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Comment on UK Discount Panasonic SDR-S15 Flash Memory Camcorder With SD Card Slot – Black In Stock by L Williams "les-williams"

L Williams "les-williams" — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:10:57 +0000

161 of 163 people found the following review helpful

A good value "real" camcorder, 25 May 2009

This review is from: Panasonic SDR-S15 Flash Memory Camcorder With SD Card Slot - Black (Electronics)

This unit is quite small, it will fit into a shirt-pocket, albeit a little bulky. It is well-made in a black sparkly plastic with some texturing on the back where your hand goes, this would have been better in a rubberised finish.

It doesn't have the traditional camcorder hand-strap, instead it has a camera type lanyard, luckily with a sliding bar to tighten to your wrist.
To hold the camcorder you make a fist with your right hand and the zoom buttons fall under your first and second fingers and your thumb falls on the start-stop button on the back. To hold at waist height there is another stop-start button at the front of the camcorder for your first finger and the zoom can operate with your thumb. I'm left-handed and I still found it easy to use.

Panasonic don't supply an SD card and their current (May 2009) offer of a free 16MB card with this camcorder was returned to me with a letter saying Amazon purchases aren't eligible.

A 4GB card will hold 50 minutes of video at the highest quality; needs to be Class 2 or better. The battery lasts around 40 to 45 minutes and takes 2 and a bit hours to charge. The battery was the same as my Panasonic Lumix FX33 camera so I could charge it in the camera charger. The camcorder is supplied with a power-supply to charge the battery in the camcorder.

The 10X zoom is more than adequate for most people's needs and is totally silent in operation. There is a lens cap operated by a switch and a video light.

In use I found the LCD viewfinder viewable in bright sunlight and the image quality is impressive considering this is a standard definition, DVD quality, camcorder. The camcorder has Panasonic's iA mode which has face recognition which works impressively well to focus on your subject. I was surprised how good the sound was, really crystal clear. In dim conditions the grain does come up a bit but not unduly so.

The camcorder has 16:9 and 4:3 modes. It takes stills but as expected these aren't brilliant.

The supplied software is simple but has all the basic needs.

For the money this is an impressive camcorder and I would recommend it.

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Comment on UK Discount Panasonic SDR-S15 Flash Memory Camcorder With SD Card Slot – Black In Stock by Mr. M. Regan "THE man in black"

Mr. M. Regan "THE man in black" — Sun, 20 May 2012 23:34:37 +0000

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful

Used for the web, 13 Aug 2009

Mr. M. Regan "THE man in black" (Cumbria) -

This review is from: Panasonic SDR-S15 Flash Memory Camcorder With SD Card Slot - Black (Electronics)

I have a collection of Panasonic mini DV camcorders that I have been using for recording footage for a local newspaper website, although good quality little machines the real time video transfer is a pain in the bum. So I saw this little beauty and having a massive amount of SD cards from cameras knocking about thought it would be a decent investment. It is a brilliant camcorder, sound and picture capture are really good, battery life is good for such a small unit. The automatic settings on exposure and capture work really well, never needed to alter them of 'auto'. There are a couple of problems though, the first is, it is very small and I have quite large hands so although its well laid out it isn't the easiest to use (for me) and it has a manual lens cover which is opened by a small switch on the side of the lens, not awkward but a self opening one would have been easier. The other problem is that i now can't get it off my wife who loves it for the size and quality. I would recommend this if you need a good quality video camera, very recommended and simply great to drag and drop files from. I use Adobe Premiere Elements to edit the videos and it works like a charm.

Update: after owning one for a while I have now got hold of a second and a few spare batteries, they are really great little cameras and suprisingly rugged, they have been wet and one toppled over on a 5ft tripod to bounce of a tarmac carpark, still works fine. Really great pieces of kit.

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Comment on UK Discount Panasonic SDR-S15 Flash Memory Camcorder With SD Card Slot – Black In Stock by L. Stockton "conradritblat"

L. Stockton "conradritblat" — Sun, 20 May 2012 22:46:36 +0000

112 of 112 people found the following review helpful

Small, lightweight but utterly brilliant, 7 Aug 2009

L. Stockton "conradritblat" -

This review is from: Panasonic SDR-S15 Flash Memory Camcorder With SD Card Slot - Black (Electronics)

This is so small and light it's great to carry around all the time "just in case".

DO NOT be misled by other erroneous reviews, this little baby is uttery brilliant as it records in a number of modes: XP (top quality which, when used with an 8GB SD card will give you one and a half hours recording), SP, LP and EP. Hoewever, if quality is what you require then avoid LP and EP modes as the deterioration in quality is substantial.

