Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX7V 16.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Still Camera with 10x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom G Lens, 3D Sweep Panorama, and Full 1080/60i HD Video (Black)

oak just bought this camera from Costco for $ 275, along with a Sony case and a 4GB Class 4 SDHC card. I've played with it the last three or four days - which really is not enough time to give a full review, but I want to give my first thoughts. As background, I am a "junior" shutterbug. I think that the quality of the images. but I'm more a photographer - I have a Canon HG10, with a JVC Everio GZ-HM300 as a backup. My wife and I have shot with the Panasonic TZ5, which we bought a few years ago, and I also shoot with a Nikon D60 and a 1984 model Minolta X-700 (I learned to shoot with this child).

I wanted a compact mega zoom for my wife who takes excellent pictures in all conditions and was able to sub in for a full HD camcorder in a pinch - and one that my wife could use to take pictures of our new baby (soon to be born). This camera seems to do the trick - with some reservations. For the first camera takes good pictures. Set the camera for superior AF mode and you get the best shot 90 percent of the time. In bright sunlight, the sun will cause glare on the picture - the camera does a decent job of adjusting for this, but it can screw up your image. I can not dock points for this camera yourself, as I have not yet seen the compact camera to do better. In my opinion the pictures are very sharp, accurate colors - even though red may be a bit over saturated. Most cameras have a bias --- PANASONIC zs10 blown out greens. You will not receive $ 2,000.00 DSLR-type performance from a $ 275 compact camera but it does a good job. Now I've read some reviews, both consumers and professionals who took the pictures to be on the soft side. I can not see it. Maybe if you blow prints up to 16x20 or 20x40 or something like that it's "softness", but consumers often do not do anything bigger than 8x10. Consumers who complained about the softness is probably just reflect what they read in the professional reviewer - for even with my picky eyes, I just do not see what they're talking about.

In addition to taking good pictures, this is a speed camera ---- very quick for a compact. Use the automatic focus function, I could shoot 8 shots in about 2.5 seconds (shooting at 10 MP, not max 16mp) - with seven of the shots that come out very good and veil. The camera can also take a burst of ten images in a second - even if the quality is down. I shot indoors with incandescent lamps at night, with flash off, and I got some of the best indoor low light images of any camera - the camera will take six pictures of the same scene with a shot and then stitch together images to form a composite image that is shockingly good. Say hello to the low light photos that are not blown out by the flash on a compact! Unbelievable! The camera handles low light well and the flash just washes out the picture.

In terms of image quality, this camera can produce very solid video (and above average sound for a compact camera). Honest is the video quality on par with my JVC Everio GZ-HM300 - which is a dedicated mid-range HD camera! Now I had some problems with picture quality when shooting in low light - there's a lot of noise, especially indoors with halogen lighting. Shoot the same scene with my JVC, I noticed JVC also struggled with the lighting and the final product was only marginally better than the Sony. Since this is a P & S camera first, which also happens to record HD video, it's pretty unique things. With a few adjustments to the EV levels, I could get a good picture quality even in low light conditions, but the colors were slightly washed out look - is still very interesting. In the daytime, so the same scenes as well or better than the movie is for JVC (using Sony's excellent image stabilization) and not far away from my $ 1000 Canon HG10. The sound quality was also very good for a compact camera, with good stereo separation. I had some problems with playback of high-profile test video taken at 17mbps and 24 Mbps. I am using a Dell Inspiron running a Core 2 Duo P8600 processor with ATI HD 4600 dedicated graphics card and 17MB and 24MB per second AVCHD video is broken havoc with the computer and was not watchable - for choppy. I can play it in the same 17mbps AVCHD format from JVC and Canon camcorders, so I do not really know what they are prolbem. But with a lower profile 9Mbps AVCHD or 1080p MP4 format (30 fps) at 12Mbps gave more than adequate video quality for my needs. I do not blame the camera for the choppiness of the higher profile, AVCHD files - these files are a challenge for most computers (unless you have a top of the line gaming computer). Please note, I recommend using a Class 6 or higher SDHC cards with this camera (even thought Sony says you can use a class 4). I have noticed that the video quality was noticeably smoother faster card (I use a Transcend 16GB Class 10 SDHC card).

