Digital Camera Gift Ideas

Opteka RC 2 Wireless Remote Control for Nikon D40 D40x D50 D60 D70 D70s D80 D90 D3000 and D5000 Digital SLR Camera Nikon ML L3 Replacement

The Opteka RC-2 acts as a wireless shutter release capable of instantly triggering the shutter without disturbing the camera, up to a distance of approximately 16′ in front of the camera. Recommended for taking pictures of subjects that are difficult to approach, or to minimize vibration for close-ups and time exposure. Battery included, Typical Battery Life – up to 2 years, 10,000 exposures

Compatible DSLRs: Nikon D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D70s, D80, D90, D3000, & D5000

Compatible Film Cameras: Nikon F65, F75, N65, & N75

Compatible Point-and-shoot Digitals: Coolpix 8800 & 8400

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star False advertisement, plus it’s not a good product.
I was supposed to be the photographer at a friend’s party, and I was going to use this for everyone to take their own photos. Well, now I’ll have to make do with the timer. I’m returning it because of the false claim that it works on my D3000 and I suggest everyone do the same, even if it is only $10. This is directly from the instruction book: RC-2 Remote Control for Nikon D40, D40X, D70S, D70, D50, 8400, 8800, F75, F65, F55, N65, N75, Nuvis S, Lite Touch. There are more for Canon and other brands, but this remote does not work for my D3000 like the title suggests.

The one thing any small piece of technology like this needs is a small loop so that the owner can put a string through it so they don’t lose it. It disappointed me on all fronts.

5 Stars great buy!
very impressed with this item. you would rather buy this compared to other brands and is way more cheaper!

5 Stars Love it!
With your nikon there should be a timer setting that you can page through until a remote shows up (with or without a timer too) that enables this. I can use it in front, back and on the sides of the camera. We even played with bouncing it around another room to this cam and it worked great. Feels solid and very well engineered. Will be buying more for my family (my dad has a D80.)

1 Star Opteka Rc-2 wireless remote
Although it came with fast shipping, gets a 5 star for portability, and is exactly what I “thought” I wanted, I am very dissappointed in this! It clearly states in the posting that it is for a Nikon D60, when I actually received it at home though it clearly states in the information guidebook that this is NOT for the D60!! Doesn’t work for my camera!! I only paid $10 for it, so not worth the hassle of returning it for a refund, but still upsets me that I paid the company for something that they misrepresented to me! Most likely a great remote if you’re lucky enough to actually have it work with your camera.

5 Stars Excellent wireless remote
I use this with nikon d3000 in quick release mode and it works in virtually all direction such as sides and back , did not need to train as inside pamphlet suggested, range is pretty good too. I am completely satisfied.

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Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3 inch LCD and 28 135mm f 3 5 5 6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens

A Whole New Class of EOS.
With a host of brand new features designed to enhance every facet of the photographic process, from still images to video, the new EOS 7D represents a whole new class of camera.
Made to be the tool of choice for serious photographers and semi-professionals, the EOS 7D features an all-new 18.0 Megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors, capturing tremendous images at up to ISO 12800 and speeds of up to 8 fps. The EOS 7D has a new all cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo AF subject tracking and user-selectable AF area selection modes for sharp focus no matter the situation. The EOS 7D’s Intelligent Viewfinder, an entirely newly-designed technology, provides 100% coverage and displays user-selected AF modes as well as a spot metering circle and on demand grid lines. New iFCL Metering with 63-zone dual-layer metering system uses both focus and color information to provide accurate exposure even in difficult lighting. The EOS 7D also captures Full HD video at 30p (29.97 fps), 24p (23.976 fps) and 25p with an array of manual controls, including manual exposure during movie shooting and ISO speed selection. The EOS 7D features a magnesium alloy body that is dust- and weather-resistant and shutter durability of up to 150,000 cycles. Compatible with over 60 EF and EF-S lenses as well as with EOS System accessories, the creative opportunities – not just with stills but also with video – are beyond amazement.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Wonderful Machine. The lens, nothing especial.
I’ve recently buyed a EOS 7D. I’m delighted with the purchase.