Set this up to use in automatic mode, set face recognition on, set anti-shake on and that's all you'll ever need. I use this semi professionally and it's been a breeze with the quality of a level more than expected of a non High Def. camera.

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Comment on UK Bargain Sony DSCW510 Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera – Black (12.1MP, 4x Optical Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD Lowest Price by marksavile

marksavile — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:22:31 +0000

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful

Great camera overall!, 3 July 2011

marksavile -

This review is from: Sony DSCW510 Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera - Black (12.1MP, 4x Optical Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD (Electronics)

I'll admit first off that I'm in no way an expert on cameras, but to me this is a great little camera. And I say little because it is very small and light, smaller than wallet size for example, and perfect for slipping in your trouser pocket. It takes great quality pictures and the panoramic picture mode is a nice addition, though it's not something I really use.

However there is a downside to this camera. When in your pocket the compartment with the memory card and battery in it comes open extrememly easily and often. This is infuriating as I found I would get my camera out and the battery would drop on the floor. Obviously this is stopped by simply buying a case for it, as I did, and the problem was solved without making the camera too much more bulky to carry.

So to sum up, this is a camera I would definitely recommend, however not without buying a case for it as well to solve its niggling opening issue.

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Comment on UK Bargain Sony DSCW510 Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera – Black (12.1MP, 4x Optical Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD Lowest Price by grace lee

grace lee — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:02:04 +0000

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

sony DSC W510 cybershot, 3 Aug 2011

grace lee -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What is this?)

This review is from: Sony DSCW510 Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera - Silver (12.1MP, 4x Optical Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD (Electronics)

this camera is very good when taking photos in low light conditions, it tends to use the flash a lot when it is on auto so sometime your photos will be over exposed a little. i found this camera useful especially at night time or when im going on a night out, so the photos are nice and bright and you can see the faces, during the day time it can be a little bit bright. its nice and light, and as described very thin so it just fits in your pocket, i personally don't think its that great for landscape or "artsy" photographs but i am used to using an digital slr so that's just my opinion. i haven't used the panoramic view that much yet to give a detailed review on it but from what i've taken, the quality isnt that great but still looks cool :D hope this was helpful :)

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Comment on UK Bargain Sony DSCW510 Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera – Black (12.1MP, 4x Optical Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD Lowest Price by Jonathan Clark "Great Black Hawk"

Jonathan Clark "Great Black Hawk" — Sun, 20 May 2012 14:35:21 +0000

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful

Great camera at a terrific price, 1 July 2011

Jonathan Clark "Great Black Hawk" (London, United Kingdom) -

This review is from: Sony DSCW510 Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera - Silver (12.1MP, 4x Optical Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD (Electronics)

I shopped around for a compact digital camera and looked at ones from Nikon to Fuji to Panasonic.
For the money and what it does this camera is fantastic value.
The great thing about it is that is really simple to use.
What attracted me to it is that it is really light and compact with a simple operation.
It's 12.1 megapixels has a 4x optical zoom/26mm wide angle, 6.7cm LCD, Sweep Panorama and iAUTO.
It comes in a variety of colours and with it I bought an 8GB Sandisk memory card for £7.99 which I thought was a really good deal.
This camera was selling at ASDA for £99.00 so Amazon offered superb value and the service was 1st class.
So if you want a great compact camera from a reliable brand then look no further.
Asa footnote I tried the Nikon Coolpix S3000 which for close-ups (macro) was dire so I promptly got my money back!

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Comment on UK Low Price Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR Camera (inc 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Kit) In Stock by Lloyd W. Whittle

Lloyd W. Whittle — Sat, 19 May 2012 21:00:08 +0000

138 of 140 people found the following review helpful

550D-lightful, 22 May 2010

Lloyd W. Whittle (Portsmouth, UK) -

This review is from: Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR Camera (inc 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Kit) (Electronics)

After researching for several weeks through Canon's large variety of DSLRs, I came to the conclusion of purchasing a 500D because of it's high reputation. Just as I was about to seal the deal, I came across the not-so-much talked about 550D. Although higher in specifications, I was unsure whether or not its lack of hype was due to poor quality or its more recent debut: I decided to add to basket and cross my fingers.

Wow. In replacement to a Sony Cybershot, it seems as if any photo taken is stunning. The image quality is superb and the auto settings make a world of difference. Although not the most pricey of the Canon EOS range, the camera feels utterly professional. The battery life passed my expectations and the flash is a beast, albeit sometimes I find myself switching to 'Flash off' mode. The body is sturdy and lightweight and the HD video function is fantastic.

