Panasonic PV-GS14 MiniDV Camcorder w/22x Optical Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this only a few weeks ago & it's been a wonderful camera. I've used it to capture all sorts of life's moments, mainly our cats being crazy. I've also used it to capture digital images. I've not spent a whole lot of time using the camera, but enough to know how to use it fairly well. I'll start with the digital images 1st, and then move onto video.
The Digital Pictures:
The camera does not include a SD card so I had to purchase one separately, which is definitely a bummer. Luckily I was able to get a small 16mb Panasonic SD card off an auction site for $8 after shipping. I have no plans to capture a ton of pictures so 16mb was fine. I took about 18 pictures after I finally got the SD card in the mail & the pictures looked fantastic... At least on the camera they looked good. I never messed with changing the quality around so the settings were default on the camcorder.
When I finally got the free USB cable in the mail & hooked my camera up to my pc I was pleased with how easy it was for Windows (2000 Pro. in my case) to recognize the camera. Immediately it installed without me having to do anything extra & it added a new drive letter in my computer where I was easily able to copy the images or move them to my pc. When I started opening the images with ACDSee & Adobe Photoshop I was not please at the quality of the images. Not only were they fuzzy & dull looking, they were only 640 x 480 in size. This may be adjustable by changing settings on the camera itself, but I have not had time to do so.
The Video:
This is overall the best thing about this camera. I've recorded a lot of nothing as stated above, but the camera does a terrific job of capturing it all & keeping the image clean & colorful. I've hooked the camera to my TV & it all looks great. The camera has to be pretty still if you zoom into things or else the video becomes slightly blurred while trying to stabilize itself.
There are a lot of different functions to the video recording as well, it has many more options and special effects then I thought possible for a camera of its price range. The footage I recorded at night looked great with the backlight on. I was however unable to tell any difference with the soft skin effect. Unfortunately the battery is easily drained & a second battery is recommended.
The Pros:
Great Video, Light Weight, Easy To Hook Up, Lots of Extra Features, Zoom 22x, Firewire, Fun, Comes With Power Cord So Camera Can Be Used Without the Battery
The Cons:
The Cover for the ports is flimsy, Digital Pictures Fuzzy, Not Much in the Box, No Included Software or PC Cables, Short Battery Life, No included SD Card, No Included DV Tapes
I've not had time to test this out or not, but for other noobs to the DV Camera world might be interested in knowing that with a firewire cable capturing video from the camera is possible. Firewire is the only way to do this as USB & USB 2.0 cannot keep up with the frame rate & chop up picture quality. So if you want to use your video & make a home dvd you can do so with this camera as well as other DV cameras that have a Firewire port.
One last feature that's available that I never had time to mess with & do not care to, is the ability to use the camera as a webcam.
Overall the camera is terrific & worth checking out, if you really want it to take fantastic pictures I'd probably save $100 & pickup the pv-gs12 & use the $100 to get a digital camera or look at the latest model.
::UPDATE::
Someone asked how do you get the free usb cable? The answer is simple fill out the card that says you get a free usb cable when you return it. I believe it was much like a warranty card, or was the warranty card... mine was with all the other paperwork.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic PV-GS14 MiniDV Camcorder w/22x Optical Zoom

