Digital-Camera Reviews

Take some pictures
After 1 hour they are lost
If I run to my computer after taking a picture, sometimes just says program error
Does anyone else want his money back ?
Mail me john.vandeput@bigfoot.com

Ok, so it's not the first choice of Ansel Adams, but for what you get for the money I'm really happy. I just needed a camera to keep with me for taking candid pictures of friends when we go out. With this little beauty I don't have to worry about leaving it at the bar, or at someones house that I don't know. If I do, no problem just get another becuase they're so cheap! The images are good enough to send to buddies on the internet, and even print out if you don't mind a bit of blur above 5x7. I love this little guy! It should be standard issue for everyone!

I bought this tiny wonder for my 13 year old son for X-mas and he just loves it. It takes decent pictures, does short 'movies' and he uses it as a web camera. His friends all want one. He can take it to school and if he loses/breaks it - I can afford to buy him another one. I read previous warnings about the battery so he downloads every day and changes the battery often. I would highly recommend it. No, it's not the best camera but for under $40 its a great deal.

This camera takes good pictues in well-lit, close-up situations--a good point & shoot camera.

I have a major complaint with Olympus' failure to honor the 1-year warranty on this product. A plastic component of the USB port broke, rendering the USB port useless. Olympus refused to honor the warranty for this repair, despite repeated requests from both me and the camera shop where I purchased the camera.

Also, the "metal body" description of this camera does not apply to the media door--it is plastic, and prone to breakage.

I own about 15 cameras. This was my first Olympus, and based on their failure to honor the warranty, it will be my last.

Looking for a great, compact, high quality digital camera? Look no further, the Olympus 400 is tough to beat.

I'm no photography pro but if you are looking for a great camera to take pictures for the web or to use while on vacation, this is a great selection. It's been to the slopes in Colorado, Utah & South America in (kept in a jacket pocket) snow, sleet & rain. It's taken phenomenal pictures and produced beautiful printouts.

The 16 meg memory card it comes with is a joke; it just doesn't hold anything. If you plan to buy this camera, plan on an extra $150.00 or so for a larger membery card or two. I got a 512 mb card which holds nearly 600 photos that print at high quality as 8x10's. It holds more than enough pictures for an extended vaction but with the 512 mb card it takes a while for the camera to ready itself to take a picture. A 256 mb card is probably the ideal balance of storage space and speed.

The camera is easy to use, looks nice and is comparable to the 35mm stylus series from Olympus that was fantastic as far as 35mm cameras go for the casual photographer.

Bottm line, give this camera serious consideration when shoping for a digital camera and plan on picking up at least 1 256 or 512 meg memory chip if you buy it.

This Camera is great!!! I bought this camera right before a trip to Las Vegas and have no regrets. In fact I can't imagine my trip without it. I took over 120 pictures on High Quality resolution and still had 140 shots left with my 256 card. The Camera is so small that I went clubbing with it in my pocket and was still able to bust moves on the dance floor. The display screen is a good size and the buttons are easy to access.The features are easy to access and take about 5 minutes to learn. The different shooting modes come in handy depending on your shooting conditions. Panaramic mode is awesome! I took a great shot of the Las Vegas Strip using the panoramic mode and stitched it using the software included. You have to have an OLYMPUS BRAND MEMORY CARD to use panorama mode. Some people complain about the new Xd card, but there are so many good things about it. It is so small; about the size of a stamp. The size helps consume less battery life. I never had a problem with my battery running low; I just charged it whenever I went to bed. Also, you can get an adapter for the card to make it compatable with compact flash or smart media formats. The quality of the pictures look incredible and you can notice the most minor details when zooming in. In movie mode the movies are crisp and smooth. Length of the movies depend on the picture quality that is set. Some people complain that there is no sound in movie mode. If you want a DV camcorder that can record audio and video, then buy a DV camcorder. Otherwise movie mode is great when you want to capture those little memorable moments. When you are ready to print the photos you can set options on your camera to decide the quantity of each photo you want printed. You can also decide whether or not you want the date or time printed on the pictures. The information is saved on your memory card. When you want your pictures printed out just take your card to the photo lab and the printer will automatically know how many pics you want and if you want the date printed. I just took my card to Costco and was set to go. This camera is a little costly but definitely worth the price. If you want a nice camera that will last for at least 5 years then get the stylus 400. If you want to save money then get a 2 megapixel camera that is bulky and will be obsolete in 2 months. Again awesome camera! Did I mention that it is all weather and can take water sprayed in any direction. You don't have to worry about taking this camera to the beach and getting messed up with sand and water. The Stylus 400 is Stylin'!

