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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Canon Powershot SX510 HS CMOS 12.1MP 1080p 30x Optical Zoom

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $319.99
Sale Price: $259.95
Today's Bonus: 19% Off

I have bought this camera for my granddaughter for a Christmas present.

I had already purchased when she told me this was the camera she wants.

Thank Goodness.

Had an issue with shipping and seller was very prompt about fixing the problem

I will buy from them again!!

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Archos 80 G9 8GB - Classic

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $269.99
Sale Price: $141.35
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

This is the best Archos tablet I've ever used and almost as good as any other tablet on the market as well. As with cell phones, choosing a tablet is a very personal endeavor. It all depends on what you like personally. Well, I like Android. Over the past year, I've had several Android tablets (I work in IT and test new devices to better help my users and being a geek, I like to play with new equipment). Up until the G9 released, my day to day tablet was an Archos 70; last year's model from them. It was a very good tablet for the price but not a top of the line product. I reviewed it on Amazon; go read that review for more info if you like. The single biggest problem with the 70 was that it didn't have enough RAM which resulted in lackluster performance; basically, it was a little sluggish and at times, very sluggish. But overall, I liked it very much and used it all the time.

Well, this new one from Archos is great! Archos increased the RAM by 50% (Archos, you need to go to 1GB or more!!!) which greatly improved the responsiveness of the device; add in the dual core CPU and you end up with a very nice product. The overall physical design is basically the same as their last generation tablets and they take a lot of hits from reviewers on the design that I think are undeserved. Their design is different to be sure but they still build a quality device. Hint to Reviewers: not every tablet needs to look like an iPad!!! The screen on the G9 is bright and of better quality than the last generation and works well.

I've found the G9 to be pretty stable; that wasn't true of Archos' last generation of tablets. Their last generation were somewhat unstable initially but were improved upon with firmware updates to the point where my 70 was about as stable as any other tablet I've ever used. My G9 was stable but did lock up twice on the first weekend I had it. I know that doesn't sound like the definition of stable but after that first weekend, it worked for quite a while without another lockup. There have been a couple of updates since the initial release and after the last update, I have had a few more lockups. I expect Archos will fix that issue soon; judging from their track record with such fixes. When it locks up, sometimes the screen freezes and I have to reboot it to get it going again; this usually happens on the lock screen. And every now and then, the screen won't come on when the power button is pressed and requires a reboot. This does not happen every day or anything like that; probably more like once a week maybe... After the first firmware update, it was rock solid, no freezes, but the last one created a bug somewhere that causes these freezes. I fully expect that Archos will fix this soon.

UPDATE: I received another firmware update from Archos not long after writing this review and my tablet has been extremely stable ever since; several weeks now.

Overall, I find the Archos 80 G9 to be a very good value. There are definitely areas where it can be improved though. I've read reviews where it was criticized for button placement; in my opinion, the reviews I've read have unfairly weighted this issue. The buttons could certainly be better placed or better designed (they need to be designed so that they aren't pressed accidentally) but once a user begins to account for where they are, the buttons cease to be an issue. The speaker on this model is in the back which means you can't hear it as well as one in the front. My 70 has two speakers, one on either side of the screen on the front and sounds great but the 80's speaker is not as well placed. I rarely use the speaker though; being a mobile device, it is used with ear buds most of the time. The camera in every Archos tablet I've ever used is horrible. I don't buy them for the camera but there is definitely room for improvement there. On the 70, the SD card rested flush with the side of the tablet; on the 80, it sticks out a little. It doesn't get in the way but I would rather it fit flush. Archos tablets have a built-in kickstand which is a nice feature but I like the one on the 101 from last year better than the one the 80 has; it's still a nice feature though. This device plays video and music very well. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Netflix app works on it out of the box; that wasn't true of previous models. And lastly, the battery life is as advertised. I haven't actually tried to run the battery down to get an accurate test of the battery life but I use it daily for hours at a time and have yet to run it out of juice. So, I estimate that the battery life is as advertised. Also, previous Archos models had good daily battery life but didn't manage the battery well when it was idle (they actually improved on this in later firmware releases); this model shipped with a good battery management system and performs well enough to compete with other tablets I've used and tested.

