Im new to DSLR and i love this camera it does everything i want and more so far no issues everything worked without flaw someone commented the case is to small to leave lens on and thats not true it has removable dividers.the shutter release works great from 10 feet away i have already taken some great pics love this camera i would buy again
Showing posts with label digital camera bundle deals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital camera bundle deals. Show all posts
Sony Alpha NEX-6 Digital Camera Body & 16-50mm Lens (Black)
I just got this on Monday and was soo excited to try it out! I tried it right away and it was awsome! Can;t wait to take more pictures with it! The seller responded to all my emails and i will absolutely buy from this seller again!
Panasonic X900MK 3MOS 3D Full HD SD Camcorder with 32GB Internal
This camera is a member of the 1080p/60fps club. I expect that in a few years, that spec will be pretty standard as the high end moves to 4K video. Until then, the X900M provides the most detailed and smooth recording available in amateur camcorders. If you plan to shoot it in a lesser video mode, it's advantages over other models diminishes. I plan to do all of my shooting at 60p. It has 32GB on board memory plus a 64GB SD card I have installed. It is sized nicely for my large hands. If you plan on recording mostly in 2D with the occasional fun 3D shoot, this camera is a good choice as it shoots superior 2D and decent 3D. Where the Sony and JVC 3D models have 2 dedicated lenses and sensors (one for each "eye"), this model uses an optional ($269) add-on splitter lens which feeds left and right info onto a single sensor array where it is either recorded as split screen 3D or recombined for AVCHD 3D (better). But is is NOT 2 full HD frames like a true dedicated 3D model (i.e. HDR-TD10 or GS-TD1). The effect is still quite good -just not class-leading. The problem with the dedicated 3D models is the typically poor 2D performance. So your purchase should depend on how much 3D you intend to take. I'll probably be 80% 2D and 20% 3D, so this was the right camera.
Samsung UN50EH5000 50-Inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV (Black)
Many of these TVs don't have a Samsung panel (the screen/the part that has/makes the image!)! I cannot believe this has not been mentioned. It makes a SUBSTANTIAL difference, because some panels they use should be in TV's that cost $100 less.Can you imagine buying a car because you know its manufacturer uses great, reliable engines, only to find out that they use completely different engines without telling you, all of which are of lower quality? Samsung does this with their TVs, and some of them don't EVER have Samsung panels (e.g., the 37" model will NEVER have a Samsung panel because they don't make 37" panels). Samsung uses 4 different panel types from four different manufacturers each with a substantially different technology.
You can tell which panel YOUR TV has by the "Version" on the sticker outside of the box. There's also a sticker on the back of the TV; the "Version" code is below the Model number and above the S/N. BTW, reviews can't be interpreted without the four-digit Version code because they are quite simply different TV's. Here's how to interpret them:
("x" means a number, probably from 1-4, that represents the version of that panel higher means newer but not always better).
TH0x or TS0x: Samsung S-PVA panel (possibly just a PVA, if you're less lucky): This is what you thought you were buying. Best color, best black, best viewing angles.
HS0x: Sharp ASV panel: Lower contrast ratio, more narrow viewing angle. I read HS02 in particular has terrible ghosting.
A_0X: AOU A-MVA panel: Even lower contrast ratio.
CH0x or CM0x or CS0x: Chimea S-MVA panel: You lost the lottery. Markedly worse in every way way worse viewing angle, color reproduction, etc. Just a terrible rip-off.
Mine, from Amazon, is an HS03, so a Sharp panel. I will be testing it tomorrow (DVD and watching football no Blu-ray). There is a decent chance I return it, because it is not a Samsung. Also? Sony and Panasonic do much less "panel lottery" and are vowing to stop entirely. LG does not do a panel lottery. Samsung has absolutely no plans to stop, and they only use "standards" that won't reveal a difference between the different panels.
I will update after doing more testing. I just simply could not believe that this was not mentioned. Nothing like finding out you paid $500 (40" model) for a $400 TV when that extra $100 could have been used for sound, Blu-Ray, etc.
**Other reviewers, please, update your reviews to give your version code!**
More reading:
UPDATED 10/24/12: Added info on how to find version number without the box.
You can tell which panel YOUR TV has by the "Version" on the sticker outside of the box. There's also a sticker on the back of the TV; the "Version" code is below the Model number and above the S/N. BTW, reviews can't be interpreted without the four-digit Version code because they are quite simply different TV's. Here's how to interpret them:
("x" means a number, probably from 1-4, that represents the version of that panel higher means newer but not always better).
TH0x or TS0x: Samsung S-PVA panel (possibly just a PVA, if you're less lucky): This is what you thought you were buying. Best color, best black, best viewing angles.
HS0x: Sharp ASV panel: Lower contrast ratio, more narrow viewing angle. I read HS02 in particular has terrible ghosting.
A_0X: AOU A-MVA panel: Even lower contrast ratio.
CH0x or CM0x or CS0x: Chimea S-MVA panel: You lost the lottery. Markedly worse in every way way worse viewing angle, color reproduction, etc. Just a terrible rip-off.
Mine, from Amazon, is an HS03, so a Sharp panel. I will be testing it tomorrow (DVD and watching football no Blu-ray). There is a decent chance I return it, because it is not a Samsung. Also? Sony and Panasonic do much less "panel lottery" and are vowing to stop entirely. LG does not do a panel lottery. Samsung has absolutely no plans to stop, and they only use "standards" that won't reveal a difference between the different panels.
I will update after doing more testing. I just simply could not believe that this was not mentioned. Nothing like finding out you paid $500 (40" model) for a $400 TV when that extra $100 could have been used for sound, Blu-Ray, etc.
**Other reviewers, please, update your reviews to give your version code!**
More reading:
UPDATED 10/24/12: Added info on how to find version number without the box.
Panasonic DMC-FZ200 Camera + 0.45X Wide Angle Lens + 2x
This bundle could be an awesome deal, but it comes up short.
First the positives; The camera is awesome. I've had a Lumix FZ30 for years and my photo's have always been so beautiful, but I wanted a faster higher rez camera and the FZ200 fit the bill. The only thing I've seen that I don't like, compared with my FZ30, is the manual mode. The FZ200 adjusts the zoom and focus all from a series of buttons and switches while in manual, I'd rather it was more like the FZ30 where the lens could be twisted to zoom and focus, more like a DSLR.
Also a positive is the seller, Willoughby's. The spare battery that was a part of the bundle arrived dead and unable to be charged. I called Willoughby's and without hesitation they they replaced it. For me, that says a lot about them as a company...
Now for the negatives, in my opinion the bundle is just barely worth the extra cost. The Battery, SD, SD reader, and camera case were all fine and worth the price barely. The lenses however are disappointing. The 2.5x telephoto for example, fits well and looks high quality and does provide some magnification, but it renders the autofocus useless and causes a cloudy image. So yes it does what it says but i'll never use it because the resultant image is so poor. The aftermarket lenses are made by Zeikos.
SO if you're buying the bundle for the lenses, I'd say don't, the camera has beautiful optics.
First the positives; The camera is awesome. I've had a Lumix FZ30 for years and my photo's have always been so beautiful, but I wanted a faster higher rez camera and the FZ200 fit the bill. The only thing I've seen that I don't like, compared with my FZ30, is the manual mode. The FZ200 adjusts the zoom and focus all from a series of buttons and switches while in manual, I'd rather it was more like the FZ30 where the lens could be twisted to zoom and focus, more like a DSLR.