I got this camera as a christmas gift, and took it on my christmas vacation to the ocean. I can't say enough how much I hated this camera! First of all, it has a digital zoom that might as well not be there. If you use it, the pictures come out all blurry. If you try to take photos without the zoom, the quality is okay... however, the camera takes forever to "charge" it's flash, or whatever it is doing, and it takes forever to take the photo. You have to hold the button down for almost 5 seconds before it will take - and by then whatever you wanted a photo of is gone! If you have pets or children that you want photos of, forget it. They move too fast for this camera.

I highly recommend you get the Powershot A40 instead. I returned this camera and got the A40 and absolutely LOVE it! It has the optical zoom which does a great job (Key word here is OPTICAL zoom. Do not buy a camera without it!). It's fast and easy to use and even has great modes like black and white. Cannon really did a great job on this camera and all the problems that plagued the A200 are gone. And the photo quality is amazine. I had a bunch blown up to 8x10 and they still are clear and crisp and the colors are very brilliant. Get the A40 and save yourself the headache with the A200.

It's a nice camera for family pictures. We just open, press and download. You can also send them right to your photo store to be printed and... you will not be disappointed by the quality of the result. You can also take short films (less than 15 sec.) well worth it if you want to send them over the Internet.
Three tips: 1) Buy a larger Memory Card than the one that comes with the camera. I bought a 64MB and have space for more than 100 pictures at a time. 2) Buy rechargable batteries. You can get broke if you use standard batteries. 3) If you are indoors do not close the cover between photos. The light-sensor will act much quicker and take photos faster if it has already make the auto-sensing.

This camera is faster than most digital cameras out there; from opening it to it turning on and being ready to shoot it takes about three seconds; from pressing the shutter button down to it taking a picture it takes almost one second (even faster if you've already pressed the shutter down half-way to focus and meter); from it taking a full-size, best-quality 2 mega pixel shot to it being ready to take another it takes about three seconds (even faster with less quality or smaller sized pictures). The camera controls on the back allow you to easily change to close-up mode or change white balance or add exposure compensation or turn off the flash or use the stitch-assist mode or the self-timer with from one button push for close-up mode to around four to six button pushes for the more complicated added features. The lens is the equivalent of a 39mm f2.8 lens on a film-slr camera and it focuses very fast with an auto-focus mechanism that chooses the most likely subject among three focus squares in the middle of the viewfinder/lcd screen to focus on and it has an auto-focus assist beam that aids in focusing; speeding it up especially in scenes with slightly lower light levels.

This camera is cheaper than many cameras out there. It costs around [$$$]right now which is cheaper than most 2 megapixel cameras right now. The material it's made out of is a sticky plastic which feels grimy if you hold it too long while you're out in the sun because the sweat on your hands tends to smear all over it and generally yucks it up (just wipe it off with your shirt; it's no big deal). This camera takes compact flash type 1 cards which are very easy to find and fairly reasonably priced for a good-sized card (if you already have a more expensive Digital camera that uses compact flash cards then obviously; you're in luck!). The batteries that it uses are two double A's; rechargeable or alkalines (very-very easy to find; just go down to your local [store]to find the nickel metal hydride rechargeable kinds). If you don't have a compact flash card reader but you do have a usb port then you can transfer the images right off of the camera and straight into your computer (Mac or PC). If you don't have a computer then you can still use the camera; just buy one of Canon's two available dye-sublimation printers and you can print pictures from 6X4inches to smaller than a postage stamp and almost every size in between to your heart's content.

