Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)

Comments

1. Kathryn R. Smith says:

   September 14, 2010 at 6:21 PM

   Review by Kathryn R. Smith for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)
   Rating:
   This camera is great for everyday use. Very easy to use and takes great pictures! I can’t say anything negative unless you are looking to take pictures from a great distance. Then you would need more optical, like 15X. Otherwise, this is a great item! Movie mode is also very good for a camera of this size. Also, nice and thin to fit in your pocket! Would highly recommend!
2. Michael W. Meier says:

   September 14, 2010 at 6:39 PM

   Review by Michael W. Meier for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)
   Rating:
   I ordered this hot pink camera for my wife. She loves it. Easy to use, carry and looks great. A great pocket camera, great pictures. I even put up with the comments of the cute pink camera when I use it.
3. llad00w says:

   September 14, 2010 at 7:17 PM

   Review by llad00w for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)
   Rating:
   I purchased this camera for my wife to keep in her handbag. The size is great for that, and she loved the pink color. However, the on/off switch is too easily moved and so the camera is always turning on in her bag. The main problem is that it extends the lens and opens the built-in lens cover. So then the exposed lens is hitting against other things in her bag and getting filled with lint.

   I’m not impressed with the low light capability and the flash is pretty weak, but it is by far the smallest camera I’ve owned. I’ve not compared to other cameras of the same size.
4. Yarii says:

   September 14, 2010 at 8:00 PM

   Review by Yarii for Fujifilm FinePix AX200 12 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)
   Rating:
   Honestly, I purchased this camera solely for the HD recording feature. It’s a bonus in that it takes pretty darn good pictures, too. I trust the Fuji name and I should have known this camera would deliver on both counts. My first digital camera was a Fuji A205, and even today it takes quality photos as good as it did almost 7 years ago.

   Pictures are sharp and the colors are right on target. Response time after taking a picture without using the flash was just about 1 second or even slightly under a second, which is great considering this camera uses AA batteries; response time between pictures with the flash firing was around 2 seconds before ready to take another flash shot…a lot better than some other brands I’ve tried recently. (Specifically the Canon A495 and the Nikon L20, which I tried and eventually returned for a refund. This Fuji AX200 leaves these two cameras behind in the dust.)

   A minor complaint I have with the AX200 is the shiny black plastic it is made of – it shows every fingerprint. It looks nice but I wish they would make these cameras with a matte black finish instead. The tripod mount is plastic also and is located in the center bottom, which is good for stability if using a mini-tripod.

   The optical wide angle zoom on this camera is 5X (a majority of cameras at this price point have 3X). It uses readily-available AA batteries. The camera comes with 2 alkaline batteries; I was able to shoot around 125 pictures and some short movies with these batteries before they expired. I recommend buying rechargeable batteries; I got double the amount of shots with rechargeables. You also need an SD card, this camera has some internal memory, but not enough to do anything other than take a few pictures.

   This camera is so easy to use, anyone from a young child to older people should have no trouble. I handed it off to my 5 year old nephew to use and even he could figure out how to take a picture. It’s larger than an ultra-compact, and easier to hold onto. The measurements are 3.7″ wide x 2.4″ high x 1.1″ thick. It’s thicker on the end where the batteries and SD card are inserted.

   You can take the camera out of the box and be taking pictures in no time flat. SR-Auto (the default) automatically senses the scene and adjusts itself accordingly: Portrait, Landscape, Night, Macro, Backlit Portrait, or Night Portrait.

   There is no dial to change settings, everything is accessed thorough menu navigation. It’s easy to select the right shooting mode as there is a full description on the screen as you scroll through the settings. For example: on the Portrait Scene, the description underneath says “Portrait with soft overall tone and beautiful skin tones”.

   In additional to having Face Detection, this camera has the following Scenes to choose from: Scene Recognition (SR Auto), Auto, P Program AE – where you can change ISO (100 to 3200), white balance and exposure. Natural – no flash – and flash – takes 2 pictures, 1 with flash, 1 without. Natural Light, Portrait, Baby Mode, Landscape, Panorama, Sport (I use this with pets that don’t want to hold still). Night, Night with Tripod, Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Party, Flower, and Text.

   This camera has Picture Stabilization (somehow built into the camera’s software), but it is NOT optical image stabilization.

   Next, you have your movie modes – 3 to choose from – HD at 720p, and also 640 and 320 in the AVI format.

   This is IMPORTANT: You can use the optical zoom while recording movies, however, sounds will not be recorded AT ALL during the ENTIRE time the lens is zoomed out……But if you leave the movie zoom setting on digital, not optical, you will record sound the entire time it is on digital zoom. **This is a major complaint of mine for this camera.** I did keep my rating at 5 stars, though, mainly because I won’t be using zoom that often on my movies, and the digital zoom isn’t as bad “quality-wise” as I thought it would be.

   If you want to play the movies back on your TV, you will need to purchase an additional A/V cable (AV-C1) if you don’t already own one. If you want to play an HD movie back on your HDTV, you will need to purchase an additional HDMI cable. There is also an optional Model HDP-L1 player available on Fujifilm’s web site, which includes an HD card reader and a remote. Since I don’t have an HDTV myself, I didn’t purchase this so I can’t comment on it.

   The AX200 also comes with very basic Fuji MyFinepixViewer photo editing software. It’s compatible with Windows 7, Vista, XP and Mac. This is one area where Fuji lags behind the rest; I wish they could come up with software as good as the Canon ZoomBrowser. The Finepix software was finally upgraded from the 2003 version with this camera, but it still doesn’t impress me. Using XP requires a minimum 512 RAM and Vista requires a minimum of 1 GB RAM. Just download Picasa, it’s better – and a free download.
   
5. C. Chiu says:

   September 14, 2010 at 8:38 PM

   Review by C. Chiu for Fujifilm FinePix AX200 12 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)
   Rating:
   I decided to get a new camera after I realized how bulky my Canon A40 has become. I started to research as my primary concern about the new camera will have to have 5x optical, minimum 28mm wide angle, and uses AA battery. This camera was a dream come true: with all of the above features, plus all the extras.
   
   When I first received this camera, I was amazed how small it is even though it uses AA battery. The body feels quite plastic-ish but sturdy, as long as you don’t drop it, it shouldn’t break that easily. The grip is comfortable for one hand operation, but my hand is smaller than average, so for those with larger hands, you might want to get a feel of the camera before ordering. The silver edition does not seem to have the finger print smudge issue as of the black edition.
   
   I received the camera and start to take random photos. I realized the supposedly best feature of this camera SR AUTO is causing the lens to constantly making a buzzing noise. I guess that’s ok when you are out door, but can be annoying when you are in a class, or quiet environment. All the photos turn out ok on the camera LCD. I also played with the zoom and settings. The menus are really simple and easy to navigate. The thumbnail viewing function is the best I’ve seen.
   
   After I loaded the photos into the PC, I found a major issue with this camera, which is supposedly its best feature – wide angle lens. I notice severe bending on the edge of the images. It’s not as obvious in a scenery view, but you can still see that. However, for MACRO shots, you will feel like you are using a fish eye lens.
   
   The sharpness of the image is average, not the best, but not the worst either. The main quality problem with this camera is the ISO, once you pass 800, the noise level is unbearable. However, if you use the SR AUTO, you cannot adjust ISO (hopefully there will be firmware update fixing this). Thus, I recommend users to manually set ISO when in low light; when you are out door or with abundant lighting, then use the SR AUTO to fully utilize this camera.
   
