficiently, giving them more pictures per battery charge. The FinePix F10 answers these requests, taking 500 pictures per single, full charge of its lithium ion battery.In addition, the FinePix F10 is fast - very fas ... Read more

Features

• Stores images on xD-Picture Cards (16MB card included)
• 6.3-megapixel sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
• 3x optical zoom; large 2.5-inch LCD display
• Maximum sensitivity of ISO 1600; super-fast start-up (1.3 seconds), shooting interval (1.2 seconds), and shutter time lag (.01 seconds)
• Powered by a Lithium-ion rechargeable battery (included); 500 pictures per single full battery charge

Reviews (3)

A fantastic camera
I love the simplicity of the F10. No superflous buttons on the back. I'm more of a point-and-shooter, but for more involved photographers, the camera gives you tons of options, which you access through several menus. The huge screen is great. I don't even miss having a viewfinder. And even if the camera had one,I'd never use it. I suspect most people take digital photos using their screens, anyway.

I love taking home movies with the camera. It gives you eight minutes of video on a 512mb card. (The camera comes with a 16mb card). I have about 8 video clips stored and still have room to take about 20 photos in e-mail quality mode. I'd recommend you buy a 1gb memory card if you plan to take a lot of video. Or, to free up card space, just save your movies to your computer to burn to a DVD later!

The best part is shutter lag is practically zilch. No holding smiles for 10 seconds. The camera's ready to go as soon as you turn it on.

Connecting camera to computer via USB requires several cords, (inluded), so it's a bit messy in that regard.

Photo quality looks great to me. The body is small but a bit heavy, as heavy as a light paperweight.

The included software is very basic and doesn't save photos automatically like it should, so I have to save photos manually. Apparently this is a common problem with the software, but I'm fine with manually copying so I'm not going to find out how to fix this.

The battery did last a long time. I must have taken 200 photos, erased, viewed them, replayed videos on it, etc. before it ran low. The battery really started to die when I took about 15 shots in complete darkness. (They came out nice and clear, by the way). I think the heavy flash usage drained the battery faster.

In all, I'm very happy with this camera. The $350 I paid was well worth it.

Great Product
This is a great camera. Besides being compact and slim, the large LCD display is a pleasure. This is also the fastest camera I've ever owned. I can't believe how fast it starts up and is ready to shoot!
I've already printed photos and am extremely pleased with the outome.
I strongly recommend the F10 for all level of users.

Fujifilm F10 is outstanding!
The speed of the F10 is amazing.Start up is super fast and I don't miss shots like I used to because the shutter speed is so fast.Fuji Real Photo Technology is great! ... Read more

Product Description

The EVOLT E-300 is a 100% digital SLR camera that eliminates any photographic limitations. A powerful 8 megapixel CCD combines with interchangeable Zuiko digital lenses, our exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter & other cutting-edge technologies for world-class images. Advances in design make for a durable & portable compact camera you can take & trust anywhere. With impressively fast shooting & operating speeds that ensure you never miss a photo op, & the ability to switch lenses & add flashes so you never miss a beat.Along with the advantages provided by the 8 megapixel Full Frame Transfer CCD & Olympus' exclusive dust eliminating Supersonic Wave FilterTM, images captured with the EVOLT E-300 benefit from a number of additional technologies as well.The full line of Zuiko Digital Specific LensesTM are compatible with the EVOLT E-300 and each is perfectly matched with the 4/3-type image sensor to deliver light more directly to each of the imager's pixels. By filling each pixel more precisely, the outcome is clear, accurate color, sharp contrast & bright images even at the edges.These lenses also feature their own internal CPU which allows them to directly communicate with the camera & transfer data specific to the lens being used to the software where corrections of potential distortions occur automatically.Furthermore, the camera's TruePic TURBO image processor offers significantly improved image quality & combines with anti-blooming techn ... Read more

Features

• Compatible with the complete range of Olympus E-system lenses and new accessories; Zuiko Digital 14-45mm (28-90mm) f3.5-5.6 and 40-150mm (80-300mm) f3.5-4.5 lenses
• Compact design incorporates a built-in flash and hot shoe
• 8.0-megapixel SLR with full-frame transfer CCD (FFT CCD)
• User-friendly menu plus full manual operation; scene program and scene select program modes
• Records to CompactFlash cards and Microdrives