Is this camera better than most cameras out there? One argument against it is it doesn't have an optical zoom; but truthfully having a zoom lens doesn't necessarily mean your pictures are automatically going to be better; for example instead of zooming in and taking a "stalker" picture of that cutey down the hall why don't you just walk up to that cutey and say smile! and take that cutey's picture from up close and then engage that cutey in an actual conversation; believe me your picture quality will improve dramatically! Another argument against this camera is that it only has two megapixels; but truthfully for snap-shot sized pictures or smaller including pictures that you're going to be using on the web you don't need that extra one or two megapixels over the first two megapixels; it's just pixel overkill for a picture of your uncle holding up that trout he just wrestled into his net or extreme close-ups of your baby doing everything from sleeping peacefully in the crib to crying red-faced while you're giving her another bath or changing her diaper for like the hundreth time. A third argument against it is that compared to a comparable camera such as the[$$$]it is made of cheaper materials and it's much bulkier; but truthfully many people find those smaller elf-like cameras clunkier; they're slower to turn on they're slower to extend their lens; they're heavier; they're more expensive; they're less responsive to the user when their shutter buttons are pushed; they use more expensive proprietary batteries; they give people with bigger hands or arthritis carpal tunnel syndrome and the list goes on...

Is this camera better than any other camera out there I ask again? Well obviously the simple truth answer is no; you can always buy a more expensive camera and get more pixels or longer lenses or interchangeble lenses and flash-shoes and doodads to your heart's content so a more appropriate question to ask would be is this camera better than any other camera out there for the intended task that I seek it to do as a prospective camera buyer on the market? Well; we'll leave that question up to you!

Very solid, Auto mode makes point and shoot easy, Bright clear photos, Easy download, workable manual, tons of features, Feels good in hand. Easy to review pictures

Weaknesses:
Hard to see display in bright outdoors. Batteries go fast. slightly confusing access to Image Display and Capture Menu. The Capture Mode more confusing than handy. Limited shots at high resolution

Summary:
I have enjoyed using this camera, my first digital. I find it easiest to use this camera as a basic "point and shoot" I hardly use the Live Image Display although tempted to. It's fun to play cinematographer, but It burns out the batteries too fast.

I don't mess around too much with the Capture Mode option's offered; shoot Micro, Landscapes, Portraits, or Action. My technique is too spontainious for me to set the mode every time I want a shot.

More functional is the capture menu, not the easiest to locate and manipulate when you want to modify a shooting mode, but helpful when an artistic effect is desired. Items from the Capture Settings Menu that I use; The White Balance feature is good to be aware of, for example, If I shoot in the shade mode, even in bright daylight,I don't worry about backlighting. I also like the Saturation feature, nature can be Psychidelic. I leave all the other options to the default (auto) mode. I skip things like EV Compensation, although well laid out in the manual, it is too much to recall on the verge of a picture, the default (auto) mode will take a good picture.

Another Menu, the Playback Menu allows you to review your thumbnails, delete or rotate your images.

I guess I have to buy a memory card if I wish to shoot in only the 3.2MP mode. I only get 8 shots in the highest quality mode. The lowest setting is most memory efficient at 80+ pictures. 14-18 pictures in middle setting is respectable. Next stop? 5MP maybe a digital SLR

I am an art student and I need quick shots for reference, inspiration, actual graphic work, and documentation of my other work. I have had this camera 3 months and have taken over 1800 pictures and video and I've been very pleased with it. I take it everywhere with me. It's proved itself durable.

If you invest in this camera buy rechargable batteries and extra memory. Plan on this with ANY digital or you will be unhappy with the result. I have used three other digital cameras of different MB capabilities and by different makers...the same is true with them.

This camera has a top display that is not on any other camera in this price range. Very easy to change flash/mode/quality settings without turning on back screen. A definate plus. Saves battery and time.

This camera is a little slow but it is not anything a little patience can not handle. It just takes a little getting used to. There is a setting to take several pictures quickly. I have not had the need to use this feature, but, it may help with those hard to catch quick moments if the need arrises.

The camera is also quicker if the flash is not on. Pictures do turn out better without flash and when not applicable I advise turning it off.

The colors on this camera are GORGEOUS. They are very vibrant and bright. I advise having a photoediting program however with any digital for even BETTER pictures. A small adjustment may be all the difference you need to make a picture that's too dark and useless to the best picture you took all day. Get the best out of your digital!

