Digital-Camera Reviews

For the first 2.5 months of ownership, I was very pleased; however, the camera now has difficulty focusing. The manual indicated the topic matter did not have enough contrast. (Hmm...perhaps a manufacturing bug, identified prior to distribution?) I then tested the theory, locating high contract topics with the same results. At this point, I contacted the manufacturer and they suggested I send the camera in to be repaired. Boo! I expect a product like this to provide years of service, not months. Save your money and look for a more reliable product.

pros:
- the main selling point of this camera is its small size: 3.4 x 2.6 x 0.9 in, weighing in at 5.1oz.
- 3MP resolution, 3x zoom in a very compact package.
- average three megapixel resolution.
- low image noise at low ISO settings.
- allows manual white balance.
- has 21 scene modes!
- good reliable metering.
- low image noise at low ISO settings.
- wide range of focus options including manual focus!
- histogram display in live view and play modes.
- solid build quality.
- fast startup time.
- cool feature: while in its cradle, pushing the dock's photo button turns the EX-Z3 into a small digital frame: the display shows the images it currently holds, displaying each for several seconds.

cons:
- no video out capability at all.
- some chromatic aberrations.
- some vignetting visible.
- average photo quality with soft edges.
- images noisier than competition.
- no buffering means a longer wait before you can take your next shot.
- no AF assist light.
- high redeye occurrence.
- no image parameter adjustment.
- blue cast when using flash.
- the LCD is a full 2", but is low resolution.
- metal body scratches easily.
- only JPEG format is supported.
- below average auto focus speed.
- longest shutter setting is 1 second.
- only 10MB of built-in memory provided so add $$ to your budget to buy external memory.
- proprietary battery - again, a few more bucks for a spare.
- you need to remove external memory in order to access images saved in internal memory.

the casio ex-z3 is very similar to the pentax optio S with the optio being even more compact than the casio. as such, they share most of the same strengths as well as issues. my biggest complaints are the soft images at the corners and the lack of buffering. a camera with better photo quality (but bigger and only has 2x zoom) is canon's sd100.

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

This is truly a fun camera to play with. Here's the deal: you get 3.2megapixil pictures from a machine thats the size of your credit card. What else can you want? It's true that the camera's viewfinder is a bit awkward, but the 2" display helps a lot. There's a little bit of noise in the pictures but I find the colors come out very well, even in dark settings. The size of the camera makes you want to be delicate with it, but it is made of sturdy materials. The control menu is straightforward, pretty much dummy-proof. Admittedly, the D-pad is small, but one will get used to it in hours. You can see that Casio had to make everything small for the 2" LCD screen.
The Best Shot feature will save you time with adjusting settings. At the same time, there are a couple of manual settings that you can fool around with (the EV shift and ISO settings). The video recording is decent, but it only lasts 30secs - then you'll have to make a new file.

All in all, this is not for the photography enthusiast, but instead for fun snapshooters. Definitely the Canon S-series or the Panasonic Lumix are better candidates if you want the "camera feel", but the casio is more of a fashion statement. The looks and design is remarkable. Watching the Pentax lens expand out boggles my mind every time I turn it on. If nothing else, it's the greatest conversation starter. Nothing compares to it (not even the Optio-S). Just take it out in public, people WILL turn heads.

I think I have to somewhat disagree with what the other customer is complaining about this camera. I think this camera produces at least pictures of average quality. And if I am more lenient, I would say it is only a conservative estimate and that it could be "slightly above average". At least you can't VERY EASILY detect the difference between pictures taken by this camera or other famous name brands. So I wouldn't put it in the "poor" category. I wouldn't regret buying the camera because it has a powerful 8x optical zoom lens, 2.1 megapixels, swivel lens, "best shot mode library" plus a bundled 16M CF card (usually you only get 8M for others) for within (a dollar amount), and this is the only one that gives me such exceptional optical zoom power with this low price in the current digital cam market (Yes, I have done a lot of web research already.) Plus it also supports IBM microdrive with large storage capacity, which I am already thinking of getting one myself. However, I also have my own complaints about the camera. First, there is no optical viewfinder, which makes it very hard to see the view clearly under bright sunlight outdoors. Second, the LCD screen is quite grainy (not clear). Third, the "RESIZE" function doesn't give much convenience because the resized images, diminished in size, are deteriorated in the pictures with objects having "jagged edges". I would rather do the resizing myself in software. But since I don't use "RESIZE" function, it doesn't matter to me.

