Digital-Camera Reviews

This is the first major camera purchase I have made since I bought the Canon AE-1 many years ago. I have taken and printed several pictures with it and am very pleased. Since I'm new to digital cameras, I'm not sure what all the hype is about concerning mega pixels. From what I can tell you can only squeeze so many pixels into a 3x5 rectangle anyway. I have printed an 8x10 with my HP812 and I am stunned by the quality. I just can't see why I would need anything more than this camera has. Dittos to other posts: buy at least a 32M card to replace the 8M one; you need at least 1 extra battery and the BC-80 quick charger (1 hour vs 8). A word of warning here -- though I live in a large metropolitan area, neither the battery nor the charger was available locally through camera specialty stores or huge discount stores. The specialist battery store doesn't even stock them. A call to Fujifilm resulted in a recommendation to a webstore that specializes in digital gear. Be prepared to spend [more money] for the charger and the battery. The point is that, evidently, Fuji has not made a significant impact on the market here in the U.S. for digital cameras. Anything you need may have to be ordered. After you're set up though, you may not need much else. Easy to use, super USB connection, lightweight, compact, nice features, and a quality product. AE-1 has been retired!

There are many good things to say about this package but one of the best is that it works so much like a regular camera that most first time users will never become confused. In addition, for the more advanced user, it has almost all of the manual settings that you would ever use. You may see cameras at a lower price but then you have to add everything on. This comes with a recharger built in and unlike other comments, I found that I could take about 30 pictures and delete all but 15 without running the battery down at all. The key I think is to not use the LCD display unless you have to. The pictures in "Normal" mode are excellent for e-mail or e-bay and print out very well. The detachable flash is a real lifesaver (battery life that is) and works well. Having the AC adapter is a real bonus if you take a lot of pictures in a controled setting (such as for on-line auctions) or for when you are reviewing pictures on the TV or PC. I did have some difficulty loading the USB Card Reader but I think it was more "user error" than anything. I couldn't use the CD provided because it won't work with auto-run and my PC kept trying to open it as an audio CD. I then went to fujifilmsupport.com but it took me a long time to find the correct download. When I did get it, something about the program disabled my modem and I had to delete and re-load it again. Once I figured it out, it worked great. Again, I may have missed a step so I wouldn't make this a deciding point in purchasing this package. The zoom is excellent but I wouldn't count on the digital zoom being much help; the resolution goes down quick and you end up with a pretty low resolution pic. We spent a great deal of time researching cameras and this is by far the best for the money. I have to say one more thing: Amazon's service is incomparable. We ordered this camera on Saturday, regular mail. They sent it UPS on Sunday and we recieved it at 3:00 on Tuesday. We were able to charge it, play with it and then take it on our Vacation which started Wednesday. It was also great to be able to track the package on line. By the way, the best price we found around town (Sacramento) would have been over $700.00 with the accessories. If you have any questions e-mail me at moandlo@jps.net. Morris B

I bought my brand new MX2900 camera (including the same"freebies") at an online auction last May 2000 for similar price... It's a GREAT camera, and this is a good enough price for this package (although you'll agree that it will continue getting cheaper with time). The package includes all the basics you'll need. However, I recommend buying the following extras: extra rechargeable battery (NP-80), a quick charger (BC-80)and a few more smartmedia cards (32MB or more). I also found useful to have a wide conversion lens (WL-MX29).

A spare battery is useful because the camera drains the battery really fast (especially when you always use the LCD monitor). A quick charger (BC-80) is really handy because it only takes an hour to recharge the battery (the AC adapter takes 8 hours). A few smartmedia cards are necessary because the 8MB smartmedia card that's included in the package doesn't hold much photos. For example, 1 picture taken at the "hi" setting (uncompressed file) and "1800x1200" pixel setting will use up 8MB of space already. Without the extra memory cards, you'll find yourself always running to your computer so you can move your picture files from your smartmedia card. By the way, unlike what the other reviewer said (5 photos at "fine" setting with 32MB smartmedia card), a 32MB smartmedia card will actually store up to 36 photos taken with the "fine" and "1800x1200" pixel settings. You can even verify this at Fujifilm's website... I suggest you visit that website to learn more about the camera's features and specifications.

