Sony VAIO EJ2 Series VPCEJ28FX/B 17.3-Inch Laptop (Charcoal

Customer Ratings:

For those looking for a budget 17" laptop for play or work, look no further. This is perhaps the best laptop that balance performance, cost, battery life and reliability. Purchased this laptop 2 days ago from Frys, couldn't be happier. This is a list of my observations:

Pro:

1. Wonderful 17.3" Sony screen one of the best in the industry. Very bright. Lots of space to work. My work machine has a 24" full HD screen and I don't miss it.

2. Super fast second generation Core i5 2.4GHz 2430M 2.4GHz with turbo boost to 3GHz, not the much slower Core i3 and one step above the Core i5 2.3GHz 2410M you see on most lower cost sandy bridge i5 laptops

3. Very rigit chasis no flex at all for a 17" laptop, built quality is valut like should provide many years of reliable protection. It is the BMW/Benz of laptops.

4. Extremely low power consumption the 4000MAH battery will easily last 4-5 hours on light use web surfing or working on office apps. I am very impressed.

5. Lightweight for a 17.3" laptop it is quite easy to carry it around, especially since the long battery life means you can usually leave the power adapter at home.

6. There are TWO battery upgrade options a 5300MAH battery (VGP-BPS26) which is the same size and weight as the included battery, but will last 7 hours instead of 5 hours, and a 9 cell, slightly heavier battery which is 7950MAH (VGP-BPL26) and 10 hours battery run-time.

7. Blu-Ray drive for watching HD movies. Never get a DVD for a 17" laptop. It is just not appropriate. Believe me you will want to watch Blu Ray on this machine.

8. 4xUSB ports, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, SD/MS slots, Wireless on-off switch

9. Wondeful multi-touch touchpad with pinch to zoom and other gestures

10. Completely resist finger prints the only place you are going to leave finger prints on this laptop would be on the screen. Sony has always been pretty good in this regard.

Cons:

1. Screen resolution is 1600x900 and no option to upgrade it, but it is probably one of the best 1600x900 screens out there. The slightly lower resolution is quite acceptable actually.

2. Included battery is 4000MAH, not the 5300MAH version which is the same size and weight

3. No backlit keyboard

4. Numeric pad makes the keyboard slightly off center

5. No bluetooth and no Intel Wireless Display

6. No USB 3.0 port

7. Speakers a bit weak, crackle a bit at full volume.

Immediately upon getting this laptop, I ordered another 4GB Samsung RAM that is identical to the one that is in the laptop, and also purchased an Intel Advanced Wireless 6230 mini-PCI WiFi card to replace the original Atheros WiFi card. The WiFi card upgrade allows me to have bluetooth and also Intel Wireless Display capabilities. The 8GB RAM makes this machine run so fast that most programs simply pop open immediately.

Just found out that upgrading to 8GB is a MUST!! It improved Windows experience score from 4.4 to 5.9, and significantly sped up the graphics! 3DMark06 went from 3200 to 4600 by simply upgrading the RAM, looks like the Intel HD 3000 is seriously starved for memory bandwidth. It is now a competent laptop even for casual 3D games!

The Windows 7 Experience score (8GB Ram):

Overall: 5.9

Processor: 7.0

Memory: 7.4

Graphics: 5.9

Gaming graphics: 6.2

Primary hard disk: 5.9

Very impressive score for a budget 17" laptop!

Next purchase will probably be either the 5300MAH (VGP-BPS26) or 7950MAH (VGP-BPL26) battery can't decide which one though. The 5300MAH is small and light, same size as the original battery. The 7950MAH will last 10 hours and lift the laptop a bit for better cooling and typing angles.

Can't be happier with the purchase and looking forward to improve it even further!

---------EDIT 10/8/2011--------

Made up my mind and ordered a 7950MAH battery (VGP-BPL26)might as well go for broke and get 10 hours battery life. This means that I will never have to bring the adapter out again, as it is truly an all day computing battery life. Can't wait to get the battery!

---------EDIT 10/16/2011--------

After using it for more than ten days, I can say that this is truly an excellent laptop with no major faults. The 7950MAH battery arrived and indeed provide more than 10 hours of battery life with light use. It lift the back of the laptop slightly for a better viewing and typing angle. Very glad to have the large battery instead of the standard version!

---------EDIT 11/9/2011---------

Having lots of fun with this powerhouse machine running multiple VM on it (8G RAM really helps), the OSX Mac VM is running at twice the speed of my other 2.66GHz Core2Duo Sony. Still very happy with the purchase. Have discovered a minor flaw the green power button is a bit lose and positioned too close to the right speaker sometimes it will rattle when you play loud music. Seems like it is just my unit and others are ok. Maybe some play-doh could fix this....

---------EDIT 11/24/2011--------

To get some extra battery life out of any laptop, try downloading Battery Care from batterycare.net, and you should see anywhere between 10-20% increase in battery life. You should check the "Disable Aero theme in battery mode" and "Pause Windows services in battery mode" to get the savings. If you don't mind having the sidebar disabled, check "Disable the Sidebar / Gadgets in battery mode" to get even more battery life. I have been using it on all my laptops and they work great.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

SanDisk 8GB MicroSDHC Card (SDSDQ 008G A11M)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $34.99
Sale Price: $7.35
Today's Bonus: 79% Off

I bought 8 units of those and although the product works perfectly, I have two concerns.

