Features

• High resolution images in fast, precise, and consistent measurements
• Advanced digital processor and high grade optics
• Lightweight and compact at only 7 ounces
• Water-resistant design
• Uses one lithium battery

Reviews (1)

500G
This little thing is sweet. Very clear optics, easy to read, super accurate, and nice and small for my golf bag. Well worth the money. ... Read more

Features

• 2-megapixel digital camera with 1,600 x 1,200 resolution, 4x digital zoom
• 4,800 x 1,200 resolution on photo paper, 2,400 x 1,200 resolution on other paper
• Up to 20 ppm black and 14 ppm color print speed
• 16 MB internal memory with SD card slot
• USB 2.0 interface; Windows and Mac compatible

Features

• Compact DVD Handycam camcorder records on removable 3-inch (8cm) DVD-R//RW discs
• 10x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 120x) with Super SteadyShot image stabilizer
• 2.5-inch rotating LCD and color viewfinder
• Low-light recording settings, built-in white LED light, and 680,000-pixel CCD
• NP-FM50 InfoLithium Rechargeable Battery

Features

• Lightweight,water resistant polycarbonate body.
• Fully multicoated optics for bright, clear image.
• Built - in sliding sunshade.

Reviews (4)

Brings the Maine islands alive!
I purchased this for my Dad for Father's Day, and he has not stopped raving about it. He can now look out his window in coastal Maine and read the names of sloops rounding islands far offshore. The price was so good, I hoped it wouldn't turn out to be cheaply made. Thankfully, the optics are powerful, and the housing is sturdily built for years of use. Note that a good tripod is included (not made clear on the product detail page). I'm VERY pleased with this purchase.

Very Good Product (but not Excellent)
I shoot in the Civilian Marksmanship Program. The true test of a scope for me is if one can see a .223"-round at 100 yards (lighting conditions apply). The key thing here is the focus. To see a .223" hole in black paper with a black background can be very demanding on a scope... this scope will do it. I don't rank it as excellent (5 stars) because that would insinuate that this scope is as good as an equivilant aperature Kowa or Swarovski. Nevertheless, Nikon has produced an excellent product. If you're trying to get a good bargain at a budget price I recommend this scope.

This thing is amazing!
I just got back from a seaside resort on the Pacific Ocean.The hotel provided one of these scopes on our balcony for whale watching. I was incredibly impressed with the clarity, zoom ratio, and image width. In fact, I just bought one from Amazon. A bit pricey perhaps, but absolutely without question worth every penny.

Perfect
It was just perfect. I could not be more delighted with this scope. It saved me a great deal of money buying it from you guys, thanks again. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Canon's EOS-10D 6.3-megapixel digital SLR builds on the strengths of the award-winning EOS-D60 and offers a range of improvements to both the camera's design and its feature set. It offers a seven-point wide-area autofocus system, fast 3-frames-per-second burst rate, and an ergonomic, super-tough magnesium alloy body shell.

The 6.3-million effective pixel CMOS sensor--providing up to 3,072 x 2,048 pixels--is supported by Canon's unique high-power DIGital Imaging Core (DIGIC) processor. The speed at which the DIGIC processor works has allowed Canon to extend the number of full resolution images in burst sequences to nine, at a rate of 3 frames per second. As well as improved speed, DIGIC also helps produce more accurate color rendition while reducing image noise.

The metering system, using the newest metering algorithm available and a 35-zone evaluative metering system linked to all seven focus points, offers improved exposure consistency and stability. A range covering ISO 100 to 1,600 offers high-quality images across a very broad spectrum of shooting conditions. Photographers working in particularly poor light may also take advantage of an option to extend this range to ISO 3,200.

The EOS-10D is the first digital SLR camera to feature direct printing. Linking via a USB cable, you can make prints immediately from any of Canon's range of compatible bubble jet or CPprinters--including the S830D, S530D, and CP-100--without the need to connect to a computer. Controls within the camera's own menu system allow you to choose print quantity, size, and image cropping. When using Canon's card photo printer CP-100, with the optional battery pack, prints can be made in the field away from a power supply.

Other features include:

• Automatic selection of FAT16 or FAT32 file systems, to supportlarge-capacity CompactFlash Type I or II memory cards of over 2 GB storage size (such as Microdrives).
• 1.8-inch TFT (transreflective) LCD monitor with five brightness levels and 10x zoom.
• Super Intelligent Orientation Sensor detects whether the camera is being held in the portrait or landscape orientation when an image is captured, and automatically rotates the image in the camera's LCD preview screen and on a computer when downloading using Canon's ZoomBrowser software.
• Extended battery life providing approximately 650 images without flash or 500 images with 50 percent flash.
• Ability to save an image in RAW format even when it was shot in JPEG mode.

The EOS-10D comes complete with battery pack, compact singlebattery-charging unit, USB cable, video cable, the latest Canon software and Photoshop Elements. The EOS-10D accepts the same BP-511 battery pack, and the same BG-ED3 battery grip as the EOS-D60. ... Read more

Features

• 6.3-megapixel CMOS image sensor for images up to 3072 x 2048 pixels
• Magnesium body; can save images simultaneously in both RAW and JPEG formats
• 3 frames per second (fps) burst rate up to 9; Adobe RGB color space; 7-area AF sensor
• Compatible with CompactFlash Type I and II cards; no card included
• Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery (BP-511); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (59)

Amazing camera, outstanding flexibility
The 10D is the camera I had been waiting for; the look and feel of a 35 with all the benefits of a digital camera. The camera feels great in your hands and produces outstanding results. It can be used as a point and shoot with little instruction and the creative modes and manual override settings allow you the freedom to take control of any shooting situation. The 9 shot drive mode is great for sports action. The camera even gets good battery life (approx. 500 shots w/half flash). I highly recommend a minimum of 128mb compact flash card for higher end photos as well as a tripod for optimal control. B/c the 10D is compatible with all EF lenses it's easy to pickup extra lenses at good prices. Extra batteries and other accessories are also available. Outstanding camera but still very hard to find and a bit pricey when you can find one.

canon eos 10 :affordable digital for serious photographers
I purchased my Canon eos 10d seven months ago after extensive reviews of available cameras that were affordable. Recent price drops have made this camera within the reach of serious amateur phtographers. I would never go back to film because the instant review of photos is a great learning tool, plus you can experiment with settings without paying for film or waiting for developing. Reading all the camera tests was great but there is no substitute for actual experience.
I have taken over 4000 photos of wildlife, mostly birds, plus quite a few landscapes. The quality of your work will depend a great deal on quality lenses, study of exposure theory and becoming familiar with the cameras features. If you just want to point and shoot, buy a less expesive camera. to get the best use you will need to use the customized features to adjust exposure. This camera will require manual focus in low light nature scenes and shots with lots of sky. It also will not function in autofocus mode when using the teleconvertor on a lens like the Canon 100-400L IS. This unit also tends to overexpose when taking landscapes with lots of light, requiring the use of built in exposure compesation or photoediting programs. Be prepared to spend time studying the manual or buying
an aftermarket book. With these reservations I highly reccomend this camera.

Not happy with this camera
I have owned a Canon TX and Canon 650 film cameras. I was always very happy with my Canon film cameras. I bought the 10d thinking that I was finally able to get a digital replacement for my old Canon film cameras.

I have now owned my 10d for over a year. The picture quality is only fair. It often selects ISO 100 and gives me fuzzy pictures. The white balance is extremely poor compared with the film cameras. The "full automatic" mode does a poor job of focus and white balance. The "creative" modes are similar to the film cameras but don't seem to work so very well. I am just having a terrible time trying to get the settings right to get good pictures! After a year of trying I am extremely frustrated with it.

Finally, the print pictures I get from it are _always_ too dark. It seems I need to post-process EVERY PICTURE in photoshop to get the gamut correct, or brighten/enhance/correct the photos to make them look right. Argh!

It's all probably user error, but I never had these problems with my old film cameras. If I could easily get PhotoCDs made I would go back to film immediately!

WOW!!!
This camera is everything I desired in a digital camera and so much more. While other kids played baseball and football I grew up with a Pentax MX strapped around my neck. Photography was and is my passion. This camera allows me the expression I always dreamed of. Combined with Adobe Photoshop, this is the best camera/darkroom setup I've ever worked with!

Mega happy
I've had my 10D for just over six months, taking mainly landscape/wildlife photos during that time. I moved up from a Minolta film SLR and chose the 10D in preference to Nikon due to my experiences with the Powershot S400 (compatability of menu systems, software etc) and in preference to the Digital Rebel due to build quality/feel and the slightly faster FPS and improved buffer (important to me when trying to photograph animals). I have a big trip to Alaska coming up where the camera will pay for itself with the savings in film/developing alone, never mind the instant feedback and convenience of not having to sort through 250 rolls of film when I get back.