There are better cameras, but be prepared to pay. This is a great camera for what it is and for the money. Take it from someone whose in the visual field. Some reviewers seem very biased about this camera. Again be prepared to buy rechargable batteries and additional memory with ANY digital camera.

I bought this camera from Target. It is a great camera. My only peeve is that the battery door is weak, and it broke while inserting batteries. I called HP and they promptly replaced the camera. I got my replacement in less than 2 days!! As far as power consumption goes, I don't use the LCD display at all. I also use NiMH rechargables, and I get about 65 pictures each charge. I use the optical zoom sparingly and transfer pictures to my computer about 3 times. I best feature about this camera is that it has a little display on the top, where you can adjust picture quality, mode and flash options. That, I guess saves a lot of battery power. All in all, a great product and I am really happy with it.

Very solid, Auto mode makes point and shoot easy, Bright clear photos, Easy download, workable manual, tons of features, Feels good in hand. Easy to review pictures

Weaknesses:
Hard to see display in bright outdoors. Batteries go fast. slightly confusing access to Image Display and Capture Menu. The Capture Mode more confusing than handy. Limited shots at high resolution

Summary:
I have enjoyed using this camera, my first digital. I find it easiest to use this camera as a basic "point and shoot" I hardly use the Live Image Display although tempted to. It's fun to play cinematographer, but It burns out the batteries too fast.

I don't mess around too much with the Capture Mode option's offered; shoot Micro, Landscapes, Portraits, or Action. My technique is too spontainious for me to set the mode every time I want a shot.

More functional is the capture menu, not the easiest to locate and manipulate when you want to modify a shooting mode, but helpful when an artistic effect is desired. Items from the Capture Settings Menu that I use; The White Balance feature is good to be aware of, for example, If I shoot in the shade mode, even in bright daylight,I don't worry about backlighting. I also like the Saturation feature, nature can be Psychidelic. I leave all the other options to the default (auto) mode. I skip things like EV Compensation, although well laid out in the manual, it is too much to recall on the verge of a picture, the default (auto) mode will take a good picture.

Another Menu, the Playback Menu allows you to review your thumbnails, delete or rotate your images.

I guess I have to buy a memory card if I wish to shoot in only the 3.2MP mode. I only get 8 shots in the highest quality mode. The lowest setting is most memory efficient at 80+ pictures. 14-18 pictures in middle setting is respectable. Next stop? 5MP maybe a digital SLR

I am an art student and I need quick shots for reference, inspiration, actual graphic work, and documentation of my other work. I have had this camera 3 months and have taken over 1800 pictures and video and I've been very pleased with it. I take it everywhere with me. It's proved itself durable.

If you invest in this camera buy rechargable batteries and extra memory. Plan on this with ANY digital or you will be unhappy with the result. I have used three other digital cameras of different MB capabilities and by different makers...the same is true with them.

This camera has a top display that is not on any other camera in this price range. Very easy to change flash/mode/quality settings without turning on back screen. A definate plus. Saves battery and time.

This camera is a little slow but it is not anything a little patience can not handle. It just takes a little getting used to. There is a setting to take several pictures quickly. I have not had the need to use this feature, but, it may help with those hard to catch quick moments if the need arrises.

The camera is also quicker if the flash is not on. Pictures do turn out better without flash and when not applicable I advise turning it off.

The colors on this camera are GORGEOUS. They are very vibrant and bright. I advise having a photoediting program however with any digital for even BETTER pictures. A small adjustment may be all the difference you need to make a picture that's too dark and useless to the best picture you took all day. Get the best out of your digital!

There are better cameras, but be prepared to pay. This is a great camera for what it is and for the money. Take it from someone whose in the visual field. Some reviewers seem very biased about this camera. Again be prepared to buy rechargable batteries and additional memory with ANY digital camera.