The first one is that the picture shows an 8GB CLASS 4 chip, while the product I received was a CLASS 2. The trick here is that the description text or the part number does not show that difference at all. Is that on purpose or just just a coincidence?

Second and not least important is that the shipping charges/policies needs to be reviewed. It is not right to charge about US$7 to ship one unit, while if you need 5 units you have to pay 35$ for shipping.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

HP PhotoSmart 100 Portable Inkjet Printer

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $159.94
Sale Price: $135.00
Today's Bonus: 16% Off

This a great little printer if you are looking for something with limited usage (it accepts 4x6 paper only). I purchased it to compliment my desk printer. I was looking for a printer I can take with me on vacation, to weddings, family gatherings, business events, etc., and this little machine fits the bill to a "T". You just take the memory card from your digital camera, (it accepts SmartMedia, CompactFlash Type I and II, and Memory Stick cards), and plug it into the printer, and away you go. When you plug in your memory card the display panel on top of the printer indicates how many photos are on the card. You can print an index page of thumbnail size proofs of all the pictures on your memory card, then selectively print just the photos you want. Optional print sizes are 4x6, Wallet (2.5x3.25), or Thumbnail (0.7x0.9). You can choose to print a single, or multiples of the same photo. You can also choose to print a range of photos (e.g. print single or multiples of index numbers 21 through 25). What a boon for taking with you on vacation! If you fill your memory card, you can make a print of each photo when you get back to the hotel, erase the card and start over taking new pictures. When you get home you can scan the prints into your computer, with the option of making enlargements. At special events, guests can go home with a souvenir print of the event. I am very pleased with the quality of the prints and the convenience and ease of use of the printer. You will only get borderless prints if you use the HP 4x6 Premium Photo paper with the tear off tab. Other brand 4x6 papers will print with a narrow border. The printer's compact size and weight (just under 3lbs) make it extremely portable, and I like the instant gratification of a print without having to take the time to store them in the computer first, (also a great point for those who are thinking of a digital camera, but don't have a computer). The only thing I would have liked is a double power source (i.e. rechargeable battery as well as AC), but that, of course, would increase the price. There is a padded carrying case made specifically to fit this printer. It has a front zippered pocket to hold the AC adapter, a spare ink cartridge, a box of printing paper, and a pocket to store prints and/or user's manual. Overall, I am delighted with the HP100, and plan to purchase two more to give as Christmas gifts.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $4,299.00
Sale Price: $4,199.00
Today's Bonus: 2% Off

I didn't rush to make a review of this camera, as I wanted to really put it through it's paces first. I won't try to list every feature or go over every bullet point (the above description does a fine job), but instead try to go over a few things which make a big difference to me as a 5D Mark II owner. For some background, I bought an original 5D in 2007, a 5DII in 2008 and have been working with these bodies ever since then. I also have experience with all of the Canon 1-series up through the 1DIII and 1DsIII. I currently log about 60,000 photos per year with the 5D Mark IIs as a professional wedding and portrait photographer. I shoot almost exclusively with fast L prime lenses in my work.

So after a week of solid shooting with the camera, here are the areas which are of note relative to previous 5D bodies:

**AUTOFOCUS**

AF is the elephant in the room here so I'll address it first. Good news, we now have a focusing system worth of it's price point. The AF system here is identical to that in the 1Dx and is THE most sophisticated AF system EVER put in any Canon body. It is superior to that in the 1DV and all bodies before it.

I have tested the AF point in servo and one shot mode with my fastest lenses. Speed, accuracy, and consistency have been exceptional and better than anything I have used before. AF gets the job done with zero drama. NO focus jitter, NO frontfocus, NO backfocus, nothing but near-instant, dead accurate focusing with all of my lenses. Even with my Sigma 85/1.4 (which gives my 5DII bodies absolute fits) is 100% accurate with no jitter on the 5DIII. Center AF point and all peripheral AF points are all usable with fast primes. With the 5DII you just use the center AF point and hope for the best (with often mixed results). You could forget using the outer AF points with fast lenses on previous 5D bodies. That has all changed now.

Just to see how far I could push it, I took my most difficult to focus lens (24/1.4 II), put it on the 5DIII, and tried to focus on my black lab in my dimly lit apartment. At a distance of about 2 feet I would able to lock focus on the dog's eye with the far left AF point at F1.4, 1/40, ISO4000. Think about that. I was able to focus on a black eye on a black dog in a dimly lit apartment at F1.4. The 5DII would have hunted all day long trying to do this, even with it's center AF point.

I could sit here and write a book on how happy this performance makes me. For what I do, if this were the only upgrade from the 5D Mark II, it alone would be worth of the $3500 price tag. That said, there is more...

**BUILD QUALITY**

It's hard to put my finger on exactly what changed, but the 5DIII just feels more substantial. It feels like a chopped down 1-series instead of a buffed up 10 series. The contour of the body has changed to fit your hand better. The rubber is also a new compound which is much grippier than before. The 5DIII feels much better to hold and use than the previous 5D bodies.

**SCREEN**

I wasn't expecting a big improvement here, but the screen is drop dead gorgeous. The height is about the same, but it's wider than that in the 5DII and fits the aspect of horizontal images perfectly now. The screen itself has better coatings which allow you to see it easier outside. The contrast, viewing angle, color, and saturation have all improved noticeably. It has a very similar look to a high end smartphone screen. This is a substantial upgrade from the 5DII's screen.

