Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm and 55-200mm Non-VR DX Zoom Lenses Bundle

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Like many folks, I pre-ordered the D800 the same day it was available. Alas, Nikon totally blew the market analysis vs production vs. supply chain formula. After waiting 2 months, I had to leave the country before Nikon got it's D800 act together. I needed a beat-up D90 replacement camera, and the D3200 seemed like a decent place-holder. I quickly ordered one before they were back-ordered too! Sure, the D3200 is DX, not FX. Sure, it is not nearly as flexible. Sure, it can only AF with newer lenses. BUT, you can buy about 4-D3200's for the price of a D800, AND it comes with a decent kit lens for $699!



The tutoring graphical-based menu system is geared more to beginners, which I am not, so I find it maddening. Most will love it, since it is somewhat educational, and offers a great variety of pre-sets to take creative shots easily.



It is amazingly light weight - lighter than most lenses! It is very quiet. The AF could be faster, but it's plenty fast enough. When you dig deeper, you shockingly find that the D3200 has many advanced internal features from the highest-end cameras (D800 & F4). The high-res LCD rear screen, the EXPEED 3 image processing engine, and a new 24MP sensor. The EXPEED 3 image processing engine allows the D3200 to perform at an altitude unheard of for a so-called entry level camera. Nikon's Active-D dynamic range enhancement at 24MP at 4 frames per second requires substantial in-camera processing power.



I bought this camera primarily for still photography. With the proper lenses & technique, the results are stunning. Low-light/high ISO performance is far beyond what you should expect at this level camera. Candle-lit face images are noise-free, and look great. Still life's on a tripod at ISO 100, have more resolution that ANY DSLR I have ever used, with very little shadow noise. In short, I might not accept my D800 when it becomes available. I might use the D3200 longer than I thought, (waiting for the 24MP FX D600 for $1999 later this year -- my guesses on price & stats & date)...or, just keep using the D3200. If it breaks (I'm hard on cameras), I'll just buy a new one.



Bottom line -- the D3200: super light-weight, very quiet, super high resolution (& low noise, high dynamic range, superb colors), incredible HD video with slow motion. It is no doubt THE most amazing DSLR value on the planet!



5/14/12 UPDATE: I've now shot 100s of images, using lenses from 11 mm to 600 mm. I've learned a lot. Super-high resolution cameras are a new arena for most of us. On the surface, one automatically thinks you will get images with twice the resolution (12MP vs 24MP). Not so. MP resolution is measured linearly, so the increase while significant, is less than doubled. More importantly, when you enter the hi-res camera stratosphere, photographic technique & lens choice are critical. While these high MP cameras are capable of amazing results, you have to work to get absolutely ALL the MP's this camera has to offer. Do not blame the camera if your initial results are less dramatically sharper than your old 6-8-12MP Nikon. It's probably you...

BTW, the Nikon 18-55mm is a decent lens, but it doesn't do this imager justice. You can get better results, with better glass. The excellent f1.8 35mm DX Nikon on this camera makes a super-light weight compact package you can carry all day long, producing super images. A 60 year-old Nikkor Q 200mm f4, $70 or so on eBay, produces stunning results if carefully used on Manual, on a tripod.



Set-up a table with clean background and a few artifacts on it. Use the sharpest lens you have, at f 8, on a sturdy tripod, perpendicular to the table, Shoot the scene with the in-camera flash on both old & new camera bodies. You will see the difference easily when images from both cameras are compared side by side, enlarged to 100%.



How does this translate to everyday casual shooting? Not easily. Sub-par technique still results in sub-par images no matter what camera is used. If you are a beginner looking for the best entry-level DSLR ever made, all of this won't matter -- grab a D3200 and shoot away! Just note that the D3200 is capable of world-class imagery. If it takes more effort to take photographs of this caliber, it's a good thing -- the D3200 forces you to up your game to get there!