In comparison to other tablets, I think the 80 competes very well, especially considering the price. My 15 year old son has an Asus Transformer and that is a very nice Android tablet. I would say the Transformer is a better tablet (better screen, a little faster and designed to compete with mainstream tablets) but because it costs so much more, not necessarily a better buy. I have an iPad as well and the Archos 80 isn't quite as responsive as an iPad and the iPad has a better screen; but for the price, the Archos 80 G9 is a very compelling alternative. I think the most useful comment I can make about the Archos 80 G9 is that even though I have other tablets (including an iPad) and though I'm in a position that I can literally have any tablet I want, I use this tablet as my primary day to day device. I think that should speak volumes to anyone considering purchasing this tablet.

I won't speak to the specs on the tablet, you can find those facts here or on Archos' website; but the reasons I like this device are that it fits in my pocket (back pants pocket; ladies it will fit in many purses and bags as well), it does everything I need it to do and at a price that is more in line with where I think all tablets should be. It's a little heavier than I had hoped it would be, when compared to the Archos 70 I had previously been using, and slightly thicker as well but still comfortable to use. The size factor is one of the biggest advantages to me. Most tablets are 10 inches and that makes them less portable in my opinion. I like being able to slip the tablet into my back pocket when I'm on the move.

Well, I could say more but I've probably said enough. So I'll close by saying that this is a tablet I'd feel comfortable recommending to anyone. The only major shortcoming I see today for this tablet is that you can't get the 3G card for it in the US yet (probably other countries as well but I'm in the US so this is the one that affects me). I did ask their support if they plan on releasing the 3G card for the US and they confirmed that they do, but didn't know when we would see it. But for a Wi-Fi only user, this is a very good value!

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Sony NEX-6 16.1MP Compact Interchangeable Lens w/ 3" LED Screen

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,403.00
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus: 29% Off

This is an exceptional camera. For many years I have been a Leica and Nikon fan, thinking that these brands offered state of the art photography. Three years ago I purchased a Sony DSC-HX7v and was astounded at the picture quality, but was disappointed with my inability to see the LCD screen outdoors. With this in mind, I purchased the Sony NEX 6 with its electronic viewfinder, though I was concerned about the quality of the 16-55 kit lens that had been discounted by reviewers. Accordingly, I purchased an adapter so I could use my favorite Leica Summicron 40mm and Elmar 90mm lenses. Again, I was surprised. Using a tripod, I took pictures with the kit lens and the Summicron. Both were equally sharp, but the color rendition of the Sony G zoom lens was a slightly more vivid than the Leica product. I like the benefit of a lighter and more compact camera with all the features I want in a DSLR. In the past, I thought Sony made cameras for casual photographers, but am now impressed with the exceptional quality of their digital cameras and camcorders.

My principal objection to the NEX 6 is that its WiFi and the Sony software program require PCs. Sony should recognize that serious photographers also use Apple products.

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Centon 32 GB Class 10 SDHC Flash Memory Card 32GBSDHC10

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $32.46
Today's Bonus: 46% Off

Trust me, if you want to save your video and pictures then DO NOT PURCHASE THIS CARD! I tried to rate this 0 STARS, but Amazon wouldn't let me.

We purchased two of these cards for such a great price only a week ago. We needed extra memory for our camcorder (Sony HDR-CX150) and a higher end digital camera (Nikon D7000) that we were taking on a trip. It would have been better to have nothing than to have these worthless cards.

The first day we tried to watch the 20-30 minutes of video we had recorded just to have the camera say the memory card was not formated. I was disappointed, but just figured we had messed up, and we still had about 100+ still pictures of the day (I thought). The next day was fine, and then when I went to look through some pictures on the Nikon the next morning I noticed I was missing everything I had shot the first two days and part of the third day; yes over 300 shots that were just gone. During that day I tried shooting and then reviewed the pictures. Three seperate times that day the pictures just vanished into the memory card. The video camera: you guessed it all the video we took (over 3 hours worth) just disappeared. Needless to say this has been THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT EVER as far as any memory card problem is concerned. When we got home (30 minutes ago) I ran a data recovery program on the card, and got nothing.