   The video recording is great! Remember to use Class 6 or above speed if you like to make mini HD movies, else the camera will be really slow. The video quality is fantastic for a camera this price range.
   
   After all, I returned this camera as I did not like the fish eye effect, also the ISO noise level. But this doesn’t mean this camera is bad, you are definitely getting whole lot features with this price for such a small camera. If you want a cheap HD video recorder, not taking close up shots, and always in places with enough lighting, I would definitely recommend this camera.
   
   PRO:
   
   - Pocket sized
   
   - AA battery powered
   
   - Wide angle lens
   
   - SR AUTO mode
   
   - Great photo viewing function
   
   - FANTASTIC HD video recording
   
   - The only camera with AA + wide angle lens in this size
   
   - REALLY inexpensive
   
   CONS:
   
   - Plastic body
   
   - Image are bent on the side due to the wide angle, creates a “fish eye” effect
   
   - Cannot adjust ISO in SR AUTO
   
   - Buzzing noise when using SR AUTO
6. M. Liu says:

   September 14, 2010 at 8:58 PM

   Review by M. Liu for Fujifilm FinePix AX200 12 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)
   Rating:
   Got delivered in 7 days, nicely packaged with two AA batteries, manual + CD and cord to plug into computer.
   
   I bought an 8GB sandisk memory card and rechargeable batteries with it.
   
   I was very pleased with the design of the cam and the nice 5x zoom with decent quality.
   
   The functions are very easy to learn and get used to, my only hassle is that i have to select for the video option and its not just a switch of one button b/w video and pic… (more like 3 buttons and it really matters when i wanna switch quickly b/w the two to take a pic or opt for a video!)

   My major concerns: when sound is off, the flash and self timer is off as well…
   
   WHen i was recording a video in HD for 60seconds+ and i pressed stop to save, it spazzed out and froze, after a minute it self shutdown and when i start it again, there was an error message for the video. This happened TWICE out of the ten times that i was recording, i have no idea what happened.

   BTW: the two AA batteries lasted me ~6 hours (total ~200 pictures + 3 vids), battery life depends on how often you use the cam but this is just an estimate if it helps..

   Lots of shooting modes: Scene recognition, auto, programmed, movie, natural light, portrait, baby mode, landscape, panorama, sport, night, fireworks, sunset, snow, beach, party flower, and text.
   
   Overall it takes great pics and HD videos (its only $100 too!)
7. Celina J. Kilburger says:

   September 14, 2010 at 9:42 PM

   Review by Celina J. Kilburger for Fujifilm FinePix AX200 12 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)
   Rating:
   
   I Have A Low Budget For This Kind Of Thing But I Really Wanted A Camera For Myself. So With My Set Budget I Looked Around At Cameras, Prices, & Features. I Was Getting Disheartened, But I Then I Saw The Fujifilm FinePix AX200. The Description Of The Camera Seemed Great For Its Price, So I Preordered The Camera.

   The Overall Camera Is Great. The Biggest Letdown Is The Battery Life. This Camera Sucks The Life Out Of Batteries. I Like To Use Rechargeable Batteries, If Not At Least Recycle The Others When They Die. Camera Also Comes With Some Great Settings, Features, & Modes:

   Image Size – From 2m – 12m

   Image Quality – Fine Or Normal

   3200 ISO

   Exp. Compensation – Auto Or Manually Set

   White Balance – Auto Or Manually Set

   Continuous Mode – Up To 3 Pictures. Shot Up To 3 Consecutive Pictures

   Intelligent Face Detection

   Red Eye Removal

   Scene Recognition Auto – Automatically Detects Scene Type & Scene Conditions And Sets Camera’s Focus, Exposure, & White Balance Accordingly

   Program AE Shooting Mode – Automatic Mode With Programmed Setting. Set Your Own Exposure, White Balance, Features, etc

   Movie Shooting Mode – Movie Recoding With Sound. 720p HD Movies With Still Shots In 16:9

   Natural & Flash Shooting Mode – 2 Images Shot Continuously Without Flash And With Flash

   Natural Light Shooting Mode – Retains Natural Ambience Without Flash

   Portrait Shooting Mode – Portrait With Soft Overall Tone And Beautiful Skin Tones

   Baby Mode Shooting Mode – Suitable For Babies, For Natural Skin Tone Without Flash

   Landscape Shooting Mode – Clear Scenic Shots

   Panorama Shooting Mode – Panorama Pictures By Consecutive 3 Shots Or Less. Put 2 Or 3 Pictures Together To Create 1 Image. Example: Landscape With A Structure Focus Point Is Too Wide For A Single Shot. Select The Panorama Mode – You Can Choose 2 Or 3 Shots To Later Stitch Together. You Select 3. (Panorama Mode Works Best With A Tripod, In This Example You Have One.) You Set The Tripod At The Far Left Of The Scene. The 1/3 Of Your Shot Is Taken Here. Like It, Keep It. The Camera Will Show The Cutoff Of Your Shot So You Can Line It Up For The 2nd Shot To Make The Panoramic Shot In The End Match Up And Look Great. Just Repeat What You Did In The 1st Shot For The 2nd & 3rd Shots. The Images Will Then Be Lined Up And Put Together To Create A Single Image

   Sport Shooting Mode – Suitable For Shooting A Moving Subject

   Night Shooting Mode – Reduces Camera Shake With High ISO Setting For Night Scenery

   Night (Tripod) Shooting Mode – Clear Shots Of Night Scenery With A Slow Shutter Speed

   Fireworks Shooting Mode – Vivid Shots Of Fireworks With A Slow Shutter Speed

   Sunset Shooting Mode – For Shooting Sunsets, Making Colors More Vivid

   Snow Shooting Mode – Suitable For Shooting In Snowy Scenes

   Beach Shooting Mode – Crisp, Clear Shots When Shooting On The Beach

   Party Shooting Mode – Suitable For Shooting Indoor Events

   Flower Shooting Mode – Effective For Taking More Vivid Shots Of Flowers

   Text Shooting Mode – Effective For Taking Clearer Shots Of Lettering

   Silent Mode – Turns Of Flash And Turns Down Volume Of Camera For Places That Require Non-Disturbance

   Macro Mode – For Shots Of Up-Close Images

   Picture Stabilization: Reduces Blur Caused By Such Things As Shaking Hands By Combining Higher Light Sensitivities And With Faster Shutter Speeds To Stabilize Pictures

   Picture Time Delay – Delay Pictures By 2 Or 10 Seconds. Delaying By 2 Seconds You Can Have More Time To Reduce Blur Or Get Your Shot In Focus. If You Have A Tripod, You Can Delay Your Picture For 10 Seconds, Allowing You Time To Get In The Shot

   Picture Search – Search For Your Pictures By Scene Mode, Look At 1 Picture At A Time On The Screen Or Choose To Look At 20 Pictures Or As Many As You Want Or Have. Looking At A Picture – When Looking At A Picture You Can Zoom In, A Small Box With The Whole Picture Will Show Up On The Side. That Small Box Will Have A Small Square In It Showing Where On That Whole Picture Your’re Zooming In On.

