Digital-Camera Reviews

This camera offers impressive quality and features for a reasonable price. This was my first experience with a digital camera so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was surprised to find that the camera is exceptionally easy to use and takes great photographs.

You really don't even need to read the manual to start taking pictures. The "getting started" guide helps you install the memory card and batteries and then you are off and running. For the most part, all camera function can be figured out by navigation the well designed menus. This is especially good since the full manual is only included in PDF format on the software CD.

So far, all of the pictures I've taken have had very nice color balance and depth. Naturally, the quality setting on the camera (of which there are 3) has a signficant effect on the imagine quality.. but I have been satisfied with the results at all quality levels.

The included memory card has 16 megabytes of storage. This will get you about 29 images at medium quality, ~ 15 at high quality and 2 at the high quality setting (which uses no compression). 16 megabytes gives you plenty of storage to get started with the camera, but you'll probably want to invest in something larger once you start using it more.

Of course, this camera has it's set of downsides.

- On occasion the response time from the zoom is a bit slow. You'll press the zoom buttom (which is nicely located right where your thumb rests) and it might take a second or so for the zoom to move.

- The screen on the back of the camera isn't bright enough for outdoor photography. This only becomes a problem when you are using the macro feature. Normally the viewfinder gets the job done, but with macro photos the viewfinder doesn't accurately show what the lens sees so you must use the screen. Unfortunately the screen can be almost impossible to see on a sunny day.

- When looking through the viewfinder your nose presses against the rear screen. This doesn't present a problem from a usage perspective but you'll find the screen needs constant cleaning.

In addition to all the other comments here, the HP C618 has a couple of very appealing features:

- Traditional Pentax "retro" appearance, more resolution than most people need, very nice onscreen menus, unique IR blasting features, automatic lens cover, and picture quality is light-years better than my last camera (especially on outdoor shots). The default 16mb card stores 100 800x600 images or 29 1600x1200 images at "better quality"

- PC Connect mode simulates a generic hard disk to both Macs and Win2K (no software or adapters needed for to connect to an average PC, plug it in using any standard USB printer cable)

- Scripting language is very useful, I downloaded several free scripts and documentation from the ... site and had them copied to flash in minutes...I've since written a couple of scripts, including one for "bracketing" shots (takes multiple pictures with various exposure or zoom levels)

On the flip side, you'll need to accept that...

- The battery drain is significant at times...I found some AA couldn't provide enough oomph when the camera what shooting (especially several shots in a row). The includes AA Photo Lithium batteries were flawless and provided 200 shots with a high percentage of flash shots, screen usage, and USB connections. I plan on trying Radio Shack NMH rechargables as people suggest

- The flash is too bright on indoor shots less than ~5 feet...as others suggested, I've taped some tissue over the flash and sometimes also have to reduce the exposure setting to get a good shot in these cases. If you're doing eBay or inventory work you'll need to set up other sources of light. and disable the camera flash.

- There was not as much software included for Macintosh computers...just some generic image editing tools (the ... site claims to have a free software download for Macs but the link is broken and you end up getting their software for an older HP camera). I honestly don't think this is a big deal, as the connections to my Mac are so easy in USB drive mode I'd just assume not clutter up my disk with stuff I wouldn't use.

I love this camera...originally I'd thought I'd wanted the cute little Canon ELPH S100 but the HP has better optics, value, and customization using the scripting language. I also was very impressed with the Kodak 3400 (this was a close call but the asthetics, scripting, 3x zoom, and USB drive emulation on the HP won me over)

I have had this camera for about a year and I love it. All in all we have taken about 2000 pictures with it and we love the b/w, color, or sepia option. I have taken some really beautiful pictures that are worthy of being framed and out on the wall. I have noticed the battery problem but that is easily fixed by getting rechargeable batteries and putting the quality on good (you still get great pictures). I would say that we can take 125-150 straight shots with the rechargeable batteries. I have not had to talk to HP tech support so I can't comment on that. We did take this camera to Hawaii and got about 400 absolutely great pictures. I also found that it is incredibly easy to download and email my pictures. Once they are downloaded I email them to friends/family or I burn them onto a CD for people as a photo album, it saves a ton of money. I think a lot of the problems that other reviewers have run into have less to do with the actually camera as it does with either tech support, or technology problems with their computers. If you follow the setup instructions, this camera is very easy to use on the computer and a lot of fun to take pictures with.