Blending innovative technologies with new, simple-to-operate controls, Panasonic's PV-GS14 camcorder is an affordable and powerful entry into digital video. Panasonic continues to innovate, adding more optical zoom capability while reducing the overall size. This MiniDV camcorder features a 22x optical zoom, ultra-fast 1.3-second start-up time, SD memory card slot for digital stills, webcam capability, and color viewfinder.
Optics The PV-GS14 is equipped with a 1/6-inch, 680,000-pixel CCD and 22x optical zoom It also features a 800x digital zoom that allows you to zoom in on incredible close-ups.
Digital Stills In addition to shooting video, the PV-GS14 can also capture digital still images up to 640 x 480 pixels--good for sending photos to friends and family over e-mail or posting to your Web site. They are stored to the Secure Digital (SD)/MultiMedia (MMC) memory card slot. The Direct Mode Dial can be used in digital still mode lets you quickly select the desired digital camera mode, such as Record, Playback, Card Record, or Card Playback.
More Features The 2.5-inch LCD screencan be opened a full 120 degrees away from the camcorder's body, making it easier to view motion images as theyÕre being captured.
The Quick Start feature enables the PV-GS14 to begin taping 1.3 seconds after turning the power on so those unexpectedÊmoments wonÕt be missed.ÊAfter pressing the Quick Start button, the camcorder will bring up the previous settings that you were shooting with--even if they were manually entered.
The Soft Skin Detail function detects the different skin tones being recorded and softens the focus to create a realistic blend.
Other features include:
The image-enhancing MagicPix feature allows for rich videos under low-light conditions.
Web cam capability, which is ideal for video conferencing with friends or family, or use as a simple monitoring device when consumers are away from home.
The unsnapping hand strap doubles as wrist loops, enabling you to carry the camcorder like a small bag or purse.
Color viewfinder