As regards the build quality goes, it seems pretty good to me - AE reserves they own. The camera is comfortable to hold and Sony was kind enough to use soft rubber grip on the camera to reduce slip and make it more comfortable. Anyway, it's my first thoughts and I will be adding and updating this review as I play with the camera more in the coming weeks.

Update 6/28/11: This camera just gets better and better the more I get comfortable with it. Our little girl was born on 6 / 2 Since then I have taken about 3000 pictures and 5 hours of video (it will obviously be heavily edited when I find time). The picture quality is very good to excellent. I can recommend to use the Intelligent Auto mode most of the time and only by Superior automatic recording static images in low light. Superior Auto by default to HDR in what the camera decides to be a low light (with several images of the same scene and merge them into one composite). If the subject is moving you are left with a mess. Using Intelligent Zoom allows the camera by default a higher ISO instead, unless you have Flash set to auto. After a while you get a feel for when the Superior or Smart will give a better picture. Alternatively, you can switch to program mode or full manual mode. I think the whole manual implementation to be a bit clumsy in this camera - not a big fan of the job wheel. Program mode allows you to make the most of the choices you would make in the manual, but the camera control focus and shutter speed - and will often make better choices than I would do when left to my own devices. These conditions, if you take the time to master them, allowing you to take some great pictures. Sticking to the automatic mode is good too. I can now see what some people complain when they argue that the images on the soft side. This can be easily fixed by using one of a series of Selections Photo Shop software, or with Sony PMB software that came with the camera (which is not bad at all for a freebie). I'm still very happy with picture quality and shooting almost exclusively with Sony - it's just so much easier to carry around and use it as an all in one instead of pulling any of my video cameras. When the video is set to a higher bit rate in AVCHD is good enough that I do not feel the extra effort to carry the Canon is worth bartering.

I have posted a video review on YouTube. I tried to write a link, but it was edited by the Amazon from one reason or another. If you are interested, go to youtube and search for "set2374 hx7v review" and it will pop up. After completing the review, I mailed a couple of sample images and video. Hope they help you with your decision.

Nikon COOLPIX P500 12.1 CMOS Digital Camera with 36x NIKKOR Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080p Video (Red)

Overall, the Nikon Coolpix P500 is quite impressive. Although there are no errors, the camera features make up for them. Below are the main advantages and disadvantages I have found after using the camera for a few hours.

advantages:
- BIG 36x optical zoom (at full zoom, I could see buildings 5 ​​miles away, as if they were two blocks away)
- Relatively light and compact, much smaller than I expected (compared to an entry level DSLR).
- Up to 240 FPS video, nice slow motion.
- Manual control, a must for all experienced camera users.
- Buttons well designed and easy to find and use.

drawbacks:
- Image quality was good but it was largely expected, there is nothing unusual in this price range. If you prefer a higher-quality images of features in the price range, an entry level DSLR that D3100 is the way to go.
- If you accidentally leave the lens cap on and turn on the camera lens would still try to get out, and it will paint the engine. CAUTION! I found this to be the biggest mistake that does not have a "lens cap on" sensor or a resistance sensor that would stop the motor if the sensed something wrong.
- No information external battery charger. You must charge the battery while it is in the camera via USB cable and AC adapter. And while it is charging, it will not let you turn it on, so that you can not use it as a power source either.
- As with all ultra high zoom are all small vibration is enlarged, so if you do not have a tripod or other form or support, it is extremely difficult to get a clear picture at maximum zoom.


All in all, it is very user friendly. From beginner to the experienced photographer, photo geeks, are the features on this camera is sure to impress. If you can handle a few minor drawbacks, the Nikon Coolpix P500 pretty nice camera.

Casio EX-FH100 10.1MP High Speed Digital Camera with 10x Ultra Wide Angle Zoom with CMOS Shift Image Stabilization and 3.0 inch LCD

Casio Exilim EX-FH100 four main drag over other cameras is low light capabilities, its high-speed continuous shooting, it's slow-motion video, and it's loooong battery life.

The excellent performance in low light will (mostly) from Backlit CMOS Sensor that allows more light gathering than traditional sensors. The camera takes a better picture in low light than the same size cameras (small sensor cameras) without backlight sensor (Sony has a similar sensor Exmor invited some of their newest models).

