Seagate Barracuda 500 GB 7200RPM SATA NCQ 16 MB Cache 3.5-Inch

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $69.99
Sale Price: $60.24
Today's Bonus: 14% Off

I have two of these drives, one for video editing, one for a server. I've been completely satisfied with them; they were easy to install and their performance has been excellent. The SATA cables are a huge improvement over the old ATA ribbon cables, both for ease of installation and for improved airflow inside the computers. Windows recognizes SATA drives without a problem.

The disk comes with a CD that includes installation software (not needed, for me at least) and Seagate's BounceBack Express backup software.

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LG Xenon GR500 Unlocked Phone with QWERTY Keyboard, 2MP Camera

Customer Ratings:

I have had this phone for about 6 months now and have had NO problems out of it. I read reviews that talked about the screen freezing up but this has never happened to me. I would recommend this phone to anyone.

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Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR FX Lens for Nikon Digital SLR

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $219.95
Sale Price: $216.95
Today's Bonus: 1% Off

Review of the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G AF-S versus other Nikkor 50mm AF lenses

This quick review is based on my use of this lens for almost 3-weeks. It is intended for those already familiar with Nikkor's line of 50mm prime lenses but are wondering how this lens compare with the other Nikkor 50mm autofocusing lenses that I also own. I did however provide a section for beginners or novice at the last section of this review.

AGAINST THE NIKKOR f/1.8D

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G is slightly bigger than the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D and a bit heavier but by a mere 31 grams, hardly noticeable at all. Unlike the 50mm f/1.8D, it comes with a reversible hood which does a good job in protecting and shading the lens. Unlike the 50mm f/1.8D which uses a 52mm filter, this lens uses a 58mm filter. Unlike the 50mm f/1.8D which has a maximum aperture of f/22, the maximum aperture of this lens is f/16 (as do the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D and 1/4G). As the "G" suffix indicates, the 50mm f/1.8G does not have an aperture ring while the 50mm f/1.8D has an aperture ring (see notes below for the significance of this).

The new Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G is sharper and has better bokeh. The aspherical element in the new Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G has further improved the acuity of this lens specially noticeable at the corners even at its wide-open setting. Yet Nikon also improved the bokeh of this new lens versus the 50mm f/1.8D! I also noticed some slight improvement in the color and contrast, specially when shot from f/2.0 and above. Focus speed is decently fast and is about the same on a Nikon DX D7000 yet the 50mm f/1.8G seems to be more consistently precise and significantly quieter. Priced very reasonably, this 50mm f/1.8G lens also now focuses on Nikon bodies without built-in focusing motors such as the Nikon D3000, D3100, D5000, D5100, D40, and D60. Focus speed is decently fast. This lens is a winner by a clear margin!

As the price of the 50mm f/1.8D has risen in the recent months, the price disparity between this lens (USD$219.00) and the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D has narrowed. Considering that the 50mm f/1.8G has better optical performance (sharper, better bokeh, improvement on color and contrast), has an included hood, lens pouch, plus the flexibility of being able to use this lens with all of Nikon's dSLR, I strongly recommend anyone looking for a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens to choose this Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G over the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D.

AGAINST THE NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4D

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G is slightly bigger than the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D but is lighter by 63 grams. Unlike the 50mm f/1.4D, it comes with a reversible hood which does a good job in protecting and shading the lens. Unlike the 50mm f/1.4D which uses a 52mm filter, the 50mm f/1.8G uses a 58mm filter.

At the same aperture setting from f/1.8 and above, the new Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G is again sharper and has better bokeh. This is surprising considering that the 50mm f/1.4D is already stepped down 2/3 of a stop when these two lenses are compared at the same aperture setting. The bokeh of the 50mm f/1.8G is also better! Focus on the 50mm f/1.8G seems about the same or just a bit faster than the 50mm f/1.4D on a Nikon DX D7000 but the difference is so small as to be almost imperceptible. Focus precision between these two lenses are about the same but the 50mm f/1.8G focuses quieter than the 50mm f/1.4D.

The primary advantage of the 50mm f/1.4D over this lens is primarily in it being 2/3 of a stop faster and it having an aperture ring. The former is important for still photography while both are important for video where 2/3 of a stop advantage and being able to manually set the aperture have a substantial impact on the final output. The 50mm f/1.4D remains attractive for these. For still photography shooting at f/1.8 and above, I would choose the 50mm f/1.8G over the 50mm f/1.4D.

AGAINST THE NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G

In terms of size, this lens is about equal with the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G and also uses the same 58mm filter. The 50mm f/1.8G is lighter by 94 grams than the 50mm f/1.4G. Like the 50mm f/1.4G, it comes with a very useful hood.

At the same aperture setting, the new Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G is as sharp in the center and has about the same quality of bokeh. The 1.4G of course would have a better bokeh shooting at f/1.4 and f/1.6 still than the 1.8G at f/1.8. More noticeable is that the 50mm f/1.8G is sharper at the corner than the 50mm f/1.4G when shot wide-open. This is surprising considering that the 50mm f/1.4G is significantly better than the 50mm f/1.4D yet the 50mm f/1.8G is still a bit sharper beginning at f/1.8 but even more noticeable at f/2.0 despite the 50mm f/1.4G being already stepped down! Measured in terms of optical performance alone, the 1.8G has a slight advantage over the 1.4G in corner acuity even at f/1.8 but more so at f/2.0 and above. Color and contrast are about equal and I am unable to see any difference between the two. It would seem that the aspherical lens element that Nikon added to the 1.8G but not to the 1.4G has made quite a considerable difference. Yet Nikon also endowed this lens with excellent bokeh despite it being half the price. Kudos to Nikon for doing this!

In terms of focus precision, the 1.8G does not differ much from the 1.4G on my Nikon D7000 and D3100. In terms of focus speed, the 50mm f/1.8G focuses a tad faster than the 50mm f/1.4G. Manual focusing on the 50mm f/1.4G however is easier than on the 50mm f/1.8G. This may be an important consideration when choosing a lens for video use.

Like the 50mm f/1.4D, the primary advantage of the 50mm f/1.4G is its being faster by 2/3 of a stop which can be invaluable for still photography and for video as well for those aiming for the thinnest depth of field (DOF) and/or more light to keep the ISO setting as low as possible. For these advantages, the 50mm f/1.4G cost about double the price of this lens.

If only Nikon included nano-coating and added an aspherical element into the 50mm f/1.4G to make it perform like or perhaps better than the 50mm f/1.8G, then the extra cost of the 50mm f/1.4G would be easier to justify and the 1.4G would be a clear choice. But as it stands, one would choose the 1.4G when shooting at f/1.4 to f/1.6. But when shooting at f/1.8 and above, the 1.8G would be a better and also a less expensive choice (at just half the price).

NOTES RE THE 50MM AND VIDEO-ENABLED NIKON DSLRS:

The 1.8G like the 1.4G no longer has an aperture ring that the 1.8D and the 1.4D still retained. The aperture ring remains handy and useful for manual control of aperture in video more so as the current video-enabled Nikon dSLRs do not allow the changing of aperture settings when video recording has started. With an aperture ring, the aperture setting can be changed manually once video recording has started.

ADDITIONAL NOTES OWNERS OF THE NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G is slightly bigger and slightly heavier than the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G but the weight difference is not really noticeable. The 50mm f/1.8G exhibit the same qualities as the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G in that it is usable and sharp even when shot wide-open. These two lenses are also priced about the same. While the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G is a DX lens, I have used it with an FX body at night where the vignetting at the corners is not as issue as it is not noticeable under certain light conditions. I would not however use the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G on an FX body on daytime or where the light is even. Sharpness at the corner is also not good. The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G can be used with a DX body as well as with an FX with no vignetting or corner sharpness issue such as I described. Like the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G, color and contrast improves considerably when this lens is stepped down a bit by 1/3 to 2/3 stop. If you own a Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G and need the field of view of this lens, getting this lens would be a no-brainer.

SUMMARY

In sum, this lens is currently the best Nikkor 50mm lens for general still photography when shooting from f/2.0 and above. The stellar performance of this lens matched with its relatively low price and its ability to autofocus on Nikon's lower model dSLRs makes it a hands-down winner.

For still photography or video where every little bit of light is needed or where getting the thinnest DOF is crucial, the Nikkor f/1.4D and f/1.4G remains the better choice. The Nikkor f/1.4D with its aperture ring is particularly useful for video with its ability to change the aperture setting through the aperture ring even after video recording has started. Changing the aperture setting after video recording has started is currently not possible with the Nikon D7000 and the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G. This situation makes it necessary for me to own multiple type of Nikkor 50mm lenses.

FOR THE NOVICE OR BEGINNER

This lens is light, compact inexpensive, but produces very impressive results. On a DX body such as the Nikon D40, D60, D3000, D3100, D3200, D5000, D5100, D7000 and D300(s), this lens has a field of view of a 75mm. On an FX body such as the Nikon D700, D3(s) or D3x, this lens has a field of view of a 50mm.

