Sony HDR-TD10 High Definition 3D Handycam Camcorder with 10x

Customer Ratings:

I shot my first 3D movie in March 2010 using two Canon T2i cameras on a parallel 3D rig. Editing and rendering the footage was incredibly difficult; I used Sony Vegas to edit each view independently and Stereo Moviemaker to adjust the 3D effect. Finally, I was able to master a 3D Blu-ray using a beta version of NetBlender's DoStudio, a $10,000 program that included support for the 3D MVC codec.

Fast forward just over a year. The newly released 10.0d version of Sony Vegas natively supports the MVC codec, allowing 3D footage to be edited as easily as 2D footage. It also allows 3D Blu-rays to be burned directly from the timeline.

As for the camera itself: I was pleasantly surprised to find it exceeded my expectations. Color reproduction is exceptional, image stabailization is very good, and the glasses-free 3D display is extremely nice. Only the sound quality disappoints, but I almost never rely on built-in mics (opting instead for a Zoom H4N paired with an Audio Technica AT875R).

As an entry into the world of 3D, this camera is phenomenal. There are "prosumer" 3D cameras on the way, but for those who edit in Vegas, there's really no better or cheaper way to jump into the world of 3D shooting and editing today that with this camera.

For those without Vegas, editing a bit more difficult. Clips can be edited in-camera using some fairly simple software (you can even download music onto the camera to use as a soundtrack behind your clips). But you won't get nearly the performance you would get using dedicated editing software. And please note: Vegas is the ONLY software under $4000 currently offering the ability to manipulate MVC files. Premiere doesn't have it, nor does Final Cut Pro.

But for Vegas owners, or just those who love new tech, this camera come very highly recommended!

(I have shown this to a few colleagues unfamiliar with 3D and watched their faces light up with glee; one described it as "like traveling into the future." That's awesome.)

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Samsung LN37A550 37-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

Customer Ratings:

I bought the Samsung LN37A550 from Amazon in mid-May. I comparison shopped for several months, and found that the Samsung is on equal footing as the Sony Bravia XBR-Series KDL-37XBR6 37-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV and Sharp Aquos LC37D64U 37-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV models in performance, but (at the time) was more affordable than either. Here's an in-depth run-down of the top-of-the line models from each of those three brands using MY comparison criteria. Hopefully it helps you.

Price

These are prices from Amazon.com (not their "marketplace partners" or whatever they're called). I'd recommend purchasing from Amazon itself, as they offer the free "white-glove" delivery, which means that the delivery company will bring the TV into your house, unpack it, and haul away the packing materials. My TV was delivered 3 days after I ordered it, and many others who reviewed on this site have had the same experience.

Also, keep in mind Amazon's financing offers if you open an Amazon.com credit account see below for more details.

Samsung LN37A550: Retail is $1200. I've watched Amazon's price fluctuate between $1040 and $1200. Today the price is $1064, which is as good as I've seen. In addition, Samsung TVs often have financing deals mine was 1-year, no payments and no-interest financing, and I've also seen 18-month specials.

Sharp LC37D64U: Retail is $1400, and the fact that it was selling for about $1350 a month ago strongly influenced my decision. Today the price is $1016, which may have changed my purchase based solely on the size (Sharp is slightly narrower see below and the Samsung is a REALLY tight squeeze in my space). I have not seen ANY financing deals on Sharp TVs through Amazon pay it all up front.

Sony KDL-37XBR6: Retail is $1500. Today's price on Amazon is $1400 a major consideration (about $350 price difference), but there's also a 36 (read it again, 36) month no interest offer on this TV right now. Minimum monthly payments are required.

Contrast Ratio, Response Time, and Frame Refresh Rate

Keep in mind that different manufacturers use different methods to measure these specifications, so they can not be simply compared using numbers. All I can say is that I viewed them in a couple of different retail locations, and there is little difference in picture brightness / blurring between these models. All are capable of 1080p picture.

Samsung: 15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 5 ms response time. 60 hZ refresh rate.

Sharp: 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 6 ms response time. 60 hZ refresh rate.

