Digital-Camera Reviews

I have a Tamrac bag which is almost 2 years old for my digital camera and it looks as good as the day I bought it! I use my camera almost every day. When I purchased this bag as a gift, I neglected to do my homework and upon receipt, found it to be VERY SMALL. Amazon.com does not list the actual size of the bag. However, if you go to [website], click on "digital", they have a checklist of camera names and model numbers, with compatible bags - great resource!

The photo in the picture is for the Tamrac Travel Zoom 5. The Tamrac Travel Zoom 4 is the same bag, without the pockets on the side for wallet-type stuff. Guess how I know this...

Nothing wrong with the bag, though; it is very padded and I really feel like my camera is protected in here. Adorama customer service was very helpful in making the exchange for me for the Travel Zoom 5.

I had found that these tapes are among the most reliable and inexpensive I could find

The lens kit is great. You have to buy the Lens Adapter to be able to use these lenses, but that's not too expensive.

It's a little tough using the lenses at first because the viewfinder does not look through the lenses themselves. The parallax is enhanced because of the different views, but it doesn't take too long to figure it out and learn to compensate.

Also, on the DC265, if you want to use the close up lenses you will need to use manual focus or all of your shots will be blurry.

If you take a lot of pictures, this lens kit will only increase your desire to take more pictures, as you can get so many more interesting images this way.

i had buy the PDR-M5 tow days ago, and i can give a positive oppinion about it. For 799,95$, it's the best digital camera that you can buy. It's a real toy... for adults only! It's easy to use, a five year old child could take many good picture,and , if you want something of more professional, the PDR-M5 is for you too, you can realize some very professional picture. I know what i say, i'am a fashion photographer.

try it, it's a good deal!

My SD512M card is more reliable than the 512MB Lexar SD card I used to own. I used to sometimes corrupt the entire Lexar card when I write data to it from my PDA. I would then have to reformat the card and reload everything I had on it. Not so with the Viking. It also is very fast, comparable to the Lexar but much faster than the 256MB SanDisk SD card I also used to own. I have Viking Compact Flash cards and have decided to standardize on Viking due to their high reliability and excellent performance, whether used in my PDA or my digital camera. You can't go wrong with Viking!

I was a bit skeptical at first - I don't know why, maybe because of it's unbelievably tiny size, but I've always relied on Canon for quality cameras. This one hasn't disappointed me one bit!

I can see where it might be a problem for some men, since the tiny size could be completely lost in a large hand. If you need a comparison, this camera is the *exact* size and shape as a pack of cigarettes.

After years of lugging a big camera bag on vacation & to family events, carrying this camera is a huge relief! I added a 64MB compact flash card, and set at the highest resolution (1600x1200), I can take ~65 photos on one card. And the quality is wonderful - I can print an 8x10 (using an Epson Stylus Photo 820) that the average eye would never know was digital.

This camera is also very "user friendly". I'm the type of person who will only resort to reading the manual when all else fails. I've not needed the manual AT ALL with this camera, other than to confirm what I was able to figure out on my own and to make sure I wasn't missing anything (I wasn't).

Some recommended accessories:

1) A spare battery. Using the digital display alot will burn through a battery rather quickly.

2) If you'll be using the higher resolution and/or video capture, get a high-capacity compact flash (64MB recommended).

3) Canon Soft Compact Case PSC 100. It holds the camera, a spare compact flash card and spare battery and still fits right in my purse.

Bottom line: Money well spent for an excellent quality point & shoot digital.

I will just give a brief technical review based on my experience for non-techy person. Here's the Pro:
- Battery last for 90 mins (about 100 pics with LCD + short review) after 130 charge (from fully discharge).
- LCD refresh rate is excellent
- Flash good until 3m (about 9.8 ft), good for outdoor (very good for camera this size)
- Small size yet has 2x optical zoom & movie capture capability (very good quality) - its so convenient comparing to my other experience using 5 other digicam (I'm a photographer)
- Lots of features (very usefull), too long to be listed here

Contra:
- Charging battery is longer than it's good for
- Flash not promising on indoor environment

Conclusion:
- Best point-and-shoot digicam ever for novice/teenager
- Get 2nd battery ... - its worth [it]
- Use at least 128MB CF to get the most

I've had this camera for almost two years and I love it.

It's the perfect first camera for users who are comfortable with technology. There are simpler (and cheaper) cameras for people who are less compfortable with technology.

This one packs the right amount of sophistication in features, and simplicity in usage - and all that in one small little bundle!

It's strong points:
* small.
* light.
* solid (dropped mine a couple of times and its still going strong).
* good zoom.
* good battery life.
* auto-flash - which is so helpful for amateurs like myself who are never sure about how much light is enough.
* some more advanced ones (manual flash, timer, etc.) if you want to experiment and improve your skills.
* comes with software to download and retouch your photos, rendering the process relatively easy.

