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230 of 233 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Great Camera with HD Capability, November 11, 2007 This review is from: Kodak Easyshare Z812IS 8.2 MP Digital Camera with 12xOptical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics) Since 2002 I've had the same digital camera. It was an older Kodak 2-megapixel camera that did it's job - if just barely. It was light on features, and took acceptable pictures - in 2002 when it was introduced. Fast forward to now, 2007, with a new son and grandparents wanting lots of photos, and my wife (who seldom notices anything about technology) complaining about the quality of the photos that it took and it added up to being time to upgrade our digital camera.I wanted to purchase the Canon Digital Revel XTi since I had an existing telephoto lens that would fit it. My wife wanted to a pocket-sized camera she could fit in her purse. Needless to say, we were in a predicament. The solution? A camera with a good optical zoom and a number of different picture-taking modes.Originally we purchased the Kodak Z712 IS - which we were quite happy with. The only thing it lacked was the ability to take high definition video. A few weeks later I discovered that the very week that we purchased the Z712 Kodak shipped the Z812. So, the Z712 went back to the store and the Z812 arrived! Here's my impressions:

What I Really Like:

Great optical zoom. A 36mm-432mm optical zoom means that nothing is out of range with this camera. Combined with the image stabilization feature you can get away with slightly slower shutter speeds at long focal lengths and still get nice pictures.

A multiplicity of modes - As an amateur photographer I like having the ability to set my own shutter and aperture values depending on what I'm doing. At the same time, the availability of a fully automatic mode makes it a camera that is easy to use by anyone. Plus, having sixteen preset modes for special settings (night time shooting, portraits, snow, beach, etc.) is handy if you'd rather not mess with the stop settings yourself. In addition to being able to control the exposure you can also control the flash setting.

Variable Color Settings - This is a relatively simple feature but on the advanced modes you can choose between "Low Color" "Natural Color" "High Color" "Black and White" and "Sepia". This lets you adjust the appearence of your photos as you take them rather than in a photo editing program later. I find that taking a photo in the mode produces better quality that editing it later in a photo editing program.

Multiple Photo Features - Besides the standard self-timer, there are two settings for taking multiple photos. One takes five consecutive photos in rapid succession. The other will take up to 30 consecutive photos in rapid succession and store the last five.

High ISO settings - High ISO settings allows this camera to take photos in low light conditions. While the quality of low light pictures isn't exceptional, they're not awful either.

HD Video - by far my favorite feature is the ability to take 720p video at 30 frames per second. It takes a computer or high definition TV to really appreciate the superior quality of this video. The fact that the sound is stereo is cool, but the quality is about average for a digital camera.
(Update: Since I originally reviewed this I have owned an cheap Aiptek 1080p HD video camera and a Canon Vixia HF10 camcorder. Both blew the video quality of the Z812 out of the water. Just be forewarned, this is in no way a replacement for a video camera).

What I Don't Like: honestly, nothing. There's no major problems with the camera itself. That's being said, there's a few features that would have been nice.

On a camera of this caliber, it would have been nice to add an external flash for low-light conditions
Since this camera is labled has "HD" and takes high definition video, it would have been nice to be able to use a component cable connection to output 720p/1080i video direct from the camera.

Out of the box the camera comes with a disposable battery. The least Kodak could have done was include a rechargeable battery in the box. I ended up purchasing two rechargeable batters and an AC charger for it.

Summary: If you're not quite ready for size or cost reason to go with an SLR but want a high performance camera that includes the ability to take HD video, this is a perfect camera.

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156 of 158 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Camera at A Great Price - Terrific Photos, Rich Feature Set!, September 17, 2007 Kodak Easyshare Z812IS 8.2MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom I picked up this camera recently as a replacement for a Kodak z710. I was not entirely happy with the z710, but I was familiar with its feature set, and thought the extra megapixel on the 812 might be a slight improvement. Boy was I in for a shock! I took the darned thing out of the box in the parking lot of the store where I bought it, popped in the battery, attached the lens cap and neckstrap, and snapped a few quick ones through the windshield - and I was blown away. This camera is in a whole different catagory from its predecessor. The color quality is vibrant and intense, the feature set is broad and inclusive. The 12x optical zoom is nothing short of miraculous, coupled with Kodak's image stabilizing system to bring you into the action without losing sharp detail.
The Z812 has a few bells and whistles that I wasn't expecting - for example , in panoramic mode it allows you to, in camera, produce seamless panoramic shots stiched together from three separate shots. Get this - you shoot the far left area of the scene. In your next shot on the viewfinder you will see a small section of the previous shot superimposed over the next area - so you can line up your shots perfectly! The z812 does the same for the third shot - and shazaam! Stiches the three together perfectly, matching exposure and color saturation!
The z812 picks up incredible detail, has multiple and complex focussing cababilities, and the eight pixels let me print quite competently up to the full 13x19 that my printer allows without visible artifacting. In a pinch it also allows for some serious cropping!
In sillhoette/backlighting situations I have not noticed any purple fringing at all - that had been a problem with previous cameras. Detail is good, even in subjects like distant foliage (which had not been the case with the 710!)
And there are loads of useful other settings as well. The candlelight setting does a nice job of capturing warm and well exposed images with a minimum amount of light, and almost no digital noise!
The manual settings are great too - easy to find in the menu, and with a decent spectrum of settings.
The burst setting is very much improved too - the camera almost instantly generates your images - they show up on the viewfinder as they are being shot! Nice touch.
The 2.5 inch HD LCD display is huge and crystal clear, and the viewfinder offers a near HD image as well. You can (finally) really see what you are shooting in any light! (although it picks up some digital noise at higher ASA settings.)
The buttons are all conveniently positioned for easy access.
And if all that is not enough - get ready to be blown away by the video capabilities of this camera. I shot 20 minutes of footage at a Gunfight in Tombstone AZ. It looked good on the camera screen, but I was ready to be disappointed when I got it on to my computer screen.
Well, folks, I have to tell you I was not disappointed. The video was crisp, clear and colorful, without alot of posterizing (which had been a problem with the video on earlier models) In dim light there was a bit of digital noise in the videos. It may not be on par with some of the high end HD recorders out there, but its better than alot of the low end ones I've tried, and with a little practice and study, I suspect I can produce some really nice movies with this.
The camera interfaced easily with iPhoto and with the Adobe CS3Bridge to upload my photos and movies in record time!
And that is just denting the surface. As I've said, I've only had the camera for a few days, and only shot 200 or so images.