Sony: 25,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and unpublished response time. 120 hZ refresh rate. The refresh rate is where the Sony has an advantage over the others. I'm not going to get into it here, but here's a great article from CircuitCity.com explaining refresh rate in clear, simple terms ( All I'll say is that, in-store with a BluRay disc, the 120 hZ setting on a 46" screen looked AWESOME. Some have complained that it produces a "soap-opera" effect. Not being a big fan of soap-operas, I have no idea what they are referring to. Personally, I don't think it's enough of a reason to spend the extra $300+, because of screen size. With a bigger 50"+ screen, your eye will catch blurring across the screen, but on a screen of this size I have never noticed any blurring with my 60 hZ model.

High-Def Inputs

These all have the HD connections below, along with Digital Audio outputs, and other (S-video and composite video, and stereo audio) inputs.

Samsung: 3 version 1.3 (latest) HDMI Inputs (2 in rear, 1 on side), 1 USB input (for viewing JPGs and listening to MP3s), 1 PC input, and 2 component video inputs.

Sharp: 2 HDMI Inputs (Amazon and Sharp's website don't say they are version 1.3, which is supposedly faster and therefore better quality), 1 PC input, and 2 component video inputs. Also has side inputs.

Sony: 4 HDMI Inputs (3 in rear, 1 on side; again, Amazon and Sony don't say version 1.3, but I would think it's GOT to be..... don't know why they wouldn't publish this, though), 1 PC input, and 2 component video inputs.

Sound

Most reviews I have read complain about the Samsung's sound quality (most common in complaint is that the speakers sound "tinny"). I turned off the speakers before I ever hooked the TV up to an input (I've got a surround sound system), so I can't speak to this. I bought the TV for the picture, not the sound, but if that's important to you, read other reviews. I've read a couple of complaints about the Sharp model, but they didn't seem quite so angry as the complaints regarding Samsung, so I'm guessing it's acceptable sound.

Size

Size can be a consideration for many in purchasing a TV of this size. I was space constrained only in width. If you've got space constraints and 37" in width, you might also consider the Toshiba REGZA 40RF350U Super Narrow 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV Super Narrow Bezel, which measures just 36.77" wide. I have not seen it in action, so I can't speak to it's performance, but other Toshiba LCDs that I HAVE seen did not compare to these 3 TVs in picture quality.

Samsung: 36.1 inches wide and 40 pounds with stand (32 pounds without)

Sharp: 35 and 23/64" wide (yes, some people really squeeze that tight) and 45 pounds with stand (39 without)

Sony: 36.3 inches wide and 47 pounds with stand (40 without)

Warranty

All of these TVs have 1 year parts / 1 year labor manufacturer warranties.

Additional features:

Each brand offers their own graphics processing engine that claims to be the greatest thing ever, as well as other features. One interesting feature which is really more of a marketing ploy is connecting other devices made by the same brand to this TV and just being able to use the TV's remote to control that device. For example, buy a Sony TV and a Sony Blu-Ray player, and you can control the Blu-Ray player without reprogramming your remote. Good if you don't want to buy a Universal Remote, but I see it more as a way to get you to buy more components from that brand. Your choice!

So there you have it. I can say with a lot of certainty that you will be pleased with any of these three models, and it's more a matter of preference for a certain brand, pricing sensitivity, and the sound issue that you have to make up your mind. As for me, I couldn't be happier with my Samsung purchase.

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Pentax K-r 12.4 MP Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $749.95
Sale Price: $629.00
Today's Bonus: 16% Off

My husband got this for me as a replacement to my aging Nikon D70. First the color, I love it. It is a true red, and not a pinkish color. The camera has a good weight to it and feels very sturdy without being to heavy. The attached lens works well and produces good images. I am a hobby/enthusiast and am starting to study photography, this camera more then does the job. Best thing is that the anti-shake technology is built into the camera, and that makes the lenses much cheaper. Having come from Nikon, where the anti-shake is in the lens, this is a huge relief. the same lenses are considerably less expensive. It will also take any Pentax lens ever made, and that is huge. You can find good used lenses at photo shops and second hand stores and save a bundle!

I am still learning the menu systems but they are pretty smooth so far. If you mess up your settings, there is a reset function that will reset all of your settings back to factory, and the auto setting always works. It seems to write to the disk pretty fast too. It also does HDR shooting. I am still playing with this so I can't speak to the quality of those images yet.

I am very happy with this camera, and I will be sticking with Pentax!!