Overall experience with the 10D is very positive with minimal/no shutter lag, great autofocus speed, and the SLR type features often missing such as depth of field preview, mirror lock up etc. If I have any issue with the camera it is the boot up time which seems like an age compared to simply turning on a film camera but isn't too unreasonable compared to other digital SLRs (the brand new Nikon being one of the few exceptions-at a price, mind).

Other reviewers here and on other sites have commented on the soft focussing. Never had an issue with it but I'm not shooting portraits of people but rather I'm normally using large depth of field.

Picture quality has been consistently excellent. Without trying to mess around with the white balance etc I find the color to be spot on and exposure is consistently where I expect it to be. The additional exposure latitude of digital over slide film really helps on difficult to catch contrasty outdoor scenes and the 10D does a great job of making the most of it (comparing it to point and shoot digital images really brings out the differences). I've printed numerous prints at 13"x19" on a Canon i9100 inkjet at home that are outstanding and exceed the quality that pro lab printed slides/negatives have achieved.

Unfortunately, I managed to get the dreaded "Error 99" message a few weeks ago. I use two new Canon lenses (28-135IS and 100-400IS) and a Sigma 12-24. Seeing other comments about non-Canon lenses causing the problem, I called Sigma who confirmed the 12-24 is software compliant and shouldn't be the issue. I called the Canon service hotline and after 20 seconds was actually speaking to a live body (amazing in this day and age). The technician ran through all the things that could be tried to fix it and confirmed that the camera needed to be sent in for repair. I mailed it on a Tuesday and received the camera back the following Wednesday (with the Memorial Day weekend in between) fully functioning, with a new shutter, updated software, and fully cleaned and running to factory specs. Outstanding service response and an experience to put a smile on my face.

Highly recommended accessories to get for the 10D: 1) a second battery (good power usage but I take way more shots than I used to on film and it's not good to run out while in the middle of nowhere); 2) some form of cover for the LCD screen (hoodman peel-on/off work great and help protect it from scratches). ... Read more

Features

• Sleek, compact MiniDV camcorder and digital still camera with 1-megapixel CCD
• 10x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 120x) with Super SteadyShot image stabilizer
• 3.5-inch rotating LCD and color viewfinder
• Low-light recording settings, Memory Stick Duo slot, and intelligent accessory shoe
• NP-FM50 InfoLithium Rechargeable Battery

Amazon.com Product Description

Like the very popular Dimage Xi, the Minolta Dimage Xt is a 3.2 megapixel camera, but with more versatile features and packaged in an even smaller body. The new design eliminates more than 5 percent from the size and nearly 8 percent from the weight of the Dimage Xi. The exclusive folded optical zoom system allowed Minolta to recreate the world's thinnest (as of April 2003) compact, planar digital camera with a 3x optical zoom.

Optics and Resolution

Minolta's folded optics provides a 3x optical zoom within its slim design.

Featuring a 3.2-megapixel CCD sensor, the Dimage E223 delivers image detail up to 2048 x 1536 pixels for print enlargements up to 11 x 14 inches. This revolutionary non-extending lens is responsible for maintaining the camera's 0.8-inch thin profile either while recording or when stored. The 3x optical zoom, equivalent to a 37-111mm lens on a 35mm camera, is assisted by a 4x digital zoom giving a seamless zoom range of 12x. The lens focuses down to 5.9 inches at all focal lengths for close-up photographs without having to use a separate function.

Storage and Transfer
Images can be stored on either Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMedia (MMC) memory cards; a 16 MB SD card is included. Download image files to either a Mac or PC via USB connectivity, including any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Movie and Audio Modes
The Dimage Xt is not limited to recording still images. Video with audio can be captured at either 160 x 120 or 320 x 240 pixel resolution. The length of movie clips is only limited by the memory card capacity. The new Direct Video function allows the camera to be connected directly to a VHS or DVD recording deck.

The Dimage Xt can be used as a remote camera for video conferencing. Simply use the supplied USB cable to connect the camera to a computer with a Windows operating system and a compatible application such as Microsoft Windows Messenger.

The audio recording mode records up to 180 minutes of audio. Voice memo allows up to 15 seconds of audio to be attached to an image when it is captured. The audio-caption function can attach an audio track to any recorded still-image. The audio tracks can be played back in the camera.

The included base serves as both a recharging station and camera stand.

More Features
The Dimage Xt is a fast, responsive camera. It is ready to use approximately 1.1 seconds after turning it on. This is the fastest start-up time of any digital camera with an optical zoom (as of April 2003). The fluid playback performance only causes a slight 0.2 second delay between frames regardless of file size.

An improved e-mail copy function allows a still image to be copied and resized to 640 x 480 or 160 x 120 pixels so that it may be attached to an e-mail message or posted on the Internet.

The Dimage Xt's charger stand can recharge the battery while it is still in the camera. It can also charge a single spare battery by itself. The charger doubles as a camera stand for when the Dimage Xt is used for self-portraits, a remote camera, or when connected to a computer.

• 1.5-inch TFT (transreflective) LCD monitor.
• Built-in flash with autoflash, autoflash with red-eye reduction, fill-flash, night portrait, and flash cancel modes.
• Extended shutter-speed range controls the exposure from 4 seconds for night scenes to 1/1000th of a second for brilliant sunlit landscapes.
• Spot metering and spot AF allows you to meter or focus on a specific subject.
• Multi-segment metering and five-point AF make taking beautiful, sharp images simple.
• Exposure control from 4 seconds for scenes at night to 1/1000th of a second for brilliant sunlit landscapes

Features

• 3.2-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 8 x 10 prints and medium-quality prints up to 11 x 14
• New design is smaller in size and lighter in weight than Dimage Xi
• Exclusive folded 3x optical zoom system with 4x digital zoom (for 12x total); movie mode (320 x 240) with sound
• Includes 16 MB Secure Digital card; also compatible with MMC cards
• Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery(NP-200, included); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (50)

Great little package
I just bought this camera to take with me to Harley-Davidson's 100year anniversary celebration in Milwaukee. I already had a Fuji Finepix 4700 digital camera, but wanted something smaller & easier to carry. I also chose the Dimage Xt because of it's 3X optical internal zoom which works with the Minolta Marine Case (MC-DG200). I also wanted to take the camera kayaking and underwater.

The Dimage Xt appears to have many features which I have yet to use. I found taking regular snapshots easy. However, changing settings was not as quick as on my Fuji. The small built in flash is not the best. Even group shots at night caused the shutter to be too slow and the resulting photos shakey. But we have to make compromises for the advantages that the size of this camera provides. Its so easy to slip into a pocket and have with you for those "non-Kodak moments". Quality of daylight photos were very good.

Overall, I recommend this camera to anyone who is looking for a pocket-size camera that will take sharp enough pictures for most purposes. Add the Marine Case if you want to turn it into a nice underwater digital camera that you can take down to 100 feet. Add an extra battery too. You'll need it.

All the right features, but picture quality could be better.
I looked at a lot of digital cameras before I bought this one. I chose the Dimage Xt because it was the only ultracompact under $300 with all the features I wanted.

Pros
-Ultracompact size. Take it anywhere you go.
-SD card. Small, plenty of memory for the money, acts like a hard drive when you connect to a computer.
-Quick startup. You won't miss many pictures with this camera.
-Docking station gives you the option of charging battery in-camera (my preference) or by itself.
-Auto white balance. This feature seems to work very well.
-Auto ISO (50-160), ISO 400 selectable.
-3X optical zoom. Amazing for a camera this size.
-3.2 MP.
-Night mode. Works very well as long as you keep the camera still. Almost a necessity with the inadequate flash.
-Makes movies and can be used as an audio recorder.
-Reasonable price given all the above features.
-Controls are easy to use and understand. In minutes, I was more comfortable with this camera than with my 2 year old, 1.3 MP, Olympus D-460.

Cons
-Picture quality could be better for a 3.2 MP camera. I think it must be the folded lens.
-Flash is underpowered and does not cover wide angles. Night mode makes a big difference, but you have to tell the subjects to be still for a couple seconds after the flash.
-Autofocus could be quicker. Results in out-of-focus shots if you rush. Take time to compose your shots.
-Easy to take a picture of your finger if you use your left hand to hold the camera steady.

Overall, I'm quite happy with this camera. The picture quality could be better, but the small size, features, and ease-of-use make up for it. I will probably get a more advanced camera in the future to take better pictures, but I will probably keep this camera to carry around.

I love mine, but a few warnings...
For me, the compact size of the camera was key. I also liked that all of the zoom was internal, leaving less possibility of problems with focusing and external zoom damage (e.g. getting sand in the camera if you take it to the beach).

