Digital-Camera Reviews

The Aquapaq is a great idea, but in reality there are several issues one must keep in mind. 1- There is no written docs to tell you how deep you can go. 2- For pool use, the thing is tough to keep down in the water. I recommend draining as much air out of it as possible so you can control the buoyancy. 3- In lakes and oceans, make sure it floats so you can retrieve it if it gets away from you. 4- The plastic is not exactly optical quality. It is worse out of the water, because folds created by extending the lens (such as the Kodak camera in the pictures) create distortions. 5- It is VERY difficult to frame. You can't really use the LCD in bright light and looking throught the viewfinder with goggles is almost impossible. Shoot from the hip and hope for the best.

After all these points, I was able to get ONE PERFECT PICTURE of my son underwater. Made it all worthwile, but be patient.

I used this bag to protect a digital video camera while snorkeling. It worked pretty good. Only problems I had were the bag wrinkling in front of the lens and trying to keep the bag from fogging up from being in the sun.

Overall, it served its purpose and was worth the cost.

No water got in and the video was pretty decent.

This remarkable bag protects my digital camera. I am more confident taking the camera with me on our boat, to the beach or anywhere that it might be subjected to dampness. As suggested, I gave it the underwater test (sans camera) and the bag did not allow any moisture to enter the compartment. As for taking pictures from inside the bag.... aside from the lense being slightly restricted from full extension, the pictures it took were almost as good as the camera without the bag. An excellent investment for those who want to take their camera with them everywhere in safety.

This is a great piece of armor for the S100, if you're looking to take pictures fully submerged. It is overkill for casual boating use -- though it would save the camera if dropped in, the S100 shrugs off rain and spray without this protection. Solidly built, large but not too large (still a one-hand camera.) Controls are still convenient. I've mostly used it underwater in swimming pools, but I would have no problem taking it white-water rafting, it feels that sturdy and well-sealed.

For casual use, the Aquapac bag-style case is more economical, but this case is a perfect fit for the camera, and if you do a lot of in-water shooting, would be a much better choice.
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Long after first posting this, I took it along on a trip to Kauai, Hawaii - and successfully grabbed hundreds of pictures of tropical fish and coral in their native habitat. The camera probably spent 20 hours submerged, completely protected, as far as 2 meters below the surface (camera held out at arms length for upward and sideways shots.) It measured up.

I agree with the previous reviewer (the first I think was referring to the soft case) but I will add a couple of things.

First of all, like the camera itself this case is very high quality. There are two negitives I'll mention:

1. You cannot really use the viewfinder. 1/3 of the view is blocked by the lens housing so you'll end up using the screen and using more battery power.

2. The camera is a TINY bit loose in the case. It will shake just a little bit. It was fixed by ising a small amount of tape on the "rails" that hold the camera. Really no big deal.

The strap is really nice and can be worn like a traditional SLR which is nice for boating or rugged use. Really a neat case if your camera would normally be in danger.

One thing-- I had read a review elsewhere which made it seem like the display could not be turned on or off in the case. Not true, you do have access to the display botton for conserving power.

I have used abused this case for over a year and it hasn't failed.
After a year or so it gets scratched up and you need to polish it in order to see through the back.

As many camcorder fans, I was excited by the Canon Press Release about Canon Optura 40 Camcorder, pre ordered it and received it late May. After opening the box, the camera looks great: compact, slick, nice looking lens. However, after a couple of time trial shootings, all these nice impressions were gone for good! A few Major disappointments:
1) Poor video image. The video image has too much "digital" jaggies both in regular daylight and lower light environment shooting. When you play back on the TV, you see the "fluttery" effect all the time. When you pause the image, the jaggies are very obvious and horrible. This is even worse when you shoot in the low light environment.
2) Noisy zoom lever. The zoom lever on the top on the camera body was not a well made (or designed) part. When you zoom in & out using the lever, the noise is very obvious and annoying. This noise was clearly recorded heard from the tape when you playback.
3) The still camera quality is less than a regular 2.0 MP digital camera.
4) The strap that holds your hand of video filming is not in the right position to make your hand comfortable.
5) The 2.5" view LCD screen has too much info displayed and this made the small 2.5" LCD very noisy.

I contacted the Canon USA for my questions. No clear answers were given about the image quality. I compared Optura 40 with Panasonic PV-GS200, the Panasonic has far more better video image quality. Big disappointment for me.