Also a positive is the seller, Willoughby's. The spare battery that was a part of the bundle arrived dead and unable to be charged. I called Willoughby's and without hesitation they they replaced it. For me, that says a lot about them as a company...
Now for the negatives, in my opinion the bundle is just barely worth the extra cost. The Battery, SD, SD reader, and camera case were all fine and worth the price barely. The lenses however are disappointing. The 2.5x telephoto for example, fits well and looks high quality and does provide some magnification, but it renders the autofocus useless and causes a cloudy image. So yes it does what it says but i'll never use it because the resultant image is so poor. The aftermarket lenses are made by Zeikos.
SO if you're buying the bundle for the lenses, I'd say don't, the camera has beautiful optics.
Fujifilm X-E1 16.3 MP Compact System Digital Camera
List Price: $799.95
Sale Price: $599.00
Today's Bonus: 25% Off
I have been a fan of Leica M7 with 50 mm Summilux for a decade. I have used a few digital cameras but nothing could replace my M7. My biggest discontent with digital cameras have been white balance and contrast -no matter which camera I tried, I could never quite get the same perfect white balance and the natural and yet strong and beautiful contrast of film camera photography, especially those of M7 with Summilux. Digital photos almost always had the washed-out colors and weired color bias. I hesitated to invest in M9 because I did not believe, for right or wrong, it could quite deliver what M7 had delivered. Leica had never been known to be a pioneer in digital photography. I also tried the first digital Leica called Digilux some 9 years ago, which was a joke. Convenience means little if the quality is lacking; I would rather have 10 photos that I like than 100 photos that I do not like. So despite the efforts and costs of processing needed for a film camera, I kept on using my Leica M7.
Enter Fuji X-e1. After taking some photos, I blew them on my 60-inch PDP. Perfect. Perfect at ISO 4000. And what a contrast. Wow. As far as I know, this is as close to a film photo feel as a digital photo could get: white balance is impeccable, skin tones perfect, strong contrast, colors that sing, and no grains at ISO 4000! Hallelujah.
Another thing about this camera: JPG files are excellent. I hate keeping RAW files. They are big files taking up so much space and post processing is such a pain to me. With this camera, you can simply forget about shooting in RAW. JPGs are just as nice. Even after reducing the file size to a mere 40 KB for emailing purposes, your photo retains the color and beauty.
The EVF is awesome. OLED screen is so bright and beautiful that you may never want to go back to the LCD on the back to focus, although there is some lag in dark because of low refresh rate. The lag would matter more in manual focus but also in auto focus, because you cannot capture the moment properly. Auto sensor option will turn off the LCD if the EVF senses your eye is nearby, and vice versa saving the battery. This camera is also packed with nice features that you actually use such as horizontal line indicator on the EVF -it tells you whether your composition is perfectly horizontal. Another useful feature is something called "color-mode bracketing" along with the usual other bracketing options. First, you can use a few very nice color modes with this camera, and, second, with a single click, you can produce multiple photos captured in different color modes. My favorite is the Velvia mode -for those who remember the ISO 50 film with thick colors to be used with a projector, yes, this resembles its colors quite a bit. Mind you, they are not for some special effects -they are still passable as "regular" photos because the difference is well within the boundaries of mainstream photos and the skin tones do not appear weird even in this mode; they are just a bit more vibrant and strong, that's all.
There is much to like about digital photography in general but also much to dislike. I like its compact size, convenience, ability to transfer files and view across different media, immediacy in viewing the result and ease of use. But I dislike the lens barrel that comes out with noise each time you turn it on. I dislike the menu buttons with labyrinthine structures. I dislike the touch buttons. Most of all, I don't like the color renditions and tricky white balance. This Fuji X-e1 has cured all or at least most such woes, while retaining the traditional forte of digital cameras and keeping its size well below that of a DSLR. Bravo. Now I am afraid my M7 may end up being a thing of the past, finally, although I will never part with it. A Leica is a Leica after all, but perhaps I will never buy a M9 as I feel I have found a worthy substitute at a fraction of the price.
As for me, I considered this one among the following contenders: Sony RX1 and RX100. I crossed out Lumix lines because somehow I could never be satisfied with its white balance. RX100 is very nice for its price and I consider it an ultimate P&S, but I do not like the lens barrel that comes out each time I turn it on. Also its sensor size is a bit too small for my liking. However, it is a great little camera to get and I may well get it someday for its extreme portability and HD video capability alone. As for RX1, although I love its full-frame sensor, having a fixed, not-that-fast (2.0), non-changeable 35 mm lens is the deal killer for me, along with having no internal EVF or OVF. For that kind of price, Sony should really have done better. If you are considering RX100, RX1 or even NEX 7, do yourself a favor and make sure you test X-e1 before making up your mind. Just demoing it through the LCD at the back of the camera is not enough. If your dealer allows it, bring your own SD card, take shots on it with all the aforementioned cameras, blow the pictures on your own computer at home while paying particular attention to the color qualities.
[UPDATE] As for the lens, so far I have only used the kit lens (18-55mm). I have not used manual focusing yet, so I cannot comment on it. This lens is quite light-weight and simply superb. Auto-focus is not the fastest but fast enough and accurate. You can make a shallow depth of field at 2.8 and the resulting bokeh is quite nice. This may not be the fastest lens (ie lowest F stop is 2.8) but certainly fast enough and since you can make perfect photos at ISO 4000, I think this lens is a lot more useful than the well-rated 35 mm 1.4, which I have never used but may buy some day.
[UPDATE 2] The flash did not work. Since it was the first time I tried, I guess it did not work from the beginning. I was thinking of returning the unit, but when I called Fuji service center, the person suggested me to "RESET" the unit from the menu button. I did, and it worked. I asked him if this was a well-known issue, and the person told that it was and Fuji was working on it. I asked again if this was something I have to do from time to time (ie resetting), and the person told me that so far it seemed to work fine with the first reset but they were not sure. So if you buy a unit, make sure you test the flash. If it does not work, reset the unit. Fuji is working on the fix. I was thinking of reducing a star from my rating, but since it is working fine for now after reset, I am leaving as is. But if Fuji does not come with a permanent fix or if this happens again, I will reduce a star.
[UPDATE 3] I found out why the flash did not work. It had nothing to do with bugs or defects. Manner mode was on and that was why. When the manner mode is on, not only all sounds are muted but also flash and focus light are all disabled. Perfect for taking photos at classical concerts. (If you just want the sound off without disabling the flash or light, there is a sound option menu as well including complete off.) That explains why it worked when I reset the camera -the manner mode is turned off at reset. Funny, even the experienced Fuji service man did not know this -he told me they were "working on it." It shows this is such a new model -so new that even the front field folks have not figured out all about it, I guess.
[UPDATE 4] Manual focusing a moving object through EVF in low light even when magnified is tricky. It does not give you a focus confirmation. I comparison-tested manual and auto, and there was always a discrepancy which makes me not to trust my eyes. Also the kit-lens' manual focusing feel is not superb, although certainly much better than that of X100. So I think this should be mostly used as an auto-focus camera when you use the kit lens. Make sure you push the "enlarge" button to help focus manually -a big difference. By the way, you can always push AE-L/AF-L button to bring the object into immediate auto focus even when the camera is in manual focus mode, which I find very useful. You can also set this button's function AE fix only or AF fix only or both AE fix and AF fix in the menu settings.