5/5/13 UPDATE. It's been a year. I have a D800 and a D3200. Yes, there are many differences between the two. One is at the high end of the spectrum, the other, entry level. When I'm shooting commercially, or seriously in any way, it's the D800. It is a superb camera, if you own glass that can fully exploit the 36MP sensor, and your technique is solid. For everything else, I use the D3200. Why? It's light and compact. You can easily carry it around all day, with the f1.8 35mm, and hardly know it's there. If that lens isn't wide enough, shoot a 3-frame series and stitch them together in Photoshop. Again, with good glass and technique, the results are very, very good. D800 territory? No, but few would notice. The D3200 is a pleasure to use, and handles fast enough for most kinds of photography. You can use old manual Nikkor lenses easily, albeit with a bit more effort. With the focus confirmation dot in the viewfinder, manual focusing is easy. Exposure can be guessed and adjusted using the great hi-res LCD. I recently had to shoot an emergency-rush job covering a politician's speech. All I had in the car was the D3200, the 35mm f1.8, and an old, sharp 100mm f2.8 E Nikkor -- my normal in-car-at all-times stash. The setting was indoors, in a bright garden area -- no flash allowed. I was surrounded by folks with Nikon D4's and $1500 lenses. I got a few looks....LOL. I boosted the ISO to 1600, used the $50 100mm @ f4 @1/125th, and the results were great, published in several places. The D3200 is a great camera for the money, I like it more now than when I first bought it!



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HOMEIMAGE 8 Bottle Thermal Electric Wine Cooler - HI-8C

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Could be a 5 star rating! Have used it for about 6 weeks and so far everything is fine. It has one of the lowest temperature settings of all the units I looked at and this was the primary reason I purchased this unit. It was also the perfect size for the space I needed to put it in. The unit is not totally quiet when operating but definitely not annoying. The price for this unit was outstanding when compared to other units with same bottle storage capacity.



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Canon EOS Rebel T5 EF-S 18-55mm IS II Digital SLR Kit

The Canon EOS Rebel T5 SLR camera with the EF-S 18-55mm IS II standard zoom lens is perfect for families, budding photo enthusiasts and first-time SLR users alike. EOS Rebel T5 makes it easy to capture movies and photos that are nothing short of dazzling. It features a powerful 18 megapixel CMOS image sensor and DIGIC 4 image processor for easy recording of HD video and high-resolution photos and has a huge 3-inch LCD screen for Live View recording and review. With a 63-zone, dual-layer metering system, an expanded ISO range for outstanding operation in less-than-perfect light, shooting modes like Scene Intelligent Auto to take the guesswork out of complex shots plus creative options like Basic+ function and Creative Auto, the EOS Rebel T5 is ready for anything. With a helpful Feature Guide, rugged, lightweight construction and proven Canon design, the EOS Rebel T5 makes EOS SLR photography faster and easier than ever!

• 18 megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor with DIGIC 4 image processor


• EF-S 18-55mm IS II standard zoom lens expands picture-taking possibilities


• 3-inch LCD TFT color, liquid-crystal monitor for easy viewing and sharing


• EOS 1080p full HD movie mode helps you capture brilliant results


• Features include continuous shooting up to 3fps, Scene Intelligent Auto mode, creative filers, built-in flash and feature guide

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Nikon COOLPIX S3500 20.1 MP Digital Camera with 7x Zoom - Silver (Certified Refurbished)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



July 13, 2013, Update



I have taken more photos since writing the initial review and am even more impressed with this little camera now than I was then. I am amazed how clear and sharp the photos are right out of the camera.



I can't do as much with this camera as I can with my Canon 60d DSLR. The latter has much better zoom capability, is much better for action shots, etc., but it costs many times more than this one so you would expect it to do more. However, for the typical family shots and street photography, this camera is a much closer second place to the 60d than I realized when I wrote the first review.



And the fact that you can carry it in your pocket, always ready for use, is a huge plus. I now find myself using this camera for family activities much more than I do the 60d.



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My present primary camera is a DSLR Canon 60d. However, with its lenses, it is much too large and heavy to carry wherever I go when I am out and about. I wanted a small camera I could carry in my pocket, one that took very good photos and did not break the bank. The Coolpix S3500 fills that need very nicely.



Compared to my Canon 60d. which cost many times more what I paid for the S3500, it is a 2 or a 3. But considering what you get for your money, the S3500 is a strong 5.



The photos are clear and sharp, the colors (I have it set in "standard") are very natural appearing, and it handles "noise" up to ISO 1600 about as well as any camera.



