Sony DSCP10 Cyber-shot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (19 June, 2003)
list price: $499.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Compact body; MPEG VX movie mode with audio recording; 1.5-inch LCD
• Includes 32 MB Memory Stick; compatible with Memory Stick Pro media
• Powered by lithium-ion InfoLithium NP-FC11 battery (included with charger); connects with PCs and Macs compatible with USB 2.0
• 5 megapixel sensor (2592 x 1944 pixels) for enlargements up to 20 x 30 inches
• 3x optical zoom plus 4x digital zoom (12x total)

Reviews (82)

Good while it lasted
Let me begin by saying that I have bought into Sony's proprietary technology for quite a while now.As an owner of a Vaio desktop, a Clie handheld and a Sony Digital HandyCam, it was obvious that when it came time to upgrade to a quality digital still camera, I was going to buy a Sony Cybershot.So after reviewing the options, which at the time consisted only of the P10, the V1 and the then-new U series of super compacts, I chose this model in the spring of 2004.Initially, my experience was good.I was upgrading from the 1MP camera that was part of my Sony Digital HandyCam so the image quality to me was astounding.
Other advantages were:
- Easy point & shoot right out of the box...it did not require my wife to read the manual in order to begin taking stills.
- Unlike my previous digital still experiences, this camera performs well in low-light situations.The integrated flash is capable of lighting small rooms.
- Battery capacity is ample and the features, although some difficult to use, are comprehensive.
Disadvantages:
- STARTUP TIME...don't expect this camera to be able to power-up and take a candid shot within 8-10 seconds.By the time you get this puppy ready to fire, the moment is gone.
- The menu tree is cumbersome and not altogether intuitive.Changing advanced settings is difficult unless all you want to do is switch modes (Program AE, etc.)
- As with most still cameras (Sony & the like), the included MemoryStick is way too small.So the purchase of an additional MS is obligatory.

My biggest beef with this camera, and the reason it earns only two stars is that it seems FRAGILE.After only 5-6 months of use, it began to occasionally have startup/shutdown problems.By the end of 2004 (~9 months of use) the auto focus was beginning to fail on a regular basis.Now, outside the 6-month warranty window, I am forced to pay $200 to $300 for LABOR ALONE to have the camera fixed, parts still covered under the original warranty.But still, this is a cost prohibitive solution.
So now I am at the crossroads with my Sony products.My PDA is approaching the end of its useful life and I find myself without a digital still camera that is capable of taking any pictures in focus -- remember the cyber-shots do not provide for manual focus.Perhaps it is time to consider a Canon product or other comparible vendor?

nice pictures but broken after 4 months
Right after the warranty expires, the camera will no longer charge the battery.
Of course I can ship the camera to Sony for repair, and ALL I have to pay is labor!

I recommend buying another camera or alternatively buy the extended warranty.

Purchase something else....
I've had my sony camera for over a year. I first bought it because with a 256MB chip I could get an 11 Minute movie that I could transfer to VHS. For the price I paid at the time $499, I should have bought a video camera. In my opinion the camera it's self really isn't anything to write home about. The lens is junk, my pictures always are pixelated. Compare a Sony picture with an Olympus, Minolta, or Canon, even with a lower amount of Megapixels the quality will beat sony at the highest setting. And if you reduce the Megapixels with Sony the images just degrades and the shutter speed is horrible. If a person moves slitely there is a blur. My choice after seeing and talking to friends is 1) Minolta 2) Olympus 3)Canon ... though the Canon is getting better and better with their newer rechargable battery. Anything else other than these is pretty much a gamble I wouldn't take... ... Read more

Asin: B00008O35W
Sales Rank: 1283
Subjects:  1. Digital Camera (Cameras)    2. Photograph (Photography)   

Nikon Coolpix 3100 3MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
by Nikon
Average Customer Review:
Electronics

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The Nikon Coolpix 3100 is a great choice for digital photography beginners, offering a compact size, 3.2-megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom, and a bevy of automated scene controls that are customizeable.

One of the most impressive features of the Nikon 3100 is its size. From the online pictures we originally viewed, we imagined it to be large and a bit clunky. And while it’s a bit chunkier than other sleeker cameras, the 3100 is surprisingly small. Plus, the rounded ergonomic hand grip rested comfortably and securely in our hand.

The Nikon 3100 offersa whopping 14 scene modes that automatically set the camera’s white balance, exposure, and focusing point for different situations. The easy-to-learn software system features large icons and text to guide you through your choices. And some of the modes even provide an "assist" feature, with outlines of figures or landscapes to help line up the shot.

