Sony DCR-DVD306 Handycam DVD Camcorder
DVD HANDYCAM 8CM DVD-R/RW DVD+RW 1/6 1 M/PL CCD CZ LENS NS

Customer Review: Easy to use Camcorder
I have owned a Camcorder for the past 10 years and decided it was time to upgrade to a new model / type to take advantage of the new smaller units now available. Before deciding what type of Camcorder to buy ( Tape / DVD / Hard Drive ) I decided to use the Amazon site for feedback and re search. I finally decided to buy the Sony DCR-DVD306 Handycam DVD Camcorder. I have now owned the Camcorder for 1 month and have been pleased with the all round performance. The camcorder is easy to operate, small and light to carry and produces good results in both good and low light conditions. The quality of still pictures is not particularly great if taken in ‘zoom’ mode. I was concerned over comments about the controls being difficult to operate, I have not found any difficulty, I have also found transfering the recordings by either PC or through the TV fairly straight forward although it took me some time to set up the transfer the first time.

The Camcorder is not supplied with a very powerfull battery or a seperate charger, these are available from Sony after registration at a 25% discount, you will need a more powerfull battery if not a fast charger, accessories are a bit pricy even after the discount !

Overall I am pleased with the product, functions, quality and performance.

Customer Review: Sony DVD306E review.
This is my first DVD camcorder replacing my old Canon MV400i and I have found it a pleasure to use. It is copmpact in your hand and the touch screen is a great feature. The picture and sound quality are excellent and conncecting to my computer was a doodle whether it was via the supplied USB cable or simply inserting the 8cm DVD.

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Ex-Pro Digital Camera Charger Sony Camcorder charges NP-FP30, NP-FP50, NP-FP51, NP-FP70, NP-FP71, NP-FP90, NP-FP91 for camera model :- DCR-HC96, DCR-HC96E, HDR-HC3, HDR-HC3E
Ex-Pro Battery charger - Ultra Pro Travel Charger - Simple design including In-Car Adatper, European and UK Plug. Charges in an average of 2 hours ! Automatic Cut-Off on completion of charge, Charge indication lights. Works on 110-240v, Travel anywhere and use with ease ! 1 Year Warranty.

Archos Gmini 402 20GB mp3 player with bulit in VGA digital camcorder
GMINI 402 20GB MP3 PLAYER W/BULIT IN VGA DIGITAL CAMCORDER UK
Amazon Price: ?270.67
Customer Review: Quality, versatility and it’s own stlye. (4.5 stars)
OK, Ive had this device for over a week now, and I’ve got to know it pretty well. My original concern before buying was the screen - it wasn’t huge - but I have been very impressed with it’s clarity. For intance the scores of a football match can still be made out, and it has more pixels-per-ich (dpi) than a standard PC screen. The camcorder quality is also impressive, especially in daylight, and is easily good enough to be played back on a television. Using the camcorder at night or in heavy artificial light creates a lot more noise, but it’s still viewable. The still camera is quite good, but at only 1.2 million pixels it’s not going to capture you amazing photo’s, but it’s a great add-on with exposure settings included - good for snapshots. Music playback is great! Its really easy to synchronize with windows media player (once you get used to it - i advise using “set up sync” on the sync tab), and the audio is fantastic, especially as I’m using the included earphones (there are also bass/treble/bass boost settings). The video playback is why I decided for this over the Ipod or others (better battery life and better colour depth) and im not disappointed. But, THE CONVERSION PROCESS IS NOT ENTIRELY EASY, as whatever I did i couldnt get WMVs to play without a mulit-coloured distored screen at the start (I even got a second device which did the same - batch error?) so I convert all mine to Mpeg4 AVIs, using either the included software (which isn’t bad or great) or DIVX video converter. The quality is ace, and hooking it up to the tv (at PAL/DVD quality resolution) is another advantage. Audio recording - great feature, high quality settings inlcuded (may use more memory than you want though) What I most liked about this was the fact that it wasn’t an Ipod/Creative Zen, I wanted something completely different that still did similar things… You may say it doesnt look as good as the Ipod, but people will probably give it more attention - I mean, how many people do you know that has one of these? In colnclusion, once you get used to the controls (which shouldn’t take long) you will want to take this everywhere with you… and it doesn’t scratch easily if you do
Customer Review: Nicer than an ipod
I got this as a bday present and i’ve loved it ever since. Its features are i think better than an ipod. Although i still havent figured out how to organise my music better and its all over the place. The video quality is topclass and the battery works excellently….Even when its almost dead, it still lasts for like an extra hour or so.