Most of the negative comments I read about the camera are from people that don't know how to use the camera. It takes a little time to go through the menus and read the cryptic (non-detailed) manual. And, not all the features are described in the manual.

- The camera does very well in low light indoor situations if you put it in "Indoor" mode.

- I barely noticed the camera motor noise during quiet scenes. I think the only reason I noticed it is because I was listening for it.

- The camera fits very nicely in my hand, with the strap and zoom switch in just the right positions.

- This is my first digital camcorder and it was very easy to learn how to use the basic features. Some of the advanced features took some trial and error to figure out.

- My only disappointments were that it did not come with a tape or firewire, the manual is poor, and the included 8MB card is ridiculous (buy a 256 or 512).

I did a lot of research before selecting this camera, and I am confident I made the right choice. I would have given it 4.5 stars if I had the option.

The Optura 30/40 has two default settings that need to be changed. The first is that in Easy and Auto modes, shutter speed can be a slow as 1/30 second. This causes video to blur, ghosts with fast movement, and blur (grain?) in low light. Go to Auto Slow Shutter (A.SL.Shutter and turn it OFF). The shutter speed will be no slower than 1/60, creating much sharper video.

The second is that audio is defauted to 12 bit. Change this to 16 bit for better audio.

I am extrememly pleased with my Optura 40. It's great in low light, is user friendly, stabilization works well in both 5:4 and 16:9 modes, and the 14X optical is all I'll ever need. The quality of the video and audio is great. It's comfortable in my hand and feels "solid". I like it being a top loader since I use both a monopod and tripod when I can.

Negatives include: In 5:4 mode, tele isn't wide enough (but is fine in 16:9), the cover for the S-video jack seems cheap, and I wish it had optical stabilization. However, it does have better stabilization than my Nikon Hi8 camcorder that has optical stabilization--so it has excellent electronic image stabilization. Also, the 34mm filter/adapter size is unusual. However, step up rings are available (e.g. 34mm to 37mm)and with the fast selling Opturas 30/40 and Eluras 60/65/70 having 34mm filters, I suspect that they're be plenty of 34mm filters available shortly.

I bought this as a Christmas present for my wife two years ago (1999) and I think she took maybe a dozen pictures with it. The rest of the time I must have put it through about 2,000 pictures, and built several personal websites with it.

Originally it was the price that did it ... from Amazon, and back then, it was the only ... digital camera with an LCD screen. It's also small enough to fit in your pocket easily.

You can never go wrong with AA batteries, they're always available in a pinch. ALL digicams suck up batteries, my advice is invest in some rechargeables.

The LCD updates extremely fast, although the photo itself is on about a 2-second lag from the moment you actually press the shutter button. But at least the photo stays on the LCD until you decide whether to save it or erase it. (which the Toshiba I own doesn't.)

The menu is completely intuitive, the controls are simple and iconic, the only thing you can really do wrong is leave the Macro switch on by mistake, and you only discover that when you view them fullsize and discover they're out of focus.

Recycle time between pictures is comparatively slow (several long painful seconds) to what's currently out there as well. (end of 2001) Don't get this camera for action shots, because you'll miss them.

a 16M SmartMedia card will get you about 50 images in the highest resolution.
For webpages, once you shrink the images to fit on a webpage, they're all the same. The difference is negligible.
But if you're going to blow them up to print them, it might be a problem in anything bigger than 8x10.

1.6x digital zoom, no focus, but at least those are two things less to worry about. The photos are always in focus anyway.

Color-correction modes are a little off color-wise, but that's always been fixable with basic imaging software. (even that's always dependable on your platform, for instance, dark greens seem to register as black on PCs, and vivid green on MACs.)

After awhile, dust started to accumulate under the protective plastic lens cover, and the photos became blurry. There was no way to reach it by disassembling the camera to clean it, so I broke the cover off completely. Problem solved. Even though the resolution is under 1M-pixel, photos consistently come out sharp and high quality.

This model comes with a video-out jack. Subsequent models such as the MX-1200 don't have it. If you like watching the photos back on your TV or other video source, then get this model.

The serial cord to upload them to your computer is horribly slow. (I'm talking about 20+ minutes to load. Seriously.)
Get either a USB card reader, ...or a floppy adapter instead and save yourself about 19 minutes of finger-tapping.

I just upgraded to a Toshiba PDR-M70, because I need more flexibility, things such as a flash-sync port for my studio flash equipment, and the ability to attach filters.

But I wish it had the simplicity menu-wise of the DX-10.