It has a impressive technology.

It takes wonderful photographs.

The bestbuy for an amateur, on the verge of a professional machine.

4 Stars 7D or 40D and New Camcorder
I am an avid Canon SLR supporter and have owned the 20D, 30D & 40D. I am not a professional photographer per say, but I do wedding and event photography by word of mouth customers, So I do know something about the canon D-SLR line.

I had been contemplating upgrading to the 50D, but experiencing a lack of significant changes from the 20D on up I held off. Then the 7D came out with its claim to fame of its HD capability. I had been trying to decide to add video to photo lineup and when Canon offered the 7D with HD, it appeared both of my needs had been answered.

I am disappointed to say, that the video option of the 7D is not much to write home about. There is no auto-focus or exposure capability. You basically are entering live vue, press the half shutter to get the initial focus and exposure and then video from there. If your distance or exposure changes, your only option is to hit the auto-focus button, which has limited succes and travels in and out several times to find a setting. This is also very noisey depending on the lens you are using and is picked up very loudly on the audio recording. Yes, you can use remote mics, but again more money more set up for a one stop product. Please note, this is not just a low light issue either. It had similar problems outdoors in day light. Its amazing that canon makes other low end cameras like the Rebel and the SX1IS that do this dual mode with all the bells and whistles, but ther professional level SLRs do not.. If you want great sharp video and stills get the SX1IS for the everyday vaca shooting its great.

As far as an improved SLR, to many improvements to list. New sealed body for outdoor stuff, fast focus and focusing selections, with new info screen for ease of reading and changes. Again many many improvements, and definately several steps above the 40D. If your buying because of the HD, stick with you 40 or 50D and get a camcorder or the SX1IS…

5 Stars Canon 7D – a great buy for the price
Heavier than my old Canon Digital Rebal but packs a lot more punch. I have to hunt for some of the menu options but I’m getting used to it. I shot an HD video of a rental condo I own and the video feature worked very well.

I really appreciate the feature to shoot in JPG but to switch to JPG and RAW with the touch of one nicely placed button. Easy to switch from photo to video. The lens that comes with the camera (if you buy the basic lens and body option) has a much nicer range than my original rebal lens.

This is a fantastic camera, in regards to options, for an intermediate level photographer. There are lighter, smaller cameras that are easier to use but this camera has far more features and the ability to shoot in 1080p HD video.

4 Stars Great Features compared to XT, AF on the soft side
I had the Rebel XT (350D) for three going four years, and yes it is a awesome camera!

when I was looking for an upgrade to my rebel XT the T1i look really great, but then came the 7D and all of the new AF features and video. I think that the rebel body is lean and small even more now having a XD body.

If your on a budget the rebel T1i is a great upgrade with more MP (al dough with 8MP is more than enough) good video Q, live view and better high ISO performance than the XXXD and if you like the rebel series bodies then you should go for it, now if you don’t mind the video The 50D offers higher ISO and FPS than the rebel series and better IQ overall.

7D !!! :

I do recommend the upgrade to any one moving in that direction. The size is no issue when you get all that features, and it feels really good solid and hefty in your hands. The FPS & AF Are Fast. The high ISO performance is amazing comparing it to the XT, the low light focus and results are simply great. The AF points and versatile setup is so much better than the XT there is no comparing it.

The view finder and the LCD screen are just awesome… you cannot compare it to the Rebel 350D its on another league.

The battery life is longer, you can record RAW a JPG on at the same time or choose to do it with a press of a button. And the list of features goes on.

I Think that there is still much potential on the 7D via firmware cos it’s a awesome piece of hardware, no matter what they say.