Inputs and Outputs The PV-GS14 comes with the standard DV IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire; Panasonic refers to this connection as iLink) for a super-fast, lossless connection to a PC or other DV machines.
MiniDV Format MiniDV is the preferred format for personal and broadcast-quality video, and it is highly regarded for its high audio and image quality. With up to 540 lines of horizontal resolution and minimum color noise, MiniDV delivers a 2 percent clearer picture than analog camcorder formats. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of 2 full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 12MP Digital Camera with 4.6x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Green) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been using DSLRs for several years, and currently use the Canon 40D and a wide selection of lenses. I bought this camera as a pocket camera that is easy to take anywhere, and for its HD video capability, as I'm currently in Thailand for several weeks doing some geology research for my master's thesis, and it's impractical and annoying to lug around my big camera everywhere. Therefore my expectations may be different - I am not expecting perfect image quality, full manual controls, etc., because I have my other camera for that kind of thing when I want it. I'm not sure that I would want this as my only camera, because the image quality isn't perfect, but if I didn't have a DSLR I don't think I would notice.
In any case, the main thing I have been using this for is taking HD video. This is excellent, and looks phenomenal on a computer screen. I haven't tried playing it on a TV but I assume it would look excellent there too. It is 720p, not 1080p like the new DSLRs will do, but it still looks great - surprisingly great, even, considering the size of the camera and its lens.
Others have apparently had trouble using the AVCHD Lite codec, but I have not. I can import the .mts files flawlessly into the Kdenlive video editor on OpenSUSE Linux 11.2 with KDE 4.2. I'm not sure what the status of this codec's support in the popular Mac and Windows video editors is, but if you're using Linux, don't worry about it because it works great and the quality and file size are much better than using MPEG2. As it's a small camera with a small lens and few manual controls, video is not going to look like that from a professional camcorder or from a new DSLR with HD video, but it's easily as good or better than that from the small sub $1000 HD camcorders that are available. Manual control of exposure compensation and ISO for video isn't apparently possible - a workaround is to use the scene modes, which works decently well. The night scene modes give pretty good high-iso (i.e. grainy) video at night, even in dark bars and clubs (or here in Thailand, riding in the back of a tuk-tuk). I really like that there's a dedicated movie button - you can immediately start recording a video no matter what else you're doing on the camera by hitting the button.
The camera's responsiveness is very good - obviously not like a DSLR, but much quicker than I'm used to from point and shoots, including other recent models that I've handled. You don't get full manual controls, but if you know what you're doing you can almost always get exactly what you want out of it. I usually leave it in "Normal Picture" mode, which gives you the most manual control. All other modes will either default to use the flash if the camera deems it necessary (which, as in most point and shoots, is almost all the time apparently), or will use the built-in LED to aid focusing, both of which are extremely distracting if you want to be discreet (or if you just don't like the look of straight-on flash).
You do have to know what you want to do with the camera if you use "Normal Picture" mode, it's not just point and shoot - but you will get the best results. The "Intelligent Auto" mode works OK - it tries to decide the best scene mode for you based on what it thinks you're taking a picture of. I would suggest just dialing in the scene mode yourself (there are a lot to choose from) as when I was trying that mode it would sometimes choose the wrong thing. That would be the best mode if you wanted pure point-and-shoot action, though.
Image quality is probably about on par with other point and shoots with folding optics. I don't know too much about this as I'm used to my 40D and other DSLR images. It is certainly more than decent for my purposes, though. Impressively, I've been taking high-iso shots without flash in really dark Thai bars and clubs that turn out ok - they are relatively long exposures of 1/2 to 1 1/2 seconds (or more) so I steady the camera on something, and there is motion blur, but I think that adds to the photo. The image noise in these cases is very obvious, but not overly distracting. Don't expect the results you'd get from a DSLR with a fast lens, and you won't be disappointed. Definitely practice your technique in various situations to get the best results with this camera.
Menu navigation is a little strange at first. I am not sure if it is really non-intuitive, or if I'm just used to the excellent navigation on DSLRs. I think users of point and shoot cameras probably have different expectations - most probably won't have a problem with this. Once you get the hang of it it's not really a problem, anyway, but for me it really was strange at first. All the controls you want (all the manual controls available in "Normal Picture" mode) are quickly available by hitting buttons on the back. You don't have to dig through menus to get the the settings you need most often. It's a similar setup to that on the Canon Powershot series, and probably other cameras as well as far as I know. I really like the different auto-focus options they give you - there are more options than on my 40D, and similar options to the professional series DSLRs from Canon and Nikon. Obviously, they aren't going to work as well as on those cameras, but I quite like the "1-area High Speed" and "Spot" focus modes, which are very fast and work quite well. Unfortunately there is no manual focus, and in tricky situations it can be hard to get it to focus on exactly what you want - in those cases try "Spot" focus, but even there it doesn't always give you what you want.
Now, of course, the big thing about this camera that calls for the high price - because let's face it, for the specs on this camera it is pretty expensive - is that it's waterproof. This works great and is really a lot of fun. I took it into the cold Pacific Ocean at Newport Beach and it held up great. Taking underwater HD video is a lot of fun. [...] I will have some more videos, from Thailand, up soon as well. I've also taken it in a hotel pool, and it worked great there too. Even if you don't plan on going snorkeling or anything with this camera, it being tough and waterproof is a great feature - I don't ever worry about just slipping it in my pocket. It's the rainy season here right now and I don't carry an umbrella, so I could easily get soaked at any time - I would be very careful with a non-waterproof camera, but don't have to think twice about always carrying this one with me.
Do be careful, though, and be sure to read the instructions - there are some things you should do to take care of it so that the waterproofing holds up. The waterproof seals really could be better than they are, but if you take care of them I think they should hold up pretty well.
One thing you might also want to watch out for is battery life - when I took it to the beach, I only got about 25 minutes of video recording and a few photos before the battery (which was fully charged beforehand) was completely dead. The Pacific is quite cold, of course, which may have been the reason for the short battery life, but it is something to be careful of. Extra batteries are annoyingly expensive, and I haven't seen a third-party version available yet, but I would have to recommend getting one because so far it seems that the battery life is unpredictable. I left it recording video on my desk with a fully charged battery to see how long it would last, and it went about 2 hours (which is about what you can fit on the 16gb SDHC card I got with the AVCHD lite codec). That seems pretty good, but in real life use you will probably get considerably less life out of the battery.
The zoom range is pretty decent; I usually stay at the wide end and I appreciate that they give you the 28mm equivalent - a lot of other point and shoots are at their widest at 35mm, which is significantly less wide. The lens is not exceptionally fast - which I assume is due to the folding optics design - but it normally is fine, even in dark places as I described earlier. I don't really ever zoom in too much, because with the slow lens it's usually blurry except in bright light. The optical image stabilization works well, and is active during video recording (if you want it to be) to remove some of the jitter, which is kind of annoying in videos, and which you'll get a decent amount of with this camera due to its small size.
Macro images are nice - you can get quite close. Be careful about the "Macro Zoom" mode, though - it is actually a digital zoom! You can get much closer, but the image quality really suffers. This looks especially bad if you use it during video. I suggest simply never using this option. The regular macro mode works fine. You can get closest by zooming to the widest setting, which seems weird, but it works.
The camera is pretty stylish and has a nice feel and heft. It feels really well built, mostly metal, and not all smoothed out and boring like most modern electronics design. If you're into gadgets, you'll really appreciate the industrial styling of the camera, and the weight. The screen is very good; it is bright and visible in direct sunlight and will automatically adjust the brightness depending on where you are (if you set it to - you can set the brightness yourself, too). One problem with the design - and one inherent to this type of camera with folding optics - is that you will often find your fingers covering the lens until you get used to holding it. Kind of annoying, but understandable due to design limitations.
Overall - I think this is great as a pocket camera, for its HD videos, and as a backup for another camera. I personally would not want it as my only camera - I would choose my DSLR. I would not hesitate in recommending it to anyone who isn't interested in a DSLR, though, and who wants a tough, neat little camera, great for traveling. To be honest, I've taken very few shots with my 40D, and quite a lot of them (and a heck of a lot of video) with this in the week or so I've been in Thailand so far.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 12MP Digital Camera with 4.6x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Green)