Even with the little screen on the back of this camera you can't tell that a picture you've taken is blury. Not to mention it is particularly confusing having a switch on the side to determine whether its in focus for close ups or distance photos. The low megapixels make it impossible to enlarge anything you've cropped to any extent. Finally and probably the worst problem has to do with light. If you are unfortunate enough to have to use the flash, it only lights up the center of the picture often washing out the middle and leaving a circle of darkness around the edge. I was almost broken hearted when I realized there was nothing I could do about this. I imagine that for as much as the gift giver paid...it was probably still too much.

I'd just like to add a couple of stuff to what the other reviewers had said :

* First of all,this is a budget, entry level camera. Keep that in mind and you'll be a happy camper.

* The LCD is NOT 1.6'' like the kodak website claims, its only about 1.2''. Besides that, it works fine.

* You can avoid shutter lag almost completely by holding the shutter button in half way, then depress it fully when you need to.

* You change all the settings using the menu on the LCD, wich isn't alot, but it wouldv'e been nice to have a small screen on top and seperate buttons for picture quality,flash and self-timer, so you dont have to turn on the LCD each time you need to change this.I guess they did this to keep the price down.

* As I said, settings are minimal, so if you like that sort of thing, and you got the extra cash, get another camera.

* Internal memory is good for its class. I doubt if there's a camera below $$$ with more that 16MB of internal memory.

* Leave the dock, but get rechargebles.

* Whats nice about the LCD is it's high refresh rate, if you hook it up to your VCR I reckon you'll be able to record some decent video footage.

This is the type of camera wich you turn on, point in the right direction,press the button and get a picture.Nothing more, nothing less.
I'm happy with it and would recommend it.If it wasn't for the wrong LCD size, id've given it 5 stars.

Quote:

'VERY cheap looking and feeling. Every time I flip a switch I'm afraid I'm going to break something. Typical "Made in China" quality.'
-A customer from USA, June 28

I don't think that these reviews are meant for discriminatory comments such as that. I consider that reviewer a racist bigot and hope that his review doesn't influence your purchase.

I received this camera for Christmas last year and have been very satisfied with it. It satisfactorily fills the needs of most casual users. The camera is very well made considering it isn't a high end model. The picture quality is excellent.

The only problem is the battery life. I can't seem to take very many pictures before the battery indicator turns on. There is a very simple solution to this, however. You only need to purchase some rechargeable NiMH batteries. Overall, it's a great purchase.

The zoom is brilliant, but the camera has some irritants. In very bright light, which is usual lighting conditions in South Australia, you need to take control of the exposure, because it will wash out the colours. In low light (ie needing a flash), you have to take control of the focussing. And every time you replace or re-charge the batteries, you'll need to turn off the stupid start-up/shutdown sound effects - if you prefer your photography to be subtle.

I was comtemplating on waiting for the Canon Powershot A80 but really wanted the 10x zoom so i went ahead and bought the Olympus C-750 instead. The main reason i bought it was the zoom and its usage of AA batteries. I also bought a 512mb xD card by Fuji which works great and holds somewhere around 180 pics at top rez. I dont really use the Camedia software but instead use ACDSee v6 which I am more familiar with, and didnt want to learn new software. I think i will be buying a help guide to learn how to use all the manual features in this cam, as there are many. The digital view finder is nice as long as its not a very dark environment (I have been told that an optical viewfinder on a 10x zoom is not feasible and would result in a very expensive camera). The only things I wish could be different would be the inclusion of a printed reference manual, and if there gonna make this camera only use the expensive xD memory they should at least make it so panoramic mode would be accessible on third party xD memory (if you want to use the panoramic you have to buy "Olympus" brand xD memory). Olympus also wants you to send em more money to upgrade their bundled Camedia software to "pro" which is pretty shady in my opinion. If they would bundle the "Pro" version of the software, and take the restriction off the third party xD memory, this camera would easy get 5 stars.