All in all, I am at least satisfied with this camera and that its advantages and value more than offset its shortcomings. I simply believe you could not ask for more with only 400 bucks. But I would only recommend this camera for beginners with a limited budget. If you are going professional, this one may not be for you.

I have lost the bundled CD of my QV2900UX and I need 64 best shot library included in it. Can anyone help me indicating where can I download them.

This is an exceptional all around digital camera. It stands out from the competition in the extra features that Casio has put into the camera. The camera has 32 pre-programed viewing settings and an additional 32 more that can be downloaded to the camera via the memory card for a total of 64 picture settings. The range of scenes is from night settings to actions shots.
I have even tested the camera in almost total darkness settings pointing the camera at the desires image, and with the flash set on obtained a crisp image of the subject taken. The zoom feature
is unmatched by any manufacturer in this price range. I would challenge anyone to find a higher zoom. The quality of the pictures is outstanding. I recently took the camera on vacation with me using a 128 mb flash card. I was able to take 143 1600 X 1200 resolution images on fine setting. Under 800 x 600 fine well lets say I could have taken over 400 pictures. The camera comes with a 16 mb flash card. Other people that have seen the camera have decided that this would be the perfect camera for their needs. This is a great digital camera by any standard. Reading the manual helps take me the owner to the limits of what the camera can do.

The Fulifilm Finepix S2 Pro improves greatly on the S1. I shoot very heavily with this camera, several thousand photos a week and beat the hell out of it. Having the Nikon constructed N-80 body helps with it's ruggedness, but it is not as sturdy as the D1-X, however it does capture 12.1 Million MegaPixels. I recommend setting the custom white balance often when attempting to shoot in various lighting conditions to insure optimum accurate colors, otherwise colors may lean toward the red. Also, do not trust what you see in the lcd, believe the metering, the display will tend make you want to push a few stops, which is fine if that is the look you are going for, but at first I blew out alot of shots. The ability to use all of my Nikon lenses is a plus, and there are plent of features to play with, so get a big memory card.
For the price most digital SLR's cannot touch the file sizes you can get with the S2. This camera is almost perfect, except....
IT EATS BATTERIES, EAT'S 'EM! The camera takes 4 AA's in the loading tray,(which is not the strongest of plastic things I have ever seen and cannot believe that I have not broken it while rushing to trade batteries out on a shoot) and 2 $ 123 lithium ions. On a full day shoot I go through at least 2 sets of the lithiums and usually 3 with AA(I do always leave it set to LCD previewwhich can be shut off to save juice). If I use a flash or hook it to any lighting equipment, even worse. They make a fairly expensive power pack for the camera, but for the locations I work in that is not always ideal.
Final word cool Professional camera, despite the batteries, but you get more than you pay for in image resolution and picture quality.

I was using a Nikon D1 previous to purchasing the Fujifilm S2 Pro and I would have to admit that the camera body doesn't compare well to the Nikon pro bodies.
After using the S2 Pro since it's introduction and shooting everything from fashion to action rodeo images,I have to say that the image quality (Isn't that what really counts in the long run?)is top notch.For action shots I shoot in high rez JPEG and for everything else I shoot in RAW format.I feel that the 12MP Raw images are every bit as good as any that can be captured on 35mm film.
If one is not getting the image quality expected,from the Fujifilm S2Pro,perhaps they should examine the quality of the lenses used.Are they Nikon's Pro lenses? Are they after market lenses? I find that alot of complaints registered for various cameras are the result or either poor lens quality or of poor shooting technique rather than camera quality.
Without getting into the $5,000.00+ digital SLR price range,I feel that the S2Pro is the "Cream Of The Crop".

I just bought this thing from Amazon and all I can say

is WOW!!!!

This is probably the best purchase I have ever made.