Despite it being a fixed focal length and not being able to zoom, I highly recommend this lens for beginner Nikon dSLR users who own only the kit zoom lens. This prime lens is a safe, inexpensive, and exceptional route to trying out how good a prime lens can be as against zoom lens. In addition, this lens allows you to shoot at low light and/or to blur the background of the subject of the photo. It also hints at what the professional Nikon zoom lens are capable of should you get serious in this hobby. This lens is very compact and easily packed in the bag for those times when a wide open lens is needed for shooting in low light conditions.

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Pentax K2000 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DA

Customer Ratings:

Pros:

High quality (sturdy feeling)

Well designed

Superb Image quality

No pattern noise at high ISOs (looks more like film grain)

In body image stabilization

Cons:

No image orientation sensor (if you hold portrait style have to manually rotate)

No red focus confirmation dot (still has green dot in viewfinder at bottom)

Who should buy the K2000? Anyone also considering entry level Nikon or Canon DSLRs. This is fully competitive, but offers in body image stabilization that works with any lens (old and new). Nice feature set at a great value.

The auto focus of this camera is improved, focusing more precisely in low light than previous Pentax models, and also works with the new SDM lenses. Auto white balance is also improved. It does much better under tungsten light than some previous Pentax cameras.

The shake reduction is highly effective, as much so as most in lens systems. About 3 f-stops for me. This is a handy feature because it works with ALL lenses. You don't have to keep buying the same feature for $100 to $500 every time you buy a lens for which you want stabilization. Not to mention, when a new body comes out you get an improved stabilizer. With an in lens system, you have to replace your lenses to get improved stabilizers.

Even though this is a no frills system, it is very capable for those advanced amateurs or pro's looking for a compact body to use with the Pentax Limited prime lenses (compact lenses offering outstanding image quality). The big two haven't invested many resources in prime lenses suitable for APS-C sensors (by far the best selling dSLRs), Pentax has bucked the industry trend with their superb DA Limited series lenses.

Image quality is outstanding. I used it at a studio shoot recently, and had no issue. My only complaints were the lack of user selectable focus points (besides all or center only) and lack of orientation sensor. For the most part these were easy to work around. The picture results were stunning, even up to ISO 800. By 1600 there starts to be a fair amount of noise, but there is no pattern to it (my K20d has awful horizontal pattern noise). These photos are highly suitable for B&W conversion, and they resemble high speed film better than many digital cameras.

In conclusion, you get a lot of bang for you buck with this camera. The bundled AF200FG flash is very good compared to any built in flash offering much better range, better fill, and being off camera helps reduce red eye and shadowing from lenses. The kit lens is excellent at apertures 5.6 and up at any focal length (it is a tad soft at the corners at wide angles at apertures larger (smaller number) than f/5.6. I mounted it to the K20d and it had no problems resolving for the higher resolution sensor. I recommend this without many reservations (see my cons), and for a starter or enthusiast it is a great little camera. With my review title, it is the first time I can feel comfortable to recommend a Pentax to a non-DSLR user (previously they have been better enthusiast, non-beginner models).

Update One: First set of batteries that came with the camera have more than 1000 shots on them, many of these with the flash. This has truly amazing battery life, especially considering how much the back LCD is illuminated (no top information display). This would last many users a year!

The only other little things I have noticed is there is no slot for a cable remote and the back LCD can be bright. This camera wouldn't be the best for star trails for example, but this will only impact a small percentage of users.

I still love it!

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Think Tank Glass Limo, Long Lens & Camera Backpack, Black Nylon

Customer Ratings:

Canon should sell their large zoom lenses with this backpack instead of their (suitcase) case. Works perfectly when I have to hike. I love the Think Tank systems and this is a no brainer. Worth every penny!

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Samsung HMX-H304 Full HD Camcorder with 30X Zoom and 16 GB

Customer Ratings:

I spent a long time researching camcorders, read a lot reviews and looked at a lot of test footage before ultimately buying this model.

Many of the better reviews I read compared this model to models several hundred dollars more expensive, which I took to mean that this model was a significant value at this price.

It was a gamble on my part that I think paid off as I am very happy overall with this unit.

There are thee consistent criticism I have seen for this camcorder. I took them very seriously when I was deciding what unit to buy. Now that I have hands on experience with the unit I wanted to share my experience regarding these criticisms:

The camera records its own zoom: This is true but I don't find it distracting. In fact I find it to be a cool effect. You should really only be zooming with the camera on if you are intentionally calling attention to the camera anyway. This is a consumer camera. It is not intended for professional use. The "zoom sound" is really only audible in a very quiet room. I recorded some footage outside on a non-windy day and the ambient noise outside covered up the sounds of the zoom. For reference, I watched some footage I took with my miniDV camera and noticed that on all of the footage you could hear the whir of the tape motor. Probably the zoom would be more noticeable if the tape motor wasn't constantly going. At any rate the noise doesn't bother me on either camera and the miniDV footage was far noisier. I don't see how this issue would be a deterrent. If you are shooting a movie or any professional product you need a professional camera anyway and you also would be using a separate sound recording system.

The camera isn't great in low light: This is also true. The camera produces a better picture with more light on the subject. This is true of all cameras. Cameras record light. This camera doesn't come with a light for dark settings. If you want a camera with a light on it don't buy this unit. This also didn't bother me. I just turned a lamp on and the video quality was fine. Again, this is a consumer camera. Professionals bring their own lights anyway. To be fair though the camera performs much better in daylight than it does indoors.

There is no viewfinder and there is a glare on the LCD screen in sunlight: These things are also true. There is no viewfinder. If you want a viewfinder, buy a different model. As for the glare, you may have to put your hand over the screen to reduce the glare. Easy enough to solve.

A final note. I ran some basic tests and found the 720p to be sharper than the 1080i footage. It's super easy to switch back and forth (even on the same memory card) so play around with it and judge for yourself. I'm sticking with the 720p to because it looks better to me and it takes up less storage space.

I have also been having a lot of fun with the time-lapse setting a function I wasn't even interested in when looking for camcorder.

Overall I found this to be a great little camera. It records quality HD video has a great optical zoom and can be bought for under $300. The camera is tiny. If a viewfinder were added and the microphone was snaked further from the zoom lens it would be a larger camera. I found the issues above to be legitimate but not large enough problems to be a deterrent.

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Sigma DP1s 14MP Sensor Digital Camera

Customer Ratings:

I guess you probably read the technical reviews and now are wondering what insanity would compel you to buy a DP1? If you're reading this review, you're seduced by the idea of great photos from a small package. Period.

If you like sharp, stunning results and come from the learn-the-camera school, you'll forget how much you paid for it long before you forget the joyous photographs you took with it. It's slow all right, but to me it's just part of the way the camera handles. I can handle that.

I researched cameras for weeks before I settled for a DP1s via Amazon for an amazingly reasonable price. I read many reviews panning the camera. My favorite critique was "on-off button in a bad place". Geez. If Sigma put it where this reviewer wanted it, someone else wouldn't like that location, either.

The bottom line is this: If a camera is capable of producing stunning photographs (which it does), then buy it and LEARN TO USE IT. I love my Nikon D80 and lenses, but I don't always want to carry it with me. I've had two small Canon point-n-shoots and they were tough and reliable, but the small size consistently gave me distorted, average grade photos. It disappointed me greatly when I compared them to the Nikon's quality.

So I searched for the holy grail of gear: a smallish camera with a sharp edge-to-edge lense and big pixel resolution. I think I've found it.

I purchased the optional lense barrel and hood including a Hoya UV filter. The lense barrel actually makes it easier to handle. And best of all, no one pays any attention to me because I put that little Sigma around my neck with the OEM strap and I blend in with the crowd. Folks stiffen up when you poke around with your big DSLR with pro-sized glass; however, few know that I'm packing DSLR resolution in the little camera.

I heartily recommend it to the serious photographer who wants a powerful and small package.

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Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD

Customer Ratings:

I've had this camera for about three years now and it's done wonders for me! The quality of the build, the ease of use, and the overall feel of the camera is amazing.

Pros:

-18Mp Amazing quality shots

-High 6400 ISO

-Access to all other Canon lenses

-1080p Video

-Strong quality build

Cons:

-A little bulky

I love the 60D and would recommend it to anyone who's even remotely interested!

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Panasonic Pro AG-HMC150 3CCD AVCHD 24fps Camcorder

Customer Ratings:

I received my 150 a little over a week ago. Bought it because I wanted to move up to HD and get out of the tape business. It did not come with an SDHC card. Bought an 8 GB to carry me over until my 16 GB cards arrive via Amazon. I am still on the learning curve on it. Especially liked the large comfortable color view eye piece. I was also amazed by the clarity of the video play back on my 48" LCD screen. Used the three cable output first, that came with the camera( Video, Lt. Rt. Audio )

Very clear video, much clearer than my trusty old Canon GL-2 It does not come with an HDMI cable. Bought one locally and tried it. Plugged one end into the HDMI out port on the camera and the other end into the HDMI port of my TV. I was blown away by how clear it was !! The video was clearer than some of the stations I view in HD.