I found that it stacked up nicely with others in it's price range; however, I would not recommend this camera for a 1st-time-digital-camera owner. The features and settings are in depth.

The major downfall of this camera, I think, is that with it's compact size it begs to be taken everywhere, but the camera does not come with a case. My screen is pretty scratched now, and I've had mine for about 6 months. I'm not rough on it, it just accumulates, and I'm noticing now that it seems to be from the positioning of the plastic part on the wrist strap. As a precaution I'd also get a case of some sort.

Great Camera, Easy to use!
Well, I know nothing about techology and I don't want to spend too much time on figuring out how to use a camera. This camera is perfect for me! I love it! I brought it for 2 months now, I am still loving it! The ONLY problem I had was the memory card that came with it.. it didn't work. I thought it was the camera problem, I was going to return the whole thing, but I brought another memory just to see if it was the camera problem or the card.. Thank god it was the card, not the camera. Besides that, everything else went well, nothing to complain about this camera, this is one good deal.

The Minolta Dimage...a handy camera
I bought the Dimage about 6 months ago. For the most part I have been very pleased with its performance. It is very easy to use....The controls and settings are very self explanatory and doesn't require a computer science degree to figure out. In fact, I didn't even open up the manual to learn how to use it. The construction quality is sound and seems to be pretty rugged. (Yes I have dropped it at least twice and it still works). The image quality is decent. On the TIFF mode, you can't beat it, but at other settings...well let me say I have seen better. I call it my "snap shot camera" I wouldn't use this camera if I were a professional.
I choose this camera primarily for its size. It is awesome! Put it in your jacket pocket and go. Its light and small. (almost too small if you have big hands) For those of you that remember the Kodak disc cameras...the Dimage is very similar in feel. For the "on the go" folks or outdoors types, I highly recommend this camera. If you are interested in "professional" or "artsy" photos...this is not the camera for you.

Here are the pros:
light, easy, decent quality shots, rugged (and it always seems to be a conversation piece because of its size, if that is impt to you). Battery life...I have taken a number of long weekend trips without difficulty. The battery does gripe a little when its cold out...but what battery doesn't.
Cons:
--the viewfinder..useless. Use the LCD--mayber for smaller hands it might be more useful, but the mits I have always block the lens when I bring the camera to my face.
--The Flash...works great in low or medium light...not great in very low light situations. The images come out blurry. If you plan on taking shots in darkness, take a pen light so the camera has something to focus on.
--Shutter delay...seems long. I have had to redo a number of pics because the subjects thought they had waited long enough and walked away mid-shot.

The true test would be to ask if I would buy this camera again? I would! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The Meade ETX90EC is a compact telescope with excellent optics, packaged with a sturdy tripod and the remarkable Autostar computer control. Even though I own several telescopes and belong to an Astronomy club, the first night I took out the ETX, it showed me objects I'd never seen before. The ETX90EC is the computerized version of an affordable Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope first introduced by Meade in 1996. Every reviewer since then has commented on the excellent optics. How excellent? When I presented a session on optical testing at my local Astronomy club, I brought my ETX90 so that everyone could see what a "textbook" star test actually looks like.

What can you see with an ETX90? You won't see the flag on the Moon, but you will see sharp, color free views of mountains and valleys, craters, and lava flows. The planets are also a delight. I'll never forget seeing Saturn's rings with my own eyes for the first time. Although you can see the rings of Saturn and the cloud bands of Jupiter with the included 26mm Plossl eyepiece (about 48X magnification), you'll want to increase the magnification to bring out more detail. I find that a magnification of about 100X is ideal on most nights. You can reach 100X by using a Barlow Lens, I like the Celestron Ultima Barlow, or a smaller eyepiece such as the Celestron Omni Series 12.5mm . It's tempting to crank up the power to 200X or more, but on most nights I didn't see any more detail.

The Autostar controller makes it easy to find 30,000 celestial objects.

As good as the optics are, however, the most amazing feature of the ETX90EC is the Autostar computer. The ETX90EC with Autostar was the first computerized "go-to" telescope for under a thousand dollars. While bright objects like the moon are easy to find, the Autostar excels at finding the galaxies and star clusters that make space so fascinating. Maybe it's because I play with computers anyway, but I found the Autostar easy to use. The owners manual instructs you to begin the alignment by pointing the telescope North and tilting the telescope to level. I don't use a compass or a spirit level to do this, I simply point the telescope at the North Star, Polaris, and lower the telescope 44 degrees using the setting circles. This works because my home is near 44 degrees latitude. Don't know which star is Polaris? You'll want some kind of star chart that identifies the stars by name, NightWatch by Terence Dickinson is one of my favorites.

Many of the best galaxies and star clusters were discovered by a French comet hunter named Charles Messier. These so-called "M" objects looked to Messier like comets in the small telescopes of his day. My first night with the ETX, I switched on the "tour" mode. After looking at a few favorites, the cluster M52 came up on the Autostar. I pressed GO TO, and the telescope aimed itself at a cluster I hadn't looked at before. And darned if it didn't look just like a distant comet passing in front of a few small stars! I was so impressed, I bought an ETX for my step-son who works for the Air Force.

It's only fair to warn you, however, that if you find yourself enjoying Astronomy, you may start wanting a bigger telescope! --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Excellent optics
• The Autostar computer finds objects and describes them for you
• Small and easily portable

Cons:

• It's small--the only way to see more detail is with a bigger telescope
• When using small eyepieces, you might bump the finder scope with your nose

... Read more

Features

• Includes Autostar controller and deluxe field tripod
• Cordless motor drive for fully automatic tracking
• Equatorial fork mount, flip-mirror system
• Maksutov meniscus corrector lens of Grade-A BK7 optical glass
• Includes a Meade Series 4000 Super Plossl 26 millimeter eyepiece for 48 times magnification

Reviews (3)

Meade Does It Right
The Meade ETX90EC lives up to its billing. It's a high-quality piece of gear that exudes craft and workmanship. The bundled package w/Autostar and Tripod gives you most of what you need. If you have any intent of doing terrestrial viewing, you should consider the 45 degree erecting prism. Also, the package does not come with any power adapters. If you plan to be out for a long evening of star gazing, you will probably want the adapter that lets you plug into a cigarette lighter. I wish Amazon had the UHTC version available, but no luck. Finally, I haven't been able to find the correct T-mount adapter for this scope on Amazon. I do want to use it for photography eventually. The main thing I would say is that this is not a toy, but it is ideal for beginners to intermediate enthusiasts. I've had more fun in just a couple sessions than I've ever had before.

Disappointed in Meade
This was my husband's big present for Christmas, something he has always wanted. While unwrapping and unpacking, he heard a rattle in the spotting scope. Upon investigation, he fished out a broken set screw and discovered that it had sheared off the outside of the spotting scope. Another screw was badly damaged. The eyepiece covers had all been left off when shipping. Also, all the settings were loose and had to be reset. Meade does not have an 800 number and you are put on hold interminably when you try to contact them. All in all, he likes the scope BUT was very disappointed in the quality of the manufacturer and lack of customer service. What a disappointment for Christams day!

Great Telescope
I've only used my telescope a couple times, but it has been great. It takes a little while to get used to it, and I highly recommend reading the manual. Also, Meade has a deal going on that you will probably want to check out (http://www.meade.com/promo.d/plosslpromo.html). You will definitely want to take them up on this offer. ... Read more

Features

• 35mm SLR camera with EF lens mount
• 7-point wide-area focusing system, plus Eye Controlled Focus, which tracks and focuses based on user's eye movement
• Advanced multi-mode exposure metering
• New distance-based E-TTL II flash metering
• Includes 28-105mm lens

Features

• Compact Hi8 Handycam camcorder with 320,000-pixel CCD
• 20x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 990x) with manual focus and image stabilizer
• 2.5-inch rotating LCD and black-and-white viewfinder
• Low-light recording settings and built-in white LED light
• NP-FM30 InfoLithium Rechargeable Battery

Reviews (1)

Very happy with it
When our 8mm stopped working that we had used for nine years, I found it overwhelming to research and find a new camera.
I knew I didn't want digital because I don't even use my digital still camera very often, other than to e-mail pictures.
I knew that I wanted another 8mm, so that we could play our tapes we have now. I didn't want to spend too much money. We received this camera a couple of weeks ago and I couldn't be happier. It even has more options than I really need. We charged the battery when we got the camera and for 2 weeks we have been filming the kids occasionally and the battery is still full. I never thought I would use the night vision, but have found it is fun to film the kids when they are asleep and I don't have to turn a light on to film. The zoom works well and the color looks good. For the price, I don't see how you could get a better camera. I don't think you could find a better analog camera even if you did spend more money. I obviously can't comment on how well it will hold up in the future, but as far as its performance now, I love it. ... Read more

Features

• 5.1-megapixel resolution for photo-quality 11 x 14-plus sized enlargements
• Olympus 4x wide-angle optical zoom lens to capture more of the scene
• Fully adjustable LCD monitor swivels for forward and rear viewpoints and easily tucks away to protect the screen when not in use
• Store images on either xD-Picture Card or CompactFlash memory card; comes with a 32 MB xD-Picture Card
• Powered by a BLM-1 Lithium-ion Battery(included with charger)

Reviews (26)

Point and shoot or take charge--your choice
Before buying this camera I seriously considered the Sony DSCV1. My daughter has the Sony DSCP10, and it seemed a good idea to share accessories. However, research made me decide that the Sony had serious problems--short battery use in the camera (with a battery that sometimes wouldn't hold too many recharges) and a viewscreen that sometimes conked out the minute the warranty (90 days for this part) was up.