Power Battery for Sony NP-F970, LiIon, Li-Ion, Lithium Ion Technology, 100% fits, properly matching, Batteries, Camcorder, Video, Digital Camera
You will receive one Power Rechargeable Battery. This Rechargeable Battery 100% fits and is properly matching !

Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery (originally packaged factory-new merchandise)

This high capacity rechargeable battery definitely disposes of more power than the original rechargeable battery included in delivery of the unit. This rechargeable battery can be used instead of the original rechargeable battery without any problems and can be recharged with the available standard power supply. The rechargeable battery is protected and secured against overcharge and short-circuits.

Features of this rechargeable battery:

• safety due to heat and overcharge protection
• real lithium-ion rechargeable battery, more power than the original rechargeable battery
• no memory effect recharge your battery whenever you like
• excellent fitting accuracy, certified quality merchandise, not an original accessory
• the standard battery charger can still be used

Power Battery for Leica BP-DC4, LiIon, Li-Ion, Lithium Ion Technology, 100% fits, properly matching, Batteries, Camcorder, Video, Digital Camera
You will receive one Power Rechargeable Battery. This Rechargeable Battery 100% fits and is properly matching !

Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery (originally packaged factory-new merchandise)

This high capacity rechargeable battery definitely disposes of more power than the original rechargeable battery included in delivery of the unit. This rechargeable battery can be used instead of the original rechargeable battery without any problems and can be recharged with the available standard power supply. The rechargeable battery is protected and secured against overcharge and short-circuits.

Features of this rechargeable battery:

• safety due to heat and overcharge protection
• real lithium-ion rechargeable battery, more power than the original rechargeable battery
• no memory effect recharge your battery whenever you like
• excellent fitting accuracy, certified quality merchandise, not an original accessory
• the standard battery charger can still be used

Panasonic HDC-SD5EG High Definition Camcorder - Memory Format
Customer Review: Panasonic HDC-SD5 camcorder
I have tended to stick to Sony camcorders but decided to try the Panasonic after reading a couple of reviews of it. On receiving the camcorder and opening the box I was amazed at its incredibly small size. The control buttons are all well laid out at the back of the camera and the functions for operating the camera (accessed by the joystick) are easy to understand, the only niggle being the very small joystick which is very fiddly to operate. The camera is very comfortable in use with the side contoured to fit the palm of the hand. The camera gave excellent clear video and photographs due no doubt to the 3 CCD and the Leica lens. The supplied software is very basic but there is another disk with Pinnacle Studio HD but unfortunately this is a trial version. For some strange reason when downloading video or photos to a computer the supplied AC adapter has to be used and this means removing the battery so I suppose a card reader would come in useful here. One big disappointment was that the camera does not come supplied with a SDHC card so you have to buy your own; these are around 50 to 60 pounds for an 8GB class 6 non Panasonic one and hold approx 85min at full HD. All in all I would not hesitate in recommending this camcorder.

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You will receive one Power Rechargeable Battery. This Rechargeable Battery 100% fits and is properly matching !

Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery (originally packaged factory-new merchandise)

This high capacity rechargeable battery definitely disposes of more power than the original rechargeable battery included in delivery of the unit. This rechargeable battery can be used instead of the original rechargeable battery without any problems and can be recharged with the available standard power supply. The rechargeable battery is protected and secured against overcharge and short-circuits.

Features of this rechargeable battery:

• safety due to heat and overcharge protection
• real lithium-ion rechargeable battery, more power than the original rechargeable battery
• no memory effect recharge your battery whenever you like
• excellent fitting accuracy, certified quality merchandise, not an original accessory
• the standard battery charger can still be used

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HDMI to Mini HDMI connection cable 1.5 mtr.
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List Price: ?35.00
Amazon Price: ?25.93
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Used Price: ?299.00
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Getting Your Photos Ready for Sharing

One of the main reasons people buy digital cameras is so they can share their photos with others. Even if you are just going to print your photos for yourself, you will want them to look their best. Here are some tips on getting your images ready for sharing or printing.

1. ORGANIZE YOUR PHOTOS

Delete the ones you don’t like or those that are near duplicates of others. No sense in clogging up your hard drive or CDs with junk. Use a good photo management software program like ACDSEE 7, Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 or Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album 5 to view, organize and name your images. These programs also let you batch rename so you can give more descriptive file names to a group of photos at the same time. You can add key words and tags to make finding your photos easier. Be detailed in your photo descriptions, not just “John and Laurie.” You’ll probably have hundreds of photos of your kids and it will be harder to find the one you’re looking for. Better to say “John and Laurie waterskiing on Lake Powell, May 2004.”

