Canon PowerShot SX510 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 30x Optical Zoom and 1080p Full-HD Video

Canon PowerShot SX510 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 30x Optical Zoom and 1080p Full-HD Video

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I'm just a point-and-shoot guy, and all I wanted was a good point-and-shoot camera with a powerful zoom lens, and good picture quality for an admittedly undiscerning eye. I got all that and more with this camera. Since there are plenty of "expert" reviews, I'm not going to say anything about the ins-and-outs of the camera. So, for what it's worth, here are my random comments.



1. Besides the 30x optical zoom on the SX510, the other cool feature is the wifi capability. Setting up the wifi was not particularly intuitive, but I eventually got everything working. I read one review from a mac owner that the wifi would not transfer pictures wirelessly from the camera to the the Apple computer. That's not true. All you need to do is download some Canon software (available here: [...] Once you download and install the software, you need to connect your computer to the camera via your home wifi network. Again, this isn't very intuitive, but it's not too difficult either. After the connection is made, you'll be able to transfer photos from the camera to your Apple computer via the "Image Sync" command.



2. One reason I decided to get a new camera (I upgraded from an older Canon Powershot, the S3) was because my old camera took terrible pictures indoors and in low light. I read that the SX510 did much better. To my untrained eye, this certainly seems to be the case. I took a couple of indoor pictures that turned out very poorly on my S3; using the SX510, the same shots were significantly better. On close inspection, I could see some "noise," but relatively speaking, the differences were huge.



3. The SX510 is very compact and light. One big reason, of course, is that it uses a proprietary battery, rather than 4 AAs. A lot of people prefer AAs for obvious reasons, but as long as you are prepared, the proprietary battery should not be a problem. You can buy extra batteries online (on Amazon) for a very low price. Having extra batteries will help you avoid those sad situations of not having batteries when you need them.



Well, that's all I can think of for now.

Canon PowerShot SX510 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 30x Optical Zoom and 1080p Full-HD Video

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Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom (Black)

Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I couldn't decide between these three cameras (and their variants, the Sony HX30 and the Panasonic ZX20) because many of the reviews of each made the cameras sound very similar. So, I went out and bought (from merchants who accepted returns) one of each of these three cameras (I didn't need WI-FI or GPS, so that's how I settled on these less expensive variants). And then I took photos and videos in various conditions. I am not a professional photographer, and I didn't do Imatest or any other specific tests on the images (you can read C/net for that), but this is an experience of a regular person who was taking pictures and videos with these three cameras side by side, which is a comparison that you do not often see.



The bottom line is that these three cameras are very similar with a few minor differences, but those differences set them apart and may make you decide that you like one more than the other.



Generally speaking, NONE of these cameras is a DSLR replacement. Whomever writes that the pictures are as good as a DSLR is not speaking accurately. Also, none of the cameras is a replacement for a high end camcorder.



OUTSIDE PICTURES



If you are taking pictures outside on a sunny day all of these cameras will take very nice pictures for small to medium enlargements (no bigger than 8 x 10). The cameras all produce nice fairly sharp images that would be well suited for that purpose. And, like most people, I don't remember ever enlarging a picture more than 8 x 10, so it is not a common problem.



What might be an issue is if you are zoomed in all the way and wanted to crop a photo (which sometimes happens), the differences in the way the cameras' photos look when you "pixel peep" might make a difference. In good light outside, the cameras were close, but the best photos were from the CANON with the SONY and the PANASONIC a close second.



INSIDE PICTURES - GOOD LIGHT



If you are inside and you are taking pictures in low light, you will see a different story. Again, at smaller sized prints 4x6, 5x7, most people will see almost no difference between the pictures of the three cameras other than the PANASONIC's colors are a little less vibrant than those in the CANON and the SONY. I am not sure whether those colors are less accurate, they are just a little less vivid.



If you pixel peep at these pictures, the CANON's photos are clearly the best with the PANASONIC's being second. The CANON's remain very sharp through a good amount of enlargement while the PANASONIC's, although close, get softer a little faster. The SONY's pictures inside with good light became soft rather quickly and, I'm not sure if this is because the SONY has 18MP on a small chip (as some of the tech reviewers write), but there is a "watercolor" effect where after you enlarge it a little bit, it looks like a Claude Manet painting.



INSIDE PICTURES - LOW LIGHT



In poor light, the hierarchy between the cameras remains the same, but there is less of a gap between the CANON and the PANASONIC. It seems as if the CANON takes somewhat worse pictures in low light, and the PANASONIC just doesn't get that much worse. As a result, the gap between these two becomes somewhat closer. The SONY's pictures remain the poorest of the three in low light.



VIDEO - OUTSIDE GOOD LIGHT



All three cameras take very nice video outside in good light. If you are editing or nitpicky, you will note that the SONY and the PANASONIC take 60 frames per second, which is somewhat easier to edit, than the 24 frames per second that the CANON records. While you have to look for it, the CANON's outside video does have a couple of instances where it seems to be a tad jerky compared to the SONY and PANASONIC's video. But you really have to look for it and most people won't notice if you don't have another video outside for comparison.



While all the outdoor video is close, I would give the edge to the SONY in video, with the PANASONIC second and the CANON third. But they are close for outside video.



VIDEO - INSIDE



Taking video inside is a different story. Inside, the SONY shines and clearly has the best video. The video from this camera is actually good. It is not professional level by any stretch, but it is good solid quite viewable video from a camera that takes still pictures.



There is a noticeable difference on indoor video between the SONY and the PANASONIC. This difference was perhaps most noticeable to me because I had both videos from both cameras and watched them over and over again looking for differences. While the difference is noticeable, it is not a tremendous difference. The SONY video is super smooth and seems to get as much out of the light as it can. The PANASONIC video also is smooth and gets a good contrast tone and color out of the available light, but is slightly less smooth than the SONY. The PANASONIC video is still very viewable and looks good, but not as good as the SONY.



The CANON will take decent indoor video in good light, but in poor light, it just seems to struggle. The CANON's video had many shadows and dark areas that simply were not present in the SONY and PANASONIC videos. I did not notice any hissing in the CANON video as some of the other reviewers have mentioned. This may be an issue that varies from camera to camera.



HANDLING AND SPEED



This was a fairly subjective comparison between the three cameras as to how they felt in the hand and how quickly the camera did what I wanted it to do because if the camera doesn't take the shot when you want to, it doesn't really matter how sharp the picture or video might be.



Based on my experience, the PANASONIC had the best handling of the three. While the PANASONIC and the SONY were both quick to take a picture, for some reason the SONY that I had would take a much longer time (seconds) to record the picture onto the card. This was despite the fact that both cameras had comparable cards with comparable write speeds. Both the SONY and the PANASONIC had rather quick autofocus which also made them seem to react faster. The PANASONIC is noticeably thinner and lighter than the SONY while maintaining a similar full raised rubber grip on the front which made the camera easier to handle. While both the SONY and the PANASONIC were quick, the blazingly fast (by comparison) write speeds on the PANASONIC compared with its almost non-existent shutter lag made this the best handling camera of the three by far.



Even though it consistently took the best pictures, the CANON was the worst handling camera. The autofocus often had issues focusing and there was a constant shutter lag while it was searching for its focus. We did miss some shots because the CANON was so slow to react. Also, the CANON is somewhere in weight between the SONY and the PANASONIC, but has the worst grip of the three. That little rubber strip on the front is not as effective a grip as the fuller grip that appears on the SONY and the PANASONIC.