**IMAGE QUALITY**

Image quality is better than the 5DII, but not substantially so. Let me explain.

The 5DIII now natively amplifies the sensor data to ISO 25,600 whereas the 5DII only natively went to ISO 6400. This means that for anything higher than ISO 6400, the 5DIII is better. In RAW you are looking at an improvement of about 1/2 to 3/4 of a stop at high ISO. At lower ISOs, the noise level is about the same.

JPEG quality has improved much more though. The JPEG engine in this camera is staggeringly good and a solid 2 stops better at controlling noise at high ISO than the 5DII. It strikes the best balance of detail and noise control of any camera on the market right now. Note though that default NR in JPEG mode is fairly strong and that you will generally attain a better "look" from your files with the "low" NR setting.

As an aside, the nasty cross-hatch banding present in the deep shadows of 5DII files is now gone with the Mark III. There is still mild vertical banding, but it's similar to the original 5D and only visible when pushed heavily (3 or more stops).

**METERING**

I don't have any hard data on this, but I'm fully convinced the metering of the 5DIII is better than that of the 5DII. I find myself correcting with exposure compensation MUCH less now with the new body than with the mark II. Shooting with the two side the newfound metering accuracy of the mark III is very obvious. I found the 5DII metering very similar to the original 5D. The new 5DIII is much improved here.

**SPEED AND STORAGE**

Camera startup and operation is near-instant. Shutter lag and mirror blackout is now faster than before and leads to a more instant, responsive feel while shooting. This, combined with the vastly improved AF make for a radically different experience from previous 5D bodies.

Dual memory card slots mean you can now either backup your data to a 2nd slot *OR* you can "span" cards. Spanning means that once one card is full it will automatically swtich to the second card. SUCH a nice feature. I can't tell you how many times my card has filled up at the most inopportune moments and shooting stopped. No more.

Shooting speed is either 3fps or 6fps and the buffer is about 18 frames deep in RAW only with a fast CF card. You can shoot almost indefinitely in JPEG mode without hitting the buffer. For RAW I would recommend a 60MB/s CF card to take full advantage of the CF slot speed. The SD slot is slower, but still capable of about 30MB/s write speed.

**COLOR**

The 5D Mark II had a slight magenta color cast. This was easily correctable in post processing and wasn't a huge deal most of the time. I now report that color cast is gone and that the 5DIII's color is much more neutral. Skin tones in general look better due to the more neutral tone.

Additionally I have found auto white balance to be improved over previous 5D models. I've noticed that while post processing I'm having to correct color less with the 5DIII files than the 5DII files. This is very exciting, as it will save me a fair amount of time in post processing. Per usual, all of the cameras struggle under tungsten lighting. However, AWB is able to get color surprisingly close with anything that contains natural lighting.

**MENUS**

I would strongly advise reading the manual because there are a lot of new settings and options which won't be familar to 5DII users. There are also a LOT of different ways to set up your AF system, so a little experimentation is needed. In general, the menu system is more complicated that before, but this also allows a much greater degree of customization of the camera. In that regard, the 5DIII is much closer to a 1-series than before. Take the time to learn it and set it up correctly.

**MISC**

You now have the option to one-click zoom to 100% at your AF point. This means you can instantly check focusing with one button push. This saves a lot of time and frustration while shooting. There is also a "silent" shutter mode which only makes about 1/2 the noise as the standard shutter. You can do one-shot or 3FPS in silent shutter mode. 6FPS continuous is only available with the standard shutter mode.

Another brand new feature that's exciting is the ability to re-map buttons on the camera to perform other functions. The options are very extensive. One in particular I'm excited about is the ability to toggle one-shot with AI-Servo by clicking the DOF preview button (which is now on the right hand side of the camera, in perfect reach of your middle or ring finger). If you are shooting a still subject in one-shot and they start to move, simply push the DOF preview button and you're instantly in AI Servo mode. There is no need to move your hand, or even look away from the viewfinder. When you are done, simply release the button and you're back in one-shot mode.

**CONCLUSION**

Canon finally woke up with the 5D Mark III. The completeness of this refresh is hard to overstate, as there is no part of this camera that was left untouched from the Mark II. The overall experience of using the camera has been transformed to an entirely different level. You will be faster, better, and more efficient with a 5D Mark III relative to its predecessors.

The improvements here will most cater to those who shoot in demanding environments which require high ISO and fast, accurate autofocus. Canon basically fixed most every complaint anyone ever had with the 5DII while maintaining the things which made the 5DII great (resolution, image quality, small body).

The price of this body is probably about $500 too high compared to its primary competition the $3000 Nikon D800, which is likely to annoy some people. Though individually they cater to different types of photographers and have different strengths over the other, overall these two cameras are comparable products. If you are starting from scratch or have minimal gear investment, the D800 is worth a hard look at. If you are heavily invested in one system or another, you would probably do best just to stick with your current brand. Both are fine cameras and you can't go wrong with either one.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Canon iP3600 Inkjet Photo Printer (2868B002)

Customer Ratings:

I have nothing but great things to say about this printer.

I have used a wide variety of printers, especially since I work in the IT field. I have personally owned Epson printers and HP printers prior to purchasing this printer.

I really liked the last Epson I had, but it sat dormant for so long I was afraid I would spend $50 in ink only to find out that the printhead was clogged and that I would need to buy a new printer.