   Zoom – 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom

   LCD Crystal Screen

   There Are A Lot Of Great Things About This Camera. I Think It’s Made Pretty Well. I Accidently Dropped A Heavy Battery Right On The LCD Screen. Thought I Broke It. I’m Clumsy…But The Camera Remained Unharmed And The Screen Was Still In Perfect Condition. It’s Built Great And The Images Come Out Great As Well. I Definitely Recommend It.

   A Couple Of Cons:

   Battery Life – Like I Said Above, Sucks The Battery Life Right Out Of The Battery. I Suggest Rechargeable Batteries, You Won’t Have To Buy New Ones For A Little While. The Camera Comes With A `Discharge’ Feature That Drains The Rechargeable Batteries Life Out When You’re Done Using The Camera . This Saves The Batteries Overall Life Span. Draining A Rechargeable Battery Completely And Then Recharging Them Makes Them Last Longer.

   Sound – The Camera Makes A Lot Of Sound. It’s Noisy When On The SR (Scene Recognition) Mode. The Sound Comes From It Constantly Scanning What’s In Its View And Adjusting The White Balance, Selecting A Mode, Etc. But I’ve Gotten Used To It When I Want To Use The SR. If You Don’t Want The Noise, Just Choose The Program Shooting Mode Or One That Fits The Environment Your In.

   Besides That Other Things Are Minor. Depending On What Type Of Memory Card You Choose, Movies Can Last Up To Around 28min. I Have A Fujifilm SDHC 8GB Class 6 Memory Card. I Recommend It.
   
8. Dean says:

   September 14, 2010 at 9:59 PM

   Review by Dean for Fujifilm FinePix AX200 12 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)
   Rating:
   I have a Nikon D90 with Nikon 18-200mm lens. But at times I don’t want to carry all that weight for taking pics when quality really does not matter. I was thinking about Canon S90 (which is probably the best point & shoot camera), but the $400 price tag was a setback. Anyways I decided to give Fujifilm FinePix AX200 a try. the picture quality is pretty good along with ease of handling. it is little bigger than most P & S cameras out there because of the AA batteries. So when I’m out of town I down have to carry a charger all the time. AA batteries are easily available everywhere. that was one factor I considered buying this. you will not be disappointed. it takes pretty good pictures and video. what the heck, it only cost around 100 bucks and Fuji makes good stuff. If you don’t want something expensive give this one a try as a side kick for quick pics.
9. Dinopepsia says:

   September 14, 2010 at 10:19 PM

   Review by Dinopepsia for Kodak EasyShare M575 14MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 3.0 Inch LCD (Midnight Black)
   Rating:
   This camera charges through a single standard micro usb connector. When you connect the camera to your computer it charges as you transfer your pictures. No need for a separate plug-in charger or another proprietary cable while travelling. I am unaware of any other camera that has this feature.
10. Ken staten says:

    September 14, 2010 at 10:20 PM

    Review by Ken staten for Kodak EasyShare M575 14MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 3.0 Inch LCD (Midnight Black)
    Rating:
    Took this to my family reunion on the 3-4 of July.Everyone was amazed at the picture quality.Had more people use my camera than there own,14 MP makes a big difference.
11. Fadil H. Khan says:

    September 14, 2010 at 10:38 PM

    Review by Fadil H. Khan for Kodak EasyShare M575 14MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 3.0 Inch LCD (Midnight Black)
    Rating:
    This camera is awesome! Incredible photographs..near, far, dark or bright scenes it does not matter you still get great pictures. The colors in the pictures are brilliant and true. One great feature of this camera is its ability to take pictures is quick successions, there is very little wait time between shots…id say 1 sec compared to some sony and cannon cameras that ive researched which are like 3-4 secs.The HD video recording is smooth and beautiful. Night shots are clear and smooth with the lightening bright flash. 14MP well its 14MP I don’t need to say more about that.
    
    The battery life could be a bit better and the onscreen menu is a bit tricky to navigate but its a small price to pay for the overall great performance of this camera!!!!
12. J. Maitland says:

    September 14, 2010 at 11:05 PM

    Review by J. Maitland for Kodak EasyShare M575 14MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 3.0 Inch LCD (Midnight Black)
    Rating:
    This camera is a overall nice little camera to have. If I could, I would give it 3 1/2 stars. It has nice features like 14 mega pixels (which isn’t necessarily better) and a really nice 3 inch screen. It is lacking any good manual settings, so if you’re into having those this wouldn’t be a good camera for you. It does take HD video which is nice. I definitely wasn’t blown away with image quality either. Sometimes I will get an amazing picture with beautiful colors, and other times most of the pics I will get are blurry. I have noticed that this camera is really bad at capturing a crisp image in overcast outdoor lighting. Overall this is best for the person who wants a casual camera for taking nice pictures of family events and people. Especially because it has a cool feature called face RECOGNIZATION in addition to face detection. The recognization part comes in when you can tag someones face in a pic, and it will recognize that same face in other pics and put all pics of that same person into their own folder on the camera. Good for social events.
13. Tiffany says:

    September 14, 2010 at 11:44 PM

    Review by Tiffany for Kodak EasyShare M575 14MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 3.0 Inch LCD (Midnight Black)
    Rating:
    The kodak name is already an established well known camera. I have got so many complimnets on how professional the pictures look. the service also was speedy, I had no trouble with anything. I will defentely recommend this camera and seller to anyone..
14. Hungry Smarf says:

    September 15, 2010 at 12:42 AM

    Review by Hungry Smarf for Olympus FE-47 14 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD (Red)
    Rating:
    While I have some issues with this product, I’m fairly certain that I am the one at fault; my biggest issue has been blurry pictures of “still life.” My hand may just be shaking, though.

    In all, the camera is good for the unadvanced like myself who just wish to take photos. There are a plethora of settings that are fun to play around with, and the pictures generally come out with great quality. The price is certainly good for what you get.

    The camera is small enough to tote around and easy enough to use for those spontaneous, spur of the moment photographs!
15. dtocz24 says:

    September 15, 2010 at 12:46 AM

    Review by dtocz24 for Olympus FE-47 14 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD (Red)
    Rating:
    i got a great deal on this camera on amazon.com and am so pleased with my purchase. i went back to an olympus from a nikon b/c of the quality of the pictures. plus this camera has alot of cool features as well.
16. D. Gittens says:

    September 15, 2010 at 1:25 AM

    Review by D. Gittens for Olympus FE-47 14 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD (Red)
    Rating:
    THIS IS MY FIRST CAMERA,ACTUALLY MY HUSBAND PICKED IT FOR ME.PICTURES ARE GREAT SO FAR VERY PLEASE WITH MY CAMERA.WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO MY FRIENDS.
17. Biomedman says:

    September 15, 2010 at 2:17 AM

    Review by Biomedman for Nikon Coolpix S6000 14 MP Digital Camera with 7x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Bronze)
    Rating:
    Sorry, but this’ll be brief. I decided to try a Nikon after many, many years of Canon usage (still have several). This Nikon S6000 seemed like a lot of bang for the buck. My impressions so far:

    Pro’s: Great pics, small size, easy to use, great macro, automatic scene selection, good focal length

    Con’s: Power button too small, takes WAY too long to zoom after turning on, zoom is in large jerky steps so it’s hard to find that “right” framing, poor battery/SD cover design – have to latch the door all the time (not spring loaded), flash use not always predictable in certain light.