On playback, you are given a thumbnail of the first frame of each scene you shot when you turned the camera on. On playback, you can skip around the scenes you want to view , or delete if needed. The focus assist is another nice feature. When you use it, it momentarily zooms in on the middle of your next shot so that you can fine focus if needed.

It has many other features that I have not tried yet. On editing, bought the Pinnacle 12 Ultimate because it is set up to handle the AVHCD format and a PC with the AMD quad Phenom processor with 3 GB of RAM. Waiting for a more powerful graphics card to arrive before trying to edit in this new format. The battery that came with it is small. Would recommend buying the larger battery as soon as you can to balance it out. Right now, it feels a little out of balance because of the smaller battery. Also liked the solid magnesium body. No plastic anywhere ! Overall, I am impressed with this camera.

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Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $279.00
Sale Price: $150.99
Today's Bonus: 46% Off

Please note that for a point and shoot, this camera deserves a 5-star review. But in fairness to certain small details, and Amazon's inability to allow users to give partial stars (e.g. 4.75 stars), I will have to settle for 4-stars.

Cosmetic PROS: Unlike some of the SD and Elph cameras in the past, this one feels solid. Canon even improved, to some extent, the flimsy-feeling battery door. It is a HUGE improvement over the previous flimsy plastic doors on earlier models. The large 3"x1" screen is sharp and beautiful and gives an accurate depiction of what your camera will capture. Switching between full program mode and full automatic is a simple slide button on the top of the camera allowing an advanced user and a novice to both have their options easily. This also prevents any accidental mode changes that can happen with setting-wheels or external buttons.

Cosmetic CONS: The lens cover seems a touch too loose, at least on my specific camera. It rattles and moves slightly when handling the camera after the power is off and the cover is closed. Not a deal breaker by any stretch of the imagination, but you might notice this rattle too. The card slot, at least on my specific camera, is strangely snug. When I slide the card into place, there is some friction that made me question whether I was forcing it into the slot in the wrong direction. I pushed the card in until it clicked into place, but then it did not rebound like normal (like when clicking the top of a retracting ball-point pen.) Again, it may just be my specific camera. (Edit: I forgot to mention that while the battery door is now more durable, the A/V door feels very flimsy. It doesn't swing out like a door. Rather, like the cap on a tupperware drinking bottle lid, the door detaches from the camera but remains linked to it via a moderately flexible piece of plastic. And because the door snaps firmly in place when closed, you really need fingernails to get any sort of leverage to open it. For what its worth, if I had to choose only one, I still much prefer the more durable battery door than a durable A/V door.)(Edit: Also, while I love the huge screen, please note that if you wear polarized sunglasses, you may have issues shooting on a sunny day with the screen appearing to disappear. This is more of a problem of the polarized lenses than the camera, but its worth noting.)

Touch screen: Personally, I prefer standard buttons. However, this touch screen is fine. It is big enough that my fingers are able to select menu items easily. For those of you coming from touch screen cell phones, you may find this screen less sensitive than your phone, thus requiring you to apply more finger pressure than you are used to. This isn't a flaw in my mind, but I can see where others may think the screen is being non-responsive. The lanyard comes with a tightening slide. And this slide also has a fine point on it to help you make selections on the touch screen if you are having problems--similar to the stylus of the old palm pilots. Hard to use if your hand is in the lanyard, but hey, its a start!

Features: My main reasons for purchasing this camera was to get aperture priority, shutter priority, and a macro setting as options. Unlike the Canon's S95 with an external ring control, the aperture settings on the 500HS are buried in the touch screen menus. That is fine for my uses and will be fairly intuitive to previous Canon users. The f2.0 aperture setting DELIVERS! For those wanting shallow depth of fields on their point and shoot...wow! I loved this! I haven't had any problems (yet) with the camera focusing on the wrong subject even in macro setting. And because this comes with Focus Lock, you will probably be able to work around that problem if it ever arises. Strangely, but not a deal breaker, the camera doesn't seem to have a BULB setting for shutter speed and maxes out at 15". I don't use that setting and speeds enough to warrant complaint, and maybe there are slower shutter speeds and I just missed them, but I figured I would share that tidbit with others who may be needing those speeds. It is just odd considering my old-old Canon SD630 had bulb setting and I think 2 minutes (but its been so long, I may be mistaken.)(edit: Just realized that this camera doesn't have exposure bracketing (where it takes three automatic shots with different exposures.) It still has exposure adjustment allowing you to +/exposure stops, but I am a little surprised to not find this previously included feature. There is something called Best Image where the camera takes 5 continuous shots but automatically keeps only the best shot, but this seems to be geared toward facial expressions/blinks/etc. and not exposures. The lack of bracketing is only a minor drawback for me--heck, its taken me a couple of weeks to realize its not present--but its worth mentioning.)

Video: Because I didn't buy this for video, I cannot well judge its abilities. I will only say that the few test videos I took were sharp, with decent sound. However, the volume of the voice of the person holding the camera will be noticeably less. Whether thats a good thing or bad is up to you. Note too that the video is recorded in stereo sound. But I can't gauge its quality. (edit: Having tested the video out more, the sound from the person recording the video (i.e. behind the camera) is actually much better than I originally thought. Apparently, I had the volume turned down too low. But once I adjusted the setting, the sound was rather clear and crisp. I was very impressed.)

Review pics: Everything on this camera is on the touch screen EXCEPT for the review button. The lone, solitary button on the rear of the camera is dedicated to allowing you review your shots in one touch. After hitting the review button, you can either slide your finger across the screen, tap an arrow on the side of the screen, or even BUMP the side of the camera with your finger to see the next shot! There is also a motion detector or internal accelerometer of some sort that allows you to quickly scan through your review pics by tilting the camera slightly on its side. Those last two features are very reminiscent of smartphone technology and makes the camera feel that much more advanced than others. (edit: After more use, I *really* need to emphasize that I like the bump feature! It makes reviewing a bunch of pics really very easy!)

Compared to S95, the 500HS is in the lead in my opinion. The S95 was supposed to be the intermediate step between point and shoot cameras and DSLRs, giving some advanced features without the expense of the DSLRs. The 500 HS is $100-$150 cheaper, more compact, and has a ton of settings and features--yes, it does have miniature model shooting mode and 1080p HD video. I think this camera is the new intermediate step to the DSLR. To give you more perspective, my other option to fit my needs would be either a DSLR Rebel or D50 or D60...$500 at absolute minimum for the body, plus another $299 for a macro lens. In other words, $800 minimum to get me the features I needed. Compare that to the 500 HS at $299! BARGAIN!

Now, I haven't had time, yet, to see if the image stabilization and low light settings are better than in cameras past--especially since I normally have "IS" turned off. So if those features are important to you, maybe visit a camera store and see the camera in person. But since the release of this camera was supposed to be March (if I am not mistaken) and since the earthquake hit Japan in March, you may have a heck of a time finding this camera in stock anywhere. I know there are a few pink colored models for sale. And I completely lucked out with finding this silver model, but keep trying! It seems that a few more stores that I frequented started getting these cameras trickling in over the past 10 days. But they seemed to be getting only 2 or 3 cameras at a time.

Good luck!

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 24x

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $499.95
Sale Price: $299.00
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

I am updating this review constantly so check back every so often to see any additional updates or new material has been added to this review. Also any new links are posted in the first comment following this review.

I have posted a PDF file with all the tips and tricks and important information about this camera on page 68 and comment 672 (2nd one down on page 68) of the comments section following this review. There is a Table of Contents to easily find pages for a variety of topics. The Custom settings are in the PDF on pages 34-36. It makes all the difference in this camera. It will shoot well in low light areas using the CUSTOMIZED settings. Get it and print it out for future reference!

The comments about this camera not working well in low light in video and in photos is over. It is just a matter of changing the settings in the camera. It does much better in lower light now. See comments 627 on page 63 of the comments following this review! The comments area in general is packed with good information about tips for better shooting and products to buy to make the process better. Check them out!

First, let me tell you I have read every single review about this camera on the Amazon website. I was torn between this camera and the Canon SX30IS 14.1MP Digital Camera with 35x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 Inch Wide LCD and the new Fujifilm FinePix HS20 16 MP Digital Camera with EXR BSI CMOS High Speed Sensor and Fujinon 30x Wide Angle Optical Zoom Lens. I also looked at the Fujifilm FinePix HS10 10 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 30x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCD, but didn't like it because after the picture was taken it takes 3-4 seconds to process before another picture can be taken. I currently own the Panasonic DMC-FZ35 as well, and used it as a comparison camera with the DMC-FZ100. I am still in the process of comparing photos of both cameras with the settings exactly the same, and so far the FZ100 wins.