I bought this camera from Target. It is a great camera. My only peeve is that the battery door is weak, and it broke while inserting batteries. I called HP and they promptly replaced the camera. I got my replacement in less than 2 days!! As far as power consumption goes, I don't use the LCD display at all. I also use NiMH rechargables, and I get about 65 pictures each charge. I use the optical zoom sparingly and transfer pictures to my computer about 3 times. I best feature about this camera is that it has a little display on the top, where you can adjust picture quality, mode and flash options. That, I guess saves a lot of battery power. All in all, a great product and I am really happy with it.

Very solid, Auto mode makes point and shoot easy, Bright clear photos, Easy download, workable manual, tons of features, Feels good in hand. Easy to review pictures

Weaknesses:
Hard to see display in bright outdoors. Batteries go fast. slightly confusing access to Image Display and Capture Menu. The Capture Mode more confusing than handy. Limited shots at high resolution

Summary:
I have enjoyed using this camera, my first digital. I find it easiest to use this camera as a basic "point and shoot" I hardly use the Live Image Display although tempted to. It's fun to play cinematographer, but It burns out the batteries too fast.

I don't mess around too much with the Capture Mode option's offered; shoot Micro, Landscapes, Portraits, or Action. My technique is too spontainious for me to set the mode every time I want a shot.

More functional is the capture menu, not the easiest to locate and manipulate when you want to modify a shooting mode, but helpful when an artistic effect is desired. Items from the Capture Settings Menu that I use; The White Balance feature is good to be aware of, for example, If I shoot in the shade mode, even in bright daylight,I don't worry about backlighting. I also like the Saturation feature, nature can be Psychidelic. I leave all the other options to the default (auto) mode. I skip things like EV Compensation, although well laid out in the manual, it is too much to recall on the verge of a picture, the default (auto) mode will take a good picture.

Another Menu, the Playback Menu allows you to review your thumbnails, delete or rotate your images.

I guess I have to buy a memory card if I wish to shoot in only the 3.2MP mode. I only get 8 shots in the highest quality mode. The lowest setting is most memory efficient at 80+ pictures. 14-18 pictures in middle setting is respectable. Next stop? 5MP maybe a digital SLR

I am an art student and I need quick shots for reference, inspiration, actual graphic work, and documentation of my other work. I have had this camera 3 months and have taken over 1800 pictures and video and I've been very pleased with it. I take it everywhere with me. It's proved itself durable.

If you invest in this camera buy rechargable batteries and extra memory. Plan on this with ANY digital or you will be unhappy with the result. I have used three other digital cameras of different MB capabilities and by different makers...the same is true with them.

This camera has a top display that is not on any other camera in this price range. Very easy to change flash/mode/quality settings without turning on back screen. A definate plus. Saves battery and time.

This camera is a little slow but it is not anything a little patience can not handle. It just takes a little getting used to. There is a setting to take several pictures quickly. I have not had the need to use this feature, but, it may help with those hard to catch quick moments if the need arrises.

The camera is also quicker if the flash is not on. Pictures do turn out better without flash and when not applicable I advise turning it off.

The colors on this camera are GORGEOUS. They are very vibrant and bright. I advise having a photoediting program however with any digital for even BETTER pictures. A small adjustment may be all the difference you need to make a picture that's too dark and useless to the best picture you took all day. Get the best out of your digital!

There are better cameras, but be prepared to pay. This is a great camera for what it is and for the money. Take it from someone whose in the visual field. Some reviewers seem very biased about this camera. Again be prepared to buy rechargable batteries and additional memory with ANY digital camera.

I bought this camera from Target. It is a great camera. My only peeve is that the battery door is weak, and it broke while inserting batteries. I called HP and they promptly replaced the camera. I got my replacement in less than 2 days!! As far as power consumption goes, I don't use the LCD display at all. I also use NiMH rechargables, and I get about 65 pictures each charge. I use the optical zoom sparingly and transfer pictures to my computer about 3 times. I best feature about this camera is that it has a little display on the top, where you can adjust picture quality, mode and flash options. That, I guess saves a lot of battery power. All in all, a great product and I am really happy with it.