    Would I buy it again? Probably not…YMMV
    
18. A. Pennington says:

    September 15, 2010 at 2:35 AM

    Review by A. Pennington for Nikon Coolpix S6000 14 MP Digital Camera with 7x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Bronze)
    Rating:
    I bought this camera before my 2 week trip to Italy. My previous camera was a 2002 Nikon Coolpix 3500 which I liked but was outdated. This camera is a big improvement. And I used the video feature while on a boat along the Cinque Terre coast! It did a great job and I have a nice memory of that beautiful coast line.
    
    The only thing I don’t like is that it makes you charge the battery inside of the camera. But I only had to recharge the camera twice in 2 weeks and took almost 400 pictures and videos. So very happy with the battery power.

    This camera is much lighter than my old camera and I love that. Very easy to handle and learn how to use; menus are intuitive. New features for me that I really like is the panorama shots and the auto selector. Didn’t have these on the 3500.

    Overall I love this camera but then I’m not looking for SLR quality. My main use is for travel photos.
19. Bammer1 says:

    September 15, 2010 at 3:21 AM

    Review by Bammer1 for Nikon Coolpix S6000 14 MP Digital Camera with 7x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Bronze)
    Rating:
    I was in need of a digital camera for an upcoming trip to New York. I knew I wanted a point and shoot camera that was small and easy to carry. After doing some research and reading many reviews I decided on the Nikon Coolpix S6000. I took the camera for a test run on a short weekend trip. It took amazingly clear and beautiful pictures. My friends who were with me even commented on how impressed they were with the pictures. A quick glance through the manual and your ready to point and shoot. The battery had a long life ( you still will want to purchase an extra battery with a charger )and it has many shooting options. Only has 7X optical zoom but that is plenty for me. Needless to say, I am very happy with this product and would recommed it.
20. Barbara LaRue says:

    September 15, 2010 at 3:27 AM

    Review by Barbara LaRue for Nikon Coolpix S6000 14 MP Digital Camera with 7x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Bronze)
    Rating:
    This is a great little feature loaded camera. It takes good quality pictures and videos. I have several larger cameras but they are cumbersome to carry around or travel with. This is a perfect size for the pocket, purse, or carry on luggage. I’m very, very pleased with the performance of this camera.
21. T. Jobczynski says:

    September 15, 2010 at 4:06 AM

    Review by T. Jobczynski for Nikon Coolpix S6000 14 MP Digital Camera with 7x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Bronze)
    Rating:
    This is a great camera. It can be totaly automatic or manual on the setting. Clear pictures with no noise. I am having trouble with the macro setting. I like taking close up nature pictures. I’ll have to keep playing to get it right.
    
    Overall , great camera, great quality.
22. Yarii says:

    September 15, 2010 at 4:53 AM

    Review by Yarii for Canon PowerShot A495 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    I decided on the Canon A495 as I wanted an inexpensive camera to carry around in my purse for unexpected shots. This is a good camera for beginners – it’s not DSLR quality but it’s easy to learn and use; it’s not my camera of choice for my shots that I want to look really professional, my Panasonic camera is for those…but for those of you who just want a good basic camera from a well-known camera company, this one should fit your needs well.

    Are you trying to decide between the A495 and the next model lower, the A490? Here are the differences:

    · The A495 has a Face Self-Timer feature. You can focus on a group of people, and before the camera takes the shot, run over and get into the picture yourself, with your face being detected, too. Of course, you would also need a tripod or a place to set the camera down.

    · The A495 has two (2) additional Scene Modes: Poster Effect and Super Vivid Color. Nice to have the additional scenes, but how often will you use them? I plan on making some art for my living room walls with the Poster Effect scene, so I opted for the A495.

    · The A495 will focus on up to 9 faces (or areas); whereas the A490 will focus on up to 5 faces (or areas).

    You have to decide for yourself if you would be using any of these additional features to save yourself a few dollars by going with the A490 instead of the A495.

    PROS:
    
    · Easy to use straight out of the box – I didn’t need to read the manual to start out, but I recommend reading it to learn about all the features
    
    · Fairly durable, even though it’s made of plastic
    
    · Powers up ready to take a picture in about a second
    
    · 2.5″ LCD screen is large enough to see clearly
    
    · Takes great close-up (macro) shots
    
    · Program mode lets you change some settings like exposure compensation, ISO, continuous shooting, metering mode, etc.
    
    · Larger than an ultra-compact camera, so it’s easier to grip and avoid dropping
    
    · Uses AA batteries, and I’m surprised I got over 400 shots from my rechargeable batteries (the alkaline AA batteries included did not last long) – so I recommend rechargeables
    
    · Takes surprisingly good video with sound (not HD) and can be directly uploaded to YouTube (this is part of the included software)
    
    · The ZoomBrowser photo editing software has always been a favorite of mine, I use it with all my cameras, no matter what brand they are. I like this more than Picasa.

    CONS:
    
    · Recovery time after taking a picture is SLOW, and even worse if using the flash (approximately 3 seconds w/flash) – this is normal with a camera that uses two AA batteries. It’s still better than the Nikon L20, though.
    
    · No optical image stabilization – but this is rare in any camera at this price point
    
    · No optical viewfinder – again, hard to find now in any camera, but if you want one, check out this Canon: Canon PowerShot A1100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Silver)
    
    · Battery door is flimsy, I have to be careful when closing it so the hinge doesn’t break, and if not careful, the batteries fall out when removing the SD card
    
    · Slightly on the bulky side, won’t fit easily in a shirt pocket, should be OK in a pants pocket

    I would have given this camera 5 stars if it wasn’t so darn slow on the recycling time after taking a photo. It flashes “busy” on the LCD screen and it is frustrating when you are waiting to take another shot.

    NOTE #1: This camera does not come with an SD card, so pick one up when buying the camera as you will not be able to use it right out of the box otherwise. This camera will accept SDHC cards up to/including 32 GB.

    NOTE #2: The PSC-500 genuine Canon case Canon PSC-500 Deluxe Soft Case fits this camera perfectly, but there is no extra room for spare batteries. It’s a snug fit, but it’s well padded too.

    NOTE #3: For those of you looking for a camera that can put a date stamp on your pictures, this one does. You have your choice of date only or date and time – or none at all.
23. Yarii says:

    September 15, 2010 at 5:35 AM

    Review by Yarii for Canon PowerShot A495 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    I decided on the Canon A495 as I wanted an inexpensive camera to carry around in my purse for unexpected shots. This is a good camera for beginners – it’s not DSLR quality but it’s easy to learn and use; it’s not my camera of choice for my shots that I want to look really professional, my Panasonic camera is for those…but for those of you who just want a good basic camera from a well-known camera company, this one should fit your needs well.

    Are you trying to decide between the A495 and the next model lower, the A490? Here are the differences:

    · The A495 has a Face Self-Timer feature. You can focus on a group of people, and before the camera takes the shot, run over and get into the picture yourself, with your face being detected, too. Of course, you would also need a tripod or a place to set the camera down.

    · The A495 has two (2) additional Scene Modes: Poster Effect and Super Vivid Color. Nice to have the additional scenes, but how often will you use them? I plan on making some art for my living room walls with the Poster Effect scene, so I opted for the A495.

    · The A495 will focus on up to 9 faces (or areas); whereas the A490 will focus on up to 5 faces (or areas).

    You have to decide for yourself if you would be using any of these additional features to save yourself a few dollars by going with the A490 instead of the A495.