Addenda
Five months after purchase I am still extremely happy with this camera. Much as I appreciated the automatic functions in the first few weeks, I'm reaching the point where I nearly always have the camera in Manual setting mode - its easy to shift between aperture, shutter speed, and ASA settings (there is a little wheel on the upper right side of the camera at the back, easily accessible by thumb! Turn it to select the function, press it to set your level.) I don't hesitate any more to take multiple bracketed exposures at different settings.
I have been impressed with how well this camera operates under most natural light conditions. My one minor annoyance is that occasionally it decides on its own that it wants a flash - and I have to push the flash shut, and hit the "no flash" option to override it. A minor annoyance and an avoidable one (a bit more thought in the moment!) I've used it in nearly every imaginable lighting condition - from very bright noonday sun, to night shots, and have been able to capture just what I wanted.
If I have any disappointment with the camera to date it is that it does such a good job of capturing the shot I want that there's no need to play with the images in Photoshop! My 2 GB SD memory card will take around 730 shots - although the battery, fully charged will only handle around 250. With spare battery in my bag, I can shoot for a week without plugging in or having to download anything.
So, in a nutshell, here's my assessment - a great camera, at a great price, with an Intuitive interface and an easy learning curve! If you are on the verge of stepping up to an SLR, but not ready to fork over the $700 this is a very reasonable alternative!
Great job, Kodak!

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64 of 65 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Lite weight and a Joy to use, September 15, 2007 I was looking for a light weight camera that had a powerful zoom. well this one is both plus more. I love the options and the ease of use. Even for a Dumbie like me you can take Excellent shots. And to add to it, it records in HD Wow am I impressed for the price. The ONLY thing I was not happy with is the darn thing does NOT come with a charger. You have purchase that seperately.
At a $300 price point, I think that a charger should have been included.
I am pleased with my purchase and short of getting a true, SLR which for me is way to heavy to carry, this one fits the need. I don't think you will be sorry on this purchase. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you? 
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Given the success of Canon's highly acclaimed G Series, it's no surprise that ambitious photographers have been eagerly anticipating the next model in its evolution. The wait has paid off handsomely with the introduction of the PowerShot G9. In image quality and functionality, the G9 stands above the competition with 12.1 megapixels of resolution, 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer, and RAW mode for the ultimate in creative control. Sophisticated design and high-quality construction complement the technology and make the G9 a camera to be reckoned with.

Big Impact in a Compact Package
The PowerShot powerhouse: A class-leading 12.1-megapixel digital camera with unique Canon DIGIC III Image Processor, 6x optical zoom, and Optical Image Stabilizer.

12.1-megapixel resolution gives you plenty of rich, deep detail to work with. Blow up images to poster size, or enlarge and crop any section without fear of pixilation.

With DIGIC III, your images boast superior quality, the camera operates at top efficiency and battery life is enhanced. What's more, DIGIC III enables Canon's Face Detection Technology and red-eye correction to give you better, more true-to-life people shots. Simply press the Shutter Button halfway down, and the camera automatically pinpoints the faces in the scene and chooses the ideal focus point. The camera controls exposure settings and flash to keep every face looking bright and natural. Red eyes can be corrected during playback.

iSAPS Technology is an entirely original scene-recognition technology developed for digital cameras by Canon. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the fast DIGIC III Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

The camera is equipped with a long 6x optical zoom. Canon's own Optical Image Stabilizer Technology keeps images steady and blur-free all through the zoom range--even in low light--by detecting motion and generating a corrective signal. Because it is an optical system, more corrective movement is allowed and there is no degradation of image quality.

Creative Power in Your Control
Full range of shooting and recording modes including JPEG + RAW for the ultimate in creative control.

The PowerShot G9's RAW mode lets you shoot images without JPEG compression. It gives you clearer images and complete creative control in editing. RAW images are transferred directly to the computer where they can then be edited using image adjustment software or a processing application to adjust your images as you please. The camera can also be set to allow the simultaneous recording of both RAW and JPEG images while shooting.

25 Shooting Modes, Including 9 Special Scene Modes

Shooting Modes
Advanced presets for the best possible photos under certain conditions.

Auto
The camera chooses all the settings so you can concentrate on your subject.

P Program
Access advanced exposure compensation features while shooting mostly automatically.

Av Aperture-priority
You define the aperture to either isolate your subject or have clarity throughout the entire picture, and the camera will choose the corresponding shutter speed.

Tv Shutter-priority
You select the shutter speed to stop or blur action, and the camera finds the appropriate aperture. With slow exposure times, Canon's noise reduction system activates to ensure low image noise.

Manual
The ultimate in creative control, you set both aperture and shutter speed manually.

C Custom
Define and store your own settings to achieve the effects you prefer.

Stitch Assist
Build awe-inspiring panoramas by neatly aligning sequential images.

Movie
Shoot in High Resolution (1024 x 768 at 15 fps), VGA (640 x 480 at 30 fps/30 fps LP), QVGA (320 x 240 at 30 fps) for up to 1 hour or 4GB, QQVGA (160 x 120 at 15 fps) for up to 3 minutes or Time Lapse (640 x 480 at 1 second/2 second intervals) for up to 2 hours.