At ISO 100 & 200 there is negligible noise and an increasing amount thereafter. But even at 1600 the noise removal software I use cleans up the photo as easily as it does my Canon 60d. Quite surprising for a camera of this price.



This camera has just about anything anyone could want for casual photography. And it takes good photos.



One thing I especially like is that it uses standard SD cards. I'm using an 8GB card so that I will have space if I want to shoot some video. The greater capacity of the card, the more photos and video clips it will hold.



Also, both surprising and welcome, is the 7X optical zoom. Typically cameras of this type, even more expensive ones, have an optical zoom of only 4X or 5X.



(Note: This camera, like virtually all others, has both optical zoom capability and an option of digital zoom. My advice is to make use of the optical zoom of 7X and turn off the digital zoom since all that does is to crop the photo to make the subject look larger. With the optical zoom you can actuallyincrease the size of whatever you are shooting.)



A Quick Start guide comes with the camera. Don't be fooled by the thickness of the book, there are only a few pages in English.h The rest of the book is repeating the same basic information in 3 other languages.



2 DVD's come with camera. One, and the most important to me, was the user manual. It too includes 4 languages, but you can download and save the language portion that you want. It is well done and I recommend using it when you set up the camera rather than the very basic quick start guide. Don't install everything on your computer, just the portion in the language of your choice.



The second DVD gives you tools for processing, printing, and uploading to Facebook your photos. I didn't install it because I have other software that I use.



Also in the box are a hand strap, battery, and charging device, there is no SD card, but the camera does have 25MB of internal memory that will allow you to take a few photos while you get an SD card, and no case. You charge the battery when it is in the camera using the cable.



If you are looking for a small, relatively inexpensive camera for family photos and other casual shooting, this camera deserves very serious consideration. I'm glad I chose it even though I thought I would never own any brand except Canon.



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KRUPS and HEINEKEN B100 BeerTender with Heineken Draught Keg Technology,Black

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Although it is a tad annoying, this product is worth buying your honey for father's day or his birthday because I will tell you that the guys just down right love having cold beer on tap, and you can fit this little unit in just about any room. Now that I have figured out where to get the kegs (and to look for when they go on sale), and that you have to make sure to buy tap lines in advance, it is less of a bother than it seemed at first. You need to know that you have to buy special plastic disposable tap lines for every keg (not as green as I would like, although my brother figured out how to reuse them more than once) that are pricey, there is only three beers you can buy to put in it (Heineken and Heineken Light, and New Castle Brown), and if you buy or store the kegs warm it takes a long time to cool down. Once it is cold you are set though, and there is an indicator to show how cold and how full the keg is. I had one horrible experience trying to change the keg, alone where no one could hear me, when for some reason the tap failed and a geyser of beer shot straight up into my face, all over the wall and floor at high velocity. I managed to push the tap partially back into the keg, just enough to divert the geyser so that it soaked my clothes as I dragged the whole unit out into the yard. That was not so great, although the dog found it hysterically funny.



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Nikon D7000 16.2 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I am a photography teacher in NYC and online. (See my Amazon profile for my website.) I teach beginner and intermediate photography students every week. I've also been a professional photographer for the last five years with images published in The New York Times, GQ, New York Magazine, Women's Wear Daily, The New York Observer, The Village Voice and Time Out New York.



(This review is for beginner photographers.)



If you're a beginner, you're most likely asking yourself: Nikon or Canon? Really, I feel confident in saying that you can't go wrong with either. I've used both brand's cameras extensively and find that they both offer amazing image quality with well-built, solid cameras that, if taken care of, will last decades. There are two differences between the cameras, though, that can be taken into consideration.



The user-interface: If cameras were computers, Nikons would be PCs and Canons would be MACs. PCs are built for people not afraid of technology whereas Macs are built for people who want things super-easy. Nikons excel at customization options which means you'll see so many more options with the Advanced features of a Nikon than you will with a Canon. Canons, on the other hand, excel at ease-of-use for beginners. Canons offer less advanced options and can be easier to learn on. This can be frustrating down the line, though, once you've learned a lot about photography. At that point you may want all of the options that Nikon offers and be frustrated with your Canon. If you're someone who really likes to delve deep into your hobbies or if you're intent on becoming a professional photographer, I'd say a Nikon would be your best bet. If you're someone who wants to learn the basics of photography and only imagine yourself being a hobbyist, Canon would be a better option for you.



