Purchased these two filters for a 24-105mm Canon EF 'L' and a 10-22 mm Canon EF-S, both of which render excellent images. Less expensive filters are readily available, but do you really want them on these lenses? I do not, as image quality means too much to sacifice for somethimg as minute as the cost of a good filter. Thus far, these have done their respective jobs well; a later trip to the South Pacific will tell the eventual tale.
Showing posts with label canon digital camera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canon digital camera. Show all posts
Clik Elite Jetpack Camera Backpack
List Price: $185.00
Sale Price: $129.99
Today's Bonus: 30% Off
This bag rocks. There are a few very minor issues that I had to knock off a star for, but it's definitely the best bag of its kind I've ever used. There's no such thing as "the perfect bag", but for my purposes this comes quite close!
What I was looking for was a bag that could do a few things: safely transport my laptop and camera gear, while still being useful as a general daypack; serve as a carryon for when I fly/take trains/etc; and use as a daypack for short hikes (and be able to fit it into my main 80L camping pack, or, if not, be able to lash it on somehow.) For the first two things, it is a homerun. It's a tight fit in my main camping pack, but it works. It perfectly fits all the gear that I want it to my laptop, power cable, bluetooth mouse, random cables, Nikon D7000 w/ 28mm f/1.8, 60mm Macro, 18-105mm, 16mm Fisheye, and random other small items in the front pocket. There is still room in the top above the camera pod for things like books, a container for lunch, random items, etc. It also has two mesh pockets on the sides, one of which has a little elastic drawstring to lash on a tripod, or in my case, a Gorillapod. Works great, but I don't think you could fit anything bigger than a small travel-sized tripod. The other side is perfect for my Insulated Klean Kanteen.
It is fairly heavy when loaded up with everything, but, I mean, that's just how it works haha. There's no free lunch in that regard. If I ever don't want my camera gear with me, it's easy to just slide out the camera pod and zip it up, lightening the pack and freeing a bunch of storage space for other items. If I don't bring my laptop, that space becomes handy for other things too. You could take out both and just use it as a general purpose bag; it'd be awesome. I also like that, for the most part, it doesn't look like a camera bag, just a stylish general use bag. This decreases theft risk (but I still wouldn't recommend leaving it unattended in public, haha.)
The bag can be used as either a backpack, or a shoulder bag. It is really quick and easy to convert between the two modes in backpack mode, just pull out the straps from the sleeve, and stick the shoulder strap in there. Clip the bottoms of the straps to the D-rings on either side at the bottom, and you're done. For shoulder bag mode, just do the same in reverse. Or, you can tuck all of the straps away, useful if you are travelling and you need to stow it in an overhead bin without catching on anything. The straps seem very well-made and durable, but they are not the most comfortable I've ever seen. They aren't bad, but I think they could do better. It seems like a company whose other bags are essentially technical packs with camera compartments would have a really well designed/comfy harness, but oh well. It's really not bad, just not great. The hardware (D-rings/buckles/clips) are plastic I wish they were metal, but it's fairly easy to replace them if they break.
The zipper is heavy-duty, weather-sealed, and feels very solid almost a little too solid, it can be hard to get it around the corner at the top of the bag sometimes. Even so, when in shoulder bag mode, it is *REALLY* convenient to swing it around to the front and open up the top. The way the bag is designed, it is exactly the right spot and angle to go through your bag, find with you need, and close it back up, without taking it off. Great for switching lenses etc.
Wishlist/Things I would change:
-Put a zipper on the bottom of the sleeve the backpack straps tuck into, so that you can use it to slide over a trolley handle
-Metal hardware
-Side/rear access to camera compartment (Similar to the Tenba Shootout packs.)
-Better harness
Despite my minor qualms, this is the best bag I could find for my purposes. I did a lot of research. This bag totally rocks, I'd recommend it to anyone!
EDIT: This is the 2010 version of this bag. There is a 2011 update,which is very similar (as well as a smaller version of the bag.)
Sony HDR-AX2000 Handycam HDV Camcorder + Sony 32GB Class 10
List Price: $3,600.99
Sale Price: $3,498.00
Today's Bonus: 3% Off
Shortly after I bought this camera, (Sony AX-2000) I bagan to have trouble with it. As I was recording, it would just suddenly stop, and go dead. I would have to turn the camera off, turn it back on, and then go through a recovery routine to recover what I had recorded...... what a HUGE pain!
This problem got progressively worse, doing it more and more often, until I finally decided I couldn't stand it any more. I called Sony (getting to a human being was VERY difficult), and the lady gave me instructions to send the camera to Precision Camera in Connecticut, as they handle Sony's warranty issues. She told me they would either repair the camera, or send me a new one.
I paid $63 to ship the camera to their warranty center, and they finally checked it into their system 6 days after it arrived there. Precision Camera has a web page where you can monitor the progress of your camera, and after about 5 more days, there was a message there that said "Waiting on Entitlement". I called to check on it, and discovered that I had to pay the labor charge for them to check the camera out. I then discovered that Sony's warranty on labor was only 90 days, and I had sent the camera at about 100 days after I bought it. (Only 90 days!!!! Shame on me for not reading Sony's warranty policy more closely). I gave them my credit card for $150 labor.