This thing is everything I ever expected and more!! It's

very easy to use as well!

I have bought other brands before, and this one just

blows everything else out of the water! I have to say,

everyone out there who is thinking of buying this, stop

thinking. I bought it and I am extremely happy with it

the moment I powered this thing on. YOU ABSOLUTELY

POSITIVELY CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THIS PURCHASE! I

GUARANTEE IT!!!

The Canon Powershot SD110 is the most practical, compact, easy to use digital camera. Yes, it's expensive and I do recommend an extra 256 SD card, but the money is all worth it. I just bought the camera a few weeks ago, and the reviews for the SD100 are basically the reviews for this one. None of the bad things that they say about the camera are true exept I do recommend an extra battery. The battery takes 95 minutes to charge and the manual says it can take over 210 images with the screen. If, however, your battery is running low, it will give you a 10 second warning. Not much... The SD100 and the SD110 are just about the same camera but the SD110 has a much faster shutter speed and has a print button which I find no use of. The quality of the pictures of this camera are absoulutely beautiful. The camera has settings of normal (1 mp), fine (2 mp), and superfine (3 mp) (I think). I took pictures in fine mode and they were the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen! The superfine mode pictures were even better. The inside shots are sweet! People lie about the quality of the pictures indoors. Why sit here and read my review about the camera..... GO BUY IT, YOU WILL ABSOULUTELY REGRET IT IF YOU DON'T!

I've had this camera for just over a month now and I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am with it. But I'm gonna try.

From my understanding, Canon went with the SD format on this camera to cut down on its body size, and it shows. Stylish and sturdy without the bulkiness and weight of other cameras, you can literally throw it in your pocket or purse and go.

Usability on this little number is top-notch. The AiAf focusing helps to ensure that you get the best photos every time, and the red eye reduction is on par with some of the best consumer cameras I've seen. Best of all, it's easy to use for anybody to use (my kid brother loves it more than I do), but when you're ready for something more, the camera's Manual Mode gives you a bevvy of options to work with.

The battery seems to go as long as you do (though I recommend buying an extra battery to be on the safe side), and how Canon managed to pack 3.2 MP's worth of quality into the SD110 is beyond me.

Setup on my computer was a snap. Running Mac OS 10.3, all I did was plug my camera in and voila, the camera was recognized immediately! I haven't tried the included software but if you have Apple's iPhoto you really don't need it.

In addition to an extra battery (the batteries on this camera are rechargeable, by the way), you would be wise to purchase a bigger memory card as the included 16MB SD card simply doesn't do it justice. With a 256MB SD card (I've been using Delkin's eFilm card), I can fit 152 photos at the camera's highest quality and size settings.

In short, if what you're looking for is a no-nonsense camera for those precious moments that treads the balance of form and function, look no further than the SD110.

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 SD110 will be the only choice. Thanks to Canon DIGIC Image Processor and iSAPS Technology, this Canon SD110 really takes perfect pictures in all different light conditions, which no compact digital camera from other vender can match.

However the Canon case for SD110 is very dispointing, which is really designed for the bigger S500/S410 and is too big for SD110/SD100.

I found the most beautiful, perfect fitting leather case for Canon SD110/SD100 from http://stores.ebay.com/ProCases

I have purchased this particular camera due to its ability to record images to the floppy disk. I traveled across the country by bicycle and uploaded pictures from public libraries along the way, where computers would not allow to install software and have USB port, but always had available floppy drives. This worked very well!

The camera showed amazing performance in representing the colors in its pictures. Focus was always good, images were clear and beautiful. Macro mode worked extremely well. Camera is reliable and battery life is superb.
With 1.3 Mega Pixels, images are perfect for computer use or make print outs of standard size.

Shutter delay makes it difficult to shot moving objects unless you are used to guessing the right moment. Sensitivity in dark conditions was very low, on automatic mode at least. I don't know if adjusting white balance or exposure compensation would improve the sensitivity. I always found automatically taken pictures to be of best quality.
If there is a need to use the MAJOR feature of the Sony MVC FD 100 function - floppy drive, then this is the excellent choice.
FD 200 that replaced 100 in 2003 offers 2.0 Mega Pixels Matrix with identical features.