    PROS:
    
    · Easy to use straight out of the box – I didn’t need to read the manual to start out, but I recommend reading it to learn about all the features
    
    · Fairly durable, even though it’s made of plastic
    
    · Powers up ready to take a picture in about a second
    
    · 2.5″ LCD screen is large enough to see clearly
    
    · Takes great close-up (macro) shots
    
    · Program mode lets you change some settings like exposure compensation, ISO, continuous shooting, metering mode, etc.
    
    · Larger than an ultra-compact camera, so it’s easier to grip and avoid dropping
    
    · Uses AA batteries, and I’m surprised I got over 400 shots from my rechargeable batteries (the alkaline AA batteries included did not last long) – so I recommend rechargeables
    
    · Takes surprisingly good video with sound (not HD) and can be directly uploaded to YouTube (this is part of the included software)
    
    · The ZoomBrowser photo editing software has always been a favorite of mine, I use it with all my cameras, no matter what brand they are. I like this more than Picasa.

    CONS:
    
    · Recovery time after taking a picture is SLOW, and even worse if using the flash (approximately 3 seconds w/flash) – this is normal with a camera that uses two AA batteries. It’s still better than the Nikon L20, though.
    
    · No optical image stabilization – but this is rare in any camera at this price point
    
    · No optical viewfinder – again, hard to find now in any camera, but if you want one, check out this Canon: Canon PowerShot A1100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Silver)
    
    · Battery door is flimsy, I have to be careful when closing it so the hinge doesn’t break, and if not careful, the batteries fall out when removing the SD card
    
    · Slightly on the bulky side, won’t fit easily in a shirt pocket, should be OK in a pants pocket

    I would have given this camera 5 stars if it wasn’t so darn slow on the recycling time after taking a photo. It flashes “busy” on the LCD screen and it is frustrating when you are waiting to take another shot.

    NOTE #1: This camera does not come with an SD card, so pick one up when buying the camera as you will not be able to use it right out of the box otherwise. This camera will accept SDHC cards up to/including 32 GB.

    NOTE #2: The PSC-500 genuine Canon case Canon PSC-500 Deluxe Soft Case fits this camera perfectly, but there is no extra room for spare batteries. It’s a snug fit, but it’s well padded too.

    NOTE #3: For those of you looking for a camera that can put a date stamp on your pictures, this one does. You have your choice of date only or date and time – or none at all.
24. Yarii says:

    September 15, 2010 at 5:37 AM

    Review by Yarii for Canon PowerShot A495 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    I decided on the Canon A495 as I wanted an inexpensive camera to carry around in my purse for unexpected shots. I purchased the red camera – it’s a deep frosted red with black trim.

    This is a good camera for beginners – it’s not DSLR quality but it’s easy to learn and use; it’s not my camera of choice for my shots that I want to look really professional, my Panasonic camera is for those…but for those of you who just want a good basic camera from a well-known camera company, this one should fit your needs well.

    Are you trying to decide between the A495 and the next model lower, the A490? Here are the differences:

    · The A495 has a Face Self-Timer feature. You can focus on a group of people, and before the camera takes the shot, run over and get into the picture yourself, with your face being detected, too. Of course, you would also need a tripod or a place to set the camera down.

    · The A495 has two (2) additional Scene Modes: Poster Effect and Super Vivid Color. Nice to have the additional scenes, but how often will you use them? I plan on making some art for my living room walls with the Poster Effect scene, so I opted for the A495.

    · The A495 will focus on up to 9 faces (or areas); whereas the A490 will focus on up to 5 faces (or areas).

    You have to decide for yourself if you would be using any of these additional features to save yourself a few dollars by going with the A490 instead of the A495.

    PROS:
    
    · Easy to use straight out of the box – I didn’t need to read the manual to start out, but I recommend reading it to learn about all the features
    
    · Fairly durable, even though it’s made of plastic
    
    · Powers up ready to take a picture in about a second
    
    · 2.5″ LCD screen is large enough to see clearly
    
    · Takes great close-up (macro) shots
    
    · Program mode lets you change some settings like exposure compensation, ISO, continuous shooting, metering mode, etc.
    
    · Larger than an ultra-compact camera, so it’s easier to grip and avoid dropping
    
    · Uses AA batteries, and I’m surprised I got over 400 shots from my rechargeable batteries (the alkaline AA batteries included did not last long) – so I recommend rechargeables
    
    · Takes surprisingly good video with sound (not HD) and can be directly uploaded to YouTube (this is part of the included software)
    
    · The ZoomBrowser photo editing software has always been a favorite of mine, I use it with all my cameras, no matter what brand they are. I like this more than Picasa.

    CONS:
    
    · Recovery time after taking a picture is SLOW, and even worse if using the flash (approximately 3 seconds w/flash) – this is normal with a camera that uses two AA batteries. It’s still better than the Nikon L20, though.
    
    · No optical image stabilization – but this is rare in any camera at this price point
    
    · No optical viewfinder – again, hard to find now in any camera, but if you want one, check out this Canon: Canon PowerShot A1100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Silver)
    
    · Battery door is flimsy, I have to be careful when closing it so the hinge doesn’t break, and if not careful, the batteries fall out when removing the SD card
    
    · Slightly on the bulky side, won’t fit easily in a shirt pocket, should be OK in a pants pocket

    I would have given this camera 5 stars if it wasn’t so darn slow on the recycling time after taking a photo. It flashes “busy” on the LCD screen and it is frustrating when you are waiting to take another shot.

    NOTE #1: This camera does not come with an SD card, so pick one up when buying the camera as you will not be able to use it right out of the box otherwise. This camera will accept SDHC cards up to/including 32 GB.

    NOTE #2: The PSC-500 genuine Canon case Canon PSC-500 Deluxe Soft Case fits this camera perfectly, but there is no extra room for spare batteries. It’s a snug fit, but it’s well padded too.

    NOTE #3: For those of you looking for a camera that can put a date stamp on your pictures, this one does. You have your choice of date only or date and time – or none at all.
25. rob damage says:

    September 15, 2010 at 6:36 AM

    Review by rob damage for Canon PowerShot A495 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    i’ve had many digital point & shoots in the past and i’ve got to say that the A495 is simply the best. here you have a camera you can take pictures with with ease in automatic mode and then further your picture taking skills with both the program mode and the settings mode. for anyone with experience in digital cameras, the aforementioned settings are familiar territory- but one should know, never has navigating the settings been easier and faster. not only is this a handy little camera to have around for those ‘just in case’ moments, but it is a great camera to grow with. i really wish that this was my very first introduction to the digital camera world! put in a little effort and viola! in no time, you’re taking pictures worth framing. at 10 mega pixels, these shots can be blown up to poster size, suitable for hanging!!
    
    the camera also comes with a video mode- great for shooting small video clips, an AV cable- to attach to your TV set to watch your pics & videos on the big screen, a USB cable- to upload your pics/vids to your computer for editing, and a disk with a pdf instruction manual, and the solid Canon Zoom browser for editing your pics.
    
    in all, a perfect pocket sized camera not only for the person that doesn’t feel like lugging around something bigger & more expensive, but for someone on a tight budget that wants something with quality and the ability to learn with.
    
    (honorable mention has to go to the ‘posterize’ camera setting. i included some of the pics i took in this mode- i’m absolutely addicted to shooting with this setting in widescreen!!!)
    
    finally, nothing is without flaws: if i absolutely HAD to find fault with this camera this would be it:
    
    1. AA battery life (definitely bring backup batteries- or better yet, rechargables)
    
    2. (another person mentioned in another review) flash recovery takes a few seconds- that could mean the difference between a decent pic and a blurry mess. although it goes without saying that this is a problem in almost ALL compact digital cameras.
    