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TS1 is the world\'s first waterproof, shockproof and dustproof digital camera to also feature AVCHD Lite High Definition (HD) video recording capabilities. The TS1\'s tough and rugged design makes it the ideal choice for active users needing the ultimate hybrid for capturing both still and motion images during outdoor activities. The Lumix TS1, with a 12.1-megapixel resolution, features a 28mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmar lens, a 4.6x optical zoom and Panasonic\'s proprietary iA (Intelligent Auto) mode, making this an easy-to-use, yet powerful camera that packs advanced imaging features.FEATURES:Scene Modes for Still Images: Beach & Surf mode gives users a single mode with optimized auto white balance for optical shooting on the beach and in shallow water. Panorama Assist scene mode allows users to shoot a number of consistent photos, either vertically or horizontally, by aligning them according to a guide that overlaps the screen. Then using those photos and the bundled PanoramaMaker software, users can create dramatic panoramic images. Increased Scene modes for both still and motion image shooting--optimized for a variety of situations. There are 26 scene modes for still image and 17 for motion image (Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self portrait, Scenery, Low light, Food, Party, Candle light, Sunset, High sensitivity, Beach & Surf, Snow, Aerial, Pin hole, Film grain and Underwater) LED Illumination is available in motion image recording. High-Speed Burst (Speed Priority) that fires off approximately 10 shots per second. Menus are clearer and easier to navigate with the Display Size option. Macro Zoom function lets users pull subjects even closer to capture dramatic close-up shots by using the 3x digital zoom in the wide-angle. SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES:Battery PackBattery Carrying CaseBattery ChargerLens Cap Lens Cap S

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Fujifilm FinePix XP30 14 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with Fujinon 5x Optical Zoom Lens and GPS Geo-Tagging Function (Orange) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just moved to Colorado and this is the first camera I have purchased.
I chose it because I will be doing a lot of outdoor activities and this one seemed to have all the functions I would need to be satisfied.
First test was taking it on a 3 day ski trip with my friends and it performed beautifully. I was taking pictures and videos on and off for about 8 hrs each day. The battery ran out the first day, but only towards the very end of the day after a lot of video and pictures being taken. I would recommend bringing an extra battery just in case, I did and it worked out great.
I was in 20 degree weather the whole time and they say the batteries do worse in cold weather, so I can only imagine how they will perform in optimum conditions.
The pictures and videos came out great...only problem with uploading the videos was the sound would not transfer over, but I believe it has something to do with a codec on Divx and will be fixed soon.
I crashed pretty hard while taking video with the camera and there wasn't even a scratch on it. It looks like brand new after 3 hard days on the mountain and I would definitely recommend this camera for someone looking for a solid piece of equipment.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fujifilm FinePix XP30 14 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with Fujinon 5x Optical Zoom Lens and GPS Geo-Tagging Function (Orange)