Before I decided to buy a new printer, my parents offered me a brand new HP Deskjet they had lying around at their house. I took it and used it with glee as at the time I was unemployed and did not want to buy a new printer if I did not need to. That printer worked OK for the basics, but the ink usage was horrendous. Compared to the Epson I had prior to the HP I felt like I was being stolen from in regards to ink costs. I make a lot of full color prints and I felt like my HP was running dry after about 20 pages. I remember having no problem getting well over a hundred with my Epson. This experience did not make me very fond of HP Inkjet printers.

So why did I go for a Canon Pixma instead of another Epson. Research. I read a whole bunch of reviews on printers and tried to make the best choice I could. Most printers have a lot of negative reviews saying their ink runs out too quick, or is too expensive, or they felt robbed by expiring ink... or whatever else. The Canon IP 3600 had very few bad reviews. I noticed some reviews about how it was difficult to setup... I am baffled as to why.

This printer was very easy to setup with a nice quick and smooth software installer. HP has got to have the worst installers. I have seriously spent like a half hour waiting for a full HP installer to finish on more than one occasion. I don't know what it is wil HP software, but it is seriously overweight.

I have printed a bunch of pages with this new printer on both paper and cardstock. So far, the ink monitoring tool has not even dropped at all. Either it is broken or this printer is very efficient ink wise. I am sure it is the later as I have inspected the ink cartridges.

I love the rear tray and the cassette combo on this printer. It is nice to have cardstock and regular paper loaded at the same time. The software is simple to use, and has just the right amount of features and customization.

If I had to point out some weaknesses it would be tough. I would probably say refilling all of the ink cartridges at once is expensive, however the counter arguement to that is that the page yield is high. There is no scanning function, but I knew that when I bought the printer. (I just really don't scan anything.) It isn't the fastest printer around, but it certainly isn't slow. No USB cable... I don't know of any printers that do come with them. That is about it.

All in all... I really love this printer. This is by far the best inkjet printer I have ever owned, and my favorite inkjet printer by far. It is the perfect combination of price and performance. The ink cartridges that come with it are all full size cartidges (and actually truly full). That would be another complaint I have with HP. HP tends to ship with half size or "starter" cartridges. You get the real deal with this printer. Also the printhead can be replaced. I would argue the cost of the printhead would justify buying a new printer, but I suppose if you love it enough or do not want to be wasteful, you could repair it.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

sony cybershot hx30v

Customer Ratings:

This camera was supposed to be our compromise we wanted a better camera with a great zoom that wasn't too big to carry around. Nothing about it is a compromise. The colors are vivid, the zoom is amazing, and for the first time ever I can take pictures inside, at night, and get action shots without being disappointed at missing great photo opportunities. We LOVE this camera.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Seagull 105, 6cm x 6cm Medium Format Twin Lens Reflex (TLR)

Customer Ratings:

I bought this camera because it is an affordable medium format camera and I didn't have $5k to spend on a nicer one. Anyway, I love it. I developed my first few rolls of film and discovered that I needed to learn the settings and how to adjust the focus, but other than my mistakes, the camera is great. It takes great photos and it looks super cool. :) I love it.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

LTS LTD2324ME-A 24CH Realtime Recording CMS IR Extender Mobile

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $799.99
Sale Price: $403.89
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

Recently installed this for one of my customers an it has good option on programing individual cameras. It was a easy setup. The only issues that I had was finding the remote viewing software for a phone. The program cited in the book had changed names and the only way I found it was by looking at the manual on the disk. The program that it uses on an Android device is SuperLive Pro.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Generic LCD Touch Screen Digitizer Frame Assembly Replacement

Customer Ratings:

Hey....I usually dont leave reviews, but these guys deserve a good review. I just installed this last night on my fiance cracked iPhone and it works like a charm. You guys are awesome.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Lowepro Pro Roller x300 Camera Bag (Black)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $529.99
Sale Price: $407.75
Today's Bonus: 23% Off

I have a few smaller bags, each serving a purpose.

The past year or so I have been carrying three bags on a small ladder kart to haul my gear around at weddings, baptisms, etc.

I felt like I would either forget which pouch had items in it or that it looked unprofessional to carry a mishmosh of bags.

I was thinking of going with Pelican hard cases, or even Tamrac as I prefer their bags over Lowepro.

I wish this bag had larger wheels because it seems as though the bag would wear down if dragged at the wrong angle.

Apparently, Lowepro thought of this too because the bottom has hard plastic to prevent any material from ripping.

The wheels are removable which is a big improvement over bags they made in the past.. There aren't an abundance of pockets which I was shocked with, but in thinking about it it's less stuff to lose (I cannot tell you how many lens pens I have).

These companies always supply tons of dividers which I always end up ripping out. I am sure that many of us can make our own bags with extra dividers we have laying around!

The zippers on the bag are rugged and I have no doubt they will stand the test of time.

A lot of thought went into this bag from the kickstand and tripod mounts I will hardly utilize to the handles on three sides of the bag for easy lifting (if you discount the weight).

Make no mistake about it, this bag is HEAVY and is NOT an everyday bag. However, for weddings, etc. I highly recommend it.

My gear for reference:

(2) Olympus E3's with battery Grips

(2) FL50 flash units

14-45mm

14-54mm

50mm macro

50-200mm

35-100mm

Light meter

Hyperdrive

Quantum power pack

(2) lacrosse AA chargers

Sony mini DV camcorder

43" 5-1 reflector

Laptop

Cables, cables and more cables

(2)flash brackets from Demb.