This camera has a an excellent 25mm Ultra Wide-Angle Lexica DC Vario-Elmarit lens w 24X optical zoom, high speed Venus Engine 3 core processor, full HD movie recording at 1920 X 1080 resolution at 60 frames per second, High Speed Video recording at 220 frames per second, the fastest level of burst shooting of any bridge camera at 2,5,11 (2, 5,and 11 fps at full 14mp resolution),40, and 60 fps, shutter release lag of 0.008 seconds (WOW!), 14 mp resolution, and the camera's quick response makes it easier to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities together with the Sonic Speed AF (auto focus). Thanks to newly incorporated Intelligent Resolution technology, with the Intelligent Zoom turned on, the DMC-FZ100 has a camera zoom range of 1 32X, or a 35mm camera equivalent of 25-780mm at maximum 14mp picture size! No one makes a camera like this one! No one even comes close!

I have been in photography for many years. I've done wedding photography and sold some of my photos on line and to some local shops. I had a photography studio in my basement. I currently use a Nikon D90 as a DSLR camera. I enjoy the ease of taking a bridge camera with me instead of hauling the huge camera and bag full of lenses. I use the Panasonic cameras strictly for taking photos for myself as the quality is not the same as with the Nikon D90. Don't get me wrong. It takes a great picture! But you just can't compare a bridge camera to a DSLR. You can't compare the price either. MY D90 cost me almost $1000 and the lenses are just as expensive. Some cost way more than the camera body. Have you bought a 25-780mm lens for a DSLR camera lately? If they were available they would cost thousands of dollars! That's the lens equivalent of the Panasonic DMC-FZ100 with I-Zoom ON!

The Panasonic DMC-FZ100 is getting a lot of negative reviews about picture quality. I decided to buy the camera anyway and see if it could be useful to me. I liked the 35X zoom of the Canon SX30IS, but there are lots of negative reviews concerning its picture quality as well. The Panasonic DMC-FZ100 has many qualities and features that puts it above the Canon, but the 35X really pulled on me. I will explain the qualities of the FZ100 in a minute. The new Fujifilm Finepix HS20 really caught my eye! The main reason I decided against that camera is the zoom is manual and the price tag is much higher than the FZ100. The zoom being manual makes any video jerky while it is being zoomed. I looked at some of the videos taken with it on YouTube. Just do a search on that site.

The PDF manual for this camera can be downloaded from the Panasonic web site. Just do a search for it in Google. I put the link for the PDF in the comments section in case you want to download it.

I gave the camera an in depth checkout and came away totally pleased with it. Let me tell you all the benefits and features of this great camera:

What I like:

It has threads for filters. It takes a 52mm filter and they are readily available. Zeikos makes a 52mm polarizing filter Zeikos ZE-CPL52 52mm Multi-Coated Circular Polarizer Filter. I bought one for my FZ35 a while back. I also bought a more expensive Hoya polarizing filter and cannot see any difference between the Zeikos filter and the Hoya filter. Save your money and get the Zeikos.

The lens hood is included and uses a slot instead of screwing on. It is much faster to install or remove.

Some of the above cameras charge extra for the lens hood.

The camera takes JPG or Raw pictures or Both.

In the Video Mode, single still pictures or burst pictures can be taken just by pressing down on the shutter release button while taking the video. It takes a 3.5mp picture or pictures, up to 40 per video. To set up the burst mode just select it on top of the camera next to the main dial and set it up before taking the video. Page 110 in the manual.

In the Video Mode you can normally zoom to 24X. However if you select and turn on I-Zoom the camera will zoom to 32X. I-Zoom gives you 1.3X the normal zoom. The setting also gives you 32X in the Picture Mode (at 14mp picture size). It makes the camera in both picture mode and video mode equivalent to a 35mm camera 25-780mm lens! The picture quality in video or photo is not diminished in this mode. It says it on page 58 and 145 in the manual.

To turn I-Zoom on, just go to Menu, REC MENU, Page 3 (Change pages up by moving the zoom switch right, and down by moving the zoom switch left) , select I.R I.Resolution, then select I Zoom. After that, when using the Video Mode, instead of zooming to 24X, the camera will zoom to 32X. In the picture mode, the zoom goes from 24X in the 14mp Mode to 32X. If you set the camera in the 10mp picture size, the zoom goes from 24X to 37.9X. Now the camera is actually zooming in more than the Canon SX30IS! The best part! Using the I Zoom and Extended Optical Zoom does not degrade picture quality at all! Go to the manual on page 58 and 145. It tells you that right in the manual!

I-Zoom = Multiplier of 1.3X

Extended Optical Zoom with I-Zoom ON

14mp = 32X

10mp = 37.9X

7mp = 45X

5mp = 54X

3mp = 67.4X

I used the camera at 3mp (67.4X) with the Olympus 1.7 teleconverter to get a total zoom of 118X, and took a picture of the moon with just a monopod. It filled the whole screen without cropping. It can be seen at the web site listed in comments. The picture looks great! I will be taking another with a tripod when the moon is full, and will post it as well.

The camera has a live Histogram which the FZ35 has as well. To turn it on, go to MENU, SETUP, Page 3, HISTOGRAM, and turn it ON.

The camera will take 5 quick flash shots! To do that, just put the top main dial to SCN Mode, and select FLASH BURST, which is on the second row! The FZ35 does that too. While we are in the SCN Mode, in a dim setting like inside at night, select the CANDLE LIGHT Mode, It really brightens up the picture! Better yet, at night in tough lighting, select iA Mode (Intelligent Auto) with the camera main dial. It does a great job in dim light, but you will sacrifice some noise! Also note in SCN mode, go to the second page of the menu and select HS Mode for High Speed Video to take those fast action videos that you want to get great slow motion detail in. The speed is 220 frames per second!

460,000 pixel 3 inch LCD, which extends and swivels. You can even take a picture of yourself and see what it is going to look like before you take the shot. Just extend the screen and rotate it 180 degrees.

DIFFERENT COLOR MODES = Page 132 of manual

The camera has several different color modes.

STANDARD: The standard setting

DYNAMIC: The saturation and contrast are increased.

NATURE: Brighter red, green and blue. Enhanced beauty of nature.

SMOOTH: The contrast is lowered for smoother and clearer color.

VIBRANT : Higher saturation and contrast than DYNAMIC.

Makes the colors snap out at you!

There are a couple of others.

To Set the COLOR MODE go to P or A or S or M mode on the main dial, press MENU, then FILM MODE, then push the right button on the MENU SET switch to cycle through the various color modes. Once in a mode, scroll down and set the CONTRAST, SHARPNESS, SATURATION, and NOISE REDUCTION. Once set, press the MENU button again to save it.

By going to the FILM MODE (MENU, REC MODE, Page 1, FILM MODE) you are able to customize your setting of CONTRAST, SHARPNESS, SATURATION, and NOISE REDUCTION and set it on a custom menu. Just select your settings and continue scrolling down to Memory and set your custom menu there.

It has a flash shoe, and uses Panasonic Flashes. There are three to choose from but they can get real expensive! Panasonic DMW-FL360 External Flash (GN36) for Panasonic L1 DSLR and FZ50 Digital Camera, Panasonic DMW-FL500 TTL External Flash for Panasonic L1 DSLR and FZ50 Digital Camera

AVCHD Video, either 1080i, or 720p, 60 frames per second, or Motion JPEG. The video in 1080 or 720 AVCHD can be processed and played in Windows 7 Media Player and does not skip or flicker. The video is very clear and looks outstanding. Also there is no time limit in these AVCHD modes in the camera. It will take the video till the memory card is full.

I have read on some reviews that the video is jumpy and simply not good. This is because they are probably using older computers. I had this problem with my old computer as well. It would not play HD at all and some of the higher settings of regular video would be jumpy and not good. This is because your computer is just not fast enough to play HD video. First of all, you need a HD video monitor. You need a good fast graphics card and a fast computer. If it doesn't play on your computer it is not the camera's fault. This camera has outstanding HD video. It simply looks awesome! Windows 7 Media Player works great with AVCHD movie files.

Can use teleconverter lenses with adapter Lens Adapter, which allows use of 55mm lenses. Olympus TCON-1.7x Telephoto Converter Lens

Can use External Mike if needed

BURST MODE

The selector is on top of the camera, next to the Main Dial.

It allows selection of 2 fps (frames per second), 5 fps, 11 fps, 40 fps, or 60 fps. In 40 and 60 fps the camera uses an electronic shutter, not a mechanical one. It uses a mechanical shutter on all speeds 11 fps and under. At 40 fps, the picture size is 5M and at 60 fps the picture size is 3.5m. The camera will take 5 fps pictures with continuous Auto Focus!

I was able to take 15 pictures straight in just over a second at the picture size of 14mp in the 11 fps mode. In the 40 and 60 fps mode the camera sounds like a high tech machine gun! WOW!

Picture Quality

There has been a lot written about the poor picture quality of this camera and I checked it out thoroughly. First of all, I usually set the ISO to manual and set it to 100. That is where you will always get the best picture. I did the same for my FZ35. If used in ISO Auto, I would set the limit to ISO 400. These cameras are noisy if you let the ISO get up too high. This camera is not any worse or better than the FZ35. I took some pictures inside at night with available lighting. The first pictures I took in the iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode. The pictures looked all right, but were noisy. The second set of pictures I took was in Aperture Priority with the aperture set to maximum (f/2.8) and they look a lot cleaner with much less noise. The ISO was set to 100. If you want the best possible pictures set the ISO low and use either P (Program) or A (Aperture) or S (Shutter) or M (Manual) Modes. It is the same with the FZ35. No different there.

