Product Description

maximum resolution: 3200 x 6400 dpi * 48-bit color depth * scan up to twelve 35mm negative frames or 4 mounted slides at a time * FARE technology (Film Automatic Retouching and Enhancement) * high-speed USB 2.0 interface * ... Read more

Features

• Batch scanning of up to 12 35mm negatives
• High speed preview in about 2 seconds; USB 2.0
• Maximum 3,200 x 6,400 dpi resolution
• Sharp 48-bit color, 16-bit grayscale
• Supports medium format and 35mm transparencies or negatives

Reviews (24)

Fast and easy!
My husband and I were able to hook up our scanner and scan a about 20 photos all in less than 1 hour!I thought it would take me weeks to get through my pile of old photos but each photo only took seconds to scan. Also, contrary to the other reviews that I read, we found the scanner to be pretty quiet.I would definitely recommend this scanner!

Scanner I would recommend to anyone
First, I am not a professional artists or anyone who need scanner for professional works, so I don't know how this scanner will appeal to those kind of people. However, to 'normal' people like me, this scanner is definitely a worthy consideration.

I bought this scanner to replace my old Canon's N1220U; which still works fine, though. Although my old scanner is very nice for its slim size and no-mess connection(requires no external AC power), it is a bit noisy and way too slow.
8400F is definitely larger and thicker than my old one, so I had to rearrange my workstation setup. However, its performance was worth the labor. Its scan speed is very fast(scans a page letter size color document at 150~200dpi in a few seconds, while my old one takes around a minute for same document in same setting), and preview pops up in about 2 seconds as advertised.

Setup is simple; I mean, does anyone who cannot set this thing up really exist(unless software crashes)? Unwrap those tapes on scanner unit, plug the cable on the cover to the back of the unit, install the softwares you need(installation manual tells you to install softwares first for some reason), connect USB cable, connect power, done.

Among included softwares, I only use PhotoStudio; so I don't know about performance of other softwares. Instead of the pop-up scan manager which pops-up when 'scan' button on scanner unit is pressed, I use inquire function of PhotoStudio only because I am more familiar with this method; and I use Paint Shop Pro if I have to edit the images. One complaint: I don't know why this new version of PhotoStudio doesn't remember file format setting I used last time to save image. Old version which came with my old N1220U did have this function. Well, it is acceptable, though.



Problems:
- Scanner might crash with certain applications, but it rarely happened(happened to me only once so far) and never messed up system; although communication with scanner was disconnected and photostudio crashed and closed, everything worked fine once scanner was turned off and then on again. There was no more crash although I didn't close down any other applications running. Therefore I guess that the crash wans't really specifically because of scanner, but usual unstability of Window.

A big NO for $138 price tag
2 stars is the most appropriate rating for this scanner and let me tell you why.I bought this scanner because of the High rating from this Amazon site, but after trying all of its scanning functions, photo, 35mm negatives, and 35mm slides, (it has the adapter for medium film 120mm also) I would go for other scanner instead.First of all, I see the Contrast density of all 3 functions is not that good! Worse even comparing to my old-time scanner Epson Perfection 1260.And one thing that I hate is its Auto Correct/Adjustment feature.I don't know if you can disable it or not but I have not figured out yet!

Let's say, for example, if you have some typical daylight photos (shot in natural light which is bright enough for hand-held exposure.) The scanning will give you a very acceptable image. But if you scanning an artificial-light photo you see a lot of dead pixels at the low contrast area.Dead pixels I mean are blockly imaging areas which replace details of your photo.

This scanner is good enough for some typical works in the office, but it definitely is a NO for professional works.If you just need a scanner for your hardcopy photos, you canfind plenty scanners out there with a lower price.But if you choose this for your negatives and slides also, I recomment NOT.

Also, its software/application need more works to refine the features.

Wonderful choice
I have a large collection of old slides and photos which I wanted to digitize. Having used the Canoscan N650u without problem, the 8400f unit seemed a reasonable choice. I expected a utilitarian piece of equiptment but this this scanner is amazing!! It is incredibly fast and the results are excellent. It's "auto" mode is truly useful: an easy way to get lots of work done quickly. Most important is Canon tech help 800-828-4040. I did need them twice because my software skills are mediocre. Each time a live tech was on the phone in seconds (yes, seconds of waiting time). Because of this fabulous support I will never hesitate to buy a Canon product.

Excellent do everything scanner
This is an excellent scanner. In the last 6 weeks I have used it to scan slides, film, photographs and b&w documents. It has not disappointed me. Before I bought this scanner I consider the Epson 4800 and Microtek ScanMaker 400S. Both these scanners had higher resolution, but the reviews suggested each had significant problems, either with speed or software.

I bought the 8400F scanner primarily for its ability to scan slides to use in PowerPoint presentations. It does this with no problem. I've made prints from scanned slides and as long as the size is kept small the prints are fairly good. Expect to have to sharpen scans of slides to have them look their best. The resolution of the scanned slides is sufficiently high that sharpening is not a problem. Scanning slides is also relatively speedy. At the highest resolution it will automatically scan 4 slides in about 10 minutes.

The results of scanning color photographs are excellent. The colors are great and detail excellent. A little sharpening made the images look even better.

Black and white images/text also produce excellent scans. They are clear and crisp and make excellent copies. The ability to scan to a pdf and to add to pdf's, unlike Canon's earlier software, is a real plus. Be aware, however, that these pdf files can be large because even scanned text is consider an image.

In using and evaluating a scanner it is important to keep expectations reasonable, especially with respect to slides. Even using photographic techniques it is difficult to get great prints from slides, so don't expect the same quality from and inexpensive scanner. However, it is possible to get good, useable scans of slides.
... Read more

Product Description

AUTOCAD LT 2005 US CD 10U PK ... Read more

Features

• Instantly distribute multiple DWG files in a single step
• Easily create, plot, publish, and share 2D designs
• Boost productivity with streamlined plotting interface
• Create tables efficiently with a one-step process
• Better manage large groups of layers; easily control layer visibility

Product Description

680,000-pixel CCD * digital photo mode * digital photo resolution: 640 x 480 * MPEG Movie EX mode * compatible with Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO® Duo (available separately) * ... Read more

Features

• 680,000-pixel CCD
• digital photo mode
• digital photo resolution: 640 x 480
• MPEG Movie EX mode
• compatible with Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO® Duo (available separately)

Reviews (5)

great camera, but bad software/computer hook-up
This video camera works fine and is easy to operate.

Using the software and finding software that works with this camera is difficult.Tech support from Sony is very poor to help resolve these issues.

Ilink does not come with the camera.

Tania

Misleading
Pay attention to components that you'd expect but are not included. I'm a fan of Canon products, and have come to expect at least the minimal parts necc. to test and sample the gadget without additional parts purchase.

Nowhere on the box, nor in its instruction booklet, will it tell you that the package does not contain even a smallest of a Memory Stick PRO® Duonor a digital cassette to even test the unit. The box simply says "Memory Stick PRO® Duo."

Instruction booklet will simply tell you to place this here, plug that there, charge it this way, insert the Memory Stick PRO® Duo,without mentioning that certain parts would needed to have been purchased additionally and would not be found with the package.

A good option
I love this camcorder it has a great resolution video and easy to use,
the only thing is that mac users have to buy the iLink cable 4pin to 6pin.