The only reason to buy the Olympus C-750 is if you need the powerful 10x optical zoom. However, if you can get by with a 3x optical zoom then you might consider another model.

I do a mix of 35mm film and digital photography. I had owned two earlier model Olympus cameras and was generally happy with the brand. I mostly used the digital cameras for snapshots and the film camera for more serious work. I bought the C-750 shortly after it came out hoping to do more digital photography. Yes, it is a nice camera with lots of great features. The menu system is relatively easy to use and it has a long battery life (a thing Olympus certainly does well).

However, while the C-750 is certainly an above average camera, it is not a great camera for the price. My biggest complaint about this camera is that it is very slow. It seems like it takes forever for the zoom to start moving after I press the adjustment lever. And if I want to make fine adjustments to the zoom while setting up a shot (which is common) it is again another long wait for the camera to respond. Added to this is another long delay from the time I press the shutter button to the time the camera actually takes the picture. You can improve the speed a little by playing with the settings, but not really enough to make a difference. This isn't a big deal if all you ever do are landscape shots, but most people like to photograph things that move as well. It's really very frustrating, as I've lost many great shots just because the scene changed during the C-750 delay.

If you're a serious photographer and perhaps accustom to the speed of a 35mm then you probably won't be happy with the C-750. There are other cameras on the market that offer a manual zoom and a quicker response time for the same cost. Anyway, I did want to point out this single, but serious, flaw in the C-750. Try it before you buy if possible.

The B&W viewfinder is better than color for manual focus and contrast. Having both in the package is a plus and not a negative.

The Sony DCR TRV310 works _very_ well as a Windows XP camcorder. Windows XP Professional include Windows Movie Maker. This el-cheapo free-bee isn't adequate. In 2002, Microsoft released a free upgrade: Windows Movie Maker 2. Version 2 ROCKS. With a whole host of new camera effects, a zoo of fades, excellent title and credit control, and very controllable multiple audio tracks, it's possible to do quite a bit of movie editing, without paying a dime more for software. Version 2 even allows you to re-record your finished video back onto the camera!

I bought my Sony DCR TRV310 used (partly broken). Since the input/output connections don't work properly, I just plug my TRV310 into the FireWire port, and use Windows Movie Maker 2's capture mode to control the camcorder -- right on the computer screen!

I sent somebody some video I had shot, stored as a .WMV file on a CD-R. He sent me back a note thanking me for the DVD!!!

This model is aging, and its cost is going down. Since it does everything you'll want, including playing back 8-mm and Hi8 tapes directly into Windows XP in digital format, it's still an excellent buy -- and an even better value than ever!

Windows Movie Maker 2's minimum computer requirements are, CPU 1,500 Mhz (1.5 GHz), 512 K RAM, lots of disk space (20 GB+), and a FireWire port. Since Windows Movie Maker 2 uses Microsoft-specific storage formats, you may want to spend a few $$$ to purchase third-party video editing software, which will record to more formats, or give you DVD authoring capability.

Suggested equipment upgrades for the TRV310: External clip-on microphone for better forward gain & extended bass sound; 8-hr InfoLithium battery HIGHLY recommended.

I bought this camcorder for two reasons:

1) Exceptional imageand sound quality 2) Ability to digitally edit videos on my PC

Thevideo quality is superb, with excellent auto-exposure capabilities. The 20x optical zoom is great -- I leave the digital zoom switched off. Good fades are complimented by some neat SFX modes -- image trails, sepia effect, slow "shutter speed" and (limited) image keying. The standard battery doesn't last much longer than an hour, so you should factor in the cost of an extended battery into your budget.