Special Scene Modes

Portrait
The camera sets a large aperture, focusing the subject and artistically blurring the background to make your subject "pop."

Landscape
For front to back sharpness, the camera sets a small aperture.

Night Scene
For impressive sunset or nightlife shots, the camera properly exposes the background and uses slow-sync flash for the subject.

Sports
Ensure highly accurate autofocusing when shooting fast-moving subjects.

Foliage
Capture brilliant shots of autumn foliage, greenery and blossoms.

Snow
Shoot clear snow scenes without darkened subjects or an unnatural bluish tint.

Beach
Get clear shots of people at a sunny beach without darkened faces.

Fireworks
Grab brilliant images of skyrocketing fireworks.

Aquarium
Achieve proper flash-free exposure and natural hues at indoor aquariums.

Underwater
Capture underwater images with reduced backscatter effect. (Note: Optional waterproof case WP-DC21 required for shooting any underwater images. Waterproof case not included--must be purchased separately.)

ISO 3200
Expands the user's ability to shoot in dark settings without using the flash.

Indoor
Reduce blur and improve color accuracy when shooting handheld indoors.

Kids and Pets
Reduced focusing time freezes fast-moving subjects, so you won't miss those special shots.

Night Snapshot
Get natural-looking pictures with brighter backgrounds and subjects lit by flash.

Color Accent
Choose to retain a single color in your image while other colors turn monochrome.

Color Swap
Select a color and replace it with a color you specify for special effects.

A View That's a Pure Pleasure
Optical viewfinder plus large high-quality 3.0-inch PureColor LCD II screen for bright, accurate color with greater viewing from a wider angle and with an anti-glare, anti-scratch coating.

The PowerShot G9 gives you an extra-large 3.0-inch LCD screen for excellent control when framing your shots. But size is only part of the story. Canon's PureColor LCD II offers more spectacular color, resolution, and contrast even at an angle (compared to PureColor LCD). The screen is highly durable and easy to see in any light with a scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating. It is a perfect feature for gathering friends and family around to see your images.

3.0-Inch LCD Screen
Canon technology maximizes quality and performance.

Genuine Canon Face Detection Technology sets the focus, exposure, and flash automatically, leaving you free to compose a group, capture an unguarded moment, or coax the perfect smile. Plus the new Face Selector Button lets you select the primary face.

DIGIC III features Face Detection technologies, giving the you best possible results in any shooting situation. Face Detection AF/AE sets the focus point and exposure for the faces of your subjects. Face Detection FE adjusts the flash to correctly illuminate your subject to provide the best balance between your subject and the overall scene, eliminating the common problems of over- and underexposed faces.

And new Face Selector AF enables you to lock on and follow a specific face. The selected subject is tracked wherever the face moves in the frame.

The PowerShot G9 features ISO 1600 and High ISO Auto settings that reduce the effects of camera shake and sharpen subjects in low-light situations, giving you greater shooting flexibility.

Red-eye correction detects and corrects red-eye during playback. In unusual cases where red-eye is not automatically detected, it can easily be corrected manually during playback mode.

The Creative Freedom You've Wanted
Compatible with a wide range of accessories including EOS Speedlites, Canon supplementary lenses, and a waterproof case.

The PowerShot G9 is compatible with many shooting accessories, not only wide and teleconverter lenses, a waterproof case, and High-Power Flash designed for all of the PowerShot models, but also Speedlite EX series that is compatible with all EOS series SLR cameras. (Shooting accessories are not included; they must be purchased separately.) Attach a Speedlite 580EX II to the hot shoe, then you can set and control the flash on the "Flash Control" menu in the camera. With the 580EX II, the G9 is able to have extra functions such as autoflash metering, FE lock, and Flash exposure compensation. Canon's Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 enables you to have multiple slave flashes and wireless control. A waterproof case is also available for your underwater shooting.

The Complete Print Solution
Print/Share Button for easy direct printing and downloading, plus ID Photo Print and Movie Print with select PIXMA Photo Printers, CP, and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers.

The PowerShot G9's Print/Share button makes direct printing easier than ever. Simply connect the G9 to a Canon CP, SELPHY, or PIXMA Photo Printer or any PictBridge compatible photo printer, press the lighted Print/Share button, and print! Also use the Print/Share button to transfer images to a computer (Windows and Macintosh).

Print your own ID photos in 28 different sizes or use the Movie Print function to output multiple stills from a recorded movie on a single sheet with a Canon SELPHY Compact Photo Printer.

What's in the box:
Canon PowerShot G9 digital camera, lithium battery pack NB-2LH, battery charger CB-2LW, MMC Plus card MMC-32MH, neck strap NS-DC6, Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM, USB interface cable IFC-400PCU, AV cable AVC-DC300

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

310 of 314 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Superb point 'n shoot is just a notch below a DSLR, August 29, 2006 This review is from: Panasonic DMC-FZ50 10.1MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) (Electronics) In the past, I've owned or used several Panasonic Lumix models. All were good digital cameras. The FZ-50, however, is something very special.

The Leica approved lens design is, as always, superbly sharp. From a butte with a 50+ mile view, landscapes of wheat fields were crisp and highly detailed and the 10 megapixel images withstood enlargement well. Color fidelity is also excellent though a bit on the muted side: easy enough to quickly correct in any image editing program.

The new optical image stabilization (OIS) algorithm which compensates for both hand shaking and subject movement is absolutely brilliant and works incredibly well.