Poor Video Quality - Great Audio - Very sleek design
Pros
- Very Sleek design - compact, stylish and menu through LCD touch panel
- Good audio quality

Cons
- For the price, poor video resolution - video looks edgy when dowloaded via iLink
- Not so good low light performance
- No small size memory card provided, no firewire cable and no video editing software

Great camera, especially for the price!
I almost purchased the 42 instead of the 32, but after checking them out at the store I decided on the 32.The Samsung 353 was also in the running but one look in the store and I knew Sony was the way to go.I am glad I decided on the 32 because the only real difference was the CCD, which is 340k instead of 680k effective.It turns out the 32 does such a good job with the 340k I can't tell the difference, and for $150 less.The other only real difference is the color viewfinder on the 42, but who uses a viewfinder anymore.It doesn't come with a firewire (iLink) cable so be prepared to purchase one, especially if you have a mac.I am happy with our choice and look forward to many edited videos to share with the family. ... Read more

Product Description

The Super Coolscan 5000 ED scanner is loaded with features and benefits designed for a wide range of users, including Applied Science Fiction's Digital ICE4 Advanced technology, Nikon's exclusive Scan Image Enhancer and other one-button-simple solutions. Coolscan scanners can help small or large businesses to streamline their operations and increase productivity while giving home users and hobbyists an affordable solution to revitalize, restore and save precious family memories. Despite the the way digital is dominating today's photography and printing markets, there are still an enormous amount of film images as well as a need for creating high-quality, versatile hi-resolution digital files. In American homes, literally millions of negatives and slides holding precious family memories are wasting away in shoeboxes and attics. A Nikon film scanner is an incredibly useful tool to help unlock the potential of an image and use the advantages of digital to bring that image to life. Greater Efficiency, Increased Profits - The Super Coolscan 5000 ED is designed with the needs of imaging professionals in mind, delivering 135/IX240 film scanning at an amazing 20 seconds per image (including image transfer to display) - at 4,000 dpi optical resolution. This, combined with a 16-bit A/D converter and 16-bit output channel, gives pros the speed and power they need to truly affect the scope of their business. ... Read more

Features

• USB interface, PC and Mac compatible
• 4,000 dpi optical resolution, 4.8 density
• 16-bit A/D conversion, 8 or 16-bit output
• Preview scans in 11 seconds, full scans as fast as 20 seconds
• Digital ICE4 Advanced suite of image correction technologies

Reviews (6)

Beware of Nikon Super CoolScan Slide Feeder
We purchased a Super Coolscan 5000 ED with SF-210 slide feeders, hoping to scan my parents' thousands of Kodak slides.The Super Coolscan worked flawlessly on single slides, but the SF-210 slide feeder simply could not scan more than 2 slides without jamming.

The instruction manual does say that the feeder basically works only with Fuji compatible slide mounts, and warns of problems with Kodak and other mounts - but it's buried in the middle of the manual and you don't find out until you've purchased the producdt.I have been unable to find those restrictions mentioned anywhere inthe literature.At nearly $400 per feeder, I would expect it to work - or at least have the sales literature mention its limitations.

I complained to Nikon, but never even received an email response.I will never buy a Nikon product again.

Good scanner but be aware
I've been doing this for some time and have Nikon gear top to bottom. I have the slide feeder and the negative adapter that lets you feed full strips into it. Both work well 90% of the time. I get mis-feeds on the slides from time to time.

You will get a bluish hue on your negatives. I have tried several films and they all yield the same problem. Expect to take some time in Photoshop to correct this problem. I am taking the advice of a poster to alter my color settings to compensate.

Here is the biggest issue with this scanner. PROPERLY exposed slides scan dark. This is with Fuji 50/100/400 and Kodak. This is a known issue and you will see dozens of posts all over about this problem. Flat and dark scans that need to have the analog gain pumped up to compensate. This throws off GEM and ROC and makes the software unusable. It also washes out detail and increases grain. I contacted Nikon and they stated that Fuji has a 4th layer of emulsion that impedes scans. This is not true for slides, there is no 4th layer. End conclusion, there is a problem with the scanner design. Nikon has failed to give a reason why this is occurring other then to point the finger at someone else. If it was just my problem, I would say it was something on my end, but there are dozens of people stating the same thing on many different photo boards.

ROC and GEM are "OK". I would scan clean unless there is an obvious problem with the neg/pos that needs to be addressed. Any time you alter grain or the physical layer of the film you are altering original quality. See what you have first before changing setting across the board.

If you have any questions about this, my AOL-AIM is above as my Amazon username. This would include Nikon if the finally have a reason WHY there are issues. Overall, it's a good scanner. I would buy it again, but at least I would know what to expect and not expect it all as advertised.

Works beautifully, although slower than you might expect
I am using this product almost exclusively for slide scanning, so my comments only apply to that aspect of this product.

If you are like me and wondering whether you should suffer through using a consumer level slide scanner or fork out the dough for this one, then the quality this produces when scanning dark slides should be enough to convince you alone.And that's just the beginning.I've used consumer level scanners before and no amount of tweaking or photoshop'ing can match the quality the Coolscan 5000 produces.For professionals, this is of course a no brainer, but for semi-professional folks like me, this is a major investment, and I needed some convincing that it would be worth it.I am now convinced.

Don't put too much stock into the scan times (and feed times for the sf-210 auto feeder).These times are without any Digital ICE, auto exposure, auto focus, etc.However, I have found if you do not use these features, you are wasting your time.After much tweaking to get all the settings such that the final result looked just like the original slide, I am looking at about 1 minute and 30 seconds per slide using the sf-210 (AMD 2.2 Ghz 1GB Ram, scanning at 2000 dpi)

I have found that without tweaking, you get a bluish hue (although a little less so for Kodachrome slides).I have turned red up +20 and blue down +20 (green at 0) and to me, this seems to give the best results (ymmv).

Use the digital ice features!!!They are simply amazing.The dust and scratch removal is phenomenal.The grain removal is also wonderful - and it keeps the picture sharp much more so than using a software filter like those found in Photoshop.Personally, I set the Digital ROC (color restoration and correction) to 0 because it is too unpredictable.

Lastly, use a bright, high quality LCD monitor!You would be amazed at the difference this can make when doing color matching, especially on dark pictures.I was astonished to see the difference.

When you take the above into consideration, this scanner is superb.Plan on spending a few hours getting your settings just right, but after that, sit back and enjoy.I've done 8x10 prints of my slides (scanned at 2000 dpi) that are just beautiful.It is near impossible to match the luminance and beauty of a projected slide, but the Coolscan 5000 does a darn good job.

An outstanding, if imperfect, scanner.
First of all, let me say I am a neophyte when it comes to scanning.My mother passed away recently and I wanted to go through my father's 20,000 slides and scan the best ones before they, as many before them, disappeared into the hands of one of my 7 other siblings never to be found again.

After culling my father's slides I ended up with about 750 I wanted to scan.After culling my own slides I ended up with another 200 slides.And after that I decided to go through my color negative collection and scan the best of those as well.A daunting project!But honestly well worth the effort.