18-270mm Tamron VC ( got it last year to upgrade the Rebel and now use with the 7D )

50D :

I think (money wise) that a Canon 50D is a good upgrade (IQ compared to the 7D) and don’t care for the video or faster AF.

If you are looking for the most IQ available today, it’s no brainer that the 5DMII is the choice (and don’t mind the extra money) performs better in low light than the 7D. Now the 7D is faster on Focus and in FPS, so if youre a sports shooter or wildlife photographer the 7D will suit you more.

Hope it helps you decide

The AF is not 100% accurate all the time ( got in touch with Canon Tech and they say maybe its because on the Tamron Lens? ) I get a bit soft images that you can improve with PP but overall you get very good IQ ( if want excellent IQ get the 5DMKII )

Highly Recommended!

5 Stars Canon’s Customer Relations
Ever had a problem with a camera? Ever missed the e-tailers 30 day return policy? Ever had to return the camera to the manufactor for repairs? Well, I have. To shorten this story I would like to say Canon stands behind their products. My 7d’s problem was an unidentifed error message(no number). This error occured whenever I made any adjustments or control changes. I returned the camera to Jamesburg, NJ with a full explaination and believe or not got the camera back in eight days. Alas, it had the same problem. I then called the factory tech and explained the problems. She transfered me to the Customer Relations Dept. where they did not fiddle around with excuses, they replaced the camera with a new copy. They also paid all shipping. My past expericences have not been close to this gradifing. I have not read the Canon warranty, but I feel they could have thrown me into the cycle of shipping and reshipping only to return to the fact that I would have had no confidence in the $1,700.00 repaired/unrepaired camera.

I was able to take about 280 exposures with the camera before the onious errors occured and found the 7d is a delight to use. Most exposures were clean and crisp, some where perhaps a little soft on the edges. As I only shot in RAW with little post processing I was very happy with my results.

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Nikon D5000 12 3MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 2 7 inch Vari angle LCD 18 55mm f 3 5 5 6G VR Lens 55 200mm f4 5 6G ED AF S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens SB 600 Speedlight Flash En EL9a Li Ion Battery and Nikon School DVD

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Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12 2 MP Digital SLR Camera Black Body Only

For stunning photography with point-and-shoot ease, look no further than Canon’s EOS Rebel XSi. The EOS Rebel XSi brings staggering technological innovation to the masses. It features Canon’s EOS Integrated Cleaning System, Live View Function, a powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, plus a new 12.2-megapixel CMOS Sensor. The EOS Rebel XSi’s refined, ergonomic design includes a new 3.0-inch LCD monitor, compatibility with SD and SDHC Memory cards and new accessories that enhance every aspect of the photographic experience.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Very happy with my new camera!
This is the second Canon Rebel camera that I have had. The first was a 35mm that I loved and was very happy to purchase the same in digital. I haven’t had it very long to be able to compare the quality of the photos but so far I really like that the feel of the camera is similar and the shutter speed is fast. I also purchased the same camera so that my old lenses would fit. It is very easy to use, turn it on, take off the lens cap and shoot.

4 Stars cool beans
very nice dslr. Huge difference from a conventional dig. camera. So far the photos that we have shot are very viverant and sharp. i still use kodak image editor though because of my printer. very nice camera. this does not take short movie clips, kinda weak considering all the other cameras at this price point do.

3 Stars Canon XSi great for recreational photos, not a workhorse.
We received a couple of new Canon XSi Digital rebels for crime scene work. Right out of the box one of them had battery issues. Last night at a homicide scene in sub freezing temps mine completely crashed. The associated speedlight couldn’t communicate with the camera resulting in underexposed, blurry night pictures. Then the camera began shutting down intermittently. I had to put it back in the car for several minutes until it began to operate again. Finally, after over an hour of annoying, unannounced shutdowns it started doing what it’s supposed to. The pictures it takes are nothing short of spectacular. I love the design and the interface. Overall a great camera. I’m afraid, however I will have to stick with my erstwhile Canon S2is. It may have fewer megapixels and tons of scratches and scars but it always turns on and takes pictures no matter what. Canon makes great cameras. They dropped the ball on these.

