This is a great camera. All the functions are the best to take a great photos in your vacations. All the accessories are so helpful. I recommend this bundle because its all you need to take the best photos.
Showing posts with label best compact digital camera review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best compact digital camera review. Show all posts
Sony Cybershot DSC-T1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
Although I have much experience with cameras, camcorders, and digital images, I have never owned a digital camera before. My main camera has been a Nikon 6006 SLR, so I am pretty picky about quality.
After extensive research, I settled on the DSC-T1. It is exactly what I expected, and almost exactly what I wanted, but allow me to elaborate because it may not be exactly what YOU want.
I was tempted by larger digital cameras (and I will eventually get one of those too). For example, the Panasonic Lumix is few bucks cheaper and has more controls, a BIG lens, great image stabilization, and 12x optical zoom (digital zoom is meaningless). It is even possible to get a medium size 5MP digital camera with 5x optical zoom and better pictures than the dsc-t1 for much less. However, I concluded that I would rather have a good camera with me 24x7 than leave a great camera in the car or at home. I was SO right. I have already captured SO many photos I would have missed. I carry the camera at all times in one of those silk bags that come with Oakley sunglasses.
I considered other small cameras like the Casio Elixim Z4, but it does not have video in US versions. The Canon S400 is very good, but it is slower and thicker with a much smaller LCD, and a newer version is coming out April 30th. No ultra compact that is clearly better than the DSC-T1 is on the horizon.
In addition to ultra compact size, I wanted at least 4MP, at least 3x optical zoom, quality video ability, speed, ease of use, and flexible shooting modes. This camera has 5MP, 3x optical zoom, excellent 640x480 video mode, speed, ease of use, and shooting modes flexible enough to accommodate everything from action to night images.
Video is in MPG files, which can be played back on the free Real Player. It is not possible to zoom while shooting video, but it is possible to zoom before recording begins or when recording has been paused.
I haven't tried the software that comes with it yet. I run Windows XP, and I just place the dsc-t1 in the cradle, turn it on, and it appears as another disk drive in Windows Explorer. I can copy files from it and paste them onto a hard drive. I can then delete the image files from the camera to free up the space on the memory stick just as if I were deleting files from any Windows folder.
Apparently slowness is a problem with all digital cameras except for a few of the most recent ones, and the DSC-T1 seems fast to me. This may be the result of the newer and faster Duo Pro Memory Stick technology. Get the 256MB Duo Pro Memory Stick. The 512MB stick costs three times as much. Don't bother with a spare battery. They are too expensive, and the battery life is OK. You don't want to be frequently opening the delicate little battery/memory doors on digital cameras anyway.
Don't worry about having no optical view finder. They just make cameras bigger. The 2.5 inch LCD is bigger than any other digital camera and is quite sufficient.
Such a small camera is a little tricky to hold SECURELY without getting in the way of the lens, so if you tend to drop things, then you WILL eventually drop this unless you use the wrist strap at all times, which partially defeats the convenience aspect. I still haven't attached the wrist strap because I am extra careful, but someone could still bump into me while shooting. On the other hand, I don't want to overstate this problem because the camera is quite durable/graspable when the lens cover is closed.
Almost every indoor picture with the kids has at least a hint of red eye. I consider about 60% of them to have too much, but I still get more quality shots than I have time to email, so I really can't complain. BTW, 5MP jpeg files are about 2MB each, which makes email a challenge. Less than one out of ten indoor pictures seems grainy. It is actually possible to take decent pictures in total darkness when using the flash because the auto focus works in the dark, which is not true for every camera.
It is possible to use one of the modes that forces the camera to 100 speed to guarantee maximum resolution (0% graininess), but you may have to brace the camera well for the slow shutter speeds that result. In fact I took some good pictures from my front porch at NIGHT by bracing the camera, but this will take more practice. Note that such pictures did not use a flash because a flash is useless beyond a few yards away, and only works WELL up to 6 feet away.
One pleasant surprise was the excellent sound quality. I carried a digital voice recorder 24x7, which would fill up until I had time to manually transpose my notes and delete them forever to free up memory on the recorder again. Before that I used the very expensive little Pearlcorder L400. It was less convenient to transpose from a tape, but at least I could keep the tapes forever. Sound quality on all of them was poor. Whereas, with the DSC-T1, I discovered I could take hours of VIDEO notes in 160x160 mode with perfect sound quality and then just copy these files onto my hard drive to keep forever. This is when I knew I was keeping the DSC-T1.
After extensive research, I settled on the DSC-T1. It is exactly what I expected, and almost exactly what I wanted, but allow me to elaborate because it may not be exactly what YOU want.
I was tempted by larger digital cameras (and I will eventually get one of those too). For example, the Panasonic Lumix is few bucks cheaper and has more controls, a BIG lens, great image stabilization, and 12x optical zoom (digital zoom is meaningless). It is even possible to get a medium size 5MP digital camera with 5x optical zoom and better pictures than the dsc-t1 for much less. However, I concluded that I would rather have a good camera with me 24x7 than leave a great camera in the car or at home. I was SO right. I have already captured SO many photos I would have missed. I carry the camera at all times in one of those silk bags that come with Oakley sunglasses.
I considered other small cameras like the Casio Elixim Z4, but it does not have video in US versions. The Canon S400 is very good, but it is slower and thicker with a much smaller LCD, and a newer version is coming out April 30th. No ultra compact that is clearly better than the DSC-T1 is on the horizon.
In addition to ultra compact size, I wanted at least 4MP, at least 3x optical zoom, quality video ability, speed, ease of use, and flexible shooting modes. This camera has 5MP, 3x optical zoom, excellent 640x480 video mode, speed, ease of use, and shooting modes flexible enough to accommodate everything from action to night images.
Video is in MPG files, which can be played back on the free Real Player. It is not possible to zoom while shooting video, but it is possible to zoom before recording begins or when recording has been paused.
I haven't tried the software that comes with it yet. I run Windows XP, and I just place the dsc-t1 in the cradle, turn it on, and it appears as another disk drive in Windows Explorer. I can copy files from it and paste them onto a hard drive. I can then delete the image files from the camera to free up the space on the memory stick just as if I were deleting files from any Windows folder.
Apparently slowness is a problem with all digital cameras except for a few of the most recent ones, and the DSC-T1 seems fast to me. This may be the result of the newer and faster Duo Pro Memory Stick technology. Get the 256MB Duo Pro Memory Stick. The 512MB stick costs three times as much. Don't bother with a spare battery. They are too expensive, and the battery life is OK. You don't want to be frequently opening the delicate little battery/memory doors on digital cameras anyway.
Don't worry about having no optical view finder. They just make cameras bigger. The 2.5 inch LCD is bigger than any other digital camera and is quite sufficient.
Such a small camera is a little tricky to hold SECURELY without getting in the way of the lens, so if you tend to drop things, then you WILL eventually drop this unless you use the wrist strap at all times, which partially defeats the convenience aspect. I still haven't attached the wrist strap because I am extra careful, but someone could still bump into me while shooting. On the other hand, I don't want to overstate this problem because the camera is quite durable/graspable when the lens cover is closed.