Most of my father's slides are Kodachrome.Much has been written about the inability of this scanner to scan Kodachrome slides and said about ICE4 not working with Kodachrome.Well, I have some good news and some bad news.The ICE4 does work, however, inconstantly with Kodachrome slides producing unacceptable artifacts in about 5 - 10 percent of the slides.It is a hit or miss proposition.I scanned with ICE (not ICE4) always on and then rescanned if I encountered unacceptable artifacts.I did notice that the scanner ICE feature was stumped by old Kodachrome slides where subjects were wearing shirts with stripes.Those stripes were really butchered by the ICE feature.

The GEM ROC and DEE (the other stalwarts of the ICE4 other than ICE itself) work on Kodachrome slides as well, but I found that the results were unpredictable and that I could achieve better results myself in Photoshop far more quickly.The GEM ROC and DEE features simply took too long and slowed down the scanning unacceptably.The results, for me, were not worth the additional scanning time.

The good news:The scanner is fast and does produce wonderfulwonderful detailed scans, easily demonstrating the grain in the transparancies at 3000 and 4000 dpi.The Kodachrome slides were a challenge to the Dynamic Range of the scanner, but I believe that most of the detail in the shadows that is there was extracted.Unfortunately, Kodachrome, with all of its many attributes, does have substantial downsides including a very narrow exposure latitude and shadow detail is simply lacking.I think the scanner accurately reproduced the information including the colors on the Kodachrome slides, with perhaps a slight bluish cast noticed in some cases.

It wasn't until I was finished scanning all of the culled slides that I undertook to scan my select color negatives.And this scanner really came into its own scanning color negatives.Don't even TRY to scan color negatives without ICE because the results are unbelievably bad.Even pristine negatives have scratches and pit marks that magically are erased by the ICE feature.What a godsend.I only wish it had worked so flawlessly on the Kodachrome slides.The scanned color negatives were just beautiful with very accurate color rendition.But immediately I noticed much more grain in the color negatives (Royal Gold and Fuji Superia Gold) than in the scanned slides.

One note unrelated to the scanner itself.Until you've used a digital scanner to scan your color negatives you can't begin to realize how far superior Kodachrome, Provia, and Ektachrome slides are to color negatives insofar as capturing detail.Even the best color negatives have much more grain that Kodachrome.And the difference in color negatives is substantial too.

The included Nikon software worked fantastic for me.I downloaded a copy of VueScan which according to many reviews is superior to the Nikon software and found that for me the Nikon software was easier to work with and produced superior results.

The software did cause my computer to crash occasionally which was an aggravation, but a minor one when considered against its many attributes.

I can recommend this scanner without reservation.It is a phenomenal piece of equipment.

Best 35mm filmscanner under $50,000
The previous generation (CS IV and CS 4000) were hard to top, but Nikon did it yet again. Scans are smooth and gorgeous, color accuracy (provided your monitor is calibrated) is unrivaled and the updated ICE4 including DEE are a blessing. In fact the scans are so good that I have started to prefer CS5000 scans from well exposed Fuji Provia 100F or Astia 100F slides than images from a 6MP DSLR. Hard to believe but thats true.

Did I mention scanning speed ? I timed a 4000 DPI scan with digital ICE turned off, on a P4 2.6Ghz with 1 GB ram and USB2. It took 17 seconds from begining to end (excluding autofocus and auto exposure). Thats right. Actually three seconds faster than Nikon's claim of 20 sec. Beat that Minolta.

IMO the next step up can only be a $50K HowTek drum scanner ;) ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

You already love your iPod. But think how much better it would be if you had the ability to use it in the car. Monster Cable's iCarPlay wireless FM transmitter gives you just that: great sounding, wireless access to your entire multi-gigabyte collection of tunes, right through your car stere's FM radio. At the same time, the iCarPlay charges your iPod to keep the music playing.

Plug the iCarPlay's charger end into the 12-volt DC outlet (cigarette lighter) in your car and plug the other end into the dock connector on the bottom of your iPod. Select an FM station on the iCarPlay (choose from 88.1, 88.3, 88.5, 88.7, 88.9, 89.1, 89.3, or 89.5), and find the same station on your car stereo. Then pick your favorite song on your iPod and you're ready to roll. Your music transmits wirelessly to your car stereo using FM radio frequencies.

Monster Smart Digital Charging technology rapidly charges your iPod, then switches to a trickle charge to optimize its performance. You'll never have to worry about running out of power while using your iCarPlay wireless transmitter. ... Read more

Features

• Your music transmits wirelessly to your car stereo using Fm radio frequencies
• Monster Smart Digital Charging technology rapidly charges your iPod, and then switches to a trickle charge to optimize its performance
• Plug the iCarPlay Wireless charger end into the 12v outlet (cigarette lighter) in your car, and plug the other end into the dock connector on the bottom of your iPod
• Select an FM station on the iCarPlay Wireless, and find the same station on your car stereo
• Or pick your favorite song on your iPod, and you're ready to roll

Reviews (117)

Not too shabby...
This product is an extremely good idea.In fact, I wish that I could have selected 4.75 Stars.The iCarTrip could benefit greatly from the use of a bigger transmitter.I have to battle with a little bit of fuzz even when the selected station is 'blank.'It still sounds better than when I use my old tape adapter.I am not sure what is in it now, but increaseing the capacity a milliamp or two could really boost performance.

It is really easy to use, and I love the fact that I can keep my iPod charged all at the same time, It is really beneficial on a long road trip.Sure, the battery life says 12 hours, but that is without backlight functionality, and changing the songs frequently.Also, I do not have to bring my AC adapter on vacation... one less thing to leave in a hotel room.

Plus... more and more cars are coming out without a tape deck.The tape deck can be $225 more in some cases.$48.87 is a lot easier on the ol' wallet!

To conclude... Nice work!

(My apologies for typos)

ICarPlay
this transmitter works perfectly in my car. no fuzziness or anything, crystal clear sound. i absolutely love it, a great decision to play my mini in the car.

Just buy a tape adapter
Very poor sound quality.That's all there is to it.Great idea, but unless you are in an area with very few occupied stations, my bet is the sound quality will be very unsatisfactory.Buy a tape adapter, I use one now with great success, and if you need to charge your iPod while driving look into the iGo system or something like it.

Mixed results - not worth the money
I'm using iCarPlay in a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. It works fairly well IF you're in an area where the radio station frequencies are not in use but if I turn on my AC, heater fan etc. I get annoying static sound. In some areas, clashing with radio stations is a big problem. Trying to switch to other frequencies while driving probably isn't the safest thing to do either. The "volume blast" when turning the car on, mentioned in other reviews, is also a major negative.
Overall, I just don't think it's worth the money or aggravation. Will probably return it and try a cassette adapter until a compatible, decent price system comes out to allow direct integration with my factory Bose car CD system.

Great accessory for all ipod lovers!!!!!
Very easy to use, I get great sound and you have 8 different stations to select from. It also has a great look, lights up in red so it's easy to see when driving at night! ... Read more

Product Description

records high-quality DVD-Video * records to mini DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs, and DVD+RWs * recording capacity of one disc: 20 minutes at HQ setting; 30 minutes at SP setting; 60 minutes at LP setting * digital photo mode * 2-1/2" color touchpanel LCD * variable-speed 10X Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 120X) * ... Read more

Features

• records high-quality DVD-Video
• records to mini DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs, and DVD+RWs
• recording capacity of one disc: 20 minutes at HQ setting; 30 minutes at SP setting; 60 minutes at LP setting
• digital photo mode
• 2-1/2" color touchpanel LCD

Reviews (3)

Easy to use; great size; quality results
The video is great.Even at the LP setting the quality is good.Being able to put 5,100 stills on one DVD is great.I always carry one DVD for video and another for stills.

