Digital-Camera Reviews

Canon have done it again and produced this year another great ultracompact camera. The Powershot S500 really hits the mark for me. Small, and well designed it is also a well-rounded performer in the digital camera world. At 5 megapixel resolutions you can take very good quality pictures. The camera itself is aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. It comes with 32 MB compact flash, so you may well want to upgrade this capacity. Also, a case is not supplied in the box. Still these are small minuses. Like a lot of the newer ultracompact digital cameras the S500 has a movie mode, and can capture 2-3 minutes. Outdoors it takes some very nice pictures, but I was actually pleasantly surprised by its indoor performance with flash. It is possible to take some good photos without red eye problems. You cannot really go wrong with this camera if you want a good high performance compact.

The new Canon PowerShot S500 is a 5MP upgrade to the immensely popular S400 model, which was a 4MP digital camera. The S500 produces excellent images, is easy to use, and is compact enough to carry in a pocket. 3X optical zoom is standard on these cameras. Besides shooting still photos, you can record low-res video clips as well as audio clips, but don't expect high quality on either.

For a hundred bux less, you can get the 4MP S410 model which is otherwise identical to the S500. Should you go for this or the S410? I think for most consumers 4MP is plenty enough, with room for cropping and enlargements. 5MP is only necessary if you really crop a lot *and* plan to blow up the cropped images. The S410 strikes a great balance between pixel count and price -- it's a better value.

If you just need a digital camera to take pictures in the sun light, you can almost pick any digital camera.

But if you want your camera to take great pictures under all different light conditions (i.e. in door, with dark background, wedding photos and other complex light situations), then Canon S500 will be the only choice. Thanks to Canon DIGIC Image Processor and iSAPS Technology, this Canon S500 really takes perfect pictures in all different light conditions, which no compact digital camera from other vender can match.

However the Canon case for S500 is very dispointing, which is poorly made with cheap fake leather.

I found the most beautiful, perfect fitting leather case for Canon S410/S500 from http://stores.ebay.com/ProCases

Hi everbody,

First of all, I was fortunate enough to get this camera from Adorama Cameras for $374.00 plus shipping. Must have been some sort of introductory special on Amazon. Got the camera about a week after ordering. Let me say that this is my 4th digital camera and I regard this as the best I have had so far. I have owned both Olympus and Minolta digital cameras prior to buying the Canon S1 IS. I want to say that Canon definitely thought out the ergonomics and the feel of this camera. It feels very comfortable and sturdy (I'm right handed. It is clear that they did not skimp on workmanship I love the smoothness of the 10x Optical zoom (that's reason I wanted a good long zoom camera)and there was no blurriness thanks to the Image Stabiliser. I recommend if you are taking shots and you are zooming in at 3X or greater on the optical zoom, engage the IS. I don't recommend using digital zoom on any digital camera, it is always easier using photo editing software to crop your photos. I tried the camera at a couple of family outings and I was definitely impressed. I was a bit concerned about it being only 3.2MP but the pictures I took looked better than my sister's 4MP Kodak camera. The auto mode works fairly well and the LCD certainly shows good detail in bright sunlight but be warned, have the display set at full brightness especially if you are using the EVF outside. There are only 2 display brightness settings. The photos I took had good contrast and very vibrant colors. There was some very slight purple fringing on some shots I took with the optical zoom at maximum. You may need to adjust the exposure setting if you are trying to photograph a subject that is on a background that doesn't contrast well. I also found that you definitely need rechargeable AA batteries, especially if you are running the LCD screen and if you are running the camera in movie mode. That reminds me, the movie mode is incredible but you need at least a 1GB card to record anything substantial at 30 fps. I recommend if you can afford it, get the 4GB microdrive. I have heard that you can take the microdrive out of the Muvo2 4GB player and use it in the camera since the S1 accepts CompactFlash Type II cards if you know how to do it right. With so many different modes, this camera will definitely grow with you. I wished that Canon had put a flash hot shoe on this camera but I can understand them not trying to create a light stripped down version of the EOS Rebel. Indoors, the flash is above average compared to other digital long zooms but could still be better, it will illuminate your subject. The camera AF did slow down somewhat in very dim lighting, make sure to run it in night scene mode, not auto. The extra long exposure lag definitely improves the shots and just to be fair, the low light performance was certainly superior to other digital cameras I have owned. I do like the fact that Canon included a nice get started quickly template but the manual could be better organized. For most people, I would say using it in auto is fine but if you like to tinker, the full manual mode is a lot of fun. All in all, a good buy despite the fact that Canon should have also included a AF assist lamp which surprised me somewhat since they put them on most every camera they make. Well, that just leaves room for improvement I guess. Now, I gotta get back to shooting some more pictures. Auf Wiedersehen!