Almost every indoor picture with the kids has at least a hint of red eye. I consider about 60% of them to have too much, but I still get more quality shots than I have time to email, so I really can't complain. BTW, 5MP jpeg files are about 2MB each, which makes email a challenge. Less than one out of ten indoor pictures seems grainy. It is actually possible to take decent pictures in total darkness when using the flash because the auto focus works in the dark, which is not true for every camera.
It is possible to use one of the modes that forces the camera to 100 speed to guarantee maximum resolution (0% graininess), but you may have to brace the camera well for the slow shutter speeds that result. In fact I took some good pictures from my front porch at NIGHT by bracing the camera, but this will take more practice. Note that such pictures did not use a flash because a flash is useless beyond a few yards away, and only works WELL up to 6 feet away.
One pleasant surprise was the excellent sound quality. I carried a digital voice recorder 24x7, which would fill up until I had time to manually transpose my notes and delete them forever to free up memory on the recorder again. Before that I used the very expensive little Pearlcorder L400. It was less convenient to transpose from a tape, but at least I could keep the tapes forever. Sound quality on all of them was poor. Whereas, with the DSC-T1, I discovered I could take hours of VIDEO notes in 160x160 mode with perfect sound quality and then just copy these files onto my hard drive to keep forever. This is when I knew I was keeping the DSC-T1.
Samsung Galaxy Camera with Android Jelly Bean v4.2 OS, 16.3MP
List Price: $449.99
Sale Price: $385.00
Today's Bonus: 14% Off
I have reviewed a significant number of products , plus my current cameras that I have enjoyed. This camera really presents unbelievable options for "point-and shoot". It also gives individuals the opportunity who like to manually adjust the functions of the camera. It's telescopic lens is very powerful and makes distance shooting a real pleasure. Picture quality is excellent.
I have no negatives but all positives. Here are some of the features that I really like:
1. Great Telescopic lens
2. The camera offers 3 modes. "Automatic", which is a simple point and shoot with the camera adjusting accordingly. "Expert", The feature allows you to do all the manual adjustments that you prefer. In using your adjustments, the camera even prompts you on the results expected to achieve with your adjustments. The graphics for adjusting your lens , a truly sensational. Any person can feel really comfortable using the "Expert" mode. This mode is really great for professional or advanced type of photographers.
"Smart " Mode. This is my favorite. There are 38 different scenarios. Some of these are , Sunset Pictures, Low Light Room, Snow Pictures, Portrait Pictures, which really enhance faces. I am not a photographer but enjoy cameras. I decided to take a sunset picture and set the camera in that mode. Unbelievable results. It was as simple as point and shoot. The camera will self adjust to the scenario and come up with a fantastic result. The "Panoramic Scenario" is super. If you take a picture of the horizon. You pan the camera across , taking 3 individual shots. Because the camera is GPS noted. It makes sure that each separate shot lines up with the previous pan shot. Again on my first try. I took some great panoramic pictures. On this type of shot, a tripod is easier to use. As mentioned above. 38 different preprogramed settings for your picture desire. I am now proud to show some of my pictures to my friends.
3. WiFi Feature. This is truly a benefit. As I will explain later you can use your camera as a Tab, Galexy, I-Pad. To continue. The Wifi Features allows you to send your picture to your computer. Or send, the picture by email or messaging to your friends, directly from the camera. I enjoy editing and do the like doing the work on my I Mac. When I come come, I just turn on the camera and and through Wifi send the picture to my Mac. This transfer is accomplished by a program called "Kies" , and is part of the cameras software package. The set up with your computer should be very easy.
4. Communications feature. This is a great feature. When you go shooting scenes , you will not need additional devices to communicate. E-mails, Messaging, Chatting, maps and location, GPS driving instructions, Web surfing, can all be done by the camera. That is what I call a real convenience. About the only down side is: this is not a phone. But, it has all the features for a camera including Tab, Galaxy, iPad , type of activities.
5. I had considered, getting a camera with attachable lenses. For my purposes, I am glad I got this. The variables a great and I don't have to fiddle with lens attachments .
6. The camera is a little bigger than your standard Point-and-Shoot camera but can fit into your pocket. The screen display is very easy to read. The software of the camera is really friendly and easy to work with. I chose the White color and get a lot of compliments on the aesthetic (design ) of the camera. It easily fits into your hand .
7. In addition, If you wish to edit your picture on the camera. The camera has a great software to really enhance the picture. Because of the great screen display, the editing is easy to do.
This camera, I also believe is a good choice for a professional type of photographer. I really believe that , Samsung has perfected a "top of the Line" point and shoot type of camera. I am very, very , pleased; and feel that this is a-"Must Have",-for everyone.
Sony Alpha SLT-A57K 16.1 MP Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor DSLR
Great purchase of our Sony Alpha SLT A57K...! The package arrived promptly, and with all features included in the bundle, well packaged and with instructions easy to understand. What a great buy! This camera gift I gave to my husband Juan as our 35th years wedding anniversary. He is thoroughly enjoying it. Thanks to Amazon and Beach Camera for this excellent product. The Lens included with the Sony A57K is of good quality, and he will give a good use to it on our next trip out of state.
I will always recommend anyone to do an , and be extremely glad you did it. Absolutely a Five Star recommendation!!
I will always recommend anyone to do an , and be extremely glad you did it. Absolutely a Five Star recommendation!!
Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch Tablet (16GB)
List Price: $499.00
Sale Price: $154.95
Today's Bonus: 69% Off
A bit about me first I am a techno-nerd. I LOVE gadgets. Large, small, you name it. After eyeballing many tablets, including the iPad, Xoom, Samsung and others I chose the 64GB Blackberry Playbook. Why? For one, because it is the right size. I can put it in my purse and carry it about with me. More reasons it has spectacular graphics true 1080p HD and it supports flash. It has a camera and an HD camcorder. It has a solid feel in your hands, the touch screen is very responsive and intuitive. After playing with it for a short span of time I now zoom from app to app. One of the (many) things I find amazing is that the tablet does not lag while running many concurrent apps I'm not talking small apps, but processor intensive ones. The battery life is pretty good too I've played for over 10 hours before I had to recharge it. The screen is spectacular I said that already didn't I?
One thing I have read on various sites is that there aren't "many apps" available. HELLO it is new just released actually. How many apps were there for the iPad when it first came out? New apps appear daily and this summer it will run Android apps. That just exponentially increased the quantity of fodder for app hounds like me. The Android apps will be available through Blackberry App World. Read more about this on Android Central. Angry Birds anyone? It's also a boss gaming tablet for you gamers out there.
I have a huge iTunes library. One of the reasons I purchased the 64GB version was for the music. RIM made it so easy to import tunes from iTunes. First download Desktop manager and install. Plug in the Playbook. It installs the drivers and voila! It sniffs the installed iTunes and asks you what you would like to sync to the Playbook. I also read a lot of technical magazines I get electronically. I have these saved off to a folder on my PC. Now I copy them to my Playbook and read them where ever I am.
