GE Power Pro X500-BK 16 MP with 15 x Optical Zoom Digital Camera, Black

by GE

• 16 MP Digital Camera with 15X Optical Zoom
• 2.7 Inch auto LCD screen
• Built-in 14MB internal memory with SD/SDHC support up to 16GB
• Optical image stabilization, face auto exposure, auto scene, and 3200 ISO

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 6.7 x 3.9 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B004LB4SAM
• Item model number: X500-BK
• Batteries 4 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (471 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #123 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
  • #56 in Camera & Photo > Point-and-Shoot Digital Cameras
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 15, 2011

Product Description

Color: Black

From the Manufacturer

If you want it all, you'll want one of the GE Pro series of bridge cameras. The new X500 is as powerful as it is easy to use. All the latest digital camera technology is seamlessly built in to reflect your own powerful sense of style and capture those priceless memories that define our lives. Get closer to the action and take photos like a pro with the X500 from GE's Pro line of digital cameras.

16 Megapixels with 15x Optical Zoom

The X500's 16 MP lens means your images will be alive with detail, capturing every nuance. A 15x optical zoom (combined with a 6x digital zoom) lets you get close to the action without needing to get right in the middle of it. A vivid 2.7-inch LCD screen with Auto Adjust Brightness lets you frame every shot with ease, letting you see exactly what you're getting with each click.

As powerful as it is easy to use

All the latest digital camera technology is seamlessly built in

Electronic View Finder

In addition to the 2.7-inch LCD screen, the X500 has an electronic view finder for more accurate shots in real time and better scene composition.

Shoot Video with Ease

Capture all of your videos with ease. The X500 takes MPEG-4 videos in .MOV format with G.711 monaural audio for simple, one-touch recording of those special moments. And they're easy to share using a USB connection or SD card reader.

High Dynamic Range (HDR) Adjustment

An in-camera HDR feature adjusts exposure for more detail in light and dark scenes. Get the right balance of detail no matter the lighting conditions. A 3200 ISO improves pictures in low lighting condition for optimal exposure.

Optical Image Stabilization with Auto Scene

Correct unintentional camera movements with automatic image stabilization, giving you crisp, clear photos. The Auto Scene feature automatically selects and sets the correct scene type for the sharpest, most vibrant pictures possible.

Face Auto Exposure and Smile Detection

Face Auto Exposure enhances facial features detected by the camera for true subject highlighting, making your friends and family jump out of your photos. Smile Detection lets you capture the right moment by allowing the shutter to automatically release when the subject’s smile appears.

Automatic Brightness Adjustment

An in-camera auto-brightness feature adjusts the camera's LCD viewing screen for more detail in light and dark scenes. Get the right balance of detail no matter the lighting conditions.

AA Batteries

Convenient, easy and no-hassle AA batteries keep you on the go. Get 300 shots from regular AA alkaline batteries, or up to 500 shots from AA NiMH batteries.

What's in the Box

GE X500 digital camera, 4xAA alkaline batteries, USB cable, shoulder strap, CD-ROM, manual, Quick Start Guide, Feature Guides, warranty card.

Technical Specifications

• Effective Image Sensor Pixels: 16 Megapixel
• Anti-Shake: Optical Image Stabilization
• Zoom: 15x Optical, 6x Digital
• ISO Sensitivity: Auto, ISO 80 / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600/ 3200
• Recording: 640×480 pixels: 30 fps / 15 fps, 320×240 pixels: 30 fps / 15 fps
• Still Image: 16MP: 4608×3456, (16:9) 12MP: 4640×2608, 8MP: 3264×2448, 5MP: 2592×1944, 3MP: 2048×1536, 0.3MP: 640×480
• Image Compression: Best, Fine, Normal
• Movie Format: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264(MOV)
• Audio Format: G.711 Monaural
• Still Image Format: Exif 2.2 (JPEG)
• Detection Features: Face Detection, Smile Detection, Blink Detection
• High Dynamic Range: Yes
• Internal Flash: Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced Flash, No Flash, Slow Synchro, Red-Eye Reduction + Slow Synchro
• Battery: AA alkaline or NiMH
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 4.06" × 2.92" × 2.68"
• Weight: 12.3oz

Product Description

GE X500 Power Pro Series Bridge Camera with Electronic View Finder, Optical Image Stabilization, 16MP, 15X Optical Zoom, 2.7"LCD, 27mm Wide Angle Lens and advanced features including Shutter & Aperture Priority mode, Program mode, ASCN, Pan-Capture Panorama, Smile & Blink Detection, Face Detection, Face Auto Exposure, Red-Eye Removal, High Dynamic Range. Power by AA Battery.What's in the box: General Electric X500 Bridge Digital Camera – Black, 4x AA Alkaline Batteries, USB Cable, Shoulder Strap, CD-ROM Manual, Quick Start Guide, Feature Guide and One Year Limited. Warranty.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

430 of 439 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Review along with Tips for your new GE x500 July 28, 2011

By PG

Color Name:White|Amazon Verified Purchase

REVIEW: My last two digital cameras have been point & shoot Kodak's and it took so long for the camera to reset in between pictures I was missing shot after shot. Plus, the Kodak's didn't have any kind of picture stabilization so half the pictures came out blurry. With that said, I was in the market for a different brand of camera.