I wanted a fair (~$200) introduction to digital photography and the Fuji DX-10 was it. Great pictures and a reasonable amount of control for a beginner. Just enough to make me literate. I'll be able to use this camera for several years before I move upscale. At the time of my purchase there wasn't a USB option for connecting to my computer. This was a minor annoyance as was the scarcity of AC adaptors (available at ritzy camera stores but typically out-of-stock in my area). All-in-all, with reasonable expectations, I found the camera to be excellent.

This is a fine little camera, at a surprisingly good price.

My interest is in photographing things for online auctions and taking pictures of our new kittens, and the camera does a great job at that. It will focus as close as 3.9 inches and give you clear, sharp photos of jewelry, etc.

i found the camera great , but its assessories r difficult 2 find i am looking 4 the li ion batt and its charger,video out cable,software,serial port.....any sellers?

I purchased this digital camera and had no problems using it from the start. It takes clear pictures and comes with software to allow the user to crop, remove redeye from subjects, and do other minor edits to the image. If you are looking for a reasonably priced digital camera this is one to consider.

It is decription.

The Konica Digital Still Camera Q-M200 breaks the 2-megapixel-per-image barrier and offers color and sharpness previously available only with far costlier professional digital cameras--all in a compact, lightweight, full-featured, and elegant package.

It is True! It is excellent and exceed what I have imaged!

After installation, some functions worked, but was unable to download digital still photos. Finally went to Logitech WEB and downloaded latest software, performed Drive Image prior to installation of downloaded software and executed download. Now able to download digital still photos successfully. Software that came with WEB cam doesn't perform, even crashed my system. Logitech should also provide Technical Support Numbers for frustrated customers in the User Guide. Logitech also put disclaimer on 'latest download software', which didn't give me a warm fuzzy...but I was doing a Drive Image, so I have a fall back position.

I bought this product from ...[price] based on the reviews and the editor's choice .... The outstanding features of this camera is 1. Easy to use, you can take pictures on the way home since batteries are included. Built in microphone, you don't need an extra cord for microphone. 2. Quality is ok for indoor shooting. 3. Price is acceptable. However, there are some shortcoming: 1. No flash, that make your pictures look too dark and no details. 2. No good for outdoor, this camera tend to misjudge the sunlight so most pictures are worst than ones took indoor. And also no good for objects with distance.
After think carefully and did some study on the internet. I decided to return this product. Because most of the time I would use it to shoot as a digital camera. Maybe only once a week doing some video conference. I found one which can meet my need better---"Fujifilm FinPix A101... These are my experience looking for a "not expensive" but quality more than acceptable, "pc-cam" feature, flash light. Hope this review would help those who has similar needs.

The Logitech Traveler is a great web cam! I saw a $1500 Sony Mavica used as a web cam The immage was not as good as this little gem. I took it to The Hoover Dam. Some of the Pics were really good and some were not but who cares. U can snap so many, Just click and then u can delete the junk. I have had so many compliments on the quality. I operate on a 1 gig Athlon with 384MB or memory dial up with Windows ME. Yes the Photos taken at your PC are really great. I have never had any problems with the software . After reading the reviews I am afraid to download any new Upgrades. I see other people on cam. They ask me the brand name because they say the immage is such quality!!!! Thumbs up Here

I wanted a slim case for an A80 without the bulk of storage compartments for batteries and accessories. It is fine for this, and the padding and quality is first rate. But the metal zipper closure rakes across the camera body with each zip and unzip. This is unacceptable because it would ruin the finish in short order. Also, operating the zipper requires two hands - one to work the zipper and one to steady the case while you do it. A plastic clasp/velcro closing device would threat the camera better.

I hesitated buying this for my Powershot S50 based on someone's comments, but saw another saying in fit like a glove for the S50. I'm happy that I read the second comment. It is just the right size and leaves room for a CF card or two in the inside pocket. There is barely enough room for a spare battery only if you stick in the bottom. But that makes it a little tight.

I went hiking with this attached to my belt using the velcro strap and it was very secure. The padding protects the camera very well and the interior lining is nice and soft.

I am already an owner of two Lowepro cases; a Topload Zoom 2 (which I use whenever I take any of my SLR cameras in the field) and a D-Res 10 AW, which I use with my Fuji MX-1700 digital camera. I think that both of these cases are exceptionally good. Well-made, durable, good looking and functional. Before settling on Lowepro a couple of years ago, I went through dozens of bags, and was never really happy with any of them.