We had fun playing around with the scene modes and snapping pictures that made the most out of the shooting environment. However, we felt we lost some spontaneity if we relied too much on switching through the modes.

The 3.2-megapixel CCD sensor captures bright images that can be printed up to 11 x 14 inches. The movie mode captures smooth video up to 640 x 480 pixels for 20 seconds (or a more jaggy 40-second, 320 x 240-pixel videos), but it doesn’t offer any sound.

The Nikon 3100 is an affordable choice for a point-and-shoot camera that offers sharp, bright images and brings a lot of flexibility to the party. It comes with a starter 16 MB memory card and alkaline batteries, and we recommend a higher-capacity Compactflash card and rechargeable AA-size NiMH batteries.--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Pros:

• Compact size, comfortable in the hand
• Customizeable scene modes
• 3.2-megapixel resolution for prints up to 11 x 14 inches

Cons:

• Scene modes can be a bit too customizeable, and distract you from the shot

... Read more

Features

• One-touch upload to PC; 14 scene modes
• Includes 16 MB Starter CompactFlash card
• Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port
• 3.2 megapixel sensor captures enough detail for prints up to 11 x 14
• 3x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom (12x total)

Reviews (65)

It doesn't hold up
I've had this camera a year and a half.I got it right after it came on the market and at that time the reviews were all good. I was really pleased with it except for the way it eats batteries.In cold weather I can only get two photos on recharged batteries, and where I live it is cold much of the year. I liked the small size and The picture quality was really great. Everyone admired the photos I took with this camera.But the on-off control has broken and fallen off.And no wonder; the fault was with a very cheesy thin plastic part that broke because it couldn't take the wear and tear of being turned on and off.For what it cost, I should have had much more use from it.The other downsides to this camera were that I had to buy as extras all the cords, transformer, case, memory cardsand other accessories needed to make it functional.Nothing came with it except a small 8mb memory card.Now I'm stuck with a couple hundred dollars worth of accessories that are all useless with another camera.If I had it to do over again, I would not buy this camera.

Great quality images.. not so sure about other things though
I've had this camera for a few months, and I bought it online as a refurbished item. I don't know if this is because it was a refurbished item, or if it's an actual issue with the cameras itself but this camera recently just died. I've tried a couple different batteries, and still no luck. It did this before, but it started working again after I left it alone for about a week.

But as others have said, this camera does have GREAT image quality. However, it does take a while to save the image and the autozoom is dreadfully slow. It might be worth the money, I can't really say.. but from my experience, no. The battery life is horrible.

I'd say the size of the camera, quality images, and numerous features are the only good things about this camera.

jealous user
arrrgh!!! i'm so jealous of you people who get to buy this great little camera for this price. i bought this for about $100 more when it 1st came out (maybe 2 or 2 1/2 years ago). but i think it's still worth it. i only know how to work 2 of the knob settings, yet i still love it.
the life of a "stored recharged battery is short and unpredictable, but after reading "mermaid 2663's" reveiw, i'll take her advise and charge them the day before use.
the pictures come out great. i've taken pictures of pictures and the outcome is pretty good.
i got the perfect little nikon case on e-bay for $7.
sometimes i wonder if it's now obsolete, but
i still get compliments on my camera and pictures. ... Read more

Asin: B00008J6VW
Subjects:  1. Digital Camera (Cameras)    2. Photograph (Photography)   

Olympus Camedia C-5050 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
by Olympus
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (18 November, 2002)
list price: $759.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The Olympus Camedia C-5050 is a monster in terms of performance, compatibility, and unfortunately, price. This 5.0 megapixel camera captures images at some of the highest detail possible in a digital device. It also supports a variety of storage media including CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Microdrive, and XD (it ships with a 32 MB XD card).

The 3x optical zoom lens slides into the black body of the camera when it's turned off. Although this doesn't cut down much on the heft of the 13-ounce Magnesium device, its design still allows it to be easily held in one hand while shooting. Since its powered by four AA batteries, you'll want to pick up some rechargeable ones to save on battery swapping.

Its bright, large 1.8-inch LCD can be viewed easily even in high light environments. It also conveniently detaches from the camera body and swivels out into multiple positions to aid in atypically angled shots (although not through as wide a range as other cameras offering this feature).

All of the controls within this camera are adjustable, including aperture and shutter priority, Panorama, special effects, etc., as well as programmable into a My Mode, letting you customize your most oft-used settings. Captured images were incredibly detailed at the highest resolution of 2560 by 1960 (large enough for printing out at 13 by 17 inches). You can also capture video clips complete with sound with lengths limited only by your storage capacity.