The camera has both automatic and full manual modes. It even has a self-timer. There are so many features so make sure you read the manual... As of today (July 27,2000), this camera rates as #2 in the 2-3 megapixel range (second only to Olympus C2020).

I have not found much use for the "high" setting (uncompressed ".tiff" images). Like what the other reviewer said, this format is nonstandard. Most online photo sharing/printing services accept only the ".jpeg" format (available with the "fine," "normal," and "basic" settings for this camera). If you plan to print your photos, the "fine" and 1800x1200 pixel settings will produce 4"x6" prints that are comparable in quality to photos taken from a 35mm camera (I have not tried printing larger prints). Otherwise, for web sharing, the lower settings will do the job just fine...

I have no regrets about buying this camera. Yes, there are cameras with 3+ megapixels out there, but I do not yet see the need to upgrade. This camera is worth the price that Amazon.com is selling it for (I would not pay more).

Before I end this review, let me just say a few basic things: 1.)Cost: it's a good value 2.)Strengths: looks impressive (like those 35mm Nikons); auto/manual modes; photos show good colors; crisp images on LCD monitor 3.)Weaknesses: internal flash can be weak (make sure you always have your external flash at reach); the lens cap just dangles on the side; kind of slow (takes too long between shots) unless you use "continuous shooting" mode (in which case, you're automatically fixed at only 640x480 pixels)

I've been practicing on my car, dog, and family. I'm getting better. The zoom is excellent. Picture quality is excellent.

I've had this camera for a couple of months and I love it. The pictures look great and it is very easy to use. Its big and boxy so it won't fit in a small purse or pocket, but its worth hanging a camera case around your shoulder if you like to take high quality outdoor pictures.

I replace my old Olympus 450 with this camera. I loved the old camera but it did not have all the features that I wanted. The new camera is great. It takes great pictures out of the box. If you spend the time to get to know all the features it takes even better pictures. I love being able to customize the settings. The zoom is the best feature of the camera. Allows you to get very close to your subject. Battery life is great but I would buy an extra battery because it does not give much warning when it is going.

This is my first Digital Camera purchase - and BOY am I glad I got the Kodak LS743! I have a husband & 2 daughters and I take pictures all the time-My film developing bill was high! Now I can pick and choose the shots I want to print. I can also create family albums on the computer - to eventually be put onto CD's & set to music!
They have the 5 megapixel camera's out, but I really don't think that I see that much of a difference with this 4 megapixel. I get Great photos-sharp & clear. And the zoom lets me be flexible with my shots. The color is awesome!-These pictures turn out beautiful!!
This is a smaller camera than any I saw. I like the sleek design.
You can also shoot 2 minutes of QVGA video. I haven't done enuf with this feature yet, but I know it's longer than some camera's on the market allow for video time.
I have used the Auto mode quite a bit while getting used to the camera, but it also has portait, close-up, night, sport, snow, & many other modes! It has flash, & red-eye reduction. You can even store email addresses in the camera & hit the "share" button to share special photos with your contacts. It comes with a rechargable lithium-ion battery and a sleek charger that you can plug into an outlet.
This camera is simple to learn & the pictures are amazing! I highly recommend this camera!

I've been considering a digital camera for almost a year, and my in-laws have a Kodak 6330 that they like a lot. Kodak's general ease-of-use was a definite draw to me.

I bought the LS743 yesterday, and it was very easy to set up and begin using. Battery life is excellent, and the battery is rechargeable (I bought a 2nd battery for only $20 to have a spare, too). The camera is compact but seems very well-put-together. My in-laws have a 6000 dock, and this camera will work on it, too.

