Purchased from Amazon arived NEXT day. Fantastic. Try to set up for WINXP: no documentation for xp. Called Acer tech support. You must have a valid serial number to even speak with human. Three tech support reps say it’s OK for winxp. Then they send me to Gateway PAID support for configuration. That would be $60 for 30 minute session. Nope. Back to Acer: three attempts at tech support, no it won’t work with xp. It “requires a graphical OS.” Online documentation says it takes advantage of multitouch capabilities of Win7, but not that it won’t function as a plain touch monitor. One tech support said “that is not a touch monitor,” despite it’s designation as a multitouch monitor. The screen itself is a nice LCD. Clear glass is quite reflective. Kudos to AMAZON for shipping it out and making it SOOOO easy to return. My suggestion if you need touch monitor for winxp is HP’s L2105TM. It’s just not available right now (12/15/2009). I now hate acer.
- 26mm equivalent Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 4x optical zoom
- Capture breathtaking images in Sweep Panorama Mode
- 14.1-megapixel resolution; 2.7-inch LCD screen for easy viewing
- Capture your videos in HD Movie mode (720p); Optical SteadyShot image stabilization reduces blur
- Accepts Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick PRO Duo/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo (not included)
The DSC-W350 captures images with amazing detail with its Carl Zeiss 26mm wide angle 4x zoom lens. Take breathtaking panoramas in Sweep panorama mode and review them on a 2.7â LCD. Record 720p high definition movies while Optical SteadyShot⢠image stabilization, iAuto and Face Motion Detection makes taking great images in various conditions easy..
read more.
As most of the digital cameras from sony, the Sony DSC-W350 14.1MP Digital Camera is also a good product with some interesting features.
1. Size of the camera. Its almost like a phone that you can put in your pocket.
2. Sweep panorama mode where you can capture a wide area.
3. Zoom while taking a video.
- “Exmor R” CMOS sensor for stunning low-light performance
- iSweep Panorama Mode captures stunning panoramic images
- Fast capture with 10fps at full 10.2-megapixel resolution
- 10x optical zoom Sony G-Lens with 25mm wide angle; 1080i AVCHD Movie records high-quality HD movies
- Recording Media : 45MB internal Flash Memory, optional Memory Stick Duo Media, optional Memory Stick PRO Duo Media, optional Memory Stick PRO Duo (High Speed), optional Memory Stick PRO HG-Duo, optional SD/SDHC media
Capture stunning low-light images and sweeping panoramic views with the DSC-HX5V featuring an âExmor Râ CMOS Sensor. Plus catch fast action shots with up to 10 frames per seconds shooting. Full HD Movie Mode9 records amazingly detailed video and a 25mm equivalent wide angle 10x high-zoom G Lens allows you to take captivating images. featuring an âExmor Râ CMOS Sensor. Plus catch fast action shots with up to 10 frames per seconds shooting. Full HD Movie Mode9 records amazingly detail.
read more.
This is a great camera for the price, especially with the built-in compass and GPS capability. I have no complaint with the camera itself except for the microphone placement which is located where one naturally places fingers to hold the camera.
My complaint is with the lousy documentation. You really have to dig in order to learn how to use the GPS information recorded with each image or movie. I own cameras from Sony’s major competitors, Nikon and Canon, and both companies provide user manuals that are far superior.
I was considering buying this camera for a niece who will by biking through a some fantastic Colorado scenery this summer but I’m having second thoughts now because Sony has made the learning curve so steep for a digital camera novice.
It’s a shame that such a fine instrument is sold with such deplorable documentation.
I was going to order this camera, but the price kept dropping, down to $219.95. I was ready to order, but by the time I got home, it went up in price! It kept going up and now is at $269.95, in a little more than an week. No way. This needs some explaining. Down $50 and back up $50 within two weeks. What’s up?
The Samsung HZ15W includes a world first 10x optical zoom and 24mm ultra wide angle Schneider lens and cements Samsung’s position as an innovator in the new and important High-zoom category – compact cameras equipped with the sort of advanced zoom lens technology traditionally seen only in SLR cameras. This new technology gives people even greater control and helps them take better, professional standard photos; enhancing the entire photography experience, from shooting to sharing images with friends and family. The 12-megapixel HZ15W also includes HD movie capture so people can “Pause and Re-record” high definition videos and super sharp movie-quality recordings in one movie clip – a Samsung patented function. The cameras also include “Smart Auto” (Scene Recognition) technology: 11 optimized picture pre-settings such as Portrait, Night portrait, Macro and Macro Color, to help people take the perfect shot regardless of the conditions.. read more.
Added 11/20/09:
On impulse, I bought the zs3. I was swayed by the many 5-star reviews. As I said before, I want RAW, but I figured I would live with the jpeg until the manufacturers get their trip together. 
But then something happened I find disturbing.
Amazon shipped it without any packing, and the unpadded camera box was just thrown into the Amazon ship box. The camera rattled around inside the bigger shipping box.