The ability to shoot at ISO values up to 1,600 goes hand in hand with the new OIS abilities. No one could resist testing a handheld digital camera in a dim environment at ISO 1600. Needless to say, the images are noisy. But at ISO 1600, what would you expect? Handheld photos shot at 1/20th of a second at ISO 1600 in a dim restaurant were filled with both detail and noise. Remarkably the color balance was very well-handled: the incadescent restaurant lights were recorded faithfully along with the neon and halogen lamplight streaming in through the blinds from outside. Very, very impressive.

Much of the noise could be ameliorated in Photoshop or similar programs with appropriate plug-ins. The high-speed capability is well worth the trade for noisy images. Purists may want noiseless images at ISO 1600, but it's unlikely they will ever get it. Practical photographers, on the other hand, will definitely appreciate the capability and undoubtedly will exploit it.

Ergonomically, the FZ-50 is practically a work of art. All of the frequently used controls are accessible with the right hand. The enlarged hand grip is just perfect for my large hands and the shutter release is perfectly positioned, something I am not able to say about most of the digital cameras I've used. The electronic viewfinder is sharp and is boosted for low-light focusing. (There is also an AF-assist lamp.) The flip-out LCD may be positioned for high and low angle shooting or reversed for self-portraits.

At about 1-1/2 pounds, the FZ-50 is a joy to carry for long periods.

The menu system is very accessible and quick and easy to adjust.

The few scene modes I tried worked well. Shooting pictures from a car moving at 60 miles per hour worked surprisingly well in the sports action mode.

Shutter lag is remarkably slight: the Panasonic Venus III engine lives up to its billing. Response is not up to the level of a Nikon or Canon DSLR, but it is certainly faster than any other midlevel digital camera I've used. Burst rate of about one frame per second are routinely attainable.

The FZ-50 will do RAW, but it is on the slow side. Either use an extremely fast SD card or avoid RAW where you need to be prepared for one exposure after another. JPEG files at full resolution (3,648 x 2,736 pixels) are quite good and will withstand, in my opinion, enlargement of about 4 - 5x.

I think SD card compatibility may be an issue with 4GB cards. I tried one and the camera refused to boot. A variety of 2GB cards worked without a problem.

The battery is rated for 360 shots between images. The test used by manufacturers uses one shot every 30 seconds, I believe. My experience with the battery didn't allow for more than 300 shots before the warning indicator started flashing. I don't know how many more shots I could have gotten, but I would definitely advise having a second battery for this camera.

I did not try the movie mode, so I can't comment on that.

Overall, the FZ-50 is more than satisfactory in every way. It is not a replacement for a Canon or Nikon DSLR, but is in many ways more satisfying to use. It is lighter than either a Canon or a Nikon; its 12x Leica approved designed lens covers 35 - to 425mm. Image quality is superb and the OIS is fantastic. I would highly recommend the FZ-50 as a travel camera or just for everyday use.

Jerry

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291 of 297 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Superb with Fantastic Ergonomics, September 8, 2006 This review is from: Panasonic DMC-FZ50 10.1MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) (Electronics) Perhaps you've heard: one of the most difficult targets for photography = birds-- super small **and** super frisky. Most texts urge you to buy a dSLR, with a VERY long AND fast zoom. Such lenses are heavy, big, 4-figure expensive AND require stabilization. To outfit yourself accordingly, you're looking at a minimum 2 grand outlay (camera body, walk-around lens, fast super-zoom lens, tripod, etc)...........................

On the other hand, this 10mp all-in-one camera STARTS with a built-in 12x zoom. This yields the 35mm equivalent of a 35mm to 420mm lens, WITH an aperture of f/2.8 to 3.7. In English: fast, and with serious reach. Yet, there's a delightful surprise: you can EASILY drop down to 5mp, getting in return a 17x OPTICAL zoom. Bird still too far away? Drop the camera's resolution down to 3mp--- now you've got a 21.4x OPTICAL zoom. This is NO software-based gimmick, folks, as the quality of the image remains incredible throughout. The camera simply hones in on the central image (i.e., the central 5mp or 3mp area), cropping out the excess sides, thereby effectively increasing the optical zoom with NO image deterioration. As I already have Panasonic's LT55 telephoto 1.7x converter lens (used with my now-old FZ7 camera), I can just screw that directly onto the FZ50 lens, for still more reach. And again, none of this is "digital", so we're still talking super optical quality throughout the reach. Keep in mind-- this is all **with** image stabilization! It's so very good / crisp/ detailed, that I now **keep** it at 3mp whenever I'm shooting birds, so I can enjoy that mind-blowing extra optical zoom.

Now, if some of the technical jargon in the preceding paragraph spooks you, know this: I purchased my first digicam (FZ7) a few months ago. I knew nadda, photographically speaking. But I added "PCPhoto Digital Zoom Camera Handbook" to my cart, enjoyed the easy but super-informative read during a weekend, and was shooting up a storm in no time, actually KNOWING what the different options are all about. Later, when I started wondering about actual "technique," a quick trip to my local bookstore introduced me to a UK monthly magazine, "Digital Camera" --- truly useful info in every issue, not to mention the included teach-me CD with videos.

If you prefer to just point and shoot, there's a "auto" mode for you. If you like scene modes, you'll find plenty here from which to choose, including night scene, fireworks scene, and party scene. There's a zoom ring, instead of a moving lens jutting in and out. If you prefer to sometimes indulge manual focus, you'll love the new focus ring on the lens. Nice touch: the system auto-magnifies the target as you rotate the focus ring, encouraging maximum sharpness.

That's the thing about this ultra sweet package: nice touches abound, making for an marveloously smooth and easy user experience. There are two dial rings, which you manipulate with your third finger and thumb (as index finger sits in shutter release). Both dial rings are to the right of the camera, one in front and the other in the back. Ergonomically, this means that your eye need never leave the electronic viewfinder (or LCD) in order to tweak exposure. These can be customized, allowing one to no-think change aperture and exposure compensation on the fly, with a simple, quick twirl of a dial ring (the selections/result are visible on the EVF/LCD). A "function" button allows equal ease in tweaking white balance, flash, bracketing, ISO sensitivity and more. Read: no hunting thru the system menu!