2. BACK UP YOUR ORIGINALS

Mistakes can happen. It is a good idea to back up all your images to a CD before you start editing or changing them. That way you always have the original to go back to if you accidentally save over an image or made changes to a photo that you later decide you don’t like. CDs hold lots of photos, making it cheap insurance.

3. ROTATE IMAGES

Trying to look at a sideways photo is annoying. Use your photo management or editing software to rotate photos as needed. And if you have any images that are a little crooked, you can fix that using your editing software. Most photo editors have an automatic “straighten” function, or you can manually rotate the image a few degrees to straighten the horizon line.

4. REMOVE RED-EYE

Even with your digital camera’s auto red-eye reduction function, your subject’s eyes may still have red-eye. Use your photo editing software to remove it. Zoom in on the eyes and it will be easier for you to correct the red-eye. I’ve tried a number of red-eye correction tools and find that the one that comes with ACDSEE 7’s photo editor is among the best. It zeros in just on the red eye and doesn’t darken the surrounding eye area like some other software does.

5. CROP YOUR PHOTOS

Crop out unnecessary or distracting backgrounds and focus in on your subject. Most photo editing programs will keep the aspect ratio, so when you draw a box around the area you want to focus on it will crop it as 4×6 or whatever you have specified. That way you won’t end up with an odd size photo. Kodak EasyShare Gallery also has a very good cropping tool for maintaining the proper print size. It comes with its free photo editor.

6. ADJUST LIGHTING AND CONTRAST

Some of your photos may have come out washed out or too dark. You can automatically adjust the color, brightness and contrast of your photos. The better programs like Photoshop Album 2.0, Jasc and ACDSEE also have tools for making manual adjustments for fine-tuning. Be careful not to overdo it, though, or your picture could come out grainy.

7. PREPARE TO SHARE

There are a number of ways to share your images. Several programs, like Roxio Photo Suite 7, ACDSEE7, Photoshop Album and Paint Shop Photo Album allow you to create digital photo albums or slide shows, complete with music, transitions and captions. You can burn them to CD or resize and optimize for emailing directly from the program.

Online photo services such as PhotoWorks, Shutterfly, Snapfish and Kodak EasyShare Gallery also let you share your photos on line, for free. You simply upload your images to their server into your own photo albums and add captions if you wish. Then email your friends with a link to your albums. With most of the online services your photos stay on their servers as long as you have an account with them, for free. Signing up for an account is free, you only pay for photos you choose to purchase.

For hardcore photo sharers, there are also dedicated photo sharing applications such as PiXPO v1.5.0, which lets you share photos right off your hard drive. This is a peer to peer software application that allows you to connect directly with your friends and family to share and view pictures online with no uploads. Unlike traditional photo sharing services, you have unlimited storage and you don’t have to upload your photos to a distant server or wait for friends to log onto some photo sharing site. The application is easy to install and use and it’s inexpensive, around $30. PC Magazine rated it an Editor’s Choice in their January 3, 2005 issue.

Valerie Goettsch publishes the digital photography website http://www.digitalphotos101.com featuring reviews of photo editing and album software and digital photo printing services.
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- 100% protection against scratches and dirt - Exactly fitting form - Self-healing surface - Blow, shock and scratch resistant - 5 years guarantee against scratching of the foil - Easy handling - No colour or contrast distortion - Self-adhesive and removable without residue
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Compatible to : Sony DSC-T100/DSC-G1/DSC-T20/DSC-T10/DSC-S700/DSC-S650/DSC-W200/ DSC- W90/DSC-W80/DSC-W55/DSC-W35/DSC-W70…more latest models with similar sizes Sizes:93×65x27mm Material: Case is made of high quality soft leather to protect your camera against scrapes. Material inside : Excellent velvet inside. Brand New and Trendy Hard to find in store
Customer Review: Luxury Leather Case
Luxury leather case, High Quality, It fitted the camera that it was meant to. Delivered On Time. I Have no complaints.
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Zeiss has introduced a new line of lenses aimed at the industrial and scientific sectors but certain to appeal to a certain section of the photographic community with their high performance and retro styling. Zeiss has chosen to release these new optics with Nikon’s F-mount as this is "the most commonly used standard camera adapter in the technical area". The first available designs will be the 25mm f/2.8, 28mm f/2 and 35mm f/2 with more to follow. Aside from the rather fetching satin chrome finish and locking screws for focus and aperture, this premium line is also sealed against dust ingress and water spray. Prices and availability have not yet been announced but don’t expect them to be cheap. Click through for a peek at the Distagon T* 2.8/25 ZF-I. Continue …

Travel and Scenic Photography 101

When you’re driving through the mountains somewhere, and you notice a car parked half off the road and some guy leaning to the left to avoid a branch with his Rebel 2000 camera in the act of focusing, you’ve met me. I do this because, to me, a trip isn’t fulfilling unless I’ve preserved that beauty for posterity. I’d like to share some of the techniques that make scenic photography such a wonderful artform - simple, yet elegant.