Cleaning pens, clothes, etc.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Archos 7 8GB Home Tablet with Android (Black)

Customer Ratings:

Edit 20110314: I no longer recommend this to anyone. This product is Version 1 running Android 1.5. The new 7HT is Version 2 running Android 2.1.The 7HT is the fourth Archos product I've owned. Aside from the Gen 1 Jukebox, 5IMT amd 5IT, I purchased three 7HTs. Two as gifts for friends. Both my friends are technical types, not your average Home Owner to whom Archos markets the 7HT.

Personally, I am very pleased with the 7HT. It does everything I wanted it to do. However, I'm a retired techie and I found workarounds for flaws which would hamper the average Home Owner. I'm also a moderator on the ArchoFans Support Forum and focus on the 7HT forum.

Flaw 1:

As delivered the Archos 7HT cannot create new folders. This flaw prevents using the 7HT as a Digital Photo Frame with the supplied App Photo Frame. Photo Frame treats folders as "albums" for displaying slideshows.

--Workaround: Install an App like ES File Explorer which can create new folders.

--Conclusion: Works fine for me now.

Flaw 2:

Archos provides the Aldiko eReader. I downloaded two books before I installed an 8G microSDHC card. After I installed the 8G card Aldiko "lost" the books I downloaded previously.

--Workaround: Don't use Aldiko before you install a microSDHC card.

--Conclusion: Works fine now and I have over 100 epub formatted eBooks in Aldiko now.

Flaw 3:

The Archos 7HT has an Unexpected Wake from Suspend every two hours. I had a drop from 81% battery charge to 18% after 4 hours and 36 minutes when I had the Screen Timeout set to Never.

--Workaround: Installed FastBright app to switch to a minimum 5% screen brightness and set the Screen Timeout to 1 minute. With these settings I've experienced only a 3% to 5% battery decrease.

--Conclusion: Works ok now. Only a firmware update will eliminate the Unexpected Wake from Suspend.

Iffy:

Out of the box Video playback did not work for all the videos I tried which did play on my PC under VLC and on my Archos 5IT. Some folks at the ArchoFans forum have no problems and others have plenty of video problems.

--Workaround: Convert videos via a PC program. I've found one group of settings which work and am still searching for more.

--Conclusion: Works ok for me since I'm more interested in eReading and less in video playback.

Note 1:

The 7HT does not support video out despite what you may read at Amazon or elsewhere.

Note 2:

A USB adapter, micro A male to A Female, is required to use the 7HT as a USB Host for thumb drives, USB keyboards, mice, and powered USB hubs. These adapters are difficult to find as not even Amazon has any. The USB receptacle on the 7HT is micro AB and the supplied USB cable is micro B for USB client mode.

Note 3:

Out of the box the 7HT has no support for WiFi file copies. An App like ES File Explorer provides this.

Note 4:

I doubt if Archos will provide additional firmware updates to correct the "flaws" I mentioned above. They outsourced the Android development and are working on the new Gen 8 software.

Note 5: (Update 20100923)

In mid-September Archos did update the firmware. While I've seen no corrections for the "flaws" AF forum members and I have found the touchscreen to be more responsive and satisfying.

Conclusion:

If you're an average Home Owner and want the 7HT to "work" out of the box, I'm afraid you will be disappointed. If you have a gadget or Android or techie background the 7HT should work for you and at $200 is a great value. I recommend you join a forum like ArchoFans to get the most from your 7HT. For example, recently one of our ArchosFans members got the Google Android Market working on the 7HT.

Allen

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Olympus M ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $699.99
Sale Price: $599.00
Today's Bonus: 14% Off

I made an emotional leap and bought the Lumic G 7-14 right when I got my GF1 a while back. I had dabbled with wide-angle photography and found the images very compelling so I went for it.

For a long time I only had the 7-14 and the 20mm pancake and I have to say it changed my picture taking. Limited to this range, with no long zoom, I began to seek wider perspectives, and ways to use depth of focus to pull out an object that would otherwise be lost in its surroundings. Soon, my portraits, especially of groups, started to swim in context, something so often lacking in portrait photography. But most notably both lenses produced fabulous images, rich and deep in color, crisp and worth taking time to really study, rather than glance at.

I still longed for a telephoto, but was unsure whether the current 45-200 would meet the same optics standards as the 20 and 7-14 so I held off.

Then came the Olympus 9-18. Initially I dismissed news of the lens as covering an area I already had well in hand, but then I read reviews and began to think about it. Deciding to take the plunge I ordered the lens pretty much the day it came out and was surprised when it came very quickly. It is stunningly small, not to pile on but it is something to remember because it takes BIG images. Sweeping shots that encompass the scene and deliver it in one big, satisfying mouthful to the viewer. At the end I could find little to differentiate the images from the 7-14 barring the added range at the bottom end, which should not be discounted. But soon I found I was not carrying the 7-14 anymore. It was larger, more specialised. The 9-18 with my GF1 would hang around my neck with my 20mm in my bag and I would find myself forgetting to switch to the pancake, as the 9-18 came close to touching its range anyway.