About a week later, the Precision Camera web site message changed over to "Ordered Parts". I called to learn that they had to order the replacement parts from Sony, and Sony had backordered them.
At this point, I was fed up with the entire process, so I called Sony back and requested that they send me a new camera. Over several days of trying to talk with someone at Sony that would help me, I got bounced around to people in the Dominican Republic, and the Phillipines. I could never connect with anyone in the U.S. The last person I talked to (located in the Phillipines) instructed me to contact Precision Camera, have them send the camera back to me, and then resend the camera to the Sony repair center in Laredo, Texas so they can check the camera out (and of course I get to pay the shipping on all this). At this point I just gave up. Precision Camera still has my camera, I paid $63 to get it to them and $150 to authorize their labor charge, and I have no idea when I will get it back. I have had to just forget my plans for videoing our Christmas celebration this year.
I will NEVER buy another Sony product as long as I live!!
Olympus PEN E-PM2 Digital Camera Body & 14-42mm II R Lens
My camera arrived so fast .. barely a week . this is the fastest delivery I got. !
Was so excited to have this camera. It was so handy and light. Since it was a package, at least i already have the lens in it. I had a great time taking good pictures although i have to get use of the settings but frequent use made me good now. Initially it was quite hard to put the flash but a friend taught me how to it right..now i dont have a problem with it. Using the different lens was a great fun.. Am looking forward for my another weekend off for another photoshot trip.Yes, i was so lucky to have this camera. I love it.
Was so excited to have this camera. It was so handy and light. Since it was a package, at least i already have the lens in it. I had a great time taking good pictures although i have to get use of the settings but frequent use made me good now. Initially it was quite hard to put the flash but a friend taught me how to it right..now i dont have a problem with it. Using the different lens was a great fun.. Am looking forward for my another weekend off for another photoshot trip.Yes, i was so lucky to have this camera. I love it.
Panasonic HDC-TM900K 3D Camcorder with 32GB Internal Flash
As a TV Broadcast Engineer, I know when things are "right". In any design, there have to be compromises.
All of these small cameras are compromises. I bought the TM-900 for one reason -it's 1000 line resolution
in 1080P. You can't touch that for at least another $2K. What I was surprised about is that Panasonic went
all-out trying to top the competition. Say, compared with a Canon M41 (comparable price range) the Panasonic
has a FAR better viewfinder and LCD screen. The Canon doesn't have any focus ring and the TM's is superb and
versatile. The controls for manual adjustment are light-years better on the Panasonic. The TM has Person
identification, not just face ID. This one is amazingthe TM allows you to use the camera's inside processing
chips while you edit with their editorto hyper-speed the video conversion when making DVD's and Blu-Rays.
That's progressive engineering. The TM also is just beautiful-looking while the Canon is totally low-end (the
camera body itself).
I bought both -why? Because the low-light performance of the TM is only average. It's fine and in most shooting
you'd do well. The Canon M41 has their new HD pro sensor (same at their two best pro-consumer cams)and sees
exactly as well as humans do. It's amazingly good at low-light. the TM also has a top quality of 17MBS in it's
AVHCD regular HD recording. the Canon does 24MBS. The Canon is superior when shooting in 1080i (it's top level).
The TM's best 1080i AVHCD level of 17MBS is very good...excellent.. just not superb. Kick it up a notch to 1080P
and you're speechless. Wow! It's a high-res still photograph-that's moving. But remember, 1080P on the TM is
actually above the HD spec. Uh huh. So, your editor might not handle it. You TV might not handle it. When you
render 1080P from the TM onto a AVHCD DVD to play HD on your BLue-Ray player, it is amazing looking.
Also, you can play the native video files out of a TM-900 and M41 directly out of a good Hard-drive media player.
The editing and storage software with the TM is great. It really is. Smooth operator and burns out DVD's and
AVHCD disks with ease. So, the TM is my go-to camera and the Canon is used only if I'm shooting in natural low-light.
2.5 thumbs up on the Panasonic.. a real Pro-sumer camera at a great price. Bravo Panasonic.
All of these small cameras are compromises. I bought the TM-900 for one reason -it's 1000 line resolution
in 1080P. You can't touch that for at least another $2K. What I was surprised about is that Panasonic went
all-out trying to top the competition. Say, compared with a Canon M41 (comparable price range) the Panasonic
has a FAR better viewfinder and LCD screen. The Canon doesn't have any focus ring and the TM's is superb and
versatile. The controls for manual adjustment are light-years better on the Panasonic. The TM has Person
identification, not just face ID. This one is amazingthe TM allows you to use the camera's inside processing
chips while you edit with their editorto hyper-speed the video conversion when making DVD's and Blu-Rays.