I chose the Olympus C5060 because the lens is approximately equivalent to the Sony DSCV1 and most of the other high-end lenses out there for this type of camera. Not as bright as the renowned C5050, but respectable. I've used Olympus 35mm cameras, (and a very early digital) and I personally have liked them very much--they just feel right in my hands. This particular model has a mostly-metal (lightweight magnesium) body, which feels quite sturdy.

Good stuff:

1. Batteries are the same as for the digital SLR camera--good for a lot of shots (about 400-600 in "normal" conditions) between charges.

2. You can personalize nearly all camera settings, from power-up to viewing, to shooting, to power-down. "My Mode" allows you to save special photo settings that you use frequently--flip to it, and everything is the way you like it. Manual, AP and SP modes, too. And the P setting allows point-and-shoot no-brain photography.

3. While too chubby to be pocket-sized, the camera is compact and lightweight.

4. Dual slots for media storage--Olympus proprietary and generic CF. You can switch between them and use them both.

5. Quick shutter response time--almost like a film camera!

6. LCD viewscreen turns in against the camera back when not in use--nice protection feature.

Bad stuff:

1. Long charge time (6 hours--i.e. overnight) for that long-life battery. I can live with it... A second battery runs about $100.00, by the way. This is a heavy-duty item!

2. Lens tube is plastic--probably identical in construction to all C series cameras. (There's a metal rim so that plastic isn't exposed when the camera is closed--except for the lens cap.)

3. No 5050 lens, alas... Will we ever see 1.8 again?

All in all, I'm glad I got this camera instead of my original choice.

Proprietary batteries a bad choice
Most disappointed with the choice that Olympus made to go with proprietary batteries in most of their new C series digital cameras. Love their cameras and matter of fact have bought three C-5050 zooms this year for myself and family. However, there is nothing worse than having the batteries go dead on you and there is no way to recharge the batteries. With the C5050 Zoom camera it comes with rechargeable AA batteries , but in a pinch if they run down you can always use any AA battery at your local 7-11 store. One of my biggest bragging points and reasons for buying Olympus has been their choice not to use proprietary batteries, but now I am sad to say I have bought my last Olympus unless they rethink this. I know the proprietary batteries that comes with the C-5060 Zoom has a tiny bit more power and you can get a few more shots than with the rechargeable AA batteries that comes with the C-5050 Zoom, but Olympus did not do this for that very small gain. Olympus was thinking profits and only profits and they know this camera is almost worthless with one battery. They know most people will have to purchase a second "extremely over prices" proprietary battery and that means big bucks. Sometimes I just don't get corporate America. I understanding wanting more profits, but they need to calculate in how many customers they will lose doing it.

Great!
PROS: Great Images Can be obtained from this camera. Color & the like.Batt. life has been great even with a full night of flash use. Almost every command has a shortcut or a button on the cameramaking it a blast to use. Support for 3 types of Memory CF, XD, Or MD (Hint: 340MB MDs DO work in this ca) Wide array of add ons. Works great MACs with OSX and above. Iphoto will read the camera like a dream. With the dual slots for cards/MD you can switch on the fly between the two and that means you can have loads of memory! PhotoShop CS support for the RAW format. No plugin needed! The camera is not lite but not going to make your arm fall off. That's what I love about it. It feels like a camera and not a toy (EX. Cannons EOS digi) CONS:Save your money and get a good TTL flash for this camera and/or the bracket with a HS link cable. The flash on the camera is not in the worst place but I have found red eye and other flash points to be a bit of a trouble.Get more lens sets. You do have to buy a tube to make them work but it's not all that big of a deal. They also make aftermarket lens sets in a vast range of sizes. (Big Deal you have to buy lens sets and items for film cameras to0.) Also it will take a while for you to learn everything about the camera because the manual is not very well. In short I love my 5060 and have loads of great photos! My friend bought bought the finepix and it stoped working after 2 months! Mine is going strong without a problem!

Charger problem solved
Just for information to the people who bought the c 5060 recently like I did and reported the problem with the charger's blinking red light when first charged out of the box. I had the same problem but went ahead and fully charged the battery overnight despite the instructions saying to call customer support. The battery was fully charged in the morning, the indicator light was green, and have not had a problem since. What happened I think is the battery came from the supplier uncharged so the first time it is charged it takes a long time (I left it overnight probably 10 hours) and red indicator light is blinking.

Another DOA
Just like the other reviewer from Texas, out-of-the-box the battery/charger have a problem. I'm sure this is a good camera if I ever get to use it.
The charger flashes red after about 2 minutes of charging. The instructions say to immediately call Olympus support. Which I did and after about 15 minutes on hold, I'm told I can either return the camera or mail in the charger and battery. I'm mailing the charger/battery - so I'm guessing I'm out of a camera for a couple of weeks.
When two people take the time to report the same problem within 2 months, I think Olympus has a serious problem with a supplier. ... Read more

Features

• 3.0 megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 8 x 10 prints and medium-quality prints up to 11 x 14
• 3x optical zoom plus 3.4x digital zoom (10x total)
• Large 1.8-inch LCD; up to 60 seconds of video
• 16 MB XD memory card included
• Powered by 2 AA batteries (alkalines included); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (51)

great camera, great buy!
Batteries: 1)Yes, the D560 can go through batteries, but as others have said, buy some NIMHs, always carry a spare charged set, and you won't have a problem. Lithiums are a nice idea, but they're expensive. 2)Use the viewfinder, not the LCD. ALL digitals will drain batteries much more quickly with the LCD on. Besides, when you're outside in bright light, it's hard to see the LCD screen at all.

Quality: I was astounded at the quality of pictures I get with this camera. Color is wonderful and clarity is great. I've never had a fuzzy picture - indoors or out, low light or bright. Not so with my SLR. I love the immediate feedback - if you don't like it, retake it. Of course, that doesn't work well with spontaneous photos of people, but I don't think I have any less success with my digital than I did with my SLR. At least with the digital I know what I got right away, and can try again.

Ease of use: Accustomed to a bulky SLR, I didn't think I'd like using such a small camera, but once I got used to it, I love it. The 560 is lightweight and fits easily in a pocket. I carry it with me everywhere I go. I couldn't do that with my SLR. As a result, I take way more pictures than I used to. I just wish Olympus provided a slipcase with it to protect the LCD screen. I ended up buying a sunglass case to protect it from things like pens and nail clippers in my purse.

I bought the D560 a year ago to replace our broken 35mm point and shoot back up camera. My main camera was a Minolta SLR. Since I loved my SLR, I leaned toward buying a Minolta digital, but after some reasearch and a lot of reviews, I decided on the Olympus D-550. When I went to buy it, I found that I could get it's replacement, the 560 for the same price, so I decided to go for it. The only time I've been disappointed with the D-560 is when I dropped it and broke the lens... and that was my fault. As to my SLR, I finished out the roll of film that was on it, and it's been in my closet ever since. I've been thinking about giving it away because I don't see myself ever using it enough to make it worth keeping.

As for my broken D560, Olympus said that the standard charge for repair and servicing is $135. They will let me know if it is more than that and I can decide whether to have them repair it or not. I fear it will turn out to be "not economical to repair" but I think that if I have to replace it, I'll buy another D560. I'm so happy with it, I don't want to risk disappointment with something that turns out not to perform as well.

Quick lecture: Digital cameras and battery types.
Maybe it's because I design small electronic devices that I seem to have a better understanding of this issue of the D-560/C-350 and battery life than others. Digital cameras including this one with LCD monitor screens put savage power demands on their batteries. The basic chemistry and construction of alkaline batteries means that they are not able to efficiently deliver power at this very high rate. They just get hot and their voltage drops very quickly, making the camera shut down in a matter of minutes.