Small, compact and easy to use.What more could you want?

Sony DCR-DVD7Excellent Video - Easy to use (point & shoot)
We needed an easy to use, lightweight, quality video camcorder that anyone could use.The Sony DCR-DVD7 is GREAT. Worked excellent on vacation, our beach video images are excellent - the "EASY BUTTON" makes the whole experience of shooting video a snap. When we reviewed the video the quality was surprising very good for the price of this camcorder.We have a JVC camcorder that we paid double the price for which I find difficult/complicated and too heavy to use.

NOTE: The DVD7 is so easy to use - for example; I was holding one dog (7 month old wiggly puppy)in one arm, and using our DVD7 with the other hand to capture our other dog playing tag with a sand crab, and the video images turned out steady, focused, and clear.

As for digital still images - I did not purchase this device for still images. If all I wanted was still images, I would use a disposable camera for on the beach, and our Sony digial camera for other times.

Now for the software: easy and fun to use.

**Battery - really does last a full hour! And I was using it for video, and play-back of the video, not still pictures.

Overall impression: I wanted a point & shoot camcorder with great video images. Here is all you do: insert the DVD, turn on the power, touch the "EASY Button", and shoot. If you want a lightweight, easy to use, excellent video images, and a battery that lasts a full hour, the DCR-DVD7 is exactly all these things.

Sony DCR-DVD7 - Nice size but missing a few features
Review for the Sony DCR-DVD7.

Last week I found myself about 2000 miles from home and needed an easy to use, lightweight, and small camcorder. I found the DCR-DVD7 and decided to try it. It worked well for my needs except in the area of digital stills.

I noticed this camera at first because of its shape. It looks like a digital camera - not a camcorder. It is small enough (if you have big pockets) to fit into your pocket.

The camera is very easy to use and even has an Easy button to make taking video a snap.

Pros

The pluses of this camera are that it is small and takes acceptable video. Has a good feel and form factor. The camera has quick and smooth focus. It turns on and is ready to shoot in a very short time even for a DVD based camcorder. All the I/O ports work good (USB and Video-out). It has a nice bright LCD display. It can take literally thousands of digital images. When you finish shooting video, you have a ready-made DVD to show friends and family. You also have a long lasting archive of your images that you can edit later.

Cons

For me the biggest downside of this camera is that it takes terrible digital still images. The pictures have visible pixels and the color is not as rich as with Sony still cameras. A unit of this price should take at least acceptable still images. Some of the pictures I took with the camera look worse than the old Apple Quick-take cameras of 10 years ago could produce. The camera has no Firewire port. As an Apple computer user, this camera is unfriendly when it comes to editing-no Apple supported software and it is a difficult task to put your video into iMovie for editing. For all these lacking areas it is a bit pricey.


(Comments: - JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY FROM SONY READS THIS STUFF - This camera has a great form factor and has huge potential. IF it had a headphone out-jack, you could have a portable DVD player and MP3 Player that could be watched/listened to on a plane or any other type of trip. IF it took better digital, stills it would be good buy because it could replace a digital camera and camcorder. Some other reviews I have read criticize this unit because of the video quality of this unit but I found it to be acceptable for home use. Great concept I wish that Sony would make some small improvements and this unit could be a fantastic product. )


Conclusion

Overall, if you need an easy to use camcorder that is small this camera would be a good choice. (DVD archiving is also a big plus for those who shoot video but do not always edit it right away.) If you are looking for great quality images and size does not matter look elsewhere. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Early Adopters Pick: August 2003. The first PDA to include integrated GPS technology.

With the power of Palm OS 5 and the dependability of Garmin GPS technology, this super PDA redefines multitasking. Its integrated software not only allows you to look up appointments and contacts, it also locates and routes you to them with voice-guidance commands. Feature highlights include: GPS receiver, MP3 player, voice recorder, infrared communication, and vibrating alarm.

GPS The differentiating feature of the iQue 3600 is its integrated GPS capabilities. Garmin's innovative Que technology delivers location awareness, electronic mapping, automatic route calculation, turn-by-turn voice guidance, and map data interface to the iQue 3600. Que technology enables users to see where they are, find a street address, know where the next turn is via visual and voice guidance, get back on track when they’ve strayed off course, and navigate efficiently to their desired destination. Detailed Mapping Users can choose a configurable basemap of North America, South America, Europe, or regions in the Pacific Rim, with generalized information on highways, major city streets, highway exit services, railways, rivers, lakes, and state, provincial, and national borders. The iQue also has the added benefit of detailed street information on the included MapSource® CD-ROM, giving users the capability of looking up restaurant addresses, hotels, local attractions, transportation hubs, emergency services, and much more. Once a desired point of interest is chosen, you have the capability to view more info or even show it on the map screen. The mapping capability of the iQue 3600 makes it a versatile companion for the international frequent flyer who travels, for instance, between New York and London or San Francisco and Hong Kong.

Customizable maps mean never getting lost again

Powerful Organization
The iQue 3600 is built around the Palm OS 5 platform and offers standard Palm applications, such as Address Book, Calculator, Date Book, Memo Pad, and To Do List. And there’s enough processing power to search large databases of stored information and to enhance display graphics with easy-to-read fonts and crisp electronic maps. There's also a voice recorder for making memos, quick notes, and messages. With 32 MB of built-in memory and an expansion slot, you can even store your favorite MP3s.

The flip-up GPS antenna

High-Tech Integration
One of the key benefits of technology integration on the iQue 3600 is its patent-pending contact-locator feature. Enabled by Garmin's Que technology, this feature connects the Palm Address Book and Date Book to the GPS electronic map to give the user the ability to navigate directly to a specific address within the user’s contact database.

System
The Garmin iQue 3600 features the new Motorola DragonBall MXL ARM9 microprocessor, and boasts 32 MB DRAM. This handheld is powered by Palm OS 5, which offers the processing power to take on the most demanding mobile computing tasks, together with advanced multimedia and the wireless connectivity and security that enterprises require.

Display
The iQue 3600 delivers brilliant images with its 2.16-by-3.24-inch display. It has a 16-bit color display with 320 x 480 pixel resolution.

Expansion
Expand your iQue 3600 via its Secure Digital slot.

Software
The iQue 3600 comes with the following Garmin Que applications: MP3, GPS Clock, Address Lookup, Electronic Mapping, Track Log, Trip Computer, Automatic Route Generation, and Turn-by-Turn Voice Guidance, as well as these Palm OS 5 applications: Address Book, Calculator, Date Book, Expense, Mail, Memo Pad, Palm Reader, and To Do List. In addition, it includes these third-party applications: Astraware Game Pack, Documents to Go, powerOne Personal Calculator, StarCaddy, SplashPhoto, and Vindigo.

The Nuts and Bolts

 

Included in the box
iQue 3600, protective display cover, metal stylus, USB HotSync cradle, A/C power/charging adapter, quick start guide, installation/application, CD-ROM with manual, and choice of MapSource configuration with full unlock certificate: either 1) North America City Select CD or Atlantic European City Select CD.