[UPDATE 5] I think one firmware upgrade feature this camera desperately needs is Minimum Shutter Speed setting. Without this, Auto ISO is only half effective, along with aperture priority mode. Currently when set at auto-ISO and in the aperture priority mode, this camera is giving me a shutter speed close to the focal length, which, in the case of the kit lens, is 30 mm and hence 1/30th. This is obviously no good when shooting a moving object, which makes me adjust the ISO value up manually, rendering the auto-ISO not that useful. Fuji, please update and implement this firmware feature in a near future. Otherwise, people would simply have to shoot in speed priority mode mostly.
[UPDATE 6] I ordered Fuji M-mount adapter to use the body with my 50 mm Summilux. Now there are a few cheaper choices you have such as Kipon but the reason I ordered an official Fuji was because I read that it is the only one that shows all the information as Fuji lenses do. There are three things you need to be aware of. First, certain Leica lenses do not work with this adapter so you need to read about which ones work and which ones do not. Second, it does not show the F-stop information anywhere on the viewfinder (even though it takes photos with the F-stop you set on the lens) -it shows "F0 (zero)" all the time. Less of a problem in the aperture priority mode since you know it anyway (since you are setting the aperture), but in the speed priority mode, there is no way of knowing the aperture. Third, the results are OK but certainly not any better than the kit lens. There is no Leica magic -well-focused pictures look almost identical to those produced by the kit lens. So two conclusions: (i) I am not so sure about the advantage of buying a much more expensive official Fuji adapter; and (ii) your chief reason for buying the adapter must be to expand your photographic options and not to improve IQ. IQ will be largely the same even with the supposedly superior and certainly more expensive Leica glass.
[Update 7] I ordered Kipon adapter for Contax G2 lenses. For those who are not familiar, Contax long ago sold a film rangefinder called G2 with three Carl Zeiss lenses in the bundle: Biogon 2.8/28mm, Planar 2/45mm, Sonnar 2.8/90mm. Those lenses were beautifully crafted, sharp as a tack, and represented supreme value then (you may still find them at eBay). I once used and loved this Contax G2 extensively along with my Leica M7, but it has been sleeping in my closet in recent years. To get to the point, those Carl Zeiss lenses worked like charm on the X-e1 body. Sharp, sharp all they way. Particularly amazing was 90mm Sonnar's portrait performance under low light (with the crop factor of this body, it becomes a 135mm mild zoom). Wow! I could see my son's peach fuzz on face in a shot taken from quite some distance. On the X-e1 body (I cannot stress this qualification enough), I actually prefer Carl Zeiss glasses to the Leica glass. It is a match made in heaven, and you owe it to yourself to get an adapter to try those lenses if you happen to have them like me. I never thought I would be resurrecting those almost antique lenses from the film era in this digital age, not out of curiosity but for real field usage! One caveat: the Biogon 2.8/28mm could not be attached to this camera with the Kipon adapter -it could not be locked and would not focus. I am not sure if there is any adapter you could use for Biogon 2.8/28mm available in the market.
[Update 8] I tried a "duel" among the three lenses again: Summilux 50/1.4, Sonnar 90/2.8, and the Fujinon Kit. I shot my bookshelf full of books on a tripod position (around 50 shots each) and tried to see differences. Because of the differences in magnification, Sonnar actually shot from a further distance. Again, the differences were minor but there was a clear winner to my eyes: Sonnar. Color renditions were very similar. But the Summilux 50/1.4 ASPH, although sharp in the center at every aperture, was softer and blurrier on the sides at the same F stop with Sonnar. Sonnar was tack sharp around all edges. I did not notice this when I mounted Summilux on my M7 body. That is why I said I do not particularly prefer Summilux at least on X-e1 body. Fujinon was not as sharp as Sonnar, but entirely acceptable and consistently good.
But since the results were so similar, I urge people to buy different lenses only to obtain different F stops or angles and not to obtain better IQ. I see it this way: if you already have a Summilux, you may want to buy a cheap adapter ring, but if you do not have one, forget it. At over $4,000, it is not worth the price at least on this body.
It is great to hear Zeiss is coming out with auto-focus for X-mount (see the comment by Midnight Coyote below), but I fear the price! Manual focusing with Sonnar is actually quite fun, and there is one great advantage with manual focusing: once focused, you can shoot subsequent shots actually faster than an auto-focus and this is a great advantage in extreme low-light conditions in which the auto-focus hesitates and struggles for each shot.
Memorex 700MB/80-Minute 52x CD-R Media 100-Pack Spindle
List Price: $27.99
Sale Price: $24.53
Today's Bonus: 12% Off
Before I start, I would like to remind people that compatability problems still exist with CDRW burners. Some media brands will just work better on certain hardware/burners. On reviews like these, it's best to state your burner as well so readers will have an idea of what media matches best with what hardware/burner. I would also like to remind people that compatability problems exists between CDRs and late model CD players wether on a boombox or on your car's player.
Ok now onto my review... I have a LiteOn CDRW 40x burner (on my old PC), Teac DVD+/CDRW combo burner and an LG-Hitachi 48x CDRW burner. Memorex media works flawlessly on all these burners! Music CDs that I made plays perfectly on all my components 5-disc Sony caroussel from the early 90s, my DVD player from 2000 and the rest of my CD players in the house and not to mention my car's CD player. No problems at all.
The only problem I encountered was when I made VCDs using these disc. They "sometimes" wouldn't work on my Panasonic DVD/VCD player (year 2000). They would give me playback problems such as pixelation and audio skipping! But when using another brand, such as TDK or Fuji, I don't get these playback problems. The Memorex VCD would work on my dirt-cheat Apex though. Further, establishing the idea that media do have compatability problems.
Considering my hardware, the brands that gave me no problems at all were: TDK, Fuji and Maxell they just work flawlessly on whatever I throw at them. I would put the Memorex up there with the other brands but they seem to be only good when it comes to music and data but now much on video projects. But since most people use their CDRs for music and data anyway, these CDRs are still a great buy in my opinion! I currently have TDKs and Memorexs.
ASUS Republic of Gamers G75VW-AH71 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop
List Price: $1,599.99
Sale Price: $1,259.99
Today's Bonus: 21% Off
So I noticed some weak reviews for this product and am quite disgusted. I bought this unit from Best Buy and have so far been impressed. I typically am a desktop user, in fact, I normally custom build my own rigs. I was in the market for a laptop, and didn't want to frustrate myself with custom building one so I shopped around a lot. For the price, it will be difficult to beat this machine. The only laptops that will come close (Dell XPS, AlienWare, and MSI) would all likely cost and extra $500-$1000. Every game I have played so far (Portal 2, Skyrim, etc) have ran on ultra settings with extremely great frame rates. Now for the Pros and cons:
Pros: Great heat displacement, it has two large exhaust ports on the backside of the machine. This keeps the heat off of the bottom and allows for "lap-top" computing. Processing speed is amazing. Cost is low, but shop around, I got it at Bust Buy for $200 cheaper (though the build is not exact to this model make your own decisions as to what you need). Back-lit key board is extremely neat. Large vibrant HD screen. Its not loaded down with a bunch of bloatware and demos. GTX 660M is a great GPU for most all (with the exception of the have to have the most expensive and overkill, melt your face GPU) users. Additional port for secondary HDD. Easy access for upgrades to HDD an memory. Ivy Bridge! This thing has blistering fast multi-app processing power!