I bought a D-Res 8 case for my new Canon S400 digital camera, and it looks as if the love affair with Lowepro will continue. The case fits the S400 like a glove, and is ideal for day-to-day carrying. It has all of the high quality characteristics of other Lowepro products and provides my precious new package of opto-electronics with a safe and secure place to rest between shoots.

Incidentally, I read in one of the reviews that the zip can scratch the camera in this case. I haven't experienced this at all, in fact the zipper doesn't actually touch the camera when it is in the case, because there is some padding between it, and the camera.

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Purchased this Camcorder in January 2003. Did lots of research on comparable Panasonic and Sony models - was totally confused, finally went with the Optura Xi. Am very very happy - yes, it is bigger than the very small models. But I find it very comfortable to work with. The optical stabilizer is great - even video from a moving boat looks good. Another surprise - even though they say you won't use the still camera much on a video camcorder - I found myself using it all the time, so I was happy I had the 2 megapixels on the Optura. Not as high quality as my digital still camera - but great for web and viewing on the laptop screen. As a recent switcher from PCs to Mac - I have also been delighted with the ease of connectivity and use with my new PowerBook.

I was a little uncertain about these waterproof housings for digital cameras until my boyfriend and I took it on a snorkeling adventure. WOW! The pictures came out great. On some of them you can hardly tell that they were taken underwater. The camera was still easy to operate. The slight bulkiness was sometimes cumbersome for my smaller hands, but the size of the housing is not excessive. The LCD is visible through the housing as is all of the other necessary parts of the camera.

The other great advantage of the plastic housing is that your camera can get knocked around on the boat a little. My only suggestion to Canon is to supply the wrist lanyard with a bearing tightening feature, especially for us with smaller wrists, because I was a little nervous at times of losing the camera. But that's just a minor, minor, minor not-even-a-real-complaint, and easily fixable on your own.

With the proper precautions and care, this is an excellent purchase. Especially if you love being underwater and enjoy sharing your oceanic adventures with others!

I bought this case for a dive to the Great Barrier Reef. I was able to get photos and video with total ease using this case. The construction is really solid and you can use all of the camera's controls. I even dove to 32 meters and was worried because the case is only rated for 30 but it held up fine. Never had any leaks. Well worth the price.

Within a couple weeks of purchase, I had this case as deep as 105ft of water for three consecutive days, twice a day. I probably averaged about 50ft for around for an hour per dive. Point? 6 hours of real depth with no problems and spectacular pictures that beyond surprised me from the S200 Camera. Get close to your subject, probably use the flash (I used the auto setting for the most part--and the diffuser thingy on this case) and the camera/housing will do the rest.

Never had a drop get into the housing even though I exceeded the max depth (barely) a couple of times. Follow the instructions, treat the gasket with love, and TEST IT before you subject your camera to it. They walk you through the process in the manual, and it's kinda common sense.

All of the camera controls are very easily accessible, no hint of leaks. There is not cloth bag or anything with the case, so I use a ski-goggle bag. It should also be stored OPEN so the gasket does not stay compressed for long periods of time.

If you use it, you will be happy. Everyone I was with (including a number of people that initially scoffed at the little camera) were impressed with the performance.

Oh yeah, with the camera, the whole things is a little bit negative (it sinks slowly). Not a big deal, but know you won't see it bob to the surface if you let it go.

This camera has great features [and a 247 page CD-ROM manual] but is also easy to use without all the special settings. However, less than 2 weeks after I got it, the USB port broke while attaching the cable to download images - this happened even when using the supplied cable & being careful to insert it in the correct way. Now I may have to send it to their one US warranty center, in NJ, for repair. There is another review here with a similar complaint, & others elsewhere [now that I've had this problem & looked], so it's obviously not an isolated problem.

i purchase a casio exilim pro P600 last month the camera its good i enjoy taking pictures with it,,the image quality is perfect but sometimes if u make your own settings it will give u noise on your results....the down side just less than a month the USB port went-off/detach from the PCB board now i can't use the camera to load my pictures or view it on the video monitor...hope casio can see this problem so that they can improve the mounting of their USB port

Ok I do like this camera very much, it has a lot of really good features, however the one disapointment I had was when i opened it up and there was no memory card, from what i can see you can get about 3 pictures on the camera with out memory card, but come on 3 pictures. So if you are interested in buying this camera please remember you kind of have to buy a memory card along with it.