Want to add an external flash? No problem-- there's a hot shoe. Like to crop pics within the camera itself? Do it in "playback" mode-- it's your option as to whether to retain or trash the original. Want to save your tweaking settings as an "option"? Use one of the 3 personal customization slots available. Prefer an EVF? Got it. Want a move-it-around sharp LCD? Wish granted. Wanna zoom your pics during playback, to doublecheck for sharpness? Also dirt easy, via a max 8x zoom. Wear glasses? So what, there's a diopter adjustment dial next to the EVF. You can even get an optional shutter release cord.

55mm filters, as well as the LT55 teleconverter for the FZ7, work fine here without a special converter-- just screw the add-on to the FZ50 lens itself. But it's an either-or proposition, i.e., can't use a circular polarizer with the teleconverter lens. Small loss, given the series of optional built-in optical zooms you can get from this beauty.

Third party batteries work just fine. Just look for a CGR-S006A equivalent. (I got cheapie DynaMax-- works great.) The charger is ultra-convenient. Not quite the size of a deck of cards, it just plugs into an outlet -- no cords. I always have one battery in it at home, so switching is a no sweat/delay deal (pop in and out). Very healthy battery life also (more than 300 pics, despite keeping the system at "10 minutes")!

One negative: while there is a burst mode, it's rather slow. That irked me, but everything else is so profoundly sweet, that I've opted to live with it. Just too much incredible goodness here for me to elevate this one item to deal-breaker status.

One special note: if you just start shooting when you get the camera, you might be disappointed. The pics may appear softer than you anticipate. Go into the menu, select "Picture Adjustment", and tweak saturation, contrast, sharpness and noise reduction until you get a personally satisfying result. Worth the extra effort!

Still not sure about coughing up your hard-earned dough for the FZ50? Yes, it's a little cheaper elsewhere, but check out Amazon's return page (Help >> Return Policy >> Product Specific Policies >> Camera & Photo) -- it confirms a very generous 30-day return policy, from date of receipt. My bet is that, like me, you'll quickly adopt this baby as your own, tossing the Amazon box long before that 30 day period expires. And, you'll never look back.

-------------In the Box
camera (duh!)
32mb SD card
battery
battery charger
USB connection cable
AV cable
CD-ROM
Shoulder strap (nice!)
lens cap
lens hood

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90 of 91 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Superior advanced digicam, October 19, 2006 This review is from: Panasonic DMC-FZ50 10.1MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) (Electronics) This is my first Panasonic camera so I am coming to this completely objectively. People seem to be divided into two groups regarding the FZ50 (and by extension, most of Panasonic's recent digicams) - those who find it's image quality impressive despite it's limitations and enjoy it's superiority in most other areas and those who feel the FZ50 should have been a lot more than it is, lacking the output to back up it's DSLR stylings and not being a revolutionary upgrade over the FZ30. I stand somewhere in the middle but leaning more towards the first view.

The fact is, the FZ50 is a great bridge / mega zoom all-in-one digicam. The huge 12x focal range really is liberating and I just could not go back to a measly 3x zoom ever again. The superior quality of the Leica lens, which really is the main selling point is not to be underestimated - it's very sharp, producing next to no chromatic aberrations with truly effective stabilisation and I think is far superior to the lens of current competition. As everyone points out, to get this quality of (stabilised) lens over such a huge focal range for a DSLR would usually require more than one bulky lens and would probably cost well over a $1000, so you can't really find anything to grumble about here.

I absolutely love the manual zoom and focus, which means you can fine tune to a degree that you just couldn't with a mechanical zoom - it's also silent and saves valuable battery power. I've found colour representation in the photos to be realistic although I must say that on every digital camera I've used, photos have never appeared quite how my eyes saw the original scene colour wise. I've found auto white balance to do a good job in most situations so far and this can also be fine tuned when in manual mode. The flash output can also be set to varying degrees, which is useful when you want to retain a more natural look in dimly lit conditions. The ergonomics as everyone points out are also great, the FZ50 feels comfortable and your hand position will feel natural around it.

The flexibility of the twist out and swivel LCD screen is also not to be underestimated, allowing more versatile shooting angles than a fixed screen would give you. I really wish the screen could have been bigger though - I'm sure Panasonic could have extended it to 2.5" as there is a border around the screen which could have possibly been used up with extra pixels. However, the screen is great. At 207K pixels, everything is nice and sharp and there is no ghosting unless in very dim light. I am a little confused though as even though the EVF has a higher resolution than the LCD screen at 235K pixels, it is very noticeably less detailed in both colour and sharpness - can anybody enlighten me by leaving a comment?

And so we come to image quality - the real bone of contention between the two camps. I have to say that I agree with a lot of those who complain about Panasonic's decision to up the pixel count from the FZ30 to 10mp whilst still using the same sized sensor, which is a fraction of the size of a DSLR. The (now infamous) Venus 3 engine covers the noise well but as others will point out, at the cost of smudging out fine detail. Unfortunately, when Panasonic in their FZ50 press release said that high ISO noise levels were much improved over the FZ30, they didn't quite mean they had made a breakthrough with sensor technology, they simply meant they had developed a better way to hide the noise!