... Read more

Features

• ARM processor powered by Palm OS 5
• Integrated Que technology, with GARMIN GPS and mapping software
• Speaker for voice-guidance commands, MP3 player, and message playback
• Voice recorder for making memos, quick notes, and messages on the fly
• What's in the box: iQue 3600, protective display cover, metal stylus, USB HotSync cradle, A/C power/charging adapter, quick start guide, CD-ROM with manual, and choice of MapSource configuration

Reviews (159)

It is hard to deal with curstomer service
If you want to buy it, just hope it won't show "route calculation error".Here is the email I sent to them last year and I am still waiting for reply.

"Howdy!
I called two times hoping to find answers of "route calculation error".Unfortunately the problem still exists.
For the first time I used my new iQue 3600 during my trip to San Antonio, TX on August 6 to August 8, 2004.I was amazed at the functions the small one offered.It helped me a lot, especially in the downtown area.On my way back to home, the iQue stopped working and the "route calculation error" appeared on the screen.I had big trouble to find home back.
After I got home, I called tech support and after several attempts I was told to reload the map.After reloading the map, the route calculation error disappeared temporarily.
Today, August 24, I received my friend's new address and I couldn't route to her address and "route calculation error" appeared again.
Today's customer specialist, Doug, after several attempts, still suggested to reload the map.To me it is not an option anymore to solve the problem.I can not reload the map all the time, especially when I am away on road without my computer.If I knew that I would need to reload the map so often, I would not buy it in the first place.
Anyway you know your products better than me.I hope the problem can be solved quickly, otherwise I have to request the return of the product either to the store or to Garmin.
Thank you.
Feng Qin"

Good Product, but does have some faults.
I bought this unit several months ago in anticipation of trip to Italy because of the detailed maps available through Garman. Well, the street detail was breathtaking! Venice is a very complex city with alleys & tiny streets that are bunched together in an impossible maze. As long a I got a clear signal (a drawback of any GPS unit)I knew EXACTLY where I was. Walking directions were right on.
But, back stateside I started seeing some limitations with the unit: 1) Driving directions were not that great, taking you on round about routes in spite of requesting the least # of turns and/or highways (not side streets), 2) the battery life is terribly short and needs to be put back onto the cradle for re-charging, 3) it's a rather fragile unit - I'm somewhat of a klutz from time to time and have dropped the unit which then needed to be reset.
The PDA part of this unit was a welcome bonus. I purchased a 1GB memory card which gave me the maps I needed plus plenty of extra memory. I loaded Pocket Quicken on it which enables me to keep track of my personal finances away from my desktop. Overall - worth the investment.

Fantastic product
Really nice product and worth every cent.I own a Garmin StreetPilot and have used a Palm PDA so I found this really easy to use.The ability to drag maps around to find places is amazing.

The integrated PDA functionality really adds value.A must for anyone in sales that travels (you could actually know where your taxi is going and where to find dinner in any city).

If you are just doing navigation for your car you could just go with a StreetPilot - a bit easier to use.My third great GPS from Garmin.

PS. Some of my kids first words in the car "turn right daddy" - copying my nav systems audio - Dad's car talks!

User for 9 months
My 3600 GPS did not work the first time and was returned.After a new one was sent, it started working well.There are two detailed manuals which you should study (I downloaded and studied while I was waiting for delivery).For clarification on their 'too detailed instructions' I had to call their service about 5 times each spending 20 minutes on hold.Now that I have had it I can't do without.It is accurate 9 out of 10 new addresses I enter so don't trust it 100%.I use it everywhere (East coast and West coast).I use it to get to any new address and very valuable even trying to get out of a large parking lot after I arrive.After 3 months I started to use it to find shops and eatery while on the road.If you don't remember exactly a specific address, you can get there if you remember a store close by.The unit requires a soft reset every few weeks.The biggest plus is that you never lose your addresses because you sync it up with your home computer. There is a selection of 'fastest path or shortest distance' which could be confusing if selected wrong.I realize there are other GPS which are more costly, longer battery life with larger fonts but for the money it is the greatest product since the PC.

Excellent product and very useful.
I moved to a new city and bought this PDA upon my friends recommendation and I must say that I am very pleased with it. It has been of great help to me when I get lost or am exploring new areas of the city.

So far I have had no issues with it. I highly recommend this to anybody. The only thing I'd suggest is to get a car kit and antenna so that it does not attract prying eyes while driving. ... Read more

Product Description

Share your iPod mini MP3 collection with the world using the Griffin iTrip FM Transmitter that lets you play your iPod through any FM radio. The transmitter tunes to any FM frequency for the best possible performance and the battery-free design receives power directly from your iPod. It's great for listening to your iPod in the car. Includes CD-ROM and Quick Start Guide. ... Read more

Features

• FM transmitter designed to play iPod mini music through FM radios
• Tunes to any FM frequency for the best possible performance
• Battery-free design receives power from iPod itself
• Sleek, attractive housing fits seamlessly on top of iPod mini
• Compatible with iPod mini and full-sized iPods with dock connectors

Reviews (60)... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Sony's DSCM1 interestingly designed 5-megapixel digital camera is easy to use right out of the box--and extremely fast, too. The M1 is ready to shoot about as quickly as you can fold out its free-angle LCD, and its unique form factor--the camera looks like a winged robot or a small boomerang--captures subjects' attention immediately.

The M1's Twilight Portrait mode creates interesting effects. (See larger image.)

The M1's great features don't end with its fast start-up time, though; the pictures and video this camera takes are amazing. We put it through its paces in a variety of situations, from indoor evening parties to snowy outdoor activities and all sorts of cafes and museums in between, and almost without fail, the results were gorgeous. The camera's Twilight Portrait mode creates great effects by combining a flash with a long exposure time, and the Auto setting could be relied on to deal with even backlit or low-light scenes.

One of the M1's crisp, colorful images from the NYC installation of Christo's The Gates. (See larger image.)

The free-angle LCD, in addition to wowing photo subjects and passersby, is also useful for taking overhead or low-to-the-ground images, or for composing self-portraits. After swinging out the LCD to turn the camera on, the screen can be rotated approximately 270 degrees, making complex shooting situations a snap. In addition, at 2.5 inches, the LCD screen makes viewing images a real pleasure, and we were amazed at how often we found ourselves taking a friend's picture and then showing the friend every image we had stored on the memory card, or pulling out the camera to review images privately during a few minutes of down time.

The M1's interior shots from the new lobby of New York's Museum of Modern Art. (Click images for larger views.)

It is also worth noting that the M1's autofocus does an excellent job of quickly evaluating a scene and making relatively intelligent assumptions about the image subject. In the rare cases where edges or features in images were slightly fuzzy, it would've taken a poster-size print for the problem to really stand out. In all cases, the autofocus was quite fast, further contributing to an impressive recycle time between shots.

The areas in which the camera could have done slightly better were in a couple of the scene modes-- Landscape, for example, produced less stunning sunset images than the camera's Auto setting--and in transferring images to a computer. We found that images were less vibrant on the computer than on the M1's screen when transferred to a PC, using either the supplied Picture Package software or treating the camera as an external hard drive. However, it's easy to adjust them slightly using imaging software, and the muddiness did not occur at all when downloading the images to a Mac using iPhoto.