Canon has always been the leader in digicam technology
and they have simply blown away the competition with their
latest model - the PowerShot S1 IS, this is a truly awesome
camera for the features that it offers at such a reasonable
price, here are the pros:

10x optical zoom with image stabilizer:
- the single most compelling feature this cam offers, dont underestimate the power of 10x zoom with image stabilization,
it can convert you from an average shutterbug to a real pro,
Canon had a previous model with IS (now discontinued) costing
around 1000$ and its great to see them come out with the same technology at a much lower price, IS is important not just
while using 8x or 10x zoom, it is also a critically important
feature while taking snaps in low-light conditions since it
virtually eliminates camera-shake at low shutter speeds,
I have taken really sharp pictures in several low-light
conditions (like in the subway, or Times Square at night!)
which was very difficult to do with my prev camera (Canon A60
- also a very fine camera but does not have IS).

60 mins DV-quality VGA video:
- probably the best video-mode camera out there, pretty much doubles up as a camcorder with upto 60 mins of good quality
video recording (depending on your card size).

phenomenal picture quality:
- true Canon picture quality, i was very happy with the
picture quality on my A60 and this model continues the
fine tradition !

3.2 megapixel CCD:
most people dont realise that MP has nothing to do with the
actual picture quality, its just a measure of the dimensional
size of the picture - 2mp is 1600x1200 & 3mp is 2048x1536,
this makes a difference only if you plan to crop and enlarge
sections of ur photo OR if you plan to print out really huge
copies of the snap, i think 3mp is more than enough for most
consumers/semi-pros unless you want to print gigantic copies
of every single snap (which may end up costing you more than
the camera itself).

Cons: none so far ! I have been very pleased with this camera
so far, both its picture quality and the 10x IS zoom, this is
probably the finest model in the Canon lineup in my opinion,
and I am sure that anyone buying this camera would be very
happy with its performance.

I have done quite a bit of research on digital cameras, and have read many reviews. The fact is, that there is no perfect digital camera, and people are going to find little things they don't like about all of them. I purchased the S1 IS about a week or so ago, and this is one great camera. Some people say the lense cap falls off... well... it's suppose to... keep it attached to the camera so it don't get lost and put it back on when you put it in the case. Some people say the battery life is bad... well... get some rechargable 2300 ma batteries and a charger... and keep a couple sets charged... one set will last for hours... and... if you are in a jam you can get AA batteries anywhere. Some people say the display is hard to see in bright sunlight or in low light... well... I have not seen one that is not. Some people say that the pictures are not sharp... well... try setting it in auto until you learn how to use the many great settings... I printed 8 1/2 x 11's that where as sharp as a tack. There was a problem with memory erros, but if you download the firmware update, and follow the instructions, it will resolve the problem. I personally did not have that problem, but I updated my firmware anyway. The fact is... This is one heck of a great camera. The zoom is outstanding, you can print up to 8 1/2 x 11's with good quality, the stabelization is great, and if you want to learn the manual settings, they are great too. I would still reccomend a tripod for shots with shutter speeds greater than 1 second. The software is everything you need to organize, enhance, and print your pics. If you are looking for the perfect digital camera... you will never find it. If you are looking for the best digital camera in the $400 to $500 dollar price range, I would recommend the S1 IS above all others in the same price range.

The S10 packs a lot of features into a compact form. As a tote-around point-and-shoot, it's a good choice. The retracting lens and automatic cover make it easy to pack, and the ability to take high capacity memory cards or IBM disk devices allow you to take quite a few pictures (even at 2-megapixel resolution) without downloading.