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Sony EVI-D70 Color PTZ Camera with Power supply and Remote

Customer Ratings:

We bought this camera for our UX testing lab. We've been doing a lot of work with tablets and mobile devices. We mounted this camera on the ceiling and run it into a computer as the primary input for Morae Observer. It captures high-quality video of tablet screens along with the hands of the participants during the test. Being able to pan/tilt/zoom remotely during testing is very useful. If you buy this, be sure to get a USB VISCA CONTROL/VIDEO/POWER CONNECTION KIT and a USB video capture device.

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Nintendo DSi XL Red Bundle with Mario Kart

Customer Ratings:

I was very excited about this DSi ever since I heard about it, and having received it I am very happy with my purchase. I already had a DSi but I like the monstrously large screens on the XL and this special edition was a perfect excuse as I sort of collect these things too anyway. The "Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary" print and special logos on the top are very well done and are under the surface so will not scratch off, and the red is a nice sort of darker shade solid red. Glossy on the top surface and a pleasant matte finish around the sides and back which is great because you can avoid fingerprints this way.

The ONLY downside to the DSi in general, are the DSiWare games, in which once you purchase them, they are locked to that specific system. So for me who had a handful of titles downloaded on my older DSi, I could not transfer them as Nintendo won't yet allow it. More people need to complain to them about that!

Anyway, all in all, very satisfied, highly recommended. A MUST for collectors and definitely worth it for first time DS buyers or anyone who likes the screen size here and wants a great library of games available on the platform.

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Acer Aspire One AO756-2641 11.6-Inch Laptop (Ash Black)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $329.99
Sale Price: $299.98
Today's Bonus: 9% Off

I wouldn't call it the most sophisticated tech I ever bought, but after downloading Microsoft Office Home and Student (purchased separately), it's an affordable option that meets my needs. I think that's the key to any technology purchase--know your needs. Mine are emailing, writing, research, surfing, shopping, socializing, and other pretty low-level uses. If these are your needs as well, this is the machine for you.

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Lowepro Pro Roller Lite 250 AW Digital SLR Camera Case

Customer Ratings:

I do a lot of traveling and my old backpack style camera case wasn't convenient. My husband found the Lowepro ad in one of his sail magazines. Just used it for travel to FL. I LOVE it, so nice to finally be able to take EVERYTHING along.

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Fujifilm Quick Snap Waterproof 35mm Single Use Camera

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $15.99
Sale Price: $9.01
Today's Bonus: 44% Off

On a recent trip to Tahiti I believe I have tried about every kind of one-time use underwater camera on the market (i.e., Kodak Max Sport; Kodak Max Wet, and Konica Waterproof Camera and the Fuji). All of the cameras worked fine snorkeling, although I found the Konica and the Kodak Max Wet to be more difficult to use. [The Konica was a little difficult to see through the view finder with a mask on, and the Kodak Max Wet, most annoyingly had the strap and the photo button on opposite sides of the camera! A real disadvantage to a right handed person. As a result you essentially had to use two hands to take a photo, one to hold the camera and the other to depress the button. Any of these cameras will work fine for snorkeling, however the best were the Fuji and Kodak Sport. Keep in mind that all underwater photos will look a bit blue, however, snorkeling in the lagoon in Tahiti the blue was not really noticeable.

Here's the part I really like, now I admit, contrary to manufacturer recommendations, I did take both the Fuji camera and the Kodak Max Wet camera with me Scuba Diving. According to manufacturer directions the Fuji camera's recommended depth is 17 feet [which is the deepest of any one-time use camera on the market]. On my dives we never went deeper than about 22 feet. The problem with diving with these cameras is the pressure you can take a photo just fine, but due to the pressure you will be unable to wind the film. However, I used the Fuji camera without any problems -I was always able to wind the film and the photos came out wonderfully -although they were blue. The Kodak Max Wet camera continually would freeze up, thus in order to take a photo you would have to snap the picture, go up several feet, wind the film then go back down -not very convenient and as a result I took very few photos. Although the photos I did take with this camera came out well, although they too were blue. The other benefit to the Fuji camera is that it is easier to use in the water, the button to take a photo is much easier to handle and there is a very large knob for winding the film, which is especially handy if you are wearing gloves.

The knob is a real drawback for both the Kodak Max Wet and the Konica cameras -I found those two cameras to be much more difficult to wind and may be near impossible if you are wearing dive gloves. Also with the Fuji and the Kodak Max Sport, the strap, the button and winder are all on the right side, which makes this camera very easy to use for a right-handed person.