Very solid, Auto mode makes point and shoot easy, Bright clear photos, Easy download, workable manual, tons of features, Feels good in hand. Easy to review pictures

Weaknesses:
Hard to see display in bright outdoors. Batteries go fast. slightly confusing access to Image Display and Capture Menu. The Capture Mode more confusing than handy. Limited shots at high resolution

Summary:
I have enjoyed using this camera, my first digital. I find it easiest to use this camera as a basic "point and shoot" I hardly use the Live Image Display although tempted to. It's fun to play cinematographer, but It burns out the batteries too fast.

I don't mess around too much with the Capture Mode option's offered; shoot Micro, Landscapes, Portraits, or Action. My technique is too spontainious for me to set the mode every time I want a shot.

More functional is the capture menu, not the easiest to locate and manipulate when you want to modify a shooting mode, but helpful when an artistic effect is desired. Items from the Capture Settings Menu that I use; The White Balance feature is good to be aware of, for example, If I shoot in the shade mode, even in bright daylight,I don't worry about backlighting. I also like the Saturation feature, nature can be Psychidelic. I leave all the other options to the default (auto) mode. I skip things like EV Compensation, although well laid out in the manual, it is too much to recall on the verge of a picture, the default (auto) mode will take a good picture.

Another Menu, the Playback Menu allows you to review your thumbnails, delete or rotate your images.

I guess I have to buy a memory card if I wish to shoot in only the 3.2MP mode. I only get 8 shots in the highest quality mode. The lowest setting is most memory efficient at 80+ pictures. 14-18 pictures in middle setting is respectable. Next stop? 5MP maybe a digital SLR

I am an art student and I need quick shots for reference, inspiration, actual graphic work, and documentation of my other work. I have had this camera 3 months and have taken over 1800 pictures and video and I've been very pleased with it. I take it everywhere with me. It's proved itself durable.

If you invest in this camera buy rechargable batteries and extra memory. Plan on this with ANY digital or you will be unhappy with the result. I have used three other digital cameras of different MB capabilities and by different makers...the same is true with them.

This camera has a top display that is not on any other camera in this price range. Very easy to change flash/mode/quality settings without turning on back screen. A definate plus. Saves battery and time.

This camera is a little slow but it is not anything a little patience can not handle. It just takes a little getting used to. There is a setting to take several pictures quickly. I have not had the need to use this feature, but, it may help with those hard to catch quick moments if the need arrises.

The camera is also quicker if the flash is not on. Pictures do turn out better without flash and when not applicable I advise turning it off.

The colors on this camera are GORGEOUS. They are very vibrant and bright. I advise having a photoediting program however with any digital for even BETTER pictures. A small adjustment may be all the difference you need to make a picture that's too dark and useless to the best picture you took all day. Get the best out of your digital!

There are better cameras, but be prepared to pay. This is a great camera for what it is and for the money. Take it from someone whose in the visual field. Some reviewers seem very biased about this camera. Again be prepared to buy rechargable batteries and additional memory with ANY digital camera.

I bought this camera from Target. It is a great camera. My only peeve is that the battery door is weak, and it broke while inserting batteries. I called HP and they promptly replaced the camera. I got my replacement in less than 2 days!! As far as power consumption goes, I don't use the LCD display at all. I also use NiMH rechargables, and I get about 65 pictures each charge. I use the optical zoom sparingly and transfer pictures to my computer about 3 times. I best feature about this camera is that it has a little display on the top, where you can adjust picture quality, mode and flash options. That, I guess saves a lot of battery power. All in all, a great product and I am really happy with it.

I purchased a Coolpix 885 in April 2002. Within a few weeks I encountered a "SYSTEM ERROR" message. I got the camera replaced because it was under new camera warranty. I recently tried to use the custom settings to take pictures in poor light and encountered the "SYSTEM ERROR" message again. I believe there is a problem with using this mode. Based on other reviews and given the lack of positive action to address this issue I could not recommend this camera. I have given it 1 star because I have taken around 950 good pictures using the auto modes only.

I loved the camera when it arrived. The first "serious brand" camera I've ever purchased (my prior Kodak DC200 digital had serious design flaws in the battery compartment, causing power "dropout" problems) and I really liked the compact size and the flawless optics.