    3. no view finder (i’m reaching here- this has never been a concern of mine, yet some people absolutely NEED one).
    
26. Andrew Siew says:

    September 15, 2010 at 6:44 AM

    Review by Andrew Siew for Canon PowerShot A495 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    The Canon Powershot A495 is probably one of the most affordable compact digital cameras out there. A little bit bulky and encased in a full plastic body, including a plastic lens barrel, its design may not catch your eyes at first, but this pocket-sized, AA-battery powered digital compact will surprise you in many ways once you take it out of the box.

    With a high-quality 2.5″ LCD screen, composing shots are easy, and the auto scene detection function makes taking pictures a breeze. With the DIGIC III processor (although not as good as Canon’s latest Digic IV processor, it does a fine job here), the camera’s software is able to detect up to 9 faces within a single frame quickly and adjusts the exposure accordingly so the subjects don’t turn out overexposed or underexposed. Recovery time is amanzingly fast, again thanks to the DIGIC III processor normally only found in the more expensive IXUS models and Canon’s DSLRs, so you can go on to shoot the next picture almost immmediately. The DIGIC III processor also makes sure that the pictures come out as clean and as noise free as possible. The A495 shoots from ISO 80 all the way up to ISO 1600, and with a small 1/2.3 inch sensor, keeping the images clean and noise free is no easy feat. The white balance adjustment is nearly perfect, with the camera producing almost natural colors even under flourescent lights. Test images have been uploaded under the customer’s images section showing the color reproduction and noise performance of the camera.

    Of course, the A495 is by no means a perfect little camera, with a few disappointing features here and there, and they are 1) a slow continuous burst, at a sluggish 0.95 frame per second 2) the night mode, which shoots at 2 megapixels only, and 3) a somewhat imperfect software which always keeps the camera’s shutter speed just slow enough indoors to cause just a little blur to the images, even with the flash on. Therefore, it’ll wise for you to keep the camera as steady as possible or use a tripod when you’re shooting indoors.

    Compared to the very closely priced Sony DSC-S930 and S950 released last year, the Canon is able to produce much cleaner and sharper pictures at any given ISO (even though there is no ISO 3200), and the quality of the images closely matches those of the very expensive Sony DSC-WX1 with EXMOR-R sensor, which comes as a surprise to me.

    With its low price point and high quality images, the Canon Powershot A495 makes a perfect gift for any casual photographer, and for someone who’s just getting into photography, it has enough features to become a back-up camera with its ability to use AA batteries straight out of a convenient store.
27. Julien Pierre says:

    September 15, 2010 at 7:32 AM

    Review by Julien Pierre for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    I purchased this camera at a local retailer. I was mainly attracted by its HD video feature. I wanted to use it in addition to my camcorder to record myself playing the piano, indoors of course.

    Unfortunately, I was severely disappointed by the video quality. On my first video, the whole picture was yellow, clearly a white balance problem.
    
    On my second video, with the DMC-FH20 set on a tripod, everything was blinking, including the piano lid, which should have been a solid black. Even though there are 1280×720 pixels at 30fps, the quality is barely better than what you get from a typical camera phone. And it is inferior to my Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000 webcam.

    Also, another thing to know is that you can’t change the zoom while recording video. You have to stop the recording, change the zoom setting, and then start recording again. This didn’t bother me for the piano recording since I was recording myself, but you should know about this limitation – this camera is no camcorder.

    One more limitation in video is that the camera records in Quicktime (motion JPEG) format, but not AVC HD. This causes files to be large. I’m not sure if the Quicktime CODEC contributes to the poor video quality also, but it might.

    When it comes to still picture quality, they come out very noisy indoors without the flash. With the flash on, they are actually OK. But I’m not sure that having 14 megapixels on such a small sensor really adds much. 8-10 would probably be just fine and might have less noise.

    I returned the camera mainly because I couldn’t stand the video quality. As a still camera I might have kept it, but I wouldn’t have paid as much for it, and I was hoping to minimize the number of photo/video devices I own.

    Pros :
    
    - 8x optical zoom which is better than most compact cameras
    
    - pocketable size
    
    - Future-proof SDXC card slot
    
    - OK pictures with the flash

    Cons :
    
    - Poor low-light performance without flash
    
    - Poor video quality, not HD quality by any stretch of the imagination
    
    - Zoom can’t be changed during video recording
    
    - Proprietary lithium-ion battery
    
    - No optical or electronic viewfinder, only LCD screen
    
28. Peter Quinlan says:

    September 15, 2010 at 7:49 AM

    Review by Peter Quinlan for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    I bought this camera to backup my Lumix DMC FZ28. To use in situations where I don’t want to
    
    carry the larger camera and for my wife to use. The FH20 is easy to use (settings, functions,
    
    descriptions very similar to the FZ28. So the learning curve is simple). The stabilization in
    
    this camera is terrific. The lens is sharp and the Intellegent Exposure mode is excellent in all the situations I have tested so far! Bottom line is that the DMC-FH20 is everything I
    
    wanted for a backup. Great camera, Great buy!
29. Not Tech Savy says:

    September 15, 2010 at 8:18 AM

    Review by Not Tech Savy for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    I purchased this camera prior to a family reunion. Was pleased with the ease as I am not tech savy. I did not use the HD video so can’t say anything about that. Was very happy with outdoor night time flash shots – both of people and things. Indoor pictures were good – the zoom images were better than the Cybershot camera I had before. Price was reasonable and battery held up well. Would recommend to others for an easy to use camera that produces good picture quality.
30. MK Man says:

    September 15, 2010 at 8:57 AM

    Review by MK Man for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    I have had this camera for a month and could not be happier. It is very easy to use and takes quality photos. The video’s come out great. Sure it has a few minor shortcomings but, what camera does not ? For a under $200 camera you can not go wrong with the DMC-FH20.
31. Avg Guy says:

    September 15, 2010 at 9:27 AM

    Review by Avg Guy for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)
    Rating:
    Fairly fast lens. Good low light and stabilization with no flash. Proprietary usb cable. I would rather have a mini or micro usb. I would recommend this to all friends shopping in this price range. It replaced my trusty canon sd550 only b/c my lcd broke while snowboarding.
32. Steven E. Frenkel says:

    September 15, 2010 at 10:23 AM

    Review by Steven E. Frenkel for Pentax Optio H90 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Ceramic White)
    Rating:
    The Pentax Optio H90 is my eighth digital camera. I’ve been shooting digital since 2003 and have owned several Fujifilm and one Samsung. I still own a Fuji 8mp and a Samsung 12mp. This background is so that you know I’ve purchased and learned to use a number of digicams.

    The Optio H90 is a wonderful little camera. It has great product design and is easy to hold and use. It has the softest shutter of any camera I’ve ever owned and that is a plus. The controls are very well laid out. It’s internal menus are the easiest, most logical and well thought out of any I’ve ever looked at or used. There is surprising depth to what this camera can do. My favorite feature is what Pentax calls “Memory.” This function allows you to set and have the camera remember, each time you turn it on, an extensive list of settings. The coolest of these items is the ability to zoom the camera to any focal length and have the H90 recall it. So if between the 28 – 140mm (35 equivalent) focal lengths you’d like to maybe start around a 50mm lens equivalent, you can do it. There is also a “Green Button” that allows you to take your favorite variable function and bring it out of the menu and onto the green button. I use mine to bracket exposures.