One further drawback is that while the camera body is quite sturdy, the memory card slot is exposed, meaning that taking photographs in inclement weather is an iffy proposition. Also, because the camera comprises three segments joined by hinges, it's got more seams for water and gunk to seep into than would a camera with a simpler construction. (It was not unusual for us to transport the camera in a pocket and pull it out to find that a stray piece of paper had lodged between the LCD and body.) A case would go a long way toward clearing this up, though. --Sarah Sternau

Pros

• It's fast
• Movie mode creates impressive MPEG4 video (with crisp audio) at a length limited only by available memory
• Unique form factor makes complex picture-taking situations easier

• Bulkier than many compact cameras currently available
• Memory card slot is exposed, making wet weather a concern
• Some downloading methods caused the images to lose vibrancy, necessitating simple touch-ups

Features

• Non-extending lens and Real Imaging Processor mean near instant startup and shutter release
• Supplied Cyber-shot Station makes camera-to-TV/PC connection quick and simple
• 5.1-megapixel sensor allows for photo-quality prints up to 13 by 17 inches
• Camera features 3x optical zoom in a unique vertical orientation
• Large 2.5-inch free-angle rotating LCD design makes viewing effortless

Reviews (16)

Perfect Blend of Pictures and Video
I just picked up the M1 and I love it!I was debating between this camera and Sony's other offering the Slim T7.The deciding factor for me was that I enjoy making home/vacation/special event videos and love video editing so being able to fit more video on a memory card with MP4 compression technology in the M1 won me over.

I've been playing around with the camera and the pictures turned out great.The pictures I post online look great and the pictures printed out (normal sized 4x6 for albums and frames) are as good as I can expect.

The software included (Picture Package) is pretty cool although the only feature I intend on and have been using is the mp4 to avi converter so that I can edit the videos I take using Microsoft Movie Maker 5 and Pinnacle Studio 9.Those and most programs won't work with MP4s so the conversion to avi is essential.

I have a Sony Mini DV Camcorder which is pretty small but its not exactly pocketsize so i'd rather not bring it around with me on an everday basis.The Mini DV Camcorder is fine for vacations or bigger events where i'll film hours of video.With the M1, I can put it in my pocket on everday situations or even little outings (dinner with friends / going to a basketball game / going to any event where lugging around a Camcorder would seem out of place).With the M1 i'll be able to take great quality pictures at the events and / or great videos of anything that might just pop up because you never know what'll happen! =]

A fine hybrid camera
There seem to be a lot of reviews complaining about blurry stills with this camera and lousy lighting on the videos. The latter is somewhat true, due to the tiny lens, video taken in low light, indoor situations are sub-par. Video taken outdoors is fantastic (much better than hi-8). I don't understand the complaints about the stills though. I replaced a fine Canon PowerShot s50 (gave it to my wife) and I can honestly say that the DSC-M1 takes as good and possibly even better stills. The colors are richer and I've had no problems with blur or fuzzy edges in any situations.

I've also read reviews that complain about the DSC-M1 not being pocket-size or compact enough and I'm wondering how tight their pants are??? This camera fits in my shirt, pants or jacket pocket quite comfortably.
I'd recommend this camera to anyone who wants a compact, high quality still camera with good (but, not great) video ability and can handle the $500-$600 price tag.

fairly good camera
This one replaced the DSCT-1 I had because the screen had cracked and the cost of repairs was equal to the cost of replacement.The other reviews of the M-1 are accurate.The major problem I found was the "upgrade" to MPEG4 videos.Yes, they are better, but they are, also, useless to send in e-mails because the recipents would have to have MPEG4 software in the computers to play them, and to quote another reviewer, "What's the point of shooting video if you can't e-mail it to friends&relatives."I preferred the T-1!

DSC-M1 Zoom Noise
This camera has a good combination of digital still and video. The Panasonic AV-100 does a better job on the video but doesn't even come close on the still. I would have given this camera a perfect score except for one very large gripe, if you zoom while shooting video, the noise from the zoom is very noticeable on playback.

Quality Camera
I have to agree with the guy that said read the manual . you need to keep in mind what you are trying to do with this camera when shooting . It Does take very clear pictures . I used to have the 3.2 sony cybershot . This camera is great !!! and user friendly both in shooting pictures and downloading . ... Read more

Product Description

print resolution: 600 x 600 dpi black; 4800 x 1200 dpi color * direct photo printing with PictBridge-compliant cameras * two-sided printing * ContrastPLUS 5-color ink system * print sizes: letter (8-1/2" x 11"), legal, 4" x 6", 5" x 7", envelope * ... Read more

Features

• USB and parallel interfaces; PC and Mac compatible
• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi color resolution, 600 x 600 dpi black
• Up to 25 ppm black, 17 ppm color; 4-by-6-inch photo in about 36 seconds
• ContrastPLUS 5-color ink system; built-in two-sided printing
• Direct print port, PictBridge compatible

Reviews (74)

Did not work straight out of the box!!
Received this printer 6/6/2006.Brand new, straight out of the box it would not print due to a defective printer head.Called Canon immediately - they assured us they would send a new print head ASAP.Still nothing as of 6/14/2005 - turns out they have no printer heads available - but of course they will not take the product back.$$$ down the drain.Would be very, verycautious about Canon purchases in future!!

Affordable photo/all purpose printer
Pros:
- affordable especially with all the rebate savings.
- prints high quality photo.
- prints photo fast.default setting prints 4x6 in 45 sec.
- individual ink tanks lower ongoing cost
- easy photo print software is very easy to use
- paper can be autofed from tray

Cons:
- big and heavy

This is the one to get.
After my Epson Stylus Photo 820 robbed me of vast quantites of money, paper, and faith in humanity, I weep with joy every time I print something with the Canon iP4000. Firstly, it's so cheap that you can hardly go wrong, but it's so good that you'll never go wrong. The photo quality is wonderful, the ink cannisters are bottomless, and the duplex printing (it can print on both sides without you having to do anything) is a fantastic paper-saving feature. I'm very happy with it.

Don't Use With External Print Server !!!!!
This is probably a great printer - fast, brilliant output, quiet, great price, top notch review in PC Mag and C/Net and all sorts of other places.I will never get the opportunity to experience this brilliance however because this printer flat out don't work with with an external print server.

Since I have 3 PCs that my family and I need to print from, since the printer is in the basement and none of the computers are there, I use an HP JetDirect external print server, meaning I don't have to dedicate an extra machine to run everyone's printing through.HP practically invented the print server, and I've never had a problem with any other printer - usually Epson.

Canon tech support confirmed the printer is unsupported through a print server.They suggest the iP4000R with a wireless one built-in which I may buy and sell my HP print server on eBay or something.But the beauty of an external one is that I shouldn't have to spend extra to buy future printers with this capability.I did find some postings on newsgroups hinting that some people have been able to get this printer to work through a print server, but usually some capability was lost, some other printer's device driver had to be used, etc.and I don't think many people are willing to give up features.

In the end as more features are stuffed into these printers, my guess is that this specialization will obsolete a lot of the printer servers out there.

A great printer (okay, except maybe for shipping labels)
This is my fourth Canon printer, and generally I've been happy with all of them.Happier, on average, than I was with the three HPs.