First off, equipment. As much as the cheapo disposable camera beckons, get real. These cameras have fisheye lenses which I call “spam” lenses. They cram everything in, with equal blurriness and boringness. Good photos are sharp, unless you use blur for artistic effect. Sharp comes from an adjustable lens. It can be a fixed lens or a zoom, but it must focus specially for each picture. Fixed lenses are limiting for scenic pictures, where to frame the shot you may need to move long distances. Imagine using a fixed lens on the Washington Monument, when you’re half a block away! Zooms get my vote, even though they often don’t have as wide an aperture, which limits their capabilities in low light situations.

Practically speaking, an SLR is the absolute best. They are lightweight, and can be used with top quality lenses. Film SLRs tend to be less expensive, but have the limitations of film, meaning you have to get it developed and so forth. Digital SLRs are VERY expensive, so for the budget conscious either go with a film SLR or a high quality basic digital camera. With digital, resolution is also a critical factor, so look at the specs before you buy.

OK, we’ve got the camera, emotions are running high, and that’s great, but not too great! Sometimes I find a spot that is so wonderful, I start shooting like a madman, only to be disappointed by the pictures. What happened? Emotions. When you experience a place, there are sounds, aromas and breezes as well as the visuals of the spot. Needless to say, you can’t photograph all of these elements, only the visual. When overwhelmed by the spectacle of a scenic hotspot, we are often overwhelmed by all of these elements.

So what to do? Look through your camera. The viewfinder does not lie (usually). Try to see what you are looking at as the finished picture. Most people perfunctorily take pictures, hoping that somehow the shot will come out great. If you wonder how the pictures came out when you are on the way to the drug store to get them, you’re doing something wrong. At the moment you click the pic, you should know exactly what you will get. (Of course with digital, that’s not a trick!).

Now, I was a tad dishonest in saying that you can’t capture all of the elements of a scene. You can hint at them. For starters, motion. Yes, even in a still picture, there is motion. Something happened before, during and after your picture. In a mountain vista scene, you may find something that hints at motion, whether it be a branch of a tree that has been swaying in the breeze, or a river flowing through the valley below. These add a sense of motion.

Then there’s the “rule of thirds.” When you place the main object of the picture smack-dab in the middle, it is static and boring. Place it one third of the way from either side, and you IMPLY motion. Put the horizon in a landscape photo a third of the way up or down, not across the middle.

Remember, when a person looks at a picture, their eyes move. You want to frame your photo to help that movement. If you can find some lines in the scene, such as a skyline, cloud formation, path through the forest, etcetera, use it interestingly, and with the rule of thirds to draw your viewer’s eyes into the picture.

Avoid “summit syndrome.” You get to the top of Mount Washington and shoot the majestic vista. Great. The pictures come out … boring! How? No PERSPECTIVE. Big vistas will be flat unless you have an object in the foreground, such as a rock or a tree, to give them perspective. Then the eye really grasps how big this scene is. People enjoying the view is a real winner, because the viewer may identify with their emotions, giving the image real impact.

Cheese! Yes, you do have to take the family photos. It’s obligatory. But when you do, make sure that they show the LOCATION of the photo. Otherwise, you might as well do it on your driveway. Frame the scene in context, with landmarks as part of the picture. Find a way to tell as story in the picture, such as little Sara climbing up the rocks by the waterfall.

Finally, any element in the picture that hints at more senses than just the visual will make it remarkable. Actor headshots for example, tell a story about the subject. You can almost hear them saying their next lines. If you photograph a garden, the viewer may experience the aroma of the flowers. A tourist street with an accordion player on the corner may have your amazed friends whistling “Dixie.”

In summation, picture taking on travel is recording the experience in a satisfying way. Use motion, perspective, sensory, storytelling and so forth, to bring your photos to life. Oh, and needless to say, make your job easy and go to great places! See you at the overlook!

Seth Lutnick is a photographer, composer, and performer. He has taken thousands of scenic photos, recorded two albums of original music, and appeared on stage, TV and film. Visit his website - www.getitdone.biz - for more detailed plans on photography, music, health and education, and extensive product links for the resources to fulfill your goals.

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Casio today made available firmware updates for no less than TEN cameras. There are improvements to movie white balance for seven models and 8GB+ SDHC support for a further three. The updates are available now via Casio’s support site, link after the jump where you’ll also find a breakdown of the changes implemented. Continue …