The myriad buttons and dials on the top and back of the camera might prove a bit daunting to the novice digital photographer, although the power and price of this camera will most likely be attracting intermediate or advanced users.

This isn't a camera to get for your kid's sweet sixteen present, but if you're looking for a digital cam with the performance and range of features to compete with a high-end film camera, the C-5050 holds its own. --J. Curtis

Pros:

• Lots of features
• High resolution captures
• Video with audio

Cons:

• Pricey and hefty
• Menus have a learning curve

... Read more

Features

• Includes 32 MB XD Picture card--also compatible with SmartMedia, CompactFlash, and Microdrive cards
• Movie mode captures up to 148 seconds of video with audio
• Powered by 4 AA NiMH rechargeable batteries (charger included); connects with PCs and Macs via USB port
• 5.0 megapixel sensor creates 2500 x 2000 images for high-resolution prints up to poster size
• 3x optical plus 3.3x digital (10x total) autofocus zoom lens

Reviews (56)

Good Camera That's Seen Better Times
The C5050 is a remarkable camera in so many ways that only the passage of time can take away from it. Just a year after the 5050 made its debut, the market saw a veritable flood of 6- and 7-megapixal cameras, most considerably smaller with new features and capabilities. For those who have external flash units, this camera offers a flash shoe; however, those who want to travel light, I'd recommend a smaller 6-megapixal with a non-glare LCD and AA batteries. Skip the proprietary batteries. They won't be around in a few years.

The Olympus D-40's a great camera if you can still find one. It's a 4-megapixal, but it's a beauty.

Sudden unexpected problems
I have been using my Camedia C-5050 for 13 months. I was always VERY pleased with good picture quality. One of the big pluses this camera has is the lens. While on a trip in Brazil I was able to take pictures of wildlife at dawn when a friend of mine with a similar 5MP cmaera of another brand could not get his to focus because of lack of light.

Unfortunatelly, just after 1 year of use I had to send it in for repairs since all the pictures started turning out purple! All resetting and formatting of storage cards was to no avail. Sending a great camera for repairs when you've always treated it with great care, is discouraging, but I guess that can happen with any camera or brand.

Rodolfo

Outstanding Camera
So as not to be too redundant, read 4 star review by Charles from 12/03, "Sees in the dark like a cat".

Having owned the C-2000, C-3000, & C-4040, obviously I'm a big fan of Olympus.But the C-5050 is more than a simple upgrade, its been significantly re-tooled.Key improvements are:

-Dual media slots: one takes either a SM or xd, and the other a CF.You can toggle between the two of them easily.This is the only Olympus model to offer this feature, and its nice that I don't have to toss my SM cards.

-Pivoting LCD screen (180).If you compose on the LCD screen as I do, this is a great feature for shooting overhead or down low.

-Macro & SuperMacro modes: takes crystal clear photos from 1.2".

-Additional Program Modes: Beyond P Mode, the are presets for Sports, Portrait, Landscape, and Portrait + Landscape (foreground in focus), and Night.But I tend to get less noise in low light photos w/o flash in P mode vs. Night mode

-Separate on/off toggle wheel that also functions as a "quick select" of certain options, including flash type, freeing you from the menus.

-Five "My Mode" settings where you can save your own custom settings

-Option to shoot in 3:2 SHQ mode to enable 4X6 prints w/o cropping.

The P mode is so good, I rarely use the full manual settings.Easy to modify P mode with buttons that can change exposure +/- in 1/3 stops.

I shoot almost exclusively without flash, and it's truly amazing how much brighter the image will appear than actual.Autofocusing can be slow if the subject is not well-defined, but that's to be expected.There's an option to turn on a red autofocus beam.

This is Olympus' only 5+ MP model to have the f1.8 lens, and is worth the trade-off of lower zoom than the C-5060 or C-8080, which have f2.8 lenses.Having traded down once to f2.8 with the C-3000, I think the f1.8 is of more value.At 5MP, its not a problem to severely crop on the PC & still have a top quality image.

Re: the comment about settings not being saved, there is a menu item "All reset".Default is "yes", simply change to "No", and settings will remain intact.

As for weaknesses, the Manual is next to worthless, and the Camedia software could be better, but I have Photoshop 5.5 and MS Image Pro, so not really a drawback for me.Also, when the batteries are changed or die, the date needs to be reset.