I bought this one because, what with the cost of photo paper (and inks, though Canons tend to be a bit lower in this department), I was reluctant to print out my growing libarary of digital photos at less than optimum quality.I had a 2 1/2 year old Canon S520, which did well but was still noticeably below a good commercial 35 mm print.

Well, my wife needed a printer for her office at church, so she inherited the S520 and I sprung for the PIXMA.Good move.The photo quality is much better, now at least comparable to a 1-hour 35mm job.And, it's fast!A text page just blazes through.Not as razor sharp as my best HP, but you'd be hard pressed to notice without your nose down on it.

The up side of the Canon system is the permanent print head.You don't throw it away, which makes ink tanks cheaper.However, be aware it's not really the half price you might be hoping for.My best guess is that I'm going 70% the distance of an HP cartridge of same rated quanitity. But at closer to half the price, I'm still ahead of the game, so no complaints here.Also, you don't throw a whole color cartridge away when one color runs out.Makes sense.

Now, the down side is that, I assume, running ink through the same print head for years means you need an ink of greater fluidity so it is less likely to clog.And that is probably what makes it smeary for a bit longer as it dries. But with most office paper, you're fine in a few seconds, and with photos inside a minute or two. Thumbs off until then!

Bottom line: if you're printing lots of smooth-coated shipping labels, like our one-star reviewer, you should look elsewhere.The Canon method is not for you.But me, I'm still a happy Canon camper. ... Read more

Product Description

ultra-high memory capacity * includes Memory Stick PRO storage case * includes MSAC-M2 Memory Stick Duo media adapter * SDMI-compliant MagicGate encryption technology * warranty: 1 year * ... Read more

Features

• Designed to support read and write speeds of 80 Mbps on high speed enabled devices
• Backwards compatible with devices that use Memory Stick PRO Duo media
• Included adaptor allows compatibility with Memory Stick PRO media enabled devices
• Designed for high resolution compact digital cameras and compact portable audio devices

Reviews (2)

Fast, reliable
Yeap, this works really well with the Sony PSP.Out of the box, Windows reports this has 490MB available.This is due to the different ways storage manufacturers and Windows calculate capacity.In Windows, 1MB=1024KB, 1KB=1024B, whereas for storage manufacturers, 1MB=1,000,000B, so "512MB" is really less than that as calculated by Windows.

Most PSP games seem to use about 600KB - 800KB for user data storage.Most MP3 songs encoded at 128kbps bitrate come out to 1MB per minute.So if you have two games and use the rest of this Memory Stick only for MP3, you can hold about 122 songs.Not something to write home about, but you can always download your favorite tunes to the Memory Stick and play them when you take a respite from gaming.

It's difficult to say how much video you can hold, because that depends entirely on how you encode (bitrate, audio quality, etc.).As a rough rule of thumb, this card can hold about one hour of acceptable-quality video.

You can access this Memory Stick Duo card by either hooking up your PSP to your PC directly (using a $5 mini-B USB 2.0 cable), or using a USB reader.I use the Sony high-speed reader (model # MSAC-US30), which is super-reliable and super-fast.If you have a third-party reader or laptop that can only take the full-size Memory Stick -- "Memory Stick Duo" cards are less than 50% of the full-sized Memory Sticks -- this package comes with an adapter that turns the Memory Stick Duo into a full-sized Memory Stick.

Sandisk has a 1GB Memory Stick Duo card for about $125, which is also a good value.But in the past I had inconsistent reliablity experience with Sandisk products, so I much prefer using a Sony Memory Stick Duo.512MB is okay for now, but I think I'll need at least 1GB for the full PSP experience: one movie, a couple short videos, 30 or so of my favorite songs, and game data for a few games.I imagine it'll be another year before 2GB Memory Stick Duos come down to the $100 level.

Great product!
This Memory Stick is a great buy for use in the Sony PSP and has a capacity that can hold up to 180 5 MP digital Images, 500 Minutes of music (ATRAC3), and 230 Minutes of video (.MP4, QVGA)! This MS has a ton of space and will provide lots of storage space. ... Read more

Product Description

Once you gaze at the KDE42XBR950, it's hard to look away. Sony technology shines in the 42" high definition plasma screen. It's capable of displaying up to six times the detail of a standard TV and is beautifully framed with Sony's elegant floating glass panel design. ... Read more

Features

• CineMotion technology optimizes the appearance of movies
• Jaw-dropping picture enhancement with SONY WEGA Engine System
• Direct Digital Circuitry for a natural, rich image from any source
• Digital Reality Creation for amazing picture resolution
• Scalable side-by-side Picture-and-Picture windows with MID(R)X circuitry

Product Description

7.2-megapixel recording * Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens with 35mm equivalent of 34-136mm * 4X optical zoom (2X digital/8X total zoom with lower-res photos only) * 2.5-inch color LCD * JPEG options: resolution up to 3072 x 2304; 2592 x 1944; 2048 x 1536; 1280 x 960; 640 x 480 * ... Read more

Features

• Capable of recording images on to both Memory Stick PRO media and CompactFlash Type 1 media
• Powered by rechargeable InfoLithium battery; supplied AC-LS5 adapter/charger provides stable power for USB transfer
• 7.2-megapixel resolution for photo-quality 15-by-20-inch prints
• 4x optical zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens
• Easy composition with 2.5-inch LCD monitor, the Hologram AF illuminator, multi-pattern measuring, and live histogram display

Reviews (15)

It is very good camera but has some limited
It is very nice camera just like a lot of people wrote. Here I only want to point out cons. in this camera as follow:
1. No wide angle option like canon s60, pro 1.
2. No good marco option ( minimum distance is 10cm, it ishard to shoot small object. but canon pro 1 has super marco so that you can shoot object as close as 2.4 cm).
3. Built-in flash is not very effective ( effective range is only less than 3 meters), fortunately, this has hot shoe but external flash is very pricy.
4. you need memory stick pro to use high qulity vedio. it is very costy.

Needed an upgrade
I just had a baby girl in January and of course want to take a million pictures of her growing up just as I did with my son.I still have the digital camera I bought before he was born and have been using it until my husband began pressuring me to buy a new camera.I didn't want to let go of my camera let me tell you!It is a Fuji FinePix 1.3 megapixel digital camera!Yeah, I know it is time to put it away.Anyway, we have been shopping for a new digital camera and I just loved the look and feel of the Sony V3.We actually went to a few stores and went back to look at the V3 about 3 times.Well, needless to say we just had to take it home.I've only had it a couple of days but the picture quality is great.I'm really excited to learn all of the functions on it and hopefully will take awesome pictures of my children.I know if I've had my Fuji for 5 years, this one should definitely last longer!

so far satisfied..
I have this a camera for about 3 months now. Enough time for me to say something. I'm a previous owner of point shoot camera. From 300, 640, 1, 3.2 mega pixel of various make & models (all ps). I have been to digital photo world since my first kid was 2, now she's 9. My main concern for a camera is the picture quality which is no doubt, this camera has clear sharp pictures. I don't care much about mega pixel. I've seen sharp and clear pictures taken with only 1 mp. I had mine set to 5 mp. This is not a pro or slr camera but picture quality is very close enough. Ergonomic, compactness beats the slr. Appertures, shutters, iso, focus can be adjusted manually just like the slr's.