But, I'm now about to ship the camera back FOR THE THIRD TIME for repairs for the exact same problem. The zoom lens assembly has a recurring problem that causes the auto-focus to "lose it" after several zoom-in/zoom-out shots in sequence, and then all it'll do is say "SYSTEM ERROR" on-screen and refuses to power up.

Needless to say, this has (Murphy's Law) happened during:

1. A wedding;

2. A 50th Anniversary;

3. 5 birthday parties;

4. A Christmas family reunion, some relatives arriving from Australia.

It's also got a very disappointing power management issue. Well before the "low battery" icon appears, the camera will sporadically power down/reboot upon shooting a picture that requires the flash unit. Yes, it DOES flash, and yes it DOES store the picture. But then you miss the next 2-3 shots because the camera is busy rebooting. Really annoying.

I am DEFINITELY unhappy with Nikon, and I receive no response whatsoever to my letters. My next camera will NOT be a Nikon. Plus, now I have to sell nearly a thousand dollars worth of accessories and batteries on eBay.

Nikon's lost a customer for life here...

As a first time digital camera user I found the Nikon 885 extremely simple and user-friendly. The user manual is very easy to understand and it is easy to find what you need. The small size is great for traveling. The shutter speed seems fine to me although I heard some people found it to be very slow on their cameras.

One of my favorite things about the camera is the movie feature. You can make a 40 second movie without sound and play it on your computer. I was impressed with the quality and even in fine mode the 'movie' only takes up the memory space of 7 or 8 pictures. Which is hardly anything if you have the 128 mb card which takes 80 pictures in fine mode, 157 in normal mode and 302 in basic mode.

One of the bonuses of owning a Nikon is that the memory card that it takes is made by several different companies and therefore cheaper and easier to find. The Sonys, on the other hand, only accept Sony Memory sticks, which is very annoying because some computers and printers do not accept the Sony disk, while almost every device will take the one used for Nikon. I bought a device to plug into my USB port that I can insert the disk into to download onto my computer so that the battery of my camera isn't running out while it uploads. Oh while I'm on the subject of batteries another great thing about Nikon is that it has an adapter to charge your battery outside of the camera so if you have 2 batteries, one can be charging while you're using the camera. Oh, and if you are on vacation or something out sightseeing and your battery goes dead you can run into a shop and buy regular camera batteries b/c Nikon made their cameras to accept them too.

Another one of my favorite things is the scene modes. This is something that was important for me because I know very little about photography. I really needed a camera that I could just point and shoot and Nikon was the only brand the scene selection feature where you don't have to focus it and decide whether to use flash or not and all that stuff. The twelve scenes are portrait, party/indoor, night portrait, beach/snow, landscape, sunset, night landscape, museum, fireworks show, close up, copy (black & white), and back light.

Well I hope you found this review helpful. Obviously I'm very happy with my Nikon 885. If your looking for a cute, compact, easy to use camera then this would be a good choice. Good luck!

I did a lot of research before purchasing this D-Cam. I wanted all of the features one needs for basic E-mail quality pics as well as 8X10 photos. (Some sales reps will tell you that you need 3+MP for 8X10's. Not so. They just want your $$.) You CAN print a great 8X10 when shot in FINE mode from the RCA CDS 6300, it has got it all!

The box is loaded with all you need, Compact Flash, Batteries, Strap, Case, Lens Cover, USB Cable, Serial Cable, Video Cable and an AC Adapter that you can use to conserve battery life when downloading to your PC or taking pics when 120V is close. Oh, and the Software, it is easy to use plus, you can do a LOT with it.

If you shop it, you can find a great price on it, as I did, (...)!! The features are comparable to the Fuji Finepix 2600 that I almost bought for (...) more. You can even shoot 16 pics in 4 seconds!

The CDS 6300 is a little bigger than most other 2+MP Cameras. However, if you are like me, bigger is better 'cause its easier to hold and shoot without covering the flash or lens or putting your thumbprint on the LCD. It is contoured and comfortable in your hands, unlike many other flat, square and stylishly challenged cameras.

Carry an extra set of batteries for a marathon shoot, otherwise you'll be fine.

Hope this was helpful in your search.