With respect to handling, I've read many reviews and each of them seems to state different things about each of the cameras. Many of these reviews seem to indicate that the SONY is a very fast camera, and that might be the case, but the write speed of the 18 MP pictures (which are 50% larger than the CANON's photos and almost the same for the PANASONIC) was so slow, it was distracting and detracted from the experience of using the camera.



VERDICT AND CONCLUSIONS



None of these cameras is the best at everything. The CANON has the best pictures, but is slow to focus, somewhat awkward to handle and has the worst video of the three. The SONY handles okay but is heavy and has noticeably slow write speeds, its picture quality varies greatly with the light (and will deteriorate rapidly with any significant cropping) but the SONY has the best video, and it is noticeable.



In the end I decided to go with the PANASONIC. While it only was the best in handling, to me that was a significant portion of the photographic experience. It is not DSLR fast (instantaneous), but it is a zippy camera for a superzoom, is light in weight and has a good grip which makes it easier to hold. Also, it does not have a pop-up flash which I found always seemed to come up under my fingers where I was holding the left side camera. As noted above, the PANASONIC's videos were good, perhaps not as good as the SONY, but the PANASONIC was certainly capable of capturing some nice video, even in low light. The photos also were not as good as the CANON's, but they were close and very close in low light. With respect to the vibrancy of the colors, if you set the photo vibrancy on the PANASONIC to "happy" (which I guess is their "vivid") it is less of a noticeable difference. The photos look very nice and certainly are competitive in quality for this type of camera.



Hopefully this comparison and these observations will help you decide between these three similar cameras so you can choose the best one for your needs. Good luck.

Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom (Black)

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Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens and 720p HD Video Recording (Red)

Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens and 720p HD Video Recording (Red)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I'll note right off the bat -- I've been interested in photography for many years and have been honing my skills, but I am not a professional photographer. As a result, I can only speak to the qualities of this camera that might appeal to beginner/intermediate photographers. I owned a previous version of the Canon PowerShot and enjoyed it so much that I decided to purchase this newer model.



First, the basic specs. This camera has a 28mm wide-angle lens, a 16 megapixel sensor, DIGIC 4 image processor, image stabilization, settings for shooting in specific conditions (snow, fireworks, etc.) and numerous special effects (black and white, sepia, miniature, pinhole camera, etc.). It has sensitivity up to ISO 1600, which is perfect for those who often shoot in low lighting situations. With this type of camera, however, you're just not going to get the excellent low-light resolution that you will with cameras at a higher price point. This is only noticeable if you're zoomed in on an image taken at a higher ISO; the resolution in brighter conditions is excellent.



One of my favorite features about the camera is its 8x optical zoom; this is a great improvement upon the previous model I've owned. The image quality and stabilization at a higher zoom is excellent, resulting in perfect images every time.



The LCD screen is bright and a great size. It's easy to review previous pictures and compose a shot using the screen.



Although I haven't done much beyond simple experimentation with the movie settings, the camera can shoot 720p HD video (25 frames per second). The few videos I have recorded have been clear, crisp, and high-quality. It's not a feature I will use often, but it is an attractive feature for those wanting to capture shorter clips of sporting events, concerts, etc.



Thus far, the battery life has been great. There is an "eco" mode that conserves battery power without reducing image quality or camera performance.



Other features that may be of interest include:

* Wi-Fi capability to directly upload pictures

* "Smart shutter," which automatically takes a picture when a person smiles or gets into frame

* Face ID detection

* Color accent effect, which retains just one color and makes the rest of the photo black and white



Overall, I highly recommend this point-and-shoot camera for amateur photographers or for those who simply want a small, portable camera in addition to a DSLR. The image quality is great, and the price is very competitive. Enjoy!

Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens and 720p HD Video Recording (Red)

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Sony W800/B 20 MP Digital Camera (Black)

Sony W800/B 20 MP Digital Camera (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I'm a very occasional photographer, so this camera meets my needs very well. I find it easy to operate. This camera has a rechargeable LI-ON battery, and this is an improvement over my older camera that uses AA batteries. I like the feature that corrects for camera shake, as I had sometimes had blurry photos with my older camera and this is much improved with the Sony. Obviously, if you're a serious photographer, this is not the camera for you, but for me, it's great. I like to buy a less expensive camera in case I drop it in a lake or off a bridge by accident, and this seems fine for the price.

Sony W800/B 20 MP Digital Camera (Black)

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Nikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR (Body Only)

Nikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR (Body Only)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



While I'm hoping Nikon will release a D400, I couldn't resist trying out the new D7100. As a working pro who uses both FX and DX format cameras, my first impressions of the D7100 are very positive.



My simple summary is that this camera is a bargain and that those already inclined to own the best the DX camera Nikon sells should get one.



Having worked for years with the D300 and the D7000 bodies, my perspective on this one is influenced by what I think is good about those two popular cameras. I hoped that the D7100 would really improve in the areas of autofocus, shadow noise, and overall resolution/acuity. This camera has not disappointed me, and has even a few minor improvements I wasn't expecting.



Of first importance, shooters of the D7000 will appreciate the big improvements in AF (you probably know how sketchy that camera is to focus, especially compared to the 51-point standard set by most older/current pro bodies). It's fast, accurate, and doesn't get fooled into moving if you recompose. On single focus mode, it simply acquires and holds where you want. And the tracking AF is on par with Nikon's pro standard. This is huge for me, since I love the quality of images the D7000 gives but hate the unreliability of its AF. Acquiring focus in low light seems a bit snappier and more accurate than even the D300.



The resolving power of this sensor is unlike any DX camera before it. Because the D7100 doesn't have an anti-aliasing/low-pass filter on its 24 megapixel sensor, I knew it would be able to show a perceptible increase in resolving detail over the older D7000, and again I am glad to report it does - IF you use good glass, stopped down a bit, and process from the RAW files. My test shots captured with the Tokina 11-16 and Nikon 70-200 have blown me away. The acuity when zoomed in is night/day compared to the D7000. However, if you use mediocre glass then the only differences you'll notice are larger files and slightly better dynamic range.



In DX images, shadow noise has generally appeared too stippled even at lower ISO values, rendering a texture that the FX sensors don't have at the same ISO's. The D7100 has definitely improved this. The texture gradient is more uniform and it reminds me of the D600 in this way. Although I haven't done tests above ISO 1600, the shadow textures are more uniform and pleasant (natural?) on skin than the previous DX cameras.



Shooters familiar with Nikon's pro camera ergonomics will appreciate that the D7100 has added the quick magnification/zoom feature to the `OK' button on the rear thumbpad. It's great for snappy, quick inspections at defined zoom ratios to check for focus accuracy. This feature is nonexistent on the D7000 and the D600. I find it very handy and preferable to the +/- buttons.



Speaking of the +/- buttons to the left of the LCD, I have no idea why Nikon reversed their positions on this camera. It's a small thing but still annoying.



I'm still getting used to the new viewfinder display, so the jury is out.



The two-shot HDR feature isn't what it should be since it doesn't align the images. I'd use the bracketing feature on a tripod and be done with it.



I like that there's finally a lock button in the center of the program mode dial to avoid accidental switching, which happens too often on the D7000.



The rear LDC screen is slightly larger and also a bit crisper to my eyes.



The overall fit/finish is solid and secure. I have big hands so I only wish it was the same form factor as the D800 (hey Nikon, give us a D400 already), but at this price I'm not complaining.