On the downside, the S10 consumes battery power at a higher rate than other digital cameras I've used, and the specialized batteries are expensive. The rechargeable battery pack from Canon is helpful, but it's not included with the camera, upping the cost of a useable configuration.

The 2x optical zoom is a bit short, given that many of the competitors products give you 3x. I often find that missing magnification requires me to shoot at a higher resultion and crop the result.

Most disappointing is the S10's inabilities to accurately capture colors in the red-orange range. Flesh tones are often rendered incorrectly, and flash pictures often end up leaving skin looking pasty. No amount of adjusting the cameras controls seems to solve the problem. I've read reports by others who've suffer the same results, so I'm inclined to think it's a software problem, rather than an issue with my individual unit.

In addition to the rechargeable battery pack, I'd recommend using this with a computer that has a USB port (and getting a USB card if your machine doesn't have one!), as downloading pix, expecially high-resolution shots, through the serial port is painfully slow.

At almost the last minute before leaving on an Alaskan cruise, I decided to dump my usual point-and-shoot camera and go digital. Amazon got the camera to me the day before I left - needless to say, I was reading the manual and taking test photos on the plane to Anchorage! I found the S10 to be very easy to use, and very difficult to take bad pictures with. I'm still discovering new features. One of my favorites is the ability to connect the camera to any television set and show your pictures within seconds of taking them. We did this several times on the ship. The compact size of the S10 makes it more likely that I will carry it with me on outings, rather than leave it at home. I've not yet gotten into the computer/software side of digital photography, but I'll attack that soon - I just got back from Alaska yesterday. Three recommendations: 1) you MUST get the rechargeable battery set, and probably an extra rechargeable battery. It's unfortunate that the charger outfit was not included with the camera (and included in the price). For this reason, if I had it to do over again, I would look very closely at the Canon S100. 2) You should consider getting a larger capacity compact flashcard - I got a 32Meg, which holds about 140 snapshot-type pictures. 3)Think about getting a soft case for the camera - Canon makes a leather case - you can also get nylon cases that work. I worry about scratching or otherwise damaging the LCD screen while carrying the camera unprotected.

I have owned mine for over two years now and I would have to say that it has performed up to every task I have asked of it. The cameras size was important to me and this camera fits well in a pair of khakis or cargo shorts. Things that are a must buy are the kit with charger and at least a 64 MB CF card, I have a 64 and a 128. I love that fact that I can display pictures on the TV with the cables provided. Make editing away from home much easier. Also I bought a second battery and carrying case. All these thing have ensured me of lots of photo ops. This camera does not perform well at sporting events or in low light, but any time the flash goes of it works great. Canon has better software on-line than what came with the camera. Worth every cent.

I've finally found a very reasonably priced 4MP digital camera that I like and my wife will use! We both like the 20 best shot modes that include a on screen detail description of each so that you understand how to utilize each mode. The menus are self explanatory and very easy to move through. It also gives me some manual override features that I like.

My only con so far is that pictures using the digital zoom appear pixelated on a 4x6 print from a photo lab. I would not expect it so noticeable on print this small with a 4 MP resolution. The only other surprise is that there is no sound with the video.

One option I did like was being able to resize a picture to a smaller resolution. This is great when your memory card is full and you don't won't to delete any of the pictures to be able to take another picture.

Remember this is a $200 camera. Personally, I think the QV-R40 is easily the best value for the dollar.

I really like this camera, it is small enough to be discrete in your pocket yet packs a powerful punch. If you look at price to performance ratio, this camera excels. It doesn't cost that much yet for the price you get a fully functionally quality digital camera. At 4 megapixels I can't complain. I took this camera around during my day to take random pictures and to see how the camera performed. I took pictures in a restaurant and outside, both pictures looked good. I had it on highest setting and it does not differ too much from other 4 megapixel cameras. The LCD screen is average size, not too big but good enough to see without strain.

I used AA alkaline batteries just to see how long they would last. Since it was recommended not to use them as they drain quickly I wanted to see for my self. The batteries lasted the whole day (I took around 70 pics) and I never had to change batteries even with using the flash for half those pictures. The charger also can charge other name brand AA and AAA batteries and those worked great for me.