Where Nikon excels: Flash photography. I often find myself in situations where I'm shooting event photography (weddings, movie premiers, benefits and galas) where I need to use a lot of flash. For this kind of photography, I'll always prefer to be shooting with a Nikon. Nikon's flash metering (how the camera magically decides how much light to fire out of the flash) is much more consistent than Canon's. You can take a Canon and shoot the same scene three times in a row with flash and all three images will be at different brightness levels. You can do the same thing with a Nikon and all three images will be wonderfully the same. If you're somebody who plans on shooting a lot with flash (indoor photography, event photography, etc.) you'll want to consider going with Nikon.



Where Canon excels: Richness of colors. I've been in numerous situations where I've been on the red carpet taking the exact same picture as the photographer next to me. I'll have a Canon and the person next to me will have a Nikon. This has provided quite a few opportunities to compare the images side-by-side. What I've found is that the colors on the Canon's images look richer and make the image pop more. If I'm doing fine art photography (anything I'd like to someday hang in a gallery), I'll always want to be shooting with a Canon for this reason.



If you're set on Nikon, there are three cameras you should be considering and it all comes down to what your budget is:



D7000 $1,400 without lens

D5100 $750 without lens

D3100 $600 only available with lens

(current prices as of 2/19/11)



Here's what you get for spending extra money (each camera compared to the one below it):



D3100 vs. D5100:



The D3100 is an EXCELLENT camera so if you only have $550 to spend total on camera and lens then go out and buy this camera. You won't regret it. If you're considering spending more money, here's what you'll get from the D5100 in comparison:



-Better performance in low light situations.

-A higher resolution screen on the back of the camera so you can see your images more clearly and make out if they actually turned out well.

-An external mic jack. (If you're planning on shooting video with an external mic, you'll want the D5100 over the D3100.)

-A flip out screen (handy if you want to put your camera anywhere but at your eye level and be able to see what your camera is about to capture before you shoot it)

-Faster continuous shooting. If you're often shooting sports or any fast moving subject, continuous shooting allows you to capture multiple images in a single second. The D3100 shoots at three frames per second whereas the D5100 shoots at four frames per second.

-Higher ISO options. The D5100 offers one more stop of ISO than the D3100 does. If you don't know what ISO means (or what a stop is) just know that this allows you to more easily shoot images in low-light situations.

-Longer battery life. The D5100's battery will last 20% longer than the D3100



The two advantages of the D3100 over the D5100 are: less expensive and less weight. Whenever a camera is less expensive, it means you'll have more in your budget for the lens. The D3100 weighs 10% lighter and is 10% smaller than the D5100.



D5100 vs. D7000:



The D5100 is Nikon's latest and greatest and is even newer than the D7000. Phenomenal camera! If you're stuck, though, between the D5100 and the D7000, here's what you'll get by spending more money on the D7000:



-More focus points. When using auto-focus, the D7000 will have an easier time focusing on what you want it to focus on.

-60% longer lasting batteries.

-Faster continuous shooting. If you're often shooting sports or any fast moving subject, continuous shooting allows you to capture multiple images in a single second. The D5100 shoots at four frames per second whereas the D7000 shoots at six frames per second.

-Weather sealed. This means you can shoot with the D7000 in the rain.

-Two memory card slots. This is really a cool feature. The D7000 has two memory card slots which means you'll be less likely to find yourself standing in front of a gorgeous scene with no more memory left.

-Faster shutter speed. The fastest shutter speed on the D5100 is 1/4000th of a second; on the D7000: 1/8000th of a second. To be honest, I can't think of any practical reason why this would benefit you unless you're planning on shooting some really bright scenes like directly into the sun.



Advantages of the D5100 over the D7000:



-A flip out screen (handy if you want to put your camera anywhere but at your eye level and be able to see what your camera is about to capture before you shoot it)

-Smaller and lighter: The D5100 is 10% smaller and 30% lighter than the D7000. This is something to consider if you plan on carrying your camera around with you a lot.