I will say that if you could get 32 GBs for $40 that would be good but ours never held more than 1 GB before erasing itself. The write speed didn't seem to be class 10 because when I tried to shoot in continuos mode for my Nikon I could only get about 5 shots before it quit shooting; I get the same results from a class 2 card I used when I first purchased the camera, and I get a little better results with a class 4 card I have put back into the camera after getting rid of this one. Overall this card was unusable as you may have read. In summary this has been the worst puchase ever, and I've already got my return label printed out. SAVE YOURSELF THE TIME AND BUY SOMETHING RELIABLE!!!

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Nikon COOLPIX L26 16.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Zoom NIKKOR

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $99.00
Sale Price: $89.99
Today's Bonus: 9% Off

I wanted to love this camera based on the other reviews, but it came up short for me. Because I do a lot of high-resolution scrapbooks and greeting cards featuring my kids, I needed a camera that could outshine the 8MP camera on my iPhone (and let's face it, the iPhone's zoom feature is a joke). 16MP was more than enough, and the pictures came out beautiful, but there's a fatal flaw on this camera I just can't ignore:

It's useless for children. My toddlers move -fast-, and the shutter speed on this camera is absolutely appalling. By the time the camera is able to capture the shot, the moment is completely lost and gone, and that's 50% of the reason I wanted a new camera (the MP resolution being the other 50%). At least now I know when I go to buy a different camera to watch for this feature. I find it incredible that my phone captures photos more instantaneously than a Nikon.

If all you take is still shots, this may be the camera for you. I was impressed with the photo quality, the make of the camera, the ease of use, and the controls. The zoom feature is great but again, much too slow to capture the nanosecond of time children are stationary. The 3" LCD is also very good quality and the auto-focus works very well. The auto scene settings are really all you need to create great photos.

All in all, this is a good, but not a great buy. I can't overlook the Achilles' heel of the ultra-slow shutter, but I would recommend this for someone who only needs still or landscape portraiture.

UPDATE 4/5/12: after returning this camera (thanks Amazon), I purchased the Panasonic DMC25K. Although about $35.00 separates these cameras, I was more than satisfied with my new purchase. The Panasonic's shutter speed, controls, and scene modes are far superior for such a small price difference. If you're shopping around with a little flexibility in price, I can't recommend the Panasonic DMC25K enough over this Nikon.

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H1 Camera Kit

Customer Ratings:

The innovative H1 lets you switch from manual or autofocus, and accepts digital backs, like the Leaf Valeo 22, letting you switch between digital and analog shooting. In the past, many professional photographers have shied away from auto-focus cameras, complaining that the slow speed of the auto-focus let valuable shots slip away. Quite often it was simply quicker, not to mention more reliable, to focus manually. The H1, however, offers lightning fast, super-accurate focusing under almost any conditions, guaranteeing that even the most fleeting of instants can be frozen accurately and clearly. And the auto-focus features an instant override function, enabling easy access to manual focusing without leaving the auto-focus mode. And under the sleek outer casing of the H1 lies a lightweight, high-strength aluminum core surrounded by a solid stainless steel housing ensuring reliable and durable performance under even the toughest of conditions and for many years to come. In addition, the H1 s central lens shutter design enables virtually vibration-free exposures at even the longest shutter speeds and makes the H1 capable of flash-synchronization at all shutter speeds, up to 1/800 of a second. Specifications: Type: Auto-focus, auto-exposure SLR camera Image Format: 6 x 4.5cm Focus Type: Automatic or manual with instant manual focus override Film Back System: Digital or film back for both 120 and 220 film types Light Metering System: Built-in, multi-mode system Drive Modes: Single and continuous Shutter Speed: Electronically controlled lens shutter with speeds ranging from 18 hours to 1/800 s including Band T-mode. Flash control: TTL center-weighted system, can be used with the built-in flash or a wide variety of flashes compatible with the SCA3002 (Metz) system using adapter SCA3902 Exposure Metering: Multi-mode exposure metering using 90deg. reflex viewfinder

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Sony T Series DSC-T99/G 14.1 Megapixel DSC Camera with Super HAD

Customer Ratings:

My first Sony camera was a Mavica (loved it and still have it). My second camera was a 8.1 MP DSC-N1 (BEST camera I have EVER owned and have had it for five years). This one is my third. I wish I could say that I was excited and pleased about this one as I've been about the other two, but I'm not. Not even close. Since I was so pleased with the first two cameras I had NO problem being brand-loyal and staying with Sony. I did look at other digital cameras to see what they had and basically no one had everything I was looking for in one camera like Sony. 14.1 MP, HD video recording, different shooting modes, and a compact size. I'm no pro but I know about my digital cameras. Since my DSC-N1 broke (sniff) I immediately compared this camera to that one. It had to be better right?