I've had mine for about 2 weeks. Have taken hundreds of pictures. Simple to use. Easy instructions. Owners manual is in English. It's not one of those instruction manuals that has 3 pages of impossible to understand English, and 40 pages of other languages. I read through it ONCE, and completely understood everything I needed to know about this camera.

It's a joy to use. Takes great pictures that look like you used a film camera. I know one of the complaints is battery life, but I haven't had to replace batteries yet. If you use the included AC adapter when transferring pics to computer, it helps save battery power. The pictures transfer very quickly to the computer.

I love this camera and haven't found one thing I dislike about it.

Great start-up digital camera. Performant for the price. The camera itself and the software are REALLY easy to use. Both the physical and digital zoom are very performant. The battery consumption is actually not that bad. I usually use rechargeable batteries that last longer. I bought kodak digital camera batteries on a trip 2 months ago, took over 50 pictures and viewed them and still haven't had to change them.

How do you get pictures and movies on your email? I have windows XP and can't get things loaded onto the computer without it playing on just the camera.

I've owned this camcorder for a month...Although please avoid them if possible, they open the box from JVC and change the standard battery for a NiCa battery which lasts only 20mins! Then they charge you extra for the normal battery. Unless you're really on the ball you'll be caught out like me. I cannot believe the nerve of these people! Check out Camcorder & Computer Video mag for other retailers with prices just as good, some better.

The GRDVM50 is identical to the grdvm70 except it doesen't have the memory card & built in flash. Firstly, the video quality is superb. For my personal use of creating PC picture albums I find the digital stills perfectly adaquate, one real advantage with the software is even if the still you take is not in great focus you can frame by frame advance and you'll always find in 1 or 2 frames a clear image, just press the capture button on the software and this is the still thats transferred. If you're looking for high quality stills then buy a dedicated digital camera of high cost camcorder like the sony pc100 approx.$1500 street!

In a nutshell, this unit is so easy to use and carry around, it's also pretty rugged compared to the plasticcy models from other manufacturers.

On the downside, yes you can hear motor whine on the tape when using zoom but to be honest I really don't find it a problem. Wind noise-there is an electronic feature to reduce windnoise. I used this on Millenium Force rollercoaster at Cedar Pt.(Ohio) and it worked fine. The battery doesen't last long, you can buy 1.5hrs (actual) from camera shops. JVC Service & literature don't give me a warm feeling in terms of PC connectivity & what I've heard. Oh yeah, I had a problem with connecting to PC, check under on your PC under'Start,settings,control panel,ports, that the baud rate is 9600' JVC connectivity literature is pathetic considering how easy it actually is to connect. Don't waste time reading the software manuals, just install & use.

So..as far as rating goes, I'm not biased, and I'm basically blown away by this little machine considering the price I paid and the overall performance.

If you are looking for an ultracompact, feature-filled camcorder, the JVC GR-DVM70U digital cybercam will take you to new levels of vacation and home video making. The GR-DVM70U features a digital still picture output that allows this camcorder to act as a digital still camera. The still images are stored on a removable 4 MB multimedia card and can be downloaded onto your PC via the provided serial cable. A short editing process makes your images Web-ready or e- mail compliant with the software included.

This JVC digital cybercam offers a high level of picture and sound quality. A 680,000-pixel CCD delivers outstanding resolution, and with the 180,000-pixel color LCD monitor, the camcorder can be operated from any angle. For important close-up shots, the 200x digital zoom provides fast zooming at variable speeds by finger pressure.

This cybercam is full of digital effects and scene transitions for the budding filmmaker. Let your creativity run free with effects such as classic film, strobe, slow shutter, black and white, and many more. A time-lapse capability allows you to record at preset intervals to catch slow motion action such as plant growth or cloud movement. You can also record in a special animation mode that creates the illusion of movement for an otherwise stationary scene when you shoot a series of slightly different poses. Random assemble editing provides an eight-scene memory for favorite scenes as well as the ability to add special effects.

The JVC GR-DVM70U is fully compatible with your PC computer. It includes a serial cable, 4 MB multimedia card and digital output link. Other accessories include a handgrip strap, audio-video output cable, editing cable, DC adapter, cleaning cloth, AC adapter/battery charger, and docking station.