I can connect to the internet a few ways with the wireless ability it has, or tethering to my mobile phone or, if you have a Blackberry running version 5 or above you can use the Bridge to gain access to the internet while about. I have scratched just the surface of this amazing tablet. It has so much more I could talk about.
I love my Playbook. I am so glad I waited for its release. WOW
Update 7.01.2011
I've had the Playbook for over two months, use daily and have taken it with me everywhere I go. As such, I have more information and thoughts to share.
My Playbook recently traveled to Universal Studios and Disney's Magic Kingdom. Beautiful pictures and video were captured. I am a camera fiend my Nikon D80 was left at home by an oversight and panic (withdrawal is more like it) set in. I must say that my Playbook saved the day. Would this completely replace my Nikon? For me, no. I am a lover of SLR/DSLR's. However it does a very nice job rendering photographs in a pinch. I shot beautiful 1080p video as well.
Apps I have 183 apps so far on my Playbook and the choices available increases daily.
The browser is something to behold on this thing. It is fast, renders pages beautifully and the flash content looks incredible. As the Playbook supports flash, a great deal of things can be had directly via the browser without the requirement of an app.
RE: the noise about the 'too small' power button non-issue really. You turn the Playbook on by swiping the screen from top to bottom. If the timeout is too long, you can alter this through the settings. About the only time you ever have to touch the button is to turn it on from a total power down. It's more an issue of a habit to use a button than anything else. Once you drop the button desire, the puny size is perfect.
RE: the noise regarding it wasn't ready I've used my tablet daily for well over two months and I haven't encountered a single issue. No freezing, nothing at all. Ask me how many times I've had to reset my iPod or my PC/laptop?
RE: the noise regarding the immediate OS update as a software engineer I appreciated the fact RIM had an update issued right after the tablet shipped. That means they fixed/added new features that the initial install didn't contain. This doesn't mean the OS wasn't ready it was. They just were able to roll out an update soon after the release. How often is iTunes updated??? How often is Windows OS updated? Why is RIM bashed for a standard process? Ah, the Bizarro World we live in...
Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens + 16GB Class 10 Memory
List Price: $473.00
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus: 16% Off
This is the second prime lens I bought from Focus Camera. The pictures quality of prime lens is so good that I sold my kit lens and only prime. Since the price for Sony lens is the same in all stores, I selected Focus Camera to get the extras (16GB memory, UV protector, etc.) that I would have to buy anyway.
Sony BDVN790W Blu-ray Home Theater System (2012 Model)
List Price: $499.99
Sale Price: $348.00
Today's Bonus: 30% Off
Speaker Connections: This unit uses propitiatory plug-ins to the head unit, how ever the speakers them selves use the normal push-tab-insert-wire connection. While I understand why they uses funny custom connections, I suppose you could cut the cord and save the custom plug. I would not consider this a deal breaker.
DLNA: Works as it should, but I really wish it would simply support a network shared folder. But you have to have a DLNA server on your home computer (or compliant device), what a bummer, that just one extra process I need to have running on my server. I have had some audio codec issues Dolby DTS is sometimes trans-coded to base stereo (2.0) or just regular Dolby Surround 5.1. It plays .MKVs good at 1080 and file sizes > 9GB. (I use serviio as my DNLA server on my PC's)
Apps: There are a load of useless apps, and only have a handful of useful apps. Pandora oddly does not have a thumbs up or thumbs down option. I do wish it had Revision 3, but sadly it doesn't.
Remote: The included remote is slow, but the Android app is pretty good, however the qwerty seems flaky and does not work with Netflix, so searching Netflix is a pain!
Sound: Is robust for these little speakers and appears clean at full volume. However given that this is a 1000w system it is not that loud at full volume, and the sub-woofer is not 'heart thumping' I would say the sub-woofer is mostly there to make up for the lack of bass the left and right channels can't produce, and doesn't add too much 'rumble'. Despite the manual saying that it delivers 250w is VERY questionable. I have owned lesser woofers (100w) that delivered much better performance.
Setup: Easy because of the custom connectors.
Wireless Rear channels: Work as intended, only gripe is; I wished Sony would have put a 'flat plug-in' so the plug doesn't 'poke' my couch as it sits against the wall I will need to buy an extension that has a flat plug-in or I fear that in the long term one of two thing will happen, I will damage my couch, or the cord will fray and short out.
Speakers: Are small enough and will look okay in any set up. They are wall mountable, simply by removing a screw and re-positioning the speaker base.
Head unit: Are touch sensitive controls, and the display is lack luster, it sits at the rear of the unit so if you rely on reading the display do not tuck the head unit into a shelf put it on top and fully exposed. The head unit does not get hot when music is played a full volume for an extended period. The fan noise is audible, but not too bad.
Blu-Ray: Not tested (.MKVs)
WiFi: Not Tested (Ethernet)
These are my initial impressions after one week of owning the system. I may revise this review later with final impressions.
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ACQUIRING INTERNET CONTENT: Using some of the apps the unit will display on the TV 'Acquiring internet information' or something similar too often, this is a hassle and an extra step Sony should just automatically complete the acquiring process but, it will just sit there until you press 'continue' LAME!
NETFLIX CRASHES: Netflix will often crash and will result in you needing to restart the app, or sometimes it will require a power cycle (unit off then on).
BLANK SCREEN: When you are on a different 'function' (input) and you have turned off the unit and then later turn it back on to only see a black screen is a little confusing if the input device is also off. I have powered the Sony on and off a few times before I remembered that it was on HDMI 1 and the Xbox 360 was off so all I was getting was a black screen and thought the system had crashed or had become unresponsive although it hadn't. A simple solution press the HOME or NETFLX button on the remote.
SLOW SOFTWARE: Sometimes the system will hang or become confused/slow if too many buttons on the remote have been pressed sometimes it will need to be power cycled to get the unit responsive again. pressing too many buttons on the remote too quickly stems from the slow performance of the unit. You press a button and nothing happens, only to think 'oh it must not have 'seen' the remote, and you try again, and then one mote time to find that the unit has either froze or has become really slow. A power cycle will fix this (wait until the pulsing light turns all of the way off if you don't you will still have a slow or a frozen unit). Just be patient and wait about 5 seconds between button pushes and look for the pulse of light on the head unit to confirm that the unit did 'see' the remote and if it did see it and still did not do anything it's time for a power cycle.
SOFTWARE UPDATES: Are just like the PS3 they take FOREVER! And seem to fix or add nothing. It seems to happen about once every month. So I suppose (for now anyway) Sony seems proactive at updating the unit but as for what it does or fixes, who knows (probably add to the problems or extra stupid DRMs)
CONCLUSION: I'm tempted to revise my star rating to a 3/5, because once the 'new' wears off it really is only average. Should Sony fix the software/speed/responsiveness then it would be worthy of keeping 4 stars. But for now I will leave it at 4 stars. (3.5 would be a better estimate)
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I upgraded some components in my home theatre PC system that required Dolby Digital Plus (Netflix via Roko 3) and hooked the HDMI into the receiver and no sound, until I switched it back to stereo. After a little reading and despite the sony receiver being able to decode the sound sony does not decode many sounds formats from the HDMI inputs. There are many audio streams that can not be decoded from external sources so basically, in short, if you want surround sound the audio stream has to originate inside the receiver (on board app, blu-ray or DVD). So with this development it has eliminated a primary surround sound source via external equipment. What a bummer! I have downgraded my star rating to two stars. It should be able to decode any stream it supports regardless of the origin whether it be from internal sources or from external devices. I am considering replacing it, and sadly it isn't all that old.