The FinePix XP30 offers compelling specs and a feature set that will ensure outdoor loving photographers oradventure sportsenthusiasts are wellcateredfor.In addition to GPS and its ruggedbuildquality,thecameraalsofeatures timeswidezoomwithopticalimagestabilizationtoshotsharpimagequalityinanycondition.WithaFinePixXP30 in their rucksack outdoor photographerswillbeabletaketheir pictures to new heights.

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Pentax 62625 10x50 DCF ED Binocular Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are looking for top notch binoculars, you are likely considering the big three, Zeiss, Swarovski, Leica and possibly some others. I have used my Zeiss 10X40's since 1993 and decided to pass these bino's along to my son. I was fortunate enought to pick up a pair of Pentax DCF ED bino's. All I can say is that to me they are absolutely on par with the elite three..but for about half the cost. Test them side by side yourself and there is no way that any miniscule differenc is worth twice the money. I am blown away with the quality of these bino's for the money!

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Available in 8x32, 8x43, 10x42 and 10x50 magnifications; ED glass optical elements give truer colors and a sharper image; Full reflection coating on prisms reflects the maximum amount of light through the prisms; Hybrid aspherical lens elements provide edge-to-edge sharpness; Waterproof and nitrogen filled (JIS Class 6) to handle the most extreme weather conditions; Phase coated roof prisms provide high resolution, high contrast, sharp images; Short minimum focus distance for close in subjects; Fully-multi-coated optics provide the maximum light transmission with little glare; Hard coating on exposed lenses enhance the durability of the optical elements; Inner-focus optical design give a well balance, more durable construction; Magnesium alloy body provides maximum durability in a lightweight body; Full rubber housing protects the binoculars from shock and makes them easier to hold; Locking diopter ring with click stops holds your adjustment; Long eye relief for comfortable viewing with or without glasses; Helicoid eyepieces with four click stops allow you to properly set the eye relief

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ioSafe Solo 1.5 TB Fireproof and Waterproof External Hard Drive with 1 Year Data Recovery Service SL1500GBUSB20 (Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the 1 TB IoSafe because I wanted a good detachable hard drive that would last. I think it is worth the cost for what you get. The fact that they advertise it to be able to withstand fires, floods and theft seemed like a bit much to me at first, but now it feels more like my personal safe rather than just another computer component: I have downloaded and scanned all of my music and photos; albums, cassettes & CD's along with my important legal documents, tax statements, bank records etc. I placed these items into various partitions that I created. I like it so much I am thinking about purchasing another IoSafe for my DVD collection! My only real complaint would be that it is kind of noisy when it is working. Also, the blue lights in front are pleasing but, the on/off switch is in the back and would be a pain in the neck to turn off and on if you placed it on the floor; which is exactly where something this heavy normally usually goes: However, I placed mine on a glass shelf that's a part of my computer table. I then put a small carpet/rug remnant underneath so it doesn't scratch the glass and it also helps with the noise. The only compromise I am making is that I cannot bolt the safe to the floor. There is a nice hole in the rear frame to insert a bolt through if you want to do this but then you have to think about reaching down and turning it off and on all the time. Leaving it on all the time doesn't seem to great of an idea as the blue lights are bright and when it is saving things it does make some noise. In any case I didn't need to bolt it down so my solution works really great for me. The IoSafe makes you feel really secure. I am sure there are ways to add additional passwords/encryption codes etc. to further secure your data and valuables within the safe, but nothing I have is really all that valuable to anyone else but me, the peace of mine I get and the obvious thought that was put into this build makes this product quality in my book. It truly is My Digital Safe.
I thought it would be helpful to add that I never ended up getting a second IoSafe. I'm still really happy with my IoSafe but I found 1 TB to be inadequate to hold all my DVD's: I have too many of them. I'm going with a 4 TB NAS with a RAID option. The IoSafe comes in a 2 TB model, but I need even more space. I read online recently that many people who have not yet purchased an external hard drive have cited the deciding factor as their lack of speed and that in the past, many externals have been, clunky, expensive, loud and slow: The Iosafe revels in all of these qualities; it's heavy, clunky, a real pain to carry around which is why even if you don't bolt it down it's really unlikely to ever get stolen. It's been slow for me when I transfer massive amounts of video, but no slower than would be expected from USB; eSATA would have been a better option. I find it a little noisy but not unreasonable: I positioned it convenient enough to turn off & on, but not near earshot. All things said, as I look back now, I stand by my start rating. I really like this clunky, sort of loud, kinda expensive and a little slow, bombproof 1 TB external solution to backing up your computer to place that is probably safer than anyone really needs!