I see a number of reviews of defective cameras on this site, and I wonder what the packing was like – or wasn’t.
Now, this has become all too common a practice in careless sweat shop operations. I once bought a $800 Nikon lens from Adorama that was shipped like this – toss and forget.
I am sure these items are too fragile to be treated like this. If I bought this camera at a Radio Shack, and the sales person just tossed it on the floor rather than handing it to me, I would blow my stack. After all, I just paid for this item, it is now my property, and you are treating it in a destructive and careless manner. And this is exactly what Amazon is doing with my purchase.
Jeff Bezos built a great company, Amazon, and unfortunately obviously incompetent managers are busily undermining it. sad. Score one for the Lilliputs.
Added 11/23:
HaHa I have to laugh at the snarling Besenjis of mediocrity! Just kidding. Everyone has potential, so have hope. About the camera:
The lcd is good, and the depth of field for close shots is excellent, if you want that. One commenter, a rare observer not suffering from a tightie, said that a Nikon is gonna be like hauling a big load around. I agree totally.
But then I noticed something disturbing about the pictures of the zs3.
When I zoomed a pic all the way, the edges were not “tack sharp.”
So I shot the same thing (a fern plant) with a $3000 Nikon. Same result.
Why? The explanation I come to is that the lcd screen can’t track the higher magnifications. The check on this will be to print out the pic even at 8.5×11 size and see how sharp it looks. That’s critical, because people notice subconsciously whether a photo is not sharp, and photographers have a bag of tricks to get sharpness. First, pics in low light suffer most from this, since the shutter is open longest, and hand-shake introduces blur. Ways to get sharp photos: hold your elbows tightly to your body, exhale and hold your breath, easily, squeeeze slowly the button like a sniper, if possible, brace the camera against anything solid (not your dog), use flash can help.
I offer these tips in case a reader has not heard them. I mean, while any reader is whining and spending time thinking how to censor my reviews, they may learn something, besides amusing me. Any substantive thoughts? (Look that one up)
The ZS3 records HD motion images at a smooth 60 frames per second with 1280×720-pixel resolution. It uses the AVCHD (MPEG-4/H.264) format via AVCHD Lite, which stores less data than other formats and thus lets you shoot more minutes of HD motion images before running out of memory.The ZS3 is equipped with an HDMI output terminal for direct transmission of digital picture and sound signals. Just connect the camera to an HDTV using a single HDMI mini cable (purchased separately), and it’s easy to view beautiful HD photos and motion images. If you have a VIERA HDTV, you can control the camera’s playback functions with VIERA’s remote control unit.The ZS3 packs a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with 12x optical zoom into a compact body. This versatile photographic tool lets you shoot everything from sweeping vistas at the 25mm wide-angle setting to dynamic 300mm telephoto shots. And the lens system’s exquisite rendering ability lets you capture even the subtle nuances of the sights and scenes in your travels.. read more.
I purchased this camera last week. I returned it yesterday. The camera only comes with a basic, printed manual. The in-depth manual, the one that any novice user is going to need is included on disk ONLY. This means that you have to lug your computer around if you want to refer to the manual while learning to use the camera. Who’s doing that? When I called Canon to inquire as to my missing manual, they told me that I could print the manual from the disk. Yeah, right. On my dime. I already spent hundreds of dollars on their camera and now they want me to spend even more money (and time) to print my own manual? BS!! They said this was part of their “going green” program. Well, guess what? Canon ain’t getting any of my green. I returned the camera and bought a Nikon P90 for the exact same price. The Nikon has two manuals the size of the Bible. One in English and one in Spanish. Viva Nikon!
It also appears as though the Nikon has more useful features for me. I own an eBay business and I can actually edit the photos that I take within the camera itself (cropping, borders, light, etc.). This will save me time.
Perhaps the Canon does the same, but I wouldn’t know because they were too cheap to print me a manual.
I wish I could comment on the workings of the Canon camera but without a proper manual, I couldn’t really learn how to use it. On the day I did attempt to use the camera, I kept having a problem with the macro auto-focus. The images were blurry 50% of the time. When I switched to manual macro-focus, the images were blurry and dark, plus there was a meter of some sort directly in the center of the screen which I couldn’t figure out how to remove (or use). It was then that I sought out the manual, only to find it missing. Wading through the online manual was an aggravation that I simply did not want to hassle with, especially when I had work that needed to be done.
What if I hadn’t been near my computer when I had some question about the camera’s function? Tough luck, I guess.
Bottom line, this is not a camera for a novice and I would not recommend it to anyone. Heck, even if you’re not new to digital cameras or photography, you still need to know how to use specific functions on a new camera. It is absurd to think that you must sit in front of your computer and learn, rather than take the camera into the real world and learn as you go.
With a 20x wide-angle zoom, the 12.1-megapixel PowerShot SX20 IS offers intelligent, versatile shooting power. Switch to Smart Auto mode for effortlessly great results, or shoot stunning HD movies.. read more.
The box was already opened. The battery of the camera has been already charged. CAMERA WAS NOT NEW! Amazon is cheating!!!!!!!