I wish Nikon could squeeze out better battery performance from their cameras, frankly, and the D7100 hasn't improved upon what has become normal for the past couple years.



Sorry, but I don't mess with video so I cannot speak to this.



As a still image camera (in the DX format) the D7100 has really set a new standard. Even though I'd buy a D400 if it came out tomorrow, there's nothing stopping me from enjoying the D7100 today as the best you can get. I feel that the price is low for what it is and can create. Highly recommended...

Nikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR (Body Only)

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Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH4KBODY 16.05MP Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera with 4K Cinematic Video (Body Only)

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH4KBODY 16.05MP Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera with 4K Cinematic Video (Body Only)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



First of all, I can confirm that this memory card performs perfectly recording 4k at 100Mbps. http://ift.tt/1idwvak



I own a RED camera so have been dealing with 4K footage and working in the format for a couple of years now. I work professionally for one of the big 3 letter networks and have two Emmy statues sitting on my mantle. This camera absolutely blows me away.



Much can be debated about whether the DSLR form factor is suitable for professional video work. Its hard to get stable footage, most lenses are hard to focus with, zooming is difficult to impossible with most lenses, and the camera was designed to take still photos. What is hard to debate is that this is the best 4K camera currently available for travelers and DSLR style shooters.



I've put together a traveling kit that all fits into one backpack that includes the:

GH4

Tripod - 3 legged things "Brian" - Watch some videos on this extremely light and versatile tripod.

Monfrotto MVH500AH Fluid head - Seriously awesome and smooth

Slider - Edlekrone Slider Plus V2 - Medium with Motion module and Target module (waiting for shipment)

Jib - Aviator travel jib - Very compact. Extends 6ft. Haven't tested enough yet to determine worth.

Zacuto Marauder - Very Nice

Zacuto Z-Finder for GH3 - Pairs well with the higher resolution LCD on the GH4.

Olympus 12mm f/2 - Super sharp, no image stabilization

Pana Leica 25mm f/1.4 - Sharp at 2.8 everywhere. Excellent at 1.4. Creamy bokeh. Magical images but no IS.

Pana Leica 45mm f/2.8 - My Macro, 2nd portrait, and tele prime

Lumix G X 12-35 f/2 - Excellent all around zoom (24-70 equiv)

Lumix G X 35-100 f/2 - Excellent tele zoom (70-200 equiv)

Lumix 14-140 f/3.5-5.6 - Versatile run and gun lens. (24-280 equiv)



Yes, all of the above fits into a Lowepro Pro Trekker 400 AW! And is comfortable to carry.



I don't have much to add that hasn't already been written in these reviews so here are just a few notes from my experiences that may help others:



Editing 4K is no problem on a Mid 2012 Retina Mac Book Pro 2.7 i7 with 16GB Ram. With Adobe Premiere CS6 I edit at FULL resolution with no dropped frames usually. Sometimes when you hit play on the timeline it will drop 2 frames then playback the rest with no dropped frames. Or if your computer starts doing something else while you are playing it will drop a few frames. It will drop ZERO frames at HALF or QUARTER resolution. But remember, 4K is 4 times the resolution of 1080 so even at quarter resolution, you are previewing HD! There is no transcoding, just drag and drop on timeline and start editing.



Playing the files off the SD Card or even my SSD HD using quicktime player is not usable. It studders. I have to open premiere and import the files to play them back smoothly. Not an issue for me and my workflow. Haven't done much testing to figure out solutions.



HDMI to TV looks incredible. Some of the best looking HD you'll see at home. If you're a videophile who just has to watch movies on Blu Ray or better then you'll love the images from this camera.



You'll want to stick to the Panasonic Lumix / Leica lenses with image stabilization.



The onboard audio is decent but is very omni so you'll pick up sounds of your breathing and moving about. I have a rode stereo mic that attaches to the hotshoe.



Out of the box the footage is pretty sharp. Good for documentary shooting or everyday home use. But You can dial that back for a more cine style look.



I recommend shooting Cine-D.



This camera has no problem serving as a second camera to my RED or as my primary travel / docu camera.



I'll try and post more as I use this camera more, but if you're thinking about getting this camera- stop thinking and start clicking.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH4KBODY 16.05MP Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera with 4K Cinematic Video (Body Only)

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Nikon COOLPIX L830 16 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 34x Zoom NIKKOR Lens and Full 1080p HD Video (Black)

Nikon COOLPIX L830 16 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 34x Zoom NIKKOR Lens and Full 1080p HD Video (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



First, let me say that I am not terribly techy. I can barely turn on the TV anymore. So please, read the specs on this because I can't explain what they mean anyway. This review is based solely on my experience with the camera.



We took this great little camera on a trip to Mexico not long ago and it was awesome. So easy to use that even I managed to get some spectacular photos. My eyes are over 40 years old (the rest of me feels 29) so I have some trouble seeing up close. Therefore, the pictures I took with this camera were kind of just point, shoot and pray. Well the prayers were answered because when we looked at the pictures later on a screen I could actually see, they turned out super crisp. In fact there was a topless sunbather in one that I hadn't seen and my son was delighted that I got such a sharp, focused shot! Ha.



The HD video is also super cool. My son is using it to launch his youtube career -- he really needs to focus on college. -- lousy content aside, the videos turn out great. I haven't used it for video, but he does and loves it.



This camera is really sturdy and well made. It bounced around in my bag, got knocked off the table a time or two, and overall wasn't treated as well as it should have been. It didn't miss a beat or even get a scratch.



The zoom is amazing. The display is great (or so I am told since I can't really see it). This is an all around great addition to the amateur photographer or as a basic family camera. Highly recommend!

Nikon COOLPIX L830 16 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 34x Zoom NIKKOR Lens and Full 1080p HD Video (Black)

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Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens (OLD MODEL)

Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens (OLD MODEL)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



For the cost of this camera, I don't think you can get anything better. The low light performance is off the charts. As a wedding photographer I regularly shoot with Nikon's high end professional equipment and I was amazed how close this camera is to a pro camera. Now let me get specific. In order to compare I took a look at 100% files out of each camera I own.



Which camera excels Nikon D3100($Cheap) VS. D300($1600) VS. D700 ($2,700):

* Lens = The D3100 is the only camera that comes with a lens at it's normal price

* ISO Performance = Tie between D3100 and D700! (It could be Nikon's new processing but the JPEG looks fantastic I was shooting D3100 on 6400iso with very little noise at all)

* Low Light Focusing = D700

* Focus Speed = D700

* External Buttons & Controls for Pros = D700

* Menu Navigation = D3100

* Ease of Use = D3100

* Megapixel = D3100 (14.2)

* Sensor size = D700 (Much more important than megapixels but I won't get into this)

* Can use older lenses with functionality = D700 & D300

* Video = D3100 of course! 1080P video looks amazing.

* Frame Rate = D300 at 6 photos a second

* Weight = D3100 (light as a feather)

* Ergonomics = D700 (big enough for all my finger)



Lens:

The lens is a kit lens, it will work outside but not so great in low light. The Vibration Reduction will help indoors but Vibration Reduction can't stop a child or pet in motion indoors. Consider buying a 35mm 1.8dx AFS for around $200 and you will be super happy with this camera.