Cons (and the reason for 4 stars): The biggest drawback for me is the 1TB HDD, as it is slow (5400 RPM). For this reason alone Windows Experience Index rated it a 5.9. All other ratings were mid to upper 7's. Shame on you Asus. For $130 buy a 128GB SSD from Amazon and up your computing potential. Just use the 1TB as a slave. It is bulky, but to be expected as it is a gaming lappy. Good luck trying to find a case that fits it.Lastly the power brick is enormous and the battery is lucky to give you 1.5 hrs unplugged. Again, this is a gaming laptop so this is to be expected.
Other thoughts: The pros highly out weigh the cons! For the price this Republic of Gamers laptop by Asus is a great investment.
Midland Consumer Radio WR-120B NOAA Weather Alert All Hazard
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $30.75
Today's Bonus: 23% Off
I have been dreading purchasing a weather radio for some time because they all seem too expensive for just a radio that receives the weather band. But, I figured out that it is time to take this out of the "family" budget. I literally looked at every single weather radio on Amazon. I found out that I want a radio with SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) so it will alert for inclement weather. (tornadoes at night are an issue where I live) Most other radios seem to have issues with reliability, reception, or construction--issues I want to avoid. So, I narrowed it down to the Midland radios: WR-100, WR-120, and WR-300.
I was leery of purchasing this at first because of the limited review at the time. I found at that this is just the updated model of the WR-100, which seems to be one of the more popular weather radios. I went to Midland's website(to lookup the WR-120) and saw that the item was just released, hence the limited info.
I would consider this a great standard/staple alert weather radio. The SAME technology lets you setup your county, or multiple counties. You can find your county codes online at NOAA (search: national weather service radio codes to be taken there directly).
I really like the backlight on the display--a nice cool blue with easy to read lettering. The interface itself is great, it lets me flip through all current alerts with the up/down buttons, so I don't even have to listen to the radio to get the most up to date status. It is simple enough that my 4 year old could easily figure it out.
The alarm has 3 settings-tone, voice, and display.
-The tone alarm is loud! -Which is great, not an annoying sound, just loud. It will wake you up. We can hear it all through our house.
-The voice alarm plays the loud tone for about 5 seconds and then goes into the radio broadcast(at the volume you set). I wish that the voice setting played just the radio, as I am used to a clock-radio alarm clock. The loud alert startles me out of sleep! I want the alarm to wake me, not scare me.
-The display just illuminates the backlight. Not useful for me at night, as I would not wake up to a soft blue, glowing light. I am sure this is plenty useful for some, and I will probably change the radio to this once we are out of tornado season.
Personally, I have not seen the multiple alert lights (5 for each-alert, watch and warning) to be all that useful because every message that my local weather service puts out does not code to the varying degree levels. I am sure this is useful for some, but I live right next to the NOAA station and they do not take advantage of this feature.(more a complaint against my local NOAA than the radio) -ps the reception is great....because I live right next to the NOAA station, so my review of that is biased. :)
The radio runs on three AA batteries for backup. Not sure how long they last. There was no difference in reception, backlight, and radio functions when I unplugged it. This seems like this might be a great radio to do some light traveling.
I could not justify spending the extra on the WR-300 to get any additional features. (Maybe Midland can include a tone volume option in the next release model that lets you choose between several volume levels for any alert? Then the radio would be perfect.) I would have rated this 4.5 stars because the voice alert is not pure voice, but half stars are not an option, so I rounded up. Midland's Research and Product Development team seems to listen to customer reviews, so maybe the voice alarm can be fixed.
Definitely a must have family radio for safety, and the best value out there--I am glad I purchased it.
Phew! What a lengthy review! :)
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
Prospective buyers of a macro lens for a Canon EOS system have a great first choice in this 100mm Macro. The extra length over a 50mm macro gives much better working distance (space between lens and subject) in the field, and EOS-compatible lenses by other manufacturers match poorly with accessories and are nowhere near as sharp.
Compared with the earlier Micro Motor 100mm Macro that Canon made (which I also own), the USM lens focuses *very* fast. The USM lens also can accept Tripod Collar B (by use of a small plastic adapter)--I recommend you buy the collar with the lens, as adjusting to a vertical composition with a tripod means repositioning everything. The front element is not recessed in the USM model, which makes lens cleaning easier than with its predecessor. And build quality is improved--the earlier model was prone to its switches breaking (could fix it yourself with the ordered part, but really annoying) and eventually the Micro Motor gearing gave out (no trouble so far with the USM ring motor). The USM model will work with Canon's 2x teleconverter by interposing a 12mm extension tube, allowing 2x magnification with lots of working distance, though this is not nearly as nice a solution as the 180mm lens referenced below.
I will quibble with another reviewer--Canon does make sharper lenses, and sharpness compared with the earlier model is virtually the same. But this is still one of the sharpest lenses you can buy, and ergonomically a huge improvement over its predecessor.
Having said that, Canon now has an L-series 100mm macro that is a bit sharper and has better bokeh (out-of-focus highlights). A serious hobbyist might consider that lens, though it costs about 40% more on the street. I purchased the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro Lens less than a year ago, and am very impressed with its greater sharpness and working distance relative to this lens. If you work much with small critters, take a look at that lens before making a purchase.
If you are building up a set of lenses for outdoor/nature photography and you do occasional macrophotography, this might be the first or second lens to buy. If you work significantly at magnifications greater than 1:1, consider the Canon 65mm 1x-5x Macro zoom.
Compared with the earlier Micro Motor 100mm Macro that Canon made (which I also own), the USM lens focuses *very* fast. The USM lens also can accept Tripod Collar B (by use of a small plastic adapter)--I recommend you buy the collar with the lens, as adjusting to a vertical composition with a tripod means repositioning everything. The front element is not recessed in the USM model, which makes lens cleaning easier than with its predecessor. And build quality is improved--the earlier model was prone to its switches breaking (could fix it yourself with the ordered part, but really annoying) and eventually the Micro Motor gearing gave out (no trouble so far with the USM ring motor). The USM model will work with Canon's 2x teleconverter by interposing a 12mm extension tube, allowing 2x magnification with lots of working distance, though this is not nearly as nice a solution as the 180mm lens referenced below.
I will quibble with another reviewer--Canon does make sharper lenses, and sharpness compared with the earlier model is virtually the same. But this is still one of the sharpest lenses you can buy, and ergonomically a huge improvement over its predecessor.
Having said that, Canon now has an L-series 100mm macro that is a bit sharper and has better bokeh (out-of-focus highlights). A serious hobbyist might consider that lens, though it costs about 40% more on the street. I purchased the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro Lens less than a year ago, and am very impressed with its greater sharpness and working distance relative to this lens. If you work much with small critters, take a look at that lens before making a purchase.
If you are building up a set of lenses for outdoor/nature photography and you do occasional macrophotography, this might be the first or second lens to buy. If you work significantly at magnifications greater than 1:1, consider the Canon 65mm 1x-5x Macro zoom.
D-Link Wireless Day/Night Network Surveillance Camera
List Price: $139.99
Sale Price: $64.99
Today's Bonus: 54% Off
I purchased this camera to use as a cheep wireless IP webcam. It offers the ability to hook into your network either with the wireless WSP functionality or with an ethernet connection. It is fairly small with the camera being about the size of an iphone (maybe about 80% that size). The base allows for you to mount it in multiple settings, but be clear, this is a very simple design...not rocket science by any means. The ac power cord is about 4 feet long.