These are the things I like with this camera, speed, you will be amazed how fast this camera responds between shoots, long battery life, we spend the whole day one of the amusement park here, did not bother changing my battery. most of my pictures taken with fill flash with the lcd monitor on. I got used to bring a couple of spare batteries. Dual media is great. I have 1 gig cf ultra and 1 gig ms pro loaded. I don't need to worry about running out of memories. Everything is great about this camera, my only complain is the on-board flash. It seems like you're getting enough light to a certain distance but this can be fix buy investing an external flash which I plan to buy in the future. (32 or 1000 ?) I don't know yet!

You will never go wrong with this camera. With this price, I paid more with my old sony 3.2 mp p-5 camera when they first came out.

The New Standard In Point and Shoot Digitals!!
I Own a Sony DSC-F828, and really wasn't looking for another camera, but the fact of the matter is that since the 828 is essentially a SLR camera, once you had the flash Etc. you got yourself one heavy piece of equipment!So seeing as we had a new baby coming along I found my self in the market for something lighter, but I was determined that it have as much of the power and capabilities as my 828.This was a tall order! The first camera wasn't a Sony at all it was the Canon G6 wich all in all was a fine camera and one I considered seriously until I saw the V3 on sony's web site. I sell camera's at BestBuy as one of my many jobs and I can tell you that that for every G6 we sell we sell 4 V3's heres why. First of all is the general design of the body, the G6 is essentially a box with a lens stuck on it! While the V3 is smaller and more contoured in shape and feel. One minus here, and I'm sure you've heard about this before... the eye piece on the V3 is poorly placed, and virtually useless, but with that big beautiful 2.5 LCD screen on the back you wont need it! As far as optics the G6 and V3 are just about dead even both having 4X optical, I give this one to Sony also because next to Canon I fell Ziess lenses are superior in optics and quality. (just an opinion) Next moving to flash ability, as far as on board flash this one goes to the Canon, the onboard with the V3 is useless for anything more than 5 or 6 feet away the Canon fared slightly better, both cameras equip with a hot shoe for an external flash, an when you slap the Sony X-32 flash on the V3 the results or nothing short of astounding again blowing the G6 out of the water! Another quick note on the V3 flash, if you plan on buying the V3's lense hood from Sony or here at Amazon include an external flash in your budjet! The hood does cause shadowing!! Word to the wise. As far as function the V3 has a extremely fast start up time, 1.1 or 1.3 seconds,The G6 was a little slower. Getting into speed hear me when I tell you this...if you want a camera faster than this you need to start looking at SLR's. This ain't no Nikon 2600 or a Canon A85, the V3 and G6 are both extremely fast cameras, again I found the V3 to be faster ( remember because of my job I get to do hands on comparisons) On virtually every other score I found the V3 to be the better of the two cameras heres a quick list of some of the biggest advantages the V3 has:
1.BIG LCD screen!! At last you can see what your shooting! Don't bother with the eye piece however, it just about useless!
2.Easy to read and navagate menus. If you want to start messing around with shutters and apatures this is your camera.The scene settings are great too, but I recomend using "P" mode for most of your picture taking! (just remember to have a tri-pod ready in low light!)
3. Video, video, video Sony is the undisputed king of on board digital camera video! Great sound, great Resolution It aint DVC, but it ain't bad either! You can get upto 44Minutes worth on a 1GB card (stick)! NO MORE CLIPS!!
4. Decent battery life. About 220 minutes per charge. Im not sure about the G6 (A friend of mine owns one, and he said he got about the same.)
5. Dual memory capability! A huge plus here! The ability to carry twice the memory ready and available right on the camera!Just flick the switch!If you are a volume picture taker this is a Gift from above for you. One minus however the V3 can't use Micro-Drives. (Maybe on next years model!?!?) The V4?
6. Picture. The V3 takes clearer shrper pictures than it's counterpart, bottom line. Not to mention the fact that you can crop your shots within the camera, and even select the resolution of the new image!! Fantastic! Beat the snot out of the G6 in ambient and low light settings. The G6 does have better ISO response, but not by enough for me to reccomend it over the V3.
7. A sane, Useful array of shutter speeds, and apature settings. I hate it when a camera addsa 40 or 60 second shutter delay, or a 1/2000 shutter speed, and then charges you 300 or 400 bucks for your trouble! Most mortal picture takers like you and me don't need these! (hell Im a professional photographer and I rarely do) the V3 shutter speeds range from 30 seconds all the way up to a scorching 1/1000, the apatures are set up likewise, It's a nice selection of speeds, allowing the use some really nice creativity options!
the apaturesThe Bottom Line, and what is it?
Sony has again set the new standard for so called point and shoot cameras, by increasing functionality and power while maintaining a compact size.Just search through Amazon here and you will be astounded at all the extra's available for this little camera! I like to call these new cameras Hybrids because they combine a little of both worlds. Sony proved they are the masters at this when they released the DSC-F828 which in my opinion is one of the most amazing digital cameras ever made! Tempramental but amazing! And that is where I can best describe the V3, It has many of the features and most of power of its predacessor (F-828) but is much more user friendly and tolerent of misgudgement on the photographers part. With the G6 like the 828 I found I have to work for great shots (not that I mind working) but with the V3 they just seemed to happen. The camera seems to act like an extension of yourself, and that is what any great camera should do. So to Sony I say Bravo again!! I bought one for my father, one for me and every damn accessory for it I can lay my hands on! If your ready this could be and will be the last digital camera you'll ever have to buy. To the Canon people out there don't get mad, the G6 is a fantastic camera in every sense of the words, but the V3 is an experience in photography not just another tool for taking snapshots!Sorry!
This is (if you'll excuse the pun) the best buy!

For those who are considering Canon G6
Do not buy Canon G6. Buy this one instead.I have done the research and paid the price for you.

When I buy cameras, the most important thing to me is picture quality.I have owned two digital cameras (3 MP and 5 MP, both are Sony) and I was upgrading to 7MP.

I narrowed my search to Sony V3 and Canon G6.I thought G6 may deliver better picture qualify because it has a bigger lens.I found out in a hard way that in this case, SIZE DOES NOT MATTER!

Here is the story:I bought a G6 about 3 months ago (at $599.99).I compared it side by side (same objects same conditions) with my 3MP Sony DS75 and astonishingly saw that my three-year-old Sony DS75 beat the G6 both in resolution and color of the pictures.I was very disappointed and decided to compare the G6 and V3.I brought my compact flash card to a local chain store that sells both the G6 and V3.The sales person was kind enough to let me take dozens of picture at the store using my compact flash card in both the G6 and V3. I compared the pictures at home.Every single shot (in door) by the V3 was better.

What about ourdoor pictures? I bought the V3.After coming home, I take many outdoor pictures using both the G6 and V3.Again, the V3 outdoor pictures have much better resolution and color.I was totally convinced that the G6 was just a piece of junk.

Another thing for the G6:It does not have date/time stamp unless you print in out in a Canon printer.Years from now, I don't want to check the time I create the picture file to figure out when the pictures were taken.If date/time stamp is important to you, another reason to forget about the G6.

I returned the G6 (paid 15% restock fee).I have taken over a thousand pictures with my V3 and I am very happy with it.Picture quality is much better with the V3.An excellent product. ... Read more