I did a test. I took one picture in the iA mode and the second in the A (Aperture) Mode, with the Aperture set to maximum , which was f/3.4 at zoom 3X. The picture in Aperture Mode had a lot less noise. I posted the pictures on line and the link to see them is in the comments section.

The bottom line: The FZ100 takes a great picture! Just use one of the priority modes and keep your ISO low. The pictures are in some ways better than the pictures I took with the FZ35. The colors of the FZ100 look more accurate than the FZ35. I compared these pictures pixel peeping like mad, blowing up the pictures a lot to see the difference. I like the FZ100 pictures better. Just look at the writing on top of the drill or the SKIL logo on the screwdriver. Next to the SKIL logo is a trademark R. Can't read it in the FZ35 picture. Look at the drill bits. They look way sharper in the FZ100 picture. Check it out for yourself. Don't believe what I say. Make your own determination. Go to the link in the comments section, which takes you to flickr, blow up the pictures to original size and judge for yourself. The only way I could judge one camera's pictures over the other is to blow them way up. At normal picture size there is no way you could pick one over the other . There just isn't that much difference. Some people are saying they can see the difference in quality. I don't see it and fail to see how they could see any difference in quality between these two cameras at a normal picture display size with both cameras set up exactly the same way. The pictures are definitely more noisy in the iA mode even with the ISO set to 100.

Check out other FZ100 pictures on the flickr website. Just go there and do a search for the PANASONIC DMC-FZ100. There are bunches of great photos. Some of them are simply stunning! Some of the insect pictures are amazing!

The camera has excellent stabilization. I was able to take great clear (not blurry) hand held pictures of a sign, at about 100 yards away in my yard. The camera set to 10mp and the zoom set at 37.9, and it was a late afternoon on a sunny day.

If you use this camera to print 8X10 photos, there is really no need to set the picture size for any higher than 10mp. As a matter of fact the camera says if you print 8 X 10, the recommended setting is 5mp. I used to print excellent quality 8 X 10 and larger pictures with a 6mp DSLR camera. In the camera at 14mp mode, it says that size is for prints 16 X 20 inches. For 10mp the size is 11 X 14 inches.

FLASH

Set the flash to come on any time the flash is opened. That way when you need or want a flash just press the flash button to open the flash . A lot of times it is proper to use the flash even during the day to fill in shadows. Go to MENU, REC MODE, MENU 4, FLASH, and select the one with only the flash icon. (by the way, to change from one page to the next in MENU, just pull the zoom lever to the right. Each time you pull it right it will advance one page. To go down, pull the zoom lever to the left).

Turn on the Continuous AF Mode in the Motion Picture (video) Mode. To do this, go to MENU, MOTION PICTURE, CONTINUOUS AF, and select ON. That way it will focus as you zoom.

I noticed the pictures reviewed on the LCD with flash look dim when viewed, but they look fine with my picture software. I don't know why this happens.

The Olympus TCON 1.7X converter works best when the camera is zoomed to 7X to the max of 37.9X in the 10mp mode. You have to be zoomed to about 7X or more to stop the vignetting.

WHAT I DON"T LIKE:

I don't like having to buy Panasonic Batteries at $60 a pop. It ticks me off that they don't allow aftermarket batteries to be used. I had that problem with my FZ35 as well till I downloaded and installed a earlier firmware version. I did order one battery from Ebay from a Hong Kong dealer for cheap. I will post if it works.

I also don't like the REAR DIAL on the camera. It seems cheap and doesn't work all that well. It seems to turn hard and if you push on it a little bit it changes the mode on you.

I like the camera bag, Case Logic SLCC-2 Deluxe Camcorder Case, Color: Black and Silver. It is big enough to hold the camera, the lenses, the batteries, the charger and still room to spare. The price is reasonable.

Well, that's it. Check out my pictures. I will leave the link in the comments section. I am overjoyed at this camera! It is awesome!

Update: 1-19-11 I took pictures with the FZ35 and the FZ100 today and posted them on flickr. Its hard to pick a winner. The color in the FZ100 photos looks better. The higher zoomed pictures with the FZ100 really stand out. Be advised I took those pictures hand held. I probably should have used a tripod or monopod. Check them out for yourself. I left the link in the first comments section. It is on the bottom of the first comment. I took a moon shot of the full moon and it is posted in the same place with the comparison pictures.

Update 1-22-11. Someone sent me an email and asked my why I chose the Panasonic over the Canon. Here's why: I considered both cameras, but here is why I chose the Panasonic. The Canon zooms to 35X and that was important to me. The Panasonic zoomed to 24X, which was a downer. I use video a lot and didn't like that at all. In doing the research on the Panasonic camera I read about I-Zoom, which when turned on makes the zoom in video and 14mp picture mode go to 32X. That leveled the playing field for me for the Panasonic. The Canon does not take video in true HD mode. It only takes video in 1920 X 720 at 30 frames per second. The Panasonic takes true HD video in 1920 X 1080 at 60 frames per second. Plus it has a high speed video mode in which it takes 220 frames per second. Both cameras use the 14mp sensor, which degrades picture quality somewhat, so a draw there. The Panasonic uses a 460,000 pixel LCD and the Canon uses a 230,000 pixel LCD screen. The flash recycle time on the Canon is 10 seconds. On the Panasonic it is almost instant. In fact you can put the camera in the flash burst mode and take 5 really quick flash shots. The killer for me is the Panasonic takes up to 11 pictures per second in the 14mp picture mode and 5 pictures per second in full auto focus mode. The Canon is a deadbeat here. It takes 1.3 shots per second in the normal mode and 0.6 frames per second with auto focus on. Soooooo Slooooowwww! Another reason I didn't take the Canon is the picture mode goes from 14mp to the next size down, which is 7mp. What happened to 10mp? The next picture size after that is 2mp. So disappointing. Another thing, the Panasonic Aperture goes from f/2.8 to f/11 and the Canon is f/2.7 to f/8. All those reasons is why I chose the Panasonic over the Canon, and don't regret it one bit. The Panasonic is simply the better camera!

Update 1-23-11. I posted a full HD 1920 X 1080 video on YouTube showing the full 32X zoom with I-Zoom turned on. The link is at the bottom of the first comment.

Update 1-24-11. I discovered something very important about the camera this morning. I tried to take HD video inside and it seems the picture is always dark in the video mode. I had the camera in Aperture Priority and had the f/ stop set at f/2.8. I don't know if it makes any difference in video recording. I tried setting the ISO to 1600 to make the video lighter, but it did not help. Finally I got an idea. I put the camera in iA (Intelligent Auto) mode and pushed the video record. What a difference!!!! WOW!!!! Now the video is light and looks great inside in low light conditions! So, if you plan on taking a video inside, put the main dial in iA first. It makes a world of difference! That is not in the manual by the way. iA does introduce noise when the lighing is low, but I would rather have some noise in my video and be able to see the action than to have a clean picture that's too dark to watch.

One note: AVCHD HD Video (the video this camera uses) is downloadable directly to YouTube without any conversion. That's nice to know. Many other tips and comments are in the comments section of this review.

You want to know why your pictures look crappy? You are probably in iA Mode (Intelligent Auto). Check the settings in iA mode on page 51 and 52 of the manual. The ISO is preset (and not adjustable) to Intelligent ISO (The ISO sensitivity is adjusted according to the movement of the subject and the brightness), and the MAX ISO SENSITIVITY is preset (and not adjustable) to ISO 1600 (ISO 6400 if MOTION DEBLUR is set to ON!). It's no wonder your pictures are so crappy! Red Eye removal is ON. Zoom Mike is ON. The High ISO Limit is why you are getting crappy pictures. Get out of the iA mode and go to one of the priority (P, A, S, M) modes of the camera. If you are new to photography or just don't want to mess with the camera, just set it in P (Program) mode. The camera will select shutter speed and ISO for you. Push the MENU button and set the ISO to AUTO if you wish, and set the ISO LIMIT to 400. To get the best pictures set the ISO to 100 and not to AUTO. Your pictures will look great and will not be noisy. The best part is you will find yourself really liking this camera! Use the iA mode when you need to take a shot and it was dark and nothing else that you tried worked or you didn't have time to experiment. If you need the to take the shot quick set the camera to iA mode, especially in bad lighting. The camera will take the shot. It will be noisy but it will take the shot.

Update 1-27-11 Posted 6 new comparison shots of the FZ35 and FZ100 camera. The link is posted at the bottom of the first comment.

Update 1-30-11 You can save a still picture while in the video playback mode. To do that, play the video back and view it on the LCD. Pause the video at the point that you want the picture (to pause, hit the top button on the MENU Set toggle switch). Press the MENU button. It asks you "Save this image?" Press YES and you are there. SO easy! It saves the picture in the 2mp picture size on a HD or WVGA video. Page 159 in the manual.