Having said that, my photos have really impressed me with great clarity and colour and the main digicam review sites have pointed out that the image quality is above average in this anyway superior class of consumer digicam, and you can see this from their test shots. Also, if you go onto some of the Panasonic forums such as at dpreview you'll find some great examples of what can be achieved with the FZ50 and I'm sure you'll be really impressed. And at low ISO 100, some comparison tests show the FZ50 to give lower end DSLR's like the XT a good run for their money! But you do have to ask what is the point of putting in 10 megapixels if you have to print and view at sizes that a lower megapixel count would give you because when viewed at 100%, the effects of the heavy noise reduction can look pretty ugly. I would have much preferred a 6mp FZ50 if that would have resulted in less noise for the Venus 3 to work with. If I'm right in saying that a larger sensor would then result in a smaller focal range then Panasonic have probably tried to get the best from all angles and successfully so - however, Fuji have shown that great strides in sensor technology can be achieved.

To conclude, the FZ50 is a great advanced digicam and really impresses in all areas. It's a lot of fun to use because it's so comfortable and makes such a wide range of shots possible not to mention being extremely responsive and quick. The effects of the heavy noise reduction will only be an issue if you plan on viewing and printing large and using the high ISO's but otherwise image quality is great. For the advanced consumer who wants the best there is before the expense and bulk of a DSLR, then the FZ50 is the one to choose.

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This year, with Canon's release of the A570IS, I decided to upgrade, driven by the addition of optical image stabilization (IS). While the IS is impressive, I was surprised by other improvements that Canon has made. Image noise levels are significantly lower and more controlled for higher ISO captures. The Digic III processor seems to make more intelligent decisions about lighting and flash exposure, especially when its face recognition is engaged. Add a dramatically better quality LCD screen, slightly higher 7.1MP resolution, improved case, and support of high capacity SD cards, and I doubt I'll need to upgrade any time soon.

Like the A540, the A570IS is for me a perfect balance of size, speed, and photo quality. The A570IS is the same physical size as the A540. It's small enough to fit in a coat pocket or small belt case yet uses 2 AA batteries.

Like the A540, overall processing speed is very fast unless you're taking flash pictures (and then you should expect about 4-6 seconds between flashes depending on battery level and what flash strength the camera selected). Note that flash time is significantly better with high-capacity rechargeable NiMh batteries than with standard AAs. And, unlike some other cameras I have tried, the speed of the user interface (especially during playback) is very fast.

Picture quality in general is excellent, even in low light situations. Noise at higher ISO is significantly more controlled than the A540, perhaps a benefit of the new 7.1MP CCD and the Digic III image processor. According to the documentation, noise reduction is applied at slow shutter speeds of 1.3 seconds or greater, and this can slightly slow down shot-to-shot time. There is no option to disable or adjust the noise processing, but in my experience the results are very good. When noise reduction is applied, there is a slight loss of detail compared to the A540, but the results are noticeably better on the A570IS with its built-in noise reduction than post-processing noise on pictures taken with the A540.

In my own head-to-head comparisons between the A570IS and A540, the A570IS has better light metering and noticeably sharper detail on indoor shots without a flash (especially when image stabilization is engaged). The A570IS does favor slightly higher ISO in auto modes than the A540, giving generally better results without a flash. However, when taking close-up pictures with a flash, the A570IS doesn't seem to select anything lower then ISO 200, sometimes requiring a manual ISO override in Program mode.

The A570IS offers a new ISO 1600 mode, but I'm not quite sold on it. Without a tripod, under low light conditions, ISO 1600 does offer the opportunity for blur-free photographs not possible with ISO 800. But the level of noise and artifacts from the noise processing don't give a very usable picture.

The A570IS raises the bar with optical image stabilization, which only works when the camera is held horizontally. One of the biggest limitations of consumer digital cameras is the need to hold the camera steady to get a clear shot. At higher zooms and in night shots this problem can be compounded. I've taken a number of shots with and without IS, and it is useful but not a "magic bullet" for poor shots. Small details like far-away signs at night become clear when the IS is engaged. You can set the IS to run continuously during preview, only when the shutter is released (slightly lower battery drain), only on vertical movement (better for objects that are moving horizontally), or disabled (I have yet to find a reason to do so). And, unlike many cameras I've seen, the IS works in video capture mode.

Like the A540, the A570IS offers full manual controls. With the A570IS, Canon adds two more modes (Kids & Pets and Indoor) to the mode selector wheel (instead of having to find them on the Special Scene menu). The A570IS also adds a new Aquarium scene mode, while removing the useless Color Swap and Color Accent modes. Canon has also removed the "My Camera" customization menu (for changing the startup picture and various sounds) which I never used on my A540.

Although I never expected to use it, the movie mode is excellent. It's still not a replacement for a dedicated camcorder. But I have used it on a number of occasions to capture audio and video when a picture just won't do. Standard movie mode is 640x480 (VGA) quality at 30fps, but you can raise the capture to 60 fps at 320x240, or lower it to 15fps at 160x120. The A570 can now capture video up to 1 hour or 4GB whichever comes first. Video files are very large (around 1.9MB/second at 30fps) but they compress extremely well with QuickTime Pro's MPEG4 codec.

With the A570IS, Canon also addressed some of my minor complaints about the A540. Most notably, the LCD screen is much higher quality and higher resolution. The case plastics seem more solid, the small rubber door covering the USB - A/V - power ports pivots open from the side not the top, and the handle area no longer has a chrome insert which had a tendency to fall off. The ring that covers the conversion lens adapter mount has a chrome trim, making the camera more attractive but at least on my A570IS it is more difficult to remove than the A540.

Once again, I looked at the Canon A710IS which offers a 6x optical zoom, but has the same 7.1MP sensor, optical image stabilization and user interface with the older Digic II image processor. In the end, after trying both cameras in the store, I again settled on the A570IS. The A710IS is noticeably larger (about 0.25 inches wider and slightly taller), and the more complicated lens takes longer to startup and to zoom. Both cameras have a limited number of stops in their zoom range, but this is noticeable on the 6x of the A710IS where it is not noticeable in the 4x of the A570IS. For me, the larger size wasn't worth the extra zoom. And the benefits of Digic III are impressive.