5 Stars Xsi good camera good price
I am a pro shooter who got this camera to use for fun and trips were i would be mad if i damaged my high end $$$ body.(like skiing) Any way i love the camera so far. I have not had the problems that i have read about with the auto focus or image quality. You however can not take this camera out of the box and get the best pictures it can take. they will be ok but you need to take the time and set up your camera. READ the book if you dont know what your doing. I got the kit camera with the 18-55 IS lens and it is ok. The camera takes much better pictures with my 35-350 72mm L lens on it, as will any camera, spend your money on the glass not the body.

If you want a good camera for the price this is the one for you. If you have older EOS cameras your old lenses will work with the new camera. I also use my 430EZ flash that is from my A2 EOS film camera, it is way over powering in the auto mode (as it is not a E-TTL flash only a TTL) but it works if you manual set it, for inside i use 1/16 or 1/32 (up to 10-15 feet works great) out side i set it to full power and i can light up a subject 100 feet away! (it is great for that)

If you have used a EOS before this works about the same. even from my old film EOS to this one, the basic-mid advance functions are the same.

BEWARE were you but from online. do not buy from a company who dose not have a good reviews (reviews not rating, and read the bad ones too). Personally i will not buy from 17st photo out of NY, to many nightmare stories . i try to buy from amazon directly and will do a lot of review reading if my item is supplied by anyone other than them. Spend a few extra $$ to make sure you can send it back it their are any problems. you will get what you pay for.

5 Stars Great SLR for price
This camera is a great digital SLR for the price.

Coming from regular point and shoot Canons and Sony around 7MP, this camera blows them away in image quality and is just as easy to use as the point and shoots.

Make sure to invest in quality UV or other quality lens protection depending on your intended use for the camera.

Also, getting the higher zoom lens is a must-have with this camera, although most of your pictures will be taken in the 18-55 range with the lens that comes with the camera.

Only thing that could improve on this camera would be to be able to see the picture on the LCD before shooting(like a point and shoot), but I suppose that defeats the whole digital SLR camera’s history and function.

Buy/More Info

Nikon D3000 10 2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18 55mm f 3 5 5 6G AF S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens

10.2-megapixel effective recording * APS-C-size CCD image sensor (23.6 x 15.8 mm) * AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR (vibration reduction) lens (35mm equivalent focal length: 27-82.5mm) * 3X optical zoom (approximate) * 3″ color LCD screen with brightness adjustment * optical SLR viewfinder (with diopter adjustment) * Integrated Dust Reduction System to keep image sensor clean for spotless photos * Nikon EXPEED image processor for responsive shooting and high-accuracy photos * 11-point autofocus system for rapid, precise autofocusing * 3D Color Matrix Metering II for accurate automatic exposure control, plus center-weighted and spot metering modes * Active D-Lighting mode for better shadow and highlight detail in high-contrast shooting conditions * intelligent pop-up flash and flash exposure compensation * Guide mode makes selecting camera settings easy for beginning SLR photographers * in-camera image editing functions, including: D-Lighting, red-eye correction, cropping, image overlay, monochrome settings, filter effects, NEF (RAW) processing, miniture effect, color outline, and stop motion movie *

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars D3K great value
After using the Nikon D3000 for about a month, and over 500 pictures, I can only report that it is worth every nickel of it’s price ($500 on 12/4/09).

1. Easy to use.

2. controls well laid out

3. Kit lens AF quick and silent.

4. Size reasonable for small hands (mine).

5. Ability to take Nikon ‘F’ mount lenses (AF or not).

While there is the occasional ‘oops’ moment, errors are easily corrected, and, of course, being digital, errors deleted with no expense incurred. Can’t say that about film cameras.