If size is the most important thing, then you should look at DV format cameras. I found them to be too small -- the Sony camera size and weight make it easy to handle while not being a burden. Hi8 tapes are also much cheaper than DV tapes.

For editing, there are several fully digital capture cards available for PCs and all support this camera You can edit and review video on your PC (in real time on some cards) and render back to the camera for final recording on tape. All without any analog<->digital conversion and therefore without any loss in quality.

If quality is important, or you have any aspirations to editing your videos rather than just taping the kids, vacations and weddings, then this is the camera for you.

I had a 3.2MP Sony camera about two years ago. It was great. Why I got rid of it, I'll never know. Even though it was a bit bulkier than the DSCP92, it took great photos and MPEGs and I could fit so much on a 128MB memory stick. With this one, five photos and a 30-second MPEG are all I can fit on a 16MB memory stick. But what bothers me most is that it doesn't offer Black & White as an optional photo mode! WHY IS THAT? It's such a common option and yields some beautiful photos. I mean, come on, how often do you take photos in Sepia, Solarize or--what's the other one--Sunburst? PLEASE! I'm tempted to take this camera back. Even my parents' cheap Kodak digital camera offers B&W.

Looks great, feels great, and takes great pictures.

5MP truly gives you a great quality, and surprisingly (to me) I'm using the Audio/Video MPEG mode more often then I thought. The quality of the movies won't replace your video camera, but quite handy for clips that you want to capture. Packed with features and a very easy to use menu system. Overall I really love the camera.

Cons: With the camera, none. With the package, the memory. 16MB is absolutely terrible. 5MP you'll get about 6 pictures. Wait for deals, here on Amazon as well, and you can find 256MB sticks for [some money]. So DO consider this in your pricing (with other cameras as well), but if you pick up a 128 or 256 stick, you have a great system that you will be happy with.

I'm rating the camera, or else the package would have got 4 stars since a 16MB stick is totally inadequate. Aside from that, the camera is absolutely great. 5MP gives you obvious great quality. A feature that I didn't think I would use much is really becoming more of a handy feature, the A/V MPEG mode. It will not replace a video camera, but being able to snap 50 pictures at 5MP and take about 7 minutes of footage has been really nice. (I have a 256MB Stick) Overall, I'm very happy with the camera. Like the Sony name, and it feels nice and durable in your hands. I certainly can recommend this camera, but honestly, buy a memory stick, and I would not recommend anything below 128MB. 256MB is nice as you get about 100-120 5MP pictures.

Great deal for the money. Other user's are right about buying a charger with rechargeable batteries, and a larger memory card. It comes with 2 alkaline batteries, they won't last long, especially if you play around with it like I did. I just got mine a few days ago. I noticed leaving the display off helps to save on batteries a little though. I love mine, I would recomend buying the power adapter for the camera too for when you download the pictures onto you're computer, I think that's also where the camera uses a extra battery power too. I just ordered a 128MB picture card and a charger with 4 batteries for mine.

Same as most reviewers on this camera, my first one and I love it! I've had it close to two weeks now and am finding myself addicted to taking pictures just because I know I don't have to worry about buying another roll of film. I haven't upgraded from the 16mb card, but that hasn't been a problem since I download my pictures onto my computer everyday. I already had rechargeable batteries and they come in use now more than ever (I used them pretty much just for my cd player). Like another poster stated, the alkaline batteries it came with died soon after playing around with the camera trying to figure things out - approximately 19 pictures at 3.2mp, not to mention checking out the menu on the LCD screen. Defintely happy with the purchase.