Olympus have been amazingly short-sighted in supplying a pair of alkaline batteries with the D-560. It's giving users the very mistaken idea that it's designed to use this battery type, when it *isn't*. The manual on the CD-ROM more or less spells it out that alkaline batteries are only to be used as a last resort. OK?

Rechargeable Ni-MH and non-rechargeable lithium batteries (CR-V3) have a completely different chemistry. They *are* capable of efficiently delivering the kind of power this camera (and other digital ones) demand, to give a very useful operating time.

I've been using 2,000mAH PowerBase Ni-MH batteries in mine, and getting more than 150 photos before one set is discharged. I think that this is perfectly reasonable. The supplied 16MB XD card can only hold about 80 1024x768 pictures after all.

The bottom line is this: if you are going to buy this or a similar digital camera, be prepared to buy some Ni-MH batteries and a charger or pay a lot for CR-V3 lithium batteries for as long as you own it. Olympus should make this fact crystal clear in their owner's manual, but they don't.

Yes, the D-560 obviously does have a design fault. It will often give the Low Battery warning even on batteries which have just been charged. However mine doesn't stop working, and the flashing red symbol disappears after a while. If you can live with this glitch and are prepared to buy Ni-MH batteries and a charger (or CR-V3 batteries), this is one incredibly good digital camera I fully recommend.

Good camera
Takes very good quality photos, but the batteries run out after a day of use. It also freezes up quite a bit-i.e. you can't close the front bc the lense will not retract.

Love it!
Small, cute and easy to use. I love the MACRO. Have taken more than 20,000 photos with it and it's great. Only drawback is battery consumption - eats up AAs and spits them out.

Good camera for easy P&R
I bought this one after much research when my Fuji A210 was lost. As other previous reviewers have said, it takes great outdoor pictures as long as I choose the right white balance for the lighting. Pictures are sharp and color is saturated. As for the indoor pictures, the objects need to be within the flash range. If they are within 10 ft, the camera takes great pictures. But as soon as the objects are beyond 10 ft or so, the pictures become bad (very blurry and dark).
As for the batteries, I experienced no problem as long as I used 2000 MAh NiMH batteries. One thing I did notice was that when I took many shots in short time frame, the low batter warning showed up even though the batteries were relatively fully charged. But instead of replacing the batteries, I let them "recuperate" for about 10 seconds. After that, the full battery meter returned and I could take many more pics.
It does have a long shutter lag. But if you focus first (let the green light come on) and shoot, you can compensate for it.
This camera does not have many features like Canon A70 (such as aperture priority, shutter priority, and video with sound) does. But it does have 4 scene modes and 4 white balances. It's a good entry-level 3MP digital camera for people who just want clear pictures. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Featuring a high-tech design with aluminum front cover and metallic handgrip, the Canon PowerShot A70 combines a sense of both the modern and the traditional. Despite its entry-level designation in Canon's digital lineup, the 3.2-megapixel PowerShot A70 is a surprisingly advanced model with a higher resolution than its counterpart A60 model and more manual features than you'll find on most digital point-and-shoots.

Optics and Resolution
The PowerShot A70 features a 3.2-megapixel sensor that can capture images up to 2,048 x 1,536 pixels, producing print enlargements up to 11 by 14 inches. It's also equipped with a 3x optical zoom lens (35-105mm, f/2.8-4.8) to cover a wide selection of photographic opportunities, as well as a 3.2x digital zoom. The PowerShot A70 also features Canon's five-point AiAF (Artificial intelligence Auto Focus) system for focusing accuracy, shutter speeds of 15 to 1/2,000 second, and fast sequence shooting at a rate of 2.2 frames per second (fps).

Movie Mode
Shoot up to three minutes of MPEG video at resolutions up to 320 x 240 pixels with sound, editing controls, and VCR-like playback. You can also shoot video at up to VGA resolution (640 x 480) for 30 seconds. The camera can also attach voice memos or sound files of up to 60 seconds to each image.

More Features
Offering a wider scope for photographic experimentation, Canon has also included manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority exposure modes. These modes are supported by a metering system that boasts evaluative, center-weighted average and spot options. Canon's DIGIC (DIGital Imaging Core) processor ensures excellent color rendition and white balance for every shot, as well as super-fast auto focusing, noise-free imaging, and advanced flash exposure performance.

Other features include:

• 1.5-inch TFT (transreflective) LCD monitor.
• Built-in flash with auto, on, off, manual, and red-eye reduction modes.
• Shot modes include manual, portrait, landscape, night scene, stitch assist, and more.

Storage and Transfer
Images and video are stored on CompactFlash memory cards (Type I only) and the included 16 MB card holds approximately 16 images at the Large/Fine setting. Files can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows 98/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Printing
Canon has introduced a series of printers designed to work directly with its lineup of digital cameras. Using these printers, no computer is required--simply connect the camera to the printer and start printing. Printers include Canon's bubble jet direct printers S830D and S530D, and card photo printer CP-100. Of course, photos from your camera can also be printed on any home computer system with an inkjet printer, sent off for online processing, or simply enjoyed on your computer screen.

Power, Size, and Contents
The camera is powered by four AA batteries (alkalines included; rechargeable NiMH batteries recommended). It measures 4.0 by 2.5 by 1.3 inches and weighs 7.6 ounces (without batteries). This package includes the PowerShot A70 digital camera, 16 MB CompactFlash card, four AA batteries, USB and AV cables, wrist strap, and ArcSoft Camera Suite CD-ROM and USB drivers for Windows and Mac. ... Read more

Features

• 3.2 megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 8 x 10 prints and medium-quality prints up to 11 x 14
• 3x optical zoom and 3.2x digital zoom (9.6x total)
• Up to 3 minutes of video with sound; manual, aperture and shutter priority exposure modes
• Compatible with CompactFlash Type I cards; 16 MB card included
• Powered by 4 AA batteries (alkalines included); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (208)

Only camera with full manual under 300!
Pro's
1. Excellent features like 3MP, Video out, AA batteries, movie w/sound etc.
2. Very competitively priced.
3. Manual features like long shutter and shutter/aperture priority mode.
4. Superb battery life, works even on normal alkaline AA's.
5.Uses standard & inexpensive CF card. (not stick or xd card).
6.Good LCD screen, very good ergonomics.

Con's
1. Its effectively 2 inches thick not 1.3, when you consider the battery compartment size.
2. Not pocketable, very heavy with 4 AA batteries and thick. (Canon didn't use just 2 AA's probably to protect their Elph line.)
3. AF assist is just a gimmick, doesn't help camera focus better. The weak beam reaches only a few feet.
4. Soft images and lot of time needed to auto-focus & also shutter lag.
5. Build quality and reliability isn't as good as Elph's (Elph's are made in Japan in Canon factories unlike A70/A60 which are outsourced).

In short, if you want manual features and can live with its weight/size then this is the best 3MP for your money. If size/pocketability/reliability is more imp than manual features then Elph series is much better.

Buy it! You won't be disappointed.
I purchased the Canon Powershot A70 in May in anticipation of using it on a trip to Europe. After researching several online photo equipment review sites and looking at the cameras in local retail stores, I decided on the A70. The facts that influenced my decision to purchase this camera were: size, weight, type of battery, ability to shoot in full automatic or with some level of manual control. The additional advantages this camera offered, were the ability to use rechargeble batteries and add a macro or telephoto lens.

The learning curve is very fast. I didn't have time to get very familiar with the camera before leaving, but it didn't take long to learn how to make adjustments. Digital cameras tend to be much smaller than film cameras and that affects their handling and controls. The menus are easy to access and once familiar can be changed quickly. At first I thought the words on the menus were difficult to read in the LCD but this became less of a problem with time and with my glasses on. In outdoor light all LCD's tend to be difficult to see but this is a very bright LCD and indoors is fantastic for viewing pictures.

The macro worked wonderful. If you are photographing a stationary object you could use the manual focus, but to photograph insects or anything that moves, use the autofocus in macro mode to get spectacular photos.

I used a battery recharger with 2 sets of 4 rechargeable AA batteries, so I always had a spare set. I used the LCD all the time and reviewed images at night of the day's photos, the batteries seemed to last forever. As long as you have a recharger with an adapter for European current, you can plug it in at night in a hotel room and be ready for the next day. The AA batteries can double in an emergency to power up your PDA with an adapter so you won't be carrying dead weight for only one device.

The 16MB compact flash that comes with the camera is best left home. Get a 512MB CF and you can put nearly 500 photos in L mode (2048 X 1536). You can add music or a memo to your photos. I added a music memo to a picture of a band playing 60 feet away and the camera recorded it flawlessly. This camera also has a movie mode with sound.