I just ordered a macro lens Raynox DCR 150 Converter for this camera. When it comes in I will let you know how well it works. Some of the photos taken in flickr with this lens are SIMPLY STUNNING!

Update 1-31-11 I got the Raynox DCR-150 macro lens in today and all I can say is WOW! It attaches directly to the camera lens. The macro is way way way better and stronger than the macro that comes with the camera. I have posted the link to some pictures I took with it at the bottom of the first comment. HAPPY HAPPY! This lens just knocks it out of the park!

Update 2-1-11 Oh, one thing I forgot to tell you. If you copy all the picture files on your SDHC card to your computer and want to get rid of them, never format the card in your computer. Formatting the card in your computer can corrupt the card and it will not work in your camera anymore. Your computer uses NTFS format and your camera uses FAT32. I have several articles that explain such and will post the links in the first comment area if anyone wants to see them. Always format the SDHC card in the camera. The quickest way to format the card is to go to MENU, scroll down to SETUP, go to PAGE 6 (just turn the zoom lever left two times to go to PAGE 6), scroll down to FORMAT, and push the right button on your MENU toggle switch and select YES to "Delete All Data From the Memory Card".

I also recommend you back up your pictures to a different hard drive for safe keeping. I use a USB hard drive that holds 1.5 Tera bites (1500 Mega Bites). They are fairly inexpensive and can save your butt if your hard drive ever fails. I know. I lost 3000 pictures one time because the computer power supply crashed and took out both my computer hard drives. I had my pictures backed up on both drives. It really hurt! If you go on a long extended trip it is worth it to back up your cards to a card drive. A really good one is a Nexto DI NEXTO eXtreme3 500GB Digital Hi-Speed OTG Backup Storage. Mine holds 500 mega bites. I used it while on vacation in Vietnam for about 3 weeks. I took over 7000 pictures and over 500 videos. This brand of card reader is not cheap, but it is worth every penny. It's really fast too.

Update 2-3-11 I just got a new flash for the camera. It is a Vivitar DF-383. It works great with the FZ100 camera. It works in the TTL mode and shows camera aperture, ISO setting, F/stop, and zoom in mm. It can be used as a slave and has a power saving function. It is a powerful flash (Guide number (ISO 100) 45 meters/148 feet at 85mm position). It also shuts off when the camera is powered down. I posted some photos on Flickr from the flash. The item was 25 feet away and was shot in Aperture Priority, ISO 100 at different zoom settings. The link is at the bottom of the first comment.

Update 2-9-11 A friend of mine just told me about a remote shutter release cable that you can hook up to the camera to take macro or telephoto shots without camera shake. It is so much easier than setting the timer to take the picture every time. He bought his on Ebay. Amazon has the Panasonic cord, but it is really expensive. Panasonic DMW-RSL1 Remote Shutter Release. Here is a much cheaper alternative from Amazon. I will post the link to the product in the first comment.

Update 2-13-11 This is a big time update! I have found that taking HD video inside at night to be pretty disappointing with the FZ100. I took some video in HD with my FZ35 and it looks good. It is plenty bright enough. The FZ100 if set in HD 1080 or 720 the video is really dark. I tried setting the ISO higher. No help. I tried just about everything without any success. The only solution is to set the camera in iA mode. The picture is much brighter, but full of noise.

Well, I found a solution! This makes it much better! Set the camera RECORD MODE to MOTION JPG and REC QUALITY to HD and set the ISO to 400. Wow what a difference! It is soooooooo much better and brighter. It is about the same as my FZ35. The only problem with MOTION JPG is it will only record 8 minutes in this mode. If you choose the WVGA mode instead of HD it will record for 20 minutes. It may not be the best solution but it will allow good videos in low light at night.

Update 2-22-11. I just read an article that says the NOISE REDUCTION is one reason the picture quality on the FZ100 is not as good. It says to shut the Noise Reduction down. Here is how you do that:

Go to one of the shooting modes other than iA. Go to A priority for example. Push the Menu Set button. Select FILM MODE (top one on page 1). Change your mode by pushing the button on the right of the menu set switch. I have mine on VIBRANT. Select whatever mode you want. Then move the highlighter down to Contrast (I use +1), SHARPNESS (I use +1), VIBRANT (I use +1) and NOISE REDUCTION (I use -2). Then push the menu set again and that's it. Turn the NOISE REDUCTION as low as it will go as it will screw up your picture quality.

Update 2-24-11 This comment is going to be about the Vivitar Flash (external flash) on the FZ100. The FZ40 will never get pictures like the ones I am posting because it has no hot shoe and no external flash can be used. The pictures with the camera flash are the only pictures the FZ40 will ever get. Those who have the FZ100, get ready for a pleasant surprise. I took 6 photos. 3 with the camera flash and 3 with the Vivitar DF-383. The first set was at a zoom of 1X. The second set used a zoom of 24X at 30 feet, and the last set was zoomed at 37.9X, and about 38 feet away from the object. The camera was set to Aperture Priority and ISO 100. Feast your eyes on this: Go to the bottom of the first comment for the link.

Update 3-15-11. I know this camera has gobs of zoom, but can you ever get enough? I have the Olympus TCON 1.7X teleconverter. Today I got the Raynox 2.2X teleconverter and did a comparison between the two. If you are a birder or do long range photography you might want to check out this comparison. The explanation and the link to Flickr is in the bottom of my first comment.

Update 3-27-11. I tried using the lens hood a couple of times and didn't like the way it fit. It seemed the fit was loose. After just reading another comment from another review, I tried the lens hood again. This time I turned it a little harder and it clicked. When it clicks it is going to stay put and will not come off. The best part is you can mount the lens hood backwards on the camera. Once again, make sure it clicks. It will not come off by itself. The lens hood in this way will always be with the camera, ready to use, but not in the way of adding filters or close up lenses or polarizing filters.

Noise reduction. This camera needs noise reduction software when taking shots with high ISO. See my bottom of the 1st comment about that to see how great these programs work.

Photo Flash

In taking a flash with the built in flash, the camera tends to go up in ISO instead of increasing the flash power which gives very bad picture full of noise. It is therefore important to lock the ISO sensitivity. I would set the ISO to no more than 400, and preferably to 100 and increase the flash power, you see the pictures will be 100 times better. To increase the flash power, set the camera in Aperture Priority (any of the 4 main priorities), push the button above the MENU SET button. If you push it one time it goes to EXPOSURE, push it again and it goes to AUTO BRACKET, push it again and it goes to FLASH. Set the flash to anything from 0.1 to +2 for more power. It makes a big difference! Set it up that way and take a couple of shots and see for yourself. Go ahead, try it out on your camera right now. Take a shot at +1 and another at +2. Don't forget to set it back to its original position when done. Back to exposure. If the pictures look too dark, also increase the EXPOSURE.

Update 4-21-11 A feature that I find invaluable about this camera is the ability to save a picture from a video shot with the camera. What a great feature to have! You shoot a video and find yourself wanting a snapshot of something in the video. You can get that picture! Just play the video back in the camera, and at the point or near the point where you want the snapshot, hit the pause button (the button on top of the MENU SET button). Once paused, you can move forward or backwards by pushing the button to the right and to the left of the MENU SET button. Once you are at the point where you want the picture, push the MENU SET button. It will ask SAVE THIS IMAGE? Highlight YES, and it is done. I will save the picture at a small picture size of 2.0mp.

Update 5-8-11. Don't connect the camera to the computer and risk damaging it. Pull your SDHC card out of the camera (it takes a whole 1/10 second to pull your card out of the camera, just open the door and push on it) and put it into the computer if your computer has a SDHC card reader. The software supplied with the camera will know you put the card into a reader and it will prompt you to download the files, both video and photo. If your computer doesn't have a SDHC card reader, buy a good inexpensive USB card reader. They are only around $15 or so. It is much faster and safer and less hassle to pull your card out of the camera to download the files. Just do it.

Update 7/27/11. This update is a game changer for this camera. It is no longer as weak in dark places, and the inboard flash is enough

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Samsung NX1000 Black ~ 20.3MP Digital Camera with 20-50mm Lens

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $699.99
Sale Price: $354.99
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Samsung NX1000 Review (From my review of the White model which is identical except for color):

The main things that drew my interest with this camera were the Wifi features (I have a Samsung WB150F and the Wifi features have worked well. I find them useful and convenient, especially the PC-Autobackup which transfers movies and images to your PC), the large APS-C sensor (more image detail), the compact, mirror-less design, and the recent price drops.

The NX1100 will debut with a MSP of $599 (vs. $699 for the NX1000) and comes bundled with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 and some new Wifi features namely Autoshare. But guess what? Autoshare is available for the NX1000 in the 1.13 firmware update! I already own Adobe Photoshop LR 4, and even with the lower NX1100 price, the NX1000 (basically the same camera) at current prices (340-360) is a great value. Compared to models like the 200/210 it offers the exact same APS-C sensor and is almost identical in image quality and handling. what you are giving up is the AMOLED display, metal body and a few other minor things. (The LCD display on the 1000/1100 is fine, if not quite as good as far as contrast, deep blacks, it is still very usable.)