This is pretty good ya know it is really it is

This was my first digital camera. I had mostly been using a 35mm SLR and occaisionally a compact 35mm previously. I thought it was a great deal, so I joined the digital photography era. I have been extremely satisfied with the camera. For the price, I did not expect it to compare with my SLR. Many of the pictures I have taken, however, are comparable. The quality of the images are truly amazing to me. The auto flash and focus function as well as any compact SLR I have had. Compared to other digital cameras I have been exposed to (family and friends) the camera is quick to boot up and respond to pushing the shutter. The software that comes with it is not perfect, but I found it very easy to use. I am still trying to get an AC adapter for it. I have been using rechargable batteries and they last a reasonable period of time. With a 64MB card, I have taken 177 high quality pictures and down loaded them through the USB cable in about 6 minutes. For those who don't want to spend much for compact 35mm equivalent that is easy to carry and use and can take great pictures, I think this is a good choice.
Since I wrote my original review 8 months ago, I have had a problem with the lens protector continueously shutting the camera down and had to send it for repair. This took over one month and the camera still tends to shut down if the lens protector is moved even slighly. Also, I have noticed that pictures taken in a low light setting (with flash, of course) are frequently out of focus. Pictures taken in bright light are very sharp. I have reduced my rating from 4 to 3 stars.

I found on receiving my camera that I could not download the software on my computer. The model was not one of the choices to choose from that I bought. Therefore, I did'nt use my camera for quit sometime. When the portable printers came out for digital I bought one and started to use my camera. Unfortunately, the color is not what I expected and it seems to have to much red in it. Sometimes I also get red eye even when the eye reduction is on. I haven't used it outdoors yet. Maybe I will get better picture quality then. I would like to try to reach a customer service department so that maybe I could find out what I'm doing wrong, but I haven't had any luck in doing that either. I suggest if you get a digital camera don't wait a long time to use it

The reviews were good, but the pictures are even better than advertised! This compact, handy little camera takes absolutely great shots for the amateur or first-time digitaller. I've used several Mavicas, and the 2400 is much better. Colors are rich and details are sharp. Quality is especially good in well lit situations: outdoors, or brightly lit rooms. The flash works okay, but is prone to red-eye, although the red-eye reduction works moderately well. Battery life is excellent. We spent a week at Disney World, took 130 shots, mostly with the LCD display on and many with flash, without having to change batteries (NiMH, 1600mAH, Rayovac). My 64MB smartcard will hold about 160 pictures at 2 megapixel with "normal" JPEG compression (half that at the camera's best resolution). Even the 8MB card that ships with the camera will hold a respectable 20 shots. The camera is surprisingly rugged - it's even survived a bounce off a hardwood floor administered by my 2yr old. My biggest complaints are that the LCD display is pretty much useless in the dark or in bright sunlight (the optical viewfinder works very well though), and the delay time between depressing the shutter button and when the picture is recorded is disconcertingly large, making it difficult to catch a moving target. The software loading was very easy, and transferring pictures to my iMac via USB is a snap. I was disappointed that the PhotoDeluxe software which shipped with the unit was only for Windows, but the viewer for the MAC isn't bad. Altogether an extremely good value.

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!

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.

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.

It's a shame they don't show pictures of the inside of this bag. The top opens up and then the front zips down to reveal 3 mesh pockets meant for flashcards, floppy disks, and cables. Actually, I use mine for a camera/binocular set I was given. The point-and-shoot camera and compact binoculars fit in the main compartment easily together with the divider. The mesh pockets don't hold bulky items, but it's good enough for a roll of file and a simple camera cleaning kit. So I have the basics ready for travel in one small bag.

I even bought another one for a personal 2" TV. The TV and its AC adapter are in the main compartment with a small pair of headphones in the front. I initially wanted to get this bag for my digital camera and accessories. But with a camera, battery charger, AC adapter, and three cables, it was just too much to fit inside this bag; I got a small camcorder bag instead.

So this camera bag is great, but don't expect the pockets up front to hold much.