-Less expensive so you can spend more on your lens!



If I can clarify any of this, please email me!



-JP Pullos, photography teacher, NYC and online (see my Amazon profile for my website)



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

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I haven't used it much yet, but I can say that for $200, it is hard to not recommend it. Having worked as a professional photographer for several years, and having owned both pocket-sized and SLR-like digitals, I would say that the following are the important points to consider when making a camera purchase:



1. Price (duh). If you don't want to spend $800 or more for a real camera (or at least something close to one), the next option is an SLR-like model (again - this one was only $200 - a big plus).



2. SLR-Like vs. Pocket-Sized. To be honest, considering the capabilities of most phones nowadays, I don't undestand why they even still make pocket-sized cameras. (Although there are some that are sort of a cross between a pocket-sized & SLR-like that have a lot of zoom and give you a bit of something to hold onto). (And personally, I consider having something to hold onto to be a big plus).



3. Zoom. With 34x optical zoom, its a no-brainer. That's more zoom than you could get out of a 400mm lens with a doubler! (Try lugging one of those around). It also has image stabilization (a necessity for a long zoom shot).



4. Pixels/Picture Quality. As some of you know, more pixels does not necessarily equate to a better picture. I have an old 5 meg Olympus which has a 7 meg interpolated mode which still takes as good or better pics than anything I have seen since. (But it is as slow as Christmas). As far as I know, the quality & clarity is the pics from this camera are comparable to other 16 meg cameras on the market, but I would still keep it in the highest quality (least compressed/interpolated) mode.



5. Auto Focus Speed. This is a BIG PLUS with this camera and a crucial factor which none of the mfgs. include in their specs. The primary reason that we wanted a new camera is because my wife and I were fed up with trying to take pictures of our little girl with a camera that would almost always never focus quickly enough to get the shot. If you read the specs regarding "continuous shooting" you will see that it will shoot ~6.7 fps (max ~5 frames) in Continuous High mode. That doesn't actually tell you how fast it will focus, but is the only means of comparison that most mfgs. provide. Also, one camera review/testing site rates the "shutter lag" when in autofocus at 2/10 to 4/10 of a sec. I don't think there is anything else out there in the same price range that comes close.



6. Batteries. It seemed odd that Nikon would have gone with AA's rather than the usual proprietary lithium, but I have decided that it might come in handy sometime to be able to just put in some new AA's rather than having to recharge. (And you can always use rechargeable AA's if you want).



7. Focus Point. I discovered that you can go into the menu and select different focus points just like a real camera! (Despite having a face detection mode [which, if it is like other cameras, you will never use because it will increase the focus time], if you shoot a lot of portraits, it is a big plus to be able to quickly focus on the eyes/face & then take the shot without having to bring the camera down). Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any way to tell the camera to keep the point that you selected. (You have to go into the menu & reset it each time you turn the camera off).



8. AWB (Auto White Balance). I had looked at a review which compared this camera to others in the same class, which included sample pics taken in different lighting conditions. I was thus very disappointed to discover that it pretty much sucks in getting the white balance right when shooting indoors. (A BIG MINUS, but probably not much worse than the competition).



9. User Interface. The number & placement of dedicated function buttons is pretty much the same as most digital cameras nowadays. However, they are placed so close to the edge (under the "heel" of your thumb when you hold the camera) that I keep inadvertently pressing one or more of them. Maybe in the next model they will put a bit of a lip or ridge there to help prevent that?



10. Viewfinder/View Screen. The fact that the view screen can be extended & rotated allows you to stand and look down at it (thus allowing you to get a lower camera angle). That is actually a big plus for those who are aware of such things and often find themselves shooting from a kneeling position. However, the absence of a viewfinder is a BIG MINUS in my opinion. If you read some of the other reviews, you will see that people complain about trying to use the screen in bright sunlight. You must in effect resort to shooting blindly and hoping that you manage to get a couple of good shots. That is true for most digital cameras, and unless you already have a thousand pics on your card, it doesn't really matter if you take a hundred pics & keep only one. Still, if Nikon had only included a viewfinder, they could have had a camera that without question would have been a real winner.



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