In addition to the kit lens, I have bought from a friend his Sigma 70-300 lens. While it is designated as an AF lens, as it does not have it’s own motor, it isn’t on the D3K. Manual focusing is a bit of a pain, as is having to learn how to do it all over again. But when I get it right WOW! Nice crisp image.

The only real criticism is not about the camera itself, a star performer. It is that lack of a REAL manual. The 60 page ‘manual’ merely highlights the cameras’ many controls and menus and does not go into detail about them. The Main manual is a 216 page PDF file loaded onto a PC and called a Reference manual. I call it the Users Manual, and the little 60 page thing a Quick Reference. The ‘Dummys’ book I bought on the D3K has a lot of useful information but having a PRINTED manual would have been better than having to buy my own hard copy.

3 Stars Solid DSLR but the Canon Rebel won me over
This is a solid DSLR and was my first foray into that camera category. In the end, I returned it as I found the Canon Rebel XSi (EOS) to be a better camera. What was better? Image quality was #1, the difference isn’t night and day between them but definitely noticeable. The EOS also offers the Pint and Shoot style function of letting the user utilize the LCD screen as a live view finder. Lastly, Amazon had a great special on the purchase of the zoom lens (55-250) as a package with the camera, and this made the Canon a better deal.

4 Stars Impressed!
I knew I wanted a DSLR and after a few months of debate, I decided to go for the D3000. I was tempted to buy a used D40 but the improvements made to the D3000 were hard to ignore. I ended up buying the D3000 in a bundle on Black Friday which saved me about 150 dollars! As a college students, I was beyond happy to save the money.

The features include almost anything I need (there’s only one feature missing: a color selection tool that my dad’s Canon has but the D3000 doesn’t) and the portability is incredible. I am still in shock about how light the camera is.

For a beginner like me, having the D3000 with an extra telephoto lens is perfect for learning the ropes and hopefully taking a photography class with. I highly recommend this for beginners and perhaps intermediate photographers. Advanced and professionals photographers probably would require more heavy duty equipment.

4 Stars Nikon D3000 A Beginners First Step Towards the Photography World
I am a Beginner Photography with not alot of money and not alot of experience, i chose Nikon of Canon because of a few things.

1. User FRIENDLY, GUIDE MODE IS A MUST! The whole camera is FILLED with tips and EXAMPLES and settings of what to do and how to achieve such and such. Guide mode holds your hand for newbies to give you an idea of whats what, i love how the Nikon D3000 is Half a book and All camera! Thanks Nikon for making such a great quality camera.

2. Takes Great pictures, as an entry level dslr it takes great pictures but i think its the same sensor as the d60 just with 11 points of focus , the 11 point focus is definitely useful, theres more areas for your subject to be in, and Depth of field pictures are definitely easier to do with more focus points.

The Nikon d3000 with the 18-55mm lens is perfect for everyday use but not enough, i suggest it should be complimented with a 55-200mm, because sometimes you cannot get close enough to the subject without getting in the way of the people around you!

The Screen is big and wide and perfect for reviewing images and looking at settings, you dont have to look hard. The settings do get washed out in direct sunlight so try to keep it in your shadow

Also post processing of pictures comes out AWESOME!!! i could not believe the level of detail i saw on my computer, it wasnt blurry and zooming in is really pixel squares.

Nice camera for beginners, if your novice or pro this camera isnt for you, while a newbie like me appreciate the tips it does take a while to get around the settings but you get used to it, there is no quick access to any 1 setting but soon your fingers will be faster than any other photographer, once you get used to all the navigating.

ALSO this is a camera where you can customize the background of your screen! you can have a wallpaper of a picture or change the color.

I hope this is a comprehensive review that will satisfy you into buying the camera

5 Stars A++
We are new to photography and love this camera! Thank you for all of the other very informative reviews, we took your word for it and are grateful!

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