Even if you've had an Olympus C-series before, enough has changed that you'll need to sit down and go through all the menus initially.There are alot of good online references (Steve's Digicams is one).The Olympus website also has support and tutorials.

I hightly recommend this camera.I plan to keep this for many years to come, as 5MP is enough for me. ... Read more

Asin: B00006JLOS
Subjects:  1. Digital Camera (Cameras)    2. Photograph (Photography)   

Canon PowerShot S230 3.2 MP Digital ELPH Camera with 2x Optical Zoom
by Canon Cameras US
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $399.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

With the Canon PowerShot S230, you've got the best of both worlds--the compact size and high style of the digital Elph series plus the higher resolution of a 3-megapixel camera. Updating the popular 2-megapixel PowerShot S200, the PowerShot S230 also features a 2x optical zoom, an improved 3.2x digital zoom, movie mode for videos up to 3 minutes, and more--all in a stylish, compact package.

Optics and Resolution

S230's nine-point autofocus lets you sharpen the image on your subject, no matter where it is in the frame.

Featuring a 3.2-megapixel CCD sensor, the PowerShot S230 delivers a wide range of detail and color (with images up to 2048 x 1536 pixels) and prints up to 11 by 14 inches. Canon's high-quality 2x optical zoom lens allows you to close in on the action, while the 3.2x digital zoom allows for a combined 6.4x zoom, letting you capture intimate details that might have been missed with another camera. The PowerShot S230 is also one of the few digital cameras to feature wide-area nine-point autofocus for taking crisp, sharp images no matter where the subject appears in the image frame.

Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on CompactFlash memory cards, and a 16 MB card is included. When shooting images at the medium or fine setting, the 16 MB card will store approximately 26 images. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB storage-class connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Movie Mode
In addition to taking still photos, the S230 can also record movie clips of up to 3 minutes. You can choose from three different video formats: 160 x 120, 320 x 240, or 640 x 480 pixels. Both picture and sound quality have been improved, and an editing feature allows you to delete unwanted scenes during playback. The S230's photo-effect mode lets you do more with your still images. Choose from low sharpening, vivid color, sepia, neutral, and black and white.

More Features
Though it's primarily designed as a point-and-shoot, the S230 includes several advanced features for photographers who want more creative control, including exposure compensation, low-light manual shutter speeds, manual ISO and white balance, and stitch assist, plus black-and-white, sepia, vivid, and neutral modes.

The PowerShot S230 uses highly advanced technology to make your digital photography experience simple. DIGIC enhances image definition and processing speed, while the sophisticated iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) technology assures faster and more accurate autofocus, autoexposure, and automatic white balance. The intelligent-orientation sensor ensures your pictures are always right side up, on the LCD or even while downloading.

Horizontal	Vertical
S230's Intelligent Orientation Sensor knows which of your images were shot horizontally and which were shot vertically.

Power, Size, and Contents
The camera is powered by a proprietary Canon rechargeable lithium-ion battery (included). It measures 3.4 by 2.2 by 1.1 inches and weighs 6.4 ounces. This package includes the PowerShot S230 digital camera, 16 MB CompactFlash card, lithium-ion battery (model NB-1LH) and battery charger (model CB-2LS), USB and A/V cables, wrist strap, and CD-ROM with imaging software and USB drivers for Windows and Mac. ... Read more

Features

• 3.2 megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 8 x 10 prints and medium-quality prints up to 11 x 14
• Autofocus lens with 2x optical/3.2x digital (6.4x total) zoom
• Included 16 MB CompactFlash card holds 26 images at default settings
• Connects with PCs and Macs via USB port
• Uses proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable battery (included)

Reviews (141)

Gotta Have it!
The PowerShot S230 Digital Elph camera is truely a usable camera. The instructions are clear and concise. The rechargeable battery and charger are a perfect companion for this camera. All pictures come out great! It makes taking pictures easy, fun, and compact. I recommend buying a case with too, because it is sooo small! pocket size!

Greatest little camera!!!
What a work horse, plus the great size, just fits in my shirt pocket. Battery life is outstanding, but get a backup, plus this one uses compact flash so I was able to get the Sandisk II 512meg CF card also at Amazon for about $100. It's so good I bought a camera for everyone in my family.

Great Camera
I got this camera after looking around and comparing it with others.I'm glad I decided to go with the S230 for many reasons.

Pro's
Small and can fit in your pocket, great quality pictures, excellent movie mode with sound, comes with battery and charger, not complicated to use, all around excellent camera, and again the 3.2MP makes the pictures very pleasing to the eye.