Fujifilm XF1 12 MP Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Brown)
List Price: $449.95
Sale Price: $449.00
Today's Bonus: $0.95 Off
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I'm a camera nut. I use my 5D MKIII and 7D to make a living. I've also gone through a variety of compact cameras. I always carry a camera, and unless I'm specifically out on a shoot, I don't want to lug abound my big camera and lens. My camera of choice has been the Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom (Black), and for the price it's still a great camera. The Fujifilm XF1, although it has lower resolution, has now replaced it. Two words: Sensor size.
This uses a much larger sensor than your standard point and shoot 2/3 of an inch. For a point and shoot/compact/pocket camera, it's unusual. True, more and more manufacturers are producing cameras with larger sensors, and eventually DSLR's (large cameras with mirrors) will be replaced by mirrorless models. For now, I love my DSLR and really, really like the XF1. There are a lot of things to like. The larger sensor means that more light is captured and the pixel quality is superior. Result better low light photos and crisper, better quality photos. A 12mp camera with this large sensor will produce images with better quality than even an 18mp camera with one of those teeny sensors.
Example sensor sizes:
Standard compact camera: 3.2 x 2.4 mm (7.68 mm surface area) and 4.8 x 3.6 mm (17.28 mm surface area)
Panasonic Lumix ZS20 6.08 x 4.56 mm (27.724 mm surface area)
Fujifilm XF1/: 8.8 x 6.6 mm (58.08 mm surface area)
Canon 7D: 22.3 x 14.9 mm (332.27 mm surface area)
OK, so I take this thing out of the box. It is very retro. My GF's comment "It looks so old that nobody will bother stealing it..." The controls seem minimal, but there are more than you first realize. This is the first camera I have found that is impossible to turn on without step by step instructions. There's a decal on the camera explaining it (poorly.) There's a mini guide to turning it on. There are several pages in the manual. It's clever, but it's something Rube Goldberg could have dreamed up. Twist the lens. Pull the lens out. Twist it again. We have power! Since the lens has a manual zoom (yes, a manual zoom), when you zoom out (go wider) you can accidentally turn the camera off. Bizarre. It's like the Nostromo self destruct mechanism on the original Alien movie.
The external controls are varied on top we have the popup flash (feels cheap), a function button (Fn so small it's easy to miss), the shutter release and the selector dial. On the back are two dials, a rocker and four buttons. This camera has so many features that several levels of menus are needed. This makes if difficult to find features. But and this is rare on this type of camera you have three custom function buttons. You can set the camera up the way you want, then save this configuration to a custom setting. Three different configurations. That's something some DSLR's don't even have.
When it comes to my DSLR, I shoot manual. I'm happy to see that the camera has a full manual mode, in addition to the many other modes. The auto-focus is near instant, the image quality amazing. Granted I've only used it for a day (shot around 200 photos and did not kill the battery.) I'll have it in my pocked for a while and will use it almost every day I'll update as I gain more experience with it. Features? Exposure bracketing. Flash bracketing. Panorama stitching and even more.
After a day of using this camera I am impressed. I did add a screen protector (I have a bunch on hand that can be cut to size) as the screen is plastic and I hate scratched screens. I also have a bunch of small camera bags on hand. Tried a few of them, finding that the Case Logic TBC-312 Pocket Video Camcorder Case with Storage (Black) fit perfectly.
The camera stores photos in two formats: RAW and jpg. RAW is also called a "digital negative" RAW format is RAF. Photoshop and Lightroom support it. Jpg file, Fine: 1.3 to 2.2 meg each image. RAW format 19 to 21 meg (numbers vary depending on colors and detail.)
RAW and JPG has an image resolution of 4000x3000 pixels. If you use some of the special "pro" effects (pin focus, etc.) the image size drops to 2816x1221 pixels. Panorama size is 11520x1080.
Apart from the case you'll also need an SD card. A proprietary battery is included, as well as a charger, USB cable and wrist strap.
OK, so who (whom?) is this camera for? The serious amateur would be happy. The pro looking for a more portable pocket camera would like it (but no interchangeable lenses). A beginner may be overwhelmed at first, but just use full auto and you're all set. It a camera that someone with limited (or no!) camera experience can use, then grow into as skills improve. It has all the features you'd ever want. A pro or serious amateur will be surprised at the feature set. You'll have several "oh it does that?!?" moments.
11-26-2012: Been toying with the video. I love high speed video. The XF1 shoots 70fps at 640x480, 120fps at 320x240 and 200fps at 320x112.
Effects can be "stacked" (my term). For example, if you set the film type to B&W, turn on bracketing and shoot you'll get three B&W shots.
Battery the battery drains when in the camera, even if the camera is off. The battery died in-camera. Put it away with 1/2 power. Two days later it was dead. So check and charge the battery before using! Have also been noticing more of the attention to quality for example, the SD card slot. It's metal lined, not plastic. Plus even if you try you can't slide the SD card lock switch up. That's a GOOD thing. I have four other compact cameras. Another Fuji, a Panasonic, a Kodak and a Sony. You have to be cautious with all of them slightly angled and the lock switch slides up, and your photos can't be saved. You need to remove the card, unlock, and replace. There is also SOME internal memory. You can capture a few images, but not enough to replace even the smallest memory card. But it's better than nothing if you forget to put in the memory card and discover this once you're away from home.
Fellowes 3229901 PowerShred 99Ci 17 Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder
List Price: $588.48
Sale Price: $219.99
Today's Bonus: 63% Off
We have owned two previous small business class shredders. This is our third. Without any doubt, it is the best shredder I have ever used/owned.
I bought this to replace our reliable Fellowes DM15C Shredder. That unit still works great, but my toddler son now has the dexterity and strength that would theoretically allow him to open up the sliding plastic CD/Credit Card sheild that served as the main barrier between his little hands and the powerful shredding mechanism. Also, after watching one of our cats activate the shredder twice in the past week while using it as an intermediate step to the office window, it seemed like a problem waiting to happen.
SAFE-SENSE (Every Shredder Should Have This)
The main thing I liked about the SB-99Ci is the Safe-Sense technology that shuts off the shredding blades when a hand (or any other body part) gets too close to the blades. In addtion to the no-brainer step of powering the thing off when I am not around, this technology looked like a very good backup protection to ensure that my young son retains all of his fingers until adulthood.