Again, I don't know why casio does this but the videos that you record do not have sound. Why? I do not know. Nonetheless it is a camera and not a camcorder but if you're not going to have sound, might as well not even bother with video at all and use those resources towards something else on the camera. The camera does take a couple of seconds in-between shots but not long enough to lower my rating. The newer version of this camera, the QV-R51 takes much longer (probably because it is processing an extra megapixel of info per shot)than this one.

Overall all, even though there is a newer version of this camera, it is significantly more expensive than this and the performance of that camera is not worth the price (all you get is a bigger LCD screen that drains the batteries quicker and 1 more megapixel of resolution). This camera on the other hand is a spectacular deal in price for the performance you receive and the portability. I definitely recommend this camera, it sure hit the sweet spot for me.

The feature that I like the most is the fast startup time (about 1-2 second from pressing the ON switch to taking the first picture w/o flash.) The shutter lag (the time from pressing the shutter till the time the camera actually records the picture) is very small also. Casio advertises the lag time as 0.01 second and I couldn't feel any lag time so I tend to believe them.

I bought this camera mainly to photograph my 4 month-old son, so the short startup time and small lag time is very important to me. So far, I'm very happy with this camera.

The package contains two NiMH batteries and charger. No SD card is included but the camera has 10 MB built-in memory. The camera can use AA alkaline batteries (in emergency situations) but the batteries would not last long. At the default 4 mega-pixel resolution, each image takes about 1.3 MB, so you should definitely buy SD card to store your pictures.

The size of the camera is also very compact and light. Very suitable for spontaneous shooting.

I've had this camera for a few months now and I think it's a good one. At the time I purchased it, it was the only 3.2 Mega Pixel camera with a 10X optical zoom in the price range and the only one that was really portable in size.

The C-740 has plenty of versatility in its features. It allows a wide range of control and it can be a little intimidating trying to figure it all out. The optical zoom is absolutely amazing and having a glass lens rather than plastic is a real plus.

The one area where I am a bit dissapointed with the Olympus C-740 is in low light sensitivity. I've used an old Sony Mavica at work and with that camera I am able to take clear, crisp pictures without a flash - even in extremely low light conditions. Unfortunately, this is not true of the Olympus C-740. Even when there is relatively good lighting levels the C-740 requires a very steady hand or tripod to get a clear picture without a flash.

Overall, I think it's a good camera, especially if you are looking for high optical zoom in a compact size.

the ultra-zoom c-740 camera is a virtual twin of the c-750 with some notable differences. the biggest differences are a lower resolution (3MP vs 4MP), no hot shoe, no sound recording support, and no remote control support. finally, the c-740 has a body constructed from a mix of metal and plastic while the c-750 has an all metal body.

pros:
- 10x optical zoom - this is the main selling point of this camera (make sure you get a tripod or monopod to hold the camera steady at 10x, though).
- 3MP resolution.
- good image quality.
- allows a great deal of manual control, including the ability to fine-tune white balance.
- support for add-on lenses.
- customizable buttons and menus.
- ability to store four sets of individual settings.
- bright 1.5" LCD display (smaller size than competition, though).
- has an electronic view finder allows you to see what the CCD sees.
- adjustable AF area, plus manual and automatic focus modes.
- auto bracketing, sequence, AF sequence, and hi-sequence capture modes.
- allows contrast, saturation, and sharpness image adjustments.
- ability to save low resolution movies directly to the xD card.
- supports TIFF format.
- non-proprietary AA batteries used. this means replacement batteries are as close as the nearest convenience store (i recommend rechargeables though).
- compact for a 10x zoom camera: 4.2 x 2.6 x 2.8", 10.4oz.

cons:
- purple fringing noticeable.
- noise levels higher than expected.
- some barrel distortion at wide-angle.
- hair-trigger power button.
- electronic viewfinder difficult to view in low light.
- slowest shutter speeds only available in full manual mode.
- does not support RAW format.
- so-so battery life.
- no AF assist lamp, making autofocus difficult in low ambient light.
- no accessory shoe.
- no sound on video.
- the supplied 16MB xD card is inadequate. be prepared to shell out a few more bucks for more memory.
- add even more to buy more rechargeable batteries; you may also want to invest in a faster charger, the included charger is SLOW.

the c-740, like the c-750, is very easy to use and can be used as a point and shoot or as a full manual camera. the noisier than expected images at higher ISO settings, the lack of an AF assist light, and the lack of an accessory shoe are areas for improvement. all in all, a solid camera at a good price. if you have the $$ to spend, i would recommend trading up to the c-750 and get the extra 1MP resolution and hot shoe.

i hope this helps you with your buying decision. peace.