That's progressive engineering. The TM also is just beautiful-looking while the Canon is totally low-end (the
camera body itself).
I bought both -why? Because the low-light performance of the TM is only average. It's fine and in most shooting
you'd do well. The Canon M41 has their new HD pro sensor (same at their two best pro-consumer cams)and sees
exactly as well as humans do. It's amazingly good at low-light. the TM also has a top quality of 17MBS in it's
AVHCD regular HD recording. the Canon does 24MBS. The Canon is superior when shooting in 1080i (it's top level).
The TM's best 1080i AVHCD level of 17MBS is very good...excellent.. just not superb. Kick it up a notch to 1080P
and you're speechless. Wow! It's a high-res still photograph-that's moving. But remember, 1080P on the TM is
actually above the HD spec. Uh huh. So, your editor might not handle it. You TV might not handle it. When you
render 1080P from the TM onto a AVHCD DVD to play HD on your BLue-Ray player, it is amazing looking.
Also, you can play the native video files out of a TM-900 and M41 directly out of a good Hard-drive media player.
The editing and storage software with the TM is great. It really is. Smooth operator and burns out DVD's and
AVHCD disks with ease. So, the TM is my go-to camera and the Canon is used only if I'm shooting in natural low-light.
2.5 thumbs up on the Panasonic.. a real Pro-sumer camera at a great price. Bravo Panasonic.
Canon XL1S MiniDV Digital Camcorder
Just short of a top-of-the-line broadcast DV camera, the XL1S is an extremely high quality DV camcorder. It's affordable and relatively easy to operate. Granted, my parents wouldn't have the slightest clue on where to start, and for most people this is WAY too much camera for general applications. But for semi-pros and amateurs alike you cannot go wrong with this piece of equipment. All the features you could want or expect are included, and transferrance to analog or to a DV editor isn't more than a button push away. I'm a freelance videographer, and I'm starting a production house and this is the base piece of equipment I use. Too much camera for weddings and picnics, but for any type of video project this is all you need.
LG Esteem 4G Prepaid Android Phone (MetroPCS)
This is the best Metro PCS phone out there. It has a very large Amoled screen, colors are so vibrant it totally blew my mind. It has fast download at 4G speed at locations that provide 4G speed (at my office no less). Touch is very responsive, although sometimes a bit too sensitive which caused me to text to wrong person lol. The camera quality is very good; even the front cam, with 3x zoom and flash. I don't bring my pocket camera out anymore after I have this baby. The battery life after I installed battery saver app it lasted longer and as expected with all smart phones. This is the best prepaid android phone out there and I am still in love with it after 3 months of usage.
Sirui R4203 R Series Tripod Legs 3 Section 59.1in Height Carbon
List Price: $746.95
Sale Price: $479.21
Today's Bonus: 36% Off
I have been looking for a robust tripod to use for landscape photography with my Nikon D800, but I was discouraged by the high price tags for some of the well known brands. I wanted carbon fiber legs that would handle the weight of longer telephoto lenses, and looked for over-sized diameter legs to help with stability and vibration reduction. I did not want a tripod with a center column as I felt this would detract from ruggedness and stability, but I needed enough height for my 6'3" frame.
The Sirui R4203 met those requirements and my initial impressions are universally positive. This tripod has a professional look and feel that inspire confidence, is well constructed and solid, and is priced under $500, about half the price of competing models of the same quality. I have paired this tripod with a RRS BH-55 head and L-bracket, and this combination feels very solid and stable. I have yet to take the equipment out for field testing, but first impressions are very positive.
Fujifilm X10 Digital Camera Kit Includes: Fujifilm X-10 Camera
Ok so you see the name fuji and no other brand names in the article for sale and I think its fair to assume the items contained in the package will be that brand-at least thats my way of thinking. If other brands of items are to be included then that should be indicted in the listing.
Camera is excellentI love it. There was no manual in English inclosed and the cd rom would not work. There were manuals in French and Germanso ok you can download a manual from Fuji direct of course but I have since been told and of course I stand to be corrected that if a camera has been issued to a country such as France or Germany should an issue arise then Fuji in the US would not service this item and it would need to be sent to the country from where it originated. This information I was told in my local photography store and only have their word to go onbut maybe someone wishing to purchase a camera should inquire which country the camera was issued for.
In hindsight would I have purchased this kit with the knowledge I have today? probably not and returning the kit was not an option as I needed the camera for my photography degree and I do not have the funds to purchase another and wait for a refund.
Camera is excellentI love it. There was no manual in English inclosed and the cd rom would not work. There were manuals in French and Germanso ok you can download a manual from Fuji direct of course but I have since been told and of course I stand to be corrected that if a camera has been issued to a country such as France or Germany should an issue arise then Fuji in the US would not service this item and it would need to be sent to the country from where it originated. This information I was told in my local photography store and only have their word to go onbut maybe someone wishing to purchase a camera should inquire which country the camera was issued for.