The Safe-Sense technology is extremely effective. I did not realize that it works by detecting fingers etc. when they come into contact with the metal trim that surrounds the shredder mouth (I thought the trim was just decorative...but it is functional). This is an extremely reliable detection method (i.e. vs/ tryng to detect motion or heat) and IMMEDIATELY shuts down the shredder if it is operating, or prevents it from operating at all if it has not started up yet. There is even a nice little LED indicator that lights up when the Safe-Sense shutoff is triggered, so it is very easy to test it out from time to time. Of course, there is a well hidden switch (that requires positive effort to adjust) that allows you to disable Safe-Sense if you don;t want/need it, but I can't think of any good reason that anyone would want to do that.
OTHER NICE STUFF
While Safe-Sense was the primary motiviation for this purchase, I also really liked the clean and simple styling of the unit, and was very pleased to see that it has a good build-quality when I received it in-person.
Another pleasant surprise is how QUIET this thing is when it is operating. The motor is so quiet that the main thing you hear while it is doing its job, is the actual sound of the blades pulverizing whatever you are feeding into it. The motor is a low-level (and low frequency) drone in the background. I thought our previous Fellowes shredder was quiet, but the SB-99Ci puts it to shame.
The designers of this unit also added some enhancements that, although not totally neccessary, are very nice to have. For example, the strip of unique LED indicators on top of the shredder is great to have. Our previous unit had a single indicator for "bin-open" and "bin-full" which forced you to do limited investigation to figure out why it was lighting up. The SB-99Ci lets you know EXACTLY what is going on with an intuitive sybmol that lights up. Finally, the little progressive "efficiency graph" is neat to watch, although I doubt I would ever use it to optimize my shredding throughput, which is purportedly what it is designed for.
If you are looking for an attractively designed, well built, easy-to-use, and most importanly SAFE shredder for your home or small business, the Fellowes SB-99Ci is an excellent choice.
Nikon 1 V1 10.1 MP HD Digital Camera with 10-30mm VR 1 NIKKOR
List Price: $899.00
Sale Price: $449.95
Today's Bonus: 50% Off
I am a professional photographer and have been for a long time. I also write books about photography. I like cameras and own many different kinds, from medium format film cameras to super zoom compacts. But I've been very interested in the whole category of mirrorless cameras for the two years. I own three different Olympus Pen cameras, including the new Pen EP3, so it was a little bit counter-intuitive for me to pick up a Nikon V1 as well. I was originally attracted to the camera because of the industrial design which (unlike just about every one else on the web) I like very much. It's clean and to the point. I like cameras with high resolution EVF's because it makes the process of shooting (and especially shooting video) seem very much like using the traditional cameras I grew up with. I cannot understand the fad of holding a camera at arm's length and trying to compose a good photograph. Just doesn't work for so many reasons.
I've shot with the Nikon in the studio (using LED light panels) and outside for the last five days. It focuses very, very quickly and with the mechanical shutter engaged it shoots at 5 fps. You can also use the electronic shutter to shoot 10, 30 or 60 fps. Amazingly fast. The EVF works very well in bright sun and in low light.
The camera is small and light and the video specs are very good as well. There is even a high speed video mode that allows you to shoot very short clips at 400 fps. When you play back at a normal 30 fps the footage becomes incredibly slow slow motion. While the video lacks a bit of finesse in the audio realm the test clips I've shot at regular 1080i and 1080p are sharp and the color is great. There is a standard socket for an external microphone and variable sensitivity settings in the menu. Just not fine tuned control over manual sound levels.
The two lenses I got are the standard kit lenses and both of them work well, provide great Vibration Reduction and seem sharp even when shot wide open. I hope they flesh out the offerings to include some high speed prime lenses as well.
The camera, when used with the electronic shutter, is 100% silent in operation.
What are the flaws? 1. You should be able to turn off the image review but you can't. That means, when shooting in single shot mode, the camera will show you a review image after each push of the shutter which slows your shot to shot time down to about 2 seconds. If you were able to turn off the review the camera is completely capable of shooting very, very quickly. In the continuous mode there's enough shutter delay to throw you off your game if you've been shooting with a $5,000 sports camera. If you are upgrading from a point and shoot, you won't notice it at all. The cure is to go electronic and set the camera for 10 fps and then shoot in bursts. No lag and you're pretty much guaranteed to catch some peak action
The menu is much less detailed but much more straightforward than the menus in the Olympus Pens which is both good and bad. The Nikon is easier to learn (especially for people coming from Nikon SLR's) but the Olympus menus give you more fine control over just about every setting.
I've had great luck with the images that come out of the camera. The jpegs are well exposed, full of good detail and the colors are right on the money. Just as good as the "famous" Olympus Jpegs. I'm waiting on Adobe to implement the new nef raw files into ACR and Lightroom so I can start shooting raw files. You can use the supplied software for now but the workflow is so much slower I just can't stand it.
I'm certain that Nikon will do well with this system because it's quite a huge step up from cameras like the Panasonic LX-5 or the Canon G12 and lets you interchange lenses. When they add a pro model and an ultra wide angle the ball will really start rolling.
For me it's the new "compact" camera. I take it with me everywhere and it takes great images without much intervention on my part. Is it as good as my Canon 5Dmk2 or Canon 1DS mk2 full frame cameras? No. The files aren't as detailed and they don't have the same sense of depth. But the iSO of the Nikon is close to my 1ds2 and that camera was $8,000 only a few short years ago.....
If you are a parent and your kids play sports like football and soccer this might be the ultimate camera for you. It's easy to use and the longer zoom lens is sharp and locks focus quickly. Coupled with a fast frame rate and you fix all the stuff that cheaper DSLR's and point and shoot superzooms tend to muff.
I just wish they had supplied the flash in the same shipment as the cameras....I want to try using it as a trigger for my studio flashes.
The mirrorless cameras represent a new direction for camera makers and I think, for users as well. The handling and image quality is more than enough for most of the stuff we want our cameras to do. And the Nikon is in the same league with the m4:3 cameras from Olympus and Panasonic.
Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon
List Price: $22,200.00
Sale Price: $13,233.89
Today's Bonus: 40% Off
I picked this up to mainly shoot Bald Eagles. I have used this lense less than I thought I would, as it is very heavy and takes up a LOT of room on road trips. I have shot pictures of the moon using a 2x Canon extension and a Canon 7d which brings up the total mm to 2560. I can barely fit the moon in the frame of the picture. Who needs a telescope. Using this set up however raises the f stop to f11 which is fine with a full moon, or even half moon, but on regular subjects it does offer problems at 100 to 200 iso unless you have a lot of light. The focus is extremely fast and quiet. This lens is built like a tank, and the image stabilization is unreal. Not everyone can afford to have this lens in thier arsenal, but if you can.....buy one. I do recomend a different lens cap for this unit, as the boot really sucks. They are available and run around 60-70 dollars, but are well worth the investment for this lens. It is a bit spendy, but I don't think you will lose money down the road as with many other lenses.
Samsung UN46C8000 46-Inch 1080p 3D 240 Hz LED HDTV
This TV is absolutely stunning. I was actually waiting for the C9000 to come out, but that TV's price is way over the limit. I found out that this TV which is the next step down and actually has the exact same technology as the C9000 minus the touchscreen remote (which can be bought seperately) and the slim profile, not a big deal considering the TV already looks beautiful and is half the price or less then a C9000!