Here are few sample pictures taken with this camera:

http://www.angelfire.com/linux/mikhail4/travel8/flower_after_rain_macro.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/linux/mikhail4/travel8/sunset_on_trans_canada.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/linux/mikhail5/travel11/nice_mushroom.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/pont331/clouds_ahead.jpg

All in all, this camera provided exceptional service and I recommend it to anyone that needs to use its ability to save images on floppy disks.

This camera is a great value with it's features. I first purchased a digital camera that required you to download the pictures from memory. I like being able to take pictures on floppy and go. It is easy to use and plenty of accessories are available to make it even better...I would recommend this camera to all levels of users.

I bought my Mavica as my first digital camera and have never been disappointed with it. It has travelled everywhere with me and has taken many awesome pictures. It was very easy to learn to use and the manual for it is well written and understandable.
I'm just now getting around to getting a memory stick for it so that I can record my photos as TIFFs. I suspect that after I use that, I will love it even more.
I have learned everything that I know about digital photography with my Mavica by my side. I learned how to set white balance, ISO speed, and spot metering easily and quickly. I would love to have a camera with a bigger resolution and a smaller size, but my Mavica takes such beautiful pictures that I'm not going to replace it.
I use it mostly to take pictures of my daughter and her classmates. The individual pictures taken indoors in UV light with a flash are amazing. In fact, after her class Christmas party (2003) they were so good that I printed them onto photo fabric and made the teacher a scarf with pictures of the children.
I love this camera and have been VERY happy with it. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

Besides the lag problem mentioned in another review, I've had an issue with the camera not staying on when switched. I miss about 80% of the shots I'm trying to take because I have to keep turning it back on, taking out the memory card and/or batteries and replacing them etc. Bad frame errors are haunting. Once it starts working, I can usually take many pictures in a row, but in the beginning it's horrible. This is all probably my fault for trying to snap a picture when the dial was turned to the viewing mode. But that shouldn't have harmed the electronics! One can't always remember to get the dial in the right position.

Don't even bother unless you plan to get an upgrade SM card (4mb is worthless) and rechargable batteries. Highly recommend a USB card reader - even using TWAIN/Photoshop 5.5 it takes FOREVER to download 1280 x 820 res pictures (the camera's middle setting). All my complaints are minor - this is a great camera overall. The mode select knob can stop in between modes, but look like it's pointing to a mode. This makes you think something is wrong until you move the switch the 1mm it's off so you are not between modes. Not a show stopper, just takes getting used to. I guess all camers mow batteries, but I bought 8 NiMh rechargables and that seems to work. Get a cord to plug in when you're downloading pix - will save batteries, especially if you are using the serial cable. The optical viewfinder is way off for anything closer than about 10 feet, so I almost always use the LCD - another battery killer. Camera won't auto shut off when in PC mode, I've drained lots of batteries when forgetting to switch the camera off after retrieving photos. These are really nit-pick items, most cameras would have same or similar. Overall I'm happy with this camera, it's well made and user friendly. For the money and 1.3 Megpixel is plenty for general use. Safe bet you will feel your money was well spent.

I have a digital camera, not this particular model. I was reviewing comments on this model (searching for a reasonably price model for a friend) when I notice criticism regarding download times. Please note: All the digital cameras will take a noticeable amount of time to download images to your PC if you are using the serial cable that came with the camera. However there are faster means. If you have one that uses either a smart media card or a compact flash card, you can buy a reader for either your parallel port or your USB port. Remove the card from your camera and insert it in the reader. Then the card will appear as if it is another disk drive on your PC. Use Explorer to copy all the files to your real hard disk drive. Thats the fastest way to get them to your PC. Forget the serial connector unless you only plan to transfer one or two images. It takes too long. (the previous reviewer and other may not be aware of this when they are buying the camera but this irritating issue applies to all digital cameras not just this one. Its the serial port thats slow.)