Reviews (8)

Simply Amazing SLR
Hey guess who!? The sinister minister with yet another Digicam review!Well the E300 brings my camera count up to 5 and it may very well decrease it. I have by nature been very weary of the digital SLR's even though I sell tons of them every week, I have used the Canon XT and 20D, and the Nikon D70, consistantly. I have demonstrated them untill I can set one up in my sleep, and as fast and advanced as they may seem I just couldn't get past thier hefty price tags.But then here comes the E300, the first thing you notice about this camera is it looks like no other SLR on the market, it almost like a stealth camera! Size wise it compares pretty evenly with its counterparts, however it is somewhat lighter. Unlike the Rebel XT however this camera is built like a tank, with a good solid hand grip, and a textured metal body. That aside the main thing that attracted me to this camera was the fact that it uses Digital Zuiko lenses, each lens has its own processor! How cool is that! Not to mention the benefits you get when reading light or getting in focus. And to top that off they are sanely priced!! Now the most important feature of any camera my friends is what you buy it for, and that is pictures! The E-300 takes amazing pictures! It takes them fast, clear, and in just about any light situation you can think of. Oh and by the way? thats before you even start to mess around with the settings! Lets talk about a few: ISO: Neat feature the E300 has is a thing called "ISO Boost" you can switch the 2 highest ISO settings on or off (800 & 1600)! Noise in this department was pretty darn good until you shoot at 1600 then it gets a bit spooky, there aren't many cameras that don't (believe me) even the 20D you fantasize about takes a crappy shot with the ISO cranked up! Shutter speeds are about even with most other SLRs, and it even has an 8 minute "Bulb" mode (Hooray) but you have to hold the shutter button down (BOO).Menues: This camera has the coolest, and easiest to use damn menu system I have ever seen! I love it I was running thru things like I had owned the camera for years after just a few minutes, Nothing like the Canons (some things on those I still can't find!!) 8MP: my favorite resolution! I own 4 8MP cameras and I love every one of them! I well tell you now what I tell all my customers at Bestbuy anything over 8MP is a waste of money and time, I think even 8MP is more than most people need.5MP is average 6 is just stupid, 7MP is a good point and shoot. But SLRs need to be at least 8MP (hello Nikon?) The lens ranges work so well with that resolution anything less is really an injustice (I think).Scene Modes: Yes the E-300 has a ton of them (see spec's above) including the "Sunset Mode" (I love Nikon's)This is almost as good although a little too red at times. I haven't had the camera long so I haven't had the chance to run thru them all, but the ones I have used have all been right on the money. Speed: well okay this one has to go to the 20D, speed wise the E-300 is about par, but it's not gonna win any races about 4 frames at 2.5 sec for as long as the shutter is pressed.White balance features are excellent in this camera ranging from auto to 3000k all the way up to 7500k in addition to 4 spaces for custom settings (nice job Olympus).Full AF or manual focus modes as well as several combinations of the two! Flash: the E-300 probably has the best on board flash of any camera I have ever used, and without a doubt the most versitile as far as being able to control intensity, speed, etc. I actually like using it (Normally I hate flash photography). Huge selection of Image formats: this camera will save your pictures in at least 20 different files types and resolutions, not to mention you can completely edit Raw image files directly within the camera! Exsposure, contrast, sharpness the whole deal right on board. Battery life is excellent being as good as my F-828 at 230-220 minutes.Micro-drive capable, and I absolutely love the Zuiko lenses.I have to admit I never thought I would own an Olympus let alone one of thier SLRs, Olympus has a tendency to cut on quality when it comes to thier lower end models the people that own em love em. However I have always heard that Olympus high end cameras are among the best. After using the E-300 I would agree WOW!.This camera has so many other benifits and features that I can't go into here, so check your online review sources and make up your own mind. As I said I am a professional photographer and I sell cameras and aside from some bells and whistles, speed you'll never use, the E-300 is everybit as good a digital SLR camera as its Canon and Nikon counterparts (more so in some ways)The biggest being price!
I added another lens to mine and a Microdrive (4gb) and a Canon would have still cost me more, and I'd still be lost in those menus!Want my advice? Put the E-300 on your short list and decide based on picture and price, not speed. Weather its film or digital, photography has always been about the pictures, SLR's by nature take amazing photographs, is it really worth it to have to take on a second job just to pay for it!? I hope this helps somewhat, after I have used the camera a while I may offer an update, until then Happy shooting!