The lens is an upscale lens that is supposed to be a bit better than Kodak's lower-end models - I haven't taken enough pictures yet to notice the difference.

I'd say the camera is excellent for beginners, but also there are plenty of features in the system for someone who wants to be able to adjust the shots on their own for a more-customized photo. (At least it seems that way from reading the user guide.) :-)

All in all, great little camera!

If you are a DP Pro, then please dont read this review. But, if you are like the majority who wants an easy, reliable Digital camera and 'MOST OF THE TIME USE BASIC FEATURES ONLY' person you must read on.

I bought this camera after doing lot of research in the net and feedback from my peers. When I got this, I was amazed to see the picture quality and easiness in using it. I was shooting with in 3 hrs after the Fedex guy left. (You've to charge the battery for ~3 hours before first use). I still have to invent all the advanced features and modes of the camera. But, if all DEFAULT and AUTO modes are this good, then I am sure it will be BETTER with advanced features. The battery life time is pretty good too.
Only concern is, the door for the output terminals (USB/Adapter),that looks bit shaky!

After my initial research, things got filterd in to just three items: One Sony model and two Kodak model, CX7430 and LS743. Sony may be great but it was not good for me because
1)Seen pathetic remarks about their customer service
2)It has only 90 days warranty.
If you combine both(1) and (2) above, its risky to buy their product. I dont beleive in buying extended waranty for electronic stuff because the technology changes rapidly and, in another 2 years, you'll find yourself in a situation to buy a new camera than paying for Extended warranty. Since Kodak has one year warranty and my 'platinum' credit card has another one year free extended warranty, I had to decide between CX7430 and LS743. It was a tough decison, because both cameras are good. But the LS743 is the one that got PCMAG's Editors choice award (...) Looks like, it was a perfect decision.

I already owned a Speedlight SB-28dx for use with my F100 on a Stroboframe bracket for off-camera flash. The SK-E900 enables me to use the same flash on my Coolpix 4500. It is a practical accessory for the Coolpix 900 series and 4500 digital cameras, as long as you don't mind investing in another flash or already have one. Your camera will automatically meter the light and adjust the output of both the built-in and external flash. Results are superb. Simply, it attaches easily, it is light, and it is well balanced.

Excellent reviews already written. I only want to add that the 995 was supposed to reduce to dreaded "Red-eye" that has been a problem with previous 990's. But I have a 995 and all of the in-door pictures I have taken of my "Great-God Son" have produced major red-eye, and this bracket eliminates that problem.

I use the bracket to connect my Coolpix 995 with my Nikon SB-27 speedlight and it works quite well. Unlike other reviewers, I like the built in flash with the Coolpix, but since I already use this flash with my Nikon SLR, I wanted to be able to use it with my digital too. It works well and the bracket includes the Multi-Flash Adapter Cord, which you might not expect for this price. My only caveat in recommending this product is once mounted on a bracket with a flash, the Coolpix becomes a bit bulky. One of the features I like best about the Coolpix is that it is so compact and once you start adding all these different attachments obviously you start to lose that virtue. However, if you want to do serious flash photography with your Coolpix or you need to reduce the incidence of red-eye in your pictures, this bracket is the way to go.

"What kind of camera is that?" is the first thing everyone says to me when they see this camera. This is the only camera I have had that people immediately write down the model number to go get one for themselves. You can see from other reviews, the owners of this machine are smart people who have done their research. I have now sold several photos taken with this camera.

It's lighter than it looks, it handles like my 35mm, it is easy to use right away and as I get better with it the images are getting better and better. We all send pics via email. The response is usually "cool pic" or similar. Now it is "wow! what a great shot!"

The battery life is the best I have ever had. I can fill a 256mb card and the battery meter still shows full charge.

The bad? It won't fit in my pocket.