Here’s a camera for the serious tourist that is incredibly easy to use. The Panasonic Lumix ZS1 has a 12x magnification zoom lens that offers extreme wide angle for landscapes and long telephoto making objects far away seem close. This camera takes great still pictures but also lets you shoot movies. Blurry images from normal hand movements? Panasonic’s Mega Optical Image Stabilizer helps keep images in focus. Multiple auto focus and exposure modes make use of this camera really easy. Leica optics make the images seem as if you’re a professional. The Panasonic DMCZS1K Lumix 10.1 Megapixel Digital Camera packs a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with 12x optical zoom into a compact body. This versatile photographic tool lets you shoot everything from sweeping vistas at the 25mm wide-angle setting to dynamic 300mm telephoto shots. And the lens system’s exquisite rendering ability lets you capture even the subtle nuances of the sights and scenes in your travels. Just set the camera to iA mode, aim and shoot. The camera does all the rest. It automatically determines the most suitable Scene mode and helps correct blurring, focus, and brightness problems. With iA mode, it’s easy to get beautiful, clear results. File Format – JPEG (Exif 2.21), Quicktime Motion JPEG 25mm Ultra Wide-angle 12x Optical Zoom LEICA DC (25-300mm in 35mm equiv.) 2.7 High-resolution Intelligent LCD with Wide-viewing Angle ISO Sensitivity – Auto / 80 / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 Optical Image Stabilizer – MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) Shooting Mode – Intelligent AUTO, Normal Picture, My Scene Mode,Scene Mode, Motion Picture, Clipboard iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode with AF Tracking Power – Rechargeable Battery Dimensions (H x W x D) – 2.35” x 4.07” x 1.29” Weight – Approx. 7.2 oz. read more.
Added 11/20/09:
On impulse, I bought the zs3. I was swayed by the many 5-star reviews. As I said before, I want RAW, but I figured I would live with the jpeg until the manufacturers get their trip together.
But then something happened I find disturbing.
Amazon shipped it without any packing, and the unpadded camera box was just thrown into the Amazon ship box. The camera rattled around inside the bigger shipping box.
I see a number of reviews of defective cameras on this site, and I wonder what the packing was like – or wasn’t.
Now, this has become all too common a practice in careless sweat shop operations. I once bought a $800 Nikon lens from Adorama that was shipped like this – toss and forget.
I am sure these items are too fragile to be treated like this. If I bought this camera at a Radio Shack, and the sales person just tossed it on the floor rather than handing it to me, I would blow my stack. After all, I just paid for this item, it is now my property, and you are treating it in a destructive and careless manner. And this is exactly what Amazon is doing with my purchase.
Jeff Bezos built a great company, Amazon, and unfortunately obviously incompetent managers are busily undermining it. sad. Score one for the Lilliputs.
Added 11/23:
HaHa I have to laugh at the snarling Besenjis of mediocrity! Just kidding. Everyone has potential, so have hope. About the camera:
The lcd is good, and the depth of field for close shots is excellent, if you want that. One commenter, a rare observer not suffering from a tightie, said that a Nikon is gonna be like hauling a big load around. I agree totally.
But then I noticed something disturbing about the pictures of the zs3.
When I zoomed a pic all the way, the edges were not “tack sharp.”
So I shot the same thing (a fern plant) with a $3000 Nikon. Same result.
Why? The explanation I come to is that the lcd screen can’t track the higher magnifications. The check on this will be to print out the pic even at 8.5×11 size and see how sharp it looks. That’s critical, because people notice subconsciously whether a photo is not sharp, and photographers have a bag of tricks to get sharpness. First, pics in low light suffer most from this, since the shutter is open longest, and hand-shake introduces blur. Ways to get sharp photos: hold your elbows tightly to your body, exhale and hold your breath, easily, squeeeze slowly the button like a sniper, if possible, brace the camera against anything solid (not your dog), use flash can help.
I offer these tips in case a reader has not heard them. I mean, while any reader is whining and spending time thinking how to censor my reviews, they may learn something, besides amusing me. Any substantive thoughts? (Look that one up)
The ZS3 records HD motion images at a smooth 60 frames per second with 1280 x 720-pixel resolution. It uses the AVCHD (MPEG-4/H.264) format, via AVCHD lite, which stores less data than other formats and thus lets you shoot more minutes of HD motion images before running out of memory.Just set the camera to iA mode, aim and shoot. The camera does all the rest. It automatically determines the most suitable scene mode and helps correct blurring, focus, and brightness problems. With iA mode, it’s easy to get beautiful, clear results. In the ZS3, iA mode cannot be used when shooting motion images.The ZS3 packs a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with 12x optical zoom into a compact body. This versatile photographic tool lets you shoot everything from sweeping vistas at the 25mm wide-angle setting to dynamic 300mm telephoto shots. And the lens system’s exquisite rendering ability lets you capture even the subtle nuances of the sights and scenes in your travels.. read more.