I Love this Camera!
The E-300 is one outstanding digital camera.I have been doing 35mm for many years, and it was nice to find a digital camera that has the look and feel of a high end 35mm.It even has the sound of the shutter clicking and the film winding sound also.A very easy to use camera, once I figured out the menus.Pictures are outstanding even at the middle of the resolution range.Good job, Olympus!But... I could mention two complaints, neither of which will make me return the camera.One, the camera does have a bit of a problem taking flash pictures in low light conditions.And the other problem, an obvious money-grubbing device (Bad Olympus!), the AC adapter that sells for $130 or so could be replaced by any $10 wall wart, except for that little proprietary connector on the camera.Come on, Olympus, what's up with that?

Best bang for the buck, by far
When I decided to go fully digital I read every review I could find.Not having $6-7000 to spend I kept it under $2500.

This is the best camera out there in this price range.It is sharper than any of the others.There are minor complaints about color acuracy, but that is a lot easier to fix than lack of sharpness.

Very powerful flash.Amazing for its size.

Nice weight and balance.

If you want a DSLR this is really the best you can get for under
$1000 and that is with 2 lenses.

THE BEST SLR AND THE BEST LOOKING CAMERA I HAVE SEEN!
Before, I bought the E-300,I looked at the other SLR camera's and was impressed by some of them. But, not as impressed by the E-300. The E-300 caught my eye by it's looks and it's functions. Also, all things it can do! Plus it was easy to use! When I first started using the camera I was "VERY" impressed by how well the pictures were coming out. I am pretty impressed with the E-300! I am "GLAD" I choose this camera and I would not trade it in for anythings else.

Nice Digi SLR camera with this price
Nice pictures, good price, bring me total different feeling comparing with my other digi cameras. ... Read more

Product Description

12x Optical Zoom and a Brightness of F2.8 to 3.3 The LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens is a small, lightweight lens that packs the samezoom power as a big, clunky 400mm-class film camera lens. This 12x optical zoom lens is super-bright too, at F2.8 to 3.3 with a focal length of 6 to 72mm (equivalent to 36mm to 432mm in a 35mm film camera).You've got all the power and flexibility you need to take exquisitely beautiful shots all the way from telephoto to wide angle and macro. The DMC-FZ5 also has a 4x digital zoom. Use it together with the 12x optical zoom and you've got ultra-powerful 48x zooming, roughly equivalent to a huge 1680mm lens on a 35mm camera.MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer Helps Eliminate Blurry Pictures Jitter from shaky hands is one of the main reasons why cameras produce blurry images. We don't expect everyone to have hands of stone when taking pictures, that's why Lumix cameras help solve the problem of unsteady hands with advanced MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer technology.The DMC-FZ5 has a built-in gyrosensor that detects any hand movement and relays a signal to a tiny microcomputer inside the camera, which instantly calculates the compensation needed. A linear motor then shifts the Optical Image Stabilizer lens as necessary to guide incoming light from the image straight to the CCD. You won't even notice it working-all you'll see are the outstanding results!Snap Off Consecutive Shots at 3 Frames per Second! Yo ... Read more

Features

• Stores images on Secure Digital (SD) cards; 16MB card included
• Powered by a Lithium-Ion battery pack (7.2V, 680 mAh); battery charger included
• 5.0-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints
• Amazing 12x optical zoom gets you close to the action without sacrificing image quality
• Super-fast shutter times: .008 seconds to release (not including AF time) and .4 seconds between shots

Reviews (8)

Pansonic Got It Right!
This camera has far exceeded my expectations. I am one of those geeks that research everything on the market before making a purchase. There are plenty of cameras that looked like they would meet my needs, but as I researched and tested, too many had glaring flaws or fell short on critical features.

I'm not going to waste your time and mine repeating all the details of every feature from the earlier reviewers. They did a great job of listing its strengths and weaknesses. Instead, I will waste our time sharing my personal impressions on the use and results of this fine camera.