    The photos are of very good quality, but perhaps just a bit soft in low light. Pentax has a post shot stabilization system, Pixel Track SR, that actually works quite well. There is a slight delay when it functions, but no more so that other cameras “fix” computations. The menu and mode functions offer an enormous variety of settings. The “OK” button sets what information you can see on the LCD screen. You just push it to see more or less information. The Optio H90 comes is three color varieties, I got the silver and ceramic white job, a very clean looking product. The screen is quite good, even in bright sunlight, but you will probably want to brighten it some to shoot is direct sun. The camera doesn’t have an automatic brightness mode. It’s very reasonably priced, as well.

    Of course, it’s not perfect. I wish it had a bit more battery life, it’s about average for its class I would say. In the review mode the lens does not retract. I wish it would, in order to protect against accidental touching of the lens or possible damage. The camera batteries don’t charge in the camera. That would be nice, too. I bought a $6 SD/USB reader and upload photos to my Macs using it, thereby saving a bit of battery life.

    My conclusion is that the Pentax Optio is a great camera for beginners through advanced amateur photographers. It is a camera you’ll want to keep on your person at all times. The H90 delivers quality images in a huge varietiy of shooting situations. I’ve taken great macro photos as well as scenics with it. I recommend it to anyone looking for a reasonably priced and very capable digital camera.
33. Thaeyo says:

    September 15, 2010 at 10:41 AM

    Review by Thaeyo for Pentax Optio H90 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Ceramic White)
    Rating:
    I’m not a professional photographer nor am I an amateur. I bought this camera knowing that it isn’t the BEST point-and-shoot out there. I wanted an everyday camera that’s practical, stylish, and takes decent shots. People say a camera is just as good as the person shooting it.

    Pros:
    
    -Small & compact
    
    -Stylish yet simple design
    
    -Able to take macro shots and wide angle
    
    -On-camera filters for stylish/creative looks: ToyCamera, B&W, Sepia, Retro, etc.
    
    -Fast start-up times
    
    -Relatively quick shot times

    Cons:
    
    -Low-light shots can be a little grainy
    
    -The screen on the back is a little small, but it’s manageable (it’s a P&S, what else do you expect)
    
    -Extremely contrasting images are hard to get a good balance/focus on

    Bottom line its great at what it does, it out performs its price range; $100 camera with filters and stylish look, check!
34. Ran Yang says:

    September 15, 2010 at 10:51 AM

    Review by Ran Yang for Pentax Optio H90 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Ceramic White)
    Rating:
    I really like this little chic camera, but unfortunately I got one that broke in 1 day – the LCD failed. Returned it right away:)
35. George M. Bishop says:

    September 15, 2010 at 11:09 AM

    Review by George M. Bishop for Pentax Optio H90 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Ceramic White)
    Rating:
    Camera arrived as scheduled. Very nice unit, well made, everything included ready to go!
    
    Easy to use, with all the expected and advertised features. Pentax offers a great value for all photo buffs. Compact, light weight, good quality excellent optics.
    
    g
36. Yarii says:

    September 15, 2010 at 11:27 AM

    Review by Yarii for Olympus SP-600UZ 12MP Digital Camera with 15x Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD
    Rating:
    I’ve owned many Fuji digital cameras over the years, this is my first Olympus camera ever. What sold me was the 15X optical zoom and the price. The Fuji 30X zoom camera Fujifilm FinePix HS10 10 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 30x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCD costs too much. After seeing first-hand what good quality pictures I can get from this Olympus, I’ll seriously look at this brand for future camera purchases.

    PROS:

    >>> 1 GB of INTERNAL memory – some of it is used by the on-board manual – you can get by without buying an SD card. With internal memory and the camera set at 12 MP resolution, you can take 112 pictures or 14 minutes of video without adding an SD card. The manual is INSIDE the camera – so you can access it anytime you need help – even if you are out in the boonies with no PC. Get out your reading glasses, the print is small.

    >>> Quality-build – this camera just “feels good” in your hand, not one of those flimsy little ultra-compact cameras that are so popular now. Easy enough to grip with your right hand. Heavy enough that it requires a neck strap, not a hand strap to carry it.

    >>> Magic Filter Settings: Fun way to play with your pictures. You can also create art with these – settings are: pop art, pinhole, fish eye and drawing. Take a picture of your child and print it out in the “drawing” setting; your child can color it in with his/her crayons.

    CONS: (my cons aren’t all bad, it all depends on what YOU are looking for in a camera)

    >>> No optical viewfinder. Not a big deal to me, but might be to you. Your only viewfinder with this camera is the LCD screen.

    >>> Not so easy to carry in your bag, unless you have a large tote or a backpack – but on the “pro” side, this DSLR-style camera is smaller than others I have tried.

    >>> I don’t like the lens cap on this camera; too bad they can’t make them internal like the point-and-shoot-type cameras. You must remember to remove it yourself before taking a shot. And make sure you attach it with the included string, because if you do not, you will lose it, it falls off easily.

    >>> The camera is almost too easy to turn on. Maybe it’s just the way I pick it up, but I almost 100% of the time inadvertently turn it on before I want to, then of course the lens cap flies off.

    OTHER:

    If you are looking for lots of manual controls like the older SP series, this is not the camera for you (the kind where you control aperture, etc.) Personally, I like EASY. I don’t know anything about F-stops, etc., so this camera is perfect for me; like a point and shoot, only better. You are able to choose different scenes, exposure, white balance, ISO, like most point & shoots today. This also takes panorama shots with the set-up inside the camera.

    This is the first digital camera I have ever purchased where you have to connect the camera to your computer during the set-up. I’m not convinced this is a good idea – my USB ports are not easily accessible on my desktop PC and it would not set-up correctly when plugged into a hub. However, once I moved my tower and plugged it into the actual port, it installed without any problems. This type of set-up is done because you do not receive any photo-editing software CD with the camera, the Olympus iB software is installed on your PC during the set-up of the camera. I imagine this would be next to impossible if you have dial-up internet.

    The iB Olympus software also does NOT work with Windows XP – at least not with mine at work but I only have 512K of RAM on that computer. It DOES work on my home PC with Vista and 3 GB RAM. But you aren’t missing much if you can’t use the iB software. It’s horrible and I just went back to using Picasa.

    As far as response time, this model is faster than I expected since it has AA batteries. Start-up and recovery after taking a shot was faster than other cameras in the $100 to $200+ price range, even those with lithium-ion batteries; around 1 second after a shot with no flash, about 2 seconds to recover after a flash picture.

    CONCLUSION:

    This is a good camera that should serve you well for a few years. I never look for a camera to last me years and years since there is always new technology just around the corner and I want the latest. This camera will make you look like a semi-professional even if you are a novice!
    
37. Small House Small Budget says:

    September 15, 2010 at 11:58 AM

    Review by Small House Small Budget for Olympus SP-600UZ 12MP Digital Camera with 15x Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD
    Rating:
    Features and Video Quality only got 4 stars because I don’t have enough experience in these areas to give a more definitive answer. Value for Price also got only 4 stars. Olympus cameras tend to be on the higher side, though not at the top, and now there are other comparable cameras on the market. I paid over $300, and I think under $300 is a better price point.