All controls are easy to access, the camera is well-balanced, and fast to turn on and off. Don't be fooled into thinking this camera is too big. Many of the new cameras are smaller, but they are not easy to get a grip on or hold with one hand without getting your fingers in the way of the lens.

Once you get your pictures home it is easy to view them. The camera comes with a cable to view them on a TV with video and audio inputs or you can upload them to your computer via a USB cable.

This camera is much more than it might appear and for a modest price it delivers.

A Bargain! Buy it while it's still available!
This is my first digital camera and I absolutely love it. I am a computer guy myself, so the basic come a little easier to me than others but even my wife (not so much the computer person) is able to use it without reserve and she prefers it better than our still camera.

The shooting modes are easily accessible on the top dial. You can switch from AUTO, to camcorder, to action shots within seconds. I can get 137 pix out of one 128mb card. The battery life is great. I DEFINITELY recommend rechargables!

There are a couple little *quirks* about it like the fact that there are two menus which can be a pain if you know you saw a feature somewhere but don't remember exactly which menu had it. Plus I can't figure out a way to get a date on the print. It may be there but then I'd have to read the manual :-)

Otherwise, you simply can't beat this camera for the price. Get it now before Canon phases it out. There are two newer models out there now so the clock is ticking!

better than expected! but off to the factory already!
i got this camera after being disappointed with the quality of my 3MP fuji finepix s5000. i did my homework and researched 3MP digital cameras for a few weeks. i noticed the A70 had the same advanced controls as the finepix s5000. it got good reviews from both professionals and casual users. so, i bought it and i have been VERY happy with this camera ever since.

my advice? READ THE MANUAL if you ever plan on doing more than pointing and shooting. even if you don't, read it anyway! this camera has a great feature set and you'd be wasting your hard earned money if you don't check it out. also, as always, spring for a bigger compact flash card (at least 128MB), rechargable batteries and a case. protect your investment!

PROS:
* takes excellent 3MP photos (color is cool and images are sharp). isn't this what digital photography is all about?
* advanced features are great! it's a great point and shoot camera, but also has tons of advanced features for those wanting more control; white balance, shutter speed, aperature, ISO, and many, many more!
* movie feature is kinda cool. with sound, too!
* fairly small and feels comfortable in your hand. controls are where they should be.
* menu is easy to understand.
* battery life seems to be pretty good (i use rechargables).

CONS:
* LCD on back of camera scratches very easily. don't remove the protective cover, or buy one on ebay. people actually sell these things. :)
* LCD gets a pink hue to it when i am in daylight, taking photos. the LCD is hard to see in daylight. try using the viewfinder. though the optical viewfinder isn't exactly what you'll see when you transfer to your 'puter, but it's close enough.
* time between photos could be better.

overall, a SUPER camera! i just hope i don't get the dreaded "E18" error!

7.12.04
well, it's off to the factory already for repairs. it's been a little over a month since i bought the A70 and it's already got problems. pink streaking on the LCD and although it doesn't show up in the pictures, it does show up on the video. i am so scared of sending this thing to the canon factory to be worked on 'cause i have heard so many stories about their horrible customer service. oh well, here goes...

Great camera, especially for the learner
I've long believed that the only way to become good at photography is to keep experimenting and the move to digital allowed me to indulge in my hobby without worrying about consuming film on failed photographs. I have found the A70, with its impressive list of manual controls, perfect for the job. Its pictures are sharp and clear and uploading them to the computer is a piece of cake.

Its wide range of shutter speeds and apertures allows for a lot of experimentation, especially with low light and night shots. I've come up with some night shots and macros that I've been quite proud of. I also have a three year old and as anyone with kids knows, they never have the time to pose for a photograph. So for such moments when there isn't enough time to fiddle around with the settings, the preset modes like portrait, shutter priority, etc. work real well. The batteries last quite long(I've taken about 200 shots, most of them with the LCD on, with one set) and with 2 sets of rechargeables, I make sure I'm never without a fresh set.

The reduction of 1 star is due to the E18 error I've gotten several times. And apparently it is quite prevalent if the forums are to be believed. Though its never affected my photographs(since it occurs only when shutting down or turning the camera on in play mode), it is quite annoying and scary.

Overall, I love my A70 and never leave the house without it! ... Read more

Features

• Powerful 38-170mm (4.5x) high-performance zoom lens
• Fully automatic operation with intelligent variable-power flash
• Ultracompact body with all-weather durability against water splashed from any direction
• Extra-low dispersion (ED) glass lens element
• Quartz date and time imprinting

Reviews (17)

Far Exceeds My Expectations
Bought this camera to replace one I had actually worn out! I run a lot of film through a camera in a year. This point and shoot camera gave me sharp pictures with good color on 400ASA film, indoors with flash. The flash was effective to 17 feet away. I put 200 ASA film in and shot pictures both indoors and out. Results were more than satisfactory. I plan to take this camera to Italy with me instead of my SLR. The zoom is smooth, and the image in the viewfinder is very close to actual picture. I love it! Worth every penny!

Olympus Zoom 170
I have owned quite a few cameras in my life, and feel this is one of the best I have come across. The zoom is excellent, and so far, only two rolls of film used, I have had zero failures. The buttons are a little bit small, and I just need to get used to that, the zoom is easy to use. The feel of the camera is good, despite its small size, it fits well in the hand. The point and shoot era is here, and all the years of my using a Nikon 35mm slr seem to be over. This is just too simple and easy. To go back to the changing lenses, carrying all the baggage, etc hardly seems worth the effort if the end result is as good or better.

Great Camera with excellent zoom
This is simply a great camera. I have used it for over 2 years. I bought it at buy.com when it was newly released. We bought it primarily for the zoom. The zoom is simply excellent. This is one of the best point and shoot i have used. I have used Canon and Minolta before. The controls are all conveniontly placed and the zoom works great. I have never missed a picture.

Best in its class.
Simple point and shoot. Awsome zoom. Pictures are consistenly sharp and clear. I'd recommend it, specially for travel when a digital camera just doesn't have enough memory to hold so many pics.

Great camera - my 2nd Stylus
Love it! I had my first Olympus Stylus for YEARS. After dropping my first camera way too many times (over many many years), I finally had to replace it. I was sticking with the Olympus Stylus. Like the first one, this camera also takes great pictures - especially close up people-pictures. I always use 200 film and get great results every time. Call me lucky. I don't need all this zoom power though and find I don't use it. Probably a little too much zoom for a hand-held camera, but the photos I take with this camera are very nice. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Polaroid Spectra 1200SI camera kit combines Polaroid's Spectra 1200SI camera with a pack of Spectra film so that you can begin snapping pictures immediately. The Polaroid Spectra 1200SI offers great versatility. A member of Polaroid's instant-camera family, it takes Polaroid's trademark instant pictures. The Polaroid Spectra 1200SI features an electronic viewfinder that provides distance and light information as well as auditory and visual signals that cue you to the right photographic conditions. A panel also allows control of exposure, autofocus, autoflash, and the self-timer. The Polaroid Spectra 1200SI camera kit includes an adjustable hand strap and a five-year warranty. ... Read more

Features

• Instant camera with premium features
• Uses Polaroid Spectra Platinum film
• 10-zone autofocus, automatic flash, and electronic viewfinder
• Selectable self-timer, picture adjustment on control panel
• 1 pack of Polaroid Spectra Platinum film included

Reviews (9)

The best polaroid camera so far
The last polaroid camera I owned was in the early 70's. I remember squeezing the sides of the shutter button to get a "yes" or a "no" in my view finder before I could take the picture. I also remember pushing single flash bulbs into the flash pocket in front of the camera. Taking a picture with a polaroid was always an event. Despite the fact that this was the only instant camera around, I always felt I had to take my time to get the best picture possible. And, I didn't want to waste precious film as it cost so much. And, it was all black and white (which now have an archival quality to them).

It was with this nostalgia that I purchased this camera and I was delighted. First of all, I love the new compact, sleek design. The camera is still fairly large and heavy. The photo quality is good but not great. No more peeling film or inserting flash bulbs. There are some sophisticated extras on this camera but my favorite is the auto-timer, so now I can take photos of myself. I lent it to a friend who needed to take photos of bridesmaid gowns she was considering to show her sister who was getting married and my friend was hooked. I had to beg for the camera back. Despite the so-so picture quality there's no getting around the "fun" factor of a polaroid. In spite of all the digital technology and sophisticated cameras now available, there is still an itch that only a polaroid can satisfy. I love my polaroid. Get this one.

very good
i first bought this as a present for a friend of mine. After i took a few pictures with it,i was honestly very impressed! The picture quality was very good, not great.
The camera was slightly big and in a little bit of an odd shape to hold, but i didnt mind that too much.
Id recommend this camera, but not if your looking for excellent picture quality. Its still a fun camera and really convientant how you dont need to have it developed!