Video:

I purchased the 3100 specifically to shoot video, so I put on Nikon's brand new 85mm 1.4g Nano lens and shot video with it. The lens costs more than double the camera but I wanted to see how the 1080P video looked. It has the look of a cinematic movie. After the 85mm, I put on Nikon's 50 1.2 manual focus lens and was able to take very cinematic video in manual mode. In order to make it brighter or darker you either need to use a really old lens like the 50mm 1.2 and hit the AE-L (auto exposure lock) and twist the aperture to change exposure. Or you can hit the AE-L button when you get the exposure you like. Its not a perfect system but it works well for me. Inside the menu options you can change the AE-L button to hold the setting until you reset which is helpful.



Jello Cam (What's not so great):

This camera still suffers from the "Jello Cam" look in video if it is not on a tripod and you are shaky. The video can look like jello if moved too quickly. Use a monopod or tripod when shooting to avoid this. I'm not sure if a faster video frame rate 60fps would help - but at 24 and 30 it can suffer badly.



Conclusion:

This is an amazing deal! Unless you make most of your income from photography or have a stockpile of old lenses (this camera can only autofocus with AFS lenses) then this camera is the must have camera of the year. If you have good composition skills and an eye for light you can take photos worthy of a magazine with this. Seriously, you won't regret buying this camera. When you do, do yourself a favor and buy an additional Nikon AFS lens that has a maximum aperture of 2.8, 1.8 or 1.4. These lenses will take better portraits and deal better in low light than the kit lens.

Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens (OLD MODEL)

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Sony W800/B 20 MP Digital Camera (Black)

Sony W800/B 20 MP Digital Camera (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I'm a very occasional photographer, so this camera meets my needs very well. I find it easy to operate. This camera has a rechargeable LI-ON battery, and this is an improvement over my older camera that uses AA batteries. I like the feature that corrects for camera shake, as I had sometimes had blurry photos with my older camera and this is much improved with the Sony. Obviously, if you're a serious photographer, this is not the camera for you, but for me, it's great. I like to buy a less expensive camera in case I drop it in a lake or off a bridge by accident, and this seems fine for the price.

Sony W800/B 20 MP Digital Camera (Black)

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Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom (Black)

Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom (Black)

Product Description

Color: Black

From the Manufacturer

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD Display, GPS with Map View & Ultra Wide Angle - Black

Never Lose a Great Shot and Never Get Lost, the ZS20K Digital Camera with Built-In GPS

Geo-Tag Family and Friends, Built-In GPS notes your Favorite Landmarks and Locations Right from Your Digital Camera

This compact GPS digital camera is an excellent travel companion! Covering 203 countries/regions with landmark information for than a million spots in 82 countries/regions, your memory-making scenes will be attached to their real-time world locale with the LUMIX ZS20K GPS digital camera. Revel in a host of travel-friendly functions such as My Location, Auto Clock Setting, and My Landmark Function. When you select the GPS function, the name of the country, state, township or city that you are visiting will be recorded to your photo or video. Traveling in unfamiliar places? No worries! LUMIX GPS will point you to nearby landmarks, helping you find your way.

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I couldn't decide between these three cameras (and their variants, the Sony HX30 and the Panasonic ZX20) because many of the reviews of each made the cameras sound very similar. So, I went out and bought (from merchants who accepted returns) one of each of these three cameras (I didn't need WI-FI or GPS, so that's how I settled on these less expensive variants). And then I took photos and videos in various conditions. I am not a professional photographer, and I didn't do Imatest or any other specific tests on the images (you can read C/net for that), but this is an experience of a regular person who was taking pictures and videos with these three cameras side by side, which is a comparison that you do not often see.



The bottom line is that these three cameras are very similar with a few minor differences, but those differences set them apart and may make you decide that you like one more than the other.



Generally speaking, NONE of these cameras is a DSLR replacement. Whomever writes that the pictures are as good as a DSLR is not speaking accurately. Also, none of the cameras is a replacement for a high end camcorder.



OUTSIDE PICTURES



If you are taking pictures outside on a sunny day all of these cameras will take very nice pictures for small to medium enlargements (no bigger than 8 x 10). The cameras all produce nice fairly sharp images that would be well suited for that purpose. And, like most people, I don't remember ever enlarging a picture more than 8 x 10, so it is not a common problem.



What might be an issue is if you are zoomed in all the way and wanted to crop a photo (which sometimes happens), the differences in the way the cameras' photos look when you "pixel peep" might make a difference. In good light outside, the cameras were close, but the best photos were from the CANON with the SONY and the PANASONIC a close second.



INSIDE PICTURES - GOOD LIGHT



If you are inside and you are taking pictures in low light, you will see a different story. Again, at smaller sized prints 4x6, 5x7, most people will see almost no difference between the pictures of the three cameras other than the PANASONIC's colors are a little less vibrant than those in the CANON and the SONY. I am not sure whether those colors are less accurate, they are just a little less vivid.



If you pixel peep at these pictures, the CANON's photos are clearly the best with the PANASONIC's being second. The CANON's remain very sharp through a good amount of enlargement while the PANASONIC's, although close, get softer a little faster. The SONY's pictures inside with good light became soft rather quickly and, I'm not sure if this is because the SONY has 18MP on a small chip (as some of the tech reviewers write), but there is a "watercolor" effect where after you enlarge it a little bit, it looks like a Claude Manet painting.



INSIDE PICTURES - LOW LIGHT



In poor light, the hierarchy between the cameras remains the same, but there is less of a gap between the CANON and the PANASONIC. It seems as if the CANON takes somewhat worse pictures in low light, and the PANASONIC just doesn't get that much worse. As a result, the gap between these two becomes somewhat closer. The SONY's pictures remain the poorest of the three in low light.



VIDEO - OUTSIDE GOOD LIGHT



All three cameras take very nice video outside in good light. If you are editing or nitpicky, you will note that the SONY and the PANASONIC take 60 frames per second, which is somewhat easier to edit, than the 24 frames per second that the CANON records. While you have to look for it, the CANON's outside video does have a couple of instances where it seems to be a tad jerky compared to the SONY and PANASONIC's video. But you really have to look for it and most people won't notice if you don't have another video outside for comparison.



While all the outdoor video is close, I would give the edge to the SONY in video, with the PANASONIC second and the CANON third. But they are close for outside video.



VIDEO - INSIDE



Taking video inside is a different story. Inside, the SONY shines and clearly has the best video. The video from this camera is actually good. It is not professional level by any stretch, but it is good solid quite viewable video from a camera that takes still pictures.



There is a noticeable difference on indoor video between the SONY and the PANASONIC. This difference was perhaps most noticeable to me because I had both videos from both cameras and watched them over and over again looking for differences. While the difference is noticeable, it is not a tremendous difference. The SONY video is super smooth and seems to get as much out of the light as it can. The PANASONIC video also is smooth and gets a good contrast tone and color out of the available light, but is slightly less smooth than the SONY. The PANASONIC video is still very viewable and looks good, but not as good as the SONY.



The CANON will take decent indoor video in good light, but in poor light, it just seems to struggle. The CANON's video had many shadows and dark areas that simply were not present in the SONY and PANASONIC videos. I did not notice any hissing in the CANON video as some of the other reviewers have mentioned. This may be an issue that varies from camera to camera.



HANDLING AND SPEED



This was a fairly subjective comparison between the three cameras as to how they felt in the hand and how quickly the camera did what I wanted it to do because if the camera doesn't take the shot when you want to, it doesn't really matter how sharp the picture or video might be.