So what am I saying? For those that enjoy wide angle shooting as a standard, the 9-18 is spectacular and will possibly become your go-to lens, especially during the day when you can keep your aperture as low as possible. For thiose that only dabble in big sky shots, the 7-14 has more of that fabulous bottom range and the images are a touch more vivid, crisper in the center, slightly more satisfying.

They both have their place, depending on what your desires are, but ironically I would recommend the 9-18 to the true lover of wide angle, and the 7-14 to the big shot tourist, even though that may seem counterintuitive. 9mm is that sweet spot of 90 degree horizontal view, and really where you want to be before barrel distortion becomes the main theme rather than a feature. So pick your poison and enjoy.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Fujifilm XF 35mm F1.4 Lens

Customer Ratings:

The Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 is one of the best lens for the Fujifilm X-Trans system. Maybe one of the best 50mm equivalent focal length lens also.

It's small, light (187g) and well constructed. It comes with a lens hood and rubber cap but I don't use those instead opting for third party vented hoods. The rubber lens hood cap easy to drop off when knocked. The original lens cap difficult to pinch.

The external aperture is extremely convenient for changing apertures without going into menus.

I love the quality of this lens. It makes beautiful pictures with the X-Pro1. Colour and sharpness are close to perfection. It's reasonably sharp wide open, sharper when stopped down. There's a slight glow to edges at wide open but visible at 100% only. There's no strong vignetting. Slight chromatic aberration (purple fringing) does appear at wide open under the right conditions.

You can get rather nice subject isolation with the depth of field from the f/1.4 aperture. The bokeh is also rendered beautifully. Usually when shooting under the sun, I use it with a 2x ND filter.

Using this f/1.4 lens on any of the X-Trans camera also means you have a really capable low light shooter. Unusable night photos is a thing of the past. I get way more keepers, but focusing in the dark can sometimes be a challenge (due to the camera).

Many people claim that the 18mm lens is a very good lens. Well, this 35mm lens is significantly better in performance. Different focal length though, of course.

The minimum focus distance is 28cm, and you have to use EVF when shooting at minimum focus distance -OVF will not focus.

I use this on the X-Pro1. After a series of firmware updates on the camera and lens, the AF speed is now quite satisfactory. However, it's challenging to take photos of people at walking speed.

Conclusion -

This is a really fantastic lens. It's so good at capturing the light and colours. I love all the photos that it captures. And I'm constantly impressed by what I see.

Most highly recommended.

COMPARED TO THE PANASONIC LEICA 25mm f/1.4 MICRO FOUR THIRDS LENS

I also happen to have the Micro Four Thirds system for video and have the PanLeica 25mm.

Performance is very similar. The main difference is the camera sensor. The X-Pro1 with its larger sensor has slightly shallower depth of field. I'm surprised and impressed that the depth of field difference isn't much more. Someone obviously picked the right sensor size for Micro Four Thirds. In terms of colours, Panasonic cameras currently cannot match the Fujifilm, and I've no experience with Olympus cameras. I've some comparison photos in the comments section below with links provided.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Sony CCDTRV108 Hi8 Camcorder with 2.5" LCD

Customer Ratings:

I have used many video cameras in my life, but I have never owned one until now. I worked at audio/video stores for several years and saw lots of different formats and brands come and go. Never a fan of the VHS format or its junky little brother, Compact VHS, I knew 8mm was the way to go, at least back then. Nowadays, though, Mini DV seems to be taking over with even smaller cassettes and better picture quality. However, I don't have that kind of money to afford a DV or Digital 8mm camcorder. Yet.

Enter the TRV-108, a nifty little video camera that uses the HiBand 8mm format, superior to 8mm, but certainly not in the ballpark of Digital8 or DV. Still, its compact size and light weight make it easy to carry around almost anywhere and given the first 8mm camcorder I ever used was big enough that part of it sat on my shoulder, this is a great improvement. It comes with a 160 minute `InfoLithium' battery and little else except a lens cap and strap. It takes great pictures and has a nifty menu system navigated by a little wheel at the back that works like like a volume control and when you have selected what you want from the on-screen display, you just press the wheel to make it happen. This makes titling a snap. I do miss the title image-grabbing function from older 8mm cameras, though.

The 2.5" color back lit LCD screen is clear and easy to read in all but the brightest sunlight and failing that, it also has a small .5" black and white display through the view finder. The 40x zoom is fantastic, but you better have steady hands in order to use it. And using the 460x digital zoom is impossible with anything but a tripod. The camera is equipped with a nightshot mode that actually does work, amplifying light in dark areas, making the image more visible, if green. The TRV-108 also comes with some neat digital effects like sepia tone, which gives video a nice old movie look, a pastel effect which gives everything a cartoony look, black and white, 16:9 aspect shots, plus other effects. It can also do snazzy digital fade-ins and fade-outs.

This camera only really has two failings. For the most part, built in camera lights are useless, but the TRV-108 doesn't even have an accessory shoe for mounting an external light source. Something I found kind of maddening to the point where I even toyed with the idea of finding a camera at a garage sale, ripping it apart, and super glue the shoe to the top. Second, while the built-in microphone is very sensitive at picking up voices and ambient sounds, it does not have a foam wind sock. In moderate winds the roar of the air as it passed over the mike caused a lot of noise. And if it's too loud, like when I shot at the base of a waterfall, the noise caused image distortion lines! These two missing features cost the camera a full five-star review.