Excellent! Every picture we took with this camera came out
great! We used it at our wedding for the guest book and I was so happily surprised how great they all came out! Some of the best pictures we have are from this camera!

Beautiful Pictures
I'm a Great Grandmother who finds this camera very easy to use. Big improvement over the first Poloroid instant camera which I owned. When I bought this Sprecta 1200si there was a camera case on the same page which I also bought. However, it didn't fit this camera! I would like to know where I can buy one!

Superb Photos
The Polaroid Spectra 1200si, using the bright Spectra film, produces superb photos in almost any circumstance. The camera focuses automatically, beeping if you are too close to your subject, and adjusts to various lighting conditions.

The timer feature is simple to use, giving off a very helpful insistent beeping as the picture is about to be taken - rather than taking a photo of you telling your family the camera's about to take a picture, it takes a photo of everyone paying attention to the beeping Spectra.

If all of this beeping is too much to bear, you can set the camera to a silent mode.

I use a variety of Polaroid and Minolta APS cameras for art and family photos. When I need a reliably good picture right away, I reach for the Spectra and am rarely disappointed. Polaroid, by the way, is an extremely responsive company with great technical assistance and customer service. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Canon's 8x32 WP binoculars are rugged and waterproof, perfect for marineuse or other activities in which you are bound to get wet. The nitrogen-filledconstruction protects the optics from fogging or damage. This model has 8xmagnification, long eye relief, and wide-field viewing even in poor conditions. The multicoated Canon optics include a field-flattener for excellent edge-to- edge sharpness and contrast. ... Read more

Features

• Nitrogen-filled waterproof construction
• Rubberized nonslip grip
• Ideal for marine use
• 8x magnification and multicoated optics
• Made with environment-friendly lead-free glass

Reviews (10)

Exceptional Quality for the Price
I repaired optical equipment for the Navy for 15 years and am quite particular in regards to the optical equipment I purchase. I found these Binoculars to be an outstanding value. The binoculars are constructed very well. The rubber coating makes them very comfortable to hold but kind of on the heavy side. The brightness was quite impressive despite only having a 32mm objective lens. The eye relief is acceptable for those who wear glasses. I have used them in all kinds of weather and in the short time I have owned a pair I have found they can take quite a beating. Granted with optics you always get what you pay for but for the price of these binoculars I don't feel that you can beat them.

Best waterproof binocular in price range
These are a great value with good eye relief (18 mm, important for use with glasses), easy to hold and focus, good sized exit pupil (8/32 = 4 mm), wide field of view (395'), and not too heavy (26 oz.) A large exit pupil is important on a moving boat; it's easier to keep the image in view. They appear to be rugged; I and several other people used several pairs of these for several years, and none of them went out of alignment.
Minuses are:
(1) they do not focus close (minimum 19 feet), which is a major drawback for bird and butterfly watching but fine for boating,
(2) the optics are not phase corrected so images are a bit soft,
(3) the eyecups on the ones I used roll up and down which is tedious if you often switch between use with glasses and without, and may eventually cause the rubber to crack. However, the photos of the newer models suggest they now have rigid eyecups that pull or twist up or down, which are much better.

Birders and other serious users should look at slightly more expensive waterproof roof prism models that all focus closer (5-6'), are phase corrected, have a bit more light and larger exit pupil (5 mm), and have eyecups that click up & down: the Celestron Regal LS 8x42 or Eagle Optics Ranger Platinum 8x42 (both made by Celestron) or the new Nikon ATB 8x42. All cost between $300-$400 at discount and weigh about the same as the Canon 8x32. I own the Celestrons and they are great. There is also a Pentax 8x42 DCF waterproof with similar specifications but it costs a bit more.

Ranger Platiunum NOT made by Celestron
The above review is actually ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT! Ranger Platiunum Class binoculars are NOT made by Celestron. They are made by Eagle Optics independently. Call them and ask! :-)

Good optics for the price
I compared this model in a sporting goods store to similar sized $500-1000 models from well known binoc. makers and to some other moderately priced units in the $100-250 range. I thought it outdid the other moderate units in handling and image quality and came pretty close to several of the high end models. For our limited uses this product is excellent. Canon is well known in camera optics but has not been well known in the binocular market and this non IS model is their way of breaking into the market. I use a Zeiss microscope everyday and appreciate good optics.

Brightest binocular I ever used!
We bought this to bring to Everglades for birding and alligator watching and what a world of difference it is from my cheap compact one! The scope is so big and bright it makes looking into the binocular a pleasure and no longer strains the eyes. Sometimes I feel it's even brighter than seen with naked eye. The only drawback is it's larger and heavier than my compact one but I wouldn't mind this little inconvenience for the quality. I'm ready to toss out my old cheapie compact one... ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The durable Olympus Stylus Epic offers full-featured, high-quality 35mm operation in an affordable package. With this ultra-portable point-and-shoot--one of the smallest 35mm cameras available--you'll never leave your camera at home.

While it's extraordinarily light and small, the Olympus Stylus Epic is heavy on styling and great features. It sports a miniature version of Olympus's signature clamshell sliding case, making it easy to turn the camera on and off. Its good-looking, high impact case is durable and splashproof.

The Olympus Stylus Epic offers the advanced features of Olympus's larger camera lines, including quartz date and time imprinting and a self timer.The Olympus Stylus Epic also has a whopping six flash modes, including automatic, red-eye reduction, and night scene.

The Olympus Stylus Epic was a pleasure to use--it was as small or smaller than many of the new Advanced Photo System (APS) cameras, but uses standard 35mm film. Its tapered design made it easy to slip in a pocket, and since it was little larger than a deck of cards, we found ourselves carrying it everywhere. If you hate lugging even a normal-size point-and-shoot around, the Olympus Stylus Epic has the portability you need.

Pros:

• Extremely lightweight and compact
• Durable construction
• Wide range of flash options
• Affordable

Cons:

• Battery compartment is hard to open

Features

• Active type multi-beam autofocus system
• Fully automatic operation
• Intelligent variable-power flash
• Spot Mode provides pinpoint exposure accuracy
• Bright, 0.45X real-image viewfinder

Amazon.com Product Description

Olympus D-Series cameras are renowned for combining easy-to-use features with high-quality optics for great-looking results, and the Camedia D-390 lives up to that tradition. Featuring a compact body and 2-megapixel resolution, the D-390 is the most affordable digital camera from Olympus, making an ideal choice for beginners in digital photography.

The D-390 has a durable plastic body with a sliding clamshell lens barrier. Its small size is due, in part, to the use of the miniature XD memory card--the D-390 is 15% smaller than its predecessor the D-380--making it easy to slip into your pocket.

The 2-megapixel resolution will produce images up to 1600 x 1200 pixels for print enlargements up to 8 x 10 inches. The D-390 features a high-quality, all-glass Olympus lens that's specially designed for digital cameras. It also offers a 2.5x digital zoom to help you get in closer to your subjects.

The included 16 MB XD memory card will store approximately 32 images captured at 1600 x 1200 pixels in HQ mode. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Other features include:

• 1.8-inch color TFT (transreflective) LCD screen for reviewing and editing images.
• Built-in flash with auto, red-eye reduction, fill in, and slow synch modes.
• Four scene program modes including Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, and Self-Portrait.
• Movie mode (with no sound) for video at 320 x 240 (up to 15 seconds) or 160 x 120 (up to 60 seconds)

The camera is powered by two AA batteries (included); rechargeable AA-size NiMH batteries are. It measures 4.2 x 2.3 x 1.6 inches and weighs 5.8 ounces. This package includes the Camedia D-390 digital camera, 16 MB XD memory card, batteries, USB and A/V cables, wrist strap, and CD-ROM with Camedia Master imaging software and USB drivers for Windows and Mac. ... Read more

Features

• 2.0-megapixel sensor creates 1,600 x 1,200 images for sharp prints at sizes up to 8 x 10 inches
• 2.5x digital zoom
• Large 1.8-inch LCD; up to 60 seconds of video
• 16 MB XD memory card included
• Powered by 2 AA batteries (alkalines included); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (40)

Good for the money!
I received this camera as a lovely gift from a friend. I was very impressed when I opened it...really classy and tiny looking with a nice, sleek look and the cute LCD screen.

This camera is very good with picture quality! It beat my sister's ... digital camera with the quality! It records short videos (no sound) and does the auto-picture thing (set it and it takes the picture in 10 seconds). It has great options like the redeye mode, landscape mode, night mode, portrait mode, and more! You can even make your images black/white, sepia (old ancient look), or normal of course. Good customizations!