Setup: I ran into an issue when I was trying to set up the wireless connection. I could not get my camera and wireless router to talk at all. I called tech support (the free version) and they were useless. The rep had no clue about the specific devise and it is clear that he was just in a large call center that probably supports dozens if not hundreds of products. I had NO problem when I hooked it into my network via an ethernet cable. The set up application runs very nicely and easily gives you the option to select either wireless or wired set up as needed.
Back to my wireless problem. I decided that I would pay $32 for D-Links premium support for 30 minutes of help...I rolled the dice, as they do not guarantee they will fix your problem for your investment, but I had a feeling my issue was something simple with my network configuration...and I was right. The rep was great, she remoted into my pc, checked out my wireless settings on my router and determined that I had a bad character in my site name. None of my other wireless products had a problem with the character, but the D-Link cam did not like it. She changed the name of my wireless network, we restarted the router,and instantly the camera linked in wirelessly.
I am absolutely convinced that if I had not had a dash in my wireless network name, then this wireless set up would have been a breeze. So, I can't place blame for this issue on D-Link, but it was interesting that no other wireless device I use had a problem with the naming convention of the network.
Once that hurdle was cleared, it has been smooth sailing. I really like the ease of use and the functionality included with the set up...through a web interface, you can control video size, audio (yes it has a mic and sends the audio over IP in realtime), you can set motion detection, auto emailing on detection, and it even has a built in ftp server to send the images where ever you like.
Simple camera that does exactly what it says...it provides decent video and audio wirelessly to your network and then you can do with it what you want.
Pros: Simple, straight forward, nice setup application used on your pc, D-Link offers free remote viewing via their web portal MyD-link, and they also offer a free iPhone app (no audio on the iPhone app).
Cons: Seems somewhat fragile...I would not want to drop it form more than a foot off the ground. A fall from any higher seems would shatter it.
Overall I think this is a really good value.
((Update Dec. 18, 2011)
So I have had this camera in service for over a year now...and it has been installed outside, under an eave of my house. It has no additional protection from the elements...just its own casing and the few inches of cover provided by the eave. It has been subjected to all the weather Atlanta receives in a year...heat 95+, cold 9, wind, rain, humidity, etc. The verdict...GREAT..not one issue with it. So, I just purchased three more for outdoor viewing around the house. I put one into service yesterday and had NO problems with setup at all. Used the auto network connect feature on the camera and my Netgear router and it hooked in within a minute. Great little camera and with the price dropped to $70, I think it will be hard to beat it.
Lowepro CompuPrimus All Weather Backpack (Black)
I have learned, that when it comes to photography backpacks, there is not a single pack, that will do it all. Not well, at least.
I travel a lot and, therefore, I lug my camera and computer around quite a bit. I'd always relied on a combination of a Lowepro Stealth Reporter D300 (which is a great camera bag for walking around) and a normal North Face backpack, to carry my computer and My Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 when going on airplanes. This was, however, a bit laboursome and I decided to get a more suitable piece of luggage.
I was looking for a backpack that would accomodate 1) my big telephoto zoom lens, 2) my Macbook Pro, and 3) a couple of extras, like for example a book, some clothing items, or whatever one might need in the course of a travel.
I made a lot of comparisons between different types of bags and finally narrowed it down to two: the Fastpack 350 and this one. In the end, I chose the Compuprimus because it has the Lowepro All Weather cover (which have rescued the day for me before) and a tripod support.
And now: the bag. It is HUGE. I stand at 6'2", and the bag still seems quite enourmous on me (well, perhaps not enourmous, but quite large anyway), which makes it less than ideal for walking around in cities with. I live in Beijing, which, granted, is a very busy and overpopulated city, but it is nigh on impossible to take this bag with me on a 'photowalk' in the city. But then again, that's not what I bought it for, and, I suspect, not what most people would buy it for (why would one, for example, want to lug ones computer around with one on such walks?).
Inside, the camera compartment is big enough to hold my camera with beforementioned large zoom lens attached plus a couple of other lenses, memory cards, cables and cleaning kit. With a bit of will, pushing and swearing, one could also fit in ones flash unit (I usually keep it in its pouch, which makes it a bit bigger, so I keep it in the 'luggage compartment' of the bag). The access to the camera compartment is from the rear, facing towards your back, which not only increases security, but actually also makes it more convenient for you to access your gear without having to put the bag on the ground. There is a small 'hatch' on the right (when carrying the backpack), that allows for easy access to your camera. This little hatch is, however, not as practical as one could've hoped for. The opening is not really big enough for me to pull out the camera quickly or smoothly enough for me to use it. I prefer to get it out the cumbersome way. But that may be me, who is clumsy, and not the bag.
The compartment for storing other things, looks quite small, but will actually hold quite a lot. There's ample room for a book or two (depending on sizes obviously), phone, MP3 gear, a delicious fizzy beverage, and a thin piece of clothing (raincoat or some such thing). It is, however, not large enough to fit your jacket AND something else. There's ample room for stuff needed on a flight or a daytrip. There's also a outside side pocket, that'll take some things if necessary.
The detachable computer sleeve sits in front of the bag, and is, as a piece of kit, very impressive. It can be taken out and used as a seperate bag (will only hold a laptop, though) as it has both a handle and a detachable shoulderstrap. It also has a sunscreen, which makes it possible to use the computer in the field when the sun is shining. However, this feature I haven't used yet. I usually just leave the sleeve at the hotel and use the pack without it when 'on location'.
The backpack is very sturdy, as Lowepro's products tend to be, and you can really feel the quality. Despite being so big and heavy (it's some 6 pounds or so when empty) it sits really comfortably on your back. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment bringing this on a daylong hike. The weight is really nicely distributed on your back and hips, it doesn't seem nearly as heavy once you've got it on. The waistsupport and cheststrap only adds to this feeling, and sits perfectly (on me at least).
It's not a cheap backpack, not at all. But you pay for quality and you get a lot for your money. You can also find comfort in the fact, that some of the proceedings from the sale of this bag goes to help polarbears (a fact that calmed mu initial outrage at the asking price). It's also partially made from recycled plastic, and I, being a large consumer of soda, found that very nice indeed.
In short (well, that's a bit too late now, isn't it): it does what it is supposed to do very well. It takes a lot of gear and keeps it safely protected from the elements and the environment. I suspect that if you are a person of a rather petite build, this bag would be too large, but otherwise it is just large. I will most likely purchase a Slingshot as well, or perhaps a Minitrekker or some such backpack for day to day trekking/walking purposes, but this one keeps my travel needs satisfied, which is no small thing in itself.
I rate it 4.5 stars, the .5 subtraction coming from the slightly clumsy nature of the backpack and the less than ideal 'easy access' flap. I would definitely recommend this to others.
I travel a lot and, therefore, I lug my camera and computer around quite a bit. I'd always relied on a combination of a Lowepro Stealth Reporter D300 (which is a great camera bag for walking around) and a normal North Face backpack, to carry my computer and My Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 when going on airplanes. This was, however, a bit laboursome and I decided to get a more suitable piece of luggage.
I was looking for a backpack that would accomodate 1) my big telephoto zoom lens, 2) my Macbook Pro, and 3) a couple of extras, like for example a book, some clothing items, or whatever one might need in the course of a travel.