Second, there is criticism regarding the cost of a 32MB card which cost over $100. I found 64MB compact flash card for around $120 on the internet so search around. Also you have to remember you won't have to buy more memory cards. simply delete the pictures on the card and you are all set to capture more. Most cameras come with only an 8 Mb card so a 4 Mb for this Fuji is below what many other cameras provide BUT its also cost less. It looks to be one of the least expensive 1 Meg pixel camera around. You're going to have to buy another card if you want to be able to take more pictures before returning to your PC (when you are traveling.. unless you bring your laptop) even if you have a 8Mb card. Look at the Olympus 360 & 460 models at $300 & $400. They only come with 8 Mb also. The primary difference between them and this model will be a) more zoom options and b) image quality. The resolution may be slightly higher and color accuracy may be better.. you'll need to review some comparison reviews on accuracy. Another note: you can take more pictures that just 13 (26-27 on an 8 Mb card) if you settle for less resolution. If you plan to PRINT the image, then stay with the best resolution but if you only want to use it to create a screen saver so email the photos then you can reduce the image resolution to be able to take more pictures on the same 4 Mb or 8Mb card.

Great camera when I first got it, I felt like I had got something really good - so I should have, it cost me a whole load of cash.

Just after the warranty had expired, I find out the hard way that the whole line of Canon camcorders have a serious problem with the tape transport system causing the warning message "REMOVE THE CASSETTE" appearing in big red letters on the LCD. Camera will not function until expensive repairs have been carried out.(...)

Pros: Excellent image quality and color fidelity; 20X optical zoom; two-channel audio control; 1.7-megapixel still image capture; lightweight.

Cons: Too many controls per button; onboard microphone is omnidirectional; mediocre battery life with included cell.

Summary: An ok camera, just not what I expected. I own a Sony VX2000 and PD-150 we use in video production of homes for sale. We bought the GL2 because of the fact it was about a half pound lighter and a little smaller than the Sony cameras. The first problem is when you attache the small 3 watt Canon light, the drain on the battery is too great and shuts down the camer before the battery is one half way drained. Even with the biggest battery that Canon makes the battery life is short with their fill light. The second problem was when the telephoto zoom button failed after 70 minutes of use, making the auto zoom function useless. Now I must send the camera back to Canon only after 20 days of use. The mail order place would only take it back within 15 days. The third problem is the low light noise is a little worse on the camera when compared to the Sony VX2000 or Sony PD-150. It is not a big difference, but it is noticeable. I never had a reason to mail in a Sony camera for repairs, even after years of use. It's a dissapointment to have a new camera fail in so many ways

I own this camera, and it's my best friend. Well not really, but it's the most amazing camera I've ever had. You get what you pay for, and you get a lot from this camera.

This is however, NOT a camera that the general public should buy. It's far to expensive, and really wouldn't be worth it to someone who will be using this for filming say a birthday party. There are many features on this camera, which make it as wonderful as it is, but these features would likely be unused by someone new to video cameras. So if you are in this boat, save your money and get a different camera.

What's great about it? The image quality is better than anything I've seen before. With 3CCD, it's good. Unlike the XL-1S, the GL2 has a 2.5 inch color LCD. However, I rarely use this. It takes up more battery power, and you can't see it when there's sunlight. I love the audio controls, and how it's not only stereo microphone, but you can control the levels of your left and right audio, right there, on the camera. I love to convert analogue video into digitial video, and it's almost too easy using the GL2. It's great for getting your older stuff into a digital format, and being able to easily get it onto your computer.

What's bad about it? Really not a whole lot. The 1.7-megapixel photo mode is really uneeded. 1.7-megapixels really isn't that good. The included 8MB card for these pictures isn't enough. If you're going to want to take digital pictures, then get a digital still camera, and don't use the GL2 as a still camera.

But I can't stress enough that if you aren't going to use this for more professional projects, then you really shouldn't get this camera.

I too picked this model on the positive reviews. I bought it in May of 2003 along with an HP photo printer. In August 2003, a few days before my vacation, it just stopped working. HP tech support was excellent got another right out to me. Now April 2004, it did it again. It worked one day, batteries went dead, I charged them and can't get it to turn on again. Tech support was great another one is coming. However, my 1 year warranty is up in May and I am on my 3rd camera! They will give me 90 days on the 3rd one and that is it. I am going to have to buy their extended warranty program through HP because I fear in 3-6 months, it won't work again. I expressed my concern and I wanted to upgrade to a newer model and pay the difference. They don't have anything to offer for this one. Something is wrong with this series. On the other hand, the printer has been great.