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Like an aircraft black box for your digital data, the ioSafe Solo is the world's first, high capacity, fireproof & waterproof external hard drive. Using a simple USB 2.0 interface, the ioSafe Solo works with your PC or Mac just like any other USB external hard drive. Compatible with almost all backup programs that work with external hard drives. A combination of patented and patent pending ioSafe technologies work to allow for airflow cooling during normal operation yet protect the data from fire and floods. FloSafe vents are open during normal operation. Active cooling is provided by a near silent fan that drives air through the FloSafe vents. During a fire event, the patented FloSafe vents automatically close to prevent extreme outside heat from damaging the hard disk inside the enclosure. DataCast is our proprietary endothermic insulation that vaporizes embedded water molecules during a fire and works hard to protect the inner hard drive from damage even though the outside temperatures spike to over 1500°F. HydroSafe is our patent water protection. It consists of a heat conductive water barrier membrane that surrounds the drive. HydroSafe allows the heat created by the drive during normal operation to dissipate yet protects the drive from damage even when completely submerged in fresh water, salt water, and/or muddy water! Included with the ioSafe Solo is an unprecedented $1000 Disaster Recovery Service. This is a "no questions asked", one time use policy. Certain limitations apply.

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Klipsch AWR-650-SM Sandstone (Ea.) Outdoor Rock Speaker Review

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(More customer reviews)I ordered a pair of these speakers to replace a pair of Krell 'rock speakers.' I used the Krell speakers for five years and noticed sound quality was poor and distorted this season. The speakers are located adjacent to the house near my pool. They are somewhat protected from the elements in that they are under the eaves of my home. The Klipsch speakers seem well made and size appropriate, but are lighter in weight and slightly larger in size than the Krell speakers. The sound quality is good except I would like more bass. The speakers are optimally positioned at the inside corners of my brick home. Other than inadequate bass, volume is excellent, without distortion, and more than adequate for entertaining during noisy parties.

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For over 60 years, we've been about no-compromise audio performance and our rock speaker is no exception. Just listen and you'll discover that it delivers an amazing, full-bodied bass response for its price range. The AWR-650-SM is a true two-way design that employs a 6.5-inch dual voice coil polymer woofer and dual 3/4-inch polymer dome tweeters. The speaker's dual tweeter design allows it to play both left and right stereo signals with precision and clarity. Additionally, it can be wired for mono output in instances where several models are needed to bring smooth and even coverage to larger areas.