The image stabilizer is like magic. I have been able to take indoor, hand held shots that would have been impossible with an un-stabilized camera. I cannot overstate the value of this feature. In well lit pictures the stabilization makes for a crispness I haven't seen in a point and shoot type camera (perhaps the massive Leica lens may have had something to do with this too). The flash has impressed me as well. It seems to meter very well compared to my Cannon A70. No more flash blown out shots on close up groups. Rarely did it get it wrong.

I spent yesterday at the Point Defiance Zoo in Seattle, running the FZ5 through its paces. The resulting pictures blew me away. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face looking at the pics on my computer afterwards. I'm no pro, but some of the pics were. It was a bit humorous to hear comments all day long by other Point and Shoot photographers "I wish I had more zoom", all the while I am taking crisp 12x close-ups of all the fuzzy critters in cages.

Also, I like a camera that looks and handles like a camera, not some kind of Star Trek shuttle craft with a lens on the front. The Minoltas look goofy and handle goofy. Scotty, beam me up.

Is it perfect? Nope, but so close I'm still smirking with smug satisfaction. After the zoo trip, I would like a manual focus option. There were times that glass or chain link fence made focusing a chore. Would I trade for a bigger, heavier camera that had manual focusing? Not for my uses. You can keep your bloated and clunky DSLRs. This camera carries like a Point and Shoot, but functions like a much bigger beast. Toting it around was barely noticeable (that is a key feature for me). This is a camera that you can carry easily and it excels at 95% of any use I may deem for it. The size is perfect. A gargantuan 12x stabilized lens on a camera this small is unreal (somebody pinch me).

Of course, please upgrade the included SD card. I get annoyed when reviews gripe about the small included memory cards in today's cameras. I don't want the camera company deciding for me which high capacity card to use (and jacking up the price of the camera). I say put in a tiny inexpensive card to allow camera testing, then let the end user pick their favorite card. This camera is already speed demon compared to my Canon A70. Imagine my surprise after plugging in a SanDisk Ultra II card and watching the write speeds cut in half. It was dramatic. Get a fast 10mb SD card and snap pictures at will.

As far as the review by "jjmmdd" I have to say "Either you don't know how to hold a camera still, or the camera is defective" If it is the former, spend more time on your technique. If it is the latter, then for heaven sakes, get the camera fixed or replaced. Across the board Panasonic puts out some of the most consistently reliable consumer products available. "jjmmdd", you were so very right. Every positive review written for Panasonic products is written by a Panasonic employee. Dude, put on your aluminum foil hat, check yourself for alien implants, and "buy a vowel".

Regarding the review by "D. Rosenfeld", as far as I am concerned, any "movie mode" in a "still camera" is a defect, not a feature. If you need a video camera, buy a video camera. Anyone buying a still camera for its video features is looped. It is consumers like you that make me fear the camera companies will start putting cell phones in digital cameras. D'oh! Oh another thing "D".... The stabilizer "ROCKS!!!"

It has been a while since I purchased a toy that lived up to my expectations after I lived with it for a while. The Panasonic FZ5 did just that. I'm now dreaming of this same camera with manual focus and a magnesium chassis......mmmmmm, magnesium. Wake up man!!!In the category of "Stellar, Point, and Shoot, Mega-Zoom, Cameras" This baby is getting all 5 stars from me.

(Subliminal message to follow)

Panasonic, please release the DMC-FX8 in the US market..... Panasonic, please release the DMC-FX8 in the US market..... Panasonic, please release the DMC-FX8 in the US market.....

Great Camera
Okay, maybe I'm not qualified to give it a 5 star rating since this is the first digital camera I've owned, but I've been very happy with this camera and it's performance.I've been a traditional SLR user for about 10 years, and while this camera doesn't have the full range of control of an SLR, it seems to be the best for the price if you want some manual controls and a great zoom compared to it's competitors in the same price range.I'm stopping here, the other reviews already give a lot of detail about the camera.

Almost perfect
This review should really be 4.7 stars. The only 'flaws' I have found are the absence of manual focusing (if you need that, get the Panasonic FZ20) and spot focus being potentially aimed outside of the little focus box (test where yours is).

I knew about the lack of manual focus going in, and weighed against the larger (3/4 inch wider, 1/2 inch taller, and 1 inch deeper), more expensive 20 oz. FZ20, the smaller 11 oz. FZ5 wins easily.I already own the FZ10 which is very similar to its replacement the FZ20, and its sheer size and weight prevented carrying it regularly.Its bulk is the reason I replaced it.