I finally decided to take the plunge into digital cameras after by two faithful Pentax's finally gave up the ghost. I did a lot of research looking for a camera with the right combination of quality, features and price.

Having used other peoples point-and-shoot camera's I was disappointed with AF ability, and wanted to ensure I had a manual focus override - the FZ-10 has it. I also do a lot of sports photography, so I needed a camera with shutter-priority - the FZ10 had it (in addition to aperture priority and fully manual options). I also needed a camera with a reasonable f range, and the 2.8-8 available with this camera met my needs and seems better than most others. Finally the 12x optical zoom with image stabilization means I no longer need to carry a bulky 400mm lens and tripod.

I have only had the camera a week and already love it. The color rendition is superb, the exposure bracketing works really well, the macro produces superbly sharp pictures, the image stabilisation really works and I have enlarged pictures up to 10x8 with no noticeably digitization. In fact, I believe the quality of images I am getting are better than with my old film camera. The spot-focus mode is tremendously useful for portrait work.

Of course I do have a few gripes.
(a) The manual focus assist is not as good as the split-ring system on my old camera and I have now turned this off,
(b) I would prefer to be able to go down to f/16 (and I will be buying a neutral density filter to overcome this problem),
(c) it doesn't store images in raw format (only jpeg),
(d) the supplied 16MB card is too small to be of any real use (but hell it's only there to get you going),
(e) I would prefer to be able to use non-propietary batteries (but given the relatively modest cost of the camera I can live with this and buy a second battery)
(f) The lens cap is not attached and I suspect I will lose it.

Others complain about the fact that you can't access the SD card and battery if the camera is mounted on a tripod. This is true, but I also found the need for a tripod much reduced. I have not had a chance yet to try it out in low-light conditions, but I understand this can cause problems.

This is an amazing camera. I have been researching what camera to buy for the last few months! and I haven't found a camera that comes close to this one.
First of all the camera is big, so if you want a small zoom camera this isn't it. I'd recommend the Panasonic DMC fz1 or the Olympus C-750 models.
This camera comes the closest to perfect for me and what i've wanted in a camera.
Pros:
(1) leica lens (fyi leica makes $2000 cameras, so for this camera to have a leica lens, it's got to be good).
(2) the camera has auto and manual focus, and auto and manual modes so u can either point and shoot or learn to take pix with the more advanced features.
(3) movie mode is very descent and it has good sound.
(4) has a 16:9 ratio for 1 photo size (quality) setting, so u can take a pic and it'll be in widescreen...cool huh?
(5) all the modes on the dial, portrait, night portrait, panning (makes a moving object in sharp while the background is blurry), sports, macro.
(6) battery life is good. lasts pretty much all day.
(7) has this cool flip animation, you can make movies with ur clay figurines, if you'd like!! take a pic of a figurine and move it slightly every time and when done itll convert it into a quicktime movie.
(8) of course, the super ultra yummy zoom! how could i forget that? that's what got me interested in the camera in the first place.
(9) aperture range of the lens is f2.8 throughout the focul range from wide to telephoto.
(10) menus are easy to navigate and quick.
(11) can use conversion lenses for wide and tele.
(12) burst mode, can take 4-5 pics quick.
(13) histogram on play and record mode - good for composition measuring.
(14) turns on in about 2-3 secs after getting lens ready.
(15) great photo quality!!! which is the most important thing!!
(16) creativity for pictures!!!

Now for cons:
(1) of course, price.......but ah well...shouldn't be a con, nice things cost money!
(2) i found that you cannot thread filters to the lens (lens not threaded) so can't protect lens with a (for example a UV filter to leave on permanently.) But can thread filters (72mm) to the lens hood (the camera package includes) which attaches to the lens barrel, (lens hood) roughtly 2-3 inches wide.
(3) and the movie mode.....cant use the zoom!!!! wonder why!?!
(4) extra batteries are expensive, and hard to find at ur local store.

despite these 4 cons i have found in the last 3 months of researching for the perfect zoom camera, this has gotten to the closest i've found.
Also, get a SD card at least 256megs or larger and start shooting away!!!!