I was considering the Nikon L120 but really didn't want to shell out that kind of money so I kept putting the purchase off. Then I came across this GE x500 with its list of equally good features, great reviews and incredible price. I didn't even know GE made cameras so I have to say I was a bit leery about how good it would be compared to SLR style cameras with name recognition but I went for it and it has ended up being the perfect camera for my picture taking needs (vacations, special occasions, holidays, parties, pets, occasional on line classified ad or auction).

TIPS: I haven't had the camera that long and with all the features, figuring it out can be a little intimidating but I've played around with it enough to discover the setting I found easiest for starting out and I wanted to pass it on. When you turn the camera on for the first time it will lead you through the language and date set. (Super easy to do.) Once that's set up if you turn the wheel on the top of the camera to SCN, 20 little icons will show up along the bottom of the LCD screen. As you scroll through the icons it gives you a description of what each one is for. Some of the icon modes include: Sport (for fast moving objects), Beach (for strong sunlight), Fireworks (bright images against night sky), Glass (for shooting images behind glass), Sunset, Snow, Indoor, Portraits, Landscape, plus several more including a few special affect modes.... When you choose the icon/mode for your situation the camera automatically sets itself to take the best picture in that circumstance. Last night I took pictures in the house with the flash on and using the Indoor mode and I couldn't believe how crystal clear they came out. I was also able to take one picture right after the other (unlike my Kodak)! I'm very pleased and can't wait to discover what else can be done with this camera.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED: You should also know you will need an SDHC Card since the camera only has internal room for 3 images. I bought the Transcend 8GB, Class 10 for $13.00 here on Amazon and it works perfectly even without formatting. The Class 6 would probably work as well if you want to save a few bucks although they are currently the same price...go figure. (The Class determines the speed in between shots, the higher the class the faster.) I also recommend the SMALL Zeikos Camera Bag available on Amazon for $5.00. (The Medium would be too big.) It's padded and the perfect size for this camera plus a few essentials like extra batteries, cleaning cloth, cables, etc. I actually put my Flip Video Camera in the bag too.) Next, I recommend the Duracell Value Charger if you don't already have one. It comes with 4 pre charged Nimh batteries for around $13 on Amazon. You'll have all the accessories you need after these purchases. On a side note, I went ahead and paid the $10 extra to get this camera in white and it was worth it. Love the look over basic black.

CONS: I was super disappointed that it came with a CD instead of a paper Users Manual but I printed out the pages I thought I'd refer to most (but that doesn't help if I need instructions on another feature and I don't have a computer and the CD on me @ a Disney World park). It creates a .thm file (thumbnail) for every picture you download to your computer. The only purpose for this file is for viewing your pictures while IN YOUR CAMERA. It is not needed once you transfer pics to your computer so it can be deleted once transferred but it's a bit of a pain. Lens Cap is cheap and doesn't stay on that well so I leave it off except while the the camera's in the bag. I think it should have come with a screen/lens cleaning cloth (no biggie, just sayin).

SUMMARY: Well, that's it. If you're in the market for an SLR style camera I really don't think you can go wrong with this one if you're an amateur photographer who wants to take better than average pictures (and as long as keep in mind that although it does have some point and shoot features it is an SLR which means you'll have some figuring out to do to take full advantage of those professional photography shots).

UPDATE: Even though the Duracell battery's charge is *impressively long* while in the camera, you might want to consider purchasing an extra set of (4) Nimh batteries so you always have a set of freshly charged batteries in the charger. That way you can just switch them out without having to wait 6 hours to recharge each time. Lastly, I found another handy feature using the camera wheel on top of the camera. If you set it on ASCN the picture taking conditions are detected and the most suitable settings will automatically be selected without any manual adjustments. This feature is similar to the other one I mentioned (SCN) but with this one the camera automatically selects for you. It's also similar to the "auto" setting (the camera symbol on the wheel) but it makes more adjustments for you than just one preset "auto" mode. (For instance, when on the ASCN setting it knows when you're taking a close up and adjusts itself accordingly.) I know the look of the camera probably isn't a very big determining factor when purchasing but I have yet to pull this camera out without someone saying, wow, nice camera. Read more ›

399 of 413 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great starter camera if you want better pics than a point and shoot. April 27, 2011

By mike

Color Name:Black|Amazon Verified Purchase

Like many other reviewers I am not a professional photographer, and this is my first digital camera. I do like taking pictures though and I've dealt with a few nice film cameras and some nice Fujifilm cameras (a P&S, 'bridge camera' and a DSLR) and I feel like this camera is most definitely worth the price. The X500 is a bridge camera, almost a SLR and almost a point and shoot. But it boasts some great specs and features that you cannot find anywhere in this price range.

Pros. The 16 megapixel sensor is great. Most entry level cameras of any type and brand start off at about 12 MP right now. GE has this model at 16. I think the other 16 MP cameras are over twice the price of this one. You can see the difference when you zoom in on your computer, the clarity is apparent.
The zoom on the X500 is awesome. This camera has 15X optical zoom and along with digital zoom (digital zoom takes away image quality as you zoom in so just keep that in mind when using it) it has a total of 60X zoom.
The X500 has a panoramic mode which I love because I wanted a panoramic film camera and now I don't have to buy one. This camera also has a setting for everything from fireworks to snow to fisheye. More than just night and outdoors.. there are 20 different presets and thats not including the different modes the camera has for shooting (it has manual, very important!)
So far I've taken 100+ pictures and the battery is still full on the display. The manual says it'll shoot 300+ pictures on a set of 4 batteries... thats pretty good.
Not a pro for some, but this camera is a bit hefty. I like it because its like you are actually holding onto something. But it is heavier than I thought it would be....
Viewfinders are sometimes left out of cameras now because they all have screens, but this one has an electronic viewfinder (for those sunny days) I think thats a nice perk.
The video quality is better than I expected, though its not HD. The sound is so-so but thats the case on everything with a recorder.

Cons. The screen resolution and quality isn't the greatest (I have a 3 year old Creative mp3 player that has a much nicer screen and it's smaller.) Like most cameras though you look at the screen and its grainy and the color doesn't look quite right but you snap the picture/ upload and it looks like it should when its on the computer screen (or printed out.) I think they had to cut corners somewhere.
The lens pops out when you turn it on and the lens cap pops off, even if you just want to look at the pictures on your SD. And I also do not like the lens cap. It just slides on. No clips.
The sound effects were annoying, but theres a setting to turn it off (saves your battery anyway.)
Not a biggie but the SD slot is in the battery compartment. Just out of the way I guess.
The camera is a bit noisy, you can hear the processor working and the internal stuff moving around at times. More of a side note than a con though.

Bottom line is I'm not sure how long the X500 will last (because I got it in the mail two days ago) but so far I'm very glad that I bought this camera. It's a lot like Fuji's bridge camera and if you know the menus and buttons from their cameras then this thing will be a snap because its pretty much a carbon copy. The layout is simple enough for a beginner or teen who's looking into photography and it wont break the bank like a nikon or canon with the same specs. Read more ›

299 of 311 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Bridge Camera ^-^ May 14, 2011

By exProphecy

Color Name:White|Amazon Verified Purchase

Like most people who are purchasing this camera, I have little or no experience in photography. Although I've dabbled in the arts of Skype and quick pics using my phone, this GE bridge camera is hardly in the same tier. So many features.. so little time..
Pros:
> Superb picture quality for the price
> Myriad of features packed in one
> Super ZOOM to the rescue!
> Build quality feels legit (ergo, a real, solid camera rather than a cheap toy)

I'll go more in depth with the features. My favorite feature is the HDR conversion of photos. After you take a photo, you go to the photo you just took by hitting the > (play) button. Then hit menu and go all the way down. There's an option called "HDR" which converts your photo to "High Dynamic Range" quality. Simply put, it enhances the colors of the photo, making it brighter and more vivid. Another great feature is smile detection. Press the little smiling button right next to the "waving hand" (that's image stabilization which I always have on =]). If you press it once, it will be in face detection mode. Press it twice and you'll see a smiling face on your digital screen instead. Now, press the shutter button and you'll notice it won't actually take any pictures.. until someone smiles! =D My other favorite feature is the panorama mode, of course! I honestly imagined taking panorama photos to be much more arduous but it's quite simple. You start your photo from the left then you just move your camera to the right while lining up the crosses on the screen! Those are my favorite features so far but there are much, much more I personally haven't played with such as manual mode (more for experts where they set aperture and shutter priority)....

Cons:
> Probably the worst problem this camera has are the picture quality of photos taken inside. (Don't worry, the pros outweigh this problem by far)
> "HD" quality videos don't really seem very "HD"
> Wish it came with a camera bag (not really a big deal since I bought one separately but it would've been nice?/ kinda looking for more cons since it's a bit hard xD)
> Not really a con, but more of an improvement suggestion.. Maybe for smile detection, instead of having the need to press the shutter button THEN the camera will take the picture, it could be set up so that when smile detection is enabled, the camera automatically takes pictures when they smile. Also, it could be done so endlessly (meaning it takes pictures of people that smile multiple times, over and over).

All in all, I am extremely pleased with this purchase. An excellent bridge camera (an in-between point and shoot and DSLR camera) for $140 (which I believe is the most inexpensive bridge camera of this quality out there) is a great buy!

Oh on a side note, if you're thinking of purchasing the white version, you won't be disappointed. I personally like the white on this camera. I didn't want it to look just like EVERY other camera out there so I got the white so it could kind of "pop-out." Definitely pops out and is pretty noticeable! =]

Also, I uploaded some photos for you folks interested in purchasing this product. I demonstrated a little preview of the Panorama mode and HDR setting for you =D Read more ›