'Pro' cameras can offer levels of control that aren't available with 'consumer' level cameras. That is certainly the case with video cameras.

The quality of the final image may not be greatly different, but the creative control you have is enormous. Even if you don't use it. And most people don't/won't use the additional control.

Quality glass. It doesn't matter how expensive the camera is... if it has poor quality glass attached, the pictures will look bad.

Even a 'budget' quality lens will work wonders. I've recently moved from the kit lens on my A580 to a £300 Tamron (definitely a budget lens) and the quality of the images is noticeably better.

I do like it, but I'm confused. Is it a picture of you or your camera?

If it's a photo of you, then I would slightly blur the camera; if the camera, then blur you!

At the moment it makes quite a good advert for Nikon!

Hello, although I don't own the fujifilm HS30EXR, my father in law does and I've had the chance to play with it.

What I like:
Ergonomic - it feels right to hold. The buttons are in the right place, and it is well balanced (not front heavy)

Great zoom - 30x is good, and I've not noticed any undue distortion or aberrations either at the wide angle or telephone extremes

Fast focus - it does focus quickly, and accurately, too

Dislikes:
Colours - the colour is somewhat muted in a dull, rather than artistic way. You could correct his in post, so not a great problem.

Stabilisation - image stabilisation is poor. A lot of the photos I've seen are smeared from movement (my father in law has a steady hand, so I can't blame him 100%!)

Overall, I am not particularly enthusiastic about the camera. I's not because I'm a DSLR snob; it just that the quality of the images straight out of the camera are insipid. On top of that, a lot of the features don't seem to work well, or at least what they promise to do is imperceptible.

I don't understand. If I over exposed, won't the photo be too bright and washed out? The texture of the snow would risk being blown out, surely?

I do understand that it would make the snow whiter, though.

In the film world, you would be the director and producer, but not the cinematographer.

I guess you become the owner/publisher, but not the photogrpaher.

Then again, there are plenty of filmmakers who never touch a camera... Michael Moore?

Good question. I don't have a definitive answer.

Do you mean file storage or some place to dispay pictures?
For 2gb free storage, I use dropbox - sign up free using my affiliate link (which gives m an extra 250MB):

http://db.tt/7WUL3dh

Or use Google Drive which give you 5GB free storage.

For photos - you could use Picasa web.

Thanks James56. I thought I had read somewhere that the A57 doesn't have GPS, but I must be mistaken.

I wish Sony would stop producing so many very similar models in so short a time. It makes it so hard to make a decision...

You can add individual files, folders, or entire drive to Picasa.

For folders and drives, use File/Add Folder to Picasa.

For individual files, use File/Add File to Picasa.

Use the same method to REMOVE items.

File/Add Folder to Picasa is what you need if it does not pick up the folder.

Well you could completely desaturate, or you can use filtered black and white.

For most pleasing results, I would opt for Filtered B&W... using Picasa.

Does the A57 have GPS/geotagging?

Although I have the superb A580, I want a DSLT/DSLR with great movie capabilities. I'm set to sell my Sony HDR-FX1 video camera and purchase an A65 instead if I can. But I'd like geotagging, too, as I now have a 'need' to use it.

Does the A57 or A65 take the same batteries as the A230?

@Effjayess

You can, indeed, alter the resolution of emailed imaged. Just go to Tools/Options Email tab and adjust the slider to suit your needs.

In the days before ubiquitous broadband, Picasa was a godsend for people who needed to email from / to dialup connections. For the Mrs & I it is still invaluable when we're sending proofs to our editor (we both frequently provide images for a specialist magazine here in the UK).

For those quick and dirty edits, Picasa is our tool of choice. For image MANIPULATION (rather than enhancement) we turn to PhotoShop.

Did you know yu can run Picasa as a Portable Application (from a USB stick).

Once you have installed it on a PC, just copy the program directly (and its contents) the the USB drive. Picasa will happily run, no further installation necessary.

Great trick that allows me to use it on the locked-down computers at work.

Did anyone here actually read the screen hat pops up when you launch Picasa for the first time?

You Have an option: catalogue programs in My documents, or catalogue the whole computer. It doesn't take a genius (or maybe it does) to realise that if you select 'whole computer' that includes every attached drive.

If you just close this options box, Picasa catalogues NOTHING. Then you go to the file menu and add the locations you want to be catalogued.

Picasa has NEVER moves my files without me commanding it explicitly. Nor has it ever deleted them without permission. Yes, premission. If you try to remove a picture from it, it asks if you want to delete it from the drive as well.

Please don't blame the program for your errors.

As for help, I've never had a problem finding a solution, and I've never had to type any catchpa code to access help.