I made a lot of comparisons between different types of bags and finally narrowed it down to two: the Fastpack 350 and this one. In the end, I chose the Compuprimus because it has the Lowepro All Weather cover (which have rescued the day for me before) and a tripod support.
And now: the bag. It is HUGE. I stand at 6'2", and the bag still seems quite enourmous on me (well, perhaps not enourmous, but quite large anyway), which makes it less than ideal for walking around in cities with. I live in Beijing, which, granted, is a very busy and overpopulated city, but it is nigh on impossible to take this bag with me on a 'photowalk' in the city. But then again, that's not what I bought it for, and, I suspect, not what most people would buy it for (why would one, for example, want to lug ones computer around with one on such walks?).
Inside, the camera compartment is big enough to hold my camera with beforementioned large zoom lens attached plus a couple of other lenses, memory cards, cables and cleaning kit. With a bit of will, pushing and swearing, one could also fit in ones flash unit (I usually keep it in its pouch, which makes it a bit bigger, so I keep it in the 'luggage compartment' of the bag). The access to the camera compartment is from the rear, facing towards your back, which not only increases security, but actually also makes it more convenient for you to access your gear without having to put the bag on the ground. There is a small 'hatch' on the right (when carrying the backpack), that allows for easy access to your camera. This little hatch is, however, not as practical as one could've hoped for. The opening is not really big enough for me to pull out the camera quickly or smoothly enough for me to use it. I prefer to get it out the cumbersome way. But that may be me, who is clumsy, and not the bag.
The compartment for storing other things, looks quite small, but will actually hold quite a lot. There's ample room for a book or two (depending on sizes obviously), phone, MP3 gear, a delicious fizzy beverage, and a thin piece of clothing (raincoat or some such thing). It is, however, not large enough to fit your jacket AND something else. There's ample room for stuff needed on a flight or a daytrip. There's also a outside side pocket, that'll take some things if necessary.
The detachable computer sleeve sits in front of the bag, and is, as a piece of kit, very impressive. It can be taken out and used as a seperate bag (will only hold a laptop, though) as it has both a handle and a detachable shoulderstrap. It also has a sunscreen, which makes it possible to use the computer in the field when the sun is shining. However, this feature I haven't used yet. I usually just leave the sleeve at the hotel and use the pack without it when 'on location'.
The backpack is very sturdy, as Lowepro's products tend to be, and you can really feel the quality. Despite being so big and heavy (it's some 6 pounds or so when empty) it sits really comfortably on your back. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment bringing this on a daylong hike. The weight is really nicely distributed on your back and hips, it doesn't seem nearly as heavy once you've got it on. The waistsupport and cheststrap only adds to this feeling, and sits perfectly (on me at least).
It's not a cheap backpack, not at all. But you pay for quality and you get a lot for your money. You can also find comfort in the fact, that some of the proceedings from the sale of this bag goes to help polarbears (a fact that calmed mu initial outrage at the asking price). It's also partially made from recycled plastic, and I, being a large consumer of soda, found that very nice indeed.
In short (well, that's a bit too late now, isn't it): it does what it is supposed to do very well. It takes a lot of gear and keeps it safely protected from the elements and the environment. I suspect that if you are a person of a rather petite build, this bag would be too large, but otherwise it is just large. I will most likely purchase a Slingshot as well, or perhaps a Minitrekker or some such backpack for day to day trekking/walking purposes, but this one keeps my travel needs satisfied, which is no small thing in itself.
I rate it 4.5 stars, the .5 subtraction coming from the slightly clumsy nature of the backpack and the less than ideal 'easy access' flap. I would definitely recommend this to others.
Audio Technica ATR288W VHF Battery-Powered TwinMic Microphone
List Price: $250.00
Sale Price: $119.95
Today's Bonus: 52% Off
If you are in the market for a wireless microphone setup for your video camera and like me, you don't want to spend top dollar. You may like the budget friendly Audio Technica Pro 88W/T setup. Listen in to the sound quality and judge for yourself.
Comes with connectors that are compatible with most major cameras. 9v battery for the transmitter and receiver. I found no issues getting it to work with my Canon ZR-70. For practical purposes, the sound quality was as good as anything I've seen produced on the web where I know the audio equipment being used is of much higher caliber. This device seemed to hold its own and do a very good job providing close, crisp audio in a situation where it would be nice to roam free.
The distance was not tested. I did not go 300 yards out to see how far it would go. Most videos I've done are in close proximity to the camera but would be detrimental without some kind of on-person audio setup. Having a wireless option makes this possible and enhances the video without providing so many features that is otherwise overkill for the task at hand.
I'm positive on this review as I found the setup easy and the audio quality to be very good without any noticeablestatic or interference.
Audio-Technica ATR288W Wireless Microphone System (Includes ATR35s, ATR20)
Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR Telephoto Zoom Lens
I love this lens. Sharp, fast focus. Great for outdoor use, on a sunny day preferably. This is not a low light tele by any means, but it certainly helps bring the action up close and personal. Ken has a great detailed write up on his site:
The rest of the items in the package or mostly just fluff. I use the UV filter as a scratch cap, and the hood is only for direct sun. The tripod is quite light and serviceable, very basic.
The rest of the items in the package or mostly just fluff. I use the UV filter as a scratch cap, and the hood is only for direct sun. The tripod is quite light and serviceable, very basic.
Lava HD-2605 UHF/VHF HDTV Antenna with Remote Control
I've rated this OTA Antenna at 4 stars and this is why. After installing 12 of these antennas in our local area (St. Augustine, Fl) I found they do receive stations very well from Jacksonville, FL where the TV Station Towers are from 30 to 45 miles distance. I personnaly have been using this antenna for about a year and I'm pleased with the results. In fact I consistently receive the ION channel coming from Brunswick, GA about 90 miles distance.
Listed here are the major problems I've found and the solutions:
1: Not all TV tuners are made the same. Some have better sensitivity then others. So far I've found the Sanyo to be the worst for OTA (Over The Air) reception. The best TVs for OTA were the LG and the Viseo. The LG and Viseo tuners seem to have greater sensitivity then other models. Also, Sony and Hitachi perform very well. It's interesting to note that the LG tuners are made by Zenith in the US and shipped to Mexico where they assemble the TVs.
2: On three of the installations I've completed reception seemed to be sub par and at first I was unable to determine why. Recently I found that the RG6 cable supplied with the Lava Antenna is poorly made. The ground connection can cause loss of signal strength. When I replaced the cable with quality RG6 a dramatic change took place. On most TVS there is a Signal strength meter to determine signal quality. This can usaually be found, on most TVS, in the Setup Menu. With the better cable the signal strength increased from 50-60 to 90-100 or max. Wow, what a difference.
3: Mounting and positioning the Antenna is also very important. Make sure there are no obstructions between the antenna and the TV Tower i.e. Trees, buildings. FCC regs allow you to mount the antenna, at a maximum, 12 feet above your roof (I'm currently using a 40" pole roof mount).Go to Rabbitears.info for compass heading from your location and use a compass to point your antenna towards the TV towers you wish to receive.
4. In locations where you are receiving signals but they are week I suggest you add a Pre-Amp (Blonder Tongue), available from Amazon for about $12.00. Be sure to connect the pre-Amp last in line and directly to the TV set.
