Awesome camera with several Achilles heals" Ken still wants one. So do I. But ... > http://www.gizmag.com/jvc-hybrid-stills-video-camera/20067/?utm_source=3D= Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=3D69dc7d0c69-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=3Demai= l > http://camcorder.jvc.com/product.jsp?pathId=3D8 ? $900 > 300 frames per second ( low rez ) Note that that "low rez" is 640 x 480 VGa =3D std TV quality +. ____________ Guzzzzzzzzzz - Summary: Nice toy. Does many things that I'd find find and/or useful. Pales before a noew several years old Nikon D700or Canon 5D MkII or better when it comes to taking real still photos. But, then, they cost several times more. ________________ Has it's place. Would be nice to have. It is severely hemmed in by - Physically small sensor compared to any DSLR - Fixed lens .. - with '35mm equivalent' of 37-374mm and HD video equivalent of 43-433 mm. (Which btw suggests that the HD video uses only 86.4% of the sensor area, f= wiw. - Lack of EVF (eyelevel viewfinder) makes it inferior to any serious camera. 'Live view' rear screen LCD camera must be held away from the body to view. Nasty for serious work. The many truily amazing things you could do with the high frame rates are much hindred by the lcd only viewfinder. You can get clip on magnifiers which allow a rear LCD to be used as an EVF. _________ People will be very unhappy with the lens "wide angle" end of range: With this lens you will have to stand behind the rows of people with point and shoots at weddings or when taking group photos. The ability to take sensibly wide photos inside compared to a mide range or better point and shoot is poor. The 37mm bottom end equivalent lens is very non-wide and most people would find it annoyingly limiting for group shots or interior photos. The industry standard bottom end semi wideangle focal length is 28mm or maybe 27mm and the difference is vast in practice. I just did a trial shot for comparison. 27mm =3D two pane window, curtains either side, curtain rail, sill and about 150mm space outside that all round. 37mm =3D two panes with immediate frames but missing frame proper, sill, rail curtains or view of wall. In that case I had my back against a wall in a narrow and long kitchen so there was no way to get a wider view. JVC, who are very old, venerable and experienced should know better. They appear to be pandering tothe "must have a really big zoom mm equivalent" market which is nice if you can do it without compromising bottom end. HD video bottom end focal length is worse (higher) again. _______ The small sensor (which allows the lens to reach its high top end range) is small by DSLR standards and in other than lots of light situations image quality be well below SLR stanards. Non removable lens means the one used has to be jack of all trades. This isn't. The makers (Konica Minolta) make excellent product and it should be as good as most in this range - but the range is not what you want. ________________ LCD "viewfinder" is below the best in pixels in today's market. _________________ Apart from that it seems really really really good. I'd love one. Note that the insanely marvellously high frame rates and consequent data rates make it a very very very good idea and highly commendable that it has an internal 32 GB memory. Russell --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .