I have owned two other 35mm cameras from Minolta, and wanted a digital camera from Sony. So far so good; no problems other than the battery has a short life. It drained completely when we were up in the mountains camping. No outlets anywhere, of course. Couldn't recharge it. Camera is very good, though.
Energizer Watch/Electronic Batteries, 3 Volts, 2032, 2 batteries
List Price: $5.99
Sale Price: $1.79
Today's Bonus: 70% Off
I ordered directly from Amazon and not a third party because I didn't want to risk receiving a counterfeit battery.
I ended up receiving a counterfeit battery that provides zero power. My uploaded customer image shows how I could tell it was counterfeit.
I'm buying my batteries directly from brick and mortar stores from now on.
Rokinon RK8MV-C 8mm T3.8 Cine Fisheye Lens for Canon Video DSLR
List Price: $399.00
Sale Price: $319.00
Today's Bonus: 20% Off
I use this lens on a Canon T3i. It works great for what it is(the fisheye effect gets pretty boring after a while). After weeks of watching it, I found one on ebay for $215 shipped. Both the focus and aperture rings adjust smoothly but the focus is pretty much pointless since fisheyes' are designed to take massively wide/distorted images. Optically, it functions exactly like the standard/clicked aperture version, I uploaded 2 images I took with this lens, but if you want more examples of how your photos will turn out go check the examples on the FE8M-C. The viewing angle is extremely wide (167 degrees on Canon, 180 on all other mounts) I still get my fingers in the corners of photos regularly. The lens is full manual, but doesn't take much time to get comfortable with.
I gave it 4 stars because the built in hood on the lens obstructs the built in flash on my camera (the FE8M-C has the same hood, the HD8M-C has a removable hood and doesn't obstruct the flash) and the images could be a tad bit sharper.
Overall, if you want a fisheye for both still images and video this will work wonderfully. If you want to save money you will probably be fine with the "clicked" version even for video.
Nikon COOLPIX P7800 12.2 MP Digital Camera with 7.1x Optical
List Price: $549.95
Sale Price: $546.95
Today's Bonus: 1% Off
An early review after using this camera for a couple of hours. This jacket-pocketable camera makes good images, gives you control over crafting your photos, and is ergonomically comfortable to use. Despite the fact that I generally stay away from gimicky scene modes, I was surprised to find a couple of them appealing, including the different options for for panoramas and the color-selective filters. So far, so good.
Let's get my biases out. I have Nikon gear (a couple of SLRs) and I would prefer to have my camera work well with existing remotes, flashes, and my old P7000 batteries. I also like that the camera menus are familiar for a Nikon user and I have a good sense how the Active-D lighting, TTL flash exposure, and general focusing modes work. For me, quick comprehension and intuitive use of these controls greatly increases the cameras performance. I also prefer diopter-adjustable viewfinders due to superior performance in bright light and the fact that with bifocals, focusing on the camera screen can literally be a pain in the neck.
I am very pleased with the electronic viewfinder as it shows in the viewfinder the setting changes as you go, just like on the back screen. I found myself rapidly adjusting settings without looking, being confident that I was getting it right. The colors in the viewfinder aren't perfect, but it provides more than enough resolution to thoughtfully compose images. I found the manual focus very easy to use compared to other compact-ish cameras I've tried, especially since it can all be done through the viewfinder.
I like that the P7800 has a real lens cap, real camera heft, and real controls. Image quality is good in typical indoor lighting scenes without a flash and great outside in good light. My guess is that there those pixel peepers who will take issue with some of the performance in marginal light conditions, and if that is what you care about, you can study the reference photos of toy soldiers, books, coins, feathers, and color charts at other sites.
I'm still learning the benefits of the articulating screen, but one that I see immediately is that it can be stowed away when not in use, protecting it from sometimes rough treatment and the smudges from my nose when using the viewfinder.
It's not the snappiest camera recording images, but once on, its responsive to the shutter release (the area of performance I value). It just takes a while to write. It is faster than my P7000 (though heftier), but nowhere near as fast as my D90. It allows me to get the shots I need when I need them, except for the most demanding conditions (really low light where you need high ISO's, rapidfire sports shooting, serious macro shooting--although the macro focus functions work pretty well).
I got this camera to have at all times in my work bag as a daily-use camera so that I won't miss images when traveling for work, commuting, or running errands without the bulk of my SLR. With its viewfinder, good image quality, jacket-pocketable size, ease and familiarity in its use, it is the camera I need.
Would I like to have the larger sensor and better ISO performance in it? yes. Would I like it to be smaller? yes. Would I like it to be cheaper? Sure (I could have gotten the P7700 if I didn't prefer viewfinders). But in the overall compromise of wants for a relatively compact camera, the P7800 is what I need.
Update:
After having the camera a few weeks, I'm very happy with it. I was getting frustrated if you have it on one of the "continuous" modes or "Best Shot Selection" and raw photos, as it will take ~10 seconds to digest the photos, but single shots with raw are recorded pretty quickly. The viewfinder and the camera heft and overall design and handling makes for working well in marginal conditions, macro shooting, or generally for just carrying around. I find I'm using the button that replaced the dial on top of the P7000 for adjustments more than I used the dial, especially doing it through the viewfinder. Battery life is good when I primarily shoot with the viewfinder, not having to change the battery over the course of a long weekend and 200 shots even with the flash. Like other Nikons, the TTL flash exposure works great, and I used it to drive a SB-600 and -700 flash for a few photos of a family dinner, which came out super. Low light performance is better than I hoped, with ISO 800 working pretty well. Some examples are at my Google+ site, pretty much straight from the camera. https://plus.google.com/photos/111101223391433520330/albums/5944372096627226369?authkey=CIu-iZmb1-nuswE . I found the viewfinder nice at the concert, as it is less obtrusive to snap a shot without having to have a screen lit up.
I'm very happy to get the performance I get from a jacket pocketable camera.
Wieldy Pro 1-7.5kg Carbon Fiber Steadicam Steadycam Stabilizer
List Price: $599.00
Sale Price: $289.00
Today's Bonus: 52% Off
Very nice product. Less expensive than the GlideCam.... at least a pound less weight than GlideCam, but with one issue.... it was defective when delivered.
The glue that was supposed to hold the carbon fiber tube into the adjustment lock didn't set. This results in the length of the rod changing, even though the fastener is tightened.
I submitted a complaint to Queenshiny, who sells this product, and I'm waiting for them to respond. Hopefully they will replace it immediately.
I'll report back regarding how easy getting the defective unit replaced was.....See below in the comments regarding the fixing of my product. I am happy again :-)
Sony HDR-PJ760VE HD 96GB Flash Memory - PAL - Camcorder
Bought for my brother in law, camera is light has tons of options to modify and full auto if you want.Great image stabilization.Great low light performance and great sound that suprised me most.Fits in his hand well.Camcorder powers up when you open up LCD or pull out viewfinder, nice feature.He is very happy with it and so am I.Projector was a WOW factor.
Adorama was great to ship it well packed in 2 days as promised.
Adorama was great to ship it well packed in 2 days as promised.
NIKON F5 SLR Body Only
I have one of every model Nikon F made from the FTn to the F5. I used to think that the F2 was God's gift to photography. Rock solid and mine is 30 years old and it still works fine. However, as good as it was, I would not want to go out on a magazine assignment with an old F2. The capabilities of modern AutoFocus cameras make my old F2 and even the F3 too limited especially with regard to invaluable tools like automatic fill flash, auto exposure, simple exposure bracketing and simple and fast film loading. I have an F4 too and in its day, it was a gem. But I shoot a lot of motorsports and the F4 was too slow for fast action. The F5 is everything the F4 was plus it focuses better and faster. The camera is a joy to hold (at least for my two hands) and is possibly the best handling camera I have ever used in my over 30 years of picture taking. As mentioned above, it focuses very well and very fast especially with the newer "S" lenses with the motors in the lens. The camera takes lithium batteries and they seem to last through many dozens of rolls of film not as cheap as alkaline but very convenient and much lighter to carry. The high eyepoint finder works great for me and my thick eye glasses. The controls are where Nikon has put them over the years so long-time users should have no trouble working fast with the F5. Mine has seen rugged use here and in Europe and it has never failed me. The only gripe I have is that the removable prism does let in dust but every Nikon I have has the same issue. It's simple to eliminate the dust with a soft brush or some canned air so it's a pretty small gripe. I think the Canon EOS 1V cameras and lenses focus a tad faster (I tend to use them more for my motor racing assignments) but the F5 is such a joy to use and the Nikon glass is so sharp that I look for assignments where I can use this camera. The F5 remains for now in the product line, despite the introduction of the new and more expensive F6. The F6 looks like a winner and handles well too. But its $2400 price tag and the fact that the majority of the market for a high powered pro camera has already turned to digital, makes me wonder who but a serious amateur with deep pockets will pony up the bucks for one. My final warning to you camera junkies out there is that once you handle the F5, you will not want to put it down. And that's not a bad thing.
Pentax K-x 12.4MP Digital SLR with 2.7 inch LCD and 18-55mm
I recently upgraded from my beloved Olympus e-510 DSLR with the 14-42mm and 40-150mm kits lenses in order to get a DSLR with better low-light performance and HD video capabilities. I loved my Olympus, but image quality took a nose-dive at ISO 800, and I liked the idea of having an HD camcorder built into my camera to capture high quality family photos and home videos in one device. I eventually settled on the Pentax K-x after first buying, and then returning, a Canon T2i.
I know that the T2i costs almost twice as much as the K-x, and they're not direct competitors, but I think my experience illustrates what a great camera and bargain the K-x is and how, for me at least, it was a giant killer.
I initially pre-ordered a T2i for the $900 MSRP after reading the glowing reviews in the press about the 18MP sensor, the high-ISO performance and the killer 1080p video. When I received the T2i, I was surprised by how cheap and plasticky it felt. It's not that the T2i was likely to fall apart, but my Olympus felt and looked like a higher quality camera, even though it was about $200 less than the T2i when I bought it. I realize that the T2i is a Rebel, but for almost $1000, I expected something more solid.
Even worse was the Canon 18-55mm kit lens, which felt like a toy compared to my Olympus kit lenses. It looked cheap, and the zoom action felt very cheap, and you could hear plastic-on-plastic as you zoomed in and out. There was no lens hood included, and the optional lens hood was only about an inch deep and looked ridiculous. The front element rotated when auto-focusing, which makes using some filters problematic, and you had to switch off AF to manually make focus adjustments. My Olympus lenses did not rotate the front element, and allowed full time focus override without turning off AF. And build-wise, they looked and felt like a higher end lens. But worst of all, Canon kits lens's optical performance was lacking, rendering the 18MP sensor moot.
I could live with the cheap feel of the T2i body and the ugly jelly-bean design, but I came to realize that in order to get a lens that would match the performance of the body, I would need to shell out another $500 or more, and as a hobbyist I just didn't have the budget.
The real deal-breaker with the T2i though, was the use of Quicktime format for the HD video. Quicktime is a proprietary Apple video format, and while I must assume it works well on a new Mac, the QT videos often gave PCs problems. I'd read about this from other users, but I figured that with my high-end PCs and my computer knowledge, I would be okay. But both my new Sony Vaio laptop with Windows 7, ATI 4650 graphics and 4GB of RAM and my desktop computer with Windows XP, dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, Raptor 10K HDD and nVidia 8800GT graphics would stutter on playback of the 1080p files. And finding affordable programs to edit Quicktime HD video files is another headache. I wasn't about to buy a new Mac just to be able to work with the video from my new camera.
So back went the T2i, and my quest for a new camera continued. I was just about to pull the trigger on a Nikon D5000, when I came across the Pentax K-x.
The first thing that grabbed my attention was the styling. I thought the red was killer, but I wasn't that brave. And the camera looked dead-sexy in navy blue, but when I saw the white version, I was in love. One thing I liked about my Olympus was that it was something DIFFERENT than all the Nikons and Canon Rebels you see every other parent carrying to school or sports functions. I would often get questions about it from people who didn't realize that Olympus even MADE DSLRs. With this Pentax, I would again have something out of the ordinary.
Then I started reading reviews of the K-x. One of the great things about the T2i is the high ISO image quality, and according to the reviews and the sample images I was looking at, the K-x was right there with it.
And the K-x also did HD video. There were some limitations, such as 720p and lack of full control over exposure while shooting video, but I didn't really mind since the samples I downloaded looked great, even on my 110" 1080P home theater projector. And 720p files take less space than 1080p and require less processing power to playback and edit. And best of all, the K-x uses Motion JPEG video format, which plays back great on PCs and is compatible with almost any Windows video editing program. The MJPEG format does use more disk space than the equivalent QT file, but hard drives and SD cards are cheap these days, so it's not a big deal.
Another great thing about the K-x is that it has sensor-based image stabilization in the body, so any lens you stick on the camera is stabilized. My Olympus used a similar system, and I was very happy with it. The big advantage is that you can be non-stabilized lenses so they'll be smaller, lighter, and less expensive.
I ended up buying the K-x in white with the 18-55mm lens. The K-x looks and feels like a higher quality camera than the T2i, and matches my Olympus in this department. The kit lens is also a very worthy piece of hardware.
With the money I saved on the Pentax, I was able to buy the legendary Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 lens, a Pentax 55-300mm zoom lens, and a Sigma speedlight. The flash was new, but I got great deals on the slighty-used lenses on eBay and Craigslist.
I've been using the Pentax for a couple months now, and have taken hundreds of pictures. I am absolutely thrilled with the camera and couldn't be happier with the photos and videos I'm getting. The T2i did have just slightly more detail, but other than that I would say the K-x has equal image quality. And the 12MP RAW image files of the K-x are faster to work with than the 18MP files of the T2i and take up much less space on SD cards, so you don't have to worry about filling up nearly as fast.
That's not too much negative I can say about the camera. I would like it to have a mini-HDMI port and a standard mini-USB port, and continuous auto-focus would be nice in video mode, but no other DSLR has that yet. Stereo mics would also be nice.
I suspect that the image stabilization system may not be as good as the one in my Olympus, but I can't say for sure since my 300mm is longer than the telephoto I had with the Olympus and will therefore be more prone to shake.
I get compliments on the Pentax everywhere I go, and it's been a joy to use and own. I could not be happier with my purchase.
In the future I'll probably add a Sigma 30mm F1.4 prime and a Sigma 10-20mm ultra-wide zoom to my lens kit.
Just for the record, I'm not trying to bash on the T2i. It is an amazing camera that is currently without peer in its price range. But if you're like me and you only have about $1000 to spend, I think you will get much more value by going with a less-expensive but almost-as-capable camera like the K-x, and using the extra money on high quality lenses. My F2.8 constant-aperture lens has been a revolution for me, and I recommend every budding photographer make room in their budget for something similar.
I know that the T2i costs almost twice as much as the K-x, and they're not direct competitors, but I think my experience illustrates what a great camera and bargain the K-x is and how, for me at least, it was a giant killer.
I initially pre-ordered a T2i for the $900 MSRP after reading the glowing reviews in the press about the 18MP sensor, the high-ISO performance and the killer 1080p video. When I received the T2i, I was surprised by how cheap and plasticky it felt. It's not that the T2i was likely to fall apart, but my Olympus felt and looked like a higher quality camera, even though it was about $200 less than the T2i when I bought it. I realize that the T2i is a Rebel, but for almost $1000, I expected something more solid.
Even worse was the Canon 18-55mm kit lens, which felt like a toy compared to my Olympus kit lenses. It looked cheap, and the zoom action felt very cheap, and you could hear plastic-on-plastic as you zoomed in and out. There was no lens hood included, and the optional lens hood was only about an inch deep and looked ridiculous. The front element rotated when auto-focusing, which makes using some filters problematic, and you had to switch off AF to manually make focus adjustments. My Olympus lenses did not rotate the front element, and allowed full time focus override without turning off AF. And build-wise, they looked and felt like a higher end lens. But worst of all, Canon kits lens's optical performance was lacking, rendering the 18MP sensor moot.
I could live with the cheap feel of the T2i body and the ugly jelly-bean design, but I came to realize that in order to get a lens that would match the performance of the body, I would need to shell out another $500 or more, and as a hobbyist I just didn't have the budget.
The real deal-breaker with the T2i though, was the use of Quicktime format for the HD video. Quicktime is a proprietary Apple video format, and while I must assume it works well on a new Mac, the QT videos often gave PCs problems. I'd read about this from other users, but I figured that with my high-end PCs and my computer knowledge, I would be okay. But both my new Sony Vaio laptop with Windows 7, ATI 4650 graphics and 4GB of RAM and my desktop computer with Windows XP, dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, Raptor 10K HDD and nVidia 8800GT graphics would stutter on playback of the 1080p files. And finding affordable programs to edit Quicktime HD video files is another headache. I wasn't about to buy a new Mac just to be able to work with the video from my new camera.
So back went the T2i, and my quest for a new camera continued. I was just about to pull the trigger on a Nikon D5000, when I came across the Pentax K-x.
The first thing that grabbed my attention was the styling. I thought the red was killer, but I wasn't that brave. And the camera looked dead-sexy in navy blue, but when I saw the white version, I was in love. One thing I liked about my Olympus was that it was something DIFFERENT than all the Nikons and Canon Rebels you see every other parent carrying to school or sports functions. I would often get questions about it from people who didn't realize that Olympus even MADE DSLRs. With this Pentax, I would again have something out of the ordinary.
Then I started reading reviews of the K-x. One of the great things about the T2i is the high ISO image quality, and according to the reviews and the sample images I was looking at, the K-x was right there with it.
And the K-x also did HD video. There were some limitations, such as 720p and lack of full control over exposure while shooting video, but I didn't really mind since the samples I downloaded looked great, even on my 110" 1080P home theater projector. And 720p files take less space than 1080p and require less processing power to playback and edit. And best of all, the K-x uses Motion JPEG video format, which plays back great on PCs and is compatible with almost any Windows video editing program. The MJPEG format does use more disk space than the equivalent QT file, but hard drives and SD cards are cheap these days, so it's not a big deal.
Another great thing about the K-x is that it has sensor-based image stabilization in the body, so any lens you stick on the camera is stabilized. My Olympus used a similar system, and I was very happy with it. The big advantage is that you can be non-stabilized lenses so they'll be smaller, lighter, and less expensive.
I ended up buying the K-x in white with the 18-55mm lens. The K-x looks and feels like a higher quality camera than the T2i, and matches my Olympus in this department. The kit lens is also a very worthy piece of hardware.
With the money I saved on the Pentax, I was able to buy the legendary Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 lens, a Pentax 55-300mm zoom lens, and a Sigma speedlight. The flash was new, but I got great deals on the slighty-used lenses on eBay and Craigslist.
I've been using the Pentax for a couple months now, and have taken hundreds of pictures. I am absolutely thrilled with the camera and couldn't be happier with the photos and videos I'm getting. The T2i did have just slightly more detail, but other than that I would say the K-x has equal image quality. And the 12MP RAW image files of the K-x are faster to work with than the 18MP files of the T2i and take up much less space on SD cards, so you don't have to worry about filling up nearly as fast.
That's not too much negative I can say about the camera. I would like it to have a mini-HDMI port and a standard mini-USB port, and continuous auto-focus would be nice in video mode, but no other DSLR has that yet. Stereo mics would also be nice.
I suspect that the image stabilization system may not be as good as the one in my Olympus, but I can't say for sure since my 300mm is longer than the telephoto I had with the Olympus and will therefore be more prone to shake.
I get compliments on the Pentax everywhere I go, and it's been a joy to use and own. I could not be happier with my purchase.
In the future I'll probably add a Sigma 30mm F1.4 prime and a Sigma 10-20mm ultra-wide zoom to my lens kit.
Just for the record, I'm not trying to bash on the T2i. It is an amazing camera that is currently without peer in its price range. But if you're like me and you only have about $1000 to spend, I think you will get much more value by going with a less-expensive but almost-as-capable camera like the K-x, and using the extra money on high quality lenses. My F2.8 constant-aperture lens has been a revolution for me, and I recommend every budding photographer make room in their budget for something similar.
Nikon D5200 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens
Had seen this same camera and lens kit at big box stores for the same price but without all of the extra accessories in this kit. Fast shipping, easy registration with Nikon and I also got a Squaretrade warranty on the camera and lenses as I always do on more expensive electronics.
Denon AVR-X1000 5.1-Channel Networking Home Theater AV Receiver
List Price: $499.99
Sale Price: $449.00
Today's Bonus: 10% Off
The Denon AVR-X1000 is the successor to last year's 4-1/2 star rated Denon AVR-1713. Most features are the same as the AVR-1713. Like the AVR-1713, the AVR-X1000 is a 5.1-channel surround sound receiver that accepts a total of six input sources, plus TV audio as a seventh input source.
Over the past few years Denon has been gradually improving the look of their receivers. The AVR-X1000 has the look of a very high-end receiver, comparable to Marantz and Pioneer Elite receivers, yet it sells at a mid-range price. The photos above don't quite do it justice.
What's new?
* The AVR-X1000 has a longer warranty (3 years) than the AVR-1713 (2 years).
* The speaker connections on the back of the AVR-X1000 are color coded for easier setup. Last year's model did not have color-coded speaker connections.
* The AVR-X1000 supports both AM and FM radio. Last year's AVR-1713 only supported FM radio.
* Both models support Apple Airplay, Internet radio, Sirius XM, and Pandora, but the AVR-X1000 adds support for Spotify, too.
* Both models support MP3, WMA, AAC, and FLAC audio formats. The AVR-X1000 adds support for the Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) as well.
* The AVR-1713 used up and down buttons to select the input source. The AVR-X1000 uses a more attractive dial on the left-hand side.
* The AVR-X1000 has updated setup software.
* Denon's list price for the AVR-X1000 ($499) is $50 higher than last year's AVR-1713 ($449).
Comparison with the step-up Denon AVR-X2000:
* The AVR-X1000 supports 5.1 audio, while the step-up AVR-X2000 supports 7.1 audio.
* The AVR-X1000 has 80 watts per channel, while the AVR-X2000 has 95 watts per channel.
* The AVR-X1000 does not support Ultra HD (4K) upscaling, but the AVR-X2000 does.
* The AVR-X2000 has more HDMI and analog audio input jacks than the AVR-X1000. They have the same number of digital audio input jacks.
* The AVR-X2000 supports one component video input, while the AVR-X1000 does not.
Comparison with the step-down Denon AVR-E300:
* Both models support 5.1 audio.
* The AVR-X1000 has 80 watts per channel, while the AVR-E300 has 75 watts per channel.
* The AVR-X1000 has a 3-year warranty, while the AVR-E300 has a 2-year warranty.
* The AVR-X1000 supports a zone 2 line out, while the AVR-E300 does not.
* The AVR-X1000 supports the high-resolution Audyssey MultEQ XT room correction software with 6-8 measurement positions, while AVR-E300 only supports the medium-resolution Audyssey MultEQ. Both models support Audyssey Dynamic Volume and Audyssey Dynamic EQ.
* The AVR-X1000 has better-quality speaker connections. The AVR-E300 has new "Easy Connect Speaker Terminals" which work best with bare speaker wire and seem aimed at novices.
I have two complaints about the AVR-X1000. First, it doesn't support Wi-Fi. The network connection requires Ethernet. For Wi-Fi, CNET likes the Onkyo TX-NR626. Second, it is stingy with its digital audio inputs. The AVR-X1000 has only one coaxial and one optical digital audio input. By comparison, the competing Yamaha RX-V475 and Yamaha RX-V575 each have two coaxial and two optical digital audio input jacks (but fewer total device inputs). Aesthetically, however, Onkyo and Yamaha receivers have a utilitarian look that can't compete with this year's Denon line.
Acer Aspire E1-571-6888 15.6-Inch Laptop (Glossy Black)
List Price: $499.99
Sale Price: $453.93
Today's Bonus: 9% Off
I bought this laptop today from my computer guy. It was brand new, I'm the one that actually cut open the box. I had him upgrade the RAM from 4GB to 8GB, and it flies! I recommend this computer for anyone looking for a nice, stable computer. Upgrade the RAM if you get a chance and just sit back and enjoy! I usually don't write reviews on Amazon if I didn't buy it on Amazon, but this computer is worth it. The best laptop I've had since my last Acer in 2009. I have since had a Toshiba and Sony, also both good computers. This is just what I've wanted for, not only speed, but convenience, as this is a lighter laptop then the rest have been.
Fujifilm X-M1 Compact System 16MP Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD
List Price: $699.95
Sale Price: $649.00
Today's Bonus: 7% Off
First Impressions:
------------------
The Fuji X-M1 is an excellent camera. As the cheapest Fuji interchangeable lens camera, I was looking at the X-M1 as an introduction into the Fuji X system. This Fuji APS-C X sensor receives a lot of hype, and this camera does not disappoint. The build quality seems good and feels durable. The overall size with the kit lens is also much smaller than I had initially thought from pictures.
Out of camera JPEGS (with some slight tweaks) are very good. I'm glad that I don't have to spend as much time massaging RAW files in Lightroom.
If you're considering the following cameras, I think the X-M1 is better than the following:
* Olympus E-PM2, E-PL5.
* Fuji X20
* Sony NEX-F3, NEX-3N, NEX-6
* Panasonic GF5
The OM-D E-M5 has some unique features that may make it better for you (exceptionally good IBIS, weather sealing, EVF).
Pros:
=====
+ EXCELLENT out of camera JPGs
+ EXCELLENT control using dual dials
+ Useful Q menu
+ Easy to use regular menu
+ Good build quality
+ Fast focusing
+ Good fill-flash
+ Tiltable bounce flash
+ Fast operation
+ Customizable (I'll cover some tips later in the review)
+ Tilt Screen that can still be seen in sunlight
+ Small size
+ Custom settings on the mode dial
Cons:
=====
No EVF/OVF
WiFi apps don't allow control of the camera
WiFi is pretty poor on both Android and IPhone.
No sweep panorama
No built in level (c'mon Fuji this camera BEGS for a horizontal level)
Recommended Tips and tweaks:
---------------------------
* For faster AF, set the AF box size to the maximum and turn off the AF assist light.
* I recommend setting Sharpening +1 in any film mode.
* Fuji allows you to specify your tone curve. I prefer the flat look so I set Shadows -1, Highlights 0.
* If you want punchy, contrasty images, set Shadows +2, Highlights +2.
* For creamy noise free images to share on Facebook, set Noise Reduction to +2
* Be careful with Auto-ISO and DR. Auto-ISO at 6400 is useable, but DR400 will introduce noise into shadows. I stick to ISO3200 with DR200, or ISO 6400 with DR100.
* WiFi: Manual setup for PC Autosave is easier than "Simple" setup. I couldn't get "Simple" to work. "Manual" worked just fine.
* WiFi: If you use the Android app, remember you must follow the instructions on the camera EXACTLY. The modes are not interchangeable. Otherwise, the camera won't be able to connect to your device. I think Fuji can fix this and make their app more 'robust'.
Recommended settings:
-------------------------
* Portraits: Astia, Sharpening +1, Shadows -1, Highlights 0, Colors 0, Auto ISO 3200, DR200
* Landscape: Velvia, Sharpening +1, Shadows 0, Highlights 0, Colors +1, ISO 400, DR200
* Everyday: Provia, Sharpening +1, Shadows 0, Highlights 0, Colors 0, Auto ISO 3200, DR200
* Dramatic B&W: BW, Sharpening +1, Shadows +2, Highlights +2, EV Comp -2/3, Auto ISO 3200, DR200
vs. Sony NEX (NEX-F3 and NEX-6)
-------------------------------
The Fuji X-M1 blows the NEX series away. Focusing on the Fuji is faster and far more accurate. The NEX-6 focuses faster than the NEX-F3, but both are still slow compared to the Fuji X-M1. Even more important, the NEX has a tendency to focus on the wrong thing. What I mean is, you can have people in the foreground (the subject) and the NEX will choose to focus on the trees in the background. I have no idea why. The NEX-6 has a very nice EVF which the X-M1 does not have. The NEX-F3 (and replacement NEX-3N) allow you to flip the screen 180 degrees for ''selfies''. The Fuji menu is significantly easier to navigate and the Q menu makes it quick to change settings, if you need to. [As a side note, the NEX menu is incredibly frustrating for advanced users. Options are under submenus, and you need to get back to the root level to change into submenus. Furthermore, if you customise your camera buttons in PASM, those customizations don't carry into some of the other modes, like auto mode. So when you switch modes, the experience of using the camera is frustratingly inconsistent. You'll find that the buttons you customized have reverted back to their default settings. I couldn't tolerate it.]
The NEX does have very nice Auto, Intelligent Auto, and Superior Auto modes which make it easy for beginners. But for advanced users, I would recommend the X-M1 over the NEX.
vs. Micro Four Thirds (u43)
---------------------------
I highly recommend the Fuji X-M1 over *most* of the u43 cameras. It's significantly better than than the E-PL5 and GF5. However, the newer Olympus u43 cameras (OM-D E-M5, E-PL5, E-PM2, and E-P5) have very fast autofocus. In outdoors bright light, the X-M1 is nearly as fast. In indoor low light, the Olympus is significantly faster. Keep in mind that the Fuji X-M1 is still faster than the NEX in both conditions. The X-M1 beats the u43 is in image quality. The GF5 shots were only useable up to ISO800, and I recommend shooting at ISO400 or lower. The E-PL5, I kept to ISO1600. The X-M1 can easily go to ISO6400 with better quality. Although the E-PL5 and GF5 have touch screens, I find that I don't miss it. I had too many accidental shots with the touch screen enabled on the E-PL5, so I usually turn the touch screen off. Note that Olympus has a fantastic touch to shoot feature that makes it great for stealthy street shooting if you tilt the LCD up. For people who really want a touch-to-shoot touchscreen, nothing can beat the Olympus.
The Olympus cameras also tend to produce a very "yellow" image in indoor tungsten light. The Fuji colors are much more natural and realistic. In outdoor light, the Olympus is fine.
However, if budget is important, keep in mind that you can buy an E-PM2 or E-PL5 with Olympus 45mm f.18 for the same price as the X-M1. The Olympus combo will allow you take wonderful street "cinematic" shots or portraits of your friends and family.
If budget isn't a concern, I recommend the X-M1.
vs. OM-D E-M5
=============
This deserves its own subsection because the OM-D is an excellent camera that can do things that many other camera's cant. First, the OM-D has the best IBIS of any manufacturer. The E-PL5 IBIS, Canon IS, Nikon VR, Sony IS, and Fuji IS can't compare. The OM-D 5-axis IBIS is so good, it allows you to do things that you simple can't do with another camera. You can take handheld "macro" (close focus on the kit lens) video. You can shoot sharp images at 1/2 second, and relatively sharp at 1 second. Seriously. It's THAT good. That's why I can't say with certainty that the X-M1 is decisively better than the OM-D. The OM-D AA filter is relatively week, and you can get very sharp shots. This is especially evident when used with a quality lens like the Olympus 45mm f1.8 or Panasonic 25mm f1.4. Furthermore, the OM-D can be easily customized (you can even directly control your curves!) and the kit lens 12-50mm has a built in function button that allows you to set it to do useful things like 2x zoom. So in one lens, you can have 12-100mm (with 35 film equivalent of 24mm 200mm). That's impressive.
Plus, the OM-D E-M5 has weather sealing. Although I don't use my cameras in inclement weather, it was nice knowing that the beach, dust, and rain didn't affect the OM-D.
Although the X-M1 can produce better image quality than the OM-D, the OM-D has so many features, that it needs serious consideration. The IBIS is amazing and will allow you to do things that you simply can't do with other cameras.
Between the OM-D and the X-M1, I don't know if the X-M1 is decisively a better camera. It's better in some ways and the OM-D is significantly better in other ways. I would recommend that anyone shopping for a u43 camera should consider the OM-D. Yes, it's much more expensive, but it'll give you so much flexibility and opportunity to do things that you normally wouldn't be able to do. Plus, the OM-D is built very well it feels like small Tokina tank.
vs. Fuji X20
------------
I wasn't impressed with the Fuji X20. I returned it. The small sensor didn't produce good enough results and I felt it was only good to ISO800. The focusing was equivalently fast between the X20 and X-M1, maybe slightly faster in the X-M1. For a few hundred dollars more, the X-M1 is clearly the better buy. For a pocketable camera, the Sony RX100 I/II is probably a better camera than the X20. (I never owned an RX100 though).
I recommend the X-M1 or RX100 for slightly more money.
vs. DSLRS
---------------------
Keep in mind that DSLRS can do things that the mirrorless cameras simply can't do (yet). Continuous focusing on a DSLR is much better than even the single shot focusing on the OM-D. If you want to take pictures of moving subjects, you need a DSLR. That being said, some entry level DSLRs (ie: Canon T3i, Nikon D3200) don't have as much direct control via dual dials as the X-M1. I'm not going to debate DSLR vs mirrorless cameras in this review both have their advantages.
The main benefit of the entry level DSLR is that they are more affordable; and paired with a cheap prime like a 50mm 1.8 or Nikon's 35mm 1.8, can teach you a lot about aperture and depth of field. You'll need to spend much more on Fuji's system to be able to do something similar. Overall, I think a DSLR offers a better introduction into photography.
vs. D90
========
You'll need to get a D90 (or better, like the D7000 or D7100) to get dual dials. (Sorry, I don't know the equivalent Canon range). The JPGS from the X-M1 are better than the out of camera JPGs from the D90. I only use the D90 up to ISO1600 and even that requires extra work with DFine after Lightroom. The X-M1 can go to ISO6400 with better quality. The X-M1 requires fewer tweaks then the D90 in Lightroom.
vs. D600
========
85mm on an FX camera is beautiful. The X-M1 can't replace something like a D600.
Overall vs. the competition
---------------------------
If you're considering an NEX or u43 kit, keep in mind that neither those nor the X-M1 are pocketable. You'll likely carry those cameras in a bag. If you want something truly pocketable, you're probably better off looking at an RX100. So if you'll be using a bag anyways, I would recommend the X-M1 over the NEX or any of the smaller u43 cameras.
I hope this review helps you decide on the X-M1. Enjoy the camera!
Avi
ViewSonic Monitor VX2252MH 22-Inch LED-Lit LCD Monitor
List Price: $217.00
Sale Price: $129.99
Today's Bonus: 40% Off
To put this review into perspective, I purchased this monitor to replace a 6 year old HP LP2065 20" LCD monitor which is not HDCP compliant. On installing this monitor, I noted that the image was bright and lacking in contrast. Brightness and contrast are adjustable in the manual mode in the menu. Adjustments made the image better, but was still lacking in black level performance. Fine text was definitely softer than that on the HP monitor. When scrolling text, a yellow smear was visible trailing the text. This effect was mostly eliminated when switching to the "Game" mode. However, switching to this mode sets the brightness and contrast to fixed values. They are no longer manually adjustable. I had attended a wedding and took pictures with my digital camera. I processed the raw files and adjusted them the best I could based on the monitor's image. I had trouble getting them to look right. The color accuracy of this monitor is definitely sub-par. When I printed some of these pictures, they were dark and dull looking, not at all how they looked on the screen. I put back the old HP monitor and looked at the processed images. They were dark and dull on the screen, exactly how they printed. I reprocessed the raw files and now have good looking prints. At this point, I packed up the monitor for return. It cost me just under $15 to ship it back. Lesson learned. Here is a summary:
Pros
HDCP compliant
Inexpensive
Light weight
Bright image
No hot or dead pixels
Good horizontal viewing angle
Comes with a complete set of cables
Cons
No height adjustment
Mediocre black level
Poor vertical viewing angle
Inaccurate colors
Scroll smear
Very limited image adjustments
Unsuitable for photographic image processing
Soft fine text
This monitor would be suitable for non image critical applications or gaming where its fast response and bright image would be a plus. As for me, I'll be shopping for something better.
Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18MP - Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS II - Canon EF
I love this camera so much! I never knew how much fun it would be to take pictures! I am an actress and I wanted to have something to capture every moment! This is wonderful! I can practice my monologues, record scenes, and do so much with it! I can't believe what a steal this product is! I didn't like the camera bag, but I will get a new one soon. I wish it just came with a small case for protecting the camera when out, instead of a bag. Love it though!!!!
Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Digital Camera, 6.0 MP, with 60fps High
List Price: $2,999.95
Sale Price: $2,799.99
Today's Bonus: 7% Off
I bought this camera mainly for the high speed video capability, and I have not been disappointed. This camera's high speed video capabilities are far and away the best you can buy in this price range. In fact, I don't think there is anything on the market right now that can match these abilities even if you were willing to pay 2 or 3 times the price of the EX-F1.
High speed video
The closest competitors to the EX-F1 (besides Casio's other high speed video camera, the EX-FH20) are Sony's HD camcorders that can record 240 frames per second (although not in HD) for a whopping three seconds. I've never used one of these cameras, but I have to imagine the 3-second clip length limitation is quite cumbersome to work with. The EX-F1, by contrast, is limited only by a 4 GB file size cap. High speed video (at all three speeds) takes up about 2MB/sec of recording, meaning you can record for about 30 minutes in high speed mode before you reach that 4GB file size limit. Of course, it would take 300 minutes, or 5 hours, to watch back the whole clip if you were shooting 300 fps. That's a limitation I can live with.
The 1200 fps resolution is pretty small and pixilated, but I'm still glad to see that speed is available. I use it sometimes and the results can be quite interesting even if they are thumbnail-size.
One thing you may or may not be aware of is the amount of light required to shoot high speed video. High speed video, by definition, requires very fast shutter speeds. You must use at least 1/300th, 1/600th, or 1/1200th shutter speed to shoot 300, 600, or 1200 frames per second, respectively. Basically that means you need very bright lights or daylight. I can shoot 300 fps indoors with the aperture wide open at ISO 400 using 600W of light pointed directly on the subject. Anything less than that and your video will come out dark and/or grainy. See my youtube video on the subject called "Casio EX-F1 noise level test":
High speed video downsides
I use this camera to shoot high speed video of things like skateboarding. I'll set up the camera on a tripod, start recording, and go try a trick. Often it takes lots of tries to land it, and if it takes me five minutes to land my trick, then I want to play it back to see how it looks. But the only way to get to the end of a video clip is to fast forward through the whole thing, and when you shoot at 300 fps, "fast forward" means about half real speed. That means I'd have to literally sit for ten minutes waiting for the camera to fast forward to the end of the clip so I can see what I just recorded. It would be really handy if there was some way to quickly skip to the part of the video you want to see, like if you could roll the dial and each click would jump 2.5% of the way though the clip, so 40 clicks would get you to the end of a video of any length. But there is no feature like that. Is someone from Casio reading this? Please add this feature or something like it.
Overall, though, I'd say this is an outstanding camera for high speed video and you won't find anything even close to it in a consumer level price range.
HD video
The high definition video looks great, but the problem is I can't edit the highest resolution (1080P) video. Sony Vegas will read 1080P AVCHD files from Sony and Panasonic cameras, but not Casio. I just discovered today that Sony Vegas 6.0a will, however, read 720P HD video from this camera. Since before today I didn't know of any way to edit my HD videos, I have shot very few. I have noticed that the focusing tends to "hunt" a little bit even when shooting in broad daylight. For me, HD video is a bonus because my primary usage of the camera is for high speed video.
Photos:
It may sound strange, but I have taken very few photos with this camera. I have a Canon 350D DSLR and also a Canon 5D DSLR, so I didn't buy the Casio for photos. And it's a good thing, because if your primary interest is photos, you can do better for $1,000 (try a Canon digital rebel). Of course, if you think you will have a lot of usage for the rapid-fire full resolution stills, you won't find another camera that can match that. It looks like a pretty cool feature, and I've tried it out just to see how it works, but I haven't had any real usage for that feature yet.
The macro capability is decent, but it captures the closest photos when the zoom is at its widest angle and you put the camera about an inch from your subject. Needless to say, it is quite difficult to light the subject when the camera lens is looming an inch away. You can move back a bit and zoom in, but the closest focus distance quickly increases as you zoom in, meaning you can't get as close of a macro shot.
Epson V11H561020 PowerLite Home Cinema 2030 1080p 3LCD Projector
Ok I hardly ever write reviews but I thought about this quite a bit and read a lot before making this purchase so I thought I'd do my best to help others. I was one of the earliest adopters of the whole home cinema projector idea. I inherited what was at the time a $5000 state of the art Epson machine in 1999. We bought it for our dot com start-up. Afterwards I took it home and bought a screen. I figured out how to connect it to my cable and surround sound and it has worked great for nearly 15 years. recently it just died I think it was the fan blades. So it was time to upgrade. I was all excited to find out I could replace it for as little as $400-$500 bucks. But then I found out there was a big divide between office powerpoint projectors and home cinema. When I originaly bought mine there was no difference. The guy at Office Depot told me that if I wanted it for movies that I'd be better off going to Best buy. I went to Best Buy and they only had like three choices in Home Cinema. I had rapidly figured out that in order to get true HD i.e.. 1080 P the cost was like $1500 on up ugh! I didn't want to spend that much. So I went on a crusade to find a 1080 P HD projector for under $1000 so I naturally went to Amazon. I read all kinds of reviews and went to sites like http://www.projectorcentral.com which was very helpful. I finally narrowed it down to four all found on Amazon and studied at Projector Central:
Optoma HD25 $949
BenQ W1070 $884
Mitsubishi HC 4000 $949
Acer H6510BD $740
These were all very highly rated. I was really tempted to get the Acer for the price but the machine did not seem to be compatible with as many formats as the others. I was really torn and couldn't decide. Then I read about the brand new machine from Epson the 2030 with full HD 1080 P and it was and LCD not DLP like all the others and most people I spoke with seem to think LCD is superior. It even is 3D capable and even though I don't watch 3D movies yet I figured it couldn't hurt to have the latest technology. Plus after 15 successful years with Epson I wanted to stick with the brand. In fact I really wanted to buy the 2000 (not the 2030) which is the internet version and retails for only $899 instead of $999. But it wasn't available and I needed a replacement of my broken machine. But even at $999 this was significantly cheaper than other Epson machines and it is clearly seen as a superior brand in this category which they basically invented. If you can get the 2000 for $899 that is the way to go as the specs are nearly identical.
My expectations were high on what the image would be like but they were met in spades. The quality is truly crystal clear sharp like HD television. The one criticism is that the projector's zoom is too good. By that I mean it can project to an enormous image. But since I only have an 80 inch screen and I am using this in a 15 foot room it created a little problem for me. My old projector needed to be quite a distance away to fill the scrren, but the new projectors are much more powerful in terms of zoom. To get it to fit my screen properly, the projector needed to be only about 6-8 feet from the screen. This is a little bit of a pain because I wanted to put it in the cabinet at the back of my room. But from 15 feet or so it can't make an image of "only" 80 inches. In fact at that distance its close to twice as big. I've sorted this out but you may want to study the dimensions of your room and where your wires are. There are projectors know as "short throw". This may be the way to go but you will have to study this further. If you do a google search or check out the manufacturer's site you can find out the distance need to create x sized image. Basically there is a manual zoom on the projector like on binoculars this can only do so much up or down the rest is accomplished by distance. The further away you are the bigger the image the closer the smaller.
Overall I am very pleased and I'm definitely keeping this machine. Its functionality and menus are far superior to my old machine and it is really easy to work with. Movies are awesome and so is football. I'm totally satisfied.
PS I also went out and bought Apple TV to be able to view all my photos and other content. Its only $99 and allows your lap top to connect wirelessly to the projector but I learned you have to have Mountain Lion only a $20 upgrade and that now make the projector even more functional for me. Its cool to surf the internet, Netflix, Amazon prime movies on your laptop and then push play and have the projector play the movie wirelessly.
Optoma HD25 $949
BenQ W1070 $884
Mitsubishi HC 4000 $949
Acer H6510BD $740
These were all very highly rated. I was really tempted to get the Acer for the price but the machine did not seem to be compatible with as many formats as the others. I was really torn and couldn't decide. Then I read about the brand new machine from Epson the 2030 with full HD 1080 P and it was and LCD not DLP like all the others and most people I spoke with seem to think LCD is superior. It even is 3D capable and even though I don't watch 3D movies yet I figured it couldn't hurt to have the latest technology. Plus after 15 successful years with Epson I wanted to stick with the brand. In fact I really wanted to buy the 2000 (not the 2030) which is the internet version and retails for only $899 instead of $999. But it wasn't available and I needed a replacement of my broken machine. But even at $999 this was significantly cheaper than other Epson machines and it is clearly seen as a superior brand in this category which they basically invented. If you can get the 2000 for $899 that is the way to go as the specs are nearly identical.
My expectations were high on what the image would be like but they were met in spades. The quality is truly crystal clear sharp like HD television. The one criticism is that the projector's zoom is too good. By that I mean it can project to an enormous image. But since I only have an 80 inch screen and I am using this in a 15 foot room it created a little problem for me. My old projector needed to be quite a distance away to fill the scrren, but the new projectors are much more powerful in terms of zoom. To get it to fit my screen properly, the projector needed to be only about 6-8 feet from the screen. This is a little bit of a pain because I wanted to put it in the cabinet at the back of my room. But from 15 feet or so it can't make an image of "only" 80 inches. In fact at that distance its close to twice as big. I've sorted this out but you may want to study the dimensions of your room and where your wires are. There are projectors know as "short throw". This may be the way to go but you will have to study this further. If you do a google search or check out the manufacturer's site you can find out the distance need to create x sized image. Basically there is a manual zoom on the projector like on binoculars this can only do so much up or down the rest is accomplished by distance. The further away you are the bigger the image the closer the smaller.
Overall I am very pleased and I'm definitely keeping this machine. Its functionality and menus are far superior to my old machine and it is really easy to work with. Movies are awesome and so is football. I'm totally satisfied.
PS I also went out and bought Apple TV to be able to view all my photos and other content. Its only $99 and allows your lap top to connect wirelessly to the projector but I learned you have to have Mountain Lion only a $20 upgrade and that now make the projector even more functional for me. Its cool to surf the internet, Netflix, Amazon prime movies on your laptop and then push play and have the projector play the movie wirelessly.
Sony DSC-RX100 RX100 RX100B DSCRX100 20.2 MP Exmor CMOS Sensor
List Price: $684.00
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus: 20% Off
There are a bunch of bundled packages that you can buy for this camera and I found this to be the most useful and practical bundle with Prime shipping. The most valuable addition are the two "Wasabi" brand batteries (1600mah) with in wall charger and an adapter for a 12v car lighter. When the battery is fully charged, the led light on the wall charger changes from yellow to green. The batteries claims 1600mAh (vs 1240mAh on the Sony battery) but they look identical in every dimension other than the packaging. Having the extra batteries and external charger is almost a must for this camera.
Also valuable was the 32GB SDHC UHS-I Class 10 card which gives 156 min of 1080p 60fps video (highest quality) or 3291 17M 16:9 fine JPG or 1469 20M RAW pictures. There's also the Sony LCS-CSW case which fits the camera okay and you have a little inner pocket where an extra battery can be stored with the camera or an extra SD card.
The rest of the stuff (Zeikos card reader, mini tripod, cleaning kit, cleaning cloth and screen protector) was of marginal value to me. You get two screen protectors and as another reviewer mentioned, if you use the cardboard bubble scraper, you're going to scratch the plastic screen and deem it unusable. I think that's why they give you two. You also need a very sharp scissor or cutter to make nice straight cuts. When using the small tripod, the SD card and battery slot cannot open.
At the time of my purchase, here's the breakdown of the valuables in the bundle:
Wasabi 2 batteries + charger $19.99
32GB Sony SDHC card $19.29
Sony LCS-CSW case $7.49
Zeikos 57 in 1 memory card reader $2.85
Mini tripod
5 PC. Deluxe Cleaning Kit
2 PC. Cleaning Fiber Cloth
Bower Universal Screen Protector
Prime shipping is great. I was planning on using this camera for a planned vacation the week after I bought it but rather than purchasing at a local brick and mortar store, I essentially got the extra batteries, 32GB SD card and a Sony case with the camera for the same price (actually $1.99 cheaper).
Last but not least, the camera is fantastic. The photos it takes are amazing for a point shoot but you can read about that in other reviews.