I'm not certain yet if my spot focus is aimed correctly, but others have had problems, and a few of my pictures have been out of focus.Many of those seem due to hand shake with a slow shutter speed.When zoomed even image stabilization/antishake technology won't compensate for slow shutter speeds - use the flash or a higher ISO.

You have the flexibility to do that because other than manual focus, you have endless options.At least 4 ISOs, shutter priority mode, aperture priority mode, manual mode, and a variety of pre-programmed shot settings if you don't want to mess with the details.Fireworks, party, night landscape, night protrait, sports, macro and on, it's all there.The exposure system is the most accurate I've seen in not over-exposing and losing white tones and highlights.The white balance is actually accurate enough that you may need to adjust it, although 'auto' does pretty well.Focusing can be whole screen, spot, high-speed spot, etc.It also has two image stabilization modes, one that gives you the greatest accuracy stabilizing, another that makes focusing easier.

An often ignored consideration in picking a camera is whether it has a focus assist light.Inside, especially at night under incandescent light, many cameras may have trouble getting enough light to focus correctly.You won't notice this in a well-lit store or outside, but when you need a picture of a birthday party or other event, half your shots will be out of focus.This has the light.I believe only Canons also have this feature consistently.

If you've made it to this camera, you are probably already aware of the benefits of an extended zoom.It's wonderful to be in total control and able to get as close as you want to your subject.Since I'm unable to hand-hold even at 6x zoom, image stabilization is vital in an ultrazoom model.

There are cameras available with more megapixels. While more pixels may give you the ability to capture more detail, that must be weighed against the file sizes created by more megapixels.You'd need extra or larger memory cards to hold those files, or compress them and lose resolution in order to fit in a smaller size.If you're only printing 4x6s or even 5x7s, it's too small to see that detail.Most web images are less than 1 MP, and a standard 1024x768 screen is also less than 1MP.If you are sending images by email, larger images and files only making it harder to send those to people with dial-up.Don't buy a camera on megapixels alone - it may be more trouble than it's worth.

Other than the FZ20, only the Konica Minolta Dimage Z5 is comparable to this model.The Dimage is heavier and larger, making the Panasonic the best option for me so that I carry it as often as possible and get the most from my investment.Other than hard-core photography afficionados who need the manual focus (or a hot shoe which this also lacks), I doubt anyone would be disappointed.

Panasonic DMC-FZ5

I just bought one and am very disappointed to find that a user can not change the degree of zooming when in movie mode; in other words, once you select a focus that includes a certain amount of telephoto zoom, you are stuck at that zoom level till you stop the movie and start a new movie. BUMMER!

Secondly, even though everyone raves about the image stabilizer, I have to say that my old Sony Mavica MVC-FD91 had/has a far superior stabilizer.

The new Canon S2 may be the way to go.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0504/05042201canons2is.asp

Nicely done Panasonic
I have been very pleased so far with the DMC-FZ5.I have been taking very sharp pictures indoors and outdoors with the Lumix.The LCD is very readable (might not be as easy in full sunlight), and I was able to figure out most menu items without the instructions.

Image stabilization works wonders on this long zoom camera.I took a 12X zoom picture outside in a 25 mph wind, and the result was outstanding.The wind was shaking me all over, but the pic came out as crisp as can be, thanks to the image stabilization.

To Ann I say that the DMC-F5Z may be kind of big by your standards, but I would have to say this Lumix is a very compact camera, even compared to my Canon G2, which is no monster by any stretch.

To Jimmy, I am certainly not a Panasonic employee, but I can't give this camera a poor review.If 75% of your shots are blurry with the Lumix, then either your camera is defective, or the operator is defective!Is it possible to take a blurry picture with this camera?Yes, but it's pretty hard, especially with Image Stabilization turned on.

For mid-priced long zoom cameras, the Lumix DMC-FZ5 has to be at or near the top of its class, at least for right now.For those who can wait, you might want to compare this camera to the Canon 2S IS, which is coming in June. ... Read more

Product Description

4.1-megapixel effective recording * 2-1/2" color LCD * optical viewfinder * 3X optical zoom (up to 2X digital/6X total zoom) * JPEG options: 2304 x 1728; 2304 x 1536; 2048 x 1536; 1280 x 960; 640 x 480 * ... Read more

Features

• Powered by AA-size batteries (NiMH rechargeable batteries supplied); up to 400+ shots per charge
• 4.1 MP CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 12 x 15-inch prints
• Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lens; large 2.5-inch LCD
• Real Imaging Processor LSI allows for fast start-up and shot-to-shot times, plus extended battery stamina
• Stores images on Memory Stick media; features 32MB internal memory

Reviews (3)

Great Camera
This Camera is one of the best in its price range. It takes beautiful clear pictures and can be used right out of the box, but its worth learning all its features. The included memory holds about 20-25 pictures so I upgraded to 128mb. I reccomend getting a 128mb card and the Sony camera case. Not only is this one of the best cameras in its class it includes decent software and rechargeable batteries that are at least a 20$ value.
HIGHLY reccomend over canon,kodak, and fuji. One more thing this camera has CARL Zeiss lens (if you dont know, great lens) all the competetors have generic lens.

Excellent camera... period.
After much deliberation and research, given I was about to shell out over 300 bucks, I went with the Sony DSC-S90. I won't go on and on about specifications since you can read them for yourselves.But after using this camera for almost one week, I have found it to be very easy to use, it gives you great looking pictures (thanks toCarl Zeiss and 4.1 megapixels), and it even takes MPEG movies. The HUGE 2.5 inch LCD screen is bright and clear, and you're given the option to use the optical viewfinder. A handy feature in bright sunlight.

The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because of the lackluster design of the data/video/audio cable. It plugs into the bottom of the camera, which means you have to lay it on it's back (the LCD side, ouch!) or its front (the lens side, double ouch!!). I'd hate to damage or scratch either of these, although in all fairness, the lens is closed during file transfer process.

I'd recommend this beauty, but get yourself at least a 256 Meg Memory Stick Pro, a small carrying case, and add those to the price.ENJOY!!

Very pleased with my first digital camera-easy to use!
Although this is my first digital camera, I did a fair amount of research and shopping to decide on this camera.I am a "techie" and "gadget guy" by nature, but this camera is very easy to use right out of the box.A primary reason I bought this camera was for its ease of use for my wife and children.

My decision came down to two cameras:this and the Canon Powershot A520.They have very similar specifications.However, for the same price, the Sony came with rechargeable batteries and charger and has a WHOPPING 2.5 inch LCD screen!

I am very pleased with my purchase and how the camera performs so far.

... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The performance features of the C-60 are as impressive as its stylish metal exterior. In addition to a 6.1-megapixel resolution, the compact, durable C-60 features Olympus's new TruePic TURBO image processor, a dual autofocus system usually found in SLR-style digital cameras (like the C-8080), and sunshine LCD technology that makes it easy to review your photo shoot even in bright daylight. The C-60 also offers a 3x optical zoom lens, USB 2.0 connectivity, PictBridge compatibility, and movie mode with audio.

Optics and Resolution The C-60 has a maximum resolution of 2816 x 2112 pixels, which will produce 30 x 40 print enlargements. It also offers these lower resolution modes: 2560 x 1920 (5 MP), 2288 x 1704 (4 MP), 2048 x 1536 (3 MP), 1600 x 1200 (2 MP), 1280 x 960 (1 MP), 1024 x 768 (SVGA), and 640 x 480 (VGA). The 3x optical zoom aspherical glass lens has a 35mm equivalent of 38mm-114mm. It also features a 4x digital zoom, for a 12x total zoom.

Movie Mode
In addition to still images, the C-60 can record video with sound at two resolution modes: 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 (both at 15 frames per second). Movie length is only limited by the size of your memory card. The included 32 MB XD card will record approximately 80 seconds of high-resolution video.

More Features
The C-60 is one of the first Olympus models to feature TruePic Turbo, a new image processor that sharpens image clarity, contrast, and color for life-like results. This feature also makes the camera 30% faster in processing images and is combined with a super-fast shutter release time. Other features include:

• 1.8-inch low-temperature poly-silicon LCD (approximately 134,000 pixels)
• Thirteen shooting modes give you the flexibility to capture amazing images for various situations
• Full aperture and shutter control in Manual mode
• Built-in multi mode flash and Dual Auto Focus system is designed to ensure your subjects are properly lit and in focus quickly
• Stitch up to 10 images together to create a single panoramic with an Olympus-branded XD memory card

Olympus Sunshine LCD Technology
Olympus' new sunshine LCD technology enables you to review your shots even in direct sunlight. A standard display reflects sunlight from its surface and therefore in bright sunshine it is difficult to review an image. The sunshine LCD, however, has semi-transparent layers which enable the sunlight to penetrate a few layers into the panel. This light is reflected by the underside of the liquid crystal layer, and images are clearer and brighter thanks to this additional "back light." The display also adjusts its brightness to cater for the surrounding light conditions, whether it be on a beach or in a brightly-lit room.

Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on tiny XD memory cards, and a 32 MB card is included with the C-60. You'll be able to store 7 shots of SHQ (or 14 HQ) 2816 x 2112 pixel images on the included card. The C-60 transfers images to Macs and Windows-based PCs via a speedy USB 2.0 connection.

Direct Printing
The C-60 is PictBridge compatible, which enables you to transfer pictures from your digital camera to a compatible printer (such as the Olympus P-10), without a PC or image-editing software. All PictBridge devices share three basic features: camera-to-printer connecting, single-image printing, and uniform error messages (in case something goes wrong).

Power and Size
The camera is powered by a proprietary rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LI-12B). The C-60 measures 3.9 x 2.22 x 1.6 inches (WxHxD) and weighs a lean 7 ounces without batteries or recording media.

What's in the Box
This package contains the Olympus C-60 digital camera, 32 MB XD memory card, rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LI-12B), battery charger, remote control, wrist strap, USB and A/V cables, and CD-ROM with Camedia Master software. ... Read more

Features

• 6-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 14-by-19-inch enlargements
• 3x optical zoom combines with 4x digital zoom for 12x total zoom
• Movie mode with audio; PictBridge enabled
• Store images on xD memory cards
• Powered by rechargeable lithium ion battery (included with charger)

Reviews (7)

Great camera, weak flash
Strengths: Very compact & light, quick startup (slower with bigger XD Media cards), lots of great features (like continuous shooting mode and red-eye reduction), long battery life.
Weaknesses: Weak flash, red-eye reduction not available in continuous shooting mode, slow startup with big XD Media cards.
Summary: This is overall a great camera (see list of main strengths above). My biggest complaint is that the flash is pretty weak, and cannot be brightened in "auto" mode. However, if you switch the camera to one of the manual modes, you have more control over the brightness of the flash -- but I've found that increasing the brightness washes out the subjects too much. So you're stuck between a rock & a hard place. The perfect flash I ever used was on a Nikon Coolpix 995 camera, but that camera is big & bulky & slow compared to this camera. So if you're going to be doing a lot of daylight shooting or outdoor shooting that doesn't require heavy use of a flash, this camera is for you. If you're doing a lot of nighttime or indoor shooting (like me), you'll be hard-pressed to get rid of this spritely little camera that's chock-full of features, and instead you'll find yourself turning on lots of overhead lights to flood more light into the room.

Good camera
I have this camera for 2 months.
Good quality photos. Easy to use.
No digital zoom in auto mode.
I can't buy extra battery LI-12B

Olympus has done it again
Simply love it, I purchased this camera about a month ago this is my 2nd olympus the 1st lasting for 5 years (and still going strong) but just a 1.3 megapixel only good for 4 x 6 prints My wife & I wanted a camera capable of larger prints. We have had 8 x 10s printed from the camera and they are excellent. We were told you could get a 20 x 30 print if we wanted. Some may have trouble with the controls but this is not just a "point and shoot camera" it has all of the bells & whistles that photo buffs demand, but also an Auto mode and the camera will do all the work.

A Great Little Camera
I have been getting excellent results with this little beauty. I don't understand the comment on battery life, since I am getting 200-250 pictures on a charge. My only complaint is the size of the XD card that they supply with the unit. For a 6 Megapixel camera, you would think they would give you more storage to start with than 32MB. other than that the quality is excellent, pictures are high resolution and the Camedia software supplied with the camera does an excellent job.

BIG DISAPPOINTMENT
I received this camera as a birthday present. I have an Olympus C-3000 and since I have had such luck with this Olympus, wanted to upgrade to something smaller and better. Well, the C60 looks and feels great but I was terribly disappointed in the quality of the pictures, as well as not being user friendly. Battery life is also TERRIBLE. ... Read more