In conclusion it appears the Lava HD-2605 UHF/VHF HDTV Antenna with Remote Controlantenna performs very well when used with quality RG6 cable. You can't get better performance for this price. Also, once installed you can say goodbye to Cable/Satellite bills forever.
Listed here are the major problems I've found and the solutions:
1: Not all TV tuners are made the same. Some have better sensitivity then others. So far I've found the Sanyo to be the worst for OTA (Over The Air) reception. The best TVs for OTA were the LG and the Viseo. The LG and Viseo tuners seem to have greater sensitivity then other models. Also, Sony and Hitachi perform very well. It's interesting to note that the LG tuners are made by Zenith in the US and shipped to Mexico where they assemble the TVs.
2: On three of the installations I've completed reception seemed to be sub par and at first I was unable to determine why. Recently I found that the RG6 cable supplied with the Lava Antenna is poorly made. The ground connection can cause loss of signal strength. When I replaced the cable with quality RG6 a dramatic change took place. On most TVS there is a Signal strength meter to determine signal quality. This can usaually be found, on most TVS, in the Setup Menu. With the better cable the signal strength increased from 50-60 to 90-100 or max. Wow, what a difference.
3: Mounting and positioning the Antenna is also very important. Make sure there are no obstructions between the antenna and the TV Tower i.e. Trees, buildings. FCC regs allow you to mount the antenna, at a maximum, 12 feet above your roof (I'm currently using a 40" pole roof mount).Go to Rabbitears.info for compass heading from your location and use a compass to point your antenna towards the TV towers you wish to receive.
4. In locations where you are receiving signals but they are week I suggest you add a Pre-Amp (Blonder Tongue), available from Amazon for about $12.00. Be sure to connect the pre-Amp last in line and directly to the TV set.
In conclusion it appears the Lava HD-2605 UHF/VHF HDTV Antenna with Remote Controlantenna performs very well when used with quality RG6 cable. You can't get better performance for this price. Also, once installed you can say goodbye to Cable/Satellite bills forever.
Nikon D600 24.3 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Kit with 28-300mm
List Price: $2,949.95
Sale Price: $2,949.00
Today's Bonus: $0.95 Off
WHO IS THIS CAMERA FOR?
1.) More advanced photographers moving from DX/crop format to full frame (assuming they already own FX glass or plan to buy at least a couple FX lenses with the D600.)
2.) Photographers who want a second body to accompany their pro body as back-up.
3.) Nikon D300, D300s and D700 users who want better ISO performance, much better resolution and dynamic range and won't miss a couple of the pro features of the D300, D300s and D700.
4.) Patient beginners with very deep pockets who understand it's going to take more than "Auto" mode to create beautiful photos. Open yourself up to RAW.
WHO I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA TO:
1.) Beginners with no $$$$. You're gonna need money. Lots of money. Good full frame lenses are expensive. Forget the kit lens that comes with the D600. You're going to need something better to make this camera really shine. EDIT: A few people mentioned in the comments that the kit lens is fine for beginners. Yes, the kit lens is fine for beginners who are just getting started and don't know what they're looking for, however the kit lens can be quite expensive for what it is. In my opinion there are better, sharper, faster lenses out there for that price even if they are not as flexible as this slower zoom lens. Some people may be perfectly happy with the kit lens, but eventually you will want something better and that will most likely cost you lots of money.
2.) People who only want to shoot JPEGs. Yeah... you can shoot beautiful JPEGs with it, but that too requires adjusting settings. JPEGs can be unforgiving as opposed to RAW. Some might really disagree with me on this point, but I've known too many people who bought DSLRs and were surprised when the camera was taking unsatisfactory pictures. It's not the camera, it's the user!
3.) DX/crop sensor photographers who don't own any FX glass. Get yourself FX lenses first. No matter how much you're tempted, it makes much more sense. Trust me.
4.) Anyone expecting $3,000 + features for $2,100.00.
SHOULD YOU BUY THE D600 or the D800???
Depends on what you're shooting, why you're shooting it and how much money you have.
D800 = Pro 51 AF point module vs. 39 AF points slightly more accurate/faster focus and a tad more viewfinder coverage
D800 = 36 megapixels vs. 24 megapixels slightly more resolution
D800 = Up to 9 consecutive shots for HDR vs. 3 consecutive shots better HDR
D800 = Shutter life of 200,000 vs 150,000 longer life span
D800 = Teeny tiny bit more dynamic range
D800 = 1/250 flash sync speed vs. 1/200
D600 = 5.5 FPS vs 4 FPS better for sports and wildlife
D600 = Lighter and less pixel density easier to shoot hand-held with slower shutter speeds (Good for nightime and daytime photography. Less chance of camera shake/motion blurr)and easier to carry during long hikes.
D600 = Just a teeny tiny tad better at high ISO in low light
D600 = $1,000 less
D600 = Smaller file sizes, which means easier file handling.
There are a few more differences, but both cameras will give you incredible results, both cameras have insane high dynamic range and resolution, and both produce beautiful RAW and JPEG files. If you're a serious amateur, the D600 is plenty of camera for you. If you're a beginner, the D800 may be too much camera to start with. By the time you learn the ropes with the D800 (which may take years), the next best thing will be on the market, and you would have wasted $3,000.00 on a camera which you were able to use only 50% of its potential before you trade it in (then again if you're not the type who must upgrade as soon as something new is on the market, the camera will keep you busy for years). For beginners even the D600 may be a bit too much. Pro landscapes could do just fine with the D600, but may appreciate the 12 more megapixels and 9 shot bracketing (for HDR) when they're printing large posters. Wildlife photographers may appreciate the faster FPS, slightly better ISO performance and lighter body of the D600. In my opinion the D800 is more of a tripod camera while the D600 is more of a hand-held camera. If you're still not sure, rent them both and decide that way.
I WANT TO START OFF WITH THE POSITIVES:
I absolutely LOVE my new D600. I moved up from a D7000. Although I like the D7000 a lot, the D600 is even better in many ways.
1.) It has incredible high ISO performance
2.) Sharp, accurate and fast to focus (much better than the D7000) even in dim light
3.) Incredible resolution at 24 megapixels
4.) Very high dynamic range and the color reproduction is beautiful
5.) Fairly light compared to other Nikon pro bodies
6.) 5.5 frames per second which is slightly less than the D7000 6 frames per second, but the D600 has a larger buffer.
7.) Auto-ISO feature is very helpful.
The list goes on.....
As far as use and picture quality goes, this camera blows away anything within the same price range, and even some of the slightly older pro bodies that still go for well over $3,000.00. DXO Mark rates this camera as #3 on it's list, and the only cameras listed above it are the Nikon D800 and Nikon D800E. Believe it or not, the D600 sensor scored higher than the D3s, D4, D700 and all the current (2012) bodies in the Canon line-up. Obviously the D600 lacks some pro features like faster frames per second, an even bigger buffer, a couple of nice easy-setting-access buttons and full magnesium body, but let's face it; If Nikon had put all the good pro-features into the D600, why would anyone in their right mind pay $6,000.00 for a pro body? The D600 is purposely held back in some aspects by Nikon, but this does not mean that great performance and incredible image quality were sacrificed. In my opinion the price (at this time) can't be beat for what you're getting in return.