Based on my experience, the PANASONIC had the best handling of the three. While the PANASONIC and the SONY were both quick to take a picture, for some reason the SONY that I had would take a much longer time (seconds) to record the picture onto the card. This was despite the fact that both cameras had comparable cards with comparable write speeds. Both the SONY and the PANASONIC had rather quick autofocus which also made them seem to react faster. The PANASONIC is noticeably thinner and lighter than the SONY while maintaining a similar full raised rubber grip on the front which made the camera easier to handle. While both the SONY and the PANASONIC were quick, the blazingly fast (by comparison) write speeds on the PANASONIC compared with its almost non-existent shutter lag made this the best handling camera of the three by far.



Even though it consistently took the best pictures, the CANON was the worst handling camera. The autofocus often had issues focusing and there was a constant shutter lag while it was searching for its focus. We did miss some shots because the CANON was so slow to react. Also, the CANON is somewhere in weight between the SONY and the PANASONIC, but has the worst grip of the three. That little rubber strip on the front is not as effective a grip as the fuller grip that appears on the SONY and the PANASONIC.



With respect to handling, I've read many reviews and each of them seems to state different things about each of the cameras. Many of these reviews seem to indicate that the SONY is a very fast camera, and that might be the case, but the write speed of the 18 MP pictures (which are 50% larger than the CANON's photos and almost the same for the PANASONIC) was so slow, it was distracting and detracted from the experience of using the camera.



VERDICT AND CONCLUSIONS



None of these cameras is the best at everything. The CANON has the best pictures, but is slow to focus, somewhat awkward to handle and has the worst video of the three. The SONY handles okay but is heavy and has noticeably slow write speeds, its picture quality varies greatly with the light (and will deteriorate rapidly with any significant cropping) but the SONY has the best video, and it is noticeable.



In the end I decided to go with the PANASONIC. While it only was the best in handling, to me that was a significant portion of the photographic experience. It is not DSLR fast (instantaneous), but it is a zippy camera for a superzoom, is light in weight and has a good grip which makes it easier to hold. Also, it does not have a pop-up flash which I found always seemed to come up under my fingers where I was holding the left side camera. As noted above, the PANASONIC's videos were good, perhaps not as good as the SONY, but the PANASONIC was certainly capable of capturing some nice video, even in low light. The photos also were not as good as the CANON's, but they were close and very close in low light. With respect to the vibrancy of the colors, if you set the photo vibrancy on the PANASONIC to "happy" (which I guess is their "vivid") it is less of a noticeable difference. The photos look very nice and certainly are competitive in quality for this type of camera.



Hopefully this comparison and these observations will help you decide between these three similar cameras so you can choose the best one for your needs. Good luck.

Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom (Black)

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Nikon D3300 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II Zoom Lens (Black)

Nikon D3300 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II Zoom Lens (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



The Nikon D3300 has some of the best low light and best picture quality of mid level DSLR cameras, in the APS-C sensor size (this is not a full size sensor, but to get a full size sensor you will need to spend about $2000 or $3000 more).



Nikon D3300 is rated 30% higher in image quality compared to the Canon 70D.



The Nikon D3300 has a slightly larger sensor than the Canon 70D.



I was torn between Canon and Nikon. If you look at all the complaints about Canon in the last 1 or 2 years, you will see that they have been going backwards or sideways, while other companies are making huge strides. The Canon 70D is a smooth fast auto-focusing camera that is silent, however if you set it to auto mode and go take pictures they don't look as good as the Nikon D3300 on auto mode.



Comparing pictures side by side with the Canon 70D, the Nikon D3300 has sharper pictures. Zooming in on the photos I took with the 70D yielded a loss of detail. At the same quality settings, same aperture, and shutter speed settings, and with the exact same scene, I am able to zoom in and get better photos from the Nikon D3300, the D3300 really captures crisp photos.



The D3300 may be the only camera that doesn't have image quality problems with the 24 Megapixels. There is a megapixel war going on, although sensor sizes aren't increasing, which means the image quality isn't getting better with many cameras, because they are simply trying to cram more pixels with even less light per pixel, which doesn't help matters. However, the D3300 pulls off the impossible and gets beautiful very sharp photos every time.



The D3300 does very good video, it's glassy smooth and has tremendously good low light video performance, although the focus noise of the lens will intrude on your videos, because you can hear the little motor churning away to maintain focus. You can alternately use manual focus which works just fine for video. Or you can just push the focus button momentarily to get focus and then maintain your distance, and that will allow the lens to stop hunting for focus, which means you won't hear any noise in your video. To eliminate video focus noise you will need an external mic. The auto focus isn't super fast in video mode but it does have video auto focus mode, and if you had an external mic you could do simple documentaries or YouTube clips just fine and have very clean, very smooth video.



For video you could also consider a Sony HX-300 1080 60P, or the HX-400 which has 24P mode too. I've tried the HX-300 and it has nowhere near the low light performance of the Nikon D3300 but it does do really good video and has smooth, fast, silent auto focus, even at up to 50x zoom, which is ridiculous.



The Nikon D3300 takes noise free pictures in any lighting conditions (I haven't tried in total darkness of course). I set it to auto on a black cloudy day, just before rain, and it takes extremely clear pictures with no noise. The same pictures in sunlight were much less sharp, on the Canon 70D. The Canon 70D may be able to match the Nikon if you manually tweak things, but the Nikon doesn't take bad pictures on Auto mode, where as, the Canon 70D on Auto mode takes very average pictures.



I noticed the Canon 70D JPG pictures looked very digitized, and not natural, some were not even usable on auto mode, but the Nikon default JPG pictures look more natural. This is probably caused by better JPG compression on the Nikon? In "Raw" shooting mode I'm sure the Canon 70D has nearly equal image quality but I never did try that.



Something to note, the Nikon D3300 does not have a low pass filter on the sensor like most current DSLR's, so in theory it should shoot sharper photos more easily. The purpose of the low pass filter is to slightly blur pixels to prevent artifacts, and moire. The Nikon figured out a way around this, so it can shoot sharper without a "blur" filter. Canon people don't seem to care about anything except loyalty to one brand, so good luck explaining this to them! hehe.



This is a very small camera, I would say it feels about 50% smaller than a Canon 70D. It is very light. The buttons are all exceptional. The shutter is very loud as most DSLR cameras probably are. Taking pictures is as easy as turning it on and snapping photos. You'll get amazing results in almost any lighting with this camera.



If you want the best quality pictures, and you want to step up to a professional camera without the professional price, here is the camera you want. Image quality is within 1 point of the Nikon D7100. The entry level Canon DSLR mid-frame cameras cannot match the image quality of the newest Nikons.



Purchase an 18-200mm lens in the future to give you wide angle room shots, or scenic shots at 18mm, or to zoom in, at 200mm. The stock lens works fine, but it doesn't zoom in very far. That is something to consider in your purchase because of the price of lenses. However, this camera will last you for years, and it is a good investment.



Edit: The low light performance of the D3300 is supposed to be very good compared to older Nikon models. I can attest that this is true. In fact, I am shocked at how good the low light performance is. With the use of a tripod, you can turn down the shutter speed so it stays open for several seconds or longer. The picture I took in a non-lighted region of my house looked identical to a normally lit room with bright crisp exposure, and I was able to use ISO 100 setting, there was NO noise. Now this is something you simply cannot do with a point and shoot camera with a smaller sensor. So exciting!



I highly recommend the Nikon D3300 because it does everything very well.

Nikon D3300 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II Zoom Lens (Black)

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25 16.1 MP Compact Digital Camera with 20x Intelligent Zoom (Black)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25 16.1 MP Compact Digital Camera with 20x Intelligent Zoom (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I just got this camera in time for the first nice weather weekend on the East Coast and we went to NYC with the family for a nice day in Central Park.