The bad. The batteries don't last very long. I'll say in about 1 hour of use, dead. So get some good batteries or at least rechargable ones to save you money.
Another bad. The zoom. The zoom is almost pointless. First of all, it doesn't zoom very close. Second, the picture quality is just terrible with each zoom you do. Because of this, you're almost without a zoom. Oh well.

Besides those 2 bad things, the camera is A-OK! Worth the money and a great gift for anyone. Really easy and fun!

Pros, cons, and tips
I like my Olympus D-390, but here are some faults I find with it:

- doesn't use power from USB when transferring photos to computer -- drains batteries instead!
- no optical zoom
- can't turn on menus when lens barrier is closed
- no dock
- no battery charger
- must wade through menus to get to scene selector (portrait, macro, landscape etc.) -- wish this was on a physical dial like on Canons

Stuff I really like

- price ($... Cdn at ...)
- self-portrait mode, where you can point the camera at yourself (is this mode unique to Olympus?)
- lens barrier, which doubles as power switch (lower-end cameras like Kodak's often don't even have a lens cap)
- quality: 2 megapixels are adequate for 5x7's

Tips
- by default, all the settings reset when you turn the camera off. Set it so that it doesn't do this (see manual for details)
- set the flash to be always off! On one shot it made my mom look like a ghost. Besides, with it off, pictures will appear as in their natural light.

You Get What You Pay For.
I recently got this as a gift and it is my first digital camera. I am quite pleased with the pictures and features. You get what you pay for. To an extent there is slightly more noise than most camera's in its class but this can be easily corrected with noise reduction software. With a little patience and practice you should be able to get satisfactory results. My advice is turn off the flash and take pictures in ambient light as far as possible and hold camera extra steady. The pictures are good enough for upto 5 X 7 prints. Normal 6 X 4 prints are very good.

The reset function can be turned off. Please get in touch with me if any wish to see sample pictures. shinebob@hotmail.com.

Good camera for your money
I just bought this camera and find that it takes good pictures and downloads easily to a computer. As for the movie mode if you were looking for something that has sound or lasts longer you should have read the box it clearly states that the movie mode does not record sound and is only 15 secs. You cannot expect a camera that is under 200.00 to act like one that is priced over 300. You get what you pay for don't expect professional grade pictures from this camera if that is what you want dig a little deeper and shell out the extra cash for a better camera.

Great camera for the price
This camera is perhaps the easiest, most user friendly I have ever seen. I didnt even read the manual, and I have figured out how to navigate the menus, change picture resolutions, do video capture, work the zoom, and review photos. Transferring files to your computer and managing the flash disk is just as simple, as the USB mass storage lets you connect w/out drivers or software. Maybe one day they'll start making blue tooth ready cameras in digital SLR formats. Very easy to use. Great for internet based applications like ebay photos, propery viewing, and general photo taking. I love it. I bought mine for $50 from an online classified, and the camera came all the way from Antarctica. For those of you that complain that it resets to the default settings at power off and eats batteries, you're right. however, if you read the manual, or even search the on screen menus, it gives you the option to turn that off, and why in God's name would you not use a lithium battery?! Thats what all cameras should be using, and they last forever. Think people. Train smarter, not harder. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The latest model in Meade's popular ETX line, the ETX105EC with premium Ultra High Transmission optical coatings (UHTC), is one sweet portable package. The included Autostar controller delivers excellent tracking and pointing. The #884 Tripod combined with the aluminum frame and ball-bearing chassis delivers vibration-free viewing. And the optics are simply the best I've ever seen in a small Maksutov-Cassegrain or Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

Although Meade recommends the UHTC coatings package for improved brightness, I find the improved contrast is much more impressive. I compared the ETX105EC, at 4.13 inches of aperture, side by side with my 5 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain. The view of Saturn at 200X magnification in both telescopes was nearly identical. The Cassini division in Saturn's rings was obvious, and I could see 5 moons around Saturn with both scopes. The inner moons Tethys and Dione were easier to spot with the larger SCT. The ETX105EC with UHTC, however, was the clear winner on contrast and color. The UHTC coatings simply eliminated much of the scattered light that robs contrast from the views in my SCT. Saturn's equatorial belt was the same apricot color in the 4 inch ETX that I see in much larger scopes. When I looked at Jupiter with the ETX105EC, the pale orange-tan color of the famous Great Red Spot was plainly visible.

The Autostar controller delivers excellent pointing accuracy. My usual set-up starts with centering Polaris in the scope, then leveling the optical tube. This automatically sets the telescope's "home position" within one degree of true North and level. After a careful setup the other night, the "easy align" routine put the first alignment star, Rigel, inside the field of view. And the second star, Procyon, was just outside the edge of the field. Easy as can be. (Nightwatch by Terence Dickinson will introduce you to these brighter stars by name.) Even without precise alignment to North, the alignment stars were close enough that I had no trouble with the setup. Autostar's guided tour of "tonight's best" still placed every object but Saturn in the low power field of view, and Saturn was just outside the field.

The model 884 tripod included in the ETX105EC package is well matched to the telescope. I saw very little vibration while using the straight up Alt/AZ position. I find the telescope tracks very smoothly in the equatorial position as well, although putting the full weight of the telescope over one tripod leg doesn't inspire confidence.

The only flaw in the whole ETX105EC package is the right angle finder scope. The finder works well enough - in fact I like the image orientation that matches the main scope - but it's so close to the eyepiece that my nose gets in the way when I try to use smaller eyepieces. I was able to use my favorite Ultima 7.5mm eyepiece for 200X magnification only by replacing the right angle finder with the smaller straight thru finder from my ETX90. You can also live with the finder by using a barlow lens or a taller eyepiece such as the Orion 10.5mm Lanthanum (about 140X) for high magnification views of the planets.--Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Superb optics
• Small and portable
• Autostar controller finds and describes things for you

• The finder is too close to the eyepiece

Features

• Includes AutoStar controller and deluxe field tripod
• UHTC coatings are on all optical surfaces for enhanced detail
• Electronic controller for slew speeds and built-in clock drive
• Maksutov meniscus corrector lens of Grade-A BK7 optical glass
• Includes a Meade Series 4000 Super Plvssl 26 millimeter eyepiece for 48 times magnification

Reviews (2)

Excellent Optics but poor assembly
We had our new ETX 105 inspected and tuned by the astronomer at the Arkansas Observatory. The optics were measure at 1/8th wave and were rated as A++. Only slight tub alignment was necessary to optimize optical performance. Meade has a reputation for excellent optics - especially with the UHTC coating. This is probably the biggest reason to choose this brand! The optics are all made in the USA at Meades Irvine California factory. Most other scopes in this price range are made in China and have inferior optics.

If the previous reviewer has experienced poor optical performance he should contact Meade as this is not what most owners report. That said, at lot of factors affect your ability to view distant objects, such as Saturn, clearly. Not the least of which is the atmospheric conditions where you are viewing from. I have viewed the moon through this telescope using a 6mm objective and found the image to be very sharp. The same night I viewed Saturn and found it to be somewhat fuzzy.

For a good idea of what the capability's of this scope are see the pictures taken through it at:
http://www.thedirks.org/astro/

The biggest problem with these scopes is there Vertical and, to a lesser extent, Horizontal gears used for tracking objects. Often they have a lot of backlash and can easily become stripped as one tends to over-tighten the Vertical locking mechanism to compensate. Instead the Astronomer rebuilt the gears in our scope so that they now work perfectly. The Arkansas Observatory, which houses a large Meade Telescope of its own, offers this tune-up service for around $250 per scope.

An excellent source of information about these scopes along with pictures taken through them can be found at: http://www.weasner.com/etx/menu.html.

For information on haveing a Meade or other brand of telescope tune-up by the Observatory click on "Services" at: http://www.arksky.org/

Not as good as advertised
They claim a maximum magnification of 420. I have the following accessories: UWA 4.7mm eyepiece, SP 6.4mm eyepiece, Barlow 2x and the erecting prism.

Due to the poor quality of the mirror/reflector I can only magnify up to 114x (the standard 26mm with the 2x Barlow).

I do not get a clearer nor a better image with the Ultra Wide 4.7mm eyepiece and the 6.4mm eyepiece also has the same effect: a larger image but with very poor clarity. ... Read more

Features

• 3.2-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 10-by-14-inch enlargements
• 3x optical zoom
• 'Ferrari red' finish with Ferrari's 'prancing horse' logo; 2.5-inch LCD screen; includes a multi-function cradle
• Store images on xD picture cards (16 MB xD picture card included)
• Powered by Lithium-Ion battery LI-20B