In all honesty, I think this TV has one of the nicest pictures I've ever seen. One example is the pin-point dimming, which has garnered a lot of criticsm and skeptisism. I have seen the production TV model live and I must tell you, I think it's better then local-dimming and I'll tell you why... Unless there is a new panel that is made to fix the local-dimming "halo affect", this is currently the only way to get outradgeous contrast levels without that problem. The pin-point dimming on this TV dramatically lowers the dark spots on the screen in certain area's without a halo affect and actually goes completely pitch black when watching movies with dark screens just like a local-dimming TV. I think this TV actually excels at the dimming part over a local-dimming TV because it creates supurb black levels without any halo affects. That's a huge deal for me. Next is the color accuracy of this panel, I think the whites and colors on this TV are probably better then I've ever seen. Sure Plasma's can sometimes have better color temperatures, but they will not pop out of the screen with ambience like this TV shows. This TV is sharp looking and beautiful and it displays wonderful 3D and High-definition like never before.
Last, but not least... this tv is LOADED with features, easily making it one of the most feature rich TV's there is on the market. It's completely wireless, has 4-hdmi conenctions, has internet applications and streaming capabilities and best yet, it does it well! I have done a lot of research and have compared this TV with it's newest competitors and this one is it. Don't just take my word for it, go see it for yourselves and you'll just see what I am talking about.
In all honesty, I think this TV has one of the nicest pictures I've ever seen. One example is the pin-point dimming, which has garnered a lot of criticsm and skeptisism. I have seen the production TV model live and I must tell you, I think it's better then local-dimming and I'll tell you why... Unless there is a new panel that is made to fix the local-dimming "halo affect", this is currently the only way to get outradgeous contrast levels without that problem. The pin-point dimming on this TV dramatically lowers the dark spots on the screen in certain area's without a halo affect and actually goes completely pitch black when watching movies with dark screens just like a local-dimming TV. I think this TV actually excels at the dimming part over a local-dimming TV because it creates supurb black levels without any halo affects. That's a huge deal for me. Next is the color accuracy of this panel, I think the whites and colors on this TV are probably better then I've ever seen. Sure Plasma's can sometimes have better color temperatures, but they will not pop out of the screen with ambience like this TV shows. This TV is sharp looking and beautiful and it displays wonderful 3D and High-definition like never before.
Last, but not least... this tv is LOADED with features, easily making it one of the most feature rich TV's there is on the market. It's completely wireless, has 4-hdmi conenctions, has internet applications and streaming capabilities and best yet, it does it well! I have done a lot of research and have compared this TV with it's newest competitors and this one is it. Don't just take my word for it, go see it for yourselves and you'll just see what I am talking about.
Nikon D600 24.3 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Kit with 28-300mm
List Price: $2,949.95
Sale Price: $2,949.00
Today's Bonus: $0.95 Off
WHO IS THIS CAMERA FOR?
1.) More advanced photographers moving from DX/crop format to full frame (assuming they already own FX glass or plan to buy at least a couple FX lenses with the D600.)
2.) Photographers who want a second body to accompany their pro body as back-up.
3.) Nikon D300, D300s and D700 users who want better ISO performance, much better resolution and dynamic range and won't miss a couple of the pro features of the D300, D300s and D700.
4.) Patient beginners with very deep pockets who understand it's going to take more than "Auto" mode to create beautiful photos. Open yourself up to RAW.
WHO I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA TO:
1.) Beginners with no $$$$. You're gonna need money. Lots of money. Good full frame lenses are expensive. Forget the kit lens that comes with the D600. You're going to need something better to make this camera really shine. EDIT: A few people mentioned in the comments that the kit lens is fine for beginners. Yes, the kit lens is fine for beginners who are just getting started and don't know what they're looking for, however the kit lens can be quite expensive for what it is. In my opinion there are better, sharper, faster lenses out there for that price even if they are not as flexible as this slower zoom lens. Some people may be perfectly happy with the kit lens, but eventually you will want something better and that will most likely cost you lots of money.
2.) People who only want to shoot JPEGs. Yeah... you can shoot beautiful JPEGs with it, but that too requires adjusting settings. JPEGs can be unforgiving as opposed to RAW. Some might really disagree with me on this point, but I've known too many people who bought DSLRs and were surprised when the camera was taking unsatisfactory pictures. It's not the camera, it's the user!
3.) DX/crop sensor photographers who don't own any FX glass. Get yourself FX lenses first. No matter how much you're tempted, it makes much more sense. Trust me.
4.) Anyone expecting $3,000 + features for $2,100.00.
SHOULD YOU BUY THE D600 or the D800???
Depends on what you're shooting, why you're shooting it and how much money you have.
D800 = Pro 51 AF point module vs. 39 AF points slightly more accurate/faster focus and a tad more viewfinder coverage
D800 = 36 megapixels vs. 24 megapixels slightly more resolution
D800 = Up to 9 consecutive shots for HDR vs. 3 consecutive shots better HDR
D800 = Shutter life of 200,000 vs 150,000 longer life span
D800 = Teeny tiny bit more dynamic range
D800 = 1/250 flash sync speed vs. 1/200
D600 = 5.5 FPS vs 4 FPS better for sports and wildlife
D600 = Lighter and less pixel density easier to shoot hand-held with slower shutter speeds (Good for nightime and daytime photography. Less chance of camera shake/motion blurr)and easier to carry during long hikes.
D600 = Just a teeny tiny tad better at high ISO in low light
D600 = $1,000 less
D600 = Smaller file sizes, which means easier file handling.
There are a few more differences, but both cameras will give you incredible results, both cameras have insane high dynamic range and resolution, and both produce beautiful RAW and JPEG files. If you're a serious amateur, the D600 is plenty of camera for you. If you're a beginner, the D800 may be too much camera to start with. By the time you learn the ropes with the D800 (which may take years), the next best thing will be on the market, and you would have wasted $3,000.00 on a camera which you were able to use only 50% of its potential before you trade it in (then again if you're not the type who must upgrade as soon as something new is on the market, the camera will keep you busy for years). For beginners even the D600 may be a bit too much. Pro landscapes could do just fine with the D600, but may appreciate the 12 more megapixels and 9 shot bracketing (for HDR) when they're printing large posters. Wildlife photographers may appreciate the faster FPS, slightly better ISO performance and lighter body of the D600. In my opinion the D800 is more of a tripod camera while the D600 is more of a hand-held camera. If you're still not sure, rent them both and decide that way.
I WANT TO START OFF WITH THE POSITIVES:
I absolutely LOVE my new D600. I moved up from a D7000. Although I like the D7000 a lot, the D600 is even better in many ways.
1.) It has incredible high ISO performance
2.) Sharp, accurate and fast to focus (much better than the D7000) even in dim light
3.) Incredible resolution at 24 megapixels
4.) Very high dynamic range and the color reproduction is beautiful
5.) Fairly light compared to other Nikon pro bodies
6.) 5.5 frames per second which is slightly less than the D7000 6 frames per second, but the D600 has a larger buffer.