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Nikon Premier LX-L 10x25 Binoculars Review

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(More customer reviews)I have used these binoculars in the Amazon jungle, the Galapagos Islands, at a political rally, and several Spurs games. I find them perfect for me because they are a compromise of size and magnification. I don't like to carry heavy binoculars and usually opt to leave them behind. These are light enough to be taken along and powerful enough to be beneficial in the diverse situations I listed above.

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Traditionally, a 10x25 binocular is perfectly suited for theater and stadium use. Extraordinarily compact, it provides ample magnification with a reduced field of view so you can Focus on Character and action details. Of course, it's really lightweight and easy to carry around. The Nikon Premier LX offers superior optics and all-weather protection so you can use it as a very compact birding and field scope. It's especially useful when travelling because it doesn't occupy lots of luggage space - great for travelling light. It includes a leather case and Lens protectors. Superior optics, sharp focus, and long-eye relief (for eyeglass wearers) contribute to help make the Premier LX a top performer for theater and sports viewing that's more than effective in other applications too.

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Garmin zumo 665 Widescreen Motorcyle Navigator Review

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(More customer reviews)After riding on a 1000 mile trip this week, here is my review of my first use of the 665 on a road trip. I ride about 20,000 miles per year and have used the Zumo 550 (my previous Garmin) for 45,000 miles the past 3 years, hence my comparison of the 665 to the 550.
Cons:
Major problem with the unit is the XM features shutting down unexpectedly. One of the reviews here experienced similar problems and was told by Garmin that the antennal cable is faulty and a new cable is being designed. I do not think the cable hardware is the issue. I believe it is the software. I experienced the same problem once before I left on the trip and was told by Garmin Tech to perform a hard reset of the unit by holding your index finger on the lower right corner as you turn the unit on until you see the message that "a reset will erase your data". You have to select "yes" or "no". Yes does reset the XM but erased all of my favorites, routes and settings. The unit reverts to the settings as it comes from the factory. Also, sometimes during this trip, I had to turn off the XM and then back on in order to reacquire the XM programming. I have the XM subscriptons for XM radio, NavWeather and NavTraffic. When XM stops, all of those are lost until a hard reset. I had to do hard resets at least 10 times on this trip-very, very inconvenient when riding a motorcycle down the road. I had bought the Zumo 665 to replace my Zumo 550 since the 665 has the Nexrad Radar display...very, very helpful when riding in the elements. The radar works fine when XM is working. When removing the until from the motorcycle mount, be sure it is off. Otherwise, you will have to hard reset to regain the XM features the next time you restart it in the motorcycle mount. Changing stations on the XM radio also stopped the XM features twice. I quit using the XM radio to listen to after the second time this occurred. Garmin has not offered a fix for these problems as of yesterday.
The XM local weather stations are far apart. On the 550, the stations were the closest aviation reporting stations. Example is riding through Louisiana local stations were Shreveport or Baton Rouge. I was closer to both Monroe and Alexandria at different times with no report. The 550 had a weather map so one could look ahead at stations all over the USA, touch one and get the weather and forecast. But, again, the 550 had no weather radar.
The unit shut itself down twice with no input.
Pressing hard on the lower right corner shuts down the unit. This corner needs touching to scroll through points of interest among other pieces of info. A light touch is required to avoid this.
The volume is lower for the XM radio relative to the 550. I can barely hear the radio at 70 mph. The 550 works well at 70 mph. I have the XM and the media player set at 100% along with the master volume set at 100%.
The text and display graphics are smaller than the 550 even though the total screen size is slightly bigger. Some of this is attributed to the amount of info on the screen that I select. I have not tried selecting less screen info yet to see if that helps. I like the info I have displayed now and hate to reduce it.
Pros:
Big pro is the Nexrad Radar when XM is working.
Lots more information such as showing lanes ahead so you can plan sooner where you need to be at intersections, especially on the freeway. Also, shows what the major overhead intersection signs display before you can see them-nice feature.
Lighter than the 550 and the shape makes it less likely to fall from your grasp when transferring it to another vehicle.
Bluetooth for touch free cell phone use. I use in the auto but not the motorcycle.
Conclusion:
Overall this unit, pricy compared to auto-only units, but waterproof and vibration proof will be acceptable once the software fix for XM is ready for upload to make that part of the unit reliable. At that point I will be ready to give the unit a 5.Follow up on July 27, 2010
Here is a follow up as of July 27, 2010. I sent this 665 back to Garmin, who then returned another to me (different serial number). First problem was the off/on switch sticks, so difficult to shut it down. It would turn on fine, but the switch would stick down in the unit.
As far as the XM goes, it worked fine one day on a 200 mile ride. The next day, it quit again with the same message-check XM antenna.
As of today, I have another RMA to return this unit for another. I am still very frustrated with unit-problems still exist.As of October 3, 2010
Garmin finally sent me an entire new until including new XM receiver and all accessories. I changed out the XM receiver and either that or the last software update seems to have cured all my previous issues. The XM subscriptions come up very quickly now, with the weather taking the longest, but never more than a couple of minutes. I'd highly recommend this motorcycle unit if you wish to have weather radar as your cruise down the road.