I purchased the camera as a christmas present for myself... I really hadn't done much research on digital cameras ... I bought this on a ... I am very pleased. The clerk at Target showed me an album the store had created using all the cameras and shooting from a distance from each one. I looked at the photo that I liked best and picked the camera and it happened to be the Olympus C-740. The photo had excellent clarity from a great distance.

I am disppointed in the speed of the camera ... for instance when you are snapping a picture it actually takes about 4 seconds to actual take the picture and by then the moment is lost. Not sure how the lapse in taking the picture compares to other digital cameras? The only other complaint is that the camera "eats" the batteries, so always carry spare batteries with you!!

As an advanced SLR amateur, I was looking for a product which
would provide: webcam, medium/low resolution still pictures, and
videos with audio too. I discovered this at FNAC in Grenoble (F) during Christmas time and finally purchased here in Canada.
It did exactly what I wanted: it's *not* a substitute for my NIKONs or pocket ROLLEI, but it's tremendous fun using it!!!
Video quality is good, audio is excellent. Colours are generally good, but avoid direct sunlight. I haven't taken a lot the still images, as video is indeed more fun. I purchased a
64MB memory card, to replace the standard 8MB, and it works!
I can shoot mini-videos for more than 20min overall.
The only negative point is the flash: too strong and little or no usage.
WebCam works fine and it's great fun to communicate with distant
relatives.
The software included is very useful for linking together your
small videos or add some titles.
In the end: if this is your first experience with digicam don't
hesitate. Don't expect results similar to good point-and-shoot 35mm cameras, but you can see your little
creations right away back home on your PC! And kids love it too.

This is by far and wide one of the best digital cameras I have ever come across. A step up from the 310, this one has a FLASH option that lets you capture images in dim light. It has better resolution than the 310 (but you knew that!) and thus is able to take clearer pictures similar to cameras that are worth hundreds of dollars at this amazingly low price (I bet you knew that too!) It's pure genius. Other than that the camera retains it's cute little shape for big or small hands, its TRIPLE function as a webcam and video camera. The Clicksmart 510 comes with a nice stand that is stable and has a no-slip bottom so it stays where it's put even with the heavy cable at the back of the camera.

What I DON'T like about it is that everytime I try to move it, my finger presses that irritating little green button that triggers the Quicksync program that tells you if there are pictures to be automatically transferred from camera to computer. My gripe is that it already DOES this automatically as soon as you plug the camera into the computer port, so the button is really, virtually useless. I like the glowing green and I do like buttons though. Also, we're missing the LCD screen on the back that replays your taken pictures, but that would only add on the costs to the already affordable little thing now wouldn't it? Thus, to me a worthwhile sacrifice.

Another thing about it is the microphone located on the front, as well as the speaker. The speaker itself is LOUD and obnoxiously screams *DING* which in human speak is either: I AM SHUTTING OFF BY MYSELF NOW! or YOU JUST TURNED MY FUNCTIONS AS A DIGITAL CAMERA ON! ... both really good tunes, just a tad annoying when you're holding the camera really close to your head and the thing decides to turn off by itself. The time limit that you have to take pictures before it shuts off is also a pain because there simply isn't enough time! Granted, this saves you a ton of battery power, but since the flash function saps up half the batteries by itself after a few takes, the Auto-Shutoff doesn't help much at all.

So if you can live with these few minor frustrations like I learned to, this is a camera you should consider for the price and all its functions.

This is the first camera I bought to use as a webcam. I bought it specifically to communicate with my family while deployed. But since it also can be used as a regular digital camera, although not the same quality, I got more than just a webcam. The pictures I took seem to be just great quality anyhow.