Wrong. Glaringly wrong! For starters the touch screen isn't as nearly clear as the DSC and the picture quality is FAR from what I expected. Going from an 8.1 MP to a 14.1 MP, I should have seen a dramatic change in picture quality. Actually... I did. But in the opposite direction. How can an 8.1 produce clearer shots than a 14.1? And they both have the Carl Zeiss lens! When I download the pictures to my computer and blow them up there is a definite and quite obvious difference in the picture quality. Not cool. The other thing that is very frustrating is the "fishbowl" effect on the edge of the pictures. The middle of the picture is OK but the outer edges look like I gave this camera to Aqua-Man and told him to go for it. Having my pictures look like that is unforgivable. I have tried different settings, mixing and matching but nothing seems to get rid of that "fishbowl" effect.

I was trying to be "smart" and not get the camera I wanted because of the money. Next time I'll know better. This was an expensive lesson to learn but I've learned it. I'm so frustrated with this camera I threw it up on Craigslist barely two weeks after I got it to try and get rid of it. Unfortunately the only takers I've had have been the "I'll send you a money order" scammers. This camera comes with all the bells and whistles but unfortunately the important ones, pictures and picture quality, fall way way short.

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Night Owl Security STA-84 Night Owl Security 8 Channel STA DVR

Customer Ratings:

I have been using this system now for over 6 months. It has never crashed, and has actually saved me in a legal matter. A major delivery company delivered 3 laptops to my home, leaving them on my porch except they really only delivered 2! Caught on tape! BAM, no problem getting that claim paid extremely quickly.

The set up of the dvr is not entirely intuitive. It does include a helpful CD/DVD installation media; which includes a full manual, and software for most every platform for controlling and viewing the cameras. The best resource is the company's website. They have a very robust website, with video links to every imaginable question answered and demonstrated on film.

You could just stick up the cameras, plug them in, and everything would work. No doubt, most will want to delve in a bit to customize some of the settings.

I will break this into 2 sections. The DVR itself including software, and the cameras.

The DVR:

It is black in color, light weight, and housed in a metal case. The are multiple ports on the back for up to 16 bnc connectors, Video out: vga (dsub) and BNC (includes adapter BNC to RCA plug), usb mouse, ethernet, pan tilt and zoom, and DC power supply input.

You should know that if you are putting this near your entertainment stack, there is an annoying red light that will incessantly blink when motion is detected and the unit is recording. You can obviously fix this with a bit of tape.

The interface is a bit quirky, but you can figure it out fairly quickly. Mostly, left click selects, and right click takes you back. Somehow the network autoconfigure, automatically opened all of the necessary ports on my Verizon FIOS router. I am capable of accomplishing this task, but it was nice not to have to worry about it. The main port that need to be opened is 9000 (media) and port 80 (web) on your network. You will also need your IP address. (this is the ip for your router, not your computer) visit ipchicken . com to find it quickly.

!!!!!> !!!!!

I do not recall seeing it anywhere in the manual but you MUST set a user name AND password for any of the network stuff to work.

You will need to adjust the color for your cameras. None of my cameras had good color by default. I was able to achieve pretty good results by fooling around with the color options in the camera control submenu.

Other than setting the motion areas (accomplished by clicking and dragging) and color recording time slots, if you choose that -there is not much else use for the dvr's menus. Most everything else you will do through the web interface.

I did not use the DNS web address that is offered. I used the nightowl dvr software (NETVIEWER) that is available from the website or off of the cd. It is very robust, and allows for a multitude of options. From the nightowl dvr software menu you can designate cameras to send you digital snaps when motion is detected (you need a gmail address). To use NETVIEWER you need to have port 9000 open on your router. Then input your ip address (ip chicken remember) the user name (you pick) and password (no restrictions here).