Contrary to what some believe, the D600 is not a repackaged D7000. It shares some features with the D7000, but it also shares some features with the D800. It's the best of both worlds. It is slightly bigger and heavier than the D7000, and slightly smaller and lighter than the D800. The body design in the front resembles that of the D7000, and the back of the body resembles the D800. Some have commented that the body feels cheap in their hands. I don't understand this sentiment. I guess some people feel that the heavier something is, the more expensive it feels. I can see why someone who has handled a D4 or D800 might say that, but in my opinion the D600 feels just fine. It has slightly better build than the D7000, and the D7000 is solid. I hear this mostly from people who have never taken their "pro" bodies outside the city. They need all this ruggedness, but they never use it. I've put my D7000 through a lot of abuse in the rain, snow, heat, climbed old castle ruins with it,...even dodged unruly kids, beer and drunks in bars and there's not a scratch on it. Do some of these people plan on dribbling their cameras? I keep mine on a neck strap, protecting my lenses. I think the D600 will be just fine.
NOW TO THE NEGATIVES:
Nikon's quality control is suffering greatly, and it's the only reason I'm rating the camera at four stars. It hurts me to do so, but I have to. I don't know if this is common with a lot of camera brands, but out of the four DSLRs I've owned, this is my second Nikon camera in a row suffering some kind of defect. Everything is absolutely perfect about it except the fact that it came with dust/oil spots on the sensor straight out of the box. I didn't notice this at first, but when I was shooting a fairly featureless subject stopped down, I noticed many small round spots concentrated mainly around the top left corner of the photo. These spots can be found all over the picture, but most of them are up in that corner. This is by far not as much of a concern for me as my D7000 back/front focusing issue was, because at least I can clean my own sensor. However it is disappointing to find something like this. It affects picture quality. I have done my best to remove these spots from photos in Lightroom 4, but at some point it becomes a chore. I have contacted Nikon about it and they want me to send it in. Since I love the camera so much, I don't want to be without it for a week or two, but if I don't get this issue resolved, maybe it will make me more upset in the long run. I will update the review once it's fixed.
WHAT ACCESSORIES TO BUY WITH THE D600
This is purely my opinion, but you may want to consider buying the following either directly with the D600, or a sometime after you purchase the D600:
1.) Make sure you buy a good-quality FX lens to go with the D600. Choose the lens based on what you like to photograph most. There are many specialized lenses out there such as wide angle, macro and telephoto. There are zoom lenses and prime lenses. Most pros already know that a well-rounded Nikkor lens line-up to own is the 14-24mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8 and the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR I. or VR II. There's also many great, fast prime lenses to choose from (cheaper options being the 50mm f/1.4G or f/1.8). I know of no lens that is good at everything, so you'll be making sacrifices no matter which one you choose. There are cheaper third-party options out there such as Sigma and Tamron. I myself prefer Sigma if I'm buying third-party. I've had a couple of Sigma lenses, and in fact one of my favorite lenses is the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro. I've used it for macro, birding, as well as portraits. It is super sharp and definitely rivals Nikon's 105mm macro lens in sharpness. Basically choose your first lenses based on what you will photograph most, and later on add more specialized lenses to your collection.
2.) A fast SD card, preferably nothing slower than 45MB/s. write/read speed and at least 16GB such as the SanDisk Extreme Flash memory card (maybe 2 of them), or even better, the 16GB or 32GB 95MB/s SanDisk Extreme Pro Flash memory card. Anything slower than that and you will find the buffer not clearing fast enough when you're shooting in burst mode.
3.) A good photo-editing program such as Lightroom 4, Photoshop CS6/Adobe Camera RAW. I personally use Lightroom 4 for all my photo editing, but some people prefer Adobe Camera RAW and Photoshop. If you're not shooting RAW with the D600, you're wasting a lot of its potential. RAW files hold the most information and give you greater dynamic range. Consider the program your developing room. The camera records the information and you develop that information into what you saw or what you wanted to see in the scene when you were shooting. If you're shooting JPEG only, the camera saves only very limited amounts of information. JPEGs also lose quality every time you re-save them, whereas RAW never loses quality and can be modified as many times as you want. It can also be reset to it's original form. RAW is the only way I shoot.
4.) If you have big hands, you may want to consider picking up the MB-D14 battery grip to give the D600 a little more size and better balance. It's also very handy for extended battery life and vertical shooting. There are cheaper third-party battery grips out there, but the quality is lacking and you risk possible damage to your camera. Many people are very satisfied with the cheaper third-party grip options, but I personally would not risk it with an expensive camera.
5.) Second battery. If you already own a D7000 and you plan on keeping it, the good news is that the D600 and D7000 share the same battery. I use my D7000 battery as a spare. Of course if I decide to use both cameras at the same time, this could be a problem. You can get a lot of shots out of the D600 battery on one charge, but it's always nice to have back-up. If you buy the battery grip, you can use regular AA batteries in the grip.
6.) A good sensor and lens cleaning kit. I would recommend at least getting a blower. I bought the Giottos Rocket Air Blaster and that seems to work nice. Other people use things like the Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly, but that's fairly pricey. I guess you get what you pay for. You can always get your sensor cleaned by a camera shop, but they'll charge you anywhere from $40 to $60 each time you bring it in. There's the security in knowing you got it done right, but that can add up to a lot of money down the line. If you don't feel confident enough to clean your own sensor, you're better off having it done by a professional.... however... it is nice to learn to do it yourself. I learned to clean mine on one of my older DSLRs for practice. It's easier than you'd think, but I'm not going to push you if you don't feel good about it.
7.) A camera sling strap like one of the Black Rapid straps or a Carry Speed FS-Pro strap. These attach to the tripod screw mount on the bottom of the camera and you can wear it over your shoulder with the camera and lens swinging next to your hip. You would really appreciate this carry method on longer hikes. or just walking around in general. The Carry Speed FS-Pro strap for example is very rugged and sturdy. The shoulder pad is wide and stretchy. It makes you feel like you're not carrying any weight at all. Neck straps are O.K. for lighter point and shoots, but if you want to save your neck some hardship, you'll look into getting a sling strap instead. It's easy to use, the camera is out of your way when you don't need it, and it's right there when you do.
UPDATE:
I have sent my D600 to Nikon service for the dust issue. They serviced the camera within one week. After I got it back, the sensor was spotless until I took about 600 shots with one lens (a prime, not a zoom) attached the entire time. After considering sending it back again, I decided to buy a sensor cleaning kit instead and cleaned it myself twice. After these two cleanings the spots are not coming back (at least none that I can see). Between shoots I use a Giotto blower to make sure I get rid of any possible spots. So far so good!
CONCLUSION:
I would highly recommend this camera to the category of people I listed at the very top, but I would also recommend caution as far as these dust/oil spots go. Not everybody has had this problem, but there are a number of people who are experiencing it. I'm one of the lucky few. Fact of life is that you're taking a risk no matter what manufacturer you choose. Nikon has had it's issues and so has Canon. The only thing we can do is hammer these companies with complaints and demand justice.
Sony DSC-HX50V/B DSC-HX50, HX50, DSCHX50 20.4MP Digital Camera
Sony has surprisingly taken over as a ratings leader in digital cameras. This camera is a little bigger and heavier than the pocket cameras I have had in the past, but it has a 30x zoom that makes up for it. A friend of mine bought this camera a year ago for over $800. My camera was $400 less than that. It takes beautiful pictures, as expected. I have only begun to use all the features. Settings can be manually adjusted.