I purchases a ZS10 2 years ago and skipped last year's model to buy the ZS25 this year.



It is a very fast camera from start up time to auto focus time and shutter release. I can't even tell the difference in speed compared to my DSLR (5 yrs old)



Lumix is known for superior lens quality - I read an article that they have a very close working relationship with Leica which speaks for itself. So I wasn't surprised at the image quality - even at max zoom. BTW keep in mind this is a 24 mm to 480 mm lens - meaning that 24 mm is a nice wide angle - comes in handy for indoor and nice group shots.



The reason I sound so exciting is the video capability of this camera. We went to a school concert the other night and I took some incredible videos of our little girl on stage. Just make sure you switch the recoding mode to MP4 - the default setting is on AVCHD the compression mode that no computer can read!

The videos I took were great - not too noisy even though it was real dark.



I am very pleased and feel this is a great little camera that is compact but gives you lots of shooting options.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25 16.1 MP Compact Digital Camera with 20x Intelligent Zoom (Black)

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Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens and 720p HD Video Recording (Silver)

Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens and 720p HD Video Recording (Silver)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I'll note right off the bat -- I've been interested in photography for many years and have been honing my skills, but I am not a professional photographer. As a result, I can only speak to the qualities of this camera that might appeal to beginner/intermediate photographers. I owned a previous version of the Canon PowerShot and enjoyed it so much that I decided to purchase this newer model.



First, the basic specs. This camera has a 28mm wide-angle lens, a 16 megapixel sensor, DIGIC 4 image processor, image stabilization, settings for shooting in specific conditions (snow, fireworks, etc.) and numerous special effects (black and white, sepia, miniature, pinhole camera, etc.). It has sensitivity up to ISO 1600, which is perfect for those who often shoot in low lighting situations. With this type of camera, however, you're just not going to get the excellent low-light resolution that you will with cameras at a higher price point. This is only noticeable if you're zoomed in on an image taken at a higher ISO; the resolution in brighter conditions is excellent.



One of my favorite features about the camera is its 8x optical zoom; this is a great improvement upon the previous model I've owned. The image quality and stabilization at a higher zoom is excellent, resulting in perfect images every time.



The LCD screen is bright and a great size. It's easy to review previous pictures and compose a shot using the screen.



Although I haven't done much beyond simple experimentation with the movie settings, the camera can shoot 720p HD video (25 frames per second). The few videos I have recorded have been clear, crisp, and high-quality. It's not a feature I will use often, but it is an attractive feature for those wanting to capture shorter clips of sporting events, concerts, etc.



Thus far, the battery life has been great. There is an "eco" mode that conserves battery power without reducing image quality or camera performance.



Other features that may be of interest include:

* Wi-Fi capability to directly upload pictures

* "Smart shutter," which automatically takes a picture when a person smiles or gets into frame

* Face ID detection

* Color accent effect, which retains just one color and makes the rest of the photo black and white



Overall, I highly recommend this point-and-shoot camera for amateur photographers or for those who simply want a small, portable camera in addition to a DSLR. The image quality is great, and the price is very competitive. Enjoy!

Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens and 720p HD Video Recording (Silver)

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Canon EOS 70D 20.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with Dual Pixel CMOS AF (Body Only)

Canon EOS 70D 20.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with Dual Pixel CMOS AF (Body Only)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is going to be short, since I've not had the chance to do a whole lot of shooting as yet. Consider it a "just out of the box" impression. I already have a Canon 5D Mk III, and a number of L series lenses. I wanted a "backup camera" for video shooting, and I was intrigued by the new auto-focus system offered on the 70D.



So far, I'm extremely pleased with this camera. The 18-35 mm kit lens gives a lot of range, and I tested the camera out with my other lenses. The L series lenses work very well, and auto-focusing is fast, smooth, and doesn't search around much even in very low light. The camera is not as heavy as the 5D Mk III, but feels solid enough, and not all that different in the hands. Even with the 70-300mm f4-5.6L IS USM zoom - my heaviest lens at the moment - the camera feels surprisingly balanced.



The crop sensor obviously changes the effect of the lenses, but having a full sensor and a crop sensor both, it's like having 2 sets of lenses. My 70-300mm zoom now has an effective reach up to 480 mm (on the Canon 70D) due to the crop factor of 1.6. To me, this is kind of a bonus, though not in itself a reason to buy the camera. Smaller sized sensors result in an apparent increase in focal length, and a greater depth of field, but this is a generalization and each lens has its own properties that affect the image as well. Read the reviews of individual lenses when considering how each one reacts to different types of camera bodies.



The main thing to take note of is that while the Canon 70D will accept all the EF and EF-L lenses, it is designed to use the EF-S series lenses as well. In fact, the EF-S series lenses are custom tailored specifically for the Canon 70D and (as far as I know) other APS-C crop sensor cameras made by Canon. These lenses - and the kit lens is one of them - will not work on a full frame camera like the Canon 5D mkIII; the rear element extends back into the camera body in a way that makes it impossible to attach lenses of this series to full frame sensor cameras. Even if they could be attached, I suspect the captured image might suffer from serious vignetting and other problems.



For a thorough understanding of how the APS-C, full frame and other types of sensors interact with various lenses, I highly recommend doing some research on the web. There's a lot of good information out there, and this is a fairly involved subject that I don't even want to attempt to dive into here :)



One thing I couldn't figure out before having the camera in my possession deserves a mention. This is my first experience with a fold-out LCD screen on a DSLR, and I had no idea how the display would deal with flipping around 180 degrees. Would it be upside down? This was the first thing I tried, and the screen auto-flips when it is rotated. Maybe everyone else already knows this - but I didn't! Anyway, the fold-out display is a great feature, and it also folds face-in to protect the display when not in use.



The ability to touch various points on the LCD display while in Live View or shooting video, and shift focus while shooting is - to me at least - worth the price of admission. If Canon eventually updates the 7D and/or the 5D Mk III, this functionality would be most welcome!



Purely as a "gut reaction" - I really like the 70D immensely. And it seems a very good value for the price. This may actually become my preferred "walk-around camera, though time will tell.



EDIT - 10/22/2013: I've spent a lot more time with the camera now, so I can add to my earlier comments.



While I purchased the 70D mainly for shooting video, I recently used it to shoot bracketed exposures for HDR (high dynamic range) panoramas. A friend of mine had a nodal camera head (The "Ninja" head) which allowed for precise rotation of the camera to cover a full 360 degree field-of-view. The Canon 70D allows for up to 7 bracketed exposures via the AEB controls. The plates were shot in the RAW (CR2) format, using the kit lens, and stitched together using PTGui software.



After some initial trial runs, where we ironed out the kinks in the whole process, the results were exceptional. For those who may be wondering "why do you want a 32 bit HDR 360 panorama at 10k-16k resolution?" it is used to create realistic lighting and reflections in a 3D/CG software (i.e. Modo or Maya, for example). The 3D scene can be lit entirely by the 360 panoramic image, producing a very convincing result.



At any rate, the Canon 70D delivered terrific results doing something I didn't even foresee when I bought the camera. I will try and upload some of the tests (where the photographic panorama serves as both background and light-source) if I can figure out how to do so on the Amazon site.