The Hp Photosmart 720 is my first digital camera. I've only been playing with it for a few days but so far I'm pleased. My first impression of the camera when I saw what it looked like were negative. I thought that it looked chunky and heavy for a digital camera. Especially when you look at it next to it's brother the 812. But at my price range this camera seemed the best value. And now that I have it in my hands, I've found that the design has grown on me. The chunkiness along with the rubberized hull make it grippy and comfortable to hold. The weight makes it feel substantial like there is some quality built into it. The buttons are nicely layed out and the features are good for a simpler family clicker like me.

Speaking of buttons there are a few unexpected annoyances but from what I've seen and read, I believe these to be just the nature of digital cameras in general. First of all, the on/off button doesn't respond right away. At first I thought it might have defective, but then I realized you just have to press it and then wait about 10 seconds for the camera to turn on and be ready. Also the camera does snap imidiately after you press the button. It has to focus first. But it does it pretty quickly and if you press the button half way first and let it get that part out of the way, it snaps right away after you press the button fully.

The picture quality looks okay, especially when liking it good and you are printing on good quality paper.

That's all I have time to say for now.

I've had this camera for a little over a month now, and I love it more and more every day. It is, by far, the easiest digital camera to use that I've ever encountered. Really. You choose your resolution and flash settings by simply pressing large, clearly marked buttons...no fiddling with strage dials and deciphering cryptic symbols. The resolution is incredible. Even on its lowest setting, the pics are still far better than the 2.5MP camera I've been using of late. And at its highest setting, you can count the whiskers on your cat, the leaves on your tree, whatever you fancy, with crystal clarity. The internal memory is sufficient, but is also easily (and fairly cheaply) upgraded. The camera drains standard alkaline batteries a bit quickly, and the battery slot is initailly puzzling, but don't let this stop you. I've seen a large range of digital cameras, and this is the first one I'd actually recommend, especially to those just starting out with digitals. This really is as idiot-proof as they get.

I have used two whole rolls of this in my (new last year) Epson Photo 890 printer. I printed about ~40 Christmas photos last year and nobody could tell these were not professional prints.

You do have to read and remember the procedure to align the paper and the paper handling mechanisms, but that's to be expected. Also, it takes a little hunting to find the proper settings in all the print dialog setup windows, but it's pretty easy overall.

One complaint: it takes a lot of effort to get the curl out of the prints.

I'm not sure how well this would work on other printers, but for the Epson Stylus Photo 875DC and 875DCS, it's great. These printers actually come with a roll attachment that allows you to slide on this banner roll and print. Plus, the drivers actually allow you to specify that you're printing off this roll and on this type of paper. It's great, easy as pie, and HIGHLY recommended.

The print quality on this Glossy photo paper is also incredible. I've experienced no fading problems so far, and I treat my photos like any user would (ie: throw them on the desk and sorta forget about them until I clean).

GREAT FOR LOTS OF PHOTOS AT ALL ONE TIME When you have a bunch of photos to print this is the way to go.

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO DO IT (FILM FACTORY) COME WITH THE PRINTER AND WORK GREAT Epson provides instructions how to set this up, so there is just no waste and it prints very smoothly and very quickly.

SINCE NO SEPARATE PAPER FEED PRINTS VERY FAST. Usually the thing that takes a long time in a printer is the paper queuing up. Getting it all set up and then fed in. This eliminates that.

HAVE DONE 40-45 PHOTOS THIS WAY AND ALL TURNED OUT AS EXPECTED I used up the free roll they give you with an order of an Epson 890 (worth about 20 4X6 prints) and then came back for more.

NO WASTE, EASY TO SET UP AND REMOVE This is easy to set up, no waste and easy to take down.

THE ONLY COMPLAINT IS CURL The only negative is the strong curl your prints have. A night or two under a book helps.

Great product, I'm coming back for more.