I purchased my Lumix LC5 for personal use after using one in my profession for displaying enlargements and for publication. After 1300 exposures and half as many prints at many degrees of enlargement I feel very at home with the LC5.

What caught my attention immediately was its similarities in appearance to the Canon G series, and a couple of major label 35mm German rangefinder cameras of recent years. Picking the camera up and trying it out in the store I was reminded of the size, weight, and controls of quality traditional film cameras.
The Leica name on the lens really sold the camera before I had a chance to see its output. And therein lies the fly in the ointment, albeit a small fly if the user is familiar with post-camera photo editing processes to repair the fault.

Clearly, the optics are outstanding. The menus are well thought-out. One can use vitually all kinds of metering methods and achieve wonderful exposures with the LC5.

The weak point appears to be the processor which often "overprocesses" the 1680 X 2240 images. The result can be posterization effects in neutral areas, and eccessive "noise" appearing as grain on the monitor at high magnifications. This is especially observed at ISO's of more than 100. I have found however, that there is less appearance of these problems in print output than on the monitor.

At times I've had mysteriously underexposed original files that needed post-processing as well. All of this is correctable if one has the time and skill and enjoys doing it.

I found that using the 1600 X 1200 resolution setting seemed to clear up almost all of the problems. Perhaps the CCD and processor are really better designed for the smaller files. The problem is, I have a two megapixel camera for the price of a four, if I stick with the lower resolutions. This isn't a problem until enlarging above 5 X 7. So if you're not planning to enlarge much above that, the 2 megapixel solution works.

But the question is: do you want to pay for a four megapixel camera that doesn't quite measure up to its competition? For the sake of the wonderful speed, build quality, optics, and camera-like handling, I'm still not too sad about the processor downside. But I might be changing up to another camera a year or two down the road for those really perfect enlargements the competition seems capable of producing at four megapixels and above.

If you don't need the "Perfect" camera in this price range, the Lumix LC5 has a lot of things to offer.

Boy was I worried about buying this camera. I have read ALL the reviews and there was just enough negative pub to give me pause. But I'd seen Steve Lang's sample pics at a Fry's display and was impressed with its potential, even though he is a National Geographic photographer. I was worried about the durability issue, but then I remember even my Minolta Maxxam 5000 went down on me a couple of times. Well, I saved enough on the camera to buy a 5yr service contract, bit the bullet and bought it, got it home, zipped through the booklet and rattled off a few macro pictures of some cosmos growing in my alley. Holy pixels, Batman, the clarity, the color the beauty of that Leica lens just blew me away. Ya gotta READ the booklet to get the MOST out of this camera, but even without it the pics are simply glorious . . . and that's just the screen renderings! Bear in mind this camera is optimized for PRINTS not SCREENS. I can't wait to print some of these beauties. OK so the built in flash is a bit strong inside, but which one isn't? I was excited to learn you can program it to adjust the flash output, the exposure, saturation, quality and other features. The neat thing is I got GREAT pics without the flash inside with just ambient light. It looks, good, feels good, the big screen is GREAT, the pics are stunning and it is EASY to use. I just looked at a self pic I took last night here in my room with a tripod and the 10 sec delay, no flash and just ambient, incandescent light. The flesh tones are so natural and the definition is so frighteningly clean that my ugly mug almost jumps off the screen. Scary! This is one SCARY neat camera too! I understand it has been discontinued. Too bad! If you can find one buy it! It will impress you!