From netviewer you can play back captured footage. Simply select a date, and a channel (camera), you will then be presented with a time-stamped list of all the recordings for that date. As you play back these files, they are automatically saved to your computer. The default path is under "Local Settings". Once these files have been downloaded, you can really easily convert them to standard *.avi file using the converter that is on the included dvd (or download from website). it takes mere seconds and I used it to give to the police, and the delivery company.

There are Pan/Tilt/Zoom features available in the Netviewer console as well, however none of the included cameras have this feature.

You can also playback LIVE video only, using an iPad or iPhone. The Nightowl app is available in the app store. It is a drag that you can only view live video, but their support team has assured me that you will have that ability in an upcoming release.

One GREAT use for this is checking to see if your amazon delivery has been left on your porch yet or not!

Overall the DVR does exactly what it claims. I have a 500gb drive, and I still don't think I have begun to overwrite yet (another feature you can set from the DVR interface). The playback is clear, and reliable. The motion capture record works very well. You can have it capture june bugs flying around, up to squirrels, or only catch the delivery driver stealing your laptops.

THE CAMERAS:

They are a step up from total crap. They do not fogup, so far none have failed, and if they do get a little rain on them, it tends to roll off quickly. I did treat mine with rain-x so they work even better now, but it was never a problem before through rain, sleet, AND snow.

You get 8 with the STA186. They are all the same. A hooded full metal body, and painted metal base. The cameras are connected to the dvr via the included BNC+DC combo cables that are included. I think they are all 60ft long. I needed 2 cables of 100ft, which I found here on amazon for a very reasonable price. The power is provided by 2 included DC power supplies (some people call them transformers). Each power supply powers 4 cameras (there is a sort of Hydra connector that turns the single plug into 4). Be sure to note the 'sex' of your cables before you run them. It matters which way the power plug goes! I was in some pretty inhospitable spots with my install and would never want to have to go back. I used a 5/8" speed bore for my cable runs to get through. This is a fairly tight squeeze that requires you to first push through the BNC connector, then power connector. A little expanding foam or caulk will fix the hole.

The camera mount is secured by 3 screws. The included screws are total crap you will likely want to use your own. You will want to the have the cameras removed from the base while mounting the bases. The camera is easily removed from the base by unscrewing the set screw that allows the camera to rotate around a recessed collar. The further adjustment of the camera is accomplished by a ball-socket connection that can be secured using the finger adjustment nuts.

A helpful hint I used was to have the iPad on the ladder with me as I adjusted the cameras.

One issue with the cameras is the night-vision feature sometimes creates some distortion in medium-low light. When the camera is getting confused as to whether to run in night mode or full color. Speaking of Night mode they shine here. The night vision feature is excellent, and in some ways more clear than the full color.

My overall impression is very good on the system as a whole. The biggest complaint is the camera quality. The DVR interface is a little less than intuitive but the NetViewer software is excellent. iOS APP works great on the iPhone and the iPad.

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Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR DX AF-S ED Zoom-Nikkor Lens

Customer Ratings:

I am really happy with this lense. After review an all other lense I purchased this lense. This is newely introduced by Nikon. night photography aslo work very fine. This is Truely VR lense.Its take Crystal and sharp and right digital color immage at 300mm as well.

Only issue that, its little bit heavy due to its base build by metal which is good.

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Sony DSLR SAL30M28 30mm F/2.8 Alpha Digital SLR Camera Lens

Customer Ratings:

For an amateur photographer (like me) this is definitely a good value. The centerpiece of the kit is the Sony macro lens that delivers good results at a reasonable price. The other components of the kit are well chosen and together make a good set. As a hobby photographer who just bought the first non-compact camera (the amazing Sony SLT-A55V) I am neither terribly picky nor a super expert, but at least at my level this kit is a fully satisfactory combination. Delivery was on time and everything went as expected.