EDIT - 11/9/2013: A note to anyone who intends to shoot green screen (for color keyed composites) or do precise color grading in post production: The video output from the 70D is not YCbCr 4:2:2 compression. This is not apparent to the naked eye when viewing the video footage, but it becomes an issue when attempting to work with the footage in a post environment. The firmware update for the Canon 5D addressed this problem by enabling 4:2:2 color output via the HDMI port to an external recording device (I use the Atomos Ninja 2 for this) but currently uncompressed "clean" HDMI is not enabled on the Canon 70D. I have my fingers crossed this will be dealt with in an update to the firmware.



This is not a huge issue unless you intend to do extensive manipulation of your video footage in post production, but it is something to consider with this camera and DSLRs in general. There are workarounds, of course, but that can entail a fair amount of time & effort, particularly when extracting color key mattes (masks) involving fine edge detail or areas of transparency.



That being said, the footage is nevertheless beautiful. And I suspect this technical point should not be an issue for most people considering buying the Canon 70D. The CR2 (camera raw) files are not at all affected by this, it's a factor limited to the HD video.

Canon EOS 70D 20.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with Dual Pixel CMOS AF (Body Only)

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Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

CUSTOMER REVIEW



The Canon Rebel T3i takes the consumer level dSLR a couple steps closer to the mid-level Canon 60D with the addition of the rotating rear LCD screen, remote flash firing, and in-camera processing features. The already highly competent, older Rebel T2i already shared many important features with the 60D (and even features of the semi-pro 7D) including the 18 MP sensor, 63-zone exposure metering system, high ISO performance, HD movie capabilities, and Digic 4 image processor. With these new upgrades, it might make it even more difficult to choose between them. But there are some important differences.



If you are considering the Rebel T3i vs T2i, the Rebel T3i is replacing the T2i. Since both cameras share the same 18 megapixel sensor and Digic 4 processor, both the T2i and T3i will create images with exactly the same image quality, produce the same low light/ high ISO performance, shoot at 3.7 frames per second, and have nearly the same size and build quality. They are both offered with the same 18-55mm kit lens (with some minor cosmetic differences on the new T3i kit lens). The T3i is very slightly larger and heavier due to the addition of the rotating rear LCD monitor. And that is one of the biggest differences between the two cameras. Do you want and need a vari-angle rear screen or not? The other major difference is the ability of the T3i to remotely control multiple off-camera flashes. Like the 60D and 7D, you can use the built-in flash of the T3i to trigger other Canon Speedlites. Some other minor additions to the T3i include the Scene Intelligent Auto Mode, which is a feature borrowed from point and shoot cameras. When in Auto mode, the T3i will make a determination of what type of scene you are shooting - close-up, portrait, landscape, etc. - and automatically configure the camera settings accordingly. However, if you want to use a powerful and costly digital SLR as a point and shoot, you should probably save the money and just buy a nice, high quality point and shoot like the Canon S95. Other additional but not essential upgrades include the in-camera processing Creative Filters, and the ability to choose different image size ratios and to rate your images. (Helpful hint: press the Q Button while in image playback and you can access features like rating, rotating, and Creative Filters.) There is also a marginally helpful Feature Guide which gives brief descriptions of various settings and some additional video features like Video Snapshot, which you can use to shoot short video clips that are automatically joined together into a video, with music.



Canon Rebel T3i vs. 60D vs. 7D

Sensor and Image Quality: All three cameras share a very similar sensor and 18 megapixels, and so their image quality will be virtually the same. All are capable of taking professional quality images.



Exposure Metering: The three cameras all share the latest 63-zone, dual-layer exposure metering system and 4 metering modes. That means they will all determine the exposure virtually identically and enable you to take properly exposed photos in most every situation, including difficult back-lit scenes. The size of the areas metered for Partial and Spot metering vary slightly between the cameras, but that isn't anything critical.



Autofocus: The T3i shares a similar autofocus system to the 60D, with 9 focus points and three auto focusing modes. However the 9 AF points of the 60D are more sensitive than those of the T3i: all are cross-type in the 60D, only the center is cross-type in the T3i. The 60D autofocus system is much less complex than the sophisticated AF system of the 7D with its 19 AF point system and its additional Zone, Spot, and Expansion focus modes. These various modes address how you want to deal with and group the numerous AF points. Plus the custom settings of the 7D allow one to customize how the AF system works - how it tracks subjects, how it deals with objects that come between you and your initial subject, how quickly it responds to these changes of possible subjects that are at different distances from you, etc. However, if you are not an avid sports photographer, a wildlife shooter, or someone who understands, needs, and will use the elaborate features of the 7D AF system, then this shouldn't sway you.



Construction: As you can probably figure out from the prices, each camera is not built the same. The T3i has relatively strong construction of a stainless steel frame with polycarbonate body. The 60D has a stronger and lighter aluminum frame and polycarbonate body, but not as strong as the 7D's magnesium alloy construction. The 60D also has some amount of weather sealing - more than the T3i, less than the 7D. But for most users, including even those using the camera daily or in travel situations, the construction of any of these cameras is far more than good enough, strong enough, and durable enough.



ISO: Since they all share a very similar sensor, the ISO sensitivity and performance at high ISO settings is virtually the same for these three cameras. But don't take my word for it, don't be swayed by pixel peepers on forums, instead check out the camera sensor tests at dxomark to verify this. As you can see, they all share the exact same overall score, and show very similar performance.



Controls: As with construction, the buttons and controls vary with these cameras. Unlike the T3i, the 60D and 7D have nearly every control an advanced photographer needs on the exterior of the camera and they also have the top LCD panel and rear Quick Control Dial that are not on the T3i. With all the cameras, any controls can also be easily accessed with the Q Button and Q Menu or in the other menus on the rear LCD monitor. The top buttons of the 60D set only one setting each, so this is less complicated than the multiple-setting buttons of the 7D. Canon has removed the white balance (WB) button on the 60D that the 7D has, but that isn't a big deal - use the Q Menu. Another change on the 60D is that the Multi-controller has been moved from the thumb joystick like the 7D and 50D and placed in the middle of the rear Quick-control dial. This doesn't change how it functions, and should just be a matter of getting used to the difference. If you plan on using your camera on Auto or Program most of the time, then the controls of the T3i are more than sufficient for your needs. If you work in Av, Tv, or M modes and need quicker and more direct access to your controls and the additional top LCD screen to view and change your current settings, then you need to consider the 60D or 7D over the T3i.



Menus and Custom Functions: These allow for greater control over customizing how the camera functions. The T3i has less Menu and Custom Function setting options than the 60D, and the 7D has yet a few more than the 60D. These settings enable you to customize the operation, function, and controls to work how you want them to, including things like exposure increments, peripheral illuminations correction for lenses (fixes dark corners), tweaking how the autofocus system operates, setting more precise white balance settings, and customizing which button does what. There are ebooks such as my Canon T3i Experience - The Still Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation With the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D and Your World 60D - The Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon 60D which walk you through all of the Menu settings and Custom Function settings so that you can set up your camera to work best for how you photograph, and also begin to learn to master all the advanced features, settings, and controls of these powerful dSLR camera.



Wireless Flash: Like the 7D and 60D, the T3i incorporates wireless flash triggering. This allows you to trigger multiple off camera flashes at different output levels. The T2i does not have this feature.



Articulating LCD Screen: The big new feature that the 60D and T3i have that the 7D and T2i do not is the articulating rear LCD screen. This may prove useful for videographers, as well as for setting up compositions while the camera is on a tripod, for macro use, or for using it from unusually low or high vantage points. Some users will be able to avoid buying an expensive angle finder because of this feature. There is also an electronic level in the 7D and 60D, visible in the viewfinder, rear LCD, or top LCD.