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Take a ride on a new route and explore the open road with the zūmo 665, a motorcycle-friendly navigator with stereo Bluetooth, XM satellite radio, weather, and traffic. Whether you\'re on a weekday ride just across town or a weeklong trip to an annual rally with friends, the zūmo 665 is ready to show you the way. Plus, use the zūmo in your car and get double use out of it.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2 14.1 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 4.6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 2.7-Inch LCD (Blue) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)At the price point of this camera you really should need the ruggedness and waterproof features to justify the expense. I'll have to update this over time because at this point it hasn't been on the slopes or under water, but it has been in the rain. I'm not going to try the six foot drop test. The camera is compact, lighter than I expected and seems to be made like an precision aircraft. Great looking body. The display is crisp and bright. The few pictures I've taken so far, both inside and out, look great, including macros. I'm informally comparing this to a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 (point and shoot, 10X zoom) I've had for a couple of years (best non-SLR I've ever owned).
It comes with an optional protective silicone sleeve.
This camera has "O" ring sealed (and locked) doors for the battery and memory card, and for the data access ports. These will leak under water if their seals aren't scrupulously clean as described in the factory literature. So while I'm sure this can be used under water if you're careful, a user will want to be very sure they've carefully examined and cleaned the sealing surfaces before submerging.
I've taken photos inside with the flash in a 40' darkened room to compare the flash depth of the older camera with this one, they seem to be the same, so the built in flash is acceptable and typical of this kind of camera; point is no compromise with the flash.
This is the camera you can stick in your back pocket and go. It fits in a SPI belt and fits in a small Amphipod case if you use either of these for running or other exercise.
Downside: So far just two things. First, there's no viewfinder, not a big issue usually but if you try to wear sunglasses on a bright day using the screen can be problematic. Second, and potentially more important, there's no protection over the lens, though it's recessed. It's small and it's one of those things a user will have to watch to be sure it's clean. Viewing screens seem to mask dust, fingerprints and water spots on a lens, but they show up as an artifact or blur on a computer screen or print. If you're used to a self covering lens you can get into the habit of ignoring this. A pop off cover would be nice.
Even though this is rugged and waterproof, I'll keep it in a case. Based on descriptions, it's tough to figure out what fits, especially if you want to use the included silicone sleeve which is not included in product dimensions. The Kroo semi-hard case is a snug fit without the silcone sleeve, too small if you use the sleeve. The VanGoody neoprene case works even with the sleeve as does the small, but unpadded Amphipod case (which I like for it's water resistance, ballistic nylon construction and belt loop).


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14.1 MegapixelAdvanced Tough Design (10m Water, Shockproof) Waterproof: 10M Shock Shockproof: 2M Freezeproof: -10 C AVCHD Lite HD Movie Recording Record HD quality movies Power OIS Enhanced technology to further prevent blurring caused by vibrationBlue

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