The high speed capabilities include both a high shutter speed that gives great action shots (30 shots at a speed of 40fps in burst mode) and high-speed video filming delicious slow-motion video (can slow down one second down to 14 seconds at max setting at 1000 fps) .

The camera further exploit the above features some neat tricks in difficult lighting conditions which are unusual abilities in this compact form factor. The sensor and high shutter speeds are used for several preset modes that help in low light. "Light Mode" is proposed for situations where parts of the frame is light and other parts are weak - it takes more quick shots at different settings, and then combines them into a more evenly lit image. There is a similar mode for night shooting. The combination helps keep the sound is invisible, even at high ISO speeds.

Stereo Microphone is a nice plus over most other cameras (but also in the only current competitor for this product, the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX5V). Other notable features include wide-angle lens, and the availability of a state that combines mechanical image stabilization mode for continuous shooting to reduce blur. There are also states that use continuous shooting to record both before and after the shutter button is fully depressed, so you can choose another date, if for example the person you're shooting close your eyes or change his expression.

Spec for spec, the Casio Exilim EX-FH100 and Sony Cybershot DSC-HX5V are almost identical. But Casio has some advantages - a larger aperture, longer battery life (520 shots to 310 shots), faster continuous shutter mode (40fps versus 10 fps), slow-motion video, the option of RAW format (useful if you want to manipulate photos with professional photo tools), and priority modes (aperture, shutter speed - which is common, but Sony omit them HX5V). On the other hand, Sony uses the optical zoom while filming video (in the movie mode alone Casio digital zoom), is a panorama stitching mode, and have GPS capabilities with the position and orientation metadata.

While the basics are easy to use - even switching from HD video to slow motion is just a rocker - I suggest reading the entire manual on the supplied CD-ROM. Some things are not obvious, such as how to find the two special video modes that make it possible to switch on-the-fly from HD video to VGA slow-motion video (which you do not use the normal vs. HS video rocker for this because make it stop recording. For a smooth transition, actually set the switch to switch to HS mode, then select an option from the menu on-the-fly transitions then maneuvered through the left and right buttons).

Fortunately removed Casio meaningless limit video length to which they had sat on the previous model, the FH10.
Note that while 30 frames per second video can be up to 720p HD and slow-motion video at 120fps is VGA quality, which increases the slow motion beyond that (max is 1000 fps) results in decreasing the display region appears as a trade of that maintaining quality video with data transfer rate. It is worth mentioning that the video can be output via mini-HDMI out. A composite A / V cable is included, but if you want mini HDMI to standard HDMI, you must purchase a separate cable.

For still images mode for continuous shooting, it will take 30 shots (or less if you release the trigger) at a rate selected from a scale of 1fps throughout the '30s, up to 40fps in 1s (yes, you are limited to 30 shots , but the number goes up to 40fps).

I suggest that you set image quality to Fine, and the sharpness to +2 if you intend to prune or write to large sizes. You will also want to use an SDHC card is rated as "Class 6" or higher to ensure that the memory can achieve the required sustained write speed for recording HD video or high speed shots.

Nikon Coolpix S8100 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 10x Zoom-Nikkor ED Lens and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black)

OK, I really want the RED Nikon S8100, but apparently only black is available if you buy it directly from Nikon. I decided to go black as I live in Oregon, where there is no sales tax and Nikon would tax me and add $ 10 for shipping. Black is not so bad looking though, and it suits my Cooler Master HAF X PC case.

I am upgrading from a Sony DSC-V1. The size of the Nikon is a hair wider, a hair shorter and half as thick. DSC-V1 had a po-pup flashes in the same area as S8100, so I was used to hold the camera in the right way already. For those of you who can not think outside the box is the right way to keep this camera to make a gun with his left hand, thumb up, then bend your wrist so that the gun pointing right, and then place the camera in the gun. RTFM. This tip was printed (and video) in the Quick Start booklet that came with the camera. Once you get used to it, you will not mind pop-up flash at all. The only problem you will have is when your close friends take pictures of yourself with it and keep the flash down, not knowing better.