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ONA The Union Street Camera and Laptop Bag - Smoke

Customer Ratings:

I am a huge fan of this bag. I have been using it for more than a year now, and have yet to find a bag I like more. While it can be a little tight, it definitely holds my 15" MacBook Pro, full size camera body, and 2 or three lenses. The bag is extremely durable. It has been my working bag through weddings, urban shoots, nature hikes, trips, etc. I am hard on my gear, and the bag has held up great. ONA has been really great to me as a customer as well. If I ever have to replace this bag, ONA will be the first bag company I look at. Read my full review of the bag at

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ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-PU1X-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 10.5 Hour

Customer Ratings:

There are three US versions of the Asus 1005HA:

Best Buy offers the 1005HA-B for $299 (plus tax). It features the N270 (1.6GHz 533FSB) cpu, glossy display, 3-Cell 23Wh Li-ion Battery (4 hrs), and a 1.3MP webcam. Excluded are the Bluetooth module, 10GB online Eee storage, and netbook sleeve. This is obviously the "Basic" model. I was able to demo this unit at Best Buy on June 27th, and IMO you are giving up quite a bit for the ~$60 savings over the 'P' model. Not to mention that as of now Asus will not sell you a spare 3 or 6-cell Li-Ion battery.

The 1005HA-V is in the middle of the bunch and the only one with a matte display. Those that frequently work outdoors or despise reflections will appreciate the matted display. It also features a N270 cpu, 6-cell 48Wh Li-ion Battery (8.5 hrs), 0.3MP webcam (according to Amazon specs, but it may in fact be 1.3MP), no Bluetooth, and absent again is the netbook sleeve.

So in a nutshell (or would that be seashell?) the 1005HA-P offers the faster N280 cpu, glossy display, 1.3MP webcam, 6-Cell 63Wh Li-ion Battery with a whopping 10.5 hrs run time, Bluetooth v2.1, and a black netbook sleeve. Realistic battery numbers are between 8.5-9hrs. of battery life if you're using wifi & doing email/word processing/YouTube/web surfing.

The glossy LED display offers excellent color and contrast when used indoors. I was also pleasantly surprised with the excellent horizontal viewing angles. Keep in mind that once you get in a room full of light or step outdoors screen reflections could become annoying. I've used mine outside on a sunny day, and the screen is still very much legible. In fact it was much more detailed than the matte screen on my Dell D600.

All three units come with the Digital Array Mic which consists of two powerful microphones. Ambient background noises are eliminated, as well as reduced echoes for clearer voice recording. What's more, with only direct sound (within 60°) recorded, you'll obtain better voice capture. I've tested the mic with Skype, and it's loud and clear once you fine tune using the Realtek HD Audio manager. All models also include a WiFi 802.11 b/g/n adapter and 160GB 5400RPM hard drive. My 1005HA-P contains a Hitachi HTS543216L9SA00 hard drive and Atheros AR9285 wifi card. Atheros chipsets are known for excellent range and are typically less prone to connection drops. I'd like to point out that the AR9285 is only capable of 150Mbps.

All three variations of the 1005HA ship with 1GB DDR2 800MHz memory. The good news is that you can remove the memory door on the bottom of the chassis and swap it out for a 2GB DDR2 200-pin SODIMM in under 2 minutes. Anytime you install new memory I'd recommend running a Prime95 "Blend" torture test for 12-24 hrs to make sure your system is stable. The Eee Super Hybrid Engine utility lets users overclock or underclock their Eee PC's to boost performance or provide better battery life depending on their immediate requirements. In Super Performance mode CPU-Z shows the bus speed to increase up to 169.9MHz which translates into roughly 1.7GHz. One way to quickly change modes is to press Fn + spacebar.

One word of advice is to be really careful about which anti-malware software you install since it will degrade performance both on and off the internet on these netbooks. Whatever you elect to install I would highly recommend you benchmark the performance both before and after. In regards to free anti-viruses that run light I would tip my hat to Antivir (nag screen can be disabled by searching Google) and Panda Cloud. For pay versions Norton 2010 & NOD32 should be considered.

One minor annoyance is that the display will not tilt back as far as some people may like. The glossy chassis is also a fingerprint magnet. A few other things I'd like to point out is that you must push the micro-sized right angle end of the ac adapter until it snaps in place or the battery may not charge. In addition the ac adapter does get quite hot while it is actively charging the battery, which Asus clearly mentions in the user manual, so one should not be alarmed over the heat output. The final quirk is that the hard drive is split into two 80GB (before formatting) partitions. Fortunately this can be resolved by using Easeus Partition Master Home which is a free utility.