In summary, if you go snorkeling I would recommend the Fuji camera or the Kodak Max Sport. ... And, if you do plan to go Scuba diving, give the Fuji a try.

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Gateway DX4380-UR23 Desktop (Black)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $549.99
Sale Price: $529.99
Today's Bonus: 4% Off

This desktop computer is very quiet and effortless in it's operation. The included keyboard and mouse is an after thought but you can easily upgrade to a better one of your choice. I do recommend this computer to anyone looking for a new desktop for their home or office that also performs at gaming speeds.

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Lowepro Vertex 300 AW Backpack

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $399.99
Sale Price: $224.32
Today's Bonus: 44% Off

I just returned form two weeks in Alaska and found the Lowepro Vertex 300 was what I expected from Lowepro. I found that it easily stored in the overhead bin and was easy to carry in the field. I carried a Nikon D100 and F100 both with the extended battery packs, a 170-500mm Sigma Telephoto, two additional lenses, an Epson P-3000, DX-80 Flash, various Cokin filters, extra batteries, chargers, flashlight, 20 rolls of film, manuals, tools, canned air and a Gitzo 2530 with no problem. So, as you can see I had just about everything but the kitchen sink! The ability to carry this by it's top strap made it easy to get around. The build quality is very good also. I will purchase Lowepro again!

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ePhotoInc Carbon Fiber Steady Cam Rig DSLR Video Camera

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,599.99
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus: 53% Off

Incredibly complete steady rig. I was terrified I would receive a picture instead of the rig itself for no more than I paid for it. It's the real deal medium duty steady cam rig that sells for $1500 to $2000 under a different name. Other than putting it on backwards the first time because I'm that person, lol. Works perfect and adjust from nothing on the glider to 20lbs. of camera matte box filters & field monitor. Many thanks for saving a ton of $$.

OTVWX

Open Trail Video WorX

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Apple iPod nano 8 GB Pink (6th Generation) (Discontinued

Customer Ratings:

Got this thing for my wife for her birthday and it completely died the 2nd day she had it. The Apple store would not exchange it for a new one but they would let me make an appointment to come back and have someone look at it to tell me what I already knew it wouldn't turn on. They still would not give us a new one but would offer us a refurbished one..... when they got one in stock.....??? So they told us they would call us when 1 came in so we could come back a third time to get a refurb (one that has already been defective and hopefully repaired) for a unit that died on day 2.

Btw, read the news, you'll see Apple is now the #1 most valuable company in the world. Now that they are the big dog instead of the underdog, I'm sure they can get away with this kind of attitude and people will still buy their pretty, overpriced junk.

Thumbs up to Amazon though, they always do their customers right when it comes to returns!

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Olympus E-600 Digital SLR Camera, with 14mm - 42mm f3.5-5.6 & ED

Customer Ratings:

I bought this because I have been an Olympus camera fan for over 20 years. I began with a 35mm film SLR It was the best camera I have ever used, until now. This camera (E600) has a lot of features, which are pretty standard for a DSLR in this price range; being used to a totally manual film camera, I was a bit intimidated at first, but after a half day of shooting, I figured out a lot without any trouble at all

The E600 is excellent I have not a single negative comment to add. The only possible issue I could see is the LCD screen it's on a swivel connection. This has both pro and con to it. The pro is that the screen can be turned LCD side inward and this will protect the screen; the con is the fact that the swivel connection could, possibly, develop a loose electrical connection only time and a lot of use will tell. The solution to the con side is to leave the screen with the LCD side out and use a screen protection film they can be had almost anywhere.

While in the decision making mode, I have gone to various stores and held other similar priced cameras in my hands, both the Cannons and Nikons felt a little cheap "plasticy" if you will.

Hands down, this is a VERY nice camera outfit.

Also, the seller had this at my door within 2 days of purchase that is outstanding.

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Equinox Underwater DSLR Housing for Canon 5D MARK III

Customer Ratings:

I just got it the other day and haven't dove with it yet. This is my first non-glorified-ziplock style housing.

It seems like they assembled it in a hurry because there were a few things that concern me: The o-ring on the "zoom" knob is bulging out just a bit, 1 of the 5 screws that hold the front lens port was missing and 1 of them was only half way in, the "internal adjustable ballast" is nowhere to be found and neither is the carrying strap.

