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"A Sweet Surprise" on by babyjenk5
Pros: Excellent image quality, manual controls, fast
Cons: Weak movie mode
Summary: I have owned 6 digital cameras (1 Kodak, 1 Casio, and 4 Canons) in the past, and this is the best yet. I had purchased a Canon SD500 last month but didn't think it lived up to its hype. I did extensive research and found this less popular camera. At first, I was reluctant because I had owned a Casio before (the Z40), and I thought the images it produced were subpar. But I read good reviews on the P700. I found a store that had a good return policy and decided to test it alongside the Canon SD500.
I performed a blind test on my friends. I used all auto settings, with no photo doctoring at all. The P700 had more accurate colors and didn't have the blinding flash of the SD500. However, the P700 had a bit more noise in dark areas. 6/10 people preferred the P700 pictures over the SD500. The P700 has much more manual control than the SD500, so when I took new pictures using the manual controls, the P700 blew the SD500 away. Needless to say, I decided to sell my SD500.
What I like most about this camera is the manual controls. There is an aperture priority mode and a shutter priority mode on top of the full manual mode. Other useful things I can control are sharpness, saturation, contrast, and flash intensity - things I haven't seen in the other 6 digital cameras I've owned. Of course, I can always adjust those in Photoshop, but it's just nice to have handy. Just a few more of the features I love already: AE (auto exposure) lock, auto bracketing, 25-shot stop action images, ability to shoot in TIFF and RAW modes (RAW mode is available through a hidden menu), autofocus area controls, metering modes, and the help icons.
It doesn't have the greatest movie mode, but making movies isn't the reason I bought a digital camera - I would've gotten a camcorder instead.
Many people think the design is ugly, but personally, I love the sturdy, industrial design. That was another reason I didn't like the Canon - because of its fragile body.
As for the size, the P700 is not a super-compact, pocket camera. However, it's still small enough to fit into my handbag. The larger size also reduces hand-shake, a problem I noticed with smaller cameras.
All in all, I believe that the P700 is a great camera for someone who takes casual snapshots but dabbles in serious photography as well. It is a great choice for those who want more than a regular point-and-shoot but doesn't need/cannot afford an SLR. I highly recommend this camera! -
"Best Digital Camera Ever" on by woodchuck70
Pros: 2inch LCD Screen, Multiple Photo Options, Picture Braketing, Fast Response Time, Crisp Clear Images even at low resolution
Cons: Takes a while to learn all of the controls, some of the menu options hard to find, USB file transfer a little slow.
Summary: I shopped around before buying this camera, I tried several 5 and 6 megapixel cameras that cost as much as I payed for this 7. Best camera I have ever owned, shutter spead is as good as 35mm. Photo Settings help make novices like me make professional images. I highly recommend this product.
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"Good camera, lousy repair service." on by pawaits
Pros: Good features
Cons: Repair service unfriendly.
Summary: I really enjoyed the camera the two weeks I was able to use it before I got a "lens error" message that required sending in for repair service. I sent it. It took 9 days for them to even get it in their "system", after UPS tracking showed they had received it.. I was told it would be 14 to 21 days for repairs. When I called on a Friday, i was told it was on the dock ready to be sent back. I called the following Friday because I had not gotten it yet and was told it was NOT REPAIRED, but in "parts" waiting for a back ordered lens from Japan where they are also on backorder. I was told they could not tell how long it would be before they would get the parts, so could not estimate when it would be fixed and returned. They will not replace the camera because it CAN BE fixed......even tho it may take weeks for the lens to come in. So in the meantime I am out one camera and $500+.
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"Love this camera (my 4th digital)" on by not2creative
Pros: quality, size. large screen, best shot feature
Cons: the add on lenses are not all they are cracked up to be
Summary: Overall I LOVE this camera. I have been shooting digital photos for almost 8 years. I jumped on the digital bandwagon a long time ago. This camera is great. It has a large 2" screen on the back that lets you preview the photo before you take it. The "best shot" feature sets the shutter speed, sharpness, white balance, (built in) filters, contrast, etc based on the type of scene you are shooting - night scene, splashing water, flower. There are 27 preset best shots and you can set your own. This camera can be as manual or as automatic as you want. All of the features are easy to use. I recommend buying several memory cards. I like to get several smaller ones instead of one large one just in case something happens you haven't lost all of your photos from vacation. An extra battery is also imperative. As far as the add on lenses go.. be aware that the adapter is large (looks like a round tube). It makes the camera less portable and when you are using it just to add filters you have to zoom in or you see the round ring of the adapter all around your photo. (your photo will have black edges and will be oval) I was very disappointed with that aspect of the camera. Other than that this camera is a keeper. I just leave the extra filters and lenses at home.
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"Looks better than it shoots" on by kagisox
Pros: Slick Appearance, compact, lots of features
Cons: Not impressive photo quality
Summary: I am dissappointed with the picture quality of this camera. I bought it as a replacement for my bigger and much older Cannon (one of the first 3 megapixels, about 4 yrs ago). I actually think my old Cannon takes better pictures. As for the megapixels, let me give you all some advice: don't get seduced by higher megapixels. You can have a zillion megapixels, but if the rest of the camera is average, you'll simply have average pictures of very high resolution. My advice for most picture takers: stop at five megapixels, and go for the best lens/feature set possible. Don't pay for the extra megapixels - it's just not worth it. Good luck.
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