All in all, this camera and Canon's Powershot line are an excellent choice for most people.

... this camera is the best compact digital on the market.

Sure, there are 5 megapixel compact cameras out now, but the cost is still too high. 4mp resolution makes great 8x10 prints, and lab-quality at 4x6 and 5x7.

The combination if its tiny size, beautiful results, and stylish design is unbeatable at the current prices. I take it everywhere and hardly notice it. It's like carrying a deck of cards in my pocket. Most good hi-res digital cameras are much bulkier.

Compact Flash memory is really, really cheap now. Buy a 512mb card and never worry about storage.

3X optical zoom is wonderful.

If you don't have a digital camera, or want a top-quality unit, you really owe it to yourself to check out the S400.

Auto white balance, auto exposure, and auto focus help the least savvy technophobes take outstanding photos.

Flash is surprisingly effective in dark rooms.

Lithium-ion battery lasts a long time and charges quickly. Who needs rechargable AA batteries when this battery is so good? Prices on Canon batteries are also down, so buy a spare.

The video out cable is nice for previewing pictures on a TV, but I usually use the computer for viewing photos.

Bundled software does the basic image editing. You'll want to go with Photoshop Elements 2 or Paint Shop Pro ... for serious editing and enhanced capabilities.

I am a casual photo enthusiast who enjoys taking pictures of my friends and family wherever I go. Both photographic quality and portability are of paramount concerns and I think I found my holy grail with Canon S400.

Pros:
- Extremely portable, yet very rugged
- Beautiful design with excellent overall ergonomics
- Typically excellent photo quality in all-auto mode with no redeye
- Very fast -- startup time, image processing and acquisition, menu response
- Long battery life
- Uses widely popular (and inexpensive) CompactFlash Type 1 memory cards
- 4 megapixel resolution (2272x1704)
- 3X optical zoom/11X max with digital
- Useful movie mode with audio (3 minutes at 320x240 or 160x120)

Cons:
- Minimal manual controls (e.g., no manual focus)
- Cheap A/V/digital output cover
- Movie mode limited to 3 minutes (and no 640x480 mode may irk some)
- Proprietary battery
- Some barrel distortion when taking wide angle shots

While S400 has some shortcomings, mainly lack of manual focus, exposure, and shutter speed. And some may be bothered by its use of proprietary lithium ion battery, although given its compact size, I think Canon engineers had to implement proprietary battery. On the plus side, the battery lasts a long time, capable of taking several hundred shots before running out of juice (and takes only a couple of hours to recharge).

I've managed to fill entire 512MB memory card (32MB is included) on a single battery charge.

Did I mention how beautiful this camera is? The photos do not do this camera a justice. At 3.4" by 2.2" by 1.1", the S400 is no larger than most compact cell phones. Inch by inch, it's only a tad larger than my tiny Sony Ericsson T68i cell phone and smaller than (although a bit thicker) my Apple iPod MP3 player.

The ergonomics are consistently excellent. Although there are some learning curves (particularly given rich feature set), once mastered (comprehensive manuals make it easy), most will appreciate elegant menu layout and ideal number of buttons and layout.

But beautiful design means nothing if it does not accomplish its main functions -- taking beautiful pictures. In full auto setting, which is what majority people might use, the pictures were consistently satisfying, although overriding the white balance to match the lighting condition improved the quality significantly in many shots.

This is a great camera.

Not all memory cards work well with all cameras. I tried to use a Viking card with my Canon s230, and got the E18 error mentioned here. As soon as I swapped my SanDisk back in, the problem was gone forever. I think sending the memory card back was a much better and cheaper solution than ditching an excellent camera.

I've had this camera for three years. I bought it new, when it was cutting edge and very expensive. I put a 128MB CF card in it.

First, I have to say that I have NEVER had the slightest problem with this camera or the software. I've probably taken upwards of 5000 pictures with it, it's been all over the country. The software has been installed on Windows 95, 98, 2000 and XP and I haven't had any problems with it. The camera is solid, performs well, takes good pictures, and the battery lasts pretty long if you disable the LCD viewfinder. If battery life were that big a deal, one could purchase a second battery and rotate.

All that said, I am a little disappointed with the quality of the pictures from the camera. They are razor sharp, the color balance is perfect, and the focus is great. When taking pictures of people, however, it shows EVERY flaw in the subject's skin. Scratches, oil, freckles are magnified and come out looking horrific. It requires extensive Photoshopping to fix the flaws. Other cameras taking pics of the same subjects turn out looking much better. I'm going to buy another camera to take baby pictures, but I'll keep this as a travel camera.