In summary, Canon A570IS Pros:
- 7.1 megapixel sensor, 4x optical zoom
- ISO 80 to 1600
- optical image stabilization for higher ISO or zoom, even during video capture
- optical viewfinder for shooting with the LCD off
- full manual controls (shutter priority, appeture priority, full manual)
- preset and custom white balance control
- outstanding photo quality, even in relatively low light (good color balance, very low noise at higher ISOs, almost non-existent chromatic aberation)
- Digic III processor offers face detection, makes more intelligent decisions on exposure, and flash levels
- very good results from built-in noise reduction for slow shutter speeds of 1.3 seconds or greater
- very fast startup and shot-to-shot speed (flash not withstanding)
- excellent and speedy auto-focus even in low light (although the AF assist light can slow this down)
- orientation sensor recognizes if you have rotated the camera to take a shot
- flash adjusts angle based on wide-telephoto zoom
- built-in red eye reduction during playback lets you select an area to remove red eye and save as new or overwrite the existing image
- surprisingly usable movie mode
- outstanding user interface: options are well laid out and easy to locate, very well thought-out record and playback options
- extremely fast user interface and playback performance, even zooming in on photos
- high resolution LCD screen
- well built case, very comfortable grip
- uses SD cards and supports high-capacity SDHC (takes advantage of high-speed SD)
- uses 2 AA batteries (at least 2500 mAh NiMh rechargeable recommended)
- very good battery life (approx 400 shots on 2 rechargeable NiMh AA, with the display on)
- replaceable lithium battery protects settings when changing batteries
- supports optional high-power flash, conversion lenses and underwater case

Cons (to me, all very minor):
- flash recharge time is acceptable but not great (4 - 6 seconds between shots using NiMh batteries)
- preview display blanks while flash recharges
- Auto ISO for indoor flash close-up pictures doesn't seem to select below ISO 200; you can force ISO 100 in Program or manual modes
- ISO 1600 is of questionable real-world use because of noise and artifacts from noise reduction
- noise reduction cannot be adjusted or disabled
- it is possible to insert the SD card upside down and you don't realize until you try to close the cover (would be easy to break the cover if you force this)
- the markings for the battery orientation are difficult to read
- no RAW image support, but you can select from 3 different compression ratios for image quality
- bundled 16MB card is useless - buy a 2GB card

TIPS :
1) make sure you do a low-level format before you use your SD card in this camera, even if you had formatted it for another Canon camera. It makes a significant difference in shot-to-shot speed
2) always use high-capacity (2500 mAh or greater) NiMh rechargeable batteries - the flash recharge time is much improved (though still 4-6 seconds)
3) for indoor flash close-up shots, may need to override ISO to 100 for better quality
4) for outdoor shots in bright sun, setting exposure -2/3 gives better control of bright areas
5) if you use the conversion lens adapter, don't plan on using the built-in flash which is partially obscured by the adapter. I haven't tried it, but would expect the external flash to not have this problem.

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1,407 of 1,426 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A camera that's powerful and a great value, March 5, 2008 This review is from: Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics) I own a DSLR and consider myself a photography enthusiast. I wanted a small compact camera with me when I don't want to lug around my DSLR + lenses and equipment. After a previous good experience with the Canon A720 IS, the new A590 IS seemed like a good choice. Since I'm an advanced photographer, I'll focus on the advanced features of this camera. The auto modes work as well as any other camera in its class, but the extensive manual features is what sets apart the Canon A series. What I like about the camera:

+ Compact, stylish. It's smaller than older A Powershots, and the dark grey color gives it a seriousness compared to the typical bright silver finish.

+ Image stabilization works very well, it allows me to take blur-free photos 2-3 stops below the recommended shutter speed, that means at 35-50mm f2.8 1/10 sec shots are CONSISTENTLY possible indoors without using flash.

+ Good image quality. Expected from Canon, but even better is adjustable contrast, saturation, and sharpness settings, along with the typical JPG compression and resolution sizes.

+ Fast and responsive. I was surprised how responsive this camera is even compared with my DSLR. Shutter lag is very low for a compact digicam, and when I pre-focus with manual focus, it's even faster.

+ Manual modes. Aperture priority and shutter priority are great, the M mode is even better than other A Powershots such as the A720 because now there's a light meter on the right side that adjusts live based on what the camera thinks is the optimal exposure setting. And you can adjust aperture/shutter speed and see how it affects the final exposure. Ideally a live histogram would be even better, but this is very handy.

+ Manual focus. Although the LCD resolution is not good enough, even with the point zoom option, manual focus helps in close-up work and pre-focusing for action or creative photography.

+ Manual flash modes. In addition to automatic flash. The manual flash allows me to adjust the flash power in 3 levels, and prevents a pre-flash. This last part is important for using a remote optical slave flash. I can basically take professional looking studio pictures with this camera with my external flash equipment.

+ Optical viewfinder. I don't use this much yet, but can come in handy in bright sunlight conditions, or when battery conservation is needed.

+ Battery performance seems improved over previous A powershots too. The official specs give it 220 shots on regular alkalines and 500 on rechargeable NiMHs. Good news is they use common AA batteries that you can buy anywhere instead of proprietary models with specific chargers.

Now the negatives. I hope Canon can improve these aspects in their future models.

- Slow flash recycle times. This is to be expected from a camera that takes AA batteries. Would be nice if the LCD didn't blank out after a full flash discharge. Not a big deal since I use an external flash anyway, and the camera's flash is manually set to medium output as trigger (so recharge is faster). I would not want to give up the AA battery convenience for a faster flash recycle time though.

- Higher resolution LCD. The 2.5" 115k resolution LCD is ok for framing and casual browsing, but higher resolution would be nice.