Without getting into technical stuff which I don't have time to understand, I'd say one the greatest strengths of this camera is it's ease of use. You could say it really is plug and play. I put in the batteries, inserted the disk and connected the cord. Then it loads up pretty easy. I got an account thru Yahoo Messenger and in no time I was able to see and talk to my wife and son. In fact the hardest part was talking to my wife about how to connect her camera.

The camera seems well designed. It feels solid, durable, not delicate. It uses regular AAA batteries, even comes with optional sound. That's useful if you ever wonder -- did the picture take? The stand that makes it a webcam is maneuverable and practical -- you can set it just how you want.

I think it is a good value, but you may find a better price elsewhere.

For the $$$ you really can't beat it. This is my first and only digital camera so I wasn't sure about getting one but it's worked out great. I'm gonna try and answer all the questions that I had before buying and hopefully that will help you. Q: No zoom, is that bad? A: Not really. The software that comes with it allows you to zoom and crop the picture in your computer. Q: Is it difficult to download the pictures to my camera? A: No, it's a simple process and only takes about one minute to complete the download. Q: Does it use up a lot of battery power? A: Oh yes, she's a maniac for power. But this is easily solved. I went down to my local store and bought a battery re-charger and batteries. Problem solved. Q: If I'm gonna spent a large amount of money for a digital camera should I just spend the extra $$$$ and get a higher end one. A: Personally I don't see why. Granted I've never had a top of the line digital camera but I can't imagine that the differance could possibly be worth the extra money.

This Camera is great!!!!!! Just look at all the great stuff it has!! The Agfa ePhoto 780c digital camera produces images up to 1024 x 768 using PhotoGenie technology and processes pictures in under two seconds. This stylish silver-blue digital camera is very easy to use and comes with both a LCD and optical viewfinder. Camera features include a focus-free all glass lens, 4 flash modes (auto, fill-in, red-eye reduction, off) and video output to view pictures on TV. The 2MB SmartMedia card (included) stores up to 96 images. Details

Features Still Image Capture Resolution - 640 x 480, 320 x 240, 1024 x 768 Still Image Format - JPEG Digital Video Capture Resolution - None Digital Video Capture Speed - None Analog Video Format - NTSC, PAL Focus Range - 0.1 m Audio Input Support - Not available Color Support - Color - 24-bit (16.7M colors) Cable(s) Included - 1 x AV / multimedia external ¦ 2 x serial external System Requirements - Apple MacOS 7.0 or later, Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 or later, Microsoft Windows 95/98 Device Type - Digital photo camera - external Battery - 4 x Alkaline AA type Memory / Flash Installed ( Max ) - 2 MB ( 8 MB ) - Flash SmartMedia card Power - None

I've had my Agfa ePhoto 780c for about 5 years now. Bought mine when it was $199, but even then I thought it was a great value. I love this camera! No trips to the store for film or developing (1st to drop off, then to pick up). I get to see the pictures as soon as they've been taken. Downloading to the computer is fast and easy. Makes for some nice screensavers. You'll go through a few batteries though, especially if you use the view screen a lot. Get the AC cord if you can find one.

Earlier this year, I purchased this camera for a Win98 machine, and was very pleased. I had it up and running in five minutes, and for the price, the clarity and performance under less-than-optimal lighting conditions were remarkable. The bundled software was a good value, too. So then (the plot thickens) I bought it for a Win2K machine, not realizing the camera, in August of 2001, wasn't Win2K-ready. The website provided Win2K drivers which allowed the camera to work (I tested it with Netmeeting and a demo version of Webcam32), but the performance was greatly disappointing. The camera flickered like a dying monitor, and the focus was muddy. I reluctantly returned the camera (feeling at loose ends due to the negative reviews on Amazon of nearly every other webcam except the discontinued 3Com!).

The Intel website notes that the software package for Win2k will be available on Sept 17. I liked this camera so much on the Win98 machine that if the software really does become available, I might buy it again from a company with a respectable return policy (like Amazon), and hope that the flickering was truly a mechanical problem and not a permanent Win2K conflict. I may also look for an updated video-card driver, just in case an old driver compounded the performance issue.

Conclusion? If you have Windows 98, go for it. Excellent quality for the price, and a no-brainer to set up. If you have Windows 2000 and you're interested in this camera, wait til Intel delivers on producing its software bundle for the Win2k platform, then buy it from a place that has a consumer-friendly return policy.