7.) Auto-ISO feature is very helpful.
The list goes on.....
As far as use and picture quality goes, this camera blows away anything within the same price range, and even some of the slightly older pro bodies that still go for well over $3,000.00. DXO Mark rates this camera as #3 on it's list, and the only cameras listed above it are the Nikon D800 and Nikon D800E. Believe it or not, the D600 sensor scored higher than the D3s, D4, D700 and all the current (2012) bodies in the Canon line-up. Obviously the D600 lacks some pro features like faster frames per second, an even bigger buffer, a couple of nice easy-setting-access buttons and full magnesium body, but let's face it; If Nikon had put all the good pro-features into the D600, why would anyone in their right mind pay $6,000.00 for a pro body? The D600 is purposely held back in some aspects by Nikon, but this does not mean that great performance and incredible image quality were sacrificed. In my opinion the price (at this time) can't be beat for what you're getting in return.
Contrary to what some believe, the D600 is not a repackaged D7000. It shares some features with the D7000, but it also shares some features with the D800. It's the best of both worlds. It is slightly bigger and heavier than the D7000, and slightly smaller and lighter than the D800. The body design in the front resembles that of the D7000, and the back of the body resembles the D800. Some have commented that the body feels cheap in their hands. I don't understand this sentiment. I guess some people feel that the heavier something is, the more expensive it feels. I can see why someone who has handled a D4 or D800 might say that, but in my opinion the D600 feels just fine. It has slightly better build than the D7000, and the D7000 is solid. I hear this mostly from people who have never taken their "pro" bodies outside the city. They need all this ruggedness, but they never use it. I've put my D7000 through a lot of abuse in the rain, snow, heat, climbed old castle ruins with it,...even dodged unruly kids, beer and drunks in bars and there's not a scratch on it. Do some of these people plan on dribbling their cameras? I keep mine on a neck strap, protecting my lenses. I think the D600 will be just fine.
NOW TO THE NEGATIVES:
Nikon's quality control is suffering greatly, and it's the only reason I'm rating the camera at four stars. It hurts me to do so, but I have to. I don't know if this is common with a lot of camera brands, but out of the four DSLRs I've owned, this is my second Nikon camera in a row suffering some kind of defect. Everything is absolutely perfect about it except the fact that it came with dust/oil spots on the sensor straight out of the box. I didn't notice this at first, but when I was shooting a fairly featureless subject stopped down, I noticed many small round spots concentrated mainly around the top left corner of the photo. These spots can be found all over the picture, but most of them are up in that corner. This is by far not as much of a concern for me as my D7000 back/front focusing issue was, because at least I can clean my own sensor. However it is disappointing to find something like this. It affects picture quality. I have done my best to remove these spots from photos in Lightroom 4, but at some point it becomes a chore. I have contacted Nikon about it and they want me to send it in. Since I love the camera so much, I don't want to be without it for a week or two, but if I don't get this issue resolved, maybe it will make me more upset in the long run. I will update the review once it's fixed.
WHAT ACCESSORIES TO BUY WITH THE D600
This is purely my opinion, but you may want to consider buying the following either directly with the D600, or a sometime after you purchase the D600:
1.) Make sure you buy a good-quality FX lens to go with the D600. Choose the lens based on what you like to photograph most. There are many specialized lenses out there such as wide angle, macro and telephoto. There are zoom lenses and prime lenses. Most pros already know that a well-rounded Nikkor lens line-up to own is the 14-24mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8 and the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR I. or VR II. There's also many great, fast prime lenses to choose from (cheaper options being the 50mm f/1.4G or f/1.8). I know of no lens that is good at everything, so you'll be making sacrifices no matter which one you choose. There are cheaper third-party options out there such as Sigma and Tamron. I myself prefer Sigma if I'm buying third-party. I've had a couple of Sigma lenses, and in fact one of my favorite lenses is the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro. I've used it for macro, birding, as well as portraits. It is super sharp and definitely rivals Nikon's 105mm macro lens in sharpness. Basically choose your first lenses based on what you will photograph most, and later on add more specialized lenses to your collection.
2.) A fast SD card, preferably nothing slower than 45MB/s. write/read speed and at least 16GB such as the SanDisk Extreme Flash memory card (maybe 2 of them), or even better, the 16GB or 32GB 95MB/s SanDisk Extreme Pro Flash memory card. Anything slower than that and you will find the buffer not clearing fast enough when you're shooting in burst mode.
3.) A good photo-editing program such as Lightroom 4, Photoshop CS6/Adobe Camera RAW. I personally use Lightroom 4 for all my photo editing, but some people prefer Adobe Camera RAW and Photoshop. If you're not shooting RAW with the D600, you're wasting a lot of its potential. RAW files hold the most information and give you greater dynamic range. Consider the program your developing room. The camera records the information and you develop that information into what you saw or what you wanted to see in the scene when you were shooting. If you're shooting JPEG only, the camera saves only very limited amounts of information. JPEGs also lose quality every time you re-save them, whereas RAW never loses quality and can be modified as many times as you want. It can also be reset to it's original form. RAW is the only way I shoot.
4.) If you have big hands, you may want to consider picking up the MB-D14 battery grip to give the D600 a little more size and better balance. It's also very handy for extended battery life and vertical shooting. There are cheaper third-party battery grips out there, but the quality is lacking and you risk possible damage to your camera. Many people are very satisfied with the cheaper third-party grip options, but I personally would not risk it with an expensive camera.
5.) Second battery. If you already own a D7000 and you plan on keeping it, the good news is that the D600 and D7000 share the same battery. I use my D7000 battery as a spare. Of course if I decide to use both cameras at the same time, this could be a problem. You can get a lot of shots out of the D600 battery on one charge, but it's always nice to have back-up. If you buy the battery grip, you can use regular AA batteries in the grip.
6.) A good sensor and lens cleaning kit. I would recommend at least getting a blower. I bought the Giottos Rocket Air Blaster and that seems to work nice. Other people use things like the Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly, but that's fairly pricey. I guess you get what you pay for. You can always get your sensor cleaned by a camera shop, but they'll charge you anywhere from $40 to $60 each time you bring it in. There's the security in knowing you got it done right, but that can add up to a lot of money down the line. If you don't feel confident enough to clean your own sensor, you're better off having it done by a professional.... however... it is nice to learn to do it yourself. I learned to clean mine on one of my older DSLRs for practice. It's easier than you'd think, but I'm not going to push you if you don't feel good about it.
7.) A camera sling strap like one of the Black Rapid straps or a Carry Speed FS-Pro strap. These attach to the tripod screw mount on the bottom of the camera and you can wear it over your shoulder with the camera and lens swinging next to your hip. You would really appreciate this carry method on longer hikes. or just walking around in general. The Carry Speed FS-Pro strap for example is very rugged and sturdy. The shoulder pad is wide and stretchy. It makes you feel like you're not carrying any weight at all. Neck straps are O.K. for lighter point and shoots, but if you want to save your neck some hardship, you'll look into getting a sling strap instead. It's easy to use, the camera is out of your way when you don't need it, and it's right there when you do.