-Live histogram while shooting. This feature is available when reviewing a photo, but not live. Other manufacturers have implemented this, and Canon should also, especially since the unofficial CHDK software mod allows such a feature.

- Larger aperture would be nice. Such as f/2.0 (instead of f/2.6) at the wide end, and f/4.0 (instead of f/5.5) at the telephoto end. That way a lower (& less noisy) ISO can be used in dim conditions or when fast shutter speeds are needed to freeze action. All the electronics in the world can't replace a good large lens. Also allows more creative depth of field control.

- A wider wideangle would be nice, 28mm instead of 35mm (35mm equiv). I'd rather see a wider wideangle than a longer zoom.

- Video feature is not ideal. Optical zoom is not available during recording of video. And the more efficient MPEG4 compression is not used, so video files tend to be large. Also noticed at 640x480 resolution, the highest fps is now 20 instead of 30 from other A models. A definite step backwards.

- Noise at higher ISOs. This is due to the smaller sensor on compact cameras. But 8 MP is probably the most pixels that can be crammed into a small 1/2.5" sensor. I'd rather have a cleaner picture at 6-7 MP than a noisy 8 MP picture. And if in-camera noise reduction is used, I'd like to see an adjustable setting for how much is being applied.

- And if I were to be really critical: There's no indicator of what optical zoom level I'm at. Slight image noise is noticeable even at ISO 80 when I zoom in really close on a monitor view. When at the widest angle & aperture, there's slight barrel distortion and blurriness on the corners. Not many compact cameras can do better in terms of image quality, but I'm pointing them out here because even though this camera beats most of the competition, it still has room for improvement.

So overall it's a great camera for the price. Offering great image quality with the auto settings for the casual user, but also a powerful set of features for the more advanced photographer.

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452 of 463 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to beat, March 10, 2008 This review is from: Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics) These PowerShot "A" cameras are Canon's attempt to deliver the quality and features of its more expensive PowerShot "G" and PowerShot Pro "S" lines (such as full zoom lenses) at a budget price. The results are pretty good. (How do I know? Because I've actually gotten to use all of these cameras. I earn my living at Walt Disney World writing a travel guide, and nearly every day guests ask me to take photos of them with their own cameras, which most often are Canon PowerShots.)

Here's my opinion of the top-selling "A" series cameras:

A580. This 2008 model is an A590IS (see below) without image stabilization and with semi-automatic instead of manual controls. I'd spend the extra bucks for the A590IS, because those two features can make quite a difference.

A650 IS. You can do a lot with this sweet little camera, though it may be more than you need. It has a flip-out LCD panel and the option of manual controls. The shots I've seen from this model look great. Keep your ISO under 800 and you won't get any noise.

A720 IS. This fully-loaded 2007 model has all the toys, including a 6x zoom (35mm film equivalent of 35-210mm), image stabilization, adjustable flash power and optional second-curtain flash. This last feature means you can make the flash fire at the end of a long exposure, instead of the beginning, so moving subjects streak into focus instead of out.

A470. This 2008 camera is great for kids or anyone just looking for a good basic camera. It includes Canon's face detection technology and has a zoom lens, 14 shooting modes and the ability to set exposure compensation, ISO and white balance manually. Plus it looks great, and is a good bargain.

Finally, the A590IS (the camera on this page) is a 2008 upgrade to an older model, the A570IS. The face detection system works a little better than the one on its predecessor, and the new model is slightly rounder and easier to grip. I personally like that it has automatic and manual controls, though I haven't seen anyone using the manual set yet. Overall this camera is a fine performer, a great bargain and I think the best buy of the bunch. I bought one for myself.

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233 of 236 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the extra $30 over the A570is with mostly same or better features, March 20, 2008 This review is from: Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics) Pros:
The A590IS is the best point and shoot under $200 today (closer to $155 most places). I own an SD600 and my wife, friend, and father (all different people mind you!) own A570IS's. The A590IS is the new version of the A570IS, 2007's best selling camera. Generally, see the rave reviews of the A570IS if you want to know the major pros and cons (in summary: Image Stabilization is amazing, noise is limited, features of all there including manual controls [though no auto-bracketing which no other cameras at this price point have regardless], final picture quality is superior to all other brands at this price point and type, [i.e., point-and-shoot], good size). Rather, here I'll address the main improvements over the A570IS (which is about $30 cheaper):

(1) The A590IS has 8mp vs. 7mp on the A570IS (negligible difference)

(2) The A590IS is slightly faster between non-flash shots BUT slightly SLOWER before the first shot can be taken and slower between shots where flash is used (less than .5 second difference according to CNet)

(3) It's charcoal/gray - minor change from silver, but I like it a lot.

(4) It's "rounder" on the edges but no less stable in your hand, neither camera is too slippery like other overly polished cameras (also, no finger smudges as a result).

(5) There is sometimes increased noise with higher MP cameras, this is NOT the case here - noise levels are similar.

(6) there are some minor additional shooting modes and improvements to other shooting

Cons:
The only change that is not an improvement is the lowering of the frames per second in the video mode.
A570IS: 640x480 = 30fps --- 320x240 = 60fps
A590IS: 640x480 = 20fps --- 320x240 = 30fps

Frankly, this is a bummer and cannon should correct it with firmware ASAP; however, the lower FPS is still quiet good, but this was a pointless change that is not appreciated -- the reality is that most people don't use video often and those who do will see a minimal difference ... if you're paying that much attention to the video you may be more interested in a different camera or a video camera.

Conclusion:
This will be the best selling camera of 2008 and it's a VERY safe purchase you won't regret (unless it gives you such a new found love for photography that suddenly you wish you had a Canon S5 or G7 ... which are more than twice as expensive!).

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