All in all though, this is a pretty decent little toy. It's not a serious camcorder and a far from a Canon GL-1s or Xl-1s, but for what I use it for, it's still pretty darn good. It's also low cost enough that purchasing it and using it as a good way to find out if you want to go for a bigger and better camera with more features, whether it be a Digital8 or Mini DV camera. It has taught me a lot about framing shots and what a pain the noon day sun can be. The long life of the battery means that, with a little mental effort, you can shoot a full 2 hour tape on one battery. Not bad for a trip to the zoo to send a tape to your folks.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Nintendo DSi - White

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $149.99
Sale Price: $122.99
Today's Bonus: 18% Off

Pros:

+Bigger and slightly brighter screen

+New interface is easy to navigate

+DSi Ware is a nice implementation

+Digital camera to take photos with

+Internal memory and SD card slot are nice for storing data

+Downloaded games are inexpensive and the service has a lot of potential

Cons:

-Photos taken on camera only really look good on the DSi screen

-Shorter battery life

-Web browser isn't the greatest

-The lack of a GBA slot means you can't play GBA games, use some of the DS Lite's accessories (such as a rumble pack) and makes some games like Guitar Hero World Tour virtually unplayable

In 2004, Nintendo released the original Nintendo DS. Just two years later, the Nintendo DS Lite debuted and was better than the original by far. Since its original release, the Nintendo DS has gone on to sell more than 100 million units worldwide. With sales numbers like that, why would Nintendo need to release another revamp of their prized handheld? More than that, are the new features worth picking up if you have a DS Lite or if you still have an original DS? Well, it can be, but if you're perfectly content with your original DS or your DS Lite there's nothing wrong with that, and you don't have to buy it. That's not to say it would be a bad investment. For some it might be worth it.

Certainly if you still have the original DS, it is worth investing in this newer update. There are quite a few new things about the Nintendo DSi that can make it worth buying. One of the first changes that is obvious from the moment you see it is that it's slightly smaller and designed a little differently. The power button has been moved and now doubles as a reset button. The screen is also slightly bigger and brighter than the DS Lite. When turning it on, there is also a notable difference in the interface which has been completely reworked all together. It's been made a bit easier to use.

Perhaps the biggest and most notable difference is that the DSi no longer has a slot to play Gameboy Advance games. If you're still playing your GBA games a lot, this is probably a pretty big subtraction when it comes to the DSi, no matter how much it includes. If you're someone who hasn't used your DS for playing GBA games in a while, it's probably not a big deal, but I would've gladly taken a slightly thicker handheld just to maintain the GBA slot. There is, however, a slot for an SD card to store more data. The first of these is the wi-fi service which you can get on and download some downloadable games for the DSi. Much like the Wii, you'll spend points (100 points is equal to one dollar) to buy games. There's also the built in web browser, but this is not something to jump up and down over really, as it isn't a very good web browser.

The camera is a nice addition, allowing you to customize and mess around with the pictures you take. They don't look good on anything but the DSi screen, however, but you can store them on an SD card or the DSi's internal memory. You can take quite a bit of photos, and mess around with them in interesting ways, such as drawing on them or manipulating faces. It can be fun to mess around with.

While the new additions are nice the more expensive price is a bit much for those who are already carrying a DS Lite. There are some new features but there isn't too much done here to enhance the gaming experience itself outside of a larger screen. However, that doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile. The download service in particular can be very worthwhile in the future. The games on the download service also aren't too expensive. In short, even DS Lite owners might find it worth the extra money after a while.

Another big hit to the DSi is that the battery life just isn't as long as the previous incarnations. For those wanting to use it primarily for gaming, it might surprise you that the DSi will need to be charged a lot more frequently, as the battery last five hours shorter than that of the DS Lite. It takes a bit shorter to charge as a result, but you'll find yourself charging it quite a bit, especially if you play with the screen on the brightest settings.

In the end some may wonder if the upgrade is worth it. It's a bit more expensive than the DS Lite and doesn't have a GBA slot and a shorter battery life. However, you are getting some nice extra features, and with Nintendo planning to implement them in some of their games in the future, it's at least worth consideration. DS Lite owners may not need to upgrade immediately, but in the future it might be worth considering. If you don't own a DS at all, the DSi is probably the best bet.

The Nintendo DSi is a nice step in the evolution of Nintendo's handheld. It has a lot of new features that can go a long way. Even DS Lite owners might want to consider updating at some point, but it still stands: if you're content with your DS Lite or original DS you don't have to get it. It's certainly worth considering, though.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

Kodak Easyshare One 4 MP Digital Camera with 3xOptical Zoom

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $629.99
Sale Price: $599.95
Today's Bonus: 5% Off

I first saw this camera on the Kodak website and I could hardly wait for it to be available. I admit that the camera is a bit over priced, especially for a 4 megapixel camera. Still, I think the features are really neat. I think part of the high price is because it has a touch screen but I really like that it rotates. Also, since I live in North Dakota and my sister lives in Texas, it's great that I can send her pictures with just a touch of a button. It's also great how the camera organizes your pictures and videos. Over all, I think I got a pretty good deal on the price. Kodak's website offered it with free shipping and handling, an included Wi-Fi card, a free picture viewer(a $100 value), and %10 off accessories. I only have a few regrets about getting this camera, it's quite heavy and it is a lot of new technology to learn at one time. Other than that, I'm looking forward to taking many more great pictures with it!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>

HP Photosmart 8750 Large-Format Professional Photo Printer

Customer Ratings:

(revised 1/8/07)

I've been using this as a commercial printer now for 6 months doing prototype and production work on HP and MOAB papers in multiple sizes.