UPDATE:
I have sent my D600 to Nikon service for the dust issue. They serviced the camera within one week. After I got it back, the sensor was spotless until I took about 600 shots with one lens (a prime, not a zoom) attached the entire time. After considering sending it back again, I decided to buy a sensor cleaning kit instead and cleaned it myself twice. After these two cleanings the spots are not coming back (at least none that I can see). Between shoots I use a Giotto blower to make sure I get rid of any possible spots. So far so good!
CONCLUSION:
I would highly recommend this camera to the category of people I listed at the very top, but I would also recommend caution as far as these dust/oil spots go. Not everybody has had this problem, but there are a number of people who are experiencing it. I'm one of the lucky few. Fact of life is that you're taking a risk no matter what manufacturer you choose. Nikon has had it's issues and so has Canon. The only thing we can do is hammer these companies with complaints and demand justice.
Pentax 21977 DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR Lens
List Price: $499.95
Sale Price: $439.99
Today's Bonus: 12% Off
Just received this lens along with a K-5IIs. I was very disappointed that the lens was shipped without the hood, or any paperwork. No warranty, no manual, or no registration card. The lens did not even come in a Pentax box. The lens seems okay did not really use much because I sending it back. I'm concerned that the lens may be gray market. Electronics Basket was the seller. Beware.
Update: I shipped the lens from Electronics Basket back (it was fulfilled by Amazon so no problem). I reordered the lens that this time was sold by Emmy and also fulfilled by Amazon. The lens arrived in the Pentax box, all manuals and warranty included, and the Pentax lens hood was with it too! On top of that the lens sold for $50 less than the one from Electronics Basket. I've changed my rating to 5 stars. Just started using the lens and so far I love it. Very sharp images and the AF is silent.
Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18.0 MP Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S
I bought this camera with the intention to learn all the capabilities. While I still haven't learn all of them, I have found that with the automatic settings, it is about as easy as a point-and-shoot but with significantly better quality pictures and I can still do all the manual adjustments when I learn more. The HD video capability is also a big plus. The particular kit came with everything I wanted and was a much better deal than other kits.
Sony Alpha SEL18200 E-mount 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS Lens (Silver)
List Price: $899.99
Sale Price: $798.00
Today's Bonus: 11% Off
First and foremost, you should be aware that you'll need another lens aside from the 18-200mm, to take flash pictures. The 18-200 lens barrel obstructs the lower part of the flash output at anything less than ~50mm. Sony made a big mistake here in not supplying a 'flash extender' with the lens and at this time of writing, it is not available for purchase either. Moreover, it would have nice if Sony included a lens pouch or carrying case for the lens while it awaits its use. Yet, something else you'll need to purchase if you want to keep the lens in it's pristine condition. BTW, the NEX/18-200mm combo doesn't sit flat on the table either; the bottoms are not even.
Then we have the lens size and the integration with the NEX body. Suffice to say, it is reminiscent of the older Sony 707/717 models where a much bigger lens is coupled a smaller body. Difference is that with the NEX, the body doesn't twist/tilt like the 7x7 models but only the LCD tilts, which helps with stability. It's a big lens if you're comparing it to the compact superzooms but it's not given the size of the NEX sensor. It is comparable to the 18-200 of the DSLRs and the 14-140 zoom lenses of the m4/3s. The dichotomy is that for the folks who bought into the NEX for its dimunitive size are now faced with less than compact setup.
On first use, the NEX/18-200 combo seems like a joke. Clearly, this is a one-handed operation for a very short time only; the NEX body itself don't have much of a grip and the front heavy lens is going to tip the balance. This is worsened in its fully exended zoom length. To zoom, you will need to use your left hand to hold the bottom of the lens barrel while using its two finger tips to rotate the zoom ring. Likewise to manual focus.
However, the quality of this lens is just plainly superb. The distant test scenes from backyard I normally take with new lenses and cameras were outstanding and possibly one of the best I've ever had. The stabilization system works very well and I have no issues handholding the combo and getting clear pictures. The lens stops down to f6.3 at the max zoom length but this is compensated with the NEX's low-noise high-ISO.
I have also not heard it focusing either. In the few 1080 videos I've made, I have not heard any focus noise which can be extremely distracting during viewing. The 18-200 makes for an excellent video lens as well.
The build quality of this lens is also outstanding. The zoom ring is firm but rotates smoothly and likewise with the focus ring. I thought this Sony lens is better built than the similar 14-140 Panny lens which has free play in its lens mount and a inconsistent zoom movement. I have not even used the zoom lock switch once as I have not experienced any zoom creep yet while carrying the lens.
Overall, an outstanding lens.
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550L 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens
List Price: $927.99
Sale Price: $799.99
Today's Bonus: 14% Off
I'm happy with this camera. However, the development of digital cameras is very fast so the camera is likely to be behind cutting edge in a couple of years. I bought this camera because it is not that expensive, so one can always upgrade. Some good and bad things:
Steady shot makes it possible to take very sharp pictures at 1/15.
Quite decent performance up to ASA 800. I can go up to ASA 12,800, which results in noise, but also sharp pictures in very low light. If you like me hate using the flash, this is great. I'd rather have grain than flat flash light.
Very sharp live viewfinder. I cannot do without this facility anymore. Not many higher-end DSLR cameras have this function yet.
The autofocus does not work that well in low light. I don't know if other cameras are better. However, the Manual Focus Live Viewfinder function is very good when using manual focus in low light and low contrast settings.
The camera isn't well prepared for HDR (high dynamic range). There is a built in function (works just so so), but I'd rater be able to do bracketed exposures in 1 or 2 EV steps. That is not possible. I can do bracketed exposures in 0.3 or 0.7 EV steps but that isn't really useful for HDR. Clearly Sony is holding back on performance for the next model in 2010.
The camera fits okay in my standard male sized hands. Bigger might fit better but it is also nice that the camera is not bulky.
Information panel is informative, except for ASA level when using ASA Auto setting. It would have been very nice to know what ASA level the camera decide to use when in Program mode.
If you buy this camera, skip the 18-55 lens and go for the 18-250 lens instead Sony SAL18250 Alpha DT 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 High Magnification Zoom Lens w/Lens Hood. It just doesn't make sense to buy a USD1,000 camera and fit it with a USD100 lens. The longer zoom is a good allround lens. A bit slow, but with an amazing range, 27-375 35mm equivalent. I actually don't find a 200mm zoom that useful, but when you can go up to 375mm new opportunities open. If you want to spend some more dollars, get the 50mm f/1.4 lens. That lens will function like 75mm, which is not optimal, but that is really the only chance of getting a wide open aperture lens. (Sony also sells a 35mm f/1.4, but that is very expensive and has received poor reviews.) The advantage with the 50mm f/1.4 lens is that it is full-frame so it can be used when you later upgrade to a fullformat camera.