Received this bag to go along with my Olympus C-4000. It's quite a nice bag, relatively compact and easily fits my C-4000 with plenty of protection offereed by the walls of the case and padded divider. There is plenty of room left for cables, a flash or even another camera if you've got one. A mesh pouch on the inside of the main compartment flap offers a handy place to store my SM cards. On the other side, another component offers 4 elastic loops for batteries, and 2 mesh pouches (1 zippered) for storing more batteries or whatever else you might have. I can easily store 3 sets of 4 AA batteries in here, with plenty of room for more SM cards. And to top it all off, a zippered side pouch for another place to put stuff (nothing too thick though). There's an adjustable carry strap that you can use to sling over your shoulder, plus handles on the top and side, so there are plenty of ways to grab onto the bag. The only think I don't like about this bag is that mine doesn't seem to want to stand up. It always ends up rolling over onto its back. This however is a pretty minor thing.

This is a perfect digital camera bag and has many compartments. The inside has a divider (adjustable) so that you can carry the camera and other accessories (a cell phone in my case). It is fairly spacious so that a variety of cameras fit inside. My Kodak DC4800 fits fine. There are also zipper compartments for storage of flash cards, spare batteries and instruction manuals. The included shoulder strap is adjustable. There are currently 2 versions of this bag. Mine has a zipper around the top--A friend of mine bought one and hers looks exactly as pictured in this ad. You will not be disappointed with this bag.

I'm a Leica and Nikon user, so I approached digital with great skepticism. However, I needed a simple camera for online imaging and this unit seemed to provide the needed features at the right price. After a week's use, I can report that this little camera is a gem. The controls are intuitive and the pictures stunning. For eBay users, the camera focuses down to a few inches and the images are pinpoint sharp. Lack of optical zoom doesn't seem to be a great disadvantage; the 2x digital zoom is adequate for most purposes and consumes less battery power. Two recommended peripherals that I purchased were a memory card and a battery recharger.

I spent months researching digital cameras before deciding on the HP 318, and the time spent was well worth it. The camera itself is little, but is big on quality and features. I love the 2X zoom, and the full-color preview screen provides good display clarity, plus the ability to magnify the displayed image. Using the features built into the camera is incredibly user-friendly, too. Even if you've never used a digital camera before, you won't find this one difficult to use, but that's not to imply that this camera is in any way 'simplistic' when it comes to quality. You'll also have a hard time finding another camera that provides 2.31 MP for the same price. I recommend buying a 64MB flash card to go with it. At the lowest quality setting, you'll be able to store nearly 1,000 pics on it (another great feature about this camera- you have 3 quality settings to choose from). All in all, one of the best investments I've ever made.

And by BATTERIES I mean BATTERIES! Make sure you have a bundle, because I didn't know I'd need them until I used my HP 318 for about 30 minutes! Dead batteries. So this is my first Digital Camera. They (store's name not to be mentioned) kept trying to sell me those cheapo web cams that also serve the purpose of digital cameras. That's not what I wanted, I wanted the little LCD on the back so that I could easily see what I pointing and shooting at. There is a 2X digital zoom and timer feature on the camera. As far as photos go, I believe you start out with around 60 at the 1 star level (worst) and 12 at the 3 star level (best). That's not enough pictures, so I bought a 64MB Flash Card and I can get easily 1000 1 star level photos and 60+ 3 star level photos. There is nothing that comes with the camera to protect it, so I strongly urge you to buy something to cover up the lense and the LCD. It's also quite easy to turn on by just barely moving it. Another down side is the warm up time. If you need your camera "RIGHT NOW!" then this one is definitely not the way to go. It takes this baby about 15 seconds to warm up after hitting the on switch to being able to take a picture. If you're sitting there thinking that you'll just leave it on with the LCD display off, think again. I haven't timed it, but somewhere between 3 and 6 minutes the camera will shut itself off after being idle. Software comes with the camera for automatic unload once you plug it in via USB port.

Like I said in the beginning... Batteries! It takes AA's. Pick up some rechargables and a charger to save you some extra cash!!