This printer tends to recognize only HP paper as photo paper and everything else as plain paper with the auto image sensor so you will have to use manual paper selection. This isn't difficult and if you care about your images is what you really should do anyway. There are also a limited number of paper sizes that it recognizes so you will have an extra step to override paper size selection telling the printer that it is OK to print on the "wrong size paper."

This is built better than the smaller hp printers, feels solid, does not have that ready to break feel common to so many hp printers. It prints with authority, not fast but solidly. Images are very accurate, and I have never seen any banding provided print heads are kept clean. However, the cogs that pull the paper through do leave a faint impression on the paper spaced about 3 inches apart. This is not in the ink. This is more pronounced on the back side of the paper. If you do two sided printing, it WILL be noticeable on paper that has an image already printed on it (ie. The back side if the back is a solid graphic image)

To really get full use of this printer you'll have to put your images on a CF memory card or other memory device. These days HP puts very little memory in their printers and claims you can print at 1200 dpi input resolution. That's BS. You can only really do that if you add memory by putting the image on a memory card and slipping that into the printers memory slot. That said, when you do, you can print hi res uncompressed tiff images that are over a gigabyte (the size of an uncompressed tiff image, 13x19 inches at 1200 dpi)! And they are beautiful. If you try that through the usb port, expect many drivers to turn them into 300dpi images SURPRISE! If the driver doesn't do this, expect the image to hang or never print. You can print through printer drivers but testing we did shows the only real way to get you image through is to put it on a CF card and put it in the printer. You eliminate a whole bunch of needless translation software that way. Try it both ways see for yourself.

The user interface blows. It is just plain bad. But if you supply one image on a CF memory card at a time, or look at the card ahead of time through your PC you'll do just fine. It didn't take long to figure out the interface. It's simple, just not friendly.

This machine creates quite a bit of motion when printing so you definitely don't want it on the same surface as your computer when you print. It is very quiet though. It also finally ships with the normal size ink cartridges. Be aware that ink carts now have region codes and expiration dates (if you are buying them on-line or through eBay) Though this is billed as a 9 ink printer, when the blue or grey cart runs out, the color (95 or 97) car takes over in emulation mode and it runs as a 6 or 3 ink printer. This is a great feature though when running in this mode it SUCKS INK LIKE MAD.

This printer doesn't do the stupid image size manipulation that other hp photo printers do. Other hp photo printers constantly resize your images, this printer doesn't do this to the same extent unless you tell it to print borderless. This seems to be based in hp consumer mentality. Their cameras don't do 4x6 images so their printers "fix" this in all images regardless of size by first enlarging, then cropping. The 8750 engineers didn't seem so obsessed with this thought. Tiff images are the more stable format size wise. For some reason they are resized less than jpg images.

Image enhancement is excellant. The difference between a 600dpi and a 1200dpi image is usually difficult to tell. Image quality is consistant through and through. Printed results often are shown to comments such as "Oh My God" or simply "Wow."

The rear paper feed is problematic. Other reviewers have had good results, I have not. It may just be this unit or the physical setup. When it has worked, the little cog prints on the paper have been reduced, not eliminated. TO be clear though, the cog print issue is VERY faint. You will probably only notice this if you are printing 11x14 or 13x19 images at hi resolution for resale to very picky buyers. Even then you need the right light to notice them.

Dye based printers are getting a bad name these days but check out the reviews and prices on other 13x19 printers. They talk about having to print all the time to avoid constant head cleanings bad news. On for some of them, you'll have to pay several hundred dollars more than you do for the 8750 as is the case with the new canon. This printer runs well, does the job, doesn't hang or waste paper, prints huge images at high detail, prints on any paper, and is inexpensive. I like getting new heads when I buy ink, It's a good idea, then and now. It is still dye though, so don't put your photos unprotected in the sun or in your car with all the windows up. In other words, treat them like you treat anything of value and they will last.

My only con beside the user interface is the out put paper platform extension. Just like every printer in the world, it is plastic and could easily get broken off if someone bumps into it. Also I think the input size guide may break some day. Neither will be a tragedy, but why put these cheap parts on an otherwise stellar machine? Also I've noticed that it sometimes kicks a small stack of paper back out of the input stack after printing a few sheets resulting in an "out of paper" indication.

The 8750 comes with a usb and a network port. The net port works well. If you use a wireless setup with a router it is wonderful. You can put your cameras memory card in the printer. Transfer your images through your wireless connect to your PC. The when you want to print, send them back to the memory card all over the wireless connection. To do this, just plug the printer into your wireless router and install the hp software on your pc or laptop. The software does a good job of locating the printer. The downside is that "the software" means the hp image transfer software so you'll have to get used to yet another folder naming convention.

Some of the conventions recommended here might seem a bit picky but they will produce the best images on this and many other printers.

One fnial note if you are selling prints, spray on some fixative such as winsor and newton fixative. This will seal the image to the paper so that moisture on your hands or from the air won't ruin it. It will also allow people to handle the print without ruining it. With dye based inks this is especially important. It will also keep you out of the embarrasing situation of someone who put your print in a sunny place returning in 6 months with a faded image.

I would buy it again and have no regrets. This is the first hp inkjet printer I can say this about.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Read More >>