I just purchased the Intel Delux PC Cam from this site and I was very excited about it. I have a boyfriend and a best friend who live out of state, so I thought this camera would be a good thing while talking to them on the computer. At first I was a little distraught to find out that the CD did not come Windows2000 compatiable. Since the CD didn't work on my computer, all I had to do was go to the Intel site and download the program for free... no big deal. The only complaint I had was that it took FOREVER for me to be able to connect to the site to download it, and it took about an hour to download. But once it did, it was relatively easy with the step-by-step installation process. It was easy to understand how to work the programs when I got it started. Talking on netmeeting is only as good as the price you pay for it, but I must say the pictures in the snapshot section come out crystal clear! They are very amazing snapshots along with clear videos. I definitely reccomend this product to someone who doens't want to pay too much for a camera, but doens't want to get anything too cheaply made.

I bought this camera in 2001 when it was $70 and it has not failed me yet. It's very small (fits in your palm) and has a detachable stand which you can stick to a table or on top of your computer. You can record short movies with sound. The software is awesome and I have yet to try out the post card feature among other things (no image editing).

The only down side is it is not portable and once in a while, the color is "off" depending on the lighting.

Definitely worth the price!!

We purchased this camcorder in October of 2003, and by June 2004 the pause button has already quit working. We have only had light to moderate use of this camcorder since purchasing it. It is still covered under the one year warranty, but we have to ship it all the way to California from Arkansas (and yes we have to pay for the shipping and handling), and it will not be back before our vacation. They will not cover it unless it is shipped to them. I would think twice before purchasing this product.

I've had my camera for a few days now and spent the weekend really putting it to the test. First thing is you need to change the default settings to accommodate for the low light problem. Here are the settings you should use (I read this on digital camcorder forum):

* Program AE: Auto
* AE Shift: <= -1.0
* Shutter: 1/60
* White Balance: Indoor.

With these settings indoor filming is quite good, still not perfect, but according to everything I read, these type of cameras (mini-DV) are never going to be great low light performers. When I filmed outside or in my workshop (which has ALOT of light) the quality was amazing.

I love the 18x zoom on this camera. There are many different fading options as well as other effects (Black&White is cool). It also comes with a remote control that comes in handy. The LCD screen is a good size as well as very functional. Manual is good as well.

I have not downloaded it to my computer yet, but from what I read it comes with good software which makes it easy.

Bottom line, I do not feel you can get a better camera in this price range with all of the options as long as you do not use the default settings for indoor filming. Supposedly the Sony's are better indoor performers but they only come with 10x zoom (I really like the 18x) and they do not have any manual control buttons and the LCD screens are suppose to be pretty bad, plus they are more. Also, the battery that comes with this one only last approximately one hour.

I bought this camcorder when my daughter was born after I saw a short video my brother made. I had been thinking about getting one, but wasn't sure what I would be able to do with it. Six months after getting it, and recording hours of tape, I sat down to author my first DVD. After two days of working in the basement, I came up and showed my wife 5 short (3 - 5 min) videos (complete with transitions and music). She was crying. It was worth it. I burned several copies and sent them to family members who were equally impressed. All that was made possible by using this camcorder.

O.K. Now to the camcorder review.

This is a great camcorder. It is small (palm sized) and light. The controls are all easy to use/understand. I opted for this model instead of the ZR65 and up because of price, and I didn't need the ability to take stills (I have a Canon G2).

The picture quality is fine. I have used it primarily indoors and in low light. Admittedly there is some grain, but it is totally acceptable when you look at the benefits of going digital. In better lighting conditions, the grain is not noticeable.

I have opted for the next size up battery (Canon BP512) because the one supplied only last about 30 minutes. For $45 I can get close to 1 1/2 hours of recording time. Plus I have the original as a backup.

The fully functional remote is also a nice feature. It does everything for the camera.

This camcorder feels like it is a quality piece of equipment. It never feels flimsy, or weak. It has a solid feel to it.

Canon makes great digital optical equipment. I have the G2 digital camera, and a flat-bed scanner, and I have no problems with quality (image quality or build quality). I highly recommend this.