Overall I am extremely satisfied with the 1005HA-P, and it is arguably the finest 10" netbook on the market. Keep in mind that if you want a White or Pink shell you'll be limited to the 'B' or 'V' models. Asus has already released the two aforementioned colors in Europe & Asia, so hopefully by the end of 2009 we'll get them as an option on the 'P' model. Be sure to check out the Amazon community forum for this product located towards the bottom of this page if you require additional enlightenment. You'll find a lot of tips, tricks, and general FAQ's.

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Canon EOS Rebel T4i 18.0 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF-S

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,299.99
Sale Price: $1,099.00
Today's Bonus: 15% Off

I wish I would have learned more about what lenses were best before buying this package. The 2x and 1.4x lens really are pretty useless. It would be much better to have the 18 to 135mm lens....which I ended up buying seperately.

The 32GB card is fantastic and the camera bag, extra battery and tripod are nice.

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Black Nikon FM2n manual focus SLR film camera

Customer Ratings:

For years I've wanted the FM2N. Now that you can get one for less than you could during the "film" days, I picked up a black one. However, it still fetches a pretty good amount compared to some film cameras. It's simplicity at its finest. There's no auto exposure modes. You just let the +,O, and LED meter and its center weighted metering guide you to correct exposure by adjusting the shutter speed and aperture. Shutter speed range is 1 sec-1/4000-fast for its day. And it has bulb so you can hold the shutter open as long as you like(tripod and cable release recommended). In the viewfinder you can see the shutter speed, aperture through the ADR(aperture direct readout window), and LED meter. The FM2N does not have the window on the back so you can see what type of film you've loaded. It has the memo holder so you can tear off part of the film box and slide it in the holder. There's a dedicated multiple exposure lever so you don't have to don't have to push the film rewind button at the bottom. It does not do TTL flash, but has some good flash features. 1/250 sync, flash ready light(when Nikon flashes are used), and PC sync terminal for off camera flash. Add the MD-11 or MD-12 motor drive and you've got about 3.5 frames per second firing rate. Also with motor drive accepts the electronic remote release and other firing accessories. The motordrive adds a nice right hand grip, but adds alot of weight and bulk to the camera. A self timer provides what I call "poor man's mirror lockup". That's where the mirror goes up when the timer starts counting down. The only problem is when you need to lock the mirror AND fire the shutter at a precise moment with the cable release. There are many lenses compatible with the FM2N. Just the oldest and newest Nikon mount lenses won't work. The non AI lenses before 1977 will damage the metering tab if attempted to mount. The FM2 and FM2N do not accept non AI lenses like the FM does. The newer G and DX lenses will mount without harm, but not function properly. On those there is no aperture ring, thus no way to set aperture. And the DX lenses do not produce an image large enough for 35mm film anyway. The lenses that are fully compatible are AI, AIS, and Series E, and autofocus lenses with aperture ring.

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Sony Alpha SLT-A65 with SAL 18-135mm + FREE Optrix XD Case Kit

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $999.00
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus: 20% Off

I upgraded to the A65 from the ole A200 v1.0. I remained loyal to Sony because I like their products and this DSLR camera was the best I could afford. As a strictly amateur photographer with zero ability, the A65 is very forgiving. I am enjoying learning all the new features it has to offer. The HD video and mirror less lens technology in the A65 is stunning. Well done Sony, this is a great product.

I bought my package via Amazon. My order arrived early, nothing was missing, so I rate everyone in the supply chain 5 Stars for a job well done.

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Cybershot 6 Mp Dig. Camera-bk

Customer Ratings:

i bought this camera for my sister who is pretty irresponsible with electronics and definitely not a techie. she does, however, love to take pictures! she was able to use this camera easily, and the design of the lens (it moves WITHIN the camera) prevents the "accidents" that she is prone to. i am not a tech or photo genius but i do do my research and keep up to date on the latest info. i, too, enjoy photo-documenting my life. i was very happy with the ease of use, the size of the lcd screen, and, most importantly, the image quality in both electronic and printed form. now that there are some newer models of this camera out, this should drop in price. i'm sure it will be an excellent bargain in the near future!

1:39:00

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