I don't own this one, but after getting a killer deal on a Panasonic DMC-LC40, I dug around a little. This camera here (LC5) is virtually identical with the Leica Digilux1. The Digilux1 is Leica's top of the line for point and shoot digital cameras. The only step up is a CCD backplane adapter they offer for their SLR line, which will cost you (including the SLR body plus lens) the equivalent of a new car! After playing with my LC40, which seems to have the same lens as this one, I have taken shots that I never had from my 35mm SLR set in almost 25 years in the hobby. I would not hesitate to get an LC5 (if I were not already happy with my LC40), as the Leica optics, coupled with the fast action and high resolution Panasonic electronics have a created a combination that blows everything else out of the water!

I've had this camera now for going on 2 years and I must say, it a great camera for the money. It's small and doesn't really take up too much storage. I must recommend that you get a real good case for it. You don't really want this camera exposed too much to elements..or children in my situation. I've had my three year old pull the camera off a kitchen table and drop it (no noticable change in performance.) I use this camera for work and for family events. It's just been great to have all that storage capacity. There have been a few times, however, that I've been less than happy with it's performance. For example, at my nephews graduation, the dark ambient light caused the camera to lose track of the subject. It gets confused in dark settings, even with the Best shot feature set properly. I also don't like how it takes sometimes up to 30 seconds to fully get powered up and ready to shoot. In most cases where it takes that long, you've missed a great shot. But seconds after it's ready, it takes really good pictures. I've never been dissapointed with the image quality. It captures very good details. So, I highly recommend this camera for the everyday user.

I had taken lots of shots. The pictures are very good.

I am not a professional photographer, but I wanted top end image quality. This may not be the camera for the serious photography professional, but an excellent camera for the rest of us. The image quality may not be the ultimate best, but it is very, very good and the camera does not cost $5000+. A major reason for purchase was the bundled 340MB IBM Microdrive which is a must for shooting a lot of images at the fine setting. I recently went on a vacation/college visiting trip. I fired off over 200 images at fine setting and came home after two weeks on road with 80-90 images to spare on the drive-excellent, excellent feature for the price. This camera eats batteries, the included AA batteries are a joke, they were gone in 5 minutes. Advise buying two sets of NiMH and/or a set of Lithium Ion batteries and keep one set charged to alternate with-that gives you all the battery capacity you need (until fuel cells are available). Also a must is the AC adapter. Two minor complaints: 1)If you turn the camera on with the lens cap on, it shuts off automatically and the manual warns this can cause damage to the camera. Guess how many times this tends to happen?! 2) The camera should have a watch battery to keep the time and date current, it doesn't. If it goes without power it loses that info which has to re-entered at each shooting session if there are long time lapses between sessions. All in all I am very satisfied with the performance, features and storage capacity of the camera. Great value for your money!

I bought my 40i 2 years ago when I was in Japan where they have the exclusive pink version. I love that I don't have to have two separate items for digital photos and MP3's! That alone is what made me buy this camera. But the photo quality has been great too. Pictures generally come out true to color and, if you get a 64 MB card, it holds a bunch of them to boot. Compact, convinient, efficient. Not only that, it is exceptionally user friendly. Setting it up for my Macintosh was a breeze.

3 gripes:

1) Prodigious appetite for batteries, as been noted in other reviews.

2) I have two Fuji cameras, this and an APS. I love them both, but they both have the same problem; at short range, the flash is strong enough to vaporize a cow. Long range flash is virtually useless on this camera. (Fortunately, my APS Fuji has great flash range.)

3) No zoom in the highest quality setting.

Despite the niggles, there's no better camera/MP3 player for your money. Oh, and if you're in the market for one of these little jewels and you're planning a trip to Japan, get the pink one!

This was my introduction into the world of Digital Camera's. I bought this camera for my trip abroad. I wanted something small and light but I did not want to give up functionality. I had no problem giving up the zoom that was just something for me to break when shoving it into my bag. This camera has been dropped and kicked and it still works great. I have not had any problems uploading or downloading the pictures and the printed pictures look amazing. I highly recommend this camera to any one with an active life style who wants a great camera with out the bulk. I did buy much larger memory cards and have two sets of rechargeable batteries. I love the fact that if in a pinch I can go to the drug store and pick up some AA batteries and keep snapping.