I've been very reluctant to join the digital camera communitysince I've been an avid "legacy" photographer for most of mylife. I received this little jewel as a gift and I can honestly say Iabsolutely love it. I give this product five stars for its usability,performance, expandability, and definitely looks!

Usability - Ihave to admit, I abhor reading manuals, so after charging thebatteries I immediately dove in, pressing buttons and whatnot. I wasalmost instantly rewarded with the ability to shoot very high qualityphotos, browse through the results, and file manage my pictures. Thesoftware install was a snap, and the plug-n-play of USB PCconnectivity is truly a godsend. I remember not that long ago digitalcameras had floppy drives in them, and the "flash" media usedwas 1.44 MB floppy disk drives!

Performance - Again I was verypleased with the features included in this camera. The Macrofunction, in particular, is stellar. I've not had a chance to playwith the various black and white, exposure, and landscaping featuresyet - but the next trip I take this little guy is definitely comingalong.

Expandability - The camera comes with an 8 MB memory flashcard - which can be upgraded to 128 MB card that can store manymore pictures. The 8 MB card stores 16 pictures at the defaultresolution, whereas the 128 MB card can store around 300 (I believe,I'm still waiting for mine to be delivered). Now that's what I callexpandability. Also, the unit comes with a DV connector - oh thepossibilities...

Looks - OK, so beauty is subjective, blah,blah, blah. This camera is a beaut! It's small yet feels verysturdy, and the all metallic shell gives it a very post-modernistic,cutting-edge look and feel (how can a camera be post-modernistic youask? It's a digital camera - the whole paradigm ispost-modernistic!).

I unequivocally recommend this product to anyonewho is looking for a digital camera (and even those who are but don'tknow it yet).

this small camera takes terrific pictures. I have found the best results are outdoor shots. the flash indoors works well on close subjects. things to know:
battery life is good if you keep the lcd off. take pictures through the viewfinder. use the lcd sparingly for quick reviews of what you've taken - you should by another battery and keep it charged as a standby.

go out and by a 128 MB flash card - they've gotten pretty cheap and one will hold plenty of shots.

i like using a USB flash card reader to transfer shots - so easy and you don't have to mess with the camera and run the batteries down, etc.

avoid the optional Canon bag - awkward getting the camera in and out ...- the velcro closure is lame. Eagle Creek makes a great small camera bag. it's black, cushioned, has an elastic opening with an ample shoulder strap and neat little pocket that can accomodate your extra battery and flash card(s) - highly recommended.

if you're looking for a good quality digital camera and compactness is a major criteria, you're search may be over. I would look at other reviews of similar form factor cameras by Canon as I purchased this late last summer and they may have an improved version at the same pricepoint. snap on!

After a year of using it, it shuddenly stops retracting the lens, 'focus error'. I still don't know if it can be repaired (I took it to service yesterday), or how much will it cost...

My advise is this: the camera is great, good pictures, easy of use. Think of it as a funny one-year toy.

I was so happy with this camera that I even would consider buying Fujifilm again! At the same time, I feel very dissapointed because I never think that the camera would last so few time!

I've had this camera for less than a week, and I'm very satisfied with my purchase. The 16 MB card probably won't be enough, so I also purchased a 64 MB card. I take photos at 1280x960 (the middle resoultion option) at the lower of two compressions, and image quality is excellent. At this size, the 64 MB card holds 100 pictures. The optical zoom is very good. I've used the 20 second movie clip feature a few times. In low light situations, the image quality of the clips are kind of poor, but I didn't buy the camera for this feature, so I'm not really concerned. The fact that you have to open the lense cover *and* turn on the camera to use it is a little tedious, but I grew accustomed to it after a few uses. The Macro function allows you to take close up pictures of smaller objects and delivers excellent detail. There are several flash options, including No Flash, Red Eye Reduction, Auto, and Timer. I'm very satisfied with this camera and recommend it.

I purchased the FinePix 2600 and received it about 1 week ago. I read a ton of different reviews of similar cameras in this price range and can say without a doubt that I made the right choice. The picture quality is fantastic.

This camera comes packed with everything you need to start taking great pictures right out of the box. It comes with the 16MB Smart Media card, which holds about 30 pictures at normal resolution or about 15 at the highest setting. Plenty for starting out, but would recommend getting a 64/128 MB card for big trips sometime down the road. It also comes with the rechargable batteries and charger and those work well also. I would also recommend getting a 2nd set of the batteries for longer outings also.

This is a great point and shoot camera, with a few manual features for the more advanced user. For me, the default settings work just fine.

This camera is very easy to use and to unload the pictures to your PC. I think this camera has something for everyone, from novice to more advanced users.

I don't think I've ever written a review of a product before, but I had to repay the favor of those whose reviews helped my decision. Thanks!