In hindsight would I have purchased this kit with the knowledge I have today? probably not and returning the kit was not an option as I needed the camera for my photography degree and I do not have the funds to purchase another and wait for a refund.
Pentax AF540FGZ Flash for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras
I have been recently forced by Pentax to buy this flash to complement my new K10D.
I already had AF500FTZ and a few other Pentax TTL flashes which worked perfectly well with my *istDs, but for some reason Pentax decided not to support plain TTL any more in the new K10D body.
My AF540FGZ broke almost immediately when I turned it on the zoom was stuck in manual mode @ 16 mm. A brand new flash! If you look in the Internet, you will find out that it is not just a single isolated case, but a well-known bug. I would consider this to be a design/manufacturing issue.
The door of the battery compartment is not easy to open. Moreover, its locks are somewhere in the middle part of the door, the door is rather long and the material it is made of is not strong enough. When you put batteries in, the edges of the battery compartment door are pushed out. Not a critical issue, but product engineering should have considered this.
I own plenty of Pentax stuff which I am really happy with. Pentax quality used to be outstanding. So, this is my first bad experience. VERY dissapointed.
From the positive side, I liked the wireless functionality and the fact that 540 can be operated by the built-in flash of my K10D (no additional master flash is required).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UPDATE: Pentax USA have sent me the International Warranty Card for this flash very good customer support.
UPDATE 2: I have received my flash unit back, repaired. It took almost two months: it was sent out to Pentax on July 31 (received by Pentax on August 7), and I got it back from repair on September 28. Even if the return shipping from repair took a few days, this is still much longer than stated on Pentax web site (15 20 working days). Just FYI.
I already had AF500FTZ and a few other Pentax TTL flashes which worked perfectly well with my *istDs, but for some reason Pentax decided not to support plain TTL any more in the new K10D body.
My AF540FGZ broke almost immediately when I turned it on the zoom was stuck in manual mode @ 16 mm. A brand new flash! If you look in the Internet, you will find out that it is not just a single isolated case, but a well-known bug. I would consider this to be a design/manufacturing issue.
The door of the battery compartment is not easy to open. Moreover, its locks are somewhere in the middle part of the door, the door is rather long and the material it is made of is not strong enough. When you put batteries in, the edges of the battery compartment door are pushed out. Not a critical issue, but product engineering should have considered this.
I own plenty of Pentax stuff which I am really happy with. Pentax quality used to be outstanding. So, this is my first bad experience. VERY dissapointed.
From the positive side, I liked the wireless functionality and the fact that 540 can be operated by the built-in flash of my K10D (no additional master flash is required).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UPDATE: Pentax USA have sent me the International Warranty Card for this flash very good customer support.
UPDATE 2: I have received my flash unit back, repaired. It took almost two months: it was sent out to Pentax on July 31 (received by Pentax on August 7), and I got it back from repair on September 28. Even if the return shipping from repair took a few days, this is still much longer than stated on Pentax web site (15 20 working days). Just FYI.
Wansview Outdoor Waterproof Wifi Wireless/wired Ip Camera
Update 7/26/12:
All of these cameras seem to have the same "flashing" problem. It isn't clear if it is the "IR Cut" filter or some other problem. They also might as well be black-and-white given how terrible the color is. If something happened and video from this camera needed to be submitted to authoritiesit would be next to impossible to actually identify anyone in it.
The "flashing" problem seems to occur at a particular light level (much too bright for the "IR Cut" filter if it is working normally), so at least twice a day (or more often in changing weather conditions) the cameras brightness rapidly changes between light and dark for 30 minutes or more. This triggers both the camera's internal "motion detector", as well as the motion detection algorithms in security DVR software like Blue Iris or iSpy. In other wordsyour mailbox, FTP server, or DVR will fill up with completely useless images, very quickly.
Technical support via email says a "Factory Reset" will fix the problem. Not only doesn't it fix the problembut you then have to set everything up again from scratch, which is a problem if you are using them via WiFi in a not-easily-accessible location.
Alsomounting these cameras outdoors means you pretty much have to cut and splice the 5v power cord, and use a lot of tape or an outdoor box to keep the connectors in. They come with a short cable and a set of connectors that you would have to drill a 1.5" hole in the wall to route inside. The power supply is only indoor rated, and is too big to put in an "In-Use" covered GFCI box. Of courseyou can't return them without the factory-provided power supply...
Update 6/12/12:
I dropped my rating to two stars.
While probably still a good value for the money, these cameras have at least one serious issue. I returned one, but the replacement has the same problem. A friend of mine bought two cameras at the same time I did, and has the same issue with hers as-well. The cameras flip randomly between their "IR CUT" filter and normal in certain lighting conditions. This causes random light/dark flashing at various times throughout the day. This flashing, besides being extremely annoying, also trips the "motion alarm", sending hundreds (or in the case of one of my camerasthousands) of bogus motion alarm pictures out. If you use their software to record videoyou will get many-many hours of nothing but flashing video filling up your HDD.