So...how does the pudding taste? Well, I will admit my overwhelming first impression was "plastic!" though the build quality seems very good, there is an overall "plasticky" feel to the NX1000. (Thankfully, the tripod thread is metal!) The shutter and other bits are metal as well, including the lens mounts.

I use Panasonic and Olympus cameras, mostly, and even those in this price range have a bit nicer "feel" in that sense But, it's a very high quality plastic and I soon got over it except for the fact that I find the grip a bit slick and could see myself dropping this camera, so I immediately attached the strap. Not a big fan of the strap. It's OK, but I do not like the ring attachments used versus the more usual cloth through metal guides on my other cameras. I find the strap interfering with my grip due to where the attachment rings are located and this is quite annoying. I will probably remove this strap for that reason once I find a case I like. You can work around it, but I just don't like it. (Update: I'm adjusting to this and not as irritating as before.)

While we're quibbling, I'm also not a big fan of the way the Zoom lens "locks" when not in use. It does give a lower profile, but it takes some getting used to, as I've never experienced this design before. Again, a minor thing. Overall appearance is good, it looks like a serious camera. I got the white model and like the "Elvis vibe" it gives off. Also the markings are easy to read, it's comfortable to hold (with the 20-50mm lens) and the recessed mode dial is a nice touch. (It's even better with the awesome 16mm wide angle pancake lens! Much slimmer profile and very easy to hold and shoot with.)

In general, as far as controls, the design is well thought out and Samsung offers some unique and original twists such as the "Fn" and "iFn" control buttons which allow easy access to the main things you'd want to "tweak" when shooting. The controls work well and the "ring/wheel" control works very well. I was a bit skeptical, but in use I really liked it. For example, when flipping through your shots in playback mode it works very well and you can scroll through the images very quickly.

Nice to have the hotshoe, though I have not tried the flash unit supplied yet will report back on that. Videographers might note that there is an external mike that works with the hotshoe and uses no cables at all, nice!

In general, I find the NX1000 easy to use, the manual focus works well, the Smart mode seems to do fairly well, there are a great many scene modes and other (somewhat gimmicky) features (Magic filters/frames, etc.). I enjoyed playing with those on the WB150F, but they seem out of place here. There are a superb number of image adjustments, exposure tweaks, and controls of a more serious nature as well. When you want to get serious, this camera is ready. Also, some of the fun things, like the Panorama mode, do work well if you understand their limitations and keep your expectations reasonable.

As expected, the APS-C sensor renders a lot of good image detail. This is the big plus for this camera. I was very pleased with the results under good lighting conditions. I shoot a lot of landscape and street stuff, and this camera seems well suited for that. The noise reduction seems to work well up to about 1600 or so (maybe 800 for purists). Colors are accurate and not over-saturated like on many consumer cameras. If you like the "boost" many cameras give by default, there is a "Vivid" mode which will do this for you. Personally, I prefer the more realistic colors (one of the things I like about Olympus and (most) Panasonics as well). Sharpness is good in JPEGs (I have not shot RAW yet) and tones are nice and smooth (think large expanses of blue sky and clouds). I'm sure with experience my results will improve over these initial test shots, so that bodes well. If you like to print big, 16x20, even 20x30 possibly, you will be able to do so, which is very nice.

The 20-50mm kit lens is nice enough, but has a very limited range compared to what I am used to. (I am considering getting the 30mm lens which I think would make a nice compact package for everyday use.) However, the images look good, sharp, detailed, so I am happy with it. Video worked well and the zoom worked fine in video mode and was silent. In casual use, there is no need to switch the dial to video mode, you can just press the Video button on the back and after a slight pause you're in action. This is nice. Of course, dialing to full video mode gives you more options.

Wifi features worked fine, I was able to easily connect and save pics using the autobackup mode. Skydrive and others worked fine. Have not tried the mobile link and remote view finder apps yet. (Update: I tried these apps out and they worked OK for the most part. A bit flaky at times. There is a new "Smart Camera app" to replace these, but it only works with the new firmware. Since I have not yet upgraded the firmware, have not tried it.) The PC_Autobackup mode works very well for transferring pics and movies to your PC. It remembers what has been transferred and only transfers new items. Best to transfer frequently, since slower than reading from a card, but all automatic and very convenient. [You can also transfer photos to your mobile devices (phone/tablet) using the other apps (Mobile Link/Smart Camera).]

Example: You get back from shooting, you activate the PC-Autobackup on the camera (your laptop/PC and network must be on, of course), and the camera will connect and begin transferring your content. When done the camera will turn-off (unless you press a control button within 30 seconds) and you can set the PC to shutdown as well if you like. Or you can select the "open folder" choice on the PC/notenook popup dialog and view your pics and movies. All very easy and convenient.

There is a "Smart Range" feature to extend dynamic range and preserve highlights. It seems to work well, but you lose shadow detail. Might want to turn off by default, I think. (You can also shoot RAW and tweak things yourself, of course.)

JPEGS look very good to me with a lot of detail and sharpness. So good that I think shooting JEPG only is feasible with the NX1000. (You can always switch to RAW or RAW+Jpeg when needed, of course.) I think many will find the Jpegs entirely adequate for most purposes. (If you shoot a lot at high ISO's you would definitely want to shoot RAW.) You have a range of aspect ratios including 1:1, 3:2, and 16:9. This is nice and gives you flexibility in camera versus cropping later.

The 8fps burst mode worked very well, though as has been noted everywhere, there is a lag as the camera processes the shots before you can shoot again. I am a fairly deliberate photographer and don't shoot much action/sports, so the NX1000 is fine for me. The occasional lags when switching modes and after bursts or RAW shots are not an issue for me, but could be for some. It's all covered in many of the excellent online reviews, so I won't dwell on it here. Overall, I found the camera responsive and adequate for my needs.

The LCD screen is bright, colorful and has good resolution. I was pleased with it. I generally favor optical view finders (sorry, I admit to being old school here, you can't beat a good optical VF IMHO) and even EVF in a pinch, but I am getting used to the non-VF style of shooting and the NX1000 LCD is very good in this respect.

In general, I am very pleased with the image quality and the feature set and think this camera is an excellent value at current prices. Many of the features are unique, the Wifi modes are the best I've seen to date, and the APS-C sensor seems to be a good one. It's fairly compact with the 20-50mm kit lens (and would be even more so with the 30mm pancake lens), easy to carry (not heavy), and has all the controls you could ever want. The images are very good and that's the main thing.

I think it's an easy 4 stars for overall quality and especially value for the price paid.

----------------

Update: I recently purchased the Samsung f2.4 16mm wide angle "pancake" lens (Samsung 16mm f/2.4 NX Ultra Wide Pancake Lens (Black)) and it's a great addition to this camera. Wonderful for landscapes and walk-about/street photography. It's the lens I keep on the camera by default now. Quicker auto-focus, faster optics(f2.4 vs f3.5), and a more compact profile. When I have the 16mm lens on the body, I feel this is a 5 star combo. (I am leaving the rating at 4 stars with the kit lens, which is an excellent lens. I just find the 16mm to be the "magic" lens with this body. Very subjective, of course.)

Update: I did not cover video very well above, suffice to say the quality of the video is excellent for a camera in this price range and superior to many, I would guess. It is full HD 30/60 fps. You can Zoom during video shooting and it supports external microphones and stereo sound. All the basics are here and a few pluses as well. You can even use many of the special effects in video mode should you wish to do so. There is a dedicated video button for instant access, and a dial selection for more options. Videos take longer to transfer over wifi due to their size, but do transfer fine. Sound quality id pretty good for a camera of this type, in my opinion. So, if you are traveling, you have both stills and video covered. (I still feel a dedicated video camera and full fledged DSLR are optimal. But I must say, the combo capabilities here are quite fine.)

Video Format: MP4 (H.264), Compression: Movie H.264, Sound AAC

Frame Rate: 60fps (1280 x 720 Only), 30fps (1920 x 1080), 24fps (1920 x 810)

Image Sizes: 1920 x 1080, 1920 x 810, 1280 x 720 , 640 x 480, 320x240 for Sharing (Default: 1920 x 1080)

Movie Editing: Still Image Capture, Time Trimming

Update: I did not mention that the kit lens (20-50mm) does not have image stabilization, nor does the body. Has not been a problem for me (I shoot old school, bracing, etc.), but it was a consideration in buying the low cost and excellent 16mm wide angle for this body (very compact and little worries about image stabilization, larger sensor works in favor here) and dedicating this to camera to the wide end, while using my Panasonic G1 for the mid/telephoto range (as I already have excellent lenses for my G1 in this range). I still have the 20-50mm (an excellent lens) in the bag and can switch when needed. The lenses I have already for my G1 are superb, so this works out well for me.