I emailed Equinox about these issues with pictures and they said that it shouldn't affect the function... we'll see

It's bigger than i thought it would be, which isn't bad. It's not too hard to figure everything out. The internal control arms are able to be pulled outward in order to fit the camera in and to reach other buttons.

It seems like the housing was made specifically for the 16-35mm 2.8L ii because the zoom and focus bands line up perfectly for it. The housing also fits 50mm 1.2L but neither of the bands work well to use for manually focus. The 100mm 2.8 also fits well but i haven't tested MF. There is no vignetting with any of the lenses i've tested so far and image quality seems to be really good (no worse than using a low end UV filter).

There is no control arm for the index wheel (near the shutter button) so i epoxied a small nail to the WB control arm (which is useless unless you have the ability to control the index wheel) so that it could reach the index wheel and it seems to be working so far.

I plan to update this review after i dive with it mid June 2013.

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ASUS G75VW-DS73-3D 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black)

Customer Ratings:

Pro: A cheaper high end gaming laptop that's comparable to Alienware. It has 3d function making your gaming experience much more in depth. Screen is sharp and will not glare. Keyboard is crisp with a metallic gun finish. Blue-ray player is always a nice addition along with the back lit key for working in the dark. Internal memory and hard drive is easy accessible for upgrade. 1.5 Tb harddrive is massive.

Con: Some bugs with the sound system where the subwoofer doesn't turn off until the lowest decibel. The resting pad is changed into a foamy texture instead of the soft rubber texture from G74x. This version comes with only 12 Gb instead of 16 Gb, but you have an easy access slot for expand. There are 2 hard drives but they are both partitioned giving you 4 smaller hard drives, not sure why they did that. 3D function is great but it turns down the screen resolution when in use and makes your backlit keyboard into a strobe light. Kinda wish they had one of the hard drive for loading OS as SSD.

Conclusion: This is a great machine, you will like it if you can afford it. The 3D function is the key here, so if you don't really care for that, go with the G75vw-DS72. It is a faster computer for $100 less.

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Motorola RAZR V3 Unlocked Phone with Camera, and Video Player

Customer Ratings:

This is my first review ever. This is also the first time I have ever ordered something from Amazon that was not what I expected.

The phone does work. It was also new, as stated. Works fine. This does not appear to be a US version though.

1.) The included manual has a table of contents going up to page 100+... The last page of the manual cuts off at page 80-something. It also says in the back to contact Motorola-Asia for assistance. Not a deal breaker, but this may indicate the level of detail of the seller.

2.) I say this does not appear to be a US version because I have two (2) used U.S. Razr v3's in my briefcase right now and this is just not quite the same. This seems it might be a U.K. version.

My 2 previously purchased US versions do NOT have the extra button above the wheel/pad. This seems to be the only visual distinction...which results in...

No such things as "missed calls" on this phone. It is classified as a Received Call, but either has a "check" or "no check" next to the entry seemingly indicative of it being a missed call or not.

Speed dial assignments (1 though 9) are 4 digit values (1001 through 1009).

Cannot lock Smart Key on phone exterior.

No light illuminated when charging.

"Center" is spelled "Centre"

Installed graphics are not even remotely the same.

Doesn't seem that time will auto-set.

Doesn't even use the same battery part # as my 2 other U.S.-purchased phones.

That is why I do not believe this to be a U.S. Version phone as stated.

I am not very happy about this. I am going to seek to get this resolved. This is why I purchased this from Amazon because I believe they will make this right.

End

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SanDisk Cruzer 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive (SDCZ36-008G-A11)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $11.15
Sale Price: $9.94
Today's Bonus: 11% Off

I usually don't review stuff i got off here b/c that'd be too many.

BUT i believe this is an interesting thing right here.

I have no comments on how this USB works, because it works perfectly fine for me.

I like that this doesn't need a cap because it goes into itself like a turtle.

The thing i wanted to post was that it survived the washing machine.

No i didn't realize i had it in my pocket and until i took everything out of the washer, it was just right there.

I was like, crap, $15 down the wash and then i'd have to replace it.

Surprisingly it worked, every other electronic item just dies in there!

That is the total point to this review, so if you just happen to forget it in your pocket, it may work! *I don't advise you to actually purposefully put your USB in the wash now, but you forget its in your pocket.*

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