One solution I found online is to either color-over or tape-over the light sensor on the camera. Tried thatdoesn't work. I requested support on Wansview's Web site a week ago, and have heard nothing. There also aren't any firmware updates available for these cameras. I guess we can keep returning them for new ones, but since this is happening on 4 out of 4 (actually 5 if I count the one I've already returned) it's pretty clear it is a manufacturing defect. All four came from different vendors (via Amazon) Wansview should just give one the option to turn the stupid filter OFF! They do seem to work quite well at night, but during the daythey are almost useless for hours at a time.
Leaving my old review here for reference...
I recently bought two of this most-recent version of Wansview outdoor security camera: NC543W. The camera has a solid aluminum housing and appears to be well-sealed from the elements. I bought three similar cameras last year. They are cheap and the picture quality definitely isn't HD, but they are very usable.
The camera's I bought last year came with terrible "Chinelish" manuals that were almost impossible to read. They also didn't come with any kind of viewing/recording software, forcing me to use marginally-implemented browser-based viewers or 3rd-party software. I'm very happy to say that this has changed for these two most-recent purchases. More effort was clearly put into the user's manual, and the included "multi-view" software works very well. The really big bonus with the viewer software is the ability to record video, as opposed to just still images.
As another bonusthe cameras will work with uPnP routers (or you can manually set up tunneling) and Wansview provides a DDNS server, making it very easy to set the cameras up for remote viewing. The manual does a decent job of describing the setup for this, but non-geeks may need to get a bit of help configuring their router if necessary.
The camera has an "automatic" software color filter that is supposed to just kick in when in IR nigh-vision mode. I suspect this may be causing problems for some. I've found the color during the day to be very acceptable. In low-light there is a definite color shift, mostly noticeable at dusk and dawn.
I really only have two issues with these cameras, preventing a 5-star rating:
I can't get the Internet Explorer version of their Web viewer to work. I've tried it on three computers. The plugin install seems to "blow up" and I get nothing but a blank view. It's possible this is due to over-zealous security settings on my part, but I'm not going to lower my standards to install a plugin. I don't get any kind of an error message or pop-up. The other browser version works just fine on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. It also works great on iPhone and iPad, although there are some great 3rd party camera viewers for them, as well as Android, that work fine with these cameras.
It is difficult to accomplish a good outdoor mount of them due to the length of the connector cable and the size of the network jack. If you want an inexpensive "clean" installyou pretty much have to drill a 1" hole to route the cables through to the inside. The power adapter and its cable are not outdoor rated, and it doesn't appear any of the other connectors will last long outdoors without some kind of protection. It's probably possible to cram everything into a water-tight exterior box, which is something I'm going to experiment with. I'd much rather drill a small hole for the power adapter cable (and network cable, if necessary) than a 1" one. Tacking things up under an eave seems to be the cheapest option, and I don't believe that will make it through winter. Power-over-Ethernet would make things easier, but would likely raise the price of the camera.
Like I saidit's a great camera for the price. If you want good color balance and a higher resolution with more featureslook at spending 3-10x as much. If you want a reliable (at least in my experience) security camera and don't have a lot of money to spendthis is a great deal.
One bit of adviceit is difficult to tweak the motion-sensor sensitivity, especially outdoors where things like trees and shrubs blowing in the wind can set it off. This isn't really the fault of the camerait's just the nature of such systems. These cameras can generate a LOT of email, so if you use that method of "alarm" notificationsget yourself another email account with a lot of space on one of the big providers. That way you won't flood your personal email account. If you use FTPyou will want to frequently audit the server's disk usage, or use an automated process to delete older uploads. If using the multi-view software to record videobe sure to enable the feature that automatically deletes older videos if you are running out of disk space. I recommend using a dedicated partition or external disk.
All of these cameras seem to have the same "flashing" problem. It isn't clear if it is the "IR Cut" filter or some other problem. They also might as well be black-and-white given how terrible the color is. If something happened and video from this camera needed to be submitted to authoritiesit would be next to impossible to actually identify anyone in it.
The "flashing" problem seems to occur at a particular light level (much too bright for the "IR Cut" filter if it is working normally), so at least twice a day (or more often in changing weather conditions) the cameras brightness rapidly changes between light and dark for 30 minutes or more. This triggers both the camera's internal "motion detector", as well as the motion detection algorithms in security DVR software like Blue Iris or iSpy. In other wordsyour mailbox, FTP server, or DVR will fill up with completely useless images, very quickly.
Technical support via email says a "Factory Reset" will fix the problem. Not only doesn't it fix the problembut you then have to set everything up again from scratch, which is a problem if you are using them via WiFi in a not-easily-accessible location.
Alsomounting these cameras outdoors means you pretty much have to cut and splice the 5v power cord, and use a lot of tape or an outdoor box to keep the connectors in. They come with a short cable and a set of connectors that you would have to drill a 1.5" hole in the wall to route inside. The power supply is only indoor rated, and is too big to put in an "In-Use" covered GFCI box. Of courseyou can't return them without the factory-provided power supply...