Viewfinder: The T3i has a pentamirror viewfinder with 95% coverage of the actual resulting image. The 60D has a large, bright pentaprism viewfinder with 96% coverage, not quite as nice as the nearly 100% view of the 7D pentaprism.



Processor: The T3i shares the same Digic 4 processor as the 60D. The 7D has dual Digic 4 processors. However, if you don't need to shoot dozens of continuous images, you probably won't notice any processing speed issues.



Continuous Shooting Speed: The T3i can shoot 3.7 frames per second. The 7D can shoot a blazing 8 frames per second, in which the photos barely change from frame to frame. The 60D can shoot a respectable 5.3 fps which is actually a more useful rate. If you need the extremely high fps for sports, wildlife, or other action shooting, get the 7D. If not, don't be swayed by this excessive feature.



Memory Card: The T3i and 60D use the SD memory card. The 7D uses the CF card.



Battery: The T3i and T2i use the smaller LP-E8 battery with less capacity than the LP-E6 battery used by the 60D and 7D.



Size and Weight: The T3i is smaller and lighter than the 60D, which in turn is smaller and lighter than the 7D. Go to a store and hold them to get a better feel for their size, weight, and feel. The 60D and 7D "feel" like the more substantial cameras that they are. A nice improvement of the T3i is that its hand grip area has been modified, and has a different feel than that of the T2i - the area where the thumb rests is contoured differently and has a nice channel for the thumb, which allows for a much more secure one-hand-grip of the camera.



AF Microadjustment: The 7D has this feature, the 60D and T3i and T2i do not. This allows you to adjust the focus of each of your lenses in case any of them are slightly front-focusing or back-focusing.



Locking Mode Dial: This is a new feature for a Canon dSLR, only on the 60D, that keeps the Mode dial from accidentally rotating. A nice touch.



Full HD video: Of course they all offer this capability. Note that this is not video for your kids' parties and soccer games. It does not have continuous autofocus while shooting, as a camcorder does. It is not designed for that kind of use, but rather for serious videographers who typically manually focus. You can adjust autofocus while shooting by pressing the shutter button or the AF button, but it may have a less than desired looking result and unless you are using an external microphone, the autofocusing sound will be picked up. The T3i has the digital zoom feature in video, which allows for nice smooth zooms while filming.



Flash Sync: the 60D and T3i do not have a PC sync flash socket to plug in PC sync cords for off camera flash use. The 7D has this. However, they all offer wireless remote flash capability with the built in flash as a commander.



Ease of operation: While beginners may find all the buttons, controls, and menus of any dSLR difficult and confusing at first, the menus and controls of the T3i and T2i are pretty basic and simple to learn for a dedicated user. The additional controls and menus of the 7D and 60D are all quite intelligently designed, intuitive, and straightforward for the more advanced user. Again, have a look at helpful guides such as my Canon T3i Experience - The Still Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation With the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D and Your World 60D - The Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon 60D to begin to learn to master all the advanced features, settings, and controls of these powerful dSLR cameras.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

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Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black)

Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Updated 2/24/14.



Even though this camera was released back in early 2011, it still is a wonderful and simple camera to use which delivers excellent image quality under any shooting conditions.



The camera has a glossy plastic finish which doesn't exactly exude quality or make it feel like a high-end camera. But construction on this camera is very tight. The plastic is light-weight but its not flimsy like you would expect. There is no rubberized handgrip, which I think was a mistake to omit this on this camera. Especially since its predecessor (and its competitors) have them. Outside of that, the hand grip is a very nice size. The one upshot to the lightweight plastic is that the camera feel very light with the kit lens attached.



One thing you have to watch out for is that the camera feels very out of balance when attaching a heavier lens. The Canon EF-S 18-200, while a good performer optically when paired with the T3, feels way too front heavy. And this will be true with a lot of the pro-grade Canon lenses that you attach to the T3. That said, this camera is a perfect DSLR for hiking due to its light-weight design (when used with the kit lens). It doesn't weigh you down or make you feel like you have a boat anchor around your neck.



The buttons and menu system have the typical degree of straight-forwardness found in most Canons. Canon's menu system is easy to learn and navigate through. That makes the T3 a good candidate for a student or someone that wants to learn photography in general and wants a camera they can grow with. Of course it offers full Auto mode but when you're ready to try and manipulate the more advanced manual controls, the Canon Rebel T3 is about as unintimidating as they come. It's also a great entry into the DSLR realm for hobbyists currently using an advanced point and shoot (and can be found for almost the same price as some advanced point and shoots).



With the exception of burst shooting, this camera's performance is excellent. Excellent start-up, shot-to-shot, and autofocus performance. It has 9 autofocus points compared to its predecessor's 7 points. I do not reccommend this camera as a budget action shooter. It has a slow continuous burst rate (2.7fps) and a very limited buffer. The Nikon D3200 shoots at 4 frames per second, but that is currently retailing for $200 more than the T3. So you'll have to decide whether or not that feature is important to you.



The camera comes with a nice, chunky battery which delivers excellent battery life. The viewfinder is 95% coverage and I found it to be satisfactory, some people say its really cramped but personally I think it's alright. The screen resolution is rather low at 230k, but in real-world use it's not as bad as you would think, and somewhat viewable in direct sunlight. I think both the viewfinder and the LCD are of better quality than the ones found on the Nikon D3100. And overall, the T3 is faster and more fluid than the D3100. After having shot with both cameras, I personally think the T3 is more enjoyable to shoot with... despite the D3100's better plastic and more advanced spec sheet.



The camera ships with the standard 18-55 kit lens but I suggest buying the kit which includes the additional 55-250 lens. The kit lens is sufficiently sharp but it might be worth investing in the newer 18-55 STM lens, as it is reportedly sharper than the 18-55 lens included with this camera.



Despite having a sensor that is of lower resolution than the newer Rebel SL1 and Rebel T5i (12 megapixels is still plenty for everyday use), the camera has image quality that pretty much matches or exceeds those cameras in most areas. It takes a very clean shots up to and including ISO1600 and has excellent dynamic range, color reproduction, and exposure. The camera does a nice job of balancing noise reduction with detail retention up through about ISO3200. And despite being 2 1/2 years old..it still competes very well with newer models on the image quality front.



The movie mode, while delivering solid video quality, is rather limited. It's 1280x720 HD and there are very limited manual controls. It's more like something you would use for quick clips rather than longer videos or movies. I think the Rebel T5i & SL1 are better choices if you're equal parts into videos and photos as they have far better video modes than the T3 does. But if you're main interest is stills photography, this probably won't matter much to you.



The Rebel T3 may not be the sexiest camera around but it is a simple, enjoyable camera to shoot with that delivers nice results with minimum effort and it appeals to a broad range of folks from DSLR newbies, to hobbyist, to even professionals looking for a light-weight backup to their higher end gear. At its current price, it is a great value and I highly reccomend it.



Sidenote: For those that haven't heard, this camera is being replaced by the recently announced Rebel T5, which is supposed to start shipping in March. The T5 has a higher resolution 18MP sensor, improved LCD resolution and size, a more robust movie mode, and an overall better build to it. Regardless, this should put even more downward price pressure on the T3 due to retailers unloading their remaining stock. Despite the newer model being released, if you're into stills photography only, the T3 remains a great buy.

Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black)

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