The downward revision from the S8000's 14-megapixel CCD S8100 is a 12-megapixel CMOS sensor is not a downgrade at all. Megapixels are almost irrelevant to point and shoot cameras over 12 anyway, and picture quality increases and improvements in low-light shooting you with the CMOS sensor EASILY trump a 2 megapixel increase. I continue to be amazed at how well my photos keep turning out in all light levels.

The 10x optical zoom is good, but what is amazing is how clean the digital zoom is longer than that. I am used to fuzzy or blurred images when using the digital zoom, but this camera in any way get around this. The position of the zoom button forces you to use your right index finger instead of thumb, as I am used to. It felt a little weird at first but makes complete logical sense from an ergonomic point of view when you hold the camera securely. On the opposite side, a function macro floors me. For a point and shoot camera, I never expected a macro that property. The macro shot better than my Cannon SLR. I can rest the lens on the object that I shoot and the picture will continue to focus well.

LCD screen on the back is a typical 3 "screen, but a very untypically high quality resolution. It is the highest resolution on the screen at any time and shoot I could find. You can really see the details of what you shoot with. It is bright and the colors are correct.

The 1080p video this camera offers is better than I expected. Much better. You can use the zoom function while scrolling and still pictures simultaneously. It also plays in stereo sound. Good stuff.

Some complained that this camera is still a bit too big for their taste. If it was something minor that it is now, you would not be able to hold it without accidentally pushing a button or something and it fits in your pocket just fine. These people must have toothpick fingers or do not realize that the size is much smaller than the S8100 really is not much of an advantage unless you're some kind of top secret spy or something.

The camera has all the basic features you want and more, there is a little nice. Manual on the fly brightness can tone and liveliness adjustments to be convenient, face moisturizers feature your design to super models, and ISO sensitivity is above average. It has a wind noise reduction capability, while video and all the features you want most are readily available.

I know I sound like a Nikon fan now, but I'm just so happy with this camera. The only thing I can think of I do not like is the rubber end that plugs into the USB port on the bottom of the camera. I prefer a flip door, but this is just my taste.

It comes with a surprisingly good full version software for photo editing, and also a panoramic stitching program I have yet to try. The entire manual is on a CD that comes with it although I prefer a book to look at. Start speed (effect on the image ready) is less than 2 seconds. Holy Cow Batman!

A feature that I have not taken advantage of yet, but looks really useful in action photography is high-speed shooting of five full-resolution images with up to 10 frames'per'second and a pre'shooting cache, which records up to two shots before shutter'release is fully depressed. It will really make it easy to get the action shot you really want. The other feature that I am very impressed by the advanced Night landscape, which combines a series of five consecutive images taken with a fast shutter speed in a single image with reduced noise when shooting without a tripod. Dark background to be very visible without over lighting the subject. Very cool technology idea.

In summery, I feel like $ 299 I paid for the Canon S8100 is very motivated. DSLRs should be nervous that these point and shooters will begin to steal their market, given the lower price, quality and technological improvements. Nikon has a winner!

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2MP CMOS 10x Wide Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot Image Stabilization and 3.0 inch LCD

I'm usually a digital SLR users, but I've been waiting for a camera like this to come out, so I have something to put in my pocket. The features that really made me decide to buy this camera was:

First AVCHD 1080i full-quality video. Check the bitrate - it is the same as camcorders. Better than flip or handheld "HD" bitrates
2nd Wide image stitching. I am amazed at the quality of these images. Dumbfounded. Check the ones I have sent.
3rd GPS tagging. Yep, been waiting for this since iPhoto introduced the feature in its software.
4th Performance in low light. For a point-and-shoot, you will not beat this. Sure, it's not a DSLR, but it's pretty amazing for the price.
5th prize-a zillion features and a completely reasonable price!

Mac compatibility:
I tried the camera with iMovie and it worked perfectly! I have imported 2-minute low-light AVCHD video recording for about 30 seconds from an SDHC Class 6 card. Also used the camera with iPhoto and Aperture, and everything worked fine.

Update: I've had time to play with different settings - you can see some of my results in the customer uploaded images. The panoramas today came out great! I'm still impressed by this function (Amazon's small pictures do not do it justice). Shooting inside the MOMA was excellent. Outside, I tried the HDR mode, with limited success (still need to experiment, but look what I got). The handheld twilight does what it should be, impressive.