Update 6/12/12:
I dropped my rating to two stars.
While probably still a good value for the money, these cameras have at least one serious issue. I returned one, but the replacement has the same problem. A friend of mine bought two cameras at the same time I did, and has the same issue with hers as-well. The cameras flip randomly between their "IR CUT" filter and normal in certain lighting conditions. This causes random light/dark flashing at various times throughout the day. This flashing, besides being extremely annoying, also trips the "motion alarm", sending hundreds (or in the case of one of my camerasthousands) of bogus motion alarm pictures out. If you use their software to record videoyou will get many-many hours of nothing but flashing video filling up your HDD.
One solution I found online is to either color-over or tape-over the light sensor on the camera. Tried thatdoesn't work. I requested support on Wansview's Web site a week ago, and have heard nothing. There also aren't any firmware updates available for these cameras. I guess we can keep returning them for new ones, but since this is happening on 4 out of 4 (actually 5 if I count the one I've already returned) it's pretty clear it is a manufacturing defect. All four came from different vendors (via Amazon) Wansview should just give one the option to turn the stupid filter OFF! They do seem to work quite well at night, but during the daythey are almost useless for hours at a time.
Leaving my old review here for reference...
I recently bought two of this most-recent version of Wansview outdoor security camera: NC543W. The camera has a solid aluminum housing and appears to be well-sealed from the elements. I bought three similar cameras last year. They are cheap and the picture quality definitely isn't HD, but they are very usable.
The camera's I bought last year came with terrible "Chinelish" manuals that were almost impossible to read. They also didn't come with any kind of viewing/recording software, forcing me to use marginally-implemented browser-based viewers or 3rd-party software. I'm very happy to say that this has changed for these two most-recent purchases. More effort was clearly put into the user's manual, and the included "multi-view" software works very well. The really big bonus with the viewer software is the ability to record video, as opposed to just still images.
As another bonusthe cameras will work with uPnP routers (or you can manually set up tunneling) and Wansview provides a DDNS server, making it very easy to set the cameras up for remote viewing. The manual does a decent job of describing the setup for this, but non-geeks may need to get a bit of help configuring their router if necessary.
The camera has an "automatic" software color filter that is supposed to just kick in when in IR nigh-vision mode. I suspect this may be causing problems for some. I've found the color during the day to be very acceptable. In low-light there is a definite color shift, mostly noticeable at dusk and dawn.
I really only have two issues with these cameras, preventing a 5-star rating:
I can't get the Internet Explorer version of their Web viewer to work. I've tried it on three computers. The plugin install seems to "blow up" and I get nothing but a blank view. It's possible this is due to over-zealous security settings on my part, but I'm not going to lower my standards to install a plugin. I don't get any kind of an error message or pop-up. The other browser version works just fine on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. It also works great on iPhone and iPad, although there are some great 3rd party camera viewers for them, as well as Android, that work fine with these cameras.
It is difficult to accomplish a good outdoor mount of them due to the length of the connector cable and the size of the network jack. If you want an inexpensive "clean" installyou pretty much have to drill a 1" hole to route the cables through to the inside. The power adapter and its cable are not outdoor rated, and it doesn't appear any of the other connectors will last long outdoors without some kind of protection. It's probably possible to cram everything into a water-tight exterior box, which is something I'm going to experiment with. I'd much rather drill a small hole for the power adapter cable (and network cable, if necessary) than a 1" one. Tacking things up under an eave seems to be the cheapest option, and I don't believe that will make it through winter. Power-over-Ethernet would make things easier, but would likely raise the price of the camera.
Like I saidit's a great camera for the price. If you want good color balance and a higher resolution with more featureslook at spending 3-10x as much. If you want a reliable (at least in my experience) security camera and don't have a lot of money to spendthis is a great deal.
One bit of adviceit is difficult to tweak the motion-sensor sensitivity, especially outdoors where things like trees and shrubs blowing in the wind can set it off. This isn't really the fault of the camerait's just the nature of such systems. These cameras can generate a LOT of email, so if you use that method of "alarm" notificationsget yourself another email account with a lot of space on one of the big providers. That way you won't flood your personal email account. If you use FTPyou will want to frequently audit the server's disk usage, or use an automated process to delete older uploads. If using the multi-view software to record videobe sure to enable the feature that automatically deletes older videos if you are running out of disk space. I recommend using a dedicated partition or external disk.
Tamron 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 AF Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Lens
I've had this lens for about 3 months and it has been even more satisfactory than expected (and I ordered before it had been reviewed). I wanted a reasonable quality, small, lightweight "walk around" lens, at a reasonable price, and it has been great for me. As an amateur photographer and using a Nikon D50 SLR, my acceptance level may be limited, and someday I may want better glass. But for now I am very very happy. After receiving it and using it for a while, a very positive review appeared in Popular Photography magazine.