I am not sure what surprises me most about this camera. Probably the fact that it is 2 years old and still outperforms many others! It is in a class by itself. You will be hard-pressed to find something comparable for its size, resolution, or features.

You can shoot an incredible 2400x1800 picture or listen to mp3s from this unit, not much bigger than 3" x 3" square. Swap the included memory for a 128mb SmartMedia card and you have about two and a half hours of music (at the lowest bitrate, 96kbps) or close to 100 images at likely three times the resolution of your computer monitor. You can even shoot short video clips.

The FinePix 40i is not without its downsides, however. The software is worse than what you will find on most $50 webcams. The music downloading program forces you to use the USB cable and its own proprietary format, so don't bother with any speedier SmartMedia readers (like PCMCIA). I am still dumbfounded as to why they did not give an option for voice annotation, since there is a microphone built-in for video recording. And the lack of zoom is annoying but understandable given its size. That said, in my opinion, it is still the small camera to beat.

Would you believe this has been discontinued? If you live in the US and are awaiting the next version of this great camera like I was at first, just buy this one now while you can. The 30i and 50i have come out in Europe and Japan but are doubtful for release here. Plus, FujiFilm actually cut costs so they are not as good. The 30i has a nice feature though to upload pictures to certain cell phones in Japan, which would be cool. They also improved the ultra-basic mp3 remote included with the 40i and offer new colors. But since those aren't coming to America, do yourself a favor and pick this up -- then you can laugh at everyone wasting their money on a Kodak mc3. This costs only slightly more but it is leaps and bounds better!

If you don't have many accessories this is a really nice camera bag.

If you have a standard point and shoot with a fully retractable zoom lense this is the bag for you. It will have ample storage for your camera, memory cards and batteries. This bag has one moveable divider so you can adjust the compartment size for you camera.

If you have a camera with any kind of lens adapter or if you have quite a few extras, I would highly recommend a bigger camera bag.

The bag is light and small and my Nikon 5700 fits snugly, along with all of it's gear - battery charger, extra battery, memory card. Good quality material. Looks like it will take some wear and tear.

I bought this camera bag at the same time I bought a Canon Powershot A20. I'm impressed with the quality construction- while I wouldn't hurl the bag against a brick wall without some trepidation, I'm feel confident that dropping it won't harm my camera too terribly much. There's a lot of padding here.

The actual camera is a lot smaller than the bag proper, so I appreciate that the divider in the main compartment velcroes into place, ensuring that I can give the machine as snug a fit as I want, leaving the rest of the ample space for assorted extras.

I purchased this bag for a Sony TRV30 camcorder and overall am happy with it.

Pros:
- small
- light
- weatherproof (havent actually tested it yet, but the retractable hood is a nice touch)

Cons:
- small
- not enough pockets
- when wearing a T-shirt, the hairs on my hands get caught up in the strap attachment (painful and annoying and I am not even that hairy!)

Overall, if the constraints dont scare you away, I think its a pretty nice bag.

This is the best bag for the money available! Nothing else can be said.

This bag is smartly designed...many compartments to put your camera stuff. In my bag, I have just enough room to put my digital camera and a point and shoot film camera in the main compartment (which is separated by a divider). The inside is plush so there will never be damage to your LCD display.

There is also an area in front of the main compartment with two plastic pockets. In one, I have a smartmedia card and extra batteries...in the other, I have jammed in a lens cleaning kit.

I really like the two straps (one shoulder and one for being hand held) and the weather hood that is hidden in the bag for rainy days. The only complaint I have is that the bag takes a dip in the front where the zipper comes down (for style probably...look at the grey area on the photo). If it just came straight across instead of dipping down, there would be more vertical room in the front area.

Overall though, great bag which can hold lots!