My only complaints are that the microphone isn't great and tends to pick up a lot of 'fuzz' and that the mode settings utilize the wheel to navigate as opposed to the generic d-pad. Moreover, the pros outweigh the cons marginally hence my high rating.

The perfect 'first real camera' for any aspiring photographer whose ready to up their game. Although pretty big bucks, you won't regret it; I know I haven't!

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Comment on UK Low Price Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR Camera (inc 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Kit) In Stock by R. M. Pattle

R. M. Pattle — Sat, 19 May 2012 20:47:39 +0000

214 of 217 people found the following review helpful

The best of both worlds?, 2 April 2010

R. M. Pattle -

This review is from: Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR Camera (inc 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Kit) (Electronics)

I've just bought this Canon 550D with the 18-135 IS lens and have so far been very impressed. It handles low light shooting very well, as a result of the IS facility and very high ISO ability.
The range coverage of this lens is excellent, from landscapes to close ups and the images I've got so far are very sharp and detailed. It can shoot in RAW mode along side high quality JPEG, so you have an image ready to show (JPEG) and an image you can tinker about with (RAW) on your computer until it is perfect (the provided Canon software makes it very easy to do). Navigating around the camera menu becomes a breezes after a few practices, although keep the manual nearby as there is a wealth of information to digest from it. The screen on the back is fantastic and crystal clear. The camera feels comfortable to hold (even in my big paws!) and is not to heavy to cart around. The microphone port is also a welcome new addition as it will allow you to capture the sound in stereo and enables you to choose your microphone weapon of your choice rather than being condemned into using the built in microphone (which does the job).

The only moan about this kit is that the AF is bit noisey, as it's not a USM lens, but if you want a comparable zoom range in a Canon USM lens you'd be paying a hell of lot more money (eg the 15-85 IS USM).

A couple of tips before I go

1) Buy a decent SDHC card like a Sandisk Extreme with a class 10 rating, preferably 16GB or more (for the video capture side of things especially). Don't be lured into buying a cheap card because it has a high capacity as it won't read and write the data fast enough to
be of any good, especially the HD video. Canon recommend at least a class 6 card.
2) Get a powerful computer. I am going to upgrade my desktop PC (or get something else). It has a 3.4Ghz AMD processor (albeit 5 years old), 1GB RAM and 256MB graphics, running with Windows XP. It can't seem to handle displaying the captured HD video and is slightly slow in processing the RAW images (each of which can be around 24MB in file size).

Overall a top piece of kit that you won't be disappointed with.

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Comment on UK Low Price Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR Camera (inc 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Kit) In Stock by E. A. Haselden "Gamer1975"

E. A. Haselden "Gamer1975" — Sat, 19 May 2012 20:06:38 +0000

675 of 684 people found the following review helpful

550D The best yet, 21 Mar 2010

E. A. Haselden "Gamer1975" (Plymouth, UK) -

This review is from: Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR Camera (inc 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Kit) (Electronics)

Put simply this is the most important camera to be released in years.

What I find astonishing that people have spent £750 on a DSLR as good as this and complain about the video issues. I work in TV and deal with professional cameras and footage for broadcast on a daily basis and I can tell you with every bit of my professional opinion that this camera is outstanding.

The stills are incredible and while the only frustrating video issue is the lack of audio control or monitoring, which can be compensated by recording on to a separate device and sync by clapper, the video is absolutely fantastic. Easily broadcastable when in the right hands.

Could you even imagine a camera capable of all this, for this price 10 years ago? 5 years ago? a year ago?

Please do not look any further, this camera has incredible video and still performance with interchangeable lens capability and with a decent mic attached could be a broadcast kit that could fit in a small bag.

I have a XH-A1 for personal use at home and I am already using this more. It doesn't have quite the same features and manual controls, but hey, the XH-A1 cost £2500, This costs about £700 and has equally good image production. In some ways is even more flexible with changeable lenses.

I can not recommend any product I have ever bought as highly as this.

Keen Amateurs, Holiday makers, Semi Professional Videographers... It's all there for you!!

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Comment on UK Sell Nikon Coolpix L120 Digital Camera – Red (14MP, 21x Optical Zoom) 3-inch LCD Best Price by ST

ST — Sat, 19 May 2012 09:46:34 +0000

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

Nikon L120, 20 Sep 2011

ST -

This review is from: Nikon Coolpix L120 Digital Camera - Red (14MP, 21x Optical Zoom) 3-inch LCD (Electronics)

Brilliant camera, great zoom, relatively small to carry around and easy to use. Recent landscape photos have been printed to A1 size and still look fantastic.

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