Manfrotto 475B Pro Geared Tripod without Head (Black)
List Price: $378.00
Sale Price: $349.88
Today's Bonus: 7% Off
I've long wanted a more stable tripod than my 055XPRO, which I think is a very good compromise between cost, portability, and stability. Most of the high-quality photo tripods out there look like more expensive versions of the same basic design. I'm sure the many reviews of the expensive variants are accurate, but I suspect there are some limitations of the design that can't be overcome with carbon fiber. Since there aren't any stores that carry high-end tripods in my area where I could try one out, I couldn't bring myself to buy what intuition suggests would be a marginally better version of what I already have.
When looking for tripods with a different design, I found some Manfrotto models which looked promising. After comparing the 028, 475, 058 & the 161MK2, I chose the 475. The weight of the 028 was attractive, but the narrow tubing means it will have a lot of flex when the third leg section is significantly extended. I also like to shoot landscapes from low angles and it didn't go low enough for my taste. The 161 looked fantastic. It will get pretty low, but it also goes crazy high. I sometimes clamp my camera to a ladder with a magic arm for some stability from high perspectives, and this tripod would have eliminated the need for that. It's strong enough to load down with sand bags for extra stability. It's also crazy heavy. While I didn't buy this tripod to take backpacking, I sometimes carry it a mile from my car to the shooting location, so weight matters. Finally, while I was prepared to spend $500 if I had to, I really didn't want to.
That left me the choice between the 058 & the 475, and it was a tough one. The one-button deployment and leveling of the 058 was very attractive, but the narrower tubing left me wondering if it would be as stiff as the 475. It also occurred to me that this is the kind of thing that might break, though this basic design has been around for a long time and I found reviews from people who said they've used theirs for 20 year and no reviews indicating premature breakage. The real argument for the 475 is price. A good tripod is very important, but it's not sexy. I wanted a Lee Big Stopper, and the price difference between the 475 & the 058 would just about pay for one. I went with the 475. (I'm still waiting for the back-ordered Big Stopper.)
The design of the tripod is good. The positional stops on the leg braces are stiff enough to stop where they should, but easy to get past when you want to. Once locked in place, they add good stiffness to the rig. Also, if they're all locked in the same place, you can release the center thumbscrew and fold in the legs regardless of the angle the legs were at. This is very convenient for repositioning the camera during a shoot. The center column operates smoothly, and won't fall under the weight of your camera if you forget to lock it.
The lower leg sections are the weak link. Once the lower sections are extended more than about 6" the flex becomes noticeable. While this isn't surprising, it is different from other tripods I've used where the center column is the greatest weakness. The first thing I did when I got the tripod was extend it to full height and was shocked by how much it flexed. It was a little less stable than the 055XPRO (with the column down), although almost 2' higher. It would be usable at that height, but not in challenging conditions.
Then I got realistic. With the lower legs sections fully closed and the center column fully down, the mounting plate is about 45" high and the tripod is like a solid block of aluminum. In this configuration with a ball head and camera on top, the viewfinder is about 52" high, which is pretty usable. Hang a sandbag from this configuration and you'll be fine for any length of exposure even on the windiest days. If you want to be more comfortable looking through the viewfinder, extend the lower legs and column about 5" each and the tripod is still solid, and is the perfect height for me at 5'11".
The center column is very stiff when raised & locked. I took a series of test shots with mirror lock-up disabled and the column at a variety of heights. The first shot I took where I could see the difference between the column fully retracted was with the column extended about 8". Of course you won't be shooting this way, but it indicates that the center column has good vibration damping ability up to about 7", and in light wind with mirror lock-up you can use it almost fully extended.
One thing noticeably absent from this tripod is a hook to hang a weight from. You could use the shoulder strap ring, but it's not well located and does nothing to dampen the center column vibration. The moveable part of the center column is equipped with a 3/8-16 stud on the bottom. This can be used to mount your ball head upside down to get very low angles or you can put a lifting eye on it to suspend a weight. Look for a lifting eye small enough to go inside the column tube (it took me a while to find one) so you can leave it on all the time.
All-in-all I got what I wanted, a very-stable, somewhat-portable tripod for a reasonable price. I wouldn't recommend this as a first tripod unless all your shooting will be studio portraits. Once you've got a quality portable, this is a good upgrade for studio or on location when you won't have to carry it very far.
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Unlocked GSM Smartphone with 8 MP
List Price: $799.99
Sale Price: $156.60
Today's Bonus: 80% Off
The phone has a very nice camera, not so good for low light pictures. Screen is amazing. Not to keen on having to update via computer, OTA updates would be great. Overall a very nice android phone
Canon PIXMA CLI-8Bk Ink Tank-Black
List Price: $14.99
Sale Price: $12.48
Today's Bonus: 17% Off
Just an FYI; the ink set shown here (CLI-8BK, CLI-8M, CLI-8C, and CLI-8Y) also match what's needed in the Canon PIXMA MP530, save for the Canon PGI-5BK 2PK (sold separately). (As of this writing, the MP530 is not listed in the compatible printer list, though the MP500 is. Considering how confusing all this typically gets, I thought I'd mention it.)