Con's
Zoom isnt the best buts its alright, it takes good pictures when its dark out but you have to edit with a program such as photoshop to make it brighter.These cons should no way bother you much and should not deter you to buy this camera.

I suggest you buy a viking 256MB memory chip because the one that comes with it will leave you able to only take a few pics.With the 256MB chip you take long videos and take well over 1200 pictures.All in all excellent camera and as usual amazons shipped it fast and got the camera in a few days after making the order.I look forward to buy from amazon and cannon again. ... Read more

Asin: B00006LV79
Subjects:  1. S 100    2. Digital Camera (Cameras)    3. Photograph (Photography)   

Canon PowerShot S400 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
by Canon Cameras US
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $449.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Canon's PowerShot range of cameras has always been strong, and the PowerShot 400 continues that tradition. The 4 Megapixel Canon PowerShot S400 digital camera is capable of taking still images at 2,272 x 1,704 pixels--enough for a good quality A4 print. Resolutions go down to 640 x 480 for images you might only want to look at digitally. You can also capture video at 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 pixels.

The camera is very small indeed--smaller than earlier PowerShot models, and is easily pocket sized. There is what at first might seem a bewildering array of buttons around the casing, but in fact these provide excellent one-button-press access to most of the most used features, such as the 3x optical zoom which goes up to 11x when combined with digital zoom features, the macro mode, settings for the flash and self timer. For more advanced features like changing the shutter speed, which it is great to be able to do on a digital camera; you do need to delve into the LED a little further, though.

Images are stored on CompactFlash card--the largest image can be a couple of MB in size so you'll need to think big when it comes to CF card size with this camera. The battery is removable, and a spare to carry in the pocket might be a good idea.

Canon supplies a range of desktop software for viewing, editing and making use of your digital images. As with previous PowerShot cameras, one of the tools works with the Stitch Assist mode on the camera itself in the production of panorama shots. Digital cameras get more advanced all the time, but we dare to say that the PowerShot S400 is probably the best pocket sized digital camera we've seen. --Sandra Vogel, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Features

• Stainless steel shell; up to 3 minutes of video with sound
• Compatible with CompactFlash Type I cards; 32 MB card included
• Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery (NB-1LH ); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1
• 4.0 megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality prints up to 11 x 14
• 3x optical zoom and 3.6x digital zoom (10.8x total)

Reviews (240)

Stay Away from Canon PowerShot S400
I have had this camera for about a year and a half.The first problem occurred about 6 months after purchase.The connection on the camera was no longer in good shape.The only way that I could download was to use a card reader.Next, after another couple of months, a screw on the tele-photo switch broke causing difficulty in using the tele-phone switch at all.I had to hold down the switch every time I used it.Then, it started burning out batteries.I ended up having to buy three additional batteries.One burnt out the second time charging it.Next, after about a year and a half from the time of purchase, the card error problem occurred.It destroyed several 256 cards and it was no longer working as a camera at all.For $500 plus another $300 in extra cards and batteries, the camera is completely dead.Canon has not been responsive.It is obviously a "dog" as so many customers have complained about the same problems, especially the problem with fouling the memory cards.This is a complete failure in quality control on the part of the manufacturer (Canon)and a complete failure on Canon's part to back it up.For as reputable a company as Canon, it is a complete breakdown of confidence.They should be ashame of themselves for making this, for selling this and for not backing it up.So many have lost millions of pictures.

Memory Card Error
My camera has died because of the memory card error too!I read back through the reviews and most were positive until Summer of 2004 when the memory card issues started popping up.It seems a bit suspicious when everybodies camera works so well at first and then dies immediately without warning???Seems like a Canon problem to me too.Programmed to stop functioning at 18 months after first use?

Memory Card Errors
Do a little research on this and its successor, the S410 before you buy.My first year with my S400 was great.A little after that, Istarted to get Memory Card Error problems.At first, I tried reformatting the CF card using the camera, which sometimes worked.I then replaced the CF card, and that worked for about 2 weeks.I Googled Canon S400 memory card error and found lots of other S400 owners with the same problem.The fix I hear about most is using a USB card reader to reformat the card in FAT format.I've tried that, but the CF card still needs reformatting every now and then.So as it stands now, I can get the camera to work if I reformat the CF card, but I just can't tell when it's going do deal me another Memory Card Error.Totally unreliable. ... Read more

Asin: B00008OE6I
Subjects:  1. Digital Camera (Cameras)    2. Photograph (Photography)