You can buy image stabilized Samsung lenses (like the 18-55mm) if that is a concern. Shooting with the 20-50mm kit lens, I never once had any issues. However, in low light situations, it might come into play. Again, in my case, my G1 and f1.7 20mm would be my preferred choice, but I could get by with the NX1000. It has good image quality at high ISO and even ISO 3200 is usable many times. ISO 1600 is very good and ISO 800 is very clean.

For quick "grab and go" shooting, I continue to enjoy this camera very much.

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Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with Canon 18-55mm

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,049.99
Sale Price: $619.95
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extra batteries and charger are not for the T3 and they don't sell the charger and batteries for the canon T3. BUT they quickly special ordered the charger and betteries and had them to me in a few days. Customer service was excelent!

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Canon PowerShot SX150 IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera (Black) + 4 AA

Customer Ratings:

I bought this package deal through Amazon recently. I wanted a Canon camera because of the great service and reputation of Canon. I haven't used the camera much as yet. I was primarily updating the technology, Previously I had a Powershot A85 which served me well (and was brought back to like new condition by a warranty repair) since 2004.

The Camera:

I love the new camera so far, the large LCD screen is a blessing for my old eyes. The anti shake capability helps my primary biggest weakness when handling a camera. I also find the physical size of this camera works for me better than the super tiny cameras presently on the market. The logical design of the buttons and knobs makes the camera easy to use.The SX150 has significantly better low light functionality and the pictures reflect this. My only complaint is the SX150 like my A85 is hard on battery life, but unlike my A85 the SX150 has only two AA batteries to draw upon instead of four. Additionally the battery/charger combo was defective initially from the supplier ZeeMO.

The package accessories:

As I said above,I bought the package to replace older technology.I immediately had to clean the outside lens as it had a smudge on it,(messing up the focusing optics). The batteries (Zeikos) even though they say they are 3100 mAh are weak compared to other Ni-MA batteries I have purchased which have lower current ratings from national manufactures such as Energiser. The charger is a international adaptable charger, which may come in handy when we go

to Italy. The camera bag and memory card are sufficient.

Although it took two attempts to get ZeeMO's attention on the defective battery/charger combo, I think the package deal was worth the effort to purchase for me, with a camera I highly recommend!

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Olympus M Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro Interchangeable Lens

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,099.99
Sale Price: $1,088.95
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Bought this from a NYC camera store and was delivered to me 11/11/13. I put myself on the wait list the minute it was announced so I am likely one of the first to get this lens. I have had only a few days worth of shooting but will put my initial impressions here.

Pros:

1. Superb optics. I am not a pixel peeper but no issues at any focal length even wide open. The lens is very sharp with fair contrast. No significant distortion. Slight CA. No noticeable vignetting in real life situations. I am not sure if my EM-5 is correcting for this lens with software. I have not tried on Panasonic bodies. All of this at a constant f2.8 throughout the zoom.

2. Size. No comparison to larger format lenses with a constant 2.8 aperture in this focal range. Others manufacturers might make FF and APS-C cameras smaller and smaller but they cannot match the size of the m4/3 lenses.

3. Very useful zoom range for the average shooter. This can be the one lens you can have for the entire system. It covers semi-wide to semi-long, good for landscapes to portraits. You might want to get prime lenses for bigger aperture, smaller size or shallower DOF/subject isolation but with the newer m4/3 cameras that do well at higher ISO, this lens is fine even for night-time photography.

4. Fantastic build quality. Olympus 75mm might be a tad better made but it is close. I should know; I own most primes from Olympus and Panasonic and a few zooms. I have tried almost every lens made for the m4/3 system from any manufacturer from friends. The lens is solid with good heft but not too heavy. It has good dampened rings which are as good as any m43 lens although inferior to lenses from Leica or older (pre-digital) lenses from Nikon, Canon, Olympus, etc.

5. Looks fantastic. I know it has nothing to do with picture quality but if I was not into visually pleasing things, I would not be into photography in the first place.

6. Lens button. I love the fact I can assign DOF to this.

7. Auto focus/Snap focus. It's as fast and as quiet as any m4/3 lens used on my EM-5. The snap focus feature by pulling the focus ring back is something that gives Olympus a significant advantage over other manufacturers. Brilliant.

8. Included hood and lens pouch. I thought h*ll would freeze over before this would happen. It is getting colder recently.

9. On that topic; weather sealed.

Cons: (Minor)

1. The lens is not fully retracted at 12mm. It is actually fully retracted at 16mm. Thus, if you store with lens at 12mm, the front element is not completely against the body. I am not sure if this will impact durability over time as it is carried/stored.

2. The lens cap is huge (for Olympus). They needed to redesign the lens cap due to the hood but I feel it is too thick now.

3. The lens crashed my EM-5. The camera crashed when I first attached this lens. I am not sure if Olympus will issue a firmware update. It was interesting to find out the power lever on the EM-5 is software based; i.e., flipping it did not turn off the camera when it crashed.

4. Made in China, like iphones, ipads and most other electronics. I was hoping for Made in Japan.

Overall, a great lens and highly recommended for anyone looking for an all-around lens for the m43 system.

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Pentax K-x 12.4MP Digital SLR with 2.7 inch LCD and 18-55mm

Customer Ratings:

As soon as I saw this red camera, I absolutely had to have it. I did tremendous amounts of research to figure out if it was actually worth upgrading from my D40, then ordered it the day it became available on Amazon. While a few things might have been nicer on the Nikon, this camera is a wonderful upgrade. If the color isn't enough (this is for the red model if reviews become merged later on), it has some very nice specs to it. Ability to use essentially any Pentax lens ever made (and auto-focus), ISO 6400, 1/6000 shutter, many built-in imaging features(HDR, filters, color tweaks). This thing is truly a beast!

Body; When I first pulled it from the box, I was a little discouraged. While it is a well made camera, it does have a much lighter and cheaper feel than the Nikon had. The over-all fit and finish is fine, but the plastics don't feel as high quality. Perhaps it's because they're smooth, but it's also just my opinion. A slight concern, too, is that the red appears to be "painted", seeing as the inside of the doors are white. Overtime there's a chance the color could rub off, but I'm hoping this does not happen. Materials aside, the camera does have a nice feel. I have large hands with very long, slim fingers and the grip fits my hands great. The primary controls are within easy reach, with only a couple odd deviations(such as the flash and green soft-button).

The LCD on the back is average. It's your typical resolution, but works fine for previewing. Now the viewfinder I find to be more difficult to use than the Nikon. The focal point does not illuminate, making it both difficult to find and difficult to tell what's being focused. Also I can't seem to see all the specs in the viewfinder. I do wear glasses so I can't press my eye right against the eyepiece, but this wasn't a problem with the Nikon. While this certainly isn't a deal killer, it would be something to keep in mind.

Shooting performance is great. This camera is very fast. Start up time is essentially instant, focusing is lightning fast and it can take nearly 6FPS at it's peak. I have found low-light focusing to be a little worse than the Nikon, but that's also because the Pentax lacks an AF assist light. While it can use the flash, it still isn't quite as accurate as the Nikon and it's little light.

Image quality is very nice. Noise is well controlled under most all ISO settings. ISO6400 is very usable in average lighting conditions. But as light decreases, noise becomes more apparent. Many images from this camera do seem a bit more noisy than other cameras at similar ISO settings, but it still can produce comparable prints. Colors tend to be on the flat side using default settings, but with insane amounts of tweaks, this can be changed to whatever you please. White balance is managed very nicely too, with much better auto WB under incandescent lighting than the Nikon (though manual setting is still the best). The stabilizer works well. It's not as apparent when taking casual shots, but when using liveview, it is very easy to watch (and hear!) it working. While still on image quality, the movie mode actually astonished me. The quality is very sharp. While this is not a movie camera, the videos produced are supurb. Just realize AF is disabled and the stabilizer does interfere with the audio.

Honest, I suppose my only real complaint about this camera are the batteries. Why Pentax decided to go with AA's rather than a lithium pack is beyond me... Aside from being a bit clunky (4 batteries over a single pack) the system is rather buggy. I have been told the "batteries are depleted" but then restart the camera and continue to shoot for hours. Even after upgrading to firmware 1.1, the battery meter tends to jump around. If Pentax had gone with a lithium pack, this camera would be perfect 5 stars.

So to sum up, if you want a camera somewhere between the Nikon D90 and D5000 that strays away from the "normal" brands, this is a camera to consider.

--Update--

After having the camera for almost a month, I figured I'd post a little update. I still love the camera. I've had no problems to speak of. Pictures are looking very nice; people are always complimenting me on the camera and the photos it takes :)

I guess my only real complaints would still be the batteries and the white balance. The battery meter, as mentioned above, is very off. But all in all it works well enough to guess how much juice is remaining. As for the white balance, I've noticed it tends to be a bit more off than the Nikon was. I have a couple flashes, and it seems to be more-so with the Pentax 360FGZ so I'm not even sure if I should blame the camera or not...

These things aside, I'm really loving this camera. I'm a very difficult person to please but I'm exceptionally happy with my purchase.

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