Price is great; even better if you're with Amazon Prime (free 2-day shipping and inexpensive overnight shipping).
Kodak DCS-14N 13.89MP Professional Digital SLR Camera
We owned the DCS-760 in our pro photo lab. The camera was great. Then, kodak came out with the DCS-14n as a replacement. It was a huge mistake. The DCS-14n's sensor is simply of lower quality, shadows sometimes come out magenta. There is also a flare issue. Grey gradients, depending on the density come out green or yellow. And there are other issues as well, but you get the point. In conclusion, the DCS-760 was a far better camera.
Kodak recommends the use of a good lens with the DCS-14n to eliminate flare. We used the same lens to test both cameras, and the tests were performed under the same conditions. The results were very clear to us: keep the DCS-760.
Kodak recommends the use of a good lens with the DCS-14n to eliminate flare. We used the same lens to test both cameras, and the tests were performed under the same conditions. The results were very clear to us: keep the DCS-760.
Cen-Tech High Resolution Digital Inspection Camera
Well first I must say I bought mine at H.F. don't want to use full name, but let me say this, this thing is awesome and probably the coolest thing I've bought and I'm a tool nut.
I buy stuff and get home and discover I already have it.
But this camera is just to cool, in even looked up my nose and boy what a mess after spending an hour on a grinder..LOL
Look this is great and you will be going around like looking down in the dryer vent, looking around in your car engine.
I think this is made by Autel and they have a site that has this product.
There are supposed to be longer video cables available put I can't find them.
The camera pictures are fantastic and the camera lens has a light led so you can see what your filming really clear, really a great tool or toy.
I got a really good deal on mine and really glad I bought it.
I am about to have some major dental work done, so I took this camera a made a video of my teeth as they are now and showed it to my dentist and he literally freaked out and thought this was the coolest thing he's ever seen.
He wants me to show him how to do what I did with the filming of my teeth and wants to make it a part of his practice, even offered me a discount if I'd show him how I did that, LOL.... it's a really cool device I'll tell you that you won't be disappointed, I am looking at everything including in my ear, so what the hay, it's really cool.
So, as I warned him the dentist that, he had better do a good job because I'm watching, and I'll be able to compare the before and after.
Takes pictures and video's
It has a light led on the end of the camera and the picture image is fantastic and just so clear, Wow is all I can say about this product.
Look around though as I see some people asking a lot of money for this and to me that's not right, as I paid $142.49, actual price on sale at H.F. was $189.99 plus I had a 25% off coupon so I got a really fantastic deal and I love it.
Now I just need to find out where to get the longer scope lens.
Buy one and you won't regret it, people are getting mad at me because I'm poking this camera around and taking pictures of my wifes eyeball..lol it's just so fun.
Have fun, oh and found the small leak I had in my Regal GS and it was the small plastic coolant elbow on the tension-er, and this is something you can't see even with a mirror.
Have fun... LOL Ya and I can save some money this year and bag the proctologist and just lube it up and take a look for myself, NOT just kidding, but you could.. but not recommended I'm sure...LOL oh boy!!
I buy stuff and get home and discover I already have it.
But this camera is just to cool, in even looked up my nose and boy what a mess after spending an hour on a grinder..LOL
Look this is great and you will be going around like looking down in the dryer vent, looking around in your car engine.
I think this is made by Autel and they have a site that has this product.
There are supposed to be longer video cables available put I can't find them.
The camera pictures are fantastic and the camera lens has a light led so you can see what your filming really clear, really a great tool or toy.
I got a really good deal on mine and really glad I bought it.
I am about to have some major dental work done, so I took this camera a made a video of my teeth as they are now and showed it to my dentist and he literally freaked out and thought this was the coolest thing he's ever seen.
He wants me to show him how to do what I did with the filming of my teeth and wants to make it a part of his practice, even offered me a discount if I'd show him how I did that, LOL.... it's a really cool device I'll tell you that you won't be disappointed, I am looking at everything including in my ear, so what the hay, it's really cool.
So, as I warned him the dentist that, he had better do a good job because I'm watching, and I'll be able to compare the before and after.
Takes pictures and video's
It has a light led on the end of the camera and the picture image is fantastic and just so clear, Wow is all I can say about this product.
Look around though as I see some people asking a lot of money for this and to me that's not right, as I paid $142.49, actual price on sale at H.F. was $189.99 plus I had a 25% off coupon so I got a really fantastic deal and I love it.
Now I just need to find out where to get the longer scope lens.
Buy one and you won't regret it, people are getting mad at me because I'm poking this camera around and taking pictures of my wifes eyeball..lol it's just so fun.
Have fun, oh and found the small leak I had in my Regal GS and it was the small plastic coolant elbow on the tension-er, and this is something you can't see even with a mirror.
Have fun... LOL Ya and I can save some money this year and bag the proctologist and just lube it up and take a look for myself, NOT just kidding, but you could.. but not recommended I'm sure...LOL oh boy!!