    Last fall, we purchased another digital camera, one with a 24X zoom. As it is somewhat bulky, I have tended to carry my old workhorse, a 5MP Kodak with a 10X zoom, when away from home. My husband has ended up as the primary user of the new camera. While I had been thinking of upgrading the 5MP camera, it was low on the list of “Things To Buy.”

    Two things influenced me in purchasing the Olympus SP-600 UZ. One was that one of the shopping channels offered it on installment payments, making it seem less of a luxury item. Not only did it have a higher megapixel count, but it also had a bigger zoom–until quite recently, hard to come by at a reasonable price, though now there are several models to choose from. The second factor was the Olympus brand. We also have an Olympus Stylus which is impact-resistant, waterproof, and will operate at low temperatures. Because of the small zoom on this camera, we generally use it only when on the water, but I do like the color saturation of the photos.

    Of course I read the reviews on Amazon and elsewhere before deciding to go ahead with the Olympus SP-600UZ. Reviewers discussed the lack of a printed manual, so I had downloaded it from the Olympus website even before my camera arrived.

    Per the instructions, I loaded the drivers and the accompanying IB software. I then hooked up the camera to my computer to set it up. To my consternation, nothing happened. When I touched the cable to remove it, a message flashed across the camera screen warning that the cable should not be disconnected.

    While I was still puzzling out what my next step should be, the software finally loaded and the “first use” procedure began. What I had assumed to be a malfunction was actually just an excruciatingly slow process. (I should note that my computer only has 2 gigs of memory, and I don’t know whether that was a factor. I use Photoshop Elements 8, and this program is considerably slower to load than was the case with Photoshop Elements 7.)

    The IB software ended up on my computer as a startup program. Since I’m usually cautious about allowing this, I don’t think I was given a choice. I had to go in and disable it, since I want to download my photos into Photoshop Elements.

    The manufacturer’s assumption seems to be that the user will do a lot of editing in-camera. This may be a good thing for people with a practiced eye for looking at the captured screen. For me, it’s necessary to get an image up on my computer before making any editing decisions.

    The menu structure is fairly complex. I find that I have to use the printed manual to get a clue about how to get to the sub-menus. Other than changing the screen mode, though, I don’t generally utilize other adjustments. I’m your basic plain-vanilla user. If there are be additional functions I’ll need away from home, I’ll probably have to memorize how to do them to avoid excessive cycling through the menus. The thought of doing this in bright sunlight is doubly unappealing. The nested menus are unavoidable when there are a lot of options, though, so the alternative might be dumbing down the camera, not a good thing either.

    I let the Olympus IB program download the first batch of photos I took. The program immediately wanted to begin face recognition and asked me to tag the images by geographic location. This is not something I’m interested in, though I my give it a whirl at some future time on my stored photos. I did not attempt to do any editing here, since my experience has been that software included with cameras is more rudimentary than I would like. From my brief overview of the editing functions in IB, I would say this is the case here.

    I hooked up the camera again and went into Photoshop Elements. Elements downloaded not only the images but the in-camera PDF manuals. (At that point, I was using only the internal memory of the camera.) I have Elements set up so that I can delete all images by confirming. Of course I didn’t want to lose the onscreen material, so I went back into the camera and deleted the photos manually. I have added a memory card, which means I can remove downloaded photos with no fear of deleting the PDF files. This is definitely something to watch out for, though, especially if, like me, you load the batteries and start snapping away the minute the camera is out of the box. Caution should also be used when formatting a card, as it is possible to format the internal memory by mistake.

    I’m happy with the photos I’ve taken so far. I like the heft of the camera, and the location of the controls feels natural. Like other people, I’ve struggled with the infamous battery and card cover. It’s not easy to close, but once it’s snapped into place and locked, it seems secure. So far, I haven’t turned on the camera by mistake, but that could be a factor of how I lift it from the case.

    People have complained about the lens cap coming off too easily. I think it’s made this way because if you turn on the camera before removing the cap, it should pop off without hanging up the lens mechanism (as it pushes out the lens). My old Kodak had push tabs on the side of the cap, but it still would come off fairly readily, and was maybe only fractionally more likely to remain in place .

    One feature I like very much is that the flash doesn’t operate until you manually flip it up. With my old camera, there were occasions when I was trying to photograph documents or microfilm screens. These photos were spoiled by the flash reflecting off the surfaces. Since (typically for me), I hadn’t spent much time with the manual, I didn’t know how to turn off the flash and was too impatient to try pushing buttons or going through menus.

    I’m happy with my new camera. It’s a vast improvement over my old one.
38. Marty says:

    September 15, 2010 at 12:37 PM

    Review by Marty for Olympus SP-600UZ 12MP Digital Camera with 15x Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD
    Rating:
    I got it a month ago and was able to use a few times only, but it worked great.

    Was a little skeptical about the use batteries, but so far I went through one set of four (and took quite a few flash photos). I definitely like the idea of having a set of spare ones just in case your camera dies in the middle of all day long sightseeing.

    As to picture quality – I’m not a pro, but had different cameras, including SLRs and digital SLRs, my whole life, and this one takes very decent, high resolution pictures. I hoped it would take pictures in dim light, and so far so good, but I didn’t play with manual ISO settings yet. It may be even better.

    I planned to buy an SLR, but the price on this one (and the 800 model), its size and wight make it a perfect family camera that is a little more than typical P&S, and not as complicated to use as SLR if I want kids and inexperienced adults to take pictures.

    Overall I’d rate it at 5 stars. It’s not a perfect digital camera, but a great family one.
39. Blade says:

    September 15, 2010 at 12:37 PM

    Review by Blade for Olympus SP-600UZ 12MP Digital Camera with 15x Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD
    Rating:
    This is my second Olympus and I love it!!! I’ve seen good and bad reviews and was a little concerned about the purchase. I had a chance to test the camera first and then decided to buy one. Now that I’ve been using it for events and travels, it’s even better than I thought it ever could be.

    It seems to me that the people who write the bad reviews are the ones that don’t understand how the camera works. This Olympus isn’t a turn-on-and-just-shoot camera; you need to know how to use the settings. With that said, if you take the time and read the manual, which really doesn’t take that long, you’d be very happy with the camera and all its features.

    Keep up the good work Olympus! You may just have me for life!
40. Joanne Olivieri says:

    September 15, 2010 at 1:31 PM

    Review by Joanne Olivieri for Olympus SP-600UZ 12MP Digital Camera with 15x Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD
    Rating:
    I had been looking for a camera for months when I stumbled across this Olympus. I like Olympus for its reputation. The look and internal 1GB memory is what initially drew me to this camera. I am a nature photographer and wanted to test macro settings. This camera has macro and super macro which allows you to get within inches of the subject you are shooting. I was blown away by the quality of photos taken with these settings. The zoom lens is also amazing. I was in the gardens a few miles away from Sutro tower and used the 15x zoom to get a shot and Wow! It was clear, crisp and not grainy at all. I also took a low light condition video which displayed great. I’ve tested the flash in very low light conditions and was pleasantly surprised. So far it is everything I wanted in a camera.

    The only downside was when connecting it to my computer, there were glitches in the software and I could not upload my photos. So, I uninstalled it and used my old software and everything is fine. It is easy to use, compact enough that you can fit it into a large purse and is also very easy to hold and maneuver. Even with the problematic software I had to give it 5 stars because